> The Mysterious Mare: Frozen Ground > by Shirlendra > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The Mysterious Mare (Week 1) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Somewhere across the world in the frozen north, a mare cloaked in snow colored heavy weather traveling gear stands atop a ridge looking out onto a valley. She pushes her goggles up with a hoof and looks at a map she has removed from her snow crusted saddle bag. Her blue eyes quickly scan the map then the frozen waste, She replaces the map and her goggles. She adjusts her gear slightly then walks back from the ridge onto a long forgotten trail. The moon is high in the bright clear night sky, its glow comforting the mysterious mare as she continues her journey deeper into the wastes. > The Mysterious Mare (Week 2) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Somewhere across the world deep in the frozen north a mare shrouded in heavy snow colored winter traveling gear has come upon buildings covered in snow and ice. The early morning sun plays across the ice and snow covered ground, all but hiding a stone path under a layer of ice. The mysterious mare is standing upon this road looking at the buildings sitting upon the frozen plains. They appear to have been abandoned long ago but have been preserved by the snow and ice. She removes a map from her saddlebag, the sun glinting off her goggles as she turns around to read it in the sunlight. After confirming the location and making a note on the map with a piece of graphite. She returns it to her saddlebag and turns back towards the buildings. She takes a slow sweeping look around at them, attempting to find any movement in them or on the plains beyond. Satisfied there is none she readjusts her snowcrusted gear slightly and slowly moves down the street towards the buildings to continue her journey deeper into the wastes. > The Mysterious Mare (Week 3) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Somewhere across the world deep in the frozen north a mare shrouded in heavy, snow colored winter traveling gear stands outside the cave where she spent the last few hours since the sunrise. She gazes upon the icy white orb currently occupying the sky and illuminating the terrain surrounding her. She removes a map from her saddlebag and makes a note upon it with a piece of graphite, She turns her sight from the map after returning it to the saddlebag and looks out across the rugged terrain in-front of her. To the west she can see a dark mass blotting out the stars and it appears to be moving towards her position. She places a gloved hoof against the clasp holding her cloak in place and after a slight adjustment she begins moving out across the low hills and iced ravines. As she treks she keeps tabs on the clouds slowly creeping towards her. The mysterious mare pulls her mask into place as the storm overtakes her. She disappears into the whirling snow, her hoofprints being quickly hidden, the only mark of her continuing journey deeper into the wastes. > The Mysterious Mare (Week 4) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Somewhere across the world deep in the frozen north a mare shrouded in heavy, snow colored winter traveling gear stands upon a long frozen road. She has removed her goggles and her light blue eyes survey the sight infront of her. A mountain range extends out to the east and west, blocking her path. Nestled between two mountains is a large grey wall spanning the length of the pass. She can see a large castle sitting far behind the wall, its towers and buildings giving off a soft glow under the pale moon hanging high in the sky to the south. The mysterious mare removes the map from her saddlebag, she makes a note on it with a piece of graphite before returning it to her saddlebag. She dusts the remaining snow off her cloak and pulls down her mask. She lets a low breath out, the steam quickly dissipating in the cold air. She makes sure her hood is secured over the top of her head covering and then begins walking towards the city, the light of the moon and the road guiding her path towards the wall. > The Mysterious Mare (Week 5), the Journey Revealed > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Somewhere across the world deep in the frozen north a mare slowly makes her way up a frozen road, she has long since passed the front gate of this hold. In-front of her the road stretches out before her, there is a slight incline up a short hill to a massive castle. As she moves up the road she gazes upon this ancient wonder of engineering, its spires gleaming dully in the twilight of the setting moon and rising sun. Up ahead is a small wall, much smaller than the main wall but still a formidable sight. Set directly into the middle of the wall is a large opening, a place for doors or other such barricades. She passes through the opening slowly, she stops as she sees what lies beyond. Infront of her lays a large field, its only apparent inhabitants being stone statues, many stone statues. She moves closer to a pony shaped one. It has a dull smile as if the creator of it had forgotten what a smile was. She turns from the statue and begins moving through the statue garden, she once again removes her goggles. She surveys the garden slowly as she walks, looking for movement. There does not appear to be any but she still watches carefully all the same. As she draws closer to the castle she can see that the statues appear to be becoming less refined, not quite shaped stone but the features have been lost. The statues here are not smiling but have been posed as if they have seen something horrific and are fleeing. As she walks out of the garden she can see a massive stone staircase leading up to what appears to be the main door way. She slowly climbs them towards the doorway, the sky is brightening slightly heralding the coming sunrise. She reaches the massive doorway, its edges are rimmed with glpyhs. She moves through the door quickly into the large chamber beyond, she looks around, taking note of the lack of furniture and comforts. She walks across the stone floor towards another smaller staircase, her hooves making a dull tapping sound in the large room. She climbs the stairs slowly, it takes her a long time to climb the staircase. Eventually it ends in a landing, she can see there are two more staircases on either side leading up. She chooses the left one and begins climbing this set of stairs, As she climbs it begins to get colder. She can see a doorway up ahead and the light sky of dawn beyond, she slowly makes her way up the last few stairs and moves onto a small platform surrounded on two sides by the grey rock of a mountain. On the third she can see a large flat surface and on the far side the other staircase exit cut into the mountain in the same way. She slowly makes her way out onto the large flat surface, it appears to be circular with the "Front" facing out over the top of the castle. She can see for many miles out from the castle, She realizes she could watch the sun and moon travel across the sky from here. The ground is covered in more of the glyphs she saw over the doorway at the base of the castle. She lets out a long slow breath, She watches the steam quickly dissipate in the morning air then turns around slowly. In-front of her at the far end of the platform is a throne, sitting in it is the long dead bones of an alicorn. She slowly approaches the throne, The black regalia of the alicorn is free from any rust or snow and ice. It glimmers dully in the early morning light. The Mysterious mare slowly removes her hood and face-mask allowing her dark blue mane to fall around her face. Slowly she kneels on the hard ground and bows her head to the alicorn. In a low voice that could only be described in beauty as that of crystal charms blowing slowly in the breeze of night she says "Hello Mother." (Ending of the Mysterious Mare. Ending 1, Noncanon.)