Without warning, Vinyl snapped a picture of the symbol over the door. The flash blinded Tarnish, who ducked his head, then stood blinking his eyes, trying to recover his vision. She snapped another picture of Tarnish as he stood, trying to recover, a grin upon her face. As all of this took place, Octavia began giggling while Maud stood watching, silent, taking everything in through her half closed and sleepy looking eyes.

Fascinated by the remains of the stone tower, Maud pulled away from the group and began to examine what was left. Her eyes glanced over the walls, the fallen rubble, they took in every crack, every fissure, and after she had spent several long moments looking, she let out a contented sigh.

The stone had been shaped like clay and molded into a tower. At one point, it had been beautiful, no doubt a symbol of imperial might, a reassuring sight that inspired confidence in all who viewed it. Now, it was just so much worthless rubble, a fallen monument to a forgotten age.

“That symbol… I think that comes from the First Tribes,” Octavia said as she peered at the symbol over the door. “Don’t hold me to that. I’ve only learned a little. Celestia’s sun is quite different. This sun is jagged, more violent, the sunrays are like blades.”

Still blinking, Tarnish nodded, merely as an acknowledgement, and not because he knew.

It was Maud who stepped through the ruined doorway first, and the others followed. The stone floor was filthy, covered in moss and lichens. In the middle, there was an opening. At some point in the distant past, there was likely some wooden trapdoor, but it was long gone. The stairs down were also gone. Vinyl vanished with a flash and a poof, and reappeared on the floor below. Tarnish found himself lifted up and carried down. When he was set down, he lifted up Maud, while Vinyl lifted Octavia, and the two mares were levitated down in short order.

There was another opening in the middle. This floor was covered in dirt, debris, mushrooms, and old bones, no doubt, many creatures had fallen down here and had not been able to get back out. The mushrooms had a faint glow and were of a type that Tarnish had never seen before. It was cold down here, far colder than Tarnish had expected.

They repeated the process, moving down to the next floor, which was similar to the first. The cold was far more pronounced here. This floor held more mushrooms, more bones, including some very large ones. It looked as though a bear had died down here. It was cold enough to see one’s breath.

Again, they descended down to another floor, then another, and then…

A glowing form rose up to meet them. The air held a bone numbing chill, which made it difficult to do anything. The four ponies huddled together as the glowing spectre coalesced before them. Vinyl’s horn glowed with a brilliant illumination for a moment, and a sound like rushing wind could be heard.

“Who are you that you disturb this place?” The words came out of Vinyl’s mouth, cold as a sepulcher. She was now covered in a pale blue spectral glow. The voice had a strange accent, but it was recognisable.

“Please, don’t hurt her,” Octavia said in a pleading voice. “We came here, exploring. We found this abandoned tower. We meant no harm.”

“I do not harm ponies unless it is required of me,” the spectre said through Vinyl’s mouth.

“Who are you? What are you?” Octavia took a step forwards towards Vinyl, a look of intense worry upon her face. “Why do you linger, spirit?”

“I swore an oath…” the spectral form around Vinyl flickered. “I gave my word that I would defend this place.”

“From who?” Tarnish asked.

“From the foul witch Catrina.” There was a long pause. “It has been so long. I have grown tired. Tell me, how goes the war?”

“I’ve never even heard of the this witch, Catrina. Whoever she is, she is long gone.” Tarnish watched as the spectral form around Vinyl flickered and grew dim. “This tower is now a ruin. It looks as though eons have passed. The tower has crumbled, there are no doors, the stairs are long gone, there is nothing left here to defend.”

“There is still the vault,” the spectre replied. “The magical wards have held, but as I grow weak, so do they.” The spectre let out a weary sigh. “Tell me, how does Ponyland fair?”

“Ponyland is no more,” Maud replied. “The land is now called Equestria. It is ruled over by two alicorn sisters, who are wise and just.”

“How many years have passed?” There was a low moan from the spectre.

“Many.” Tarnish bowed his head. “I am Tarnished Teapot, a ranger, and a dutiful servant to the Crown. I will look after whatever is in the vault and keep it safe. I will relieve you of your duty.”

“There is conviction in your words.” Vinyl’s head turned and she looked up at Tarnish. “It is a precious thing I guard… a precious, precious thing. A powerful weapon of war. Swear to me that you will keep it safe… that you will keep it from evil.”

“I, Tarnished Teapot, being a good and reasonable creature, do give my word and swear that I will keep this artifact from evil.” Tarnish wasn’t sure what else to say, and he felt a shiver. Whoever this was, their oath had bound them to this place for an eon. This knowledge left him fearful of his own fate.

“I accept your oath,” the spectre replied. “Release me!”

“Go to sleep, spirit… I will take up your duty. Go and find rest.” Tarnish bowed his head.

The flickering glow around Vinyl grew dim, there was a crackle, and then the light faded away, now gone. Vinyl gave herself a shake and did not seem harmed. A dreadful wail of anguish filled the darkened cellar, and there was a whooshing wind that rustled through the debris on the floor.

“Oy, I think I widdled,” Octavia whispered.

“It’s okay, we won’t tell,” Maud replied.

“Vinyl, you okay?” Tarnish reached out and nudged the mare beside him with his nose.

She nodded, adjusted her glasses, took a deep breath, and then gave herself another shake. Frost fell from her pelt like snowflakes, her muscles twitching and jerking as she shivered. She let out a huff, then turned about, and pointed to a metal door in the wall.

The door had no rust, no sign of decay. It was iron, but infused with magic. In front of the door, there was a pile of well preserved bones that gleamed in the light from Vinyl and Tarnish’s horns. Tarnish moved close to the bones, lowered his head, and let out a soft sigh.

“We should take his bones and bury them,” Tarnish said.

“Look how well preserved they are.” Octavia took a step forward and stood beside Tarnish. She lifted her head and looked over at her companion. “Vinyl, love, are you okay?”

Again, Vinyl nodded.

“There is a tiny hole in the middle of the vault door,” Maud said as she pointed with her hoof.

Tail flicking, Vinyl walked to the door, craned her head, tilted it to one side, and examined the hole. Above it, there was a symbol of a crown, stylised. Below it, there was the symbol they had seen above the door of the tower.

“I wonder who Catrina was?” Octavia asked.

“Maybe Twilight will know,” Maud replied.

Vinyl angled her head and inserted her horn into the hole in the vault door. It glowed with a rosy light, the pale pink of dawn. Something inside the door clicked, there was a grating sound, a grinding sound, and then a soft thrum.

After Vinyl pulled her horn free, the door swung open, the hinges squeaking and creaking. The four ponies all jostled together, trying to see what was inside, but were mindful not to step on the bones of the guardian. Vinyl’s horn shone with greater intensity, offering more light to see into the vault.

Inside was a small, ornate silver ring with a flake of some pale orange gemstone embedded into it. It flickered in the light. The silver had not tarnished, indeed, it gleamed as though it had just been polished. Vinyl lowered her head to peer at it, then pulled her head away, so that Tarnish could have a better look.

“What is it?” Maud asked.

Reaching up with her foreleg, Vinyl tapped her horn with her hoof.

“A horn ring?” Maud looked at the ring, then back at Vinyl, who stood nodding.

“What’s it do?” Octavia stepped aside as Vinyl gathered up the guardian’s bones.

Vinyl shrugged.

“We’ll figure it out later,” Tarnish said as he lifted the ring. “Let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps. I want to be in the sunlight again.” He looked over the mares around him, worried, concern visible upon his face. Vinyl was still covered in frost, and it worried him. He wasn’t so sure that he believed her, that she was okay. He would feel better once he had her out in the daylight, away from this place.

If nothing else, the spell was no doubt draining, and had probably taken a lot out of her.

In the sunlight once more, Vinyl conjured up a broad parasol to cover herself. She stood in the shade of her parasol, smiling, trying to reassure the others that she was fine. She even went through the trouble of writing it down upon her slate and holding it above her head.

Maud picked up a small broken off bit of the stone tower to hold on to as a keepsake. She stood, examining it, squinting at it, studying the tiny details that only she could see as she held it up to her nose.

Meanwhile, Octavia was giving her mate a onceover, prodding her with her nose, rubbing up against her, and ignoring Vinyl’s annoyed snorts. Octavia’s movements were almost feline, and her deep concern was visible upon her face.

Standing off by himself, Tarnish also wanted to nose and prod Vinyl to check and see if she was okay, but he respected her space. He didn’t want to get too touchy-touchy, that would be bad. He was also in awe of Vinyl’s magic—she had done a dazzling display of power and if the truth were to be told, Tarnish was almost gushing with the need to talk to her about it. She had done something that he could barely even comprehend, a speaking with spirits spell.

Without such a spell, things might have gone badly in the darkness beneath the ruins of the tower. Tarnish had something of an understanding, there were many things that he could fight in combat, but extreme magical threats, such as angry spirits, he had no idea how to fight such things. It only drove home the fact that his magic was, at best, inadequate. Against dangerous threats, truly dangerous threats, magical enemies, he was useless.

The thought left him feeling hollow inside, and also made him envious of Vinyl’s magic.

“We should head back to camp,” Tarnish suggested. “Vinyl probably needs something to eat.” As Tarnish spoke, Vinyl’s head bobbed up and down with an eager nod. He looked over at Maud, then back to Octavia and Vinyl. He thought about the magical trinket in his saddlebags, he wanted to know what it was. Some great weapon of some sort, some great artifact of war, some relic of a bygone era.

If he could not have powerful magic, Tarnish would have to keep himself content with powerful artifacts. He treasured the ones that he had, and truth be told, a part of him longed for more. It was his hope that with exploration, old forgotten relics of the past might be found. They were out there, everywhere, hidden in old ruins, forgotten in old tombs, or secured away in ancient vaults. They lay waiting for those strong enough to claim them.

And he, Tarnished Teapot, was determined to have them…

Author's Notes:

- Dat title...