High up in the mountains, far from the eyes of most of civilization, to the far, far reaches of the Undiscovered West, lay a settlement of ponies. Night had fallen on the settlement, but instead of it's inhabitants tucking in, they were wide awake. Some were guards, patrolling the sturdy stone walls and streets. Some were merchants, trading their wares for a price. This was a strange normalcy, given the amount of Hollows that seemed to be cropping up everywhere in every land. But one mare was more concerned with the appearance of the moon in the sky. The natural satellite was gleaming an eerie blood red, giving off an aura of unease. It had been like this for many nights now, and yet none knew why it was as such. Word could not be sent to the Princesses of Equestria to check on them, what with the many dangers now roaming the wilds as well as civilization.

Nay, all that could be done was sit back... and watch the world die. But this one mare, with hair of a golden sheen not often seen anymore, orangish-brown fur, a white blaze across her muzzle, and large emerald eyes... She knew something had to be done.

Her patchwork leather armor was fitted with a simple steel pauldron and dyed a hearty, blood red, which was standard issue for her order, the Order of the True Peace.

Her weapons, fine, sharpened steel wingblades, were not standard issue, however. They were custom-made by the smith in the downtown area of the town. A smith by the name of Steel Hand. A smith, that had gone Hollow last week. She frowned as she remembered that particular memory. She shook her head.

Regardless, she knew something must be done. The Light was fading from the world, and the Dark was hungry. The Princesses who had kept the balance had to be in dire straits if the sight of the bloody moon was any indication.

And yet those higher up in the ranks of her order were still debating over what to do. They were too scared to send out a scouting party after months of silence from the previous one, but they knew they couldn't sit around, either. They needed to restore order and balance to the world as they were instructed so long ago, but they were too afraid to take risks.

The mare sighed as she gazed below the Chapel, seeing the quarantined area of which the Hollows frequented. She idly trailed a finger over the mark that had denoted her as an Undead. She didn't even know how long it had been since she had first gotten it. The eclipsed sun and bloody moon had been high in the sky for such an extended period of time that most had forgotten what things were like before. Some orders, like hers, however, couldn't afford to forget.

"Moon Dust! The Grandmaster wishes to see you!" came the voice of a stallion from the steps of the Chapel. Moon Dust sighed, getting up from her spot on the ledge and walking over.

"I'm coming, Seaward Lullaby, I'm coming," Moon Dust called back. She spared a glance to the horizon, where the outline of the great plains of Equestria were just barely visible, before turning back and walking up the steps of the Chapel.

My trek across this arid desert has been long and uneventful. The sun, eclipsed though it was, still bore down on the dunes below, and I imagine if my sweat glands were still working I would be very damp and uncomfortable.

I passed ruin after ruin, but all were empty, abandoned, and crumbling. I could not even tell what the ruins originally were, so weathered and crumbling were they. And yet, they were all made of the same materials. Sandstone, sun dried mud bricks, and, surprisingly, the occasional spot of Brightstone. How they had managed to procure some, I do not know, but, I suppose it did not matter.

Even more strange was that the ruins were all closely packed together, almost as if it were a city once, but I could not be certain if it was.

Regardless, I continued my journey through the sand and long-lost ruins, enjoying what little warmth the eclipsed sun brought me. Although this march through the sands was not doing any favors for my sanity. I desperately wished for something to distract me from the monotony of my steps.

To my relief, I found something that did. In the distance was a city, although I did not see any signs of life among it's walls. No mass of people among the streets, no sounds of distant chatter from merchants, nothing. Nonetheless, this spurred me on to quicken my pace.

I arrived at the gates within the hour, but, to my curiosity, no one manned it. That did not bode well. If there was no one here to man the gates, that could mean that the curse had spread to here. I did not like the implications of that. I shook my head.

No, there was no other choice. I had to push onward into the city if I wished to gather more clues of my past. With naught but desert around more miles, I would likely get lost and Hollow before I ever made it out of these desolate dunes. So, with that in mind, I pressed against the heavy ironwood gates, their hinges creaking and groaning loudly as I eased them open. With a final push, they were open, and I stepped within the bounds of the city.

The city was abandoned, not a soul in sight. Or, at least, I thought so until I heard barking, and a group of malnourished hounds rushed towards me at full pelt. I raised my shield, feeling the brunt of one body impacting it, whilst the other two dogs made to nip at my legs. I bashed my shield into the muzzle of the dog in front, before kicking another and wrestling my other leg free from the third's jaws. They growled and circled me, allowing me a good view of their appearance.

Their bones were plainly visible, taut, rotting gray skin pulled over them, and empty eye sockets that no longer provided sight. They had no fur to speak of, all of it most likely having rotted away. My eyes moved between each target frantically, wondering which would attack first.

One lunged at me, maw open wide, and I countered by slamming it with the pommel of my sword, then splitting it's skull. The other two jumped me as well, one now on my back and the other on my leg. I growled as the mutt on my back tried pierce my armor with it's teeth, and picked it off and threw it across the street and into a wall. The last canine I simply stabbed in the cranium, ending it's life and filling me with it's life-force.

I panted lightly as I gazed around, checking for further threats. Finding none, I continued my walk through the streets. It was relatively quiet, and I was growing more nervous with each step I took into the heart of the city. I knew there was little chance now that there were any beings here who were not Hollow, but I hoped there was at least a few.

My mind wandered at the thought. Hollows... The sign of the end times. I glanced up at the sun. Even it's glory was tainted now. How long was I slumbering for? Long enough for the world to reach this point, but... What of my order? My family? My friends? I frowned.

What family? What friends? I had no recollection of any such things. I did not even recall my place of birth. In truth, I felt cheated. The Darksign. The curse. It had taken everything from me. And now, here I was, on a journey to discover myself. I sighed.

And yet I have no other choice. It's either find a purpose or go Hollow. I shook myself from my thoughts. I had to be brave. I had to have hope if I wished to see this all through. With that notion, I moved onwards with more vigor and drive. Each step, for once since my journey began, felt more like progress.

I passed abandoned merchant stalls, most of the wooden beams that had held them up rotting away, as well as typical shops and restaurants. There was even a bathhouse, though I didn't bother to look inside. I could smell the stench of decay ten feet from the entrance. I frowned and shook my head as I passed it. Poor sods.

I walked through the town for a good while, encountering no resistance, which only served to worsen my anxiety. Where were the citizens? Or what remained of them?

My fears were soon realized when I encountered a large group of Hollows, all ambling about the streets and alleyways. They screeched as they ran towards me, and I tensed my self for an arduous battle. They didn't have much in the way of protection, bearing only simple silk robes and wraps over their sun-kissed, taut, furless skin that showed their bones all too well.

Archers readied arrows, frenzied townsfolk let out unholy screams as they charged forth, scimitars and makeshift weapons in hand. This was going to be a long battle.

I blocked the barrage of arrows from the archers with my shield, and then three Hollows impacted it head-on, yet continued flailing at me, unfazed.

I bashed them with my shield, knocking them to the ground, and then rolled just in time for a number of arrows to impale the ground where I once stood. I needed to take out those archers. So, I ran for them, shield raised to block any incoming arrows.

A few arrows made it past my defense and into the joints of my armor, most only reaching the chainmail beneath, but one scored a hit to my shoulder, making me cry out in pain. Still, I pressed on, adrenaline coursing through me.

I reached one archer and decapitated the rotting mare with one fell swoop before she could draw the shortsword at her belt, then smacked an arrow aimed for my head out of the air.

I kicked the next archer down and thrusted my blade through the Hollowed stallion's neck, ending his life swiftly. The moaning and groaning of the remaining ranged forces prompted me to turn swiftly towards the last two archers, who took out their shortswords and rushed me. I roared and barreled towards them as well, my shield meeting the blade of one while my straightsword met the other.

They pressed against me, aiming to push me back, but I held fast and ignored the pain in my shoulder, letting out a feral growl as I pushed them back instead. They stumbled and fell, and I stomped the head of one mare then stabbed my blade through the other.

I grunted in disgust as I removed my now bloodied boot and turned to my remaining adversaries, who were just getting back up. I huffed and pulled the arrow in my shoulder out with another grunt as they charged straight for me.

Just as they came within reach, I yelled in defiance and swung my blade horizontally, disemboweling them and making them crumple at my feet, whilst I panted heavily as I felt their souls rush into me.

Then, all of a sudden, something pierced my abdomen, punching straight through my armor, and I cried out in pain and fell to my knees. Then, just as sudden as it came, it retreated, and I fell to the sand.

I weakly rolled out of the way of another thrust in time to see the rotting and Hollowed visage of what must have been a Zebra High Warrior if her elaborate bronze barding was any indication, who proceeded to try and impale me once more. I rolled again and shakily got to my feet as the Hollowed Zebra High Warrior tried to pry her spear out of the ground. I took out my Estus Flask and swallowed a few swigs of the healing liquid fire, breathing easier as my wounds were sealed.

The Zebra High Warrior finally managed to free her weapon, and charged for me, aiming to impale me once more. I retaliated by rushing forwards and sliding under and behind her, then turning and knocking her feet out from under her, making her fall muzzle-first to the sand.

I made to thrust my blade down to pierce her heart and end the fight, but she rolled out of the way and shot back up. The Hollowed Zebra mare seemed to glare at me with her empty eye sockets, her rotting muzzle opening to let out an unholy scream as she thrusted her spear at me wildly. I parried each wild and frantic thrust, moving in closer and closer with each parry, until I was close enough to thrust my blade up through her muzzle and skull, finally ending the fight.

As the mare's body fell to the ground in a heap, her soul flying into me to be absorbed, I panted heavily as the battle finally finished and let out a deep sigh, collapsing to my knees.

I needed a bonfire.

Next Chapter: Fourth Falling: Zderonja The Gluttonous and Aminia Quest (Edited) Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 7 Minutes