Lunaria's mines were old and deep. Years of digging had taken the original shaft down to a depth of nearly a mile. It was in these depths that the Lunarians discovered a secret that would eventually threaten the entire world. "We've been in this elevator for nearly an hour. Just how far down IS this thing?" "We had just passed a mile when we broke through. We're almost to the site." The elevator came to a stop a moment later, and the doors opened. Silver stepped out to see a tired looking mare standing beside a massive crank, with various ropes and pulleys connecting it to the elevator. When she saw Silver, she stood at attention and saluted. "That isn't necessary, ma'am. I'm just here to see what..." Silver finally got a clear look at what had been found. "By the gods... what is THAT?"
The stone slab, found at the start of the sun civilization lit up, drawing attention from the trainees at the temple. "What is going on, brothers?" The best "scientists" the Saberai had studied the now shining symbol. "As best as we can tell... This stone was from something far larger originally from an older peoples... SOMETHING is happening to the original thing, causing our piece to react accordingly." Valacian was troubled by something from an ancient civilization returning underneath their noses.
-Meanwhile on the island of Heavillia- "What are you trying to tell me. A pandemic like this can't happen over night without there being some connection to Aeroix." The doctor nodded as they walked through the streets continuing their talk "Exactly, we already have a team exercising their wings for the journey down then up. Will you be joining them." Arleton was about to speak before arriving at the jump site. "Excuse me, it seems the expedition is about to begin."
Velvet shyly dugged in the ground. ''I hope you had enough space to drop your anchor, we've kinda took the bay and the small passage between that said bay and little island as a campment. If you ever wish to get that place back, we could move out; we never really intended to stay here for too long, in fact. I thought i'd find a city with a port and simply live on my boat near it.'' She cleared her throat. ''Anyways, i'd think it would be time to get out of here. Let's simply head to my ships and we'll seal our business in our own way. I just know you won't refuse a real whisky or fine rhum.''
Venquis watched as the Velvet spoke to another individual he had not seen before. Amused, he continued to watch the discussion until something strange happened that came to his attention. Jiargo had covered almost a hundred meters in less then three seconds and set up a telepathic link between him and the Eriborian. The looks on Jiargo's face said it all, something was happening. "The statues of the Nine Divines just outside of the palace are lighting up brightly. We have no idea why, but something strange is happening." Jiargo told the Eriborian slowly and carmly. Venquis stood up and began to look outside the palace doors, his eyes completely focusing on the statues. They were bright, but not enough to cause any harm to the eyes as thousands stood around the statues. Venquis's expression turned into suprise, he had not seen anything like this. His mind focused on what is happening and how this is connected. "What in Tartarus is going on?"
The door that had caught Silver's attention was nearly twenty feet high, made of a strange metal that he had never seen before. It was covered with small round tiles, into each of which was carved a mysterios symbol. As he approached, the symbols began to glow. "I recognize these... this is the symbol for Sihana... this one represents the Sun Civilization... I saw some Renoan soldiers wearing this symbol... Heavilia... Darkness Hold... the Earthkin tribes... even the ancient symbol for Nightmare Moon." As Silver touched the symbol, the door suddenly began to open. "Be ready! We were clearly meant to be here! Anything could be waiting for..." He was cut off by a strange voice coming from the other side of the door. "Enter, Equestrians. You are in no danger here. The danger will not come for many years yet. Beyond this temple lies the Kingdom of the Old Ones. The Kaiju. Though they are now sleeping, the day is fast approaching when they will awaken. When they do, they will destroy this world." "Who are you?!" "I am the Harbinger. I exist to help the races of this planet prepare for the destruction the Kaiju bring, so that a few might survive." "Why not help us fight the Kaiju?" "The cycle of destruction and rebirth has been repeated since the dawn of the universe. The Old Ones are what you primitives would call 'Gods.' They cannot be fought. Pass through the Temple. Enter the Kingdom. See the Kaiju with your own eyes, and despair."
Venquis watched as the statues light became dimmer and dimmer until they became extremely dim. Wanting answers about the phenomenon he had just witnessed, he gathered his almost all of his very best Crimson Roses and rode on horseback for thousands of miles to catch up with Lucius who was returning. Explaining what had happened to the military commander, Lucius informed him about the Equestrian he had just met and his land of Lunaria. Venquis had this gut feeling that the cause of the strange lights were being caused there, so he left Lucius to travel to other lands while Venquis decided to take a 'vacation' to Lunaria. Soon, Lucius and Ryborian messengers were found all over the world.
Velvet suddenly turned in Venquis direction, only to notice his departure. She cursed herself to have forgot about his presence, and hope it wouldn't alter their business relationship.
"While I'm more of a wine man, whiskey will certainly get me going." He then followed velvet up to her cabin.
Velvet lead Saaer to her campment, without having to refer to the map yet. At her arrival, she noticed that Jekyl and Hyde had left, as well as Silence. But he remaining members of the crew were already partying for no reason, as always. Velvet took two wooden mugs, wich were engraved with a blue guitar over two crossed scimitars, and went to a chest next to three barrels of rhum, whisky, and golden ale. Resting the mugs on her back, she unlocked the chest and took a fine glass bottle out of it. ''This, Saaer, is our finest whisky. It has been kept away from light for over twenty years; it is said that this liquid unites people.'' resting the two mugs and the bottle on a nearly table, she served six ounces in both mugs. She then motionned to Saaer to take his mug, while getting her crew's attention. ''Y'arr Crew, I've brought some important guest here! Behave yourselves, and welcome Saaer within us! May tonight we feast and celebrate our new ally, to thank him for all of his gifts and interest in forming an alliance with us! I propose a toast, to new friends!'' her crew brang their glasses together, happily celebrating. Velvet lifted her mug to Saaer, ''To new friends!''
"To new friends." he raised his mug along with velvet smiling and cheering. He then stood up to address the crew and velvet. "Tonight, let's skip the formalities and forget my importance. I wish only to be treated like one of the crew. So don't go soft on me just because I'm a diplomat."
Velvet grinned. ''You maybe shouldn't have said that, Saaer. Pirates work hard and play even harder.'' She took a large gulp of her mug without flinching. ''Last time i removed any limits in partying, the crew woke up in our old ship's storage, and Jekyl and Hyde woke up in the same bed in the office. As of Silence and me, there was a pineapple at both our bedtables. We're still trying to figure what happened that night.'' Cracking her neck, she raised on her forelegs to be eye-level with Saaer. ''I'm sure you don't want to live through that kind of party, 'Mate. If you want to, you'd have to become a Gypsy.''
Venquis, after roughly traveling for a week found himself in Lunaria. He observed the customs and culture of the ponies and people he came across and was rather impressed with how they survived. He felt something else as well, the same energy like the one he felt in the statues. He decided to sit down near a statue of Princess Luna and began to write about his experiences. With Ryborian scouts in every single nation on the planet, rumors of them have been brought up as them being vastly poweful and that their Spell-Swords and Crimson Roses were considered as "Demons". Lucius was on his way to The Sun Civilization, and even Jiargo was traveling en route to the Eriborian. While Ardelan was now being known across the planet as a major superpower, they had no intention of war in the slightest form. However, the Eriborian was deeply concerned about what he had just layed eyes upon in Neromia. He knew that this was either a warning given to the Ryborians through The Nine Divines, or that this was linked somehow. If Ryborian god's were also spreading the message into other lands, then they were spreading a message that all life should focus upon.
Venquis' writing was interupted by a loud hissing from behind him. He looked up in time to see a massive toad-like creature, nearly eight feet long, rushing at him. Before he could react, a Timber-Wolf appeared seemingly out of nowhere and leapt onto the Rotgut's back. In it's confusion, the creature opened it's mouth and gave a loud roar. The instant it's jaws opened, a Lunar Pegasus in silver armor flew down from the roof of a nearby building and dove straight into the creature's open mouth. Venquis watched as the Rotgut began to convulse, gasping for air. Seconds later, it rolled over on it's side, dead. Another moment later, a massive gash appeared in the creature's belly, and the Lunar Pegasus stepped out, covered with blood and gore. "Welcome to Lunaria, Ryborian. My name is Silver Crescent. My lupine friend over there is Holly Everfree. I apologize for the mess. These Rotguts just don't know when to quit." Silver examined the Ryborian carefully. Even in a different form, on a different world, the Eriborian was unmistakable. "Venquis Razona. What is Sihana's favorite Ryborian doing in Lunaria?"
Venquis performed a hoofshake, even through he had hands, to Silver. "Pleasure to meet you, and it's nice to know that you've heard of me. I came to Lunaria because of this strange phenomenon that occurred in Neromia almost a week ago. The statures of all nine of our gods began to light up strangely before turning dim and then disappearing. I managed to sense and trace it's energy to almost on the other side of the world in Lunaria, through I have sent scouts to every nation on the planet to investigate this cause incase similar stories have occurred else where. Plus, the Renoan's have said many things about this land, asides from it's infamous wildlife, so a trip to this land was inevitable. Thank's for the warning about that creature, dont have anything that size except Tygertha's." He then raised two of his fingers together as the Crimson Roses besides him began to walk away before mysteriously vanishing within the blink of an eye. He turned back to Silver, concerned. "The Ryborians back home are getting deeply concerned, they believe that the Divines have sent a message. If the Divines were to send a message, they would have told me herself. So even through it's not a matter of the gods, i know that something has caused this. I take it that you have had an experience with this mysterious light ?"
Silver chuckled bitterly. "An experience? I suppose you could call it that." He sighed, and continued. "Eight days ago, a team of miners found the entrance to an ancient temple. Inside the temple was a gateway to a world that exists below our own. A world of monsters." Rain began to fall, and Silver continued his story, telling of the creatures that had been found sleeping below Lunaria. "The guardian of the temple called them Kaiju. The Old Ones. The few that I saw were massive beyond belief... the smallest was almost a thousand feet long. I managed to bring back a scale that one of them had shed. My best smiths are trying to create a weapon to use against these creatures, but so far, the only thing that has even scratched the scale is a diamond. I do not know how much longer the Kaiju will remain asleep, but I do know that when they awaken, this world will end."
Venquis remained silent for several moments. The thought of these monsters were wanting the end of all of life on earth. This was no-longer a Ryborian or Lunar Pegasi problem, this was a world wide threat. The rain began to fall harder, drenching the Eriborian. However, he did not care if the weather seemed to disagree with him. "Then that light was not a strange occurrence at all, it was a warning." Venquis then closed his book and placed it back into his pocket. "I'm not going to allow all life on the planet to end. I'll assist with the fight against these creatures without hesitation, you have a powerful ally. Please Excuse me for a moment..." Venquis placed two of his fingers together and placed them on his forehead for a brief moment. After an awkward silence, Venquis lowered his fingers again and turned around to face Silver. "I have just sent telepathic messages to all of the scouts that i have sent throughout the world alongside all major Ardelanian officials, be it political or the military. The public will go into a frenzy if they find out at this moment, they will find out in good time. Now...." Venquis told Silver. "If you allow me to examine this energy in further detail, i could possibly give you a timer until these 'Kaiju' awaken."
Valacian arrived in his home as a light rain started. He arrived to find his sword, glowing as the sun stone had. Curious, he approached and touched the blade, and suddenly had his mind assaulted with visions. Visions of giant beasts destroying town after town. All races falling before the endless onslaught. The last vision was that of Silver, a humanoid in fancy armor, a zebra, Arleton, and himself standing on an open wasteland. The vision faded and a voice spoke to him. "Greetings monster slayer. You wield the ancient weapon of our design. All I can say... is good luck. Suddenly the voice cut, and a messenger came into the home. "A representative is here to see you. He mentioned their species witnessing a similar situation to the sun stone." Valacian nodded and turned to the door silently. He exited into the rain and looked up. "Bring me to him. This is a matter of the utmost importance."
A Ryborian figure walked into Valacain's room, dressed in grey. While not in Spell-Sword armor nor any type of armor close to Spell-Sword, he wore very light formal clothing that seemed to combine some elements of standard military uniform that recognized his status as a scout, yet, a surprisingly good diplomat. Surrounded by this figure were two Spell-Swords in full armor, even with their helmets. "Salutations. My name is Falahindra Corleba from the Covenant of Ardelan. I come on behalf of Eriborian Venquis Razona to inform you about this mysterious occurance with glowing stones and other disturbances. Pleased to meet you and make your acquaintance."
"Likewise Corleba. Please sit." He guided him to a table and sat across from him. "Please, tell me about what your people have been experiencing that has caused you to seek mine." His visions had told him, but he wanted to hear it in the scout's own words.
