Part III

Daring Do had traveled a great part of the world and had seen all kinds of creatures and kingdoms. However, she hadn't yet explored everything the world had to offer. Despite this, she had already reached certain conclusions about the world she lived in. First, that the world was truly magical, with floating islands, lakes of fire, soap deserts, and other scenery that defied logic. Second, there was a myth that repeated itself in different cultures and species: the "Tree of Beginnings," from which all races were believed to have originated. However, this myth was only shared by the creatures that inhabited the surface, while those living in the oceans or the underground world were unfamiliar with this story. Third, the depths of the oceans and the underground world were completely unknown and vast, just like the North and South Poles. And finally, it was the discovery she had made today.

"Miss Daring, are you alright? Is something wrong?" asked a puzzled Meg Tree.

Daring Do, shocked, had turned towards the rocks behind her and stared at the figures engraved on the slabs. Then she replied, "I know you won't understand, I don't even understand it myself, but I know the names of the creatures depicted on these stones."

Daring Do couldn't uncover the origin of the world, but she did know who had brought about its end. In front of her were the figures of those criminals, according to the myths and legends she had learned. The shadow of these terrible beings appeared in the world in different places but during the same era. The arrival of one of these entities brought an age of darkness and terror that culminated in a primordial cataclysm, from which few were said to survive.

On her latest journey, Daring Do believed she had come across a sanctuary dedicated to these monsters. It was a cult of camels called "The Eternal Mountain," worshiping alleged "dark gods" who granted blessings to their believers in exchange for tributes to their congregation. As expected, it turned out to be a scam, and the images of their supposed gods were nothing more than exaggerated depictions of known predators. The local authorities arrested them, and their temple was burned for heresy.

However, the name of each of those "dark gods" seemed familiar to her. This doubt grew over time, depriving her of sleep and making her feel sick. Without really knowing what she was searching for, she decided to return to Equestria. It was then that she remembered having visited a place with a name similar to that camel cult, and so her hooves led her back to the "Hill of Eternity."

Now that she had the names and faces of those wicked beings, the only thing left was to put them in order.

She focused her attention on the smallest slab and said aloud, "Ever Fand," the dark queen who filled the world with a forest of nightmares. Her figure resembled an inverted flower.

Then she looked at the next slab: "Bottom Ness," the tyrant of the oceans who submerged all continents beneath the sea. It was a demonic octopus with five eyes.

Finally: "Nodoub Death," the necromancer who reversed the world's poles and drained the seas. The figure on the slab was that of a skeletal, two-headed bird with four limbs and four wings.

But on the largest slab, Daring Do didn't recognize the creature depicted. There was no record of it or any reference in her previous travels. It was a dragon with three stars above its head, clutching an empty orb on its chest as if trying to conceal it with its claws. Then, thanks to the moonlight, she noticed the faint reliefs of two more stars near its tail.

"Wow! You know the names of these beings, have you seen them before? Are there other stone ruins around the world?" exclaimed Meg Tree excitedly. "It's a great discovery, miss!"

"There are no other stone ruins," said Daring Do. "I only heard the names of these creatures from a strange group of camels on the other side of the world. I didn't understand why their propaganda felt so familiar to me until now."

Meg Tree fell silent, trying to process what he had just heard.

"ARROGANT PARASITES! HOW DARE YOU DESECRATE THE SACRED SANCTUARY OF MY BELOVED MISTRESS!..." shouted an angry and shrill voice.

Daring Do reacted immediately, turned around, and there was Meg Tree, hurling threats towards some place on the horizon, but he was no longer the same pony with a fake accent she had met moments ago. He now acted like a completely different pony, perhaps not even a real pony.

"...JUST WAIT, YOU WILL PAY DEARLY FOR THIS OFFENSE, YOU WILL ALL BE TRIBUTE TO ETERNAL DARKNESS," said Meg with an evil laugh.

Daring Do watched as a green mist enveloped Meg, and from it emerged a creature she had never seen before.

That creature wore a fuchsia cloak and hood, had no lower limbs, a green enchanted scarf around its neck, its arms were withered branches ending in webbed claws, and its unfathomable face of darkness contained two unblinking emerald eyes.

Then, all that anger dissipated, and it slowly turned towards her.

Daring Do always faced danger; it was practically 80% of her life as an adventurer and explorer. But in that moment, all her instincts screamed one thing at her: "RUN."

She took flight with all her might, but it was already too late. A sticky, invisible force halted her escape and threw her to the ground, leaving her breathless. It was magic, of course, but it was the first time she felt such an unyielding magical grip on her body.

"Well, well, my apologies for my previous behavior. I didn't intend to 'scare' you in this manner, Miss Daring Do," 'Meg's' voice was calm but tinged with mockery and anger. "I think it would be impolite to leave without saying goodbye... Don't you think?"

"Who the heck... are you?" Daring weakly asked as the magic pressed her harder against the ground.

"Ha! You can still speak? You truly are a formidable pegasus. Well..." Meg paused to think as she looked up at the sky. "I am a messenger... or rather, a herald of a Lord of Darkness. Don't worry, I won't harm you. The stars favor you today. In fact, since you warned me about those bothersome pests, I'll give you a gift: the gift of 'knowing'. Knowing that this is not our first encounter, knowing that from this moment on, I'll be watching you, knowing that our next encounter... will be the last."

Daring Do lost consciousness at the end of that ominous threat.

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Daring Do jolted awake, still disoriented. She looked around and realized she was still amidst the ruins. Then the memory of the previous night hit her like a wave, bringing with it a terror that ruffled every feather on her body. Why didn't they finish her off last night? What was that creature? Had she encountered it before? What were the Lords of Darkness, and what were they planning to do in her world?

The pegasus stirred, trying to gather herself and shake off the dark thoughts. It wasn't the time to seek answers to questions she knew she couldn't answer. She sat up and gazed at the sky, as the light of a new day began to filter through the clouds. There, a lone visible star seemed to greet her with its brightness.

An idea illuminated her mind. She remembered a pony, or rather a "princess," who could help her unravel this mystery. Confidence and courage returned to her in a determined look on her face, and she stood up, knowing exactly what to do next.

Daring Do adjusted her hat and took flight into the sky, leaving behind the darkness of those infamous ruins. She set off toward the sunrise, heading for her homeland, "Equestria."