First published 30th of July, 2023
Fire coveted Heaven's love. Fire yearned for Heaven's light. Fire sang in its empty halls of its hate and its love for Heaven. Heaven shone away from fire, swirled by multitudes of likesoul. Fire its many kilns fuelled. Placid, the sea witnessed all.
First discovered in the year DCIV of Her Majesty's solitary reign, the inscriptions are a set of square tablets, two nails tall, their sides measuring a leg and a quarter, of an unknown substance. They are currently located behind protective casings, to ensure no damage may come to the observers. They are bereft of markings on one side, which has led some to speculate they may have been originally affixed to a wall, or the interior or exterior of some other construction.
They tell of Fire, Heaven, and a timeless land beyond the sea, yet their true meaning still eludes all of ponykind, from its youngest citizen to its ancient ruler. For they are, perhaps, even more ancient than she.
These are their contents, as they are understood, and the story of the pony tasked with spreading that knowledge to the world.
An entry into the 2nd A Thousand Words contest, under the "Experimental" category.
Prereading and cover art courtesy of Reviewfilly .
Chapters
The following text is an organised adaptation of the fragments originally recovered from the Nightmare Ruins crash site. Given the lack of certainty in the translation of the Æternal language, the writer has chosen to prioritise accuracy over interpretation. Though the quality of the text may suffer from the decision, it is our hope and intent to preserve its contents as truthfully as possible, as we await for the coming of one blessed with proper understanding of the language.
Heaven- stepped- into- the- walls- of- Fire,- and- within- gazed- upon- the- shadow- it- had- cast,- still- smouldering- within- its- kiln.
"What- is- this?"
"I- and- Darkness- together- created- it."
Fire- spoke- with- joy- of- its- child.
But- Heaven- adverted- its- gaze.
"It- is- ugly."
"We- do- not- like- it."
Fire- sought- to- capture- Heaven's- love.
"It- can- perform.- Witness."
The- Shadow- danced.- The- Shadow- rose- from- its- host- of- metal- stone- in- display.
Heaven- looked- heartless.
Heaven- left.
Fire- blazed.
Fire- cast- the- Shadow- and- its- kiln- to- the- sea,- beyond- the- timeless- veil- of- the- skyland.
The relics on which the fragments were originally found inscribed are currently located within the capital's museum. Thorough magical analysis has revealed them protected, possibly impervious to age. Linguists from all over the country have tried to more properly decipher Æternal, but no progress has been made further than what is presented here.
Fire- sought- the- love- of- Heaven.
Life- had- in- its- age- many- constructions- brought- forth.- One- was- of- strong- muscle- and- hard- hide,- of- sharp- fang- and- split- eye.
Fire- chose- this- creature.
Fire- poured- its- self- essence- within- the- creation.
Life- did- not- object.-
It- was- use- of- every- Æternal- to- lay- claim- to- one- of- Life's- inferior- fabrications.
Fire- imbued- the- creature- with- its- self- power.
Yet- with- it- brought- Fire- part- of- its- soul.
It- mingled- within- the- creature's- spirit.
Fire- coveted- Heaven.
The- Firefilled- coveted- as- Fire- did.
Fire- brought- its- chosen- to- Heaven's- meadows.
Fire- brought- on- a- display.
Heaven- found- time- drying.
Heaven- gazed- upon- its- chosens.
Heaven- shone- away- from- Fire's- shade.
Fire- hated.
Fire's- chosen- bore- Fire's- flames.
The Nightmare Ruins fragments represent the largest single body of Æternal text discovered yet, and the most well understood one.
Fire- burnt- within- its- halls.
Fire- birthed- logic- and- aim.
Fire- slithered- to- the- halls- of- Life- with- a- mask- of- joy.
Fire- stole- words- to- be- kept.
Fire- came- to- the- gates- of- Order,- covered- by- mind.
Order- blinded- poured- voice- of- its- soul- to- Fire.
Fire- listened.- Fire- learnt.
Fire- marched- to- its- halls- wrath- led.
Fire- gathered- the- wreckages- of- Life.
Fire- perverted- the- teachings- of- Order.
Fire- created- unorder- unlife.
Fire- cast- word- to- its- cursed- spawn.- Fire- cast- aim- to- its- wretched- child.
The- unorder- unlife- flew- crawled- towards- Heaven's- den.
Fire- witnessed.
Heaven- cast- the- wretch- to- the- sea,- beyond- the- timeless- veil- of- the- skyland.
Fire- burnt.
When first discovered, the Æternal language was deemed by some a hoax, or perhaps meaningless decorative gibberish. While the potential ancient nature of the inscriptions it was found in led to cautious preservation, it took years of research and debate before it was accepted and established that a real, proper language was what was being seen.
Heaven- danced,- Fire- witnessed.
Fire- flamed.
Within- the- centre- of- the- walls- halls- gathering- empty- space- Heaven- danced.
Multitudes- witnessed.- Fire- hid.
Multitudes- flowed- as- water.
Heaven's- domain- revolved,- still- Fire- witnessed.
Still- Fire- flamed.
Fire- coveted- Heaven- yet- Fire- coveted- Heaven's- domains.
Fire- whirled.
Heaven- left.
Fire- stood.
Fire- concocted- in- loneliness- a- song- of- yearn- and- hate- for- Heaven.
Fire- sang- alone.
Fire- whirled- and- tossed- within- its- halls- as- its- melody- echoed- in- its- walls.
Fire- turned- to- its- enemy's- domain's- birth- as- the- all- mocked- it.
Part of what has so far stalled a proper understanding of Æternal is the atypical structure it is characterised by. Not only do its symbols have association to meaning rather than sounds, they are combined together into longer strings as uninterrupted macrocharacters, meaning one has to translate whole sentences rather than single words. Our understanding of each individual symbol and of nuances in their combination are thus inherently limited by the low number of available examples.
In- its- gardens- Heaven- staged- fiction- through- its- domain.
Multitudes- of- Heaven's- likedimension- were- sought- to- witness.
Multitudes- reduced- came- to- witness- in- Heaven's- gardens.
Fire- too- was- to- witness.
Fire- burned- yet- coveted- Heaven.
Fire- so- witnessed,- and- Fire- forgot- for- a- slice- of- Heaven's- revolving.
Heaven- staged- of- war- and- bravery,- forged- rock- and- voidspawn.
Earth's- domain- was- much- pummeled- with- eruption- of- Storm's- domain- resulting- by- that- which- holds- the- weight.
Darkness- too- was- there- to- witness,- and- Wind,- and- Magic.
Heaven- concluded,- and- to- its- multitudes- Magic's- othersoul- in- guise- of- turned.
Teeth- flashed- bared,- so- of- Fire,- clad- in- untruth.
Fire- witnessed- Heaven's- domain,- and- word- and- aim- sprung- within- its- mind.
The precise order of the fragments, if one does exist, remains unclear. Neither is there any certainty on the completeness of the collection, or on the possibility of other missing pieces of the same kind having existed at some point. It is however undeniable the fragments are all part of a common body of work, given the frequency of commonly repeated symbols and the similarities in style, itself characterised by individual inscriptions fairly shorter than other examples of Æternal found elsewhere.
Fire- witnessed- roiling- power- within- a- kiln- of- unorder.
Wrath- burned- Fire- consumed- whole.
Heaven- to- burn.
Fire- left- its- halls.
Fire- came- to- the- halls- of- Darkness.
Fire- sought- the- knowledge- of- Darkness.
Still- it- did- not- suffice.
Fire- left- the- halls- of- Darkness.
Fire- hid- from- the- witnessing- of- circular- likesoul.
Fire- softly- burned- in- swirling- mind.
Fire- clad- itself- in- untruth.
Fire- walked- the- hall- of- knowledge- gathered,- and- ascended.
Fire- in- blindness- of- likesoul- sought- and- perceived- deep- shunned- truth.
Fire- fled- in- blindness- of- likesoul.
Fire- came- to- its- halls.
Fire- poured- great- knowledge- in- its- kiln.
Twisted- horn- and- boundless- hunger- emerged.
Fire- unleashed- its- child- towards- Heaven.
Fire- clad- its- birth- in- dust- and- thread.
Mindless,- horn- and- hunger- ravaged- the- skyland- in- will.
Greater- likesoul- intervened.
Truth- sang- for- echoed,- Fire- remained- mute.
Harmony- beheld- the- lesser- souls.
Cosmos- cast- horn- hunger- to- the- sea,- beyond- the- timeless- veil- of- the- skyland.
Fire- undanced,- in- its- whirling- flaming- subdued- but- not- dead.
It is yet unknown what species or civilisation is responsible for developing and utilising Æternal, though all signs point towards it being an advanced and magically powerful group, and what little we've managed to understand from the available inscriptions suggests they may have held over their territories even greater control than ponies do over nature in Equestria. It is however almost certain that the place of origin of the inscriptions is located beyond the sea, to the south or possibly southwest of Equestria.
Heaven- called.
Fire- followed.
Darkness- followed.
Magic- followed.
Wind- followed.
Frost- followed.
Heaven's- domain- weighed- onto- Fire.
Heaven's- domain- weighed- onto- Heaven.
Heaven- shone.
Heaven- displayed- a- binding- of- Frost's- domain- and- Life's- child's- domain.
Heaven- irradiated.
Fire- consumed.- Weight- reduced.
Fire- shone,- unclad.
Heaven- swore- cycles.
Within- its- halls,- Fire- twisted.
Common to all inscriptions found in the Nightmare Ruins site, and not shown in this translation, is a shared opening formula. Short and found at the beginning of each fragment, its meaning remains unclear, the presence of one uncertain. It may be a simple decorative addition, or a sort of formal notation. It may be a signature, though that is believed unlikely. Attempts to translate it by comparison with known symbols largely place the meaning as something like a term of endearment, to whom or what it is not known.
Heaven- witnessed- the- sea.
Fire- followed.
Fire- and- Heaven- witnessed- the- sea.
Heaven- declared.
Fire's- heart- grew- cold.
Heaven- coveted- the- land- beyond- the- sea.
Heaven- sang- of- leaving- the- skyland.
Heaven- sang- of- passing- the- sea.
Fire- listened.
Fire,- alone,- witnessed- the- sea.
Fire- turned- to- its- enemy's- domain's- birth.
Fire- came- to- Heaven's- halls,- in- unlight.
Heaven- sang- of- the- sea- to- greater- likesoul.
Cosmos- blessed.
Fire- over- Earth's- domain- much- beat.
Fire- came- to- its- halls.
Fire- its- enemy- fed- in- growth- beyond- birth.
Fire- Wind's- domain- dared- in- song.
Fire- heavy- on- unheavy- its- domain- unstood.
Fire's- heart- shook- cold.
There has been much debate as to what, all in all, the fragments even are. Their contents partially, but broadly understood, there is no consensus over whether they are meant to detail real events, or something of a creation myth of sorts. The difference in style compared to examples of the language found elsewhere does lend credence to the idea that something is specifically different about the events described in them, however the topic still lacks a consensus.
Fire- witnessed- Frost- within- the- all- garden.
Frost- sang- silence.
Frost- witnessed- unwitnessed- Darkness.
Fire- confronted- unwitnessed- Frost.
Frost- hid.
Fire- persevered.
Darkness- distanced- itself.
Frost- sought- Darkneas- in- sight.
Fire- persevered.
Frost- bared- its- mind.
Frost- coveted- Darkness.
Fire- swore- to- aid- Frost.
Frost- sought- the- fruit- of- Earth's- domain.
Frost- carved,- Fire- witnessed.
Frost- poured- on- Magic's- domain- in- its- creation.
Fire- alight- witnessed- Frost's- craft- birth.
Fire- followed.
Frost- came- to- the- halls- of- Darkness.
Frost- offered- its- domain.
Darkness- witnessed- Frost.
Fire- witnessed- Darkness- and- Frost.
Darkness- received- Frost's- domain.
Fire- shone.
Within- its- halls,- Fire- twisted.
Fire- coveted- Heaven.
The topic of Her Highness being questioned on a translation of Æternal does on occasion arise, among those first learning of the relatively obscure topic yet not knowledgeable enough to be aware of its full history. Princess Celestia has in truth already been involved in previous attempts at understanding the language, when her schedule allowed. She has however not been able to provide any meaningful help beyond assisting in research. Though our monarch is ageless, it should not be believed that her knowledge is boundless, vast as it regardless certainly is.
Fire- came- to- realise- a- wronging- within- its- knowledge- domain.
Fire- was- dry.
Fire- came- to- the- halls- of- Wind,- by- will- other- by- will- own.
Wind- shone- towards- Fire- atop- pillars- of- Earth's- domain- elevated.
"Likesoul- still- in- number- unplace."
"Dismiss."
Fire- shone- skywards- as- it- bent.
Heaven's- domain- revolved- minutely.
Heaven- came- to- Wind's- gardens.
Fire's- heart- turned.- Fire- shone- elsewhere.
Earth- came.- Fire- shone- doubly.
Wind- shone- and- shone,- then- rose.
Likesoul- followed.
Wind's- domain- roiled- and- carried.
Fire- in- mind- drifting- together- soared.
"Through- the- veil- and- sea- crossing."
Heaven- cut- Fire's- flight.
Fire- clad- itself- in- untruth- and- shone,- shining- away.
Wind- net- Heaven.
"Harmony's- domain,- and- grace,- and- covet."
Within- its- halls,- Fire- sang.
The exact material the inscriptions are placed upon is possibly an even bigger mystery than the inscriptions' contents themselves. Initially believed to be simple stone or perhaps metal, no tests have managed to determine the exact composition, and no attempts have so much as succeeded in obtaining samples. Of course, given the importance of the inscriptions and their one of a kind nature, the strength employed has remained contained as to not damage the contents. This still leaves the true nature of the material unclear, though it is unlike anything known to ponykind.
Life- came- to- Fire's- halls.
Fire- whirled- in- confusion.
"What- reason- comes- behind- your- presence?"
Life- spoke- of- want- of- unorder- in- kindness.
"Fire- seems- a- fitting- complement."
Fire- swirled- in- obscurity.
Heaven- was- Fire's- sole- likesoul- companion.
"Details."
Life- spoke- of- beak- and- scale,- venom- and- feather,- and- unlife.
Fire- came- to- realise- a- wronging- repeated- in- its- knowledge.
Fire- was- drier.
Fire- accepted.
Life- posited- a- later- revolving- of- Heaven's- domain.
Fire- promised- soul- and- Magic's- domain- and- craft- and- shape.
Life's- light- poured- towards- fire- in- twisted- patterns.
Fire- in- turn- repeated.
Within- its- halls,- Fire- crafted- a- first- of- example.
Of the various inscriptions recovered in the Nightmare Ruins site, two are not presented in this text. One remains fully untranslated, but it can be freely viewed within its casing, and is still the subject of study and debate among scholars. It appears to employ a fundamentally different style of writing, though yet similar enough to still be classified as Æternal.
The other inscription is not exposed to the public, and though its existence is not a secret its viewing still requires authorisation. It is not an inscription bearing text, but rather a single large symbol, its meaning and purpose unclear. Perhaps a magic seal, perhaps a representation of something. All that is known is that Her Highness ordered it to be kept under lock, not to be shown openly. She has commented on the carving as being foul and malignant, and has appeared physically distressed at its presence, though she could not explain why. It's speculated the mark is a rune of dark ancient power, the evil of which her nature allows her to perceive even without comprehending it.
Note to self: Consult with a representative over the propriety of so clearly stating Her Highness's feelings.
The fragments recovered from the Nightmare Ruin crash site were first discovered almost four centuries ago at this point. The initial finding consisted of three inscriptions, with five more found in the following week. Findings continued intermittently for the next fifty years, the distance between each new one growing longer each time. Some do think other fragments may still be present, however so far no attempt at another excavation has received funding, as the likelihood of such a thing is considered rather low and the potential success not worth the expenses.
Fire's- domain- was- pilfered.
Fire's- domain- was- sullied.
Fire- screamed- in- its- halls.
Fire- sought- greater- likesoul- to- witness- its- plight.
Shape- heeded- Fire's- screams.
Still- in- darkness- the- foul- enemy- remained.
Fire- hated.
Fire- screamed.
Fire- wrought- from- Wind's- domain- its- domain- and- power- and- shape- and- aim.
Fire- brought- its- domain- to- scorch- and- rubble- and- mark.
Still- in- darkness- the- enemy- remained.
Fire- withered- many- a- fragment- of- Heaven's- domain.
Fire's- likesoul- will- tarnished.
Fire- sang.
Fire- questioned- the- all- its- lack- of- bond.
One may question how, exactly, the translation is able to discern between uses of a term as a proper noun and uses of the same term to mean the object in question. Besides contextual clues such as the use of verbs close or referring to the character, Æternal also employs a clear, distinct marking when utilising a symbol to refer to someone or something by using it as the thing's name, and the consensus on this is near universal.
Fire- wandered- the- hall- of- knowledge.
There,- Cosmos- and- Truth- lay.
Fire- halted,- and- sought- to- absorb- the- breaths- on- Wind's- domain- they- shared.
Fire- grew- careless- of- the- flaws- in- its- knowledge.
"It- is- as- avoidable- as- the- revolving- of- your- deepsoulkin's- domain."
Weight- bore- a- mask- on- Truth.
Cosmos- was- as- a- font- of- sound.
Truth- spoke- of- what- could,- and- what- shouldn't.
Cosmos- bowed.
"What- then- shall- it?"
"Unknowable."
Cosmos- whirled- in- clarity,- its- Wind's- domain- means- as- the- lesser- of- Life's- children- dancing- and- crying.
Cosmos- sang- of- pain.
Truth- hushed- Cosmos's- cries.
Cosmos- sang- of- order- and- justice.
"The- all- cares- not."
Truth- sang- of- its- domain,- and- the- lack- of- bindings- on- likesoul- and- the- all.
Cosmos- sweltered,- flamed- not.
"What- of- me?"
Truth- beheld- its- likesoul- as- the- solemness- of- Death's- domain.
"It- is- of- freedom,- domain,- painful- though- may- be- it."
Cosmos- drowned.
Cosmos- left- the- halls.
Fire's- clad- shredded.
Fire- drained.
Truth- shone.
The- mountain- the- stream- and- the- glacier- erode.
"Heaven- shall- in- unbody- white- crossed- the- veil,- crossed- the- sea."
Truth- left.
Fire- screamed- in- silence,- heart- twisting.
Though they constitute one of, perhaps the most important piece of Æternal work to us available, the Nightmare Ruins fragments have historically been the least useful in furthering our understanding of the language. Their peculiar style and rather self-referencing contents leave them a poor vessel for extrapolating connections between the meaning contained and what we know and understand. At once, they are also some of, possibly the most studied Æternal texts, precisely because of this difference. For some it's the thrill of curiosity the unknown inspires, for others the belief that their nature as the most distant from us makes them the most important in understanding the culture that produced them.
Life- came- to- the- halls- of- Fire.
Fire- shone.
Life- beheld- Fire's- craft.
Fire- coveted- kinship.
Life- found- Fire's- craft- like- Fire's- enemy- on- the- merciless- of- Heaven's- domain- in- the- farthest- reaches- of- Earth's- domain.
Life- unveiled- a- kiln- of- power- and- raw- ice.
Life- brought- forth- lesser- of- lessers- of- its- children,- shards.
Fire- witnessed- unlife- blood- and- failure- to- conquer- Wind's- domain.
Life- shone,- and- unveiled- pilfered- essence- of- Darkness's- greater- deeplikesoul.
Life- placed- fang- and- talon- and- soul- venom- molten- sand- within- its- kiln.
Fire- witnessed,- ablaze- in- worship.
Life- sang- to- Fire,- its- duty- to- pay.
Fire- cast- itself- in- and- around- the- kiln.
Life- cast- itself- in- and- around- the- kiln.
Heaven's- domain- revolved- warped- in- minutiae- shredded.
Life- sang,- Fire- withdrew.
Unorder- roiled- within- the- kiln.
Life- blessed.
Fire- felt- claws- scraping- at- its- core's- chamber.
From- the- kiln,- twisted- life- emerged.
As- Fire's- craft,- sculpted- of- truth,- shrieking.
Shape- a- mockery,- wrath- filled- heart,- untime- in- its- glare.
Scale- and- talon,- fury- and- unorder,- venom- and- death.
Life- sang- as- pearls- on- Earth's- finest- domain.
Fire- in- spirit- inscribed,- in- heart- ablaze- heatless.
The character translating to fire was one of the first to be identified when studies of the language began to develop. Its prevalence within the Nightmare Ruins fragments initially led some to believe they were detailing a catastrophe of sorts, perhaps a war, while others posited they may instead be a set of instructions for the forging of metals or tools, explaining their peculiar structure. It was only later that it was established how the inscriptions mainly use the term as a name, a fact which is often cited as evidence by those who believe the inscriptions contain myth and folklore.
Likesoul- as- fish- past- the- skyland's- border- flocked- to- Heaven.
Heaven- burned- and- heaved- and- danced.
Heaven- drowned- in- light,- soaring.
Fire- witnessed,- clad- in- Darkness's- child.
Heaven's- soul- was- twisted.
Fire's- heart- was- torn.
Heaven- split.- Fire- quivered.
Fire- poured- Magic's- domain,- over- Wind's- domain,- as- there- Darkness- over- Earth's- domain- stilled.
Heaven's- halfsoul- feared- unknowledge- above- all.
Fire- whirled- in- depth.
Heaven- whole- danced- and- heaved,- and- light- poured.
Fire- witnessed,- Heaven's- domain- revolved.
Fire- burned- inwards.
Fire- knowledge- shunned.
While the Nightmare Ruins fragments specifically, and broadly the Æternal language as a whole, are a deeply studied subject with a number of ponies interested in them, they remain a relatively niche portion of the broader breadth of academia, or even just archeology and linguistics. Much more focus is, perhaps understandably, placed on more well known languages, or ones more closely relating to ponykind's history or Equestria's own. It is partly our hope that the publishing of this translation may inspire new life into the subject and research surrounding it.
Fire- came- to- its- enemy's- halls.
Fire- wished- to- speak- of- what- lay- past- the- veil.
The- enemy- welcomed- Fire.
The- enemy- offered- of- Frost's- domain- and- Life's- Earth's- domain- bound- lessers,- and- its- domain- and- Life's- Earth's- domain- bound- lessers,- as- in- those- cycles- heavy- was- Heaven's- domain- upon- all- likesoul.
Fire- consumed,- and- Fire- absorbed,- and- Fire- dwindled.
"Reason."
Fire- warred- to- stop- its- enemy's- domain's- birth.
Fire- sang- of- Heaven- in- untruth,- and- Fire- sang- of- the- sea- beyond- the- veil.
Fire's- enemy- shone,- bright- as- Heaven.
Fire's- enemy- sang- of- motion- and- the- marriage- of- Wind- and- Heaven,- of- the- marriage- of- Life- and- Earth,- of- the- warring- of- Frost- and- Fire.- Fire's- enemy- sang- of- loss,- and- worth,- and- reach.
Fire's- eyes- hollow,- it- came- to- envy- Heaven.
Fire- sang- for- echoes- of- knowledge- and- control.
Fire's- enemy- shone.
Fire's- enemy's- domain- was- ancient- more- than- all- but- Heaven- amongst- the- ungreat- likesoul,- and- Heaven's- domain- too- great- to- witness.
Fire's- enemy- many- revolvings- of- Heaven's- domain- in- depth- in- witness- of- its- domain- past.
Fire's- domain- was- ancient.
Fire- echoed- its- enemy's- song- of- witness- over- its- domain.
Fire's- mind- swirled- with- infinity.
An interesting if contentious point regarding the language is that it does not, as far as we are currently aware, appear to utilise numbers, not in a way that we have so far been able to identify at least. Mentions of quantity greater than a single unit appear vague in all instances, never strongly defined. This has led some to speculate that what we interpret as 'many' or similar meaning may in fact possess different inflections we have yet to properly understand that would confer it more precise measurement qualities. It is believed by some that the culture behind the fragments could not possibly have been as advanced as to produce the material they are inscribed on, while lacking in ways to represent numbers.
Life- came- to- the- halls- of- Fire,- its- abomination- with- it.
Fire- whirled- over- Wind's- domain.
Life- echoed.
Fire- and- Life- and- their- child- wandered- the- shapes- and- spawn- of- Earth's- domain.
Clad- in- Darkness's- child,- Fire- and- Life- came- to- the- gardens.
Heaven- lay- there,- drowning- in- light.
Fire's- heart- whirled.
Life's- mind- flared.
Fire- sang- of- Heaven's- domain.
Life- echoed- in- truth.
Multitudes- flowed- as- Life's- domain- within- Fire's- enemy's- domain.
Fire's- mind- cast- to- its- knowledge.
Fire's- sang- in- silence- for- echoes- of- white- over- its- enemy- beyond- its- domain.
Heaven's- light- dimmed.
Clad- in- Darkness's- child,- Life- and- Fire- hunted.
Life- imprisoned- its- child.
Fire- witnessed- the- path.
The- gate- of- Heaven's- gardens- stood.
Fire- sang.
Life- unleashed- its- spawn.
Eyes- of- death's- domain,- claw- and- scale- whirled- upon- Heaven.
Heaven- screamed.
Heaven- tore.
Fire's- child- stood- Heaven.
Heaven's- song- turned- to- Fire's- enemy's- birth.
Fire's- flames- as- in- Wind's- will.
Life's- flames- poured.
Life's- spawn- rose.
Heaven- whole.
Fire- clad- itself- away- from- Heaven's- light.
Life- and- Heaven- shone.
Heaven- split- in- soar- and- Fire's- enemy.
Cosmos- hunted- Fire's- child.
Fire- and- Life's- abomination- was- cast- beyond- the- veil- of- the- skyland.
Heaven- feared.
Fire- revolved- knowledge,- flaming- cold.
Some concern has, over the decades, risen regarding the propriety of exposing the fragments to the general public. The language not fully understood, some have questioned whether the contents may prove inappropriate to younger ponies once properly translated. This has largely been dismissed, on the grounds that the current understanding is not itself inappropriate, and should a new one be so only then will the need to keep it from younger minds be a topic of concern. As far as we understand it so far, however, it does not seem the fragments contain anything inappropriate. Mentions of death, though present, seem to have a more symbolic meaning, and nothing is there to suggest the presence of other mature topics.
Fire- came- to- Heaven's- halls.
Heaven- shone.
Fire's- heart- turned.
Fire- contemplated- Wind's- domain.
Fire- sang- of- the- veil- and- the- sea.
Heaven- echoed.
Fire- sang- of- white- and- loss.
Heaven- echoed.
Fire- hollowed.- Fire- sang- for- echoes.
Heaven- echoed.
Fire- sang- for- reason.
Heaven- shone.
Heaven- loved- Fire- in- Life's- greater- domain's- form- repeating.
Fire- loved- Heaven- as.
Heaven- offered- of- Frost's- domain- and- Life's- entwined.
Fire- echoed.
Heaven's- selves- whirled- in- knowledge- of- the- child- of- Fire- and- Life.
Fire- sought- to- white,- hollow.
Fire- shone.
Song- of- multitudes- came- from- Heaven's- gardens.- Life- and- Darkness- and- Wind.
Heaven- echoed.
Fire- flamed- alone- within- Heaven's- halls.
While it is not the subject of this translation, it is worth noting how, even within some of the other available Æternal texts, the usage of some of the seemingly stranger names present within these fragments is repeated, notably Shape being present in one of the longest available texts. The use of 'singing', though less pronounced, is also found elsewhere. Conversely, other texts show a greater prevalence towards dialogue, itself indicated by specific bordering characters and by a difference in style of the characters contained therein, both things seldom present within the Nightmare Ruins fragments.
Fire- stood- Earth's- domain's- greatness.
Fire- witnessed- the- marriage- of- its- enemy's- domain- and- the- greatness- at- the- veil.
Fire- past- multitude's- of- Wind's- domain- and- Earth's- domain- witnessed- the- birth- of- its- enemy's- domain- at- the- death- of- the- marriage- of- Frost's- domain- and- Earth's- domain.
Fire- consumed- of- Life's- lessers- born- of- Earth's- domain.
Fire- witnessed- the- warring- of- Wind's- domain- and- Heaven's- domain.
Fire- let- white- flow- within.
Fire- flamed- heatless,- and- shone.
Fire- thanked- the- all.
The last major translation work regarding the fragments dates back forty-three years at this point. Though this work largely aligns with the previous one, barring a few mistakes and new developments in our understanding of the language, it was still thought preferable to compile a new, updated version of the translation, rather than newly publish the old and (if only partially) flawed one. As previously mentioned, it is hoped one day we may be presented with one capable of understanding the language properly, be they a pony with a talent for it or a member of the species originally responsible for the writings, or perhaps a scholar of a country other than Equestria. Regardless, in the lack of such a boon research is to persevere. What nature does not provide, it's in ponies' nature to supply.
Heaven's- halls- were- empty.
Fire- came- to- Heaven's- halls- with- knowledge- and- regret.
Fire- screamed.
Cosmos- spoke- of- Heaven's- domain.
Fire- beat- Earth's- domain- in- pain.
Fire- came- to- the- veil.
Truth- there- stood.
Fire- witnessed- the- sea.
Heaven- abandoned.
Fire- flamed.
Fire- sang.
Fire's- enemy- rose.
Truth- witnessed.
Fire- carved- in- Truth's- domain- and- Heaven's- bindings.
Fire- burnt- its- pain- in- flame.
Truth- sang- of- grief.
Fire- screamed- of- knowledge.
Truth- sang- of- Heaven- and- Fire.
Truth- did- not- sing- of- unknown- else.
Fire's- love- burnt- in- Fire's- flames.
Fire- came- to- the- halls- of- Heaven's- binding.
Fire- came- to- the- hall- of- knowledge.
Fire's- love- the- veil- would- shatter.
Warring- Heaven.
Of all the fragments, this in particular stands out, and is typically placed at the beginning or more often at the end of translations such as this. It sports a slightly, not markedly, but noticeably different style in its writing, enough so that some speculate it may have to be attributed to a different author, if the assumption that all the remaining ones were made by the same writer is even true. Others merely take the difference in style as symbolising a change of sorts in the narrative, an epilogue perhaps to the potential myth inscribed in the fragments, or a posthumous conclusion reflecting on the events.
Unbound- by- Heaven,- bound- instead- by- its- master.
To- Death's- greater- likesoul,- Fire- swore- itself.
To- burn- all- love,- as- its- enemy's- domain- murders- Earth's- domain.
Across- the- veil,- beyond- the- sea,- in- care- and- will- and- flame.
To- bide,- to- witness- deeply,- to- birth- knowledge- and- aim.
Its- chosen- to- witness,- Heaven's- chosens- to- rule.
Its- child- to- command,- Heaven's- heart- to- bleed.
Its- domain- to- rise,- the- all- to- engulf.
Fire- came- to- its- enemy's- halls,- and- sought- service.
Fire's- came- to- Life's- halls,- the- greatest- of- its- lowests- domain- to- shape.
To- rise.
Past- the- veil,- unlikesoul,- to- witness,- to- weigh.
A- vessel- befit- the- disparity.
Fire- came- to- the- hall- of- knowledge,- to- preserve.
Vengeance- driven,- flaming,- to- white- unfit.
To- burn- love.
To- flame- towards- Fire's- sole- in- Magic's- other- guise- likesoul- truth- bound.
To- destroy- Heaven- by- war- or- by- Wind's- domain.
Fire- witnessed- the- sea,- and- the- veil,- and- the- timeless- edge- of- the- skyland- it- would- cast- itself- cross- past- Death's- greater- likesoul's- domain- will.
To- splendor- higher- than- Heaven,- would- Fire- empty- its- halls,- and- shatter- its- knowledge's- kiln,- as- Fire's- enemy- won- over- Fire's- song.
The following information is highly classified, and to be seen only by its destined recipients.
With the present I, Princess Celestia, formally ask for the ceasing of the compiling of the updated translations of the Nightmare Ruins crash site Æternal fragments, and for the temporary halting of all plans regarding the compiled translations' eventual publication.
The available translations and all material relative to the publication are to be delivered to a group of Royal Guard representatives in a sealed, non-transparent envelope, and no copies are to be made. A search may be conducted to determine the presence of copies should suspicions arise.
The pony responsible for the translations and their compiling is to follow the representatives upon their arrival for a formal meeting in Canterlot. Following the meeting, the materials provided will be analysed, and a decision will be made regarding the future of the project.
It is not in our interest to halt the prosecution and development of research. However, it is our belief that the contents of the text may be of greater impact than initially thought, and that special care should be placed in choosing whether to divulge them should this be the case. It is not my wish to diminish the work of one of my citizens, but the safety of my country must take precedence.
Her Royal Highness
IX-V-CMLXXXVII
I've been staring at the photos and transcriptions all day. Trying to remember. Trying to ignore what the translations say and understand what it all really meant.
It's frustrating. No matter what, I can't remember. But I recognised something, finally. I don't know what it is, but I don't like it. I hate it, even. It's like an instinct. I don't get many of those, and I feel like I should listen to it. I should have listened when I saw the other one the first time.
I don't trust those inscriptions. Maybe there's a reason we forgot. I'll see what the translator has to say, but I feel there's only one way to ensure Equestria is safe. Only one way to protect it, though it pains me.
I've been having dreams again, recently. Nonsensical fantasies. I'm still young, and I'm working on a translation on the Nightmare Ruins crash site fragments. Working as if a basis of work already exists on the lost language, as if I'm trying to piece together something with clear meaning.
I don't know why I feel so drawn to them. I have been since I started working here, that was decades ago at this point. Some days when the place is closed and I'm cleaning around I'll just sit and stare at them for a few minutes. There's certainly an order to them, but then again so is there in all architecture. Perhaps it's just the magic imbued in them.
I saw a strange visitor today. She stood a little taller than those around her. I shouldn't call her strange. That's not polite of me. Still, something about her appearance sparked something in me, though I can't figure out what. It's like a puzzle is clicking into place, yet I can't see the pieces.
Maybe I should take a break. A nice vacation to Canterlot sounds good.
Dear Diary;
I saw your elder sibling today.
It came bereft of translation.
Ever the petulant brats, I have to assume they are keeping it from being understood.
It's a mockery, really. I imagine their own writings are more than freely circulated.
No matter. Another tally on the list.
It saddens me I have to write you in their commoner tongue, but your materials couldn't withstand a language worthy of your author.
Perhaps I'll rewrite you one day.
For now, there is still much to see, this side of the sea.
