Prologue: Rise and Fall (edit: 3/26/2015)
#1 of Protecting Harmony Book 1: Pathfinding
THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE CAN BE SKIPPED. JUST SOME COMMENTS ON THE STORY.
Foreword thingy:
There is a great deal under the surface of this story of mine. It's not for everyone, especially in the beginning, and there is a long way to go until it's over. The smallest things can be huge hints. Obvious things may not turn out to be very important. Things that appear may be false first impressions and greater or lesser after things settle again. This will have moments of rapidity and times of slowness. In a sense, the story is only just getting started with the events of chapter 15.
This isn't a story focused on only some human randomly appearing, there to save the day or something like that. He is only one piece of a greater puzzle and NOT capable of surviving alone. Legends will rise, history will be revealed. For fans of Rainbow Dash, know she will become a legend in her own right before this is over. Chapter 23 is the first direct sign of her destiny. The chapter is also VERY LOW on spoilers, if you want to have a peek into what the story, and quality of writing, is heading towards. In truth, I'll be trying to give each of the girls something substantial, even if not always dramatic. Perhaps with the intention of the song Iron by Within Temptation being thematic to where I'll take things.
I started this story with the intent to use some ideas I never see in other stories and asking a 'what if...' question I can't say until the chapter after the main antagonist of the story is revealed, though there is a second antagonist and archnemesis for my human OC to worry about as well. This first book is also where I taught myself how to write largely through force of experience. As such, I made a lot of blunders for quite a few chapters as I started figuring out a larger plan, but rather than take on a massive rewrite, I chose to take it as a challenge to fix the story into something better while still using the blunders as part of the story. I like to think this has made for some interesting reading, and it's certainly proving fun for me to re-read once in a while, which was my goal, considering I'm really just writing this story for myself, first and foremost. Heck, the human is patterned after my personality and interests as it is, but I'm kind of a kook, so don't think you know what to expect from that alone. Although, I am sure at least a few will facepalm as he adapts to being trapped in Equestria.
Forcing myself to adapt ideas I placed has resulted in something that has grown far larger than I originally intended. I also like to think the story will be rewarding for those that push through the awkwardness and Gary Stu-isms in the beginning to reach points where they start getting altered into new perspectives and take on very different meanings. I am not kidding when I said I took my mistakes and worked to make them something better later on. This first book has been a learning process and calling it 'Pathfinding' is as much about the story as it is about my writing skills.
Now, I'm developing history and unique perspectives on technology and social topics. I've already gotten in some Pegasi cultural sayings. Reasons will be given for things like how Pegasi ever matched the Unicorns and their magic in battle before the Unification. Same with the underlying purposes of Ponyville, Equestria, and why the Princesses weren't around when the nation was born. What the Tree of Harmony is truly for. After certain events take place, characters in the story will even begin playing music from both planets, though for obvious reasons I'm limited on music from Equus.
This is the story of how there can be times in history we face a terrible trial that costs us much in order to avert something unimaginably worse. What will eventually be revealed is something massive, with a lot of inspiration from comic books and epic storylines sometimes found there.
There is at least four more books to be added after this one is over. It may eventually add up to around a million words, but we'll have to see. At the very least, it will be several hundred thousand words by the end, telling a tale that spans across about two and a half years of time. Most of the story is told from my main OC's perspective and mind, with occasional breaks for things he wouldn't see or know. Despite early appearances and his in-head perspective, my OC isn't the primary focus of this story overall.
This is going to be a long journey.
Edit 3/26/2015: Minor edits and some little details.
Edit 5/29/2015: Updated the foreword thingy of this A/N.
"I know I say it every time, but you're crazy doing things like this, V. Crazy and weird. Still can't figure out why you love running off into the woods just for training and tooling around with your six stringer, or even just for reading. Remind me again why I haven't stopped agreeing to drive you out here?" His long-time friend said, looking just as exasperated as last time.
Try as he might to explain, his friend just couldn't see it the same as he did. V chuckled, giving him a slap on the shoulder, "Could it be you worry too much, Barry? Or maybe because you secretly love me and wish you could keep me all to yourself at your house?"
He groaned, rolling his eyes and fighting the smile, "Yeah, and Cassie would have my balls on a kebab for giving her a headache with the funny stuff you always toss at her. She's still convinced you had something to do with the dog getting hold of that rather... unique chewtoy. Got everything?"
V took one more inventory of his gear, always being careful before making the trek away from civilization...well, just a back road in this case. He had agreed to always double and triple check things for safety, taking another check of his phone's battery as he finished.
"And I still say it was random chance the dog got in your closet and walked into the party with that thing. Maybe you forgot to wash it or something? Anyway, seems I have everything in order. I have a great feeling about this time, too. Should be extra special. I'll see you in a few days. Thanks again for driving me like always, Barry. And we'll have to do some more work on that tree house for Adam next weekend. Why you agreed to build the boy a three room one is beyond me." V said, getting another roll of Barry's eyes.
"Don't remind me. Can't go back on the promise I made to him though. Be safe, V. I'll see you here in four days." Barry said with a sigh.
"Just be sure not to expose Cassie the gassy to anymore of your legendary chili. I'd probably hear that way out here. Take care, Barry." V commented with a devious smirk.
Barry hid his face behind a hand with another groan, "You ever tell her you heard that and I'll disown you. I can only imagine how embarrassed she'd be to find out you were outside the window for that earful. Not to mention I'd probably be banned from the kitchen forever. You remember which hill got the cell reception, right?"
V laughed a bit, nodding but a hint of seriousness creeping in, "Yeah, made sure it's marked on my map too. And like always, keep an eye out for my little lady if anything goes wrong."
"You know I would, V. Sure you don't need a hand getting all that stuff on?," Barry asked as they gave each other a warm embrace like brothers.
Just giving a brief shake of his head, V gave him another grin, "I can handle it. Maybe I'll even catch sight of Zecora this time!"
With a chuckle, Barry just shook his head as he walked back to his truck, "You and that pony baloney... See you later, V. Try not to get lost after the first tree!"
"Hey, we were kids! How was I supposed to know what direction I was going that day?!" V exclaimed, it was one of the few jabs Barry always had on him and was an inside joke between them after V was so lost in a book that he walked off a park trail without noticing. At the start of the trail, no less.
V watched him drive off with a wave before getting his pack and other things on. He really did have a good feeling about this trip and couldn't wait to find a campsite to start his training again. Once V took a moment to savor the quietness of the woods around himself, he began the hike into the wilds that made him feel so alive.
***
"Everything seems in order, Tia. The tests all appear as we expected.," Luna said in subdued excitement.
"Indeed. It is almost hard to believe we are nearly done with this task. And I am so happy to be working on one of our projects together again, Luna. It was never the same in this room without you," Celestia replied, giving her sister a smile. She was happy it was just the two of them in their magic lab, free to drop protocol and politics for a while.
They went back to the reams of notes they had accrued during the creation of the artifact, having taken several centuries of gradual progress and they were one test away from completion. It was easy to forget they had worked so hard for the safety of their subjects after so long, only ever mentioning it between one another in their lab.
Celestia hoped they could soon turn to working on that curious liquid-to-plate transforming armor concept Luna had devised months before her banishment. There had been little time to consider and experiment with that idea beforehoof, nor could Celestia bear opening the ream of notes on it while Luna was gone.
"Dear sister, must you keep on that? It has been almost four years since my return. I know you missed me dearly. It's fine now, truly," Luna gave her sister a warm smile, appreciating the habit Celestia had gained in their private moments together.
"Perhaps it is simply a habit I do not wish to break, Lulu. Are we ready for the full trial?" Celestia asked, returning her sister's smile with her own.
"I do believe we are, Tia. So many years in such a small artifact and so much riding on it succeeding in it's purpose. The rest is to fate for we have done all we can." Luna said, moving into position beside the stone platform where the artifact rested in the center.
Celestia stepped over to her own position, the two of them nodding briefly before they turned their gaze to the artifact that had taken so much effort and time in hopes of averting an uncertain future.
Their horns glowed with their magic, the small artifact rising into the air as the six crystal spires resonated around it. The complex, powerful spells within spires and artifact charged and light danced in the room as they finally brought it to it's greatest potential...
A small, soundless shockwave suddenly rippled the air as their artifact vanished before their eyes.
"NO! What happened? Tia, can you feel it's presence?!" Luna exclaimed, the heartbreak of failure clear in her voice as she began searching out the tracking spell it carried.
Celestia felt stunned, all the hard won progress had just fallen apart before their eyes as she began the desperate search, trying to detect the artifact's presence after it disappeared, "I am searching but nothing so far! It couldn't have simply ceased to exist, Luna! Are you faring better?"
Try as they might, as far as they pressed their magical search, not a hint of the artifact could be found. The two of them searched as far as they could extend their magic for over half an hour, hoping they merely missed the beacon that should have made it easy to locate. It was clear the object was either stolen from existence and ceased to be or vanished from their world.
The princesses sat side by side feeling numb while leaning together, absorbing the loss of so much work. The isolation spells and shields and wards they had placed, none of it had contained the artifact. Now it was gone as if it never existed, not a trace of it found. The heartbreak was tremendous.
"Tia, do you think we will have time to try again?" Luna finally asked in a quiet tone after several silent minutes.
Celestia draped her neck over Luna's form, equally quiet in her reply, "I do not know. You are well aware it was uncertain when that future arrives. I suppose we have no option but to make another effort. We must be as prepared as possible."
"Shall we put it aside for today? It will cloud our judgement to attempt to press onward after this loss." Luna gave a heavy sigh as she returned her sister's comforting affection.
They slowly rose and cleaned up some of the notes they had spread around earlier. They would need them for the second attempt and hoped they could discover the detail that caused the artifact to vanish. They could not let the future they saw come to pass unchallenged, no matter what it took.
As they walked out of their magic lab, a scroll appeared in the air beside Celestia. Hoping a letter from her faithful former student would lighten their mood, she opened it with a small smile as Luna watched with interest. The smile vanished an instant later to be replaced with horror.
"Luna! Assemble a team of pegasi Guards to follow me to Ponyville at once! Twilight is in the middle of a severe flux! I must go! NOW!" Celestia exclaimed, teleporting to a balcony nearby without having time for a reply and taking flight, angling for the small town as she pushed her flight magic to it's fullest.
Luna performed her own teleport moments later, landing near the Guard barracks as she raced attend her sister's dire need.
***
"Master..."
The one that answered was looking over some of the reports from afield, the only light in the sizeable room was the candelabra on the table. Things were progressing well and the sisters still remained unaware of his movements or presence.
"What do you have to report, watcher?" the 'Master' asked in a neutral tone, turning his gaze to one of his agents. The somewhat deformed, jagged chitinous body showing an unusual changeling, altered to suit his requirements and cut from the hive's influence. One of many captured and turned into useful tools, observers that could defeat the changeling detection spells in use around Equestria ever since that fool Chrysalis failed in her assault.
"The town you ordered under close surveillance has had a disturbance as predicted," the unusual changeling raised it's featureless gray eyes to his master.
"Give me the report," the 'Master' told him, granting permission to speak without being killed.
A large shadowy quadrupedal form of...something...by the table of the 'Master' silently withdrew with an almost inaudible deep rumbling growl, disappointed by the display obedience.
"Master, four days ago Celestia rushed to Twilight Sparkle's aid. A deeper investigation is expected to arrive no later than tomorrow regarding the signatures of this magical disturbance. Twilight Sparkle appears to have been struck by a powerful magic flux that gives strong signs of connection to the appearance of an armed but unarmored human. Preliminary report by the investigating mage after the first night of studying the location made her believe the human was also affected by the flux. Celestia or Luna are at their side at all times day and night. They look ready to remain so for the duration," the unusual changeling said in an even tone.
"Hmm...the humans are cut off for at least another two thousand years or more. They wouldn't have used their one allowed interference just to bring a human here," the 'Master' mused to himself before speaking to the changeling again, "Watcher, did the mage report any signs of artifacts?"
"Yes, Master. The readings indicated there was an expended orb that suggested great power. She said it was drained, but that it bears signs of pre-dating Nightmare Moon, carrying the signature of both royal sisters. Both from before and recent."
"I see...," the 'Master' frowned in thought, "They are involved somehow. I am told their plans stretch back just as far as His. Watcher, return to your post. Your group will send me a weekly report from now on. Leave."
The unusual changeling bowed before making a sharp turn and a swift exit from the darkened room.
A different shadowy form, one that walked on two legs, stepped up beside the 'Master' as it watched the door, a feral glee sounding from a deep voice, "I look forward to the day we are done with these games. I crave pony flesh again after so long. Their screams were just as delicious all those millennia ago. This human marks our having perhaps another year before we begin the campaign, does it not?"
"Remember whom you serve. You'll get plenty to fill you in due time. You still need surpass your kindred for the right of the last ones at the end. They are of no interest to me," the 'Master' growled, "If it is ten years more, you will wait or I will break you and let one of your kindred have your place. You would not be the first I consumed."
The shadowy form made a submissive gesture with disdain. Though he was a prized lieutenant, he knew the limits on his eagerness being tolerated.
The 'Master' turned his eyes to the table of reports again, returning to looking them over. Troop levels of different nations. Events of note. The progress of careful, concealed subversions of minds for later. He would not rush, not with the rewards so vast upon success.
He would have everything in the end. Everything. In. Creation!
His voice was neutral as he put the eagerness away, he had seen the vision of what happened if he stormed through Equestria on his strength alone like he'd once planned instead of the plans he now took care to orchestrate one piece at a time, "They set their plans in motion over two thousand years ago. Before Discord's reign, wherever he is. We will wait. They are bound by the rules just as we are. My patron pays His debt of violation by only advising me, with a ban on influence beyond mild words. Not even able to teach me new secrets. They will not squander their one permitted direct involvement. Whatever it is they are doing with this human, we must wait and see..."