Dungeons and Ponies: Strange New World
Equestria has been destroyed and overrun by an invading force from another realm and all hope seems lost. Until a small group of adventurers from a new generation of ponies steps forth to take back their homeland. But the fight won't be easy, for they face the Great Old Ones... a story version of our ongoing D&D campaign, will be updated as we continue to adventure.
**********disclaimer********
I do not own My Little Pony Friendship is Magic or Dungeons and Dragons Tabletop Role Playing Game or any of H.P. Lovecraft's works.
Warning, contains: fantasy violence, gore, disturbing content, sexual content.
**********disclaimer********
Prologue: The Great War
It began witout warning and without mercy. In the far north of the Crystal Empire Shining Armor and a very laden pregnant Cadence rushed along; Shining ushered his wife into the carriage outside the castle and looked up in frantic worry at the massive portal swirling above the city. Monsters were literally raining from the sky. falling without end and descending upon the quickly diminishing army. Equus was a land of peace, a place of friendship and harmony, no army truly knew how to wage war, there hadn't even been an intentional murder in all of recorded history! but the creatures that landed form the portal above... calling themselves Outsiders were true soldiers, true killers. Ponies were cut open with blades, shot with guns that were several times more advanced than the flintlocks that the richest soldiers from noble families possessed, and some were torn apart by telekinesis stemming not from magic but from some unkown alien energy.
The city was nearly lost when Shining gave the order to retreat southward. After something... massive dropped from the sky... the city was beyond hope. A colossal being of green skin with bloated torso, clawed fingers, bat wings and a had with a mass of tentacles for a mouth bearing yellow eyes that caused irreversable madness to any who looked upon them. The massive Great Old One was like destruction incarnate, swings of his arms toppled the castle towers while stomps of his feet split the earth apart in giant fissures. And that unholy roar... upon hearing it the soldiers within range would draw their daggers and slice their own throats.
Shining and Cadance huddled together in the carriage as two Ground Wyverns pulled it at awe inspiring speeds darting down the snow laden road with only a small company of surviving soldiers. the civilians were already evacuated long ago and though it would stain Shining's pride for all time he had to admit to himself that he should have evacuated himself and the army along with them. Trying to stay and fight... was the greatest folly of his command.
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Day 1
The Crystal Empire has fallen. Equus population stands at 98%
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Celestia sat at the war council table along with her sister, the yak prince, the dragon lord, the chief shaman of zebrica, warlord of the griffon lands, prime minister of the minotaurs, even Queen Chrysalis was there.
The rest of the world had fallen. While the prime portal opened in the Crystal Empire, several smaller ones opened in the other lands and anihilated their military might. Equestria, the largest and most powerful land was the last resistance to stand against the invasion. Refugees flooded in from all the other races and their leaders formed an alliance of necessity with the Equestrian royalty. While many fell, there were still those who resisted the might of the Outsiders. For the first time in history a new armada was formed of all the races of Equus. Lands with rivalries, races with blood feuds, kingdoms with old grudges were forced to stand by each other's side.
Discord had eventually appeared after a 'vacation' and claimed he would rid the world of the problem by himself. For a few days it seemed he would win. Snapping away Outsiders left and right, summoning nonsnsical but deadly siege weapons to thin their numbers... but then the invaders sent in their trump card for the first of what would be many times... the being that would become known as Grimm. When the sun set on the day he entered their world Discord was not alive to see it.
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Day 6
Zebrica, Labyrinthia, The changeling hives of the Badlands, Griffonia, Yak Yakistan have all fallen. Equus population stands at 71%. Hero Casualties: Discord.
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With the combined might of all the remaining militaries they at least managed to slow the Outsider's progress. After a few weeks Starlight's village was lost along with Baltimare. The remaining cities erected city walls, strongholds, and the police were conscripted into military. The death of Discord was disheartening for such a powerful being to be defeated, but what happened next struck the heart of Equestria. The Wonderbolts as a technical branch of the military were sent into battle as a hit-and-run rappid strike force to break the enemy's defense before other units would charge in. It was effective... for a while...
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Day 32
Starlight's Village and Baltimare have fallen. Equus population stands at 68%. Hero Casualties: Discord, Rainbow Dash.
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Emergency proceedures were put into place. Alongside the refugees flooding into cities and emergency shelters there needed to be a plan for the future. The Disamond Cave Initiative... if Equestria fell. An idea was proposed that was dismissed as barbarism at first but... not after the next heavy loss... the idea was to commit mass genocide on the Diamond Dogs in the southern badlands and hide all of the children too young to fight. Within these subterranian caves they would be safe from the carnage and hidden from the world with an immeasurably powerful spell. Even if ponies, changelings, zebras, griffons, and all other creatures died... at least... at least the next generation would live. First vote for the Diamond Cave Initiative received 28% for. and 72% opposed. Re-vote scheduled for the following month.
Fluttershy and Twilight were appalled at this proposition and poured themselves into research. Fluttershy regained the forgotten arts of the ancient Druids and raised part of the Everfree itself to fight. Twilight began unethical experiments on captured Outsiders to learn biological weaknesses, screams constantly rang from the basement of the library.
With the combination of the Everfree, ancient druid magic, and the results of Twilight's research they joined the front lines.
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Day 89
Fillidelphia and Manehattan have fallen. Equus population stands at 60%. Hero Casualties: Discord, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle. Re-vote for Diamond Cave Initiative received unanimous approval.
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Onyx, a small grey Earth Pony with a black mane and steel blue eyes looked around Las Pegasus with wide eyed wonder. His family came to visit for a week but got stuck when the war began; refugee laws strictly enforced limitation on intercity travel. The little colt didn't truly understand the weight of what was happening or the nervous faces of the ponies and other creatures shuffling by. Instead he looked up at the rainbow that perpetually arched across the city sky. The tiny 5 year old clapped his hooves in delight as the light shined.
But something was happening. He saw one of the heroes Pinkie Pie bouncing around with a bunch of signs he could barely understand and cocked his head as he heard her yelling about 'evacuation' and 'make sure to not panic! that's no fun!'
She shrugged and went about playing with the tufts of cloud underhoof. Then his mother charged up to him and snatched him up before looking to his father "Do we have everything?!" she asked in panic. His father panted "Ya... ya we do. And I managed to get the last pass for the Diamond Cave 16. they won't start selling the ones for 17 until tomorr-" Onyx couldn't hear the rest of what his father said as something loud like thunder clapped in the sky. All the houses started shaking and the cloud floor started swaying.
"um, ok! You all reeeaaallly need to evacuate!" Pinkie shouted.
Onyx felt nauseous as his parents rushed him to the last airship at breakneck speed. He shook his head and regained cohearance as his family boarded the ship. Pinkie hopped on as well as it began to take off from the city which was now host to several explosions and the sound of clashing weapons. magic blasted out into the air and the pretty rainbow faded. Onyx frowned as the pretty colors disappeared.
Pinkie moved her hoof around she mentally counted "... we're missing 8 ponies..." and leapt back onto the clouds. Several ponies yelled after her but she was already gone. Onyx saw Cloudsdale get further and further away as the ship soared and began to wonder if he was dreaming because it looked like the city was moving... or... sinking?
"oh gods..." a griffon gasped "the... the city is crashing!" Crashing! that was the word! Cloudsdale drifted through the air as it sunk with a warzone igniting the city, the floating metropolis was heading for Las Pegasus. He heard the firing of a canon and squinted his eyes to see a jack in the box fly through the air from the falling city before landing on the deck of the ship. Everycreature yelped and jumped back but the foalish curiosity pushed Onyx to approach the box and begin turning the handle. The old jingle played and when it opened, 8 ponies popped out of the box in surprise landing on the deck with frightened and very confused faces. family members rushed to them with hugs and tears, Onyx looked back at the box and saw a picture of three baloons on it.
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Day 127
Cloudsdale and Las Pegasus have fallen. Equus population stands at 51%. Hero Casualties: Discord, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie.
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Rarity noddd as tears fell from her face. She had made up her mind even as the Princesses looked upon her with pained hearts. Rarity stood with all the Elements of Harmony on her person in the middle of a ritual rune. "M... my fr-friends are w-waiting for me." she stuttered between sobs. The princesses nodded with their own teary faces and activated the rune. In an instant, Rarity's life force was extinguished and the elements broke into raw energy that any immortal could absorb be they bearer or not. The energy flowed into Celestia and Luna turning them into gods.
Grimm was coming... whenever Equus started to get the slightest bit of a lead, the Outsiders would send Grimm to anihilate the advantage... they sent Grimm to kill Discord... to kill over half the Element bearers... and now he was sent to kill the Princesses. Chrysalis and Thorax stood strong, in the time of the war the cooperation had changed some of the changelings into an 'ascened' form with Thorax having the most drastic increase in power. "They're coming" Chrysalis warned as she looked to the north. Aside from Grimm there were two other trump cards that the Outsiders held, Eldroggxioth who was currently anihilating Van Hoover and the Cleric who was heading this away along with Grimm.
Thorax looked at the peak of Canterlot Mountain "One of them is here." he and Chrysalis nodded to eachother before teleporting to the mountain top while the Princesses turned as the retinue of royal guards surrounding them were turned to red paste and diced limbs in an instant. Blood rained as a dark figure slowly approached. Luna growled "of course we get the hard one..." she and her sister exploded in a wave of energy as they ascended to divine forms, and before them Grimm approached.
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Day 233
Van Hoover and Canterlod have fallen. Equus Population stands at 22% not counting the children hidden away. Hero Casualties: Discord, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Queen Chrysalis, Prince Thorax, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia. Equestria's spirit is broken.
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A muscle bound Griffon covered in scars and a chipped beak walked through Ponyville and lowered his little chick to the ground with a wing. "Don't stray too far Myze, we're just stopping here to resupply. After that we're heading for the Diamond Caves." The tiny 5 year old griffon with the front half of a black eagle chirped "ok!" in a little squeaky voice and ran through the town. The mercenary went to the market with a bag of bits.
A 5 year old Unicorn/Changeling hybrid with a red coat, yellow eyes with diamond pupils and a short frazzled amber mane poked at a dead flower a few times before yelling "Awwwise!" the flower remained innert.
"HI!" a voice called out making the foal scream as he jumped. He whipped around to see a griffon chick, "I'm Myze! who are you?"
"Uh, um..." the colt stammered "Im uh... Grotimnos..."
Meanwhile the mercenary filled up his back while asking the locals "how close have they gotten?"
Carrot Top sighed "scouts say they'll be around the corner any second... some say next week, some say tomorrow. Everycreature is getting ready to pack up and leave. There's a whole caravan of carriages and wagons hooked up to the fastest race wyverns."
The mercenary gave a sad nod.
Over in the middle of town, Grotimnos was rolling several balls at Myze while yelling "summuh zombwee! Skeweon wawior!" While Myze would swat at them with a stick yelling "I am da unbeawul bersuhkwer! Your undie army will ne'er stop me!"
"Well den, I wul jus' have to waise a Deawth Knight! Muahahaha!" Grotimnos cackled in an adorable voice.
Myze looked up "Wat dat?"
Grotimnos turned to see a group of Outsiders entering form the forest. Most were bipedal pink fleshed creatures with yellow eyes and four tendrils hanging form the face as well as tendril fingers. But among the group was a taller green one with cat slit pupils and five tendrils on the mouth along with clawed fingers.
Ponies screamed as they saw the Outsiders and ran for their lives. The green one pointed to the fleeing civilians and the pink ones charged them with bloodlust. As it walked it spotted the two children and pointed at them. One of the pink ones began running towards them with a bastard sword raised above its head.
Young as they were, the two didn't fully understand what was happening, too shocked by the appearance of the strange things and the bizaare sight of red water pouring out of ponies and minotaurs as the guards were killed.
As the Outsider came within five feet and roared ready to bring down its blade, a throwing axe slammed into its face slicing into the brain and sending it flying back onto the ground. Myze's father ran in and scooped the little chick up while a Changeling stallion grabed Grotimnos.
"Is the caravan ready to go?" Myze's father asked in a hurry.
Grotimnos' father nodded "we have to move fast, they're just about to leave."
The parents ran for the east end of the city and reached the caravan. with a crack of the reins, the wagons dashed off at high speed. Huddled close by this parents, Grotimnos poked his head out and saw Ponyville fading away as smoke and magical fallout filled the sky.
"The driver said we'll be passing Dodge junction and heading straight for the badlands since the Outsiders will probably follow us... they... they'll be slowed down as they... attack the city..." The mercencary said. It was... painful... knowing that they would be using a city as essentially a sacrificial lamb to buy them time... but they could no longer weep for the hopeless. Almost all the Diamond Caves were filled. This caravan had the last group of families that could afford the exorbitant prices as the number of open caves got smaller. Faust help the poor children left behind...
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Day 302
Ponyville and Dodge Junction have fallen. Equus Population stands at 12% not counting the children hidden away. The rest of the world the other countries are in complete ruin. And Equestria is not far behind.
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A small 5 year old Griffon hummed as he walked along. Palm Tree picked up his ball and began playing, kicking and chasing it to the edge of Appleoosa. The city was surrounded in a thick fog. A powerful ancient earth pony magic ritual that kept the town hidden. Not as powerful as the one that hid the Diamond Caves but similar in principal. Only problem was that it required a lethal amount of energy...
"AJ, you can't keep doing this... let... let sompepony els-" "no consarn it!" Applejack yelled at her cousin. She was thin, her ribs shown and her eyes were sunken with dark circles surrounding them. Her legs were shaky and barely held her up while her mane and tail had lost all luster.
For the families who couldn't afford the last few open Diamond Caves this town became a temporary sanctuary. The spell concealing the city was powered by Earth Pony life force but required a monstrous amount. for normal ponies three would have to give their entire lives to power it for a day. But as the last living Element Bearer Applejack was infused with an unnatural amount of Harmony Magic which empowered her life force several dozen times above that of a mortal. She was techinically immortal and maybe even invincible... once... but for over two months she had been sacrificing her immortality to power the shield... and that source of life force was running out...
Braeburn looked on the verge of crying as Applejack staggered her way unsteadily to the ritual rune in the center of town. "Aj... you won't survive much longer..." Braeburn pleaded.
"I'm... fine... with... that.." Applejack huffed "mah friends... are all... waitin'... fer me... so Ah... Ah will... use... every last... breath... to pro... tect creatures... like they was... until... Ah see 'em again..." Finally the Earth Pony reached the rune and it lit up as she lifted into the air. But there was something wrong...
Applejack yelled as pain coarsed through her.
"What's wrong?!" Braeburn yelled.
"Th... they're tryin'... ta force... the barrier down!" she struggled and sweat as her life force poured into the shield with greater furvor "Ah... Can't... hold it!" even as she over charged the shield, some force on the outside was like a battering ram against a city gate, each slam caused tiny cracks in the defense which added up over time until...
"AAAAGGHHHHH!" Applejack spasmed violently before the light faded and she fell to the ground. Braeburn ran over to her crying her name and cradled her head, but for naught. The last vistages of Applejack's life force were finally gone...
Out on the edge of town, Palm Tree chased the ball to the fog wall. Only it wasn't a fog wall anymore... he stopped and blinked as he looked up at the mist slowly parting until two figures were seen. The two were widely known as part of the three trump cards of the Outsiders and both looked very strange. Eldroggxioth snorted "Told you their magic is weak."
Grimm chuckled "or you're just overpowered. Probably both. Anyway..." he looked down at Palm "ah! well hello there teeny weeny birdie!" Palm Tree jumped back "you stwanger! Mama says don talk ta stwangers!"
Grimm stared for a few seconds and then cackled hysterically "oh man! oh... oh geeze... oh that made my day..."
While Grimm was laughing, Eldroggxioth was glaring with disgust "kill it." he spat.
"Woah! Chill out dude, we don't murder todlers! or chicks I guess? whatever, we don't kill kids!" Grimm admonished "we have people to do that FOR us."
The mist behind him faded completely revealing an army of Outsiders and he looked down at Palm again "you should probably run."
And run he did.
Palm Tree sprinted into the town screaming bloody murder. The frantic ponies surrounding Applejack looked up with terrified eyes and pale faces as their blood ran cold. The Outsiders were already here...
What followed was in essence pure chaos. Creatures screaming and running, guards trying and failing to fight. Outsiders spilling through like a tital wave of death as they sliced and psionically ripped creatures apart. Soon the streets ran red with blood. Fires popped up consuming several houses, Palm Tree ran in random directions as he panicked. The city didn't look familiar anymore it was covered in red and the houses were candles, he couldn't tell which was the way home! Fortunately he didn't have to as a talon suddenly scooped him up. His mother carried him back to their house where his father finished packing the essentials and they ran to the barber shop. Palm's mother banged frantically on the door. A pony answered while yawning "geeze what is all that racket?"
His eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he looked at the carnage of the city "Fucking Faust!"
"Please..." Palm's parents pleaded.
This pony who was a very close family friend had in secret built an underground bunker as a response to any zombie apocalypses but now... it was the only truly safe place.
The Pony looked uncomfortable "you know... you know its only meant for one"
"Are you going to let us die?!" the mother shouted.
The pony sweated as he looked around out the window at the carnage "gods damn it fine!" he ushered them in and opened the blast shelter door hidden under a carpet. After the griffons went down the stairs, the pony followed while throwing the carpet over the slightly ajar hatch in such a way that it would cover the door once more when it was closed. He tried his damnest to ignore the screeming as the trap door shut.
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Day 361
Appleoosa, the last free city of Equus has fallen. 99% of all creatures aside from the hidden children have been slaughtered. The remaining will be hunted down in the coming years. Hero Casualties: All.
Equestria has fallen.
Equus has lost.
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Year one in cave 16.
Onyx explored the underground cave. He missed his friends. He missed his mom and dad. He missed home... But the crystal golem made it quite clear he couldn't see them again... ever... Each of the caves were outfitted with rations and a crystal golem programmed to provide education, medical attention, and surrogate parenthood for the foals.
As he miserably trotted through the cave he bumped into somepony who gave an "oof!" Rubbing his head he looked up and said "hey! wat where ya goin'!" And saw the prettiest filly he had ever met. She rubbed her own nose and glared at him "why don' YA wat out!" she blew a raspberry at him and walked away with a huff. Onyx blinked a few times and then ran after her "hey! Wana fwiends?!"
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Year 2 in cave 32.
Grotimnos had his nose burried in a book provided by by Teacher, or what he called the golem anyway. There was a remarkable amount of arcane knowledge in here. It seems that alongside the basics, each cave was outfitted with specific knowledge; some taught the children how to be warriors, some taught to be scouts, others taught wizards using the magic knowledge that Twilight had collected from the Outsiders as any race could use it... which was good since...
After the Outsiders won they did something to the planet... it messed with the natural magic of the various races. Changelings could not longer shapeshift. Earth Ponies could not command the ground. Pegasai couldn't fly. Unicorns couldn't use spirit magic. Zebras couldn't use shaman magic. It all just... stopped about a month after the Outsiders won. But strangely enough, ponies and other races could still learn and use the strange magic of the Outsiders. And while the magic that descretely hid the caves was effected the spell was so great in strength that it survived the magic purge, if just barely.
Grotimnos took a particular interest in the various schools of magic with a strong focus on one called Necromancy...
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Year 4 in the bomb shelter.
Palm Tree listened to the phonograph play in the background as he hummed.
His father sighed "something about dubstep coming out of a phonograph just feels wrong."
"Hey its still awesome!" the pony said while he and Palm's mother danced to one of DJ Pon3's records. A noise paused all their movements. Something knocing over the cans of food.
"... a rat?" Palm's mother guessed.
Palm walked over to the cans and then screem as something lept ontop of him. The others raced over only to see a large black cat laying ontop of Palm Tree like a bed and purring.
"big... cat..." Palm breathed out in a daze.
"what... is that thing? I've never seen a cat grow that big." the Pony inquired as he looked at it.
Palm's father's eyes widened "that... that's a Midnight Cat! A Shadow Elemental!"
The cat meowed as it turned into a gas like darkness that faded through Palm Tree and slithered over to one of the beds before re-solidifying in a curled up position and started napping. Palm hopped up on his talons and ran over to it. While petting the giant feline he smiled "let's call him Bemin!"
his mother frowned "our food is strained as it is already..."
the father shook his head "Elementals don't eat, they absorb ambient magical energy in the air surrounding their element... in other words by sitting in the dark it has all the food it needs."
The pony huffed "well great, now we have a mascot.
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Year 6 in cave 51
Myze ran through the cave while panting, he lept over the log placed as an obstacle and jumped at a cave ledge, as he tried to pull his hind legs up, a bola wrapped around his forelegs making him fall 9 feet onto the stone floor and probably breaking a bone or two.
Myze disintangled himself and glared at the zebra that got him "you're it!" and he ran off.
Myze got up and cracked his neck before running after the other adolescents. This wasn't their normal combat training. This was just a game. Bola Tag.
Myze ran through a series of winding hallways until he found an open area with several columns that the others were using to hide behind. Myze whipped the bola around and hurled it at one who tried runing for the next junction. It hit the Yak with one of the balls making contact with her mouth and knocking a tooth out. "you're it!" The others laughed as they ran from the screaming yak chasing them.
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Year 8 in cave 16
Onyx looked up as his marefriend aproached "so uh... happy anniversary I guess.." she said with a blush as she looked away and shoved a box into his face. Onyx blinked and took the gift. Opening it up he expected a new dagger or a set of throwing knives which was the norm for the thieves and assassins growing up in this cave but instead it was... a necklace with a gold locket. opening it he saw a very painstakingly crafted high quality painting of her smiling face.
The teenage mare was getting antsy as her blush grew larger "look, just say its stupid so we can move o-" she was cut off by a tight hug.
"... thank you."
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Year 9 in cave 32.
Grotimnos erected a shield as a minotaur sprayed a jet of fire at him. As soon as the flames faded he waved his hoof and a bright flash of light blinded the minotaur, Grotimnos used the opening to rush in and place his hoof on the bull realeasing a discharge of electricity that made him convulse beofre passing out for a few seconds.
"Winner, Grotimnos!" the Golem called out as most of the audience cheered while the others ripped up their losing bets and crossed their forelegs in a pout.
"you've progressed well Grotimnos, and despit the focus on Necromancy you haven't shirked your studies in illusion. Well done. Next Duel!" he hopped off the plat form as the next two mages took his and the now heavily disoriented minotaur's place.
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Year 10 in the bomb shelter.
"I have to!" Palm pleaded.
His coughing mother couldn't give a rebutle but his blind father could "you're too young! you won't survive out there!"
"Dad... I'm the only one who CAN survive out there..."
The pony missing a hind leg draged himself over on his crutch "you're the only one who isn't sick or injured... you have to stay that way."
Palm shook his head violently "that's exactly why I HAVE to go! we're out of food... again! And none of you can go out to get more... not again..." The food ran out a few years ago and the family had to brave the horrors of the outside but each time one went... they returned with scars. His mother now had some mysterious illness that left her nearly bedridden. His father was blinded by a monster's venom and their friend was crippled by a wild woof that literrally chewed his leg off.
"Please... I... I can't just sit and watch you all die..." His parents sighed. they knew he was right.
"just... promis-"
"I Promise I'll be back before you even know it!" Palm Tree chirped with a smile. Bemin rubbed his face against him "and you keep them company while I'm gone ok?" he patted the shadow elemental's head. Grabbing a large cargo packpack and some kitchen knives as makeshift weapons, he headed up the stairs and looked back at the family "don't worry, I'll be gone for maybe a day tops!"
The first few hours were spent digging through the ruins of the city and hiding from wolves. Eventually he surmised he had to make his way north towards Ponyville and more importantly, the Everfree. The forest would have tons of medicinal plants, edible berries and even streams filled with fish! As the sun set he saw something shimmering in the distance. Narrowing his eyes he approached the shimmering object with a meat cleaver drawn in caution. But as he approached, his eyes widened and he droped the weapon. it... it was so beautiful...
As if in a daze Palm stalked towards the light like a zombie until he was swallowed up by it. There is a dimension... a world between worlds known as the Nexus. While the Nexus does have a few set portals throughout the universe it can sometimes randomly open a temporary door. These doors tend to be the reasons for sudden and unexplained dissappearances where a pony just vanishes form the face of the earth.
And one such portal had claimed yet another victim. That was the end of Palm Tree... but not the end of that teenager... in time he would become one of the only Lost Ones to make it back to Equestria. However... he would by no stretch of the imagination... be the same griffon he once was. One day he would be known by another name with another face. But that's a story for later down the road...
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Year 12 in Cave 51
Myze and the others huddled around the crystal golem. Those who were once foals were now around the age of 17 or so and fully trained warriors from berserkers to agile duelists. And now these hardened fighters were crying like the children they once were. Sensei... what they called the crystal golem... was dying.
The golems only had enough energy to last 12 years. It was just a hunk of enchanted crystal but... to the children of the cave it was a friend, a mentor, a parent. Myze, now a hulking tank of a griffon in full platemail was shaking as he tried not to cry. The last glow of the crystals faded and the cretures wailed in sorrow. Myze punched the wall creating a vertical crater. Silent, he walked over to the armory and grabbed a double bladded great axe. He walked back out and looked over the weeping warriors, they wiped their tears and turned to him.
Myze swallowed as the axe felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. He was the strongest and toughest of them all. By the culture they had developed... he was now the leader. The one in charge... and the one responsible for guiding and protecting them from here on.
He held the axe and took a shaky breath "we..." he lifted and slamed the pommel into the stone floor holding the shaft near the blade like a knight. He needed to be strong. He neeeded to be brave. He needed to guide and protect them now. "WE! WILL! SURVIVE!"
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Year 15 the Badlands.
The new generation of adventurers... of heroes... begin their journey in this strange new world.