To restore or forsake the past (Game B)

It is said 'The bigger we are, the harder we fall'. I don't think truer words could be said about the ponies. The legends say that long ago there was a land known as Equestria where the ponies were free to laugh and play and enjoy the day as carefree as they could under the benevolent rule of the solar sisters. That there were six ponies who represented the best of us all who rose to resolve any challenge or threat that dared to confront the Empire. But that was a long, time ago...

The world's changed so much since those old legends. There was the advancements, technology reaching heights to achieve what shouldn't have been possible, miracles that transcended the wildest imaginations, and yet at the cost of so much devastation to the world. Then the scientist turned their attention towards fixing the world, to bring it back and repair the damages their reckless advancements had done. It only partially worked.

The world was fixed, forests returned, the waters were cleared, and the air was clean, but the forest gained a mind of it's own. It struck out at the technology and the ponies that coveted it, destroying all in it's wake and the world was plunged into this new dark age. Now though we've managed to strike a peace with the forest, we exist as it does and do what we can to not anger it. The Historia Derelicta keeps us safe, they condemn the horrid advancements of the past to keep from angering the forests and keep us all safe from the destruction the past warrants.

But then there's Phoenix. They say the world can be fixed, that with the technologies of the past, we don't have to live in fear anymore. There are many that don't trust them, or the sinful weapons of the past they use, but could they really be that wrong? The forest isn't kind and has killed far more than it's saved. Maybe they're right and everypony would be better if the forest, and the world were restored to how they were in the past back when technology was used.

Regardless of either faction, that doesn't really change the average daily happenings in the small village of Grainden. The common ponies in the relatively small village going about their works whether that be farming, woodworking, or manning stands, stores, or stalls to sell goods to the other members of the small population. Set on the only slight elevation around and overlooking the large fields that gave the town it's name, Grainsden was also known as a pioneering town set fairly close to the forest. It's haunting darker green's far closer than some might have been comfortable with, but the prospects on cheap land that was suitable for farming proved to be too great a temptation for the citizens.

The common folk however aren't quite the center of this tale, and instead we'll shift focus now to something abnormal to the daily happenings that have become such common place among such common ponies, and that takes us to the only tavern/inn in the town. A fairly large building staffed by kind and popular ponies of the settlement with fairly regular patrons. Specifically though, the abnormality came in the form of a little filly who burst through the doors of the tavern. She was an earth pony, dull green in color with a orange-ish brown mane and tail. Her tear stricken eyes only accented her panic stricken face as she almost screamed and cried frantically. "HELP! Please, somepony, anypony, I need help!" The filly's eyes hurriedly looked about the assembled ponies, searching for the unfamiliar faces that'd mark adventurers, a common profession in this new day and age.

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Players:
DualThrone (Verde Tin)
Unity Wolfpony (Lightning and Snowblind)
Lorthalis of Crows (Attrition)
Star Sentinel (Dark Wing)
KoreanLuna (Darkcharm)

A tan pegasus stallion's ears twitched as he heard the little filly crying out for help. He had on a black desperado hat and a red bandanna hung from his neck. A few strands of a rust colored mane hung from under the hat. He had been enjoying a nice drink and break before the filly had come in. The pegasus lift his gaze from his mug of booze to the little filly. He stood up and calmly walked over to the filly, putting a hoof on her shoulder. He gave a little worried smile. "Whoa there little filly. Calm down fer a moment. What's dah matter?" He asked in a concerned tome, tilting his head to the side as he looked down at her.

A purple thestral with an eyepatch and a black cloak stood up to inquire about the filly further, but decided to let the stallion break down barriers first. Once he had spoke, she crouched near the filly so she'd be at the same level as her when she spoke. "Don't worry little lass, we want to help but you have to calm down okay honey?" She said with a soft, sweet voice and an unimposing smile. Meanwhile, a light blue fluffy pegasus with a hood sat up next to where Lightning had been sitting, not getting too visually involved.

As the filly runs into the tavern, she'd go right passed a mare resting on her hindquarters and making some kind of drawing with the aid of a ruler and a quill, a drawing that suffers an abrupt ink blot as she jolts slightly with surprise at the filly's entrance. Before the girl even speaks, she takes note of her frantic expression and the tears staining her cheeks, and her magic begins to pack up her things and put them into place in her saddlebags as she steps around her table and makes for the distressed filly. She gives the pegasus and thestral each a polite single nod before her attention goes to the little one. The green-coated white-maned unicorn is carrying triple the ordinary number of saddlebags and appears to be having no trouble doing it. Even in the relatively good light of the tavern, one would just barely be able to make out the shape of what appears to be some kind of lenses, one of the lenses extending out into some sort of tiny telescope, propped above her eyes. Hanging from leather straps ahead of the first saddlebag is a crowbar on one side and a long knife on the other. The mare approaches the filly but doesn't speak, smiling down at her in a reassuring manner and letting the other two do all the talking.

The crying filly seemed just the slightest bit soothed by the kind words of the ponies that came to her. She gave a nod to Lightning and then proceeded to respond to Dark's question. "W-we were pl-*sniffle* playing outside the town, *sniffle* and th-then there was *sniffle* this loud rumble *sniffle*, and the ground shook *sniffle*, and then a big hole opened underneath my brother *sniffle*, AND HE FELL INNNNnnnn," as she finished the recap, the filly once more descended into crying with a fresh wail. The majority of the attention in the tavern had shifted to the filly when she gave her recap and now that she was finished, the patrons were starting to murmur to each other.

Dark Wing listened intently to the filly as she told him what had happened. "Ah big hole opened beneath yer brother..." He repeated before rubbing the filly's shoulder to calm her down again. "Shh, shh, shh. It's alright." He looked over at the thestral that was helping him calm the filly then over at the green unicorn who had walked over to them. He hummed a little bit before smiling down at the filly. "It's alright, we'll get yer brother back. Just tell us where this hole is." He said, wondering to himself what the heck could have opened up a hole underneath another pony. The forest maybe? He shoved the thought out of his head and focused on the situation at hoof.

the hooded mare got out of her seat and geared up. the mare trotted to lightnings side, and they both waited on the fillies reply, lightning standing up and looking to her partner, as a gesture to head to the door. snow walked to the door ready to leave whilst lightning waited for the location, looking to the other ponies who were near the filly too.

"We most certainly will," the unicorn says with a strong Trottingham accent. "If just an accident, we'll bring him back to you alive and hopefully well. If it wasn't an accident, well, we'll still bring him back to you alive and hopefully well but whoever did it to him won't be feeling well at all." She smiles gently down to the filly and gently patted her head to distract her from the way she magically gripped her very well-oiled and sharpened machete meaningfully when she said that whoever hurt this child's brother wouldn't come out of it in good shape at all. "Are your parents nearby? Do you have anyone to look after you while we go help your brother?"

The little filly managed to fight off her sniffles some mroe at the continued comfort coming from the other ponies and the reassurances they offered about the safety of her brother. "W-we were pl-playing *sniff* out to the east, near the hi-hi-hills," the filly managed to reply to Dark, and then she turned and nodded towards Verde. "Pl-please save him. H-he, c-c-can be a butt, but I-, I didn't want this to happen to him. I- I just want my big brother back," she added through the tears before beginning to exit the tavern and wander towards home to inform parents and wait anxiously with them.

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Alright, since the hole isn't exactly extremely hidden, feel free to make a post detailing what you do as you exit the town and any preparations they might partake of before hand. Then in my next update, I'll be detailing the scene of cave.

Dark nodded silently as the filly spoke then when he was finished he patted the filly's head. "We will." He said as the filly walked out of the tavern. He raised his head and looked around the tavern. He then shifted his saddle bags a bit to fully cover up his cutie mark as he walked to the door. Once outside, he took a deep breath in and let it out. "Sun rises in the east..."He said quietly to himself looking up into the sky and squinting a little. The sun wasn't quite in the middle of the sky yet so he turned himself in the direction of east and started trotting off in that direction. He stopped after a little bit however and looked back at the tavern entrance to see if the ponies who said they were going to help that filly's brother was following. Once he saw that they were or weren't he continued his trot towards the hills to where the hole was said to be.

A young gray filly with a straight violet mane was walking down the dirt path of the Phimeorry Hills. The long red ribbon in her hair fluttered due to the light breeze that was blowing about. The jet black cloak she wore also fluttered behind her. The filly was also wearing a necklace, a black glossy gemstone dangling in front of her throat. Her violet eyes with slitted pupils glanced about.

The Hills were known to be dangerous around this time of the day, or so she had heard. Had she been anypony else, one would wonder why any hazard would show itself in broad daylight. It was a good thing that she herself was clairsentient--the various auras of menace roaming about made her shudder. But she was more used to menace than most other fillies her age, and she was confident that she would survive, with the help of her necklace and cloak.

She was nearing the village of Grainden--she intended to stay there for a few days. Being the peddler she was, she had exotic goods to sell. She spotted an inn. . . and ponies coming out of it. And they were coming towards the hills!

Something told her they wouldn't last long. Without a second thought, she raced down the rest of the way, almost hurtling herself before the group, planting her hooves firmly into the ground once she came to a stop.

"You can't go this way!" she growled, gritting her teeth.

Dark skidded to a stop so he wouldn't trip over the filly that suddenly ran up to him. He raise an eyebrow down at her then frowned a little when she told him he couldn't go that way. He raised his head up and looked in the direction he was heading then back down at her. "And why can't ah?" He asked to the little filly. His eyes scanned the filly for a moment, taking in her appearance. He hummed for a moment before shaking his head. "Ah, ferget the question. Every moment that passes by ah have less time to save a filly's brother. Now if ya would excuse meh ah need t' get t' a big hole that appeared on the hills." He said, pushing the filly to the side, gently as to not hurt her, and continued his walk to the hills.

Verde stops the filly to briefly give her a one-leg hug before patting her on the head and tapping the back of her head to urge her home. She then floats out her machete, twirls it around, and follows Dark into the street. Her reaction to the new filly was to tilt her head a little and narrow her eyes. "Whether we can or can't go this way, we have to go this way. There's a child in this town who was playing with her brother, and he fell into a hole and is trapped there. That child will not lose her brother so long a I'm alive and able to stop it. So either step aside or turn your advice to practical use and make sure that a family shan't need to bury their colt and a sister shan't need to weep for a lost brother." She plants the tip of the machete in the ground firmly, near this new filly but not close enough for it to be an apparent threat. "We are determined that the colt will be saved. Aid us, or step aside."

The gray filly couldn't help but grit her teeth in frustration. She did not like the machete being planted in front of her, and she felt even more so disgraced by how she was shoved aside. Persistent sods, she inwardly growled.

But that wasn't what frustrated her most. It was the fact that she was being pushed off to one side and would be passed by, ignored. All too much reminding her of a past not worth her mind.

"Fine," she huffed, trotting along. "I'm going with y'all--only because I don't think any of you'll last long enough out there. Trust me, I know menace when I feel it."

lightning headed to where dark was, she ignored the cufufal with the new filly and face the stallion. "the names lightning i think we best know each other before we start our rescue operation." she turned to face verde. "lets go we have our job to do. i look forward to seeing that colt safe and sound with his family." finally she turned to snow who was standing at the door and simply nodded to to her at which point snow walked over to lightning. "ok lets go we need to hurry, every second we waste could add towards that colts death" at which lightning and her partner headed east towards the hill, hoping the other 2 would be walking with them.

Verde smiles at her and pulls the machete out of the ground. "I was hoping that you'd be offended enough to lend your assistance," she says to her. "Forewarning gives insight and we can use as much of that as we can get." She extends a hoof. "Verde Tin. Who might you be?"

Attrition and Sophie look up as the group leaves the bar. nodding to one another, the get up and follow once they can be sure they group is out of earshot. Attrition turns to her partner. "M'lady Sophie, have you any spirits to assist us?" Sophie shakes her head. "Neigh. I used up the last burning down the farm in our previous residence, and as for the surrounding area..." Sophie hums lightly as she scourers the spirit realm. Pausing for a moment, she sends up a beacon to attract friendly spirits. "There are none readily available." She prepares a few spells and gusts should hostile spirits also heed the beacon's call.
Attriton bites her lip, thinking through it. "Very well. Once you have another spirit with which to form our bond, I shall scout the area." They nod, and begin to follow the rest of the group, albeit too far back to be noticed easily.

As the group wandered out of the center of the town, the buildings began to become more sparse until they abruptly tapered off. This change also noted the beginning of some gently sloping hills and beyond them was the ever threatening forest. Veering from the path and to the top of this first hill, it wasn't hard at all to spot the hole the filly had spoke of. It was a large black elliptical on the side of a distant hill. A blatant disturbance in the gently flowing greenery that made up the grass that coated said hills.

Upon approaching the hole, all could see the almost eerie blackness that made up the cavernous space below. While deep, the hole didn't seem like it'd be a fatal fall, but certainly far too deep for a young colt to get out of by himself (maybe 10-15ft). Speaking of that though, said colt wasn't anywhere to be seen in the space, only clumps of dirt and rock that had made up the roof of the pit moments before. There was however a tunnel leading off to the unknown on one side of the pit, making it the only way the colt could have reasonably gone.

Dark shrugged a little to himself as the filly had cam along with them. "Ah'm Dark Wing." He said, calmly. He watched as Lightning walked in front of him and huffed a little bit. He picked up his pace so that he trotted beside her if not going slightly bit faster than her. Once he got to the top of the hill he looked at the hole for a moment before going going over there and looking down. He didn't see the colt but had to question why the colt would move away from the opening of the hole. Unless maybe the colt was dragged away from it by something else...He quickly shook his head to clear those thoughts out of his head before looking at the others, more specifically the ones who weren't able to fly. Sure they probably weren't going to get hurt jumping down but that didn't stop him from worrying just a bit. He shrugged to himself and spread his wings before flying down the hole and walking towards the tunnel on the side of the hole.

"Darkcharm," the filly huffed. "Charm works fine, though."

She followed the group and peered down the hole when the heart on her necklace began to shake, and her cloak suddenly fluttered.

"What?" she asked them.

A shake and a flutter.

"Something's calling you two?"

A flip up then down from both objects.

Darkcharm raised an eyebrow. "But. . . ?"

The necklace and the cloak proceeded to whip forward, as if yanking her to the hole.

"Fine, then," Darkcharm huffed. She turned to the group. "We'd best get in; something's coming this way, and it's not good."

She hopped in after Dark Wing.

Attrition and Sophie carefully follow the group. "Are we quite sure this is safe? No spirits have yet answered the call, and I dislike being this vulnerable." Attrition sighs. "Our options are limited. I am uncertain of the nature of our quarry. Perhaps they are merely citizens with good intentions. Or perhaps they are lead marchers of our doom, headed to a secret meeting." Sophie chuckles. "You make it sound so dramatic. I doubt they're phoenix." Attrition smiles slightly, bopping her partner over the head with a wing. "I suppose I do. I don't really think they're Phoenix either, but if they are..." Attrition let the rest go unsaid. If their quarry was phoenix, and their insane meddling unleashed some horror, neither of the pair would live with the knowledge that they could've done something about it.

No sooner than Darkcharm landed at the bottom of the hole did her necklace and cloak trembled once more.

"What, what?" Darkcharm asked out of concern. "Summoning. . . a spiritual beacon? Are you sure? Even if you answered it, you're still Darkenesse Spirits, I'm not sure that's a good idea." A few more shakes from her garments, and she sighed in resignation. "Fine, then. Go ahead. I hope you two know what you're doing, though. . ."

lightning and snow unfurled their wings and dived down into the hole.

lightning headed towards the tunnel striking somewhat close to dark, "what do you think bore out this tunnel?.. dark wing was it?" she asked inspecting the walls of the tunnel and looking down the tunnel. Lightning was an inquisitive mare, and she never really got the hang of speaking to others properly, but she tried.

snows attention turned to dark charm, her hood hung other her eyes so only her mouth was visible. she stepped up to the little filly and looked at her up and down. "its not often i see somepony with spiritually bound items, but thats not important, what is a filly doing in such a risky place, oh but you're being protected by dark spirits hmm, i see. let it be know that i dont usually make offers like this, but seeing as my own filly is about your age i'll do you this favour, stay close child, and you won't be in much immediate danger, what do you say" she said in her least ominous voice. snow was the aloof sort and rarely spoke, much rathering to let lightning make the interactions, but her biggest weakness had to be foals. being a mother it opened the only crack to her sensitive side for strangers, she hated the thought of her daughter being in a negative way, and thus when a filly reminded her of her own she could not help but lend a hoof.

"Charm." Verde nods thoughtfully. "Well, pleased to meet you I suppose."
It was about this moment that they come across the hole where the filly's brother fell in, and Verde lights her horn a bit so she can peer downwards into the pit. "Well, at least he survived the fall and was in good enough shape to be ambulatory afterwards," she comments. "Well, best get down there and in good shape."
She hops into the hole, tucking in as she falls and lands in the rough shape of a ball of pony, killing the harmful momentum of her fall by converting it into harmless forward motion. She come out of the tuck on the second tumble, using the momentum to end up solidly on her feet and looking none the worse for wear. She pulls out the machete again, twirls it, and nods to Darkcharm. "I don't suppose you're willing to give us some insight into what's doing that, are you?"

As the group entered the hole and proceeded down the only opening, the light gradually dimmed until almost complete darkness surrounded them. That is, except for an almost eerie blue light at the far end of the tunnel. True enough, just as it was getting dark enough that some kind of light source would have been required to avoid the hazards of stumbling over rocks and pieces of the cave, some other light source's illumination that couldn't have been the sun or a fire was putting off enough of a glow to avoid the hazards. The sounds of running water also echoed out from somewhere ahead.

As the group would continue to press on, the cave abruptly opened up into a massive cavern. Even the floor dipped down away from the current level of elevation the group was at while standing in the cave aside from a single path, and what a sight to behold. Massive structures line the walls, each partially collapsed and covered in a spiderweb of cracks and occasional massive holes in their sides. bridges seem to weave back and forth between these structures, some like the sheet of metal that was making up the only way down from the ledge that was the edge of the cave the group was standing at, while others appeared to be collapsed parts of walls or columns. The eerie lights appeared to be coming from miraculously still functioning poles and the water appeared to be flowing fairly steadily out of one of the upper floors of one building and forming something of a pool and stream down below.

Said path leading away from the cave that was in the form of a rather thick looking sheet of metal, that despite having a few dents in it, was largely intact and appeared to serve the purpose of being traversed regularly and leading into the rest of the cavern. While there was some illumination from the partially functioning lights, it didn't reach everywhere, and possibly something of particular note was a distinct yellow glow coming from one of the holes in a building a few segments of path away.