Within the Stars [Private: Steel Eagle]

[Dunder]

In the cold darkness, the pair sallied forth into nature's onslaught. The moon's light cast a deep blue over the landscape where specks of white snow tore across their view like millions of meteorites. And past the barren land of their forefathers, there curved the range of mountains which stood unshaken against its hostile home. Like the spine of an impossibly large dragon sleeping against the horizon whose black and jagged scales dared any creature hooved or clawed to set upon them. A ferocious and endless sheet of clouds drifted overhead pulled along by the same piercing wind that tore itself upon that terrible mountain range.

 

The wind dragged over the mare at the head as if to taunt her with its carelessness. If she could only spread her wings freely she could ride the current and cover ground at a pace tenfold. But instead it was the work of her legs that ploughed the path through the white blanket of snow which left two trailing voids where the moonlight could not reach. As she stopped to adjust her woolen cloak crested with fluffy faux-fur, the mare would look back enough to exposure her nose and mouth and speak loud enough to overpower the wind, "Are you sure this is the right way?" A weary pause as she turned some more, careful not to let the wind blow off her hood. "Unless the wind changes, it'll be twice as hard to double back."

[SteelEagle]

 

Behind Dunnie, Dunder, Dunda Bringin' Da Thunda Down Unda, behind Dunsterino/rina, pronked a fellow adventurer. Most pronks in and out of the snow came with some minor backwards momentum as the pegasus' wing couldn't help but catch some of the wind- she couldn't fully close one of them due to an injury, which she was always super excited to show off. still she never stopped pronking forward excitedly, nor didn't she keep her eyes closed or down. Up and around, everywhere, and when they became packed with snow she tossed her head to and from to clear them. It was a wonderful system that would in no way lead to future medical problems because Pathfinder was very, very sure this was going to be too much fun for her to die anytime soon doing!

 

She was just happy somepony finally listened to her. Everypony told her she was pretty darn stupid for believing that there was a secret Maretonia below the Maretonia that was also below Saddle Arabia. Seemed stupid! But she was sure of it, because if that wasn't true than that meant the map she found in the Kastroti library was wrong. And she didn't spend two months as a love slave of Heartstopper to not get that map! True, it was found in the filly story section that was open to the public but it wasn't her fault that Heartstopper was a dolt who didn't know what she had in her possession.

Stupid Heartstopper!

"Yep!" Pathfinder said cheerily as she continued pronking. "We should get to the Great Southern Harbor soon. That much is an acknowledged dig site. From there though we have a totally fun time! Well, as long as we don't get killed by the spirits, but a little possession never hurt anypony!"

[Dunder]

The hooded mare stayed locked as if she had been frozen in place from her momentary pause. She could see the snow clinging to coat and eyelashes. After a small sigh she raised each leg high to crunch over the lightly packed snow as she turned to face the other mare. The wind knocked off the hood in an instant. Two brown ears illuminated blue by the moon popped up as the hood fell. Her full mane billowed out along with the cape as the howling wind clawed through both. The removal revealed her thick and tightly wrapped coats, a glinting sword, and stuffed saddlebags hanging from leathers both of which shivered with the mare in the deep blue light. "Here." Before Pathfinder could react or protest, the brown pegasus wrapped the removed cape around her traveling companion and tightened it around her neck. "Keep the hood on." Her brown wings wrapped tightly to her body and the coming front urged her on to pull her own bedroll off her back and improvise a new cape from its cloth and bindings. "You wouldn't want me to find Old Maretonia by myself and take all the glory, would you?" She said with the slightest grin as she turned back and continued on her path.

"Are you sure we are heading straight for the harbor? I would hate to miss it." Her voice was louder to compete with the incessant wind. "Check the compass."

[SteelEagle]

 

Pathfinder's excited pronking was brought to an abrupt halt, at least momentarily, by Dunnietastical. Pathfinder wouldn't say no to the hoodie but if she had to tear it off in a fit of excitement as they were being attacked by snow ninjas- not likely but not impossible! At least, she hoped not impossible -and she hoped that it would be understood. "Thanks! If you need it back, just ask. You didn't coat it in a poison that you have grown immunity to in an effort to take me out aaaand take the credit for all this history shattering glory, right?" She asked, just as the very subject was brought and dismissed. What timing! "Ohh, gotcha! Well, even if you did take the credit and I was a goner, I'd haunt you. And I think I'd make an awesome spooky adventure ghost!" She said, trying to determine whether or not she would be a transparent ghost or not. After deciding she would certainly not be and would be a cool gnarly ghost who looked like a zombie, she answered the question.

 

"We are," she said as she whipped out the compass, "pachow," with the appropriate sound effect, at first. As expected, it was leading them well and true as they started going up a hill. "We should be there any minute. Most of the site is buried under snow. According to all official records, the dig site is a minor historical site about an old, out of the way port. According to secret official records, it has a lot of old aetherstone still in good shape that Kastrot values. In even more secreter, less official, more conspiratorial records, it isn't a harbor at all, but simply the north half of an ancient city, across a river that no longer exists. So, ya know, pretty cool beans! Or javelins. Hey, do you see those javelins in the sky?" She asked matter of factly. Far above, flashes of silver and red from cloud to cloud, the glinting of weapons- well, maybe. The weather was so poor it would be hard to tell. "Maybe one of your Acroneighos gal pals will try to kill us!"

[Dunder]

As the once-pronking pony made her remarks about the potential impact of their expedition, Dunnie cracked a slight grin and a puff of breathe came swirling out of both nostrils. As her companion checked the compass, Dunnie mulled over her words but did not respond because she had become acutely aware of how easily this explorer was distracted. Maybe it was a good trait to have in her profession, who knew what a wandering mind and eyes could lead to. Perhaps something another could miss. Hopefully not something I would miss, she thought as they began their march up a steady hill.

The sturdy pony tried to keep up her pace, but the sloping ground challenged her. She kept her head low, examining the snow and making sure that she could find stable purchase for her hooves for both their sake. This focus was deep, but she kept listening to the other pony. The rhythm of examining snow, carefully placing a hoof down and scraping the dirt below to make sure the ground was stable and gritted enough to hike on. The steady pace of Dunnie's examination carried on as she formulated a response to all the explorer was talking about.

"I like you better alive. So no haunting for now." Dunnie's response was flat as she carried on her work, "And an Acroneighos mare killed me once already. They won't get a se-- Hey, wha--?" Dunnie's eyes opened wide at the realization of Pathfinder's observations as they were no longer concealed by her perpetually excited tone. The pegasus lifted her head immediately as she stepped back and turned her body defensively in front of the other pony. She drew her buckler and raised it in front of her face to just peek over it as she scanned the sky and the flashes of silver and red among the clouds. What could be dancing fireflies or parasprites in any other place sent a bolt of fear down her back.

"Acroneighos fields the strongest flyers, but even they couldn't withstand this cold. Unless they have something I don't know about." Dunnie commented as she kept her eyes on the lights as they continued their sporadic, innumerable paths. "If anything happens, jump to the left and then run forward. Maybe we can find cover in those ruins." And she hoped those ruins were close.

[SteelEagle]

 

She was happy enough with her partner. Dunnie could sometimes be a bit too self-serious. This was fun! Adventure was fun, super fun. And dangerous, but nothing worth doing wasn't! Maybe she needed to just relax in a cell for a while and read. That's what Pathfinder did last time she was imprisoned by the Yaks for this or that crime, and they were the BEST at prisoner treatment! She needed to get arrested by Yaks more often. They were super fun! Not as fun as Dunder. She was smooth and sexy. No wonder ponies far and wide wanted to do the Dunderina. Pathfinder had a CEO back home to impress so she wouldn't do it, but she totallyt saw the appeal.

 

She also saw the appeal of tangoing with a trio of terrible terrorizing terracotta armored pegasi, but Dunder had a bad experience and Pathfinder was a good times gal and wasn't gonna push it. Not that sort of good times though that was not entirely too uncommon in her youth, no! She just liked a good fight. All good stories had good fights. Nonetheless, she wanted to go ahead and get the party started. The secret party, not the fight party. That would come later she was sure. 

 

"I guess we can avoid a city full of Dunnie waifus for now," Pathfinder said as she slowed down, starting to paw into the ground. "Here. We need to go here," she said as she dig, pawed, and stomped. As she did so, she let her mind wander. "Well, I mean, they have the best soldiers. I think Cloudsdale has much better fliers. What makes you think Acroneighos is any good?" She said passively, almost under her breath. Cloudsdale for life, yo. "I wouldn't be worried. I mean, what could they possibly want with lil' old us?" She said with a cheeky laugh as she found her target.

 

"Found the roo-" she started before the ancient roof finally collapsed along with the snow, sending the pair tumbling into an ancient home preserved in the ice. Pathfinder rolled up on her hooves instantly. "Great! Now we're in it. If the map I found is accurate, then the actual city is mostly undisturbed until we reach the dig site. Everypony else just thinks this whole area is one big snowfield. They have no idea all this city is here! So cuddle up buttercup, we're in it now!"

[Dunder]

The pegasus was in dire need of relaxation. Afterall, weeks of preparation and travel had led to this moment and an ambush would lead to a distasteful end.

Dunnie stepped back, crunching snow underhoof to get closer to her traveling companion. "I'll take you to Acroneighos later!" Then glanced back as she realized she misheard, "Oh, what?" She turned completely toward the other pegasus as her ears flicked, realizing her hearing mistake. Though, she was sure she was hearing the rest of the conversation clearly which was more worrying. "I'll tell you later just--" She cut herself off as she turned back to face the figures in the sky. A hefty hind leg raised and slammed into the ground next to where the other mare was digging.

The cracks formed, and the pegasus felt the ground heave under their weight as the structure awoke. The ground left a void, which the intrepid pair plunged into. Though, Dunnie's wings flared out and gave a powerful flap which slowed her descent sharp enough to land with insubstantial force. The splashback of snow across her underside was enough to make the mare shake herself off briefly before looking at the residual hole above to see if anything was in pursuit. But Pathfinder's observation rung in her mind, if these things wanted to attack, wouldn't they have done so already?

 

Dunnie didn't want to find out, instead she glanced around the room, "Cuddling isn't such a bad idea. We should get someplace we can warm up, probably deeper inside." The pegasus pulled her hood off her head, and her body gave another shake emphasizing the head this time. "So is this a subterranian city? Or will we find streets filled with snow and Celestia knows what else?" The ex-warrior would ask as she trotted deeper inside, checking passages, doorways, and the like for any movement or danger.

[SteelEagle]

 

"Well, they-" Pathfinder said as she hovered in place and turned to Dunnie, keeping her flight so they didn't have to stop, "-say that this was a small southern port city, with an ancient route that headed west to ancient Hesperia. That is what the dig site purports to be, anyway. The truth is that this was a big city at one point. This part of the city was buried under snow and doesn't appear in any map. The part they think is the port was just a transportation hub- a pegasi transportation hub, not a sea port. And below the waves, the frozen ice waters, is supposed to be something a lot more. Boom!" She said, pressing her hooves to her head and then throwing them out. "The find of a lifetime," she said as she searched for the door. She didn't bother looking around the room too much. Not enough danger, and truth be told she reckoned there would be time enough to investigate the homes of those that 'nature' preserved and time forgot.

 

After a few moments she found it and pushed and pushed. The door opened with considerable, if not less than she had expected, force and Pathfinder spilled out of the home and into what appeared to be very narrow streets. Narrow, because it was all covered in snow but not the way one might expect. The snow certainly covered the 'sky' and spilled out everywhere, choking the street and pushing through houses. But it was clear that this was not natural snowfall by the very fact that there existed any way to move at all, with the paths ahead as dark as dark could be but preserved nonetheless. It should not have been so. The snow had buried this part of the city utterly eons ago, so what made it that the streets themselves were not entirely closed off?

 

Pathfinder thought she knew the answer, and the cheery adventurer was equally disquieted as she was excited by it all. She fumbled in her saddlebag and pulled out a stick tube, twisting and smacking it against the ice-wall before slapping it on her pith helmet for a sickly green glow. She handed the magical stick to Dunderina the Dunderful. "Unless you have something better to investigate spooky cool ghost towns...?"

[Dunder]

As Pathfinder explained the situation, Dunnie was piecing it all together in her mind. The thought of going over all this information earlier passed through her mind but left as soon as it came. There must be an unfathomable amount of snow piled atop this city, the pair would be certainly trapped if the snow collapsed. A passageway to from the lower levels to that pegasus landing could be their only lifeline, assuming it exists.

 

As Dunnie concluded her searching for danger, she caught the other pegasus straining against the weight of a door. The pegasus rushed over and helped force the door open against the effort of its weight and past-frozen hinges. The scraping, cracking, and creaking stopped and the magenta-eyed mare tumbled forward into the streets. Meanwhile Dunnie stayed standing while observing the streets before them. That she was able to see any streets at all was a shock. This didn't feel like a city covered by that terrible icy wind's centuries of work.

Dunnie stepped forward to see Pathfinder pull out a glowing crystal for illumination. "I have some magic, but I'd rather save it." The pegasus flared out a wing and grabbed the crystal by the end with the feather appendage. She held out a hoof for her companion to take and help herself back up. "This place is protected by something. We should move quickly before it realizes we're here, if it hasn't yet already."

After helping the pegasus up she would start down the street. Almost jovial in the fact she could step on hard, stable ground so easily. She would go looking for anywhere not packed deep with snow, at least initially.

 

[SteelEagle]

 

Preserved in ice by the passage of eons and ages past the knowledge of any living creature, the streets had long since lost any attempted semblance of what they used to be. There was no light and no life to be found. Any attempt at living in the endless dark devoid of activity had been abandoned by even the hardiest creatures long ago, leaving the oddly preserved pathways alone. It was a tomb of ice and worse than that, its inhabitants were forgotten entirely. Not for them was even the acknowledgement of existence. They suffered, died, and were now rendered completely existence-less as even memory failed to place them. The only two creatures in all of Twilight's Kingdom and beyond that could confirm any of them had ever lived were two adventurous pegasi who found themselves half-blindedly stumbling through the occasional skeleton.

 

Of course, the existence of such open skeletons rather than any preserved bodies gave them some clues. They did not die in a sudden cataclysmic snowfall. They were not buried in ice and snow professionally. Whatever had happened to them, they had died, rotted away, with their bones left to mark where they lay. Unusual, considering how thick the packed snow and ice around them. It was all incredibly unnatural and clearly...magical. None of that stopped it from being terribly cold, mind you. She huddled close to Dunderino for warmth, not that they had much choice. At times the path was wide enough for them to walk side by side, but often it tightened up and they had to walk single file and squeeze by.

 

As they did so, she noticed something. Pathfinder was often accused of being scatterbrained, but that was probably because parts of her brain were scattered around her skull due to concussions. No, she was as sharp as a whistle and three times as loud when needed, and she only needed one-half sharpness to note that the skeletons were all unicorns. Their horns still seemed solid, only a few seemed chipped. Even the smaller skeletons with the less developed horns still had them. "Guess we're in the thick of horned territory now, Dundie. I haven't seen anything but them so far."