As Celestia sat upon her golden throne, she waited for news on a search party she had sent to Ponyville. The search's mission was to find the missing residents of the small town. The whole area had practically fallen radio silent a week ago. While Celestia had other businesses to attend to, she could not shake the feeling that something was off about the situation.
While thinking of possible reasons, she lifted her head towards the throne room entrance, where her accountant, miss Inkwell, walked into the room. The mare had a small parcel with her. When Celestia examined the small package, she noticed the pristine, old-timey writing and finely taped exterior. When asked about the sender, Inkwell replied that no one had seen who had posted it. When Celestia turned back to look at the package, she carefully opened it. Inside resided a small, tattered book. Its covers had a thin coating of dried mud. Upon closer inspection, Celestia could read "Property on Professor Lucky Shard" in cursive on the front cover. That name rang a bell in Celestia's mind. Shard was a famed archaeologist who was one of the relic collectors of the Canterlot Museum. As Celestia turned to the first page, she read the following: "The personal diary of Professor Lucky Shard during the expedition to the Everfree forest in search of the tomb of Commander Orderio." Celestia had never heard of such a tomb, even in her millennia of being. With mild curiosity, she began reading the journal.
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Day 1
Ah, Ponyville, such a quaint little town. Even with its small size, it holds many unique personnel and locations. Probably the largest of these is that one of the princesses lives here. I have never seen Miss Sparkle in person, but maybe I can change that on this visit. I didn't come here for that, though. I recall hearing a rumor that a long-lost tomb of a legendary commander resided in the large forest on the outskirts of town. This Everfree forest has gained quite a reputation for being a dangerous and gloomy location. I hardly doubt it's anything that dangerous, especially compared to the other places I have visited. Still, I shouldn't take this lightly, so I should probably secure the parameters of my camp. Even though there is a fully functional town just a stone's throw away, I prefer sleeping next to the excavation site. Mainly to protect it from spying eyes and wildlife. The camp I have set up is in a clearing next to a small cliff and a calm river. I'm confident that the tomb is situated right beneath me. Thinking about it, though, I do not remember where I heard about this legend. Arriving here, I had a strange feeling that this was the right spot. I didn't have time to start digging, but I shall rise early tomorrow to begin my mission. Visiting town should also be a priority.
Day 2
I did indeed wake up early today. Even the sun wasn't up yet. After eating breakfast and refreshing in the cold river, I started digging. Like every other excavation, the start was easy. Just a bunch of dirt and miscellaneous rocks covered the top layer of the soil. The deeper I went, the harder it was to dig. Eventually, I hit something hard, but it was just a large, flat boulder. Getting that thing out of the newly made hole was a nightmare. I did get it out eventually. I was starting to lose steam and decided to visit the neighboring town. The sun was already pretty high as I got there. While walking, I memorized multiple potentially vital locations, like the market. All was well until somepony crept up on me and almost gave me a heart attack. The mare in question was the town party pony. Pinkie Pie was her name. She said something about making new friends and that she hadn't seen me before. After chatting, she smiled and hopped away. Something about some party. For who, I wonder? I'd love to get some friends, though. It does get lonely on the dig site. After that incident, I made my way to the crystal palace of Princess Twilight. I didn't wish to meet her just yet, so I turned and walked back to camp. I spent the rest of the day digging and reading about the surrounding forest.
Day 3
Today was a monumental day. I had woken extra early, for I was getting closer to my treasure. At sun break, my pick hit a smooth slab of marble. I hate breaking into archaeological sites, but I fear that the entrance was lost long ago, so I had to. Carefully cracking the thick slab, I broke through to the chamber underneath. I could smell the dust and stale air through it. I continued chipping at the hole, enough to stick a lantern inside. The small light source illuminated just enough to see the walls. Once the hole was big enough, I slowly climbed down into the fairly tall hall and placed down a standard-issue excavation light. Those things are powerful compared to their size. Now that the room was in full view, I could make out multiple points of interest:
Against one of the walls stood a tall black mirror, presumably made out of onyx or obsidian.
In one of the corners resided a stone statue encrusted with gems.
And in the middle of the grand hall lay a massive marble sarcophagus with strange runes on top.
Other miscellaneous trinkets and objects scatter the room floor.
My excitement was through the roof. I spent the entire day down there sweeping rubble and dust. Among said rubble, I found an oddly mesmerizing opal necklace. I'm going to keep it around my neck for safekeeping. As I dusted the top of the marble coffin, I could get a better look at the engraved runes. Even though I pride myself on knowing old and forgotten languages, I could not read this one. They were different from every other ancient text that I have ever read. Maybe the library has something on them? I have to visit it tomorrow.
Day 4
Not off to a good start. I guess I had forgotten to lock my ration box, and something from the forest came and ate my lunch. I have to buy new food three days into an expedition. At least nothing else was missing. I did want to spend the day in town, so it wasn't that bad. After arriving in town, I decided to head to the library first. Knocking on that massive crystal door made my stomach turn, mainly out of anticipation. Twilight's assistant, Spike, opened the door and led me to the library. As we stepped inside, I noticed the purple alicorn reading something on one of the tables. As I was about to greet her, she lifted her head and turned to me. With the glee of meeting someone new, she greeted me and asked who I was. After telling her about my discoveries, I asked her for a book on old languages. She was oddly excited to help me search for it. I guess the princess of friendship is also a bookworm. I did find it odd that she had never heard of Commander Orderio. After a while, she did find a book about old runes. Thanking her, I left the crystal castle and headed towards the market. Apparently, this town was famous for its apples.
Arriving at the frankly small market square, I immediately smelt something heavenly. Following it led me to freshly baked apple products on a wooden cart. I did notice that the presumed owner was arguing with somepony. As I got closer, neither even noticed me. When I was about to speak, the owner turned and introduced herself. Applejack was her name. She was very much a country fellow. I said what I wanted, and she went to collect them. As I waited, the pegasus she was arguing with turned to me and asked if I was a real archaeologist or just pretending. Saying that I was a professional, she asked me if I had ever met Daring Do. Laughing, I said that I had not met the fictional adventurer. The books may be entertaining on action alone, but Daring would be a terrible archaeologist. Just thinking about all those ruined temples and tombs she had destroyed breaks my heart. I guess I'm being a bit hypocritical. I did break inside, out of necessity, of course. Before the pegasus could continue, Applejack had collected my items. I paid for them and was on my way back to camp. Before I could get there, Pinkie Pie jumped out of nowhere to ask me my favorite cake flavor. Answering white chocolate, she nodded, smiled, and hopped away again. I swear she is going to put me in a tomb soon. I spent the rest of the day reading the borrowed book.
Day 5
After breakfast, I delved back to study and translate the old inscriptions. While cleaning the chamber, I noticed that the mirror and the statue also include writing. The following is a description of each point of interest:
The marble statue depicts a tall stallion. Probably a bit larger than average. It's wearing armor outlined with various gems, but mainly emeralds. The helmet also has a large ruby embedded into the forehead with two smaller ones on either side. On the base resides an engraved plaque. Its language is different from the one on the coffin, but with the help of the borrowed book, I could translate it: "Our glorious commander, may we find peace, and may you find redemption in death." What did they do?
The mirror is enchanted obsidian with a golden border. Height-wise, it's about the same size as Orderio if the statue is accurate. On first look, it acts like an ordinary mirror. I could see myself clearly, even in dull lighting. It changed, however, after reading the faint text on the border. Its translation reads: "The world, see it, command it, my master." After these words, the mirror displayed an aerial view of the Everfree forest. The image slowly faded until it turned back into a mirror. It requires further study, but perhaps it was to see outside without leaving.
The ornate marble sarcophagus is in the middle of the room. Its sides are adorned with different shapes, all simple in design. Where the base and the lid would separate had been sealed with gold. The top has two inscriptions. One of them is in the same language as the statue and mirror. It reads: "Here lies Commander Orderio the Controller. May his influence be lost and his tale forgotten". Was he a tyrant since the ponies wanted to forget him? The title "Controller" is still under research. However, the other line of runes was different. I could not find a translation, but I could find a pronunciation for them. Roughly translated, it reads: "Redeat imperator, et secum ordinet." I don't know what it means, but maybe someone else might.
Lastly is the necklace that I have been carrying around. It's eight-sided, encased in gold, and contains small symbols on the rim. The opal shimmers in the sunlight. The carving reads: "Our protector, hero, liberator, we thank you." Did this belong to Orderio or somepony else?
These discoveries have led to more questions than answers. Who was the Commander, and why were he and his tomb forgotten? What other things can the mirror show? Why was he obsessed with marble and gold? I have to continue researching tomorrow.
Day 6
Last night was strange. I felt like I was being watched but not by anything from the forest. I felt like it was looking at me from everywhere. Even as I'm writing this, the feeling hasn't gone away. After breakfast, I headed to town. I wanted to return the book I had borrowed from the princess and ask her about my findings. Getting closer to the castle, I saw her reading on the grass outside. She noticed me before I could say anything and gestured to come closer. After some general chatting, I began talking about my findings. She was eager to hear about them. I first told her about the writings I could translate, but she couldn't add anything new. However, when I told her the untranslatable text, she froze. Not for long, but it was still noticeable. Was she trying to process what I said? When she finally answered, she said that she didn't know but could try to find out. I thanked her and left a bit disappointed.
After learning that the local library didn't hold the answer, I decided to send a letter to one of my colleagues in Canterlot. The royal library was much more expansive, so I hoped it had a translation for the final line. In the meantime, I could continue my research locally. Before returning, I did stop by the local bakery. I wanted to reward myself with something sweet, and I had seen some fresh muffins on display on my way to the castle. Stepping inside, I saw Pinkie behind the counter frosting some cupcakes. She hadn't noticed me yet, so I decided to scare her as payback. I should've guessed that it would not work. Well, at least those muffins were delicious. Back at camp, I turned to study the mirror. The only discovery was my ability to shift the image's angle and direction by motioning with my hooves. I still feel there is something more to it.
Day 7
A week in, and I've already lost the necklace. I had it when I went to sleep, but when I woke up, it was gone. I searched around the camp with no success. Maybe I lost it in town and didn't notice? Hopefully, I can find it before somepony claims it as theirs. I tried to get back to work, but the misfortune just continued. My hoof caught on a root, and I stumbled into the open tomb. I managed to stop before hitting the ground, but my favorite jacket did get torn. This setback gave me an excuse to go back to town to look for the necklace. On my way there, I did bump into somepony special. Miss Sparkle was trotting in the Everfree forest. She said that she was on her way to a friend. The answer was okay, but the pony who said it wasn't. Her eyes were sporadic, almost like she was frantically scanning the environment. When asked, she said that she liked to stretch her eye muscles. An odd reply, but I let her go.
Once I managed to get to town, I visited a shop called "Carousel Boutique." Quite a nice place. It stands out from the other buildings. Stepping inside, I met a white unicorn who quickly introduced herself as Rarity. After telling her what I needed, she got to work. While working, she asked me what brought me here. I was going to give her a short overview, but I accidentally told her everything. I didn't mean to, but the words forced themselves out of my mouth. Once I started talking about the inscription, she flinched. Her sewing machine had jammed when I had finished saying the final lines. She quickly fixed it and continued. One is an anomaly, but are two just a coincidence? Both have been startled by the same sentence. No, I'm just paranoid. They are just confused by foreign words. After a bit, she fixed my jacket. I tried to pay her, but she said the story was payment enough. I didn't mind since free is free. After leaving the shop, I backtracked through yesterday's locations. I started at the castle and made my way to the bakery. With no signs of the necklace, I returned to the forest.
Back at the base, I noticed something. The weird feeling I had before had disappeared. Well, it had changed. Before, It felt like something was watching me, but now I felt different. A creeping dread or an overarching coldness, perhaps. I can't exactly explain it. I have never felt anything like it. Besides this, the rest of the day was pretty mundane.
Day 8
Today was less academic and more of me just pondering about stuff. During the week I have spent here next to Ponyville, I have made massive discoveries. But these findings have made me not notice certain things.
The biggest of these is the forest I'm situated inside. Stories about the Everfree have reached far and wide, yet I haven't seen anything. Yes, the weather works independently, but I thought I would see dangerous monsters or unseen horrors. Instead, I haven't even seen any insects around the camp. Since it isn't that deep into the forest, my trips to and from the town have been relatively safe. I did see a single timberwolf prowling the treeline, but it didn't dare come near the camp. I can only guess that the tomb had some warding spell attached to it.
Secondly, I began wondering why no one knew about the tomb's existence. Miss Sparkle had never heard of it, and neither had anyone else. Even I don't know why I knew of its existence. Maybe if I asked Princess Celestia, she could enlighten me. Though I hardly doubt that she would answer any letters I sent her.
The letter I had sent to the royal library had been received and answered. They sent me back a book on ancient languages. With the book came a letter telling me that none at the library had heard of Orderio either. Figures. However, they did find a book mentioning an empire long forgotten. Whatever could that mean? The book they sent me was helpful thought. It included a rough translation of the final line. It says: "Let the emperor return and order with him." It doesn't tell me much, but that mystery is finally solved.
I fear my expedition is soon coming to an end. I have found everything in that quite empty chamber and taken pictures of them. Even though I love the great outdoors, I prefer doing in-depth research from the comfort of my room. It will take a couple of days to get the excavation site ready. I wouldn't want anyone from town to come and wreck the place while I'm gone. Speaking of which, I need to visit Twilight before leaving.
Day 9
I got up early today to find a letter on my workstation. I don't know how it got here. I do know who sent it, though. With its sweet aroma and confetti filled inside, I concluded it was from Pinkie Pie. Indeed, the letter was an invitation to MY "Welcome to Ponyville" party. I was never a party pony, but I would feel terrible for missing it. Since it was during the afternoon, I had some spare time before that.
Before leaving for the party, I moved the mirror out of curiosity. Behind it was a small compartment filled with miscellaneous trinkets. There was a pair of fire rubies, a dozen bits, and a brooch. The rubies look pretty ordinary, but on both of them, one side is lighter than the other. The bits have a picture of the Commander on one side and an eye on the other. The brooch was made of gold and shaped like a wreath. I shall have a closer look at them once I get back home.
I did have a thing to do in town before the party. As I said, I wanted to thank Miss Sparkle for her help, so I trotted to her castle. Upon knocking on the door, her assistant Spike opened it. When asked about Twilight, he just shook his head. Disappointed that I couldn't see her, I turned towards the bakery. Thankfully, it wasn't official since I had nothing good to wear.
Now, the party was something else. I had never really been to any "wild" parties. The only ones I get invited to are ceremonies or birthday parties. It was a new experience for me. As I stepped in, I was surprised with a broad smile from Pinkie Pie. She introduced some of her friends to me. Some I knew, like Applejack, and some I learned the name of, like Rainbow Dash.
Even though it felt like half the town was there, some ponies were still missing, mainly Miss Sparkle and Rarity. When I asked Pinkie, she said that they never miss such parties. Oh well. I couldn't let that keep me down. This party was for me, and I intend to make the most of it. I talked, ate, and partied late into the night. Once the party was over, I carefully hobbled back to camp.
Day 10
I don't know how to start, as this day probably told me more than any other. After waking up, I knew that I had some investigating to do. Yesterday's party gave me a lead on Miss Sparkle. When mentioning seeing her in the forest, Pinkie said a zebra named Zecora lived there. Since I was the last to see her, I had to meet this zebra. She wasn't hard to find since I could follow a trail straight to her hut. After introducing myself, I asked her about Twilight. To my disappointment, she said that Twilight hadn't been there in weeks. Before I could properly thank her, I started walking back to camp. That wasn't my doing. I wasn't the one walking. I was planning to visit the boutique to ask Rarity's little sister about her sister's disappearance. I didn't want to go back to camp already. I had no control over my legs. The only part I could control was my eyes. Franticly moving them, I could see a pack of Timberwolves stalking me, yet they never got close to me. Once at camp, they scampered back into the thicket.
At the same time, I regained control of my movement and dashed to the small river. Splashing my face with cold water and staring at my reflection, I contemplated if I was going insane. While staring, I noticed something glimmering at the bottom of the small stream. It was the necklace I had lost a couple of days ago. How it ended down there, I do not know, but at least I can now retrieve it. At least that's what I thought. While reaching for it, I stopped. Again, it wasn't my doing. No matter how I tried, I couldn't get close to it. After a bit, I got up and walked away. A few meters away from the bank, I regained control again.
At this point, I was getting nervous. What could be causing this? The first thing that came to mind was Miss Sparkle and how she acted the last time I saw her. Her eyes were sporadic, just like mine when I wasn't me. Is this some curse? I don't believe in curses, but I'm not the sort to brush anything as impossible. And then it hit me like a rolling boulder. Was this my fault? I was the last to see Miss Sparkle and perhaps even Rarity. I remember how I told them about my expedition without really wanting to. That means that I'm patient zero. And there is only one place where I could have caught a plague like this. While looking into the open tomb, a cold shiver ran down my spine. If my tale led to the disappearance of those two, then what became the ones at my party? I told them, I told them all, and all of them flinched. Am I paranoid? NO, not this time. After realizing this, I darted towards town until I stopped. This THING wasn't going to let me go outside the camp. In my nervous frenzy, I started reading through all available books to find something. I read through everything I had. Yet nothing. Hopefully, I can get some answers tomorrow.
Day 11
I woke as I jolted up from my hammock. It was a nightmare. While trying to fall back asleep, I realized It only had enough power to control me for short bursts. Even yesterday, It only took control when I was trying to leave but left me alone otherwise. As I couldn't sleep anymore, I got up and waited. Once the sun had risen, It also got up. I thought I knew what was coming, but no. Instead of yesterday, now It was forcing me into town. I was scared to see what was waiting for me there.
Once I had arrived, everything seemed normal, yet somehow off. The streets were empty. The only thing I could hear was the wind. I decided to walk to the bakery since it was the last place I had been. But once I got there, it was closed, barricaded even. While staring at the empty building, I heard hoof steps. Turning to face the sound, I saw a small group of ponies. Knowing Applejack as one of them, I pleaded to know what was happening. She paused, with worried eyes, and said: "What do you mean? Everything looks normal to me." after which she just walked away. I tried to stop her and the others, yet I couldn't. I saw another group and asked them the same question, but none answered. It was like the whole town had turned into husks.
I was alone. Well, I wish I was. After a while of me trying to talk to essentially statues, It came. It took me back to camp, where I swiped the two fire rubies. I brought them to the local jeweler. Without saying anything, the clerk polished, inspected, and graded them. The whole process felt entirely lifeless and empty. After I got the gems back, I walked to the neighboring store, where I bought a blowtorch and a welding mask. Once back outside, I felt myself again. I wasn't free thought, as I couldn't remove anything from me.
After a bit, I decided to head towards Twilight's castle. Even though she might not be there, her books would. I could see from a distance that the front door was wide open. Looking inside, I saw Twilight's student, Starlight, pointing toward the library. When I asked where Twilight or Spike was, she told me they went on vacation. I didn't believe her. I sprinted inside and started searching. I searched and searched, but nothing. I was there for hours, flipping through hundreds of books. While sobbing from exhaustion, It came back. It walked me to a bookshelf, took a book, turned, and returned me to camp.
Day 12
I didn't write yesterday's entry. I may have been the one holding the quill, but still. I was barely even conscious during the whole event. Why was it so determined to have me write about yesterday? Apparently, It also has some form of mindreading. It knew how I wrote and what I felt, even if that was a bit lacking.
Oh, I should probably talk about my most significant discovery to date. It appears that IT has, in fact, been the spirit of Commander Orderio. At least all the leads point to it. I should talk about those, shouldn't I? Well, the entire day felt like it was all about him. After waking up from exhaustion-induced slumber, I found myself lying inside the tomb. Before me stood the large mirror showing the town hall of Ponyville. Inside stood the residents, looking at a statue of the Commander. They all bowed before it, which caused it to turn and smile. Quickly afterward, the mirror went dark. I walked closer to see myself staring back from the now normal-looking mirror. Yet something was off. Even though I looked normal, the statue behind me wasn't. It had the same toothy smile as the one from the previous image. I turned to look, but no such smile appeared. Once I turned to face myself again, I wasn't there. Instead, it was Orderio. It Mimicked me perfectly like he was the one looking in the mirror. I closed my eyes and fled the tomb swiftly.
Once in the open, I noticed a book on a table. Assuming it was the one from yesterday, I took a closer look. It appeared to be about the history of obscure war tactics. Opening it to the table of contents, I scanned the titles: "Black holes, plagues, earthquakes, mind control." I flipped to the page concerning mind control to find the following passage: "Mind control has popped up in countless wars throughout history. It has proven to be quite effective. Yet, there once was a war waged by a powerful commander who could control troops perfectly. He could have them march in perfect formation for hours with not a single missed step. According to tales far older than Equestria, his secret method of discipline was mind control. Well, it was more accurately body control since the mind wasn't affected. Sadly, we know very little of him since he has vanished from history.". I closed the book and remained silent.
After a while of me just sitting and thinking, It came. After grabbing the welding mask and blowtorch, It led me back inside the tomb. There, I started melting the gold that kept the lid on. As the liquid flowed along the sides of the marble, I could feel the tomb getting hotter. Once I had gone around the entire rim, I put the torch aside and pushed the lid off. As I looked inside, I saw the remains of the Commander. It adorned the same armor and helmet as on the statue. After looking at the corpse uncomfortably long, I picked up the golden headpiece. Once back outside, I reached for the pair of fire rubies. Although the helmet still had the large ruby, I had to place the two others myself. After a quick polish, I equipped the helmet myself. And then I can't remember. I know that I did something, but I'm not sure what. Only once it was almost night did I regain my senses. I have a bad feeling about tomorrow.
Day 13
I think this will be my final entry. I feel that Mister Commander has had his fun with me and is planning something else. I'm saying this because I didn't do anything today. My body did, but I wasn't really there. The only thing that I did get to do was write this stupid journal. I come to my senses before it and fade if I try to leave. What is this thing's obsession in making me write this? Before, It wrote on my behalf, but now I have to be the one consciously writing. Does It want a raw reaction from me? Does It want me to write a memoir? It's definitely something since I'm not allowed to get rid of this damn book. It did fall into a mud puddle once, but that only damaged the covers.
I also learned the significance of that necklace in the river. Every time I got near it, I could sense everything much better. Combining this with my previous journal entries, I think it contains some warding magic. It is the only thing that It doesn't allow me to have. I hypothesize that whoever wore it killed the Commander and placed it inside the tomb to have the warding effect nearby. If only I knew why it ended at the bottom of that river. Why was this tyrant given such a nice tomb, I wonder?
Does It like playing games with me? Looking back on previous days, I feel that It definitely gains something from seeing me suffer. Why else would It technically help me in some situations? It's letting me write these things without interfering. It only restricted me from doing specific things. Today and yesterday were different. Maybe It's getting bored of me. It seems to have gotten some new armor fitting me but didn't let me be there to see it. These things point towards the inevitable: I'm Its new body. I'm hoping that when that time comes, I will die. Having experienced what it's like, I don't want to live like that. I can still feel almost everything, yet I cannot control anything. If my wish comes true, I'm in a much better place than the others. I don't want to think about it. A fate worse than death.
I think that my time has come. I can feel It seeping deeper inside my mind than ever before. I can feel my memories fading, my vision becoming hazy. Did It wait for me to finish writing? In these final moments, I began to think. Am I the first, or have there been previous reincarnations? Is the statue inside even the original Commander? I hope I don't have to be here to find out. As a tear rolls down my cheek, I write my final words.
Goodbye, and may Celestia have mercy on me.
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As Celestia lowered the crumbled journal, she sat there quietly, pondering. After a while, Inkwell waved a hoof towards the princess to snap her back to reality. Once back, Celestia flies to one of the windows overlooking Ponyville. Conjuring in some magic binoculars, she stared at the Everfree forest. There, a gold-plated pony stared back at her. Startled, she stepped back. When Inkwell asked if something was wrong, Celestia turned to her with shocked eyes and said: Everything was perfect.