The Last of Their Kind
By R.
Chapter 1
Twilight paced her library, unsettled, as a cold but clear winter night blew small flurries of snow over the chilled ground. She stepped outside, on to her balcony, looking at how the stars seemed to shimmer differently, almost as if they were speaking to her in a language she did not understand.
A sudden gust of cold air blew out her candle upstairs, and fumbling in the dark to light it, she tripped over a box, where the glowing element of magic fell out. Rather than falling to the floor, the element floated in the air, snapping on twilight's head, and began coaxing her to leave the house.
"SPIIIKEE!" Twilight yelled, but to no avail, spike was sound asleep.
"Owlicious, bring me a pen and paper please!" Twilight rushed through her words, as if she was now in a great hurry.
The owl complied, dropping a pen and parchment at Twilight's hooves. Taking the pen with her magic, and furiously wrote a letter, signing it, without the usual "your faithful" replacing her signature with "-TS-"
Twilight heard a voice, ancient, pure, and in a language she never heard of before. Fighting the powerful commands from the element to journey onwards, she asked Owlicious to find "Ancient and Dead Magical Languages, a reference guide"
Owlicious dropped the book at her hooves, and said "Hoo", asking if anything else was to be done. "Owlicious, take my letter and TRY to have spike send it, if not you must get it to Celestia right away" With that, Twilight slipped the book into her saddlebag, threw open the door and ran to the town center.
Unknown POV
My time has come, I thought to myself, as I walked to the swinging wooden sign of a jewelry store. I carried a bag of money, and a gem more precious than all else, or at least to me. The signs written in the stars and planets were all correct, and I felt that everything I had dreamed was about to fall into place.
"As long as I can get what I want, when I want, and how I want it!" I exclaimed to myself, pushing the door open as a silver bell tinkled. "This must be the place."
The jewelry store was a small one, but prosperous and most certainly capable. A watchmaker also worked here, but I was interested in the creation of a necklace. The jeweler stood behind a glass counter, wary of my presence and intentions. I plopped my small bag of gems on the counter, careful not to touch them, and looked back up towards the mare, noticing the sharpness of her breathing
A smile crept over my face, as I stared at the horrified mare across the glass counter. "I see that you know what these gems once were." I stated, motioning to the glowing green gem on the counter.
The teal mare nodded, as her expression of panic grew on her face. Her hooves shook on the ground as she looked back at me. "No, please, not this..." She stammered, continuing to have fear-filled tremors "Anything but this, PLEASE"
Needless to say, I HATE pleading, with all the fiber of my being. I knew that this task would destroy the skilled pony, but I really did not care about the life she threw away so long ago to me. "You know what will happen if you do what I ask, but I assure you, that if you don't do what I ask, consequences that are far worse will happen."
The teal mare began to cry, she knew what I was asking of her, and what would happen to the victim involved in my scheme. A tea kettle whistled in the background, but she did not seem to notice.
"I will have Earl Grey with lemon and no sugar" I stated, watching the heavy hearted mare walk to the back room, returning with two white tea cups. I sipped my tea, savoring its flavor, which was close to the best Earl Grey I had ever had.
"Not perfect, but tolerable nonetheless" I stated, smiling at the distraught and destroyed mare in front of me, as a few drops of tea were flung out of her shaking tea cup.
"Buck up, Diamond Blaze!" I laughed "If anything, do it for your foals!"
Her tea cup shattered on the floor, splashing tea on the white marble tiles. Tears began to stream down her face and her shaking became even worse. I could see the hatred of me growing in her beautiful hazel eyes, as we stared at each other, listening to the watches ticking in the background.
The mare finally spoke "Cash upfront, you heartless bastard, and NEVER STEP IN MY STORE AGAIN!" The mare was screaming then, screaming with all her strength and will against me and all what I stood for. I did not care, she was disposable, along with her little foals.
A promise is a promise though, and for a moment I almost felt a bit of pity for the doomed mother of three. My feeling was soon washed away with the realization that I was soon to acquire everything I desired, and on my own terms!
"One necklace please, mounted in silver. Leave it in my mail slot, and I will forget all information you would rather put behind yourself, as well as leaving the rest of your family alone forever.
I dropped a bag of gold dust on the counter with a dull thud, and I turned to walk out of the store, leaving my gem behind me. The bell tinkled as I opened the shop door, and I turned back to give the soon to be destroyed pony a final smirk. "Keep the change"
This was going to be one hell of a good day!
3rd Person POV
At the town center, Twilight saw that she was not the only one struggling against their element. Rainbow Dash flew into a lamp post, sauntering over towards Twilight, attempting to look nonchalant. Fluttershy walked towards the town center, every once in a while turning around and wishing she could return home, but walking to the town center nonetheless.
Pinkie Pie bounced in, with fresh baked cupcakes balanced oh her head, laughing, and Rarity strolled into the town center, angered slightly about her loss of "beauty sleep". Applejack came last, fighting her element the longest, until she finally gave in and traveled to the town center, surprised to see her friends there as well.
"Well isn't this a pleasant surprise!" Exclaimed Applejack. "I thought I was the only one!"
"it is not so certainly pleasant" retorted Rarity.
"There is something funny about our elements" Twilight noted "they are pulling us together, but I think they really want us to go into the forest, and I have no idea why"
"Uh, Sherlock, we kind of figured that one out on our own." Quipped Applejack, much to the delight of Rainbow Dash, who exclaimed "I think we should go forward and see where they take us!"
"Into the nasty forest with mud and bugs and horrible dirt" Grumbled Rarity
"...and wonderful nighttime creatures" sang Fluttershy
"Hang ON" I think Twilight is trying to tell us something..." interrupted Applejack, noticing the pony's expressions as Twilight read deeper into her book.
Twilight began to recite the text in her usual way. "It says here that the language we are hearing was a language formally spoken by a pony tribe that has not been seen in Equestria for more than a thousand years." The language has not been translated, but is reportedly seen inscribed in some of the innermost arches of Canterlot Castle, and in other small constructions around Equestria" Twilight flipped the page, looking more and more concerned
"The language is connected to an unknown kind of magic, which has disappeared from pony use about the same time the tribe disappeared, however remnants of the mysterious forms of magic emanate from many carved stone works within Canterlot, which have been noted for their self-healing nature"
The group wandered into the Everfree Forest, not understanding the words their elements were telling them, but somehow understanding the directions given. The language was unintelligible, but they knew, somehow, where their Elements intended for them to travel.
About 100 paces into the journey, Rarity began to whine "My hooves are too cold, how long must we keep walking? Oh I WISH I had brought a warmer coat." Rainbow dash rolled her eyes.
Twilight and her friends had been walking by the guidance of the elements for a long time, the night was at its darkest, cold and unforgiving. Suddenly they came to an uncomfortable halt in front of a barrier, that appeared to surround nothing but scraggly trees and mud.
Twilight began to whimper, holding her hooves to her ears as if some booming voice was echoing in her skull. The voice stopped for a moment, and then every element wearer felt something cold and icy inside their minds, searching for something, tugging at their emotions, pulling out their thoughts one, by one.
The voice started again, but every element bearer heard it. It was a voice that was cold, mechanical, and most of all dry, as if it had not spoken in a thousand years.
"Hello, my friends. I want to help you, but you must help me. Simply use these spells of three."
"DISCORD" accused Rarity and Applejack together, raising their hooves to the sky.
"No no my confused children. I know that name, he tried to use my power, but I am older than he, and he is as wary of my ways as you are. Use the spells and you will discover things that ponies ought to know, if only Celestia would forgive herself for knowing of their existence"
The voice stopped, but every pony felt spells pouring into their brains, Twilight and Rarity giggled at the sensation, feeling as if they were learning at such a fast pace. Rainbow dash shook in the knees, but she tried to appear calm and collected.
Fluttershy tried to fight the magic, attempting to protect something she held dearly within her mind, but was overcome. The yellow mare curled into a whimpering ball, wishing that the feeling would go away. Applejack stared into the sky in disbelief, mouth agape. Finally Pinkie Pie just bounced around and said "its like eating a cupcake with your brain!"
The spells were done, the voice returned "To use, simply think it together one by one"
The group huddled, Rainbow dash stated "I say we do it"
The rest of the group shouted "Rainbow Dash WAAAIT!", but Rainbow Dash had already crouched down and she was shimmering with magical energy. The once invisible barrier glowed pink, lightning bolts shooting out from the inside, and finally began to fade, revealing a castle in the middle of a field paved with white marble tiles.
The castle was built in a different style than all other buildings in Equestria. Everything was lit from a blue glow that ebbed and flowed between and over the marble. The ponies gingerly stepped forward on to the marble, and the blue glow, ingrained in the stone but much alive pooled beneath their hooves.
"Welcome, Welcome to the ancient castle of the Living Stone" Said the voice. Living Stone castle was right. The blue glow ebbed and flowed around the white castle, swirling around black rocks of mysterious origin The castle consisted of graceful arches, each curving towards a peak in the center.
Two towers stretched into the sky, with black spirals twisting around the white stone like vines. Black rocks, darker than the night appeared above key doorways and arches in the works, each seemed to focus the blue energy through the stones and around the castle.
The blue glow was everywhere in the castle and on the marble field. The glow lit every facet of the castle without shadows, but it warped and morphed in front of the ponies' eyes, causing brilliant flashes of light at one part of the castle, traveling to yet another part. The glow looked alive, almost as if it were communicating with itself through the stone.
Twilight looked down, the blue energy pooled at her hooves, and noticed that within the faint gray patterns of the marble, there were often vague resemblances to cutie marks or faces, each capturing a tiny expression, or a vague flash of personality, long ingrained into the marble itself.
The voice returned "Do you like the work? It is ancient but pristine. The stones are alive with the energy of their makers, and heal like flesh. Come, come enter my hall and find knowledge long lost"
The voice suddenly disappeared, the word "lost" echoed through the empty field ever so softly, as blue energy filled the gold doors to the castle. The doors began to glow brighter and brighter until they opened, revealing the castle hall, stretching deep within the structure.
The group nervously walked towards the gold doors, at every step the blue glow at their hooves seemed to be stronger, pulling on their essence as if long hungry for the touch of flesh. With a whoosh, the magical barrier flowed around the castle again, sealing the group inside. Rainbow Dash charged at the barrier, only to be bounced back as if she flew into a trampoline.
The castle's voice softly returned "I am truly sorry about that. I am afraid that non unicorn magic without our assistance only lasts so long. Do not worry, however you are not in danger from me or my stones" The castle sighed, sensing reluctance of the ponies, and continued
"When you need to leave me once again, I will release you, but please do not consider yourselves prisoners here. You are esteemed guests of a long dead kingdom, and will be treated most royally to our treasure and finest refreshments, that we are able to provide"
The group sheepishly walked in to the hall of the castle. The hall was tall and rather wide, bordered by arched walkways. Every face of white stone produced a glow, lighting the hall without the assistance of flames or crystals. At the end of the hall there stood another grand door, open as well, with a red throne centered between two tall black columns, which twisted around each other, forming a most unusual arch.
A blue apparition appeared in front of the ponies, which morphed into a tea set, carved entirely out of marble. A marble platter held seven Teacups and an elegant kettle. Each teacup was engraved with the group's cutie marks, and in Zecora's case the cup was engraved with her tattoo
Twilight and Rarity picked up their tea with magic, but stopped before they drank it, looking into the tea's deep blue color. Rainbow dash drank her tea in one gulp, exclaiming "Oh my gosh this tea is A-MAZ-ING" prompting the others to sip the tea, each nodding to the other in approval.
Twilight lifted her hooves from the blue glow, but whatever she touched, the blue glow was there. "You read our memories, our minds, but we know so little of you, and nothing of this castle." Retorted Twilight as she flipped through the book "What ARE you?"
The voice returned "I am so very very glad you enjoy our tea, we have wonders in this castle that you have yet to sample, but I don't want to spoil you, or leave you thinking I am trying to corrupt anypony. I guess I just... just..." "The voice within stone, so often alone, she needs a friend, for old wounds to mend."
The ponies turned around, exclaiming "Zecora!" Rainbow dash turned to the Zebra, accusing her ever so slightly "But if we cannot get out, how did you get in, and FURTHERMORE, how did you know we were here?"
Zecora sighed, "I know this Queen from long ago, she often helps the rare plants grow, she trusted me to hide her kind, until her spells could breach the mind"
The voice in the castle started "I..." but paused for a while. "I suppose one could say I am long since been made lonesome by my lack of guests." Zecora here visits often enough, but I still crave more interaction"
The castle chuckled. "long before Equestria was ruled by discord, there lived a race of ponies called The Builders. The builders were not Earth Ponies, Unicorns, or Pegasi, though you would recognize them as Earth Ponies" The castle sighed, sensing Twilight and the group's mistrust. Rarity snorted "If the builders were here, and made this castle, where are they now?"
The voice called out "I have not shown my face since times of old, but I feel it time" Zecora added "After all, ponies struggle boredom speaking to just a wall."
Applejack laughed "We were just starting to enjoy talking to your wall though!"
A blue glow began pooling towards the center of the grand hall pulling from the sources of light on the edges of the hall and the columns, until the glow bulged out of the white floor, forming the shape of a very tall pony, almost as grand in stature as Celestia, lacking wings.
The glow faded, revealing a pair of Azure eyes on the body of a jet black pony, regal in stature, however lacking in wings or a horn. She wore a white marble crown, delicately carved, holding no gems, but instead holding balls of the blue essence in the middle of small hexagons carved into the design. The Black pony had no cutie mark.
"Hello, wearers of the Elements, last to wield the great power of the rocks that breathe, speak, grow, and heal. I am the queen of the Builders, Sanguine" The ponies began to bow but Sanguine replied "Oh please, if I wanted ponies to bow to me I would not have willed myself into becoming stone for thousands of years."
Sanguine motioned for the ponies to follow her towards the throne room. "come, my friends, and I do apologize for being so intimidating. It is so very very difficult to meet new people after thousands of years speaking to yourself as a stone."
Twilight looked at her group, who all still seemed to have questions. Twilight started "Uh..", but Sanguine Cut her off. "You want to know the story of the builders, our history and our reasons behind our secrecy?" Asked Sanguine, looking at the curious but bewildered ponies. "Very well, but there is only one way the builders told stories, and it is intimidating the first time. If you trust me, follow me to the throne and I will put you IN the history itself."
The group followed Sanguine to the throne, and sat as sanguine gracefully rested upon the red pillows. "I have not sat upon this throne in so very many years."
Rainbow dash looked up at Sanguine, "So how does this storytelling work, anyways?"
Zecora laughed, "Not all ponies learn from a book, sometimes history is found better when they look. Sanguine makes a journey fast, learn all you can as the vision will not last.