These golden ashes turn to dirt
Darkness embraced him like an old friend, squeezing the air from his lungs, weight hanging over his shoulders. It led him down paths he did not know, winding through the jagged rocks of the caves. Water drip drip dripped from the top, splashing before the stallion's hooves as he marched on, his steps echoing around him in an eerie tone. He was not scared, though, as his glowing gaze swept across his surroundings, from each little divot in the rocky crevasses. He was a friend of darkness and darkness was a friend of his; mutual respect went a long way, he had learned.
Oh, but he was not prepared for the bones that littered the walkways. Some were licked clean, dry, scattered about by scavengers. Some still stunk with rotten meat, flesh clinging to them as if it was their last hope. Rats scurried quickly as he passed, bats scattered from above. But he did not flinch. A man that fought dragons was hardly worried about rodents the size of one of his hooves.
His limited vision, however, was getting a little obnoxious.
Pausing in his steps, he closed his eyes, calling the warmth from inside him and focusing his energy on the space that tingled with his telekinesis. Warmth spread across his face, flicking at his muzzle, as a small flame appeared before him. It danced in his breath and shimmered in his soft maple eyes as he opened them, welcoming the light that spread several paces before him. The flame chased off the darkness of the cave, exposing new tunnels and passageways. Exposing himself, as well, so he would have to be quick. The flame would not last forever, and he did not want to become a target for whoever lurked in the depths of these caves.
His ear flicked at the sound of rock sliding behind him. It started quiet before picking up the pace, little pebbles suddenly clicking at his heels. Before he knew it, the sand beneath his hooves was shifting and he, along with the stone he stood on, started to slide.
For a moment, his heart skipped a beat. The small flame before him whisked away in a small plume of smoke, hooves scrambling as he did his best to keep his balance. The sand pulled and guided him toward the closest tunnel, as if someone had lifted the cave and given it a good shake. He did not slide for long, and found himself stumbling against a wall as his hooves met solid ground.
"Wonderful." He mumbled to himself, pulling himself upright and flicking sand from his tail. He glanced back the direction he had come before flicking his little fire back to life. Well, if this was the way the cave wanted him to go, so be it.
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