[AU PRP] In Erstwhile Worlds

[HuniPi]

6 -animals, but different
5 - overcome a common threat
6 - one/both of you have amnesia
2 - one/both of you is/are already dead

Sun-Cursed slowly opened her eyes and found herself in a strange stone structure. The air was cold and stale, with the bare hint of rot and decay. What had she been doing up until this moment? Where was she? Soft paws padded forward, taking a few tentative steps to explore the unfamiliar surroundings in hopes of jogging her memory.

The deeper she went, the stronger this sense of urgency welled up within her. She wasn't lost, not exactly, she became more and more certain she had not simply wandered into this place. She came here. But for what purpose? And why did it seem as if she had not come here alone?

[doomsayer]

Smoldering Ember is a pony stallion with the musculature of a mustang. His hind and forelegs are a hotrod red hue, mirroring his fiery spirit and unwavering determination. His torso boasts a striking blue shade that mimics the appearance of a finely tailored vest.

He takes stock of his surroundings but could only see the tunnel he was in and the light at the end of it. It felt familiar, but he also could not place it exactly. It was as though he just woke and a fog made him unable to recall things prior to this moment. He started walking towards the light, the tunnel angling upwards as he walked. He should make it out into the surface if he followed this. But it is as he walked that he felt something nagging in the back of his head. Like he was supposed to be doing something and that time is running out for him to do it. His slow trot through the tunnel becomes a gallop as he breaches the light and makes it to the surface--only to find that he is in a well lit stone structure with strange markings.

He also does not find himself alone.

"Hello?" He calls out.

[HuniPi]

Sun-Cursed wasn't certain how long she'd been walking down this tunnel, but she was keenly aware how quiet and deathly still everything was. Padded paws allowed her to move silently, yes, but there was no shifting of loose dirt, nor any slight changes in the air's scent. She found things odd but not frightening.

Upon hearing a voice, Sun-Cursed tensed but whoever it was, they didn't sound hostile. If she didn't know better, it was almost familiar to her. They were down at the end of the tunnel, though she couldn't make out anyone there. She bounded towards the source and made no attempt at stealth.

What would greet the pony was a medium-sized feline with the striations of a tiger, and markings that resembled open butterfly wings on her shoulders. Sun-Cursed came to a stop, orange eyes observing the equine in a mixture of curiosity and confusion. Her heart began to speed, the image of those powerful haunches galloping at top speed flashing before her mind's eye.

"I know you."

[doomsayer]

The sight of the female feline caused a slight pulsing sensation in the back of Smoldering Ember's head.

A memory. He knew her. Her name is Sun-Cursed. They were supposed to come here together to get... something...

As he strained to remember more, a slow throbbing pain started to manifest on the left side of his head. Instead of dwelling on it, he shakes it off and adresses Sun-Cursed, "You do know me, and I know you. My name is Smoldering Ember. We came here together to obtain something. Do you remember what we came here for?"

[HuniPi]

The sound of his name brought back more glimpses into a life she should have known all this time: A gathering of other animals. A call for volunteers. Reluctance. Shame. Pressure. Honor.

A tightness began to form in Sun-Cursed's chest and she forced herself to stop focusing on these glimpses. It wasn't doing her any good. But before these visions faded, she did remember something. It had flitted in the fringes of her sight the briefest of moments but "Yes, I do remember. I think."

Her tail swayed in agitation behind her, "We weren't the only ones sent to retrieve the Orb of Freedom. But, I can't remember what it looks like. Or why we needed it..."

The uncertainty of everything was frustrating for the feline but looking up at the pony helped to ground her. His presence made her feel not exactly safe but perhaps safer than how she was feeling already.

[doomsayer]

"The Orb of Freedom..." He repeats to himself. That's right. This time the memories are clear and come in without the intensity that would cause his head to ache.

"It's coming back to me in fragments. The White Fang is captured by the darkness. A lot of us came to these lost ruins to find the Orb--the only thing that can free it. We chose this entrance to go in through. I don't know why we're having trouble remembering, but I think if we can keep reminding each other, we'll eventually figure all this out."

He looks towards the arch, an entrance east of the old stone structure. The markings look like a language long lost to time. All they know is that inside is where they can get the Orb of Freedom. He looks again to the feline.

"I know this is a little difficult and confusing, but I choose to trust you if you can choose to trust me."

[HuniPi]

The White Fang, yes! Yes, the Protector of the Lands, the Guardian of Peace, the One who Metes Out Justice. Sun-Cursed had volunteered, she hadn't been forced into joining the search. Knowing now that she came of her own volition strengthened the feline's resolve. As someone more comfortable in the darkness, she would take the lead in this situation.

"I will trust you. There was a reason why we were grouped the way we were beyond choosing this entrance." Confident that she could trust him with her back, Sun-Cursed went ahead deep into the darkness, away from the light. Every so often she would glance over her shoulders, not to confirm if Smoldering Ember was following her, but to let the blue glow from her eyes serve has a beacon for him.

Eventually, they arrived in a cavern, more of those symbols carved on the walls and on the cracked and chipped tiles of the floor. She narrowed her eyes at the sight before her, her tail flicked a sizable stone onto a random tile. There was a hiss of air then the hum of something slicing past. "We have to be extra careful here. But I think I can see what we have to do..."

Despite the pitch-black darkness of the cavern, her faint glow allowed her to distinguish the different shapes, and soon a pattern emerged from the symbols. It was a risk, but they had to get the Orb. And they all knew there would be deterrents along the way. Without another word, she leapt forward, lightly stepping on the tiles she identified within the near inscrutable nonsense.

When she arrived on the other side unscathed, it was kitten's play to return back to where the pony was to guide him down the right path.

[doomsayer]

Smoldering Ember had to admit that he was apprehensive about trusting Sun-Cursed at first. Her small stature and initially meek attitude made him wonder if she was equipped to face the unknown dangers of the ruins. He wonders if he had these feelings before they came here. But as soon as she resolved to trust him, her initiative surprised him. She was so comfortable in the darkness, and her ability to find the patterns on the floors and the walls to avoid the traps in the darkness was impressive.

"I must say, I don't see very well in the dark. I wouldn't have gotten through that unscathed without you. Perhaps there was a reason we were grouped together the way we were...

As they emerge from the dark corridors into another large chamber, they find a massive stone slab blocking their path deeper into the ruins. The slab was tied at the top with a thick, sturdy cord of mysterious material that ran through a stone pully system high up in the cieling. The end of the cord dangles just at ground level. It seems that there is just enough space to pull the cord backwards and lift the stone slab--with great effort.

He looks to Sun-Cursed again. We can both pull the cord, but one of us will have to let go and pass through.

[HuniPi]

She wasn't feeling smug from the praise, alright she was just the tiniest bit proud of herself. Once past the tiled cavern, Sun-Cursed stuck close to the pony in the darkness. "And now we've come to where you're indispensible."

At the stone slab, the lazy sway of her tail had sped up in agitation despite herself. Once again, something about all this felt familiar. But if he had trusted her back there, she would trust him.

She wasn't particularly strong (or heavy) but she would help pull however hard she could. "I'll signal you when I'll run through."

[doomsayer]

He nods, knowing that they both are aware of the specifics of the plan. He grabs the knotted end of the cord in his jaws and pulls it taut as Sun-Cursed bites onto the portion near the end. With a heave they pull in unison, the slab barely lifting as dust and dirt come off of it when it slides back onto the floor. This is going to require much more effort than he anticipated.

"This slab is a lot heavier than I thought it was, so once you let go and run in, there is a chance that I won't be able to follow you. If that happens, I want you to keep going. We need to get the Orb no matter the cost." With a nod of understanding shared between them, he once again grabs hold of the cord and uses his entire body to pull. Knowing how heavy the slab is with their first attempt, he is prepared for the strain he must exert in order to lift it high enough for Sun-Cursed to run in. To her credit, Sun-Cursed was putting up a valiant effort in pulling as well.

When the slab is high enough, their eyes meet. The signal. Sun-Cursed lets go of her part of the cord and makes a mad dash through the opening. Smoldering Ember has to hold all the weight of the slab on his own long enough for her to pass through. If his hold fails, it could be fatal for her.

With formidable effort that he feels like he's already put in once before, he holds the cord down as Sun-Cursed makes it past. They share another look between each other, each one at opposite ends of the threshold. The plan only went this far. They never talked about how he was getting through. What now?

Smoldering Ember lifts his forelegs and hooks a portion of the cord to his left, then he does so again and hook the cord to his right, each time the cord getting shorter and his distance to the stone slab shortening. After doing this a few more times in quick succession, he kicks back hard with his hind legs and tucks into a roll, propelling his balled up body forward as the tension on the cord relaxes and the slab comes hurtling back down towards the floor.

BOOM!

As the shaking and the cloud of dust subsides, Sun-Cursed sees the form of Smoldering Ember splayed on the floor just a bit past her. Breathing heavily and more than a little dirty from his rolling maneuver, by some miracle he made it into the next chamber!

[HuniPi]

The strain of pulling on the slab and that extra sliver of speed to get through left Sun-Cursed winded. But she held her breath upon realizing Ember's predicament and as if in solidarity, remained breathless until she was certain of his fate. She gave a yowl of delight and cheer when she felt the mass of the pony roll past her into the chamber.

"You did it! That was amazing!" she purred and instinctively stared to groom him clean of most of the dust. Given his much larger frame than hers, she had to hop about to reach the taller bits of him. And in doing so, she caught sight of the same strange markings. They were all converging towards an alcove at the far end of the chamber.

"It looks like those symbols are pointing over there."

She padded up towards the direction, once again using the faint glow of her eyes to illuminate the floor. Walking closer, the smell of death and rot stung her nose and she sneezed, kicking up another cloud of dust in the ancient ruin.

[doomsayer]

Gingerly, Smoldering Ember gets his legs back underneath him. Sun-Cursed's excitement-induced grooming has him a little embarrassed.

"I didn't think that would work, but I didn't want you to go the rest of the way alone if I had the chance."

He follows the glow of her eyes as they walk further into the ruins, the telltale scent of something rotten getting more and more adamant as they progress.

He makes sure to walk beside her but at an angle where he can shield both of them from anything coming at them from the front.

After a while, they make it to the center of the structure and emerge into a massive circular domed chamber. It is dimly lit by small floating motes of yellow lights. In the very center of the chamber is a spiraling dais that tapers to a pedestal. One the pedestal is... nothing.

"What?! He exclaims.
"This is the middle of the ruins, it should be here!"

Smoldering Ember rushes towards the dais, only to realize to his horror the body of a male pony and a female feline at the base of it.

[HuniPi]

Sun-Cursed tried her best to keep up but Ember's size and gait made it difficult, if not impossible. Him coming to a sudden halt at the dais did not bode well, and a heavy weight suddenly settled in the pit of her gut. She smelled it before she saw it, the familiar scent of the pony she'd been journeying with and the decay that wrapped around him so tightly they were practically one and the same.

When her eyes fell upon the second corpse, it all came back.

The Orb of Freedom had been there. But if they thought the traps and tribulations that guarded it was difficult, the price to actually retrieve it proved exceptionally steep. The others who caught up or arrived before Sun-Cursed and Smoldering Ember had not been able, or willing, to pay the toll.

"That's us." She whispered, and yet her voice carried to the pony. Did it always sound so hollow? Now that she thought of it, she felt too light on her feet. She glanced back to where they'd come, squinting into the darkness to focus on their surroundings.

And the yellow motes began to grow in intensity around the dais.

An argument broke out among the would-be rescuers. Claws and fangs were being bared, heavy bone-crushing hooves threatening to stomp down, everyone demanded for someone else to sacrifice their lives to the Orb. Amidst the chaos and fighting, Sun-Cursed and Smoldering Ember caught each other's eyes. And as they had with the stone slab, they understood what had to be done.

Wordlessly, the pair moved past the others, Sun-Cursed slipping between gaps, Smoldering Ember shouldering his way to the dais. Both reached out to open their hearts and offer themselves up.

The orb shone a blinding, brilliant light.

"The others were able to take the Orb thanks to us." There was no uncertainty in her words, just a sense of finality as she sat down to begin grooming herself. She felt solid enough but she could have sworn her tail would become transparent every now and again. "Looks like we're going to be here for a while. But I think it won't be so bad."

[doomsayer]

With Sun-Cursed's explanation, Smoldering Ember remembered everything. For a moment he felt sad, but then he recalled the willingness at which both of them approached the dais to pay the price. He remembered how awestruck he was that she would step up with him for such a final sacrifice.

He walked back to where she was and sat down as well, breathing deeply in pride at their unique accomplishment.

"I do very much hope that the Orb will do the trick to free the White Fang. If I am to be staying here for a while, I don't mind terribly that it's with you. We make a good team."