Chapter 1: Daring Do and the Race to the Celestial Prism
Chapter 1
Daring Do and the Race to the Celestial Prism
A white wall of mist suffocated Daring Do. Was she heading the right way or wandering aimlessly through a blind maze? Perhaps she was doing a little of both. The pegasus removed a compass from her satchel, but the fog consumed too much of her vision to read the needle. Daring flapped her wings, scattering a scant amount of mist around her, but enough to see her hooves. Holding the compass close, she found the needle through the worn and scratched glass. She continued onward, shivering from the mountain's frozen chill. As she walked forward, she began to see through the haze. Did it work? Did she finally make it? Daring trotted toward the visible area ahead. As she approached, the atmosphere around her removed the sheet of blindness.
Daring stood in a small clearing. Brief whispers of the wind tickled the peak of Milky Point. The compass in Daring's hoof pointed toward a natural cave within the limestone mountain. Daring grinned and returned the compass to her leather satchel. The rocky terrain cracked and slipped as the golden yellow pegasus pussyfooted toward the cave. She sat down, reached into her satchel, and removed her camera. The pegasus snapped photos of the peak and the dimly lit cave. She stashed her camera back into her bag and removed a round gemstone from the front pocket of her green shirt.
The glistening, red gem glowed as Daring pressed it between her hooves. "Gemini, it worked," she said.
"Good show," rang a deep voice from within the gemstone. "I take it the compass worked as promised?"
Daring glanced at her satchel and returned her gaze to the mountain peak. "It worked perfectly. Congratulations." The pegasus closed her eyes and lowered her head. "To think, nopony set foot on this mountaintop for over five hundred years."
Gemini's laughter crackled inside the gemstone. "Don't get caught up in the sightseeing for too long. The earlier you come back with that thing, the sooner I can study it and become the world famous unicorn who brilliantly revealed the secrets of the celestial prism."
Daring snickered and rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, smarty p..."
A deep voice shot from the cave's entrance. "You!”
Daring Do flinched and dropped the gemstone. "Who's there?" she asked. The pegasus braced herself for an ambush. She breathed heavily, producing a puff of fog with each exhale.
A lavender blue earth pony with light red hair and a worn out saddlebag trotted into the clearing. The bright freckles on his cheeks highlighted his friendly smile. "Good day! Fancy meeting another explorer here."
The pegasus shook her head and placed the whisper gem back into her shirt pocket. "Who are you?" she asked cocking her head.
"Ah, good of you to ask," the stranger replied. "I'm Kiefer." The earth pony trotted to Daring and firmly shook her hoof. "Just arrived ten minutes ago. I'm a bit of a collector of fine items." He tapped the golden yellow pegasus with his hoof. "And you are?"
Daring stuttered. "Daring Do, famous archeologist." The pegasus scanned the clearing. How could this amateur with a pine tree for a cutie mark have managed to navigate through the never ending mist?
Kiefer belly laughed and pointed his hoof at a jeweled necklace around his neck. "Allows me to see through the magic of the mist. Quite proud of it myself. Say, you're not related to Dicey Do by any chance?"
"Well, yes," Daring replied. "She's my sister. You know her?"
"Only in passing, I'm afraid," said Kiefer. "I take it you're here for the prism?"
Daring Do nodded. "Looks like we're both here for the same thing."
Kiefer shook his head. "I'm sorry Miss Do, but I need that prism more than you. You can have anything else you find. See you around."
Daring grimaced at the lavender blue earth pony. "Wait!" she yelled.
Kiefer smirked and trotted toward the cave’s entrance. How dare this collector take what belongs in the hooves of qualified ponies capable of truly studying and appreciating its significance. Daring scowled at the stallion. She took a deep breath and galloped up to Kiefer. The two ran side by side into the cave.
Glowing crystals lit the limestone passageway. The sound of the two ponies galloping echoed deep into the cave. Ancient glyphs beveled the limestone walls. Most of the text had either eroded or was otherwise unreadable. A symbol of a horseshoe and net caught Daring's attention. "Stop," she said. "There’s traps."
Kiefer grinned and slammed into the galloping pegasus. "I dealt with worse. Go home if you're scared," he replied. The red haired stallion nodded at Daring and galloped further into the dimly lit cave.
Daring Do furrowed her brow and followed Kiefer's lead. "I'm leaving with that prism whether you like it or not.”
The air quickly became stale and moist. Water droplets dripped onto the dirt below. Pressure plates littered the floor ahead. Daring smirked at the challenge of running recklessly through an ancient trap. The two ponies stepped on their first plates, and the whisper of rushing air echoed through tiny holes lining the cave. Daring turned toward Kiefer. "Let's see what you can handle." A gentle wind tingled the fur on Daring's back as a handful of darts sped by.
The two ponies crisscrossed left and right as a maelstrom of darts rained from the sides of the passageway. Daring let Kiefer run in front of her as he would trigger most of the pressure plates while she stayed close behind. Kiefer ground his hooves into the floor and slid to a stop just as a projectile grazed his nose. This was her chance. Daring smirked and leaped over the stunned earth pony, landing four feet in front of her rival. Kiefer grimaced at the pegasus, and the two galloped further into the cave.
Daring swung her head back toward Kiefer and grinned. She stole a considerable lead. However, her expression shot to panic when a sharp pain shocked her right flank. The pegasus collapsed. She skidded across the cavern floor, creating a wall of dust between the two ponies. Daring shook her head and grimaced at a dart protruding from her compass rose cutie mark. The panting pegasus shut her eyes and bit the end of the projectile. Daring braced herself for the worst. She twisted her head and yanked the dart out of her flank. She groaned at the sharp, splitting pain. The pegaus cursed and spit the slender shaft onto the ground.
Daring Do bolted upward and deeper into the cave, but her fall cost her too much time. Kiefer charged ahead. After dodging a few more rounds of darts, the two found themselves past the pressure plates, and the sound of falling darts ceased behind them. Daring shook her head and sighed. She never quit before, and she wasn't about to make an exception.
The ground began to slope upward slowing the two ponies. Daring noticed a switch near the floor on the wall. The pegasus explored more than enough dungeons and temples to know where there's a trip wire. However, her realization came too late, and she was unable to warn Kiefer about the trap. The stallion stumbled over the trip wire and bumbled forward. A series of clicks echoed ahead followed by the sound of massive debris striking the ground.
A few boulders half the size of Daring charged down the slope toward the two ponies. Daring sighed in relief. The rocks barely posed a threat. Neck and neck, Daring and Kiefer hurdled over each one. The small boulders passed behind them, but the cave still rumbled ahead of the galloping ponies. Daring gasped. A massive boulder scraped along both sides of the passageway in the distance. The pegasus frantically scanned the cave as the two ponies galloped toward the giant boulder. Part of the cave widened ahead but lacked the space to allow a pony to sidestep the massive rock. Nevertheless, if Daring wanted to live, she would have to make due. There might not be room to run past the boulder, but maybe she could go under it.
Daring Do tilted her head to the left. "Over there! Lay on the ground!" she yelled.
Kiefer nodded.
The two plunged toward opposite sides of the cave. Daring laid flat and covered her eyes with her hooves. The sound of the tumbling boulder grew louder, and the cave began to shake. Debris from the ceiling shook off and dirtied the pegasus' coat and mane. The ground began to tremble violently. Daring folded her ears down. "Please, please, please work," she mumbled.
The boulder grazed Daring’s fur as it tumbled past. Daring lifted her head and tracked the massive rock until she lost sight of it behind a trail of dust and debris. When the cave's tremors reduced to a light rumble, she checked herself for cuts and bruises. The pegasus sighed in relief. Daring and Kiefer glanced at each other and nodded. Taking deep breaths, both ponies rose and galloped further into the passageway. A well-lit room illuminated the cave ahead, and the two picked up their pace.
Daring furrowed her brow at Kiefer. She spent three months finding this cave. How could she let this collector take the prism away from her? More importantly, how would Gemini feel if she failed to retrieve the treasure for him? No, she couldn't let this amateur take what was rightfully hers. Daring worked too hard to lose now. Besides, this isn't much different from the time wild hyenas chased her through an underground labyrinth.
Kiefer grimaced at Daring Do as the two ponies approached the lit chamber. The treasure inside beckoned them, increasing both pony's pace. Kiefer slammed into Daring, knocking her into the wall. The sharp edges of the passageway scratched Daring, but a few bruises hardly diminished her drive. Daring growled as Kiefer gained the lead. Unfazed, the pegasus collected herself and ran back toward her rival.
Kiefer's tail batted Daring's nose as they galloped into the treasure room. Stone statues of ponies lined the sides of the cavern while stalactites descended from the ceiling. Sunlight beamed through a hole in the wall near the roof. The celestial prism sparkled on top of the center altar.
Kiefer and Daring lunged at the prism. The lavender blue earth pony grabbed the treasure between his hooves and fell to the ground. Daring landed on top of him.
"You cheated," said Daring Do as she grasped for the treasure.
Kiefer grunted and bucked Daring across the room into a statue. The pegasus lay motionless on the floor as the massive stone decor toppled over. The statue struck her leg as it crashed onto the ground.
Daring awoke and shook her head. Tremors rocked the cavern, and debris began falling from the ceiling. The pegasus attempted to push the statue away, but the weight of the stone overpowered her. She took a few breaths and tried again. The statue refused to move. Daring frantically searched for something to give her leverage, but only rocks and dirt surrounded her. How could she survive those traps just to get pinned in the treasure room? Life is not fair for a world class adventurer.
Kiefer placed the prism in his saddlebags and galloped toward Daring Do. The stallion lowered his head under the statue and pushed. Groaning, he managed to shift the stone a few inches: just enough space to wiggle free. As soon as Daring scooted away, the statue collapsed back onto the floor.
"Sorry about that, Miss Do," said Kiefer. "Sometimes my strength gets the better of me. You're not hurt are you?"
"I don’t know. We need to get out of here, fast," Daring replied. The golden yellow pegasus stumbled next to Keifer, dragging her hoof behind her. The shaking continued. Stalactites began to crack and tumble to the ground.
"We can fit into the hole in the wall over there near the ceiling," said Kiefer. "You can see the sunlight. It should lead us right outside."
Daring nodded and flew to the opening. The pegasus examined the inside of the gap. A ten foot tunnel led to an exit on the opposite side of the mountain, and its width could allow a pony crawl through. "You're right," she replied.
Daring Do wrapped her hooves around Kiefer and lifted him to the opening. The pegasus entered first and pulled Kiefer in behind her. Water dripped from above causing Daring to flinch. The ponies crept along the muddy passageway to the exit outside. Daring stuck her head out and scanned the environment. The thick mist hid her surroundings and a sharp cliff below made climbing out impossible. She was going to have to fly down. But what about Kiefer? Temping as it was to leave him stranded, Daring fancied herself too much of a heroine to leave him behind. She turned around and once again wrapped her hooves around Kiefer. She dragged the earth pony to the exit and hovered outside. Bucking against the face of the mountain, Daring carried the earth pony into the open air.
The pegasus glided away from the mountain and downward into the mist. Cold air stung her wings as she gained momentum. The thick atmosphere engulfed the ponies and concealed the outside world in a wispy gray. Nevertheless, Daring knew no other mountains stood nearby, so she continued to descend in a straight path. As the two ponies reached lower altitudes, the mist dissolved around them. Daring spotted a grassy field below, and Kiefer's weight strained the pegasus; she had to land soon. The pegasus dove toward the earth. As the two ponies approached the ground, Daring flapped her wings, slowing their decent. She placed Kiefer down and landed beside him.
Kiefer sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Well done, Miss Do."
"Hand over the prism," said Daring. "It belongs in the hooves of trained archeologists." The pegasus lifted her arm and gestured to Kiefer to give her the treasure.
Kiefer smiled. "Of all the ponies I'd give this to, you're at the top of the list. But like I said, I need this." The earth pony opened his saddlebag and removed a bottle with his teeth. He uncorked the top and drank the glistening, blue fluid inside. Kiefer vanished. "I always keep an invisibility potion on hand, you know, just in case."
Daring grimaced. "You’re going to cost me months of work. Come back here."
"I really did enjoy meeting you, Miss Do. You are amazing. Hopefully next time we'll meet under better circumstances,” said Kiefer as his voice grew distant.
Daring screamed for Kiefer to return, but he galloped off without her. She scowled at the ground and kicked the nearest rock into the horizon. How could she have lost the celestial prism so easily? The golden yellow Pegasus sat still as she took deep breaths. Daring growled in disappointment, and her patience ran dry. She reached into her pocket to remove her whisper gem. "Use the return spell, please," she said.
"Of course," sounded Gemini's voice through the gemstone.
——
Daring Do reappeared sitting in the center of Gemini's magic lab at the University of Fillydelphia. Tables around the room housed alchemy equipment while reagents sat on shelves against the wall. A white unicorn with gray hair smiled from behind his desk and put his own whisper gem back into his suede jacket.
"Did you find the prism?" asked Gemini.
Daring shook her head. "Somepony took it."
"Who?" asked Gemini.
Daring rolled her eyes. "Some weirdo."
"Care to tell me anything about this pony?" asked Gemini.
"Yeah, he was a weirdo," replied Daring in monotone.
Gemini tapped his desk with his hoof and sighed. "Well raspberries, there goes my big research project."
"And our grant money," Daring added lowering her head.
Gemini stood up from behind his desk and approached Daring Do. The unicorn placed his hoof on Daring's shoulder and smiled. "Do cheer up. Certainly we're not dealing with the end of the world now are we?"
Daring's gaze returned to Gemini. "You're right," she said forcing a smile. "I managed to take a few pictures outside, so it wasn't a total waste." The golden yellow pegasus chuckled. "Besides, I never give up. This isn't over by a long shot."
"I truly hope so," replied Gemini. "I'd hate to see the prism being sold in underground markets."
Daring laughed. "Well, I'm going to my office to rest for a bit. I managed to twist my ankle again.”
Gemini lifted an eyebrow. "Are you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine," she replied.
Daring stood, stretched, then limped to the door. "Oh, Gemini," she said pausing in the doorway. The two ponies locked eyes. "It's always great to see you."
Gemini nodded.