A gentle sound of dragging and crumbling rock, old brick walls falling apart and echoing gently as they hit various surfaces on the way to the ground. A gentle, drip…… drip… drip.. off in the distance, an undefined liquid spilling into a puddle. The sound of multiple sets of hooves running, jumping, gliding against the cold ground beneath them.The clash of metal. Shouting, panic- a sudden thud of a heavy body down to the ground. Screams.

In this chamber, impressive pillars hold up the ceiling and have been for Eons. Dust hangs low in the air, and cobwebs decorate the cracks and crevasse, even knitting together exquisite decorations amongst chandeliers that had long since gone out. Down dark hallways and corridors, behind doors closed or creaked partially open, sounds spill out…

It is as the chamber painted with a deep crimson grew quiet, that magic began to awaken. Corpses were dragged away and pools of blood laid in their wake. The air sparked with life, colourful flickers of mana and essence resonated, growing stronger as the pools seeped into the cracks of the flooring, mixing, merging, and creating a concoction that sparked to life.

The blood boiled and bubbled, wet sloshy and squelching noises emanated from the cracks as more and more blood pooled- no, soaked into the centre point like water being sucked in by a sponge. As more blood came together, the manifestation began to take shape. Bones pieced together suddenly sprouted organs which fit inside, muscles weaved into shape around the skeleton, skin knitted together with fine detail, and then furr burst into existence.

By the time it was complete, the room, once a gruesome bloody painting, only remained clean walls, a foal and red puddle it sat in.

Eyes opened slowly, blue orbs fuzzy and blurry, unable to make out the world around them at first, soon settled on the dark ceiling. Unintelligible voices filled its mind, coursing, taunting, tugging. They were as sweet as a grape on a vine, but as cold as ice on the tongue. All the while the foal struggled to pull itself to its feet. Eventually managing, they stood wobbly against the stone flooring, eyes looking deep into the darkness where the voices seemed to pull and tug.

Though unintelligible as they may be, a single voice called to her, and as it spoke she almost felt like she’d heard it clearly. “What is it you seek here beneath the surface….” Questions filled her mind, but only one left her mouth.

— “who…… who am i..?”