open A Darker Fate: Beyond these Walls Chapter Two.

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

@,

@@Icy Void,

 

As they make it back to one of the wrecked cars, Pavisa stares cautiously up at the tracks.  She couldn't see the thing that attacked them, that didn't mean it wasn't around though...  She glances back to Midnight and Eclipse, trying not to shake in the cold.

 

"Let's make this quick...  If you two can start getting as much of this scrap wood bundled together as possible, I'm going to find the engine car and try to get some of the coal like Green suggested.  If you can get it all packed together, I'll carry it back once I find the coal."  She raises up a hoof to cut off the objections she assumed were going to be coming.

 

"Let me do the hauling, I'm an earth pony, I can handle a little heavy lifting.  If that thing shows up again, we're going to need both of you unencumbered so that you can focus your magic on getting us back to the cave in one piece.  Alright?"  She smiles from beneath her helm, then turns to trot off in the direction that the engine car had been. 

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@@Icy Void, @, 

 

Eclipse

The group trotted up to the engine cart. Eclipse cleared the rubble out of the way of the entrance so they could enter. The car was damp and cold from all of the snow falling down. 

"Well, let's get started. We gotta find this wood before-" Eclipse stopped in mid-sentence when he heard a loud grumbling sound in the distance. It was rather unsettling, to say the very least. Was it the beast that Kingfisher and Pavisa kept going on about? He only hoped that it wasn't and began his ever tiresome search.

[RAGESTAR 479]

((Sorry I'm late everypony! I've been a bit busy with family stuff...anyway, I'll just say that Crimson was in the other train cart the whole time, collecting his gear from the wreckage. Oh, and @ you do know that I had Crimson pack firewood AND that he's a fire elemental...right?))

 

Crimson carefully exited the wreckage of the cart, hauling his rather heavy burden over his shoulder as he looked around. "Uh oh...it looks like I've missed a few things...I'd better go find the others..." he thought as he trotted through the snow, keeping himself warm through an envelope of heat that he'd formed around his body, putting his powers to good use. After a few minutes, he spots Pavisa trotting towards the engine car. Crimson quickly trots up behind her and puts a hoof on her shoulder. "Hey Pavisa, where is everyone? And what are you still doing here?" he asked.

Edited December 23, 2013 by ragestar

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

@,

 

((Just because I know these things doesn't mean Pavisa does.  She has no way of knowing what he packed ))

 

Pavisa jumps at the unexpected touch, blinking at Crimson.  "Oh, it's you...  Where have you been this whole time!?"  Sighing slightly, Pavisa gestures around the train before pointing back in the direction they'd come from.

 

"Oh well, it doesn't matter...  Everypony else is in a cave under a rock outcropping a short distance that way.  We've got quite a few wounded, though some of the others are doing their best to take care of that...  The cold is going to kill somepony before dawn breaks though.  The three of us came out here to salvage wood, coal, anything we can use to burn through the night."

 

She turns and enters the engine car as she speaks, glancing around at the wreckage.  It was tough navigating through the destroyed car, and she didn't recognize what most of the debris had been before the wreck, but she knew roughly where they would have stored the coal...  "If you're here, help us gather up some stuff, would ya?  The more we can bring back, the better off everypony is going to be tonight...  Then we can all head back together so nopony gets lost."  She finds a few lumps of coal near some of the wreckage and figures it must be spilling out from something in the pile.  Looking around for anything she could use to haul it she manages to pull an old burlap sack out of the rubble and starts filling it with the black rocks.

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@,@,

 

Eclipse

Eclipse began filling his saddlebags with the black rocks. He then turned to Crimson when Pavisa was finished speaking.

"Although, we should hurry up with collecting these things." Eclipse said, continuing to stuff his bags. "We have the unsafe feeling that some giant beast is keeping it's eyes on us. We need to collect enough coal before it gets any bright ideas." Eclipse stopped for the moment and tried using his psychic magic to clear some rubble out of the car. He made a clear path for Crimson, allowing him to enter the car.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,
@,
@,
@@Icy Void,
 
Most of the carriages were nothing but a molten mass of uselessness: of those that were still salvageable, it was clear that the damage was irreparable, even if there had been a pony with the knowledge of how... not to mention the time and protection they would need. One way or the other what was left of the train was useless as a form of transport.
 
At the very border of the thick fog could be seen the shapes of what were evidently more carriages in the distance. Each of them told the same story - derailed, destroyed and all traces of life gone. It was a sorry sight to behold: the tacks still clear and waiting for any further transport to come this way to suffer the same fate.
 
One thing stood out though: amongst the wreckage stood an intact carriage, far more ornate than the train they had been riding on. It was intact - amazingly so, considering it had evidently been thrown from the tracks in a similar way. The paintwork was a regal blue and adorned with gold decoration: the door hung loosely open by a single hinge. 
 
---------------
 
???
 
They had emerged, some of them.
 
Surely they knew the danger - that the contraption would be useless to them. What were they going to do, strip it down to scrounge another miserable day of life? Could they not see the futility of it all? Even now, they only lived to satisfy the curiosity of one infinity their greater: one who was everyone and nowhere, who had watched everything that had passed since their pathetic excuse of a race first came to be?
 
Magic... It watched them struggle with the primitive excuse for power that the race had adopted. These creatures would never understand how to unlock their true potential, even if they had proven themselves worthy of it: even the sadly disappointing Draconequus had proven themselves more than this, and in several hundred years less!
 
They would die - that much was clear. Whether direct intervention was needed did not matter: it was entertaining in a way - watching them cling to life like it was something that could be snuffed out like a candle in a rogue breeze. Let them continue - for the moment.
 
---------------
 
Kingfisher.
 
The mare lay back and closed her eyes: cold wasn't anything new - she had been to cold places before - but to this extreme? They needed heat - quickly. She cursed inwardly at her leg out of frustration and concern as she tried to recall exactly how she had desensitized herself to the world in the past.
 
"Okay, so we rest up, see to the wounded and try to find another way." She said to the roof of the dark cavern. "It's probably going to be a long trip: hopefully the weather will clear up more in the morning."
 
'Hopefully we wont have lost any more ponies by the morning either...'

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

@,

@,

@,

@@Icy Void, 

 

Pavisa sighed heavily at what she'd been able to pick up so far - it wasn't a lot, and most of the train car was absolutely wrecked.  She takes a few steps back to look around when her gaze falls on a sight that nearly caught her off guard...  It took the ex-guard a moment to recognize the fancy, intact train car.  She hadn't expected to see anything like that in this wasteland.

 

"Hey, boys, do you see that?"  She gestures towards the train car with one hoof before she starts making her way out of the wrecked car they were salvaging towards it.  "There might be something in there we can use...  Let me check it out first.  If there's something not too friendly in there, I have the thickest armour out of all of us."  

 

The mare starts making her way over towards the car, assuming that the others would likely follow her.  Trying to ignore the cold in order to sate her curiosity though, Pavisa carefully approaches the damaged door and shoves it open. 

[Icy Void 19]

Midnight Sky

 

By the time Pavisa pointed out the intact car Midnight had gathered a moderate sized stack of wood from the benches and tables in the passenger car he had been in. "All right, but be careful. It's suspicious that a derailed train car is in such pristine condition, and I have a bad feeling about it, though I'm not sure what exactly." Midnight said as Pavisa went to investigate. In truth the whole area gave Midnight a bad feeling, between that strange creature and this not entirely natural storm Midnight Sky wouldn't be surprised if they were being played with. On top of all that, whatever magic that thing had been radiating, it was interfering with Midnight's ability to sense the Crystal Heart. At this point he could barely even sense it at all, let alone which direction it's in. At this rate Midnight wouldn't be surprised if the cave their companions are in collapsed, with all the misfortune they've had so far.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,
@,
@,
@@Icy Void,
 
The door swung open easily under the force of the mares hoof - swinging inwards with a smooth motion and revealing the inside of the carriage. Between the darkness that surrounded them due to the fog, and the lack of any windows on the carriages sides, it should have been impossible to see. Instead, a faint aura of light seemed to radiate from inside.

 

It was sparse: various small lock boxes were scattered around - still sealed tight and lavishly decorated. While the contents were strewn about, theres was the faintest of sounds radiating from inside - a music, barely loud enough to be heard and far too quiet for anypony to make out exactly what it was, but certainly music of some kind. a few seconds after the door swung open - it stopped.

 

Other than that the interior was in line with the external appearance: a plush, purple carpet was stained red in a few places and the fine, wooden walls were adorned with precious metals and gems - regardless of the boxes and whatever else might be found inside, the train itself had evidently been a treasure before the attack: though at first glance there was no sign of how and why this particular section was in such good condition.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@,@, @, @@Icy Void, 

 

Eclipse

Eclipse was truly baffled by the sight that had just been placed in front of him. The nice carpet, the stainless wooden walls that had gems in them, it was all too strange for the unicorn's liking. 

Saying that the sight as a whole was creepy and unsettling would be the understatement of the year.

 

"Well, shall we?" Eclipse began walking forward across the carpet. He kept his eyes open for anything else besides the nice interior. There had to be something in here, or at least some sort of illusion magic was at work. There's no way this could be a real, physical thing.

Edited December 23, 2013 by StevenEarthPony

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

Pavisa steps into the train car cautiously, though her curiosity and the cold are starting to get the better of her defensive approach.  She would have sworn she heard music when she opened the door, but there wasn't any playing now...  "Hello?  Anypony in here?"  She spares a quick glance back towards the door before moving further into the car.

 

She was as impressed by the interior of the car as she had been by the outside.  It was obviously expensive, and the ex-guard had never been one to have a lot of money.  There was more worth in this train car than she would ever have hoped to see normally.  Trying to keep her focus on something she could use to help her friends, Pavisa starts to look around at the different lock boxes as she moves deeper into the train car.  Where was that music coming from?

 

She starts to lead the way deeper into the train car, speaking back to the others "I'm going to take a look further in...  See if there's anything we can use though.  We can't stay out too much longer, the others need the supplies we gathered..."

[Icy Void 19]

Midnight Sky

 

When Pavisa opened the car's door, Midnight could feel a very subtle, though strong, breeze of magic flow out from the car as if a pressurized can had been opened. Not comfortable with that little feeling, Midnight ran over to join the others inside the car. He almost wished he hadn't with the disturbing feeling he started getting as soon as he entered the lavish train car. "Yes, do be quick. Other than them needing these supplies, I have a really bad feeling about this car and would rather not be in here long." Midnight said in a weary tone. Hesitantly he began to search through the various lock boxes, trying to figure out what was in them while hoping this wasn't some trap or illusion.

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@,@@Icy Void, @,

 

Eclipse

As the group progressed further into the car, the music from when they entered began looping, as well as get louder and more distinguishable. It sounded like a nice piano melody at first, but as they progressed, it got more creepy and mysterious. It actually scared Eclipse a little bit to just hear it, which is actually a remarkable feat.

 

On top of the music seeming to loop, so was the car itself. Perhaps it's bigger on the inside, but it seemed as if they were going in a complete circle. He didn't notice it from the rug, but from the gems and metals on the walls. After paying attention, Eclipse could recognize the ruby or sapphire on the wall from earlier. It just didn't seem right at all.

[RAGESTAR 479]

Crimson trotted inside the cart behind Midnight, a cautious look on his face. "I don't like the look of this place...I've seen enough blood stained rooms to know that this is a very bad place to be...if your looking for flammable objects, I have a load of lumber in my pack we could use, so I doubt we even need to be in here...curiosity killed the cat, remember?" he said.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,
@,
@,
(The music stopped when Pavisa opened the door by the way.)
 
The cold from outside was wasting no time in creeping into the carriage after them - as if held at bay by some unseen force before now. the fog also started to filter inside causing the almost pristine carriage to start looking more and more like the outside world. The shimmering light started to die: it was as it the presence of the ponies had triggered something - causing whatever had been preserving it from the elements to wither away.
 
@@Icy Void,
 
Amongst the lockboxes were two which stood out as different. Instead of the plain, steel structure that most held, these were made of carved wood - with golden hinges and studded with a single gemstone in each. One bore a symbol of a musical note carved into the lid and was studded with a single brilliantly yellow stone - a topaz. The other had an image of an eye carved into the top and was studded with a crimson stone that could only be a Ruby. Both were locked solidly.
 
---------------
 
???
 
Something had changed...
 
The ponies had been going about their pitiful business when something happened: it was as if a tapestry had been torn down to reveal a hidden door: there was something there which hadn't been before... had they done this? Discovered some kind of link to 'magic' beyond what they had ever used?
 
No... it wasn't possible. Something had been overlooked in the course of awakening, yes, that was the only possible solution.
 
Regardless: it would not do to have them poking about... The worst thing that could happen now was for them to prove a complication.
 
The fog thickened. Not like before, a gradual storm growing into a blizzard, but immediately. Over but a few short seconds there was a wall of fog filling the area - almost blindingly thick and dense enough to make breathing a less than easy experience. It muffled the sound of the howling wind into an eerie silence as it pressed in closer... masking the slow approach of the watcher.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[Icy Void 19]

Midnight Sky

 

As he was sifting through the lock boxes, two in particular caught his attention. Unlike the rest, these were decorated and each had a symbol emblazoned on it, one with an eye and another with a music note. And they didn't just look different, but there seemed to be some magical energy about them, though Midnight had trouble deciphering what exactly the magical energy was for. Just as he levitated the two lock boxes up, deciding that they posed a mystery worth solving even if it could be risky, the air became thick with fog  almost instantaneously. This fog was clearly unnatural, it was too thick and came too quickly, and Midnight's visibility was reduced to zero. He didn't even bother calling out to the others, the fog was so thick that it would be like talking through water, they most likely wouldn't hear. "Well there's only one way to thin air this thick, apply heat. Hopefully Crimson will get the same idea, I have a feeling his fire will be far more effective than mine. That is, assuming I can successfully make my fire with so much magic in the air." Midnight said to himself, though he could barely make out his own voice. Midnight quickly strapped the two lock boxes to his armor and began focusing his magic. With some effort, he was finally able to light a flame and slowly enlarged it until it was the size of a watermelon. Hopefully the heat would thin out some of the fog, though as far as magic battles go, this certainly wasn't what Midnight would have thought of.

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

Clockwork Green

@,

@@Windbreaker,

@,

 

Clockwork looked at Aegis, and then to the cavern's mouth. "It is, perhaps, possible. The others may find something to use which would serve nicely as a pan, there was a lot of wreckage out there. I just hope that whatever was out there does not find them.. We need all the ponies we can get out here. Survival in numbers." He finished enjoying his apple slices, and got up. He limped still, his foreleg mended partly, but was still painful to put weight on to a degree. He began to gather up stones and placed them in a ring at the cavern's center. He thought he might as well prepare a place for them to begin working on a fire when the others returned. Once he'd finished this, he found a comfortably smooth patch of stone to lay down, and curled into his winter cloak for warmth. He'd save his energy for now, and hopefully stay warm enough until they could start a fire.

----------------------------------------------------------------

 

Midnight Scribbler

@@SilverHeart,

@,

@,

 

Scribbler watched as Mirror knelt down and lay in front of him. His vision briefly focusing on her face from time to time as he strained to see clearly. As she leaned into him, crossing her horn against his own, he could feel her breath on his muzzle. Normally, he would have been overjoyed and likely filled with that anxiety that comes with being close to the one you like. But now, he was in such bad condition, his mind couldn't process much, though he felt comforted by her presence. As she began to cast her spell, Scribbler's eyes opened wide. "M-Mirror, wait.. I.." And with that, his words ended with a slight exhale as his mind began to be shrouded in an illusory state. He could feel his consciousness slipping into his subconscious, and the pain began to fade.

 

He found himself once again within the dream he'd been having before he awoke in the snow. Within a black void, and then suddenly shape and colour began to form around him. He could see bars.. Wooden bars, that went up to just above his height. He began to see light from an open doorway in the corner of the room he now found himself in. He had revisited his past, many moons back. He was sitting in a crib, his mother entered the room, her face blurred, he couldn't see her no matter how he tried. Frustrated, he tried his hardest to see her, but all he could get was the general shape, and the colour of her eyes. The same as his own, and he could tell she was smiling. The room faded again, this time he found himself in a classroom, with papers being thrown at him. "Pyro" they called him, mocking his lack of control. They were the ponies he was forced to lived with in the orphanage after he'd found himself lost from home. He looked down to see the burnt remains of a book. He could see their faces, jeering, filled with enjoyment at his expense. The room changed again, except this time it was no room, but a clearing in the woods. Warm light poured down in upon his face as he lay in the tall grass. A single white tree standing in the center of the clearing, bearing sparse silver leaves. He stood up, and looked around, hearing something behind him, he turned to see Mirror. She stepped closer, pressing her nose to his, crossing their horns as she had when he had last been awake. He felt warmth within his heart, the greatest feeling he could remember in his life. A feeling of absolute euphoria, as though, somewhere in his subconscious mind, he longed to feel what he had been consciously unable to while Mirror lay with him in the cavern. He smiled warmly, looking into her eyes, searching out the secrets he wished so badly to ask about, yet said nothing. There was no sound, strangely, it was as though he was suddenly deaf in this dreamlike state. Seeing images of his past, and now what appeared to be his wish for the present. Whatever it was, he wasn't interested in going back to the reality of the cave yet, this was far less painful to say the very least. "Am I dead?"

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

As the strange cold fog filled the train car, Pavisa cried out instinctively.  It was cold, and her visibility was instantly reduced to just barely past her muzzle.  She tried to call out to the others to find the fog even stifling the sound.

 

She should fall back and find the others.  She knew this, her training was screaming this.  But...  Something made her keep going deeper into the train car.  She didn't know what was making her feel so curious about the strange car, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something there...  Something she should find.  

 

She blinks in surprise as she runs into a curtain, like the kind trains used to section off a car for privacy.  The ex-guard turns back to look in the direction her friends were, or at least where she had last seen them...  Then moves past the curtain.  Her curiosity was overpowering her sense of caution by now.

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

@,@@Icy Void,@,

 

Eclipse

Before Eclipse knew it, the car was filled to the brim with cold fog. In an instant, he had lost track of everypony and was now on his own in this seemingly-endless foggy void. He tried calling out for the others, but it seemed to be no use. He just continued on in hopes of finding them. They were taking way longer than he anticipated.

 

Eventually, Eclipse came across a big, red curtain. Behind it, he heard a faint "I must avenge her." It sounded like his voice, but what exactly was behind this mysterious curtain? More curious than ever, he pulled the curtain and went inside...

[Icy Void 19]

Midnight Sky

 

Now that he had his fire going, Midnight could tell that it had little effect. While the heat of the flame had indeed thinned the fog around him, it only added a very slight extension to how far he could see. Deciding he might as well try and find the others, Midnight tried using his telekinetic scan to find them, but for some reason he couldn't find any sign of them anywhere in the car. While walking to try and find the others without magic, as Midnight assumed that this fog was interfering with his own magic, Midnight eventually came across a peculiar red curtain. Normally he would have ignored it and moved on, but for some reason or another he could distinctly sense the magical energy of his brother Frozen on the other side. "Now what could the Prince of Winter be doing here?" Midnight asked aloud, even though he knew nopony could hear. Against his better judgement, Midnight Sky pushed past the curtain. The possibility of his most hated sibling being here was just too curious to leave unchecked.

[RAGESTAR 479]

Crimson cursed as the fog enveloped them, causing him to lose sight of his friends in a thick, blank, and seemingly endless void of grey. "Shit!! I knew we shouldn't have disturbed this damn place! It must be cursed! I know! I'll burn this damn place to the ground, then help the others high tail it outta here! Nova..." he said, charging his flaming attack, when suddenly, a voice behind him caused him to stop dead in his tracks. "Well, well, well...if it isn't my worthless little son? Still playing hero, I see...you always were so weak...no wonder you couldn't save your sister..." said the voice in a very dark and masculine tone. Crimson's eyes went wide with shock, disbelief, and slight fear, whipping around. "No...no! You can't be here...you can't be alive! I watched you die! I killed you!!" he yelled. The fog parted to reveal a dark purple Vail leading into another room. "If you are so sure...then come inside and tell me that to my face...YOU WORTHLESS LITTLE BRAT!!" Said the voice with a laugh. Crimson growled and shook his head. "NO! I can't listen to you...I WONT LISTEN! YOUR NOT REAL!" He said, but no matter how hard he tried, his body forced him to walk past the curtain, and disappear into the dark room.

[EcstaticWind 572]

Aegis Dare

@@Frosty V, @,

 

He nodded at Frost with a smile and tried to ignore the rumbling in his stomach. When it got too much, he dug out a packet of apple slices for himself and started eating. He would've said 'thank you' to Blast for the metal rod, but spraying Blast with chewed up bits of apple hardly seemed like a good idea. So he settled for a nod of acknowledgement. If they had a fire and the rest of the pan, things would be good. but at the moment, it was cold, dark, and dreary. Not exactly ideal writing conditions, that much is certain.

 

He wouldn't admit the doubts in his mind, since he felt that the team needed him to be strong and optimistic. And until they no longer needed him, that's exactly how he was going to be.

Edited December 24, 2013 by Windbreaker

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

@,

@,

@@Icy Void,

 

The curtain fluttered heavily as it was disturbed - revealing the back of the carriage: there was no door or window where there should have been: only a mostly empty space decorated with the same extravagant decor.

 

At the very back though, sat two items of interest. A pedestal of ancient hewn stone that had obviously been taken from somewhere else - it's top carved as if to hold a book, though it was empty.

 

There was a slight hum of resonant magic hanging in the air.

 

A single key made of gold hung from the ceiling on a thin silver chain: so delicate that the implication was clear - when turned, it was designed to break inside the lock. It would only turn once.

 

The ground trembled slightly - resonating through the train as the the snow started to whirl outside the train: not the hail like before - simply a blizzard like nothing that nature had ever created before - it's center right on top of them as the snow circled around - stopped by the walls of the train but making outside only harder to navigate.

 

Something that would keep them in place for long enough to investigate...

[Commander Tangent 861]

@,

 

Icarus turned his attention to Blast quickly.

 

"Blast, how do you feel, any aches, pains, sore? Any inability to carry a motion of thought?" He asked Blast, checking for symptoms for both of his wounds. He seemed fins, but he couldn't be sure without Blast letting him know.

[Umbreon 569]

Pavisa

 

Pavisa glances around, surprised to suddenly see her friends there with her as they stepped through the curtain.  "What in Equestria is this?"  She steps forward, looking briefly at the key before turning her gaze to the pedestal.  She didn't know about the two boxes Eclipse had found yet, and as such didn't pay the key too much mind for the moment.  The pedestal, though...  Something about that felt...  Familiar.

 

She steps up closer to it, tilting her head slightly.  She wasn't a unicorn, but she'd grown up in a family of them...  All three of her brothers had inherited their mother's heritage, while she had been 'lucky' enough to be born an earth pony like their father.  Even then, she could tell there was something magic about the stone.  

 

As she gets closer she can see the cuts along the top, as though to hold a book.  That's when the pieces start to connect in Pavisa's head, and she glances back to the three unicorns with her.  "Hey...  Is it just me, or does this look like the pedestal that the Litany of Magic was resting on back at the Falls?"  As she asks the question the mare slowly extends a hoof to touch the pedestal experimentally.

Edited December 24, 2013 by Lhee