Across the Sea, Part II

by John Hood

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Human, Princess Luna
Length: 101139

(Two of Two) Twelve hundred years ago, Equestria faced off with the human-dominated continent of Sarathûl, a conflict that would come to define both lands.

The Defiance of Nightmare Moon was long ago enough that most ponies consider it more legend than fact. But Equestria's history goes much further back, to an age half-remembered in myth and mystery. In the dim past, the race of man emerged from the fog of the unknown, a time so distant that even the Princess's grandparents were young.

But it is at the dawn of Celestia and Luna's rule we lay our scene, as Equestria threatens to tear itself apart, and the human nations across the sea grow ever stronger in their reach and influence. Both are on a collision course. This is the tale of Tempest Blackwind, a young pegasus exile, of Aharôs Loiar, a man against the world, of the two alicorn Princesses, struggling to be the leaders their subjects need in a time of crisis, and many more who would leave their mark on a time now forgotten by all but a few.

Rating subject to change.

Published 2013-07-19 09:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-07-10 19:07:30 UTC

The Emperor's Visitor

Author's warning: New readers, you really, really should read Across the Sea, Part I before launching your voyage here. Don't worry, this will still be around when you catch up.

Katastanîôs

The King of Man sat in his wheeled chair, a blanket over his failing legs despite the summer heat. Katastanîôs felt a corner of his mouth twitch upwards with that notion. King of Man. Little more than a titular title, a rusted relic, an aged article; all for an elderly Emperor.

The Emperor of Ar-Athazîon, they called him, the Lord and Master and Defender of Sarathûl, Protector of the Faith. Those weren't even real titles, not really. As his condition worsened, the pain worsened, the funnier the little things like that were. He'd even been forced to retire from his most recent campaign against the dangerously malcontent Duke of Echarîon because of this malady.

Behind him, the door creaked open. He didn't need to turn his head to see that whomever entered was on both their knees before him, bowing so deeply his head was touching the floor.

“Who is it?” The Emperor asked.

“Your humble Financier, your majesty.” said Kairôs Gadis. And it had to be Kairôs, there was no other Financier in the city.

“I sent you to Equestria. This was a quick return.” Katastanîôs was glad for it, truthfully. Any longer and it would have delayed the inevitable. “Have you gotten Princess Celestia to see reason?”

“Your majesty, it is with great... trepidation, that I inform you of my failure in this regard.” The Financier sounded nervous. “She is young, younger than your nephew Îrilôs in mind and soul. A child whose mother and father were taken from her before their time; she is convinced it is our doing. No word of ours could douse those fires, your majesty.” Katastanîôs exhaled, clenching his fist and immediately regretting it.

“So it is war, then.” declared the Emperor.

“Not necessarily, your majesty.” Kairôs spoke. “We can let the Athairîm fight Celestia on their own-”

“No, no.” He shook his head. “They are loyal to us here in the capital. And I owe it to the memory of King Zhevakôs to help defend his realm, he was a good friend. We will stand with them. Call the banners of all lords who would answer their master's summons. Our battle will be held in the light of Heaven.”

“As your command, your majesty.” obeyed Kairôs. “But I have heard troubling news from Athair...”

“Yes, a usurper has dealt a blow to our plans.” Katastanîôs grumbled. “Îrilôs said he is returning soon. He'll deal with this problem, not me.”

“Then is it true, your majesty? What they've said?” asked the Financier meekly.

“I fully intend to be dead in a very short period of time, Lord of Coins.” The Emperor affirmed. “And I look forward to it; lingering on in sickness was never something meant for my line.”

“Of course, your majesty.” said Kairôs. “I regret that I only have bad news to bear-” He stopped talking suddenly. That was enough to get Katastanîôs to turn around. Kairôs was no longer bowing, though he was still on his knees. “Your majesty, I actually do not have entirely bad news to bring!”

“Oh?” The Financier pulled a letter out of his robes, and offered it up to his Lord and Master. It was sealed with white wax, with the emblem of a rose.

“Word from Lord Aegis Vigil, granduncle of the Princesses.” said Kairôs excitedly. “I don't know what's in here, but you ought to read this, your majesty. And perhaps Îrilôs too.”

“Perhaps.” The Emperor neither agreed nor disagreed as he took the letter.

“Is Îrilôs not your heir?”

“It is unclear. My daughter is the closest relative of mine, Financier Kairôs. But Asûhna is...” Katastanîôs grimaced. “I know not what is wrong with her, in her mind. I am not oblivious to her illness. Îrilôs would be a wise choice, but a betrayal of the blood, and I cannot do that. I will name no heir, the strongest will inherit. I am weary of these worldly troubles.”

“As you say, your majesty.”

“You may leave, Lord of Coins. I desire peace and quiet. Put the letter on the mail shelf, if you would.” Kairôs obeyed and left, and only the Emperor remained in his solar. Every door of the balcony was open, looking over the great city of Ar-Athazîon. Great was a redundant descriptor, actually; the Ar- prefix already meant that. Even grammar is deserting me in my decline, grimly thought the so-called King of Man.

They said this city boasted a million people within and without its walls. From the citadel of Athazîon, here on its rocky hill by the sea, he could see all of it. There was the Cathedral of Saint Aikâlon, a great octagonal hall with eight wings running out of it. It was the tallest building in all the world, peaking at four hundred and fifty-eight feet at its central dome. Nearby was the University, a sprawling complex where the finest scholars gathered for debate, and scientists worked their wonders. And of course, there were the banks; almost fortresses themselves. Katastanîôs worried that they'd take over the world if his successors did not do so first. If there was one piece of evidence that it was his race destined to dominate this Earth, as the Equestrians called it, it was the existence of this city. After all, they had all the might of Heaven behind them. What power could hope to stand against that?

Unfortunately, Katastanîôs did not have God backing him specifically. The Lord of Heaven saw fit to let him fall to whatever consuming disease he had. Not even the doctors of the Alaiîn Order had been able to figure out what it was. The Emperor was sure that it was multiple pestilences at once. But, there was no point in fighting inevitable much longer... Not much longer, in any case. As he watched the sun set over his city, sleep took him, and he passed out of the physical realm.

In his dreams, Katastanîôs could walk again, and his body was not wracked by aches and pains and decay. The dreamworld had fascinating him, in his youth, he had learned how to control and manipulate it. To an extent, at least. A dream was a slippery thing, he had learned many times. Perhaps they would call him Katastanîôs the Dreamer, when he passed? Just as Îrilôs the third had become Îrilôs the Fiery, for his popularizing of black powder. The Emperor's fascination with dreams and the mind was well-known to the city. As far as Imperial interests went, it was one of the more mundane ones. Fâôs the Spider-sick had taken care of that for centuries to come.

“I wonder what his wife thought of that...” mused the Emperor aloud. The legends said he tried to turn her into a spider. “Absurd!”

Katastanîôs left the citadel, and travelled down to the palace grounds. It was something he enjoyed in life, walking through these gardens. His council had urged him to move into the citadel when his health began to fail, though. It was safer, they said. Katastanîôs regretted ever listening to them, he would never walk these gardens again now. The sun had set in the dreamworld, something he didn't intend to happen, and the moon took its place.

“Strange, I didn't do that.” he noted to himself.

“I did.” said another voice. Katastanîôs turned around, wondering what he had summoned up this time. Before him stood what looked like a midnight blue zôsha, just with one hoof on each leg instead of three. Her mane was a lighter shade of blue, she had a horn and wings. He didn't know how he knew she was a she, but it seemed right.

“Who are you?” asked the King of Man.

“I am Luna, Princess of the Night!” she replied, a bit too excitedly.

“So you're one of the alicorns.” Katastanîôs said. “The younger one, yes?”

“I am.” affirmed Luna the alicorn. “Forgive me if I am informal, but I've never been inside the dreams of someone who isn't a pony...” She looked positively giddy at the moment. “I believe you are the Emperor of Sarathûl?”

“None other. What brings you to the dreams of an old man in his twilight hours?” wondered the Emperor. He wasn't sure if she was real or not, but the least he could do was see where this went. They said the Prince of the Night had been able to walk in the dreams of his subjects, but could his youngest daughter?

“I have come hoping to make peace between our nations. No doubt you have heard Celestia's response to your envoy by now.” said Luna as her expression sobered.

“Just this afternoon.”

“Not all of us want war, Emperor. Least of all my granduncle and I, who constitute two thirds of the high alicorn blood remaining.” continued the Princess, raising a hoof in what was surely pride. “I hoped a face-to-face meeting could resolve things that envoys could not.”

“I admire your boldness, Princess Luna. I really do.” sighed Katastanîôs. “But the decision is out of my hands now. I've already sent the summons to battle, and soon, I won't be around to recall them.”

“What?” asked the alicorn. Ah, they're not familiar with our ways, are they?

“I'll be dead soon.” simply stated the Emperor. “The news is spreading and it is not in my abilities to stop it. Sarathûl will be ready and willing to battle your sister, or some of it, at least. I'm not really sure how many will answer my call, you see.”

“Well...” Luna frowned, her earlier demeanor of jubilance completely gone. “I suppose that does complicate affairs... Could you direct me to your heir?”

“I don't know who is my heir.” Katastanîôs said.

“You don't know who will obey you, and you don't know who will succeed you. What manner of Emperor are you?” The Princess asked in an indignant tone.

“A tired one.” He thought up a chair and sat down in it, leaning back to look at the sky. “A tired, sick, and old one.”

“So I guess this has been a waste of time, then.” remarked Luna, sighing. “There is no chance to negotiate even a truce?”

“I'm afraid not.” Katastanîôs admitted. “Check back in a few weeks, someone will be in charge here then. But I doubt they'll be willing to listen like I am.” His only successors were either too estranged from him, like his daughter Asûhna, or too ambitious, like his nephew Îrilôs. He didn't know what either would do in this case. “I spent my youth fighting on the Middle Karthâ; the river of blood they came to call it. So much death for just two banks of land and the water between. Asûhna and Îrilôs, neither of them have fought in the chaos of battle, or killed with their bare hands, nor seen what horrors an unpaid army can wreak upon the innocent. No, I wouldn't trust them to strive for peace, or use strength of arms to merely maintain peace.”

“I see...” Luna replied, looking disgruntled. “To be honest, Emperor, I do not like my sister's odds in this coming conflict.”

“I don't either.” agreed Katastanîôs, putting a finger to his chin. Something occurred to him. “My Lord of Coins said Celestia was a young girl who had her parents stolen from her, and would not rest until those who took them were punished. If I was as young as she in spirit, I would do the same. But not you, little Luna. You do not seek justice as she does.”

“I don't think it was your intention to spread that plague to our shores. Just smugglers in the wrong place at the wrong time... It spread from there.” spoke the alicorn, with a grim voice. “I'm not angry, I don't hate anyone. It was an accident.” Her ears twitched, and angled ever-so-slightly back. “Right?”

“I didn't even know the Grey Shadow was still active.” Katastanîôs looked off into the distance, his thoughts going back over all the history he had ever learned, both the commonly known and the secret. “After thirteen hundred years with no alicorns to spread it to, I thought that plague had died.”

“That's a reasonable conclusion.” Luna looked at the sky and the moon she had raised. “I wonder what they would have thought, that all this foolishness would come of their deaths.”

“If the Lord of Heaven is merciful, they won't know.”

“Is ignorance mercy, Emperor?” questioned the Princess.

“Sometimes it is.” That secret history came to mind. Some things were better left untold... “I can only hope that there is mercy for us as well, here in creation.” Katastanîôs turned to Luna. “When I leave, I'll speak for your sister up there. If something can lift the veil from her vision before its too late...”

“Thank you..?” said Luna. Obviously, she wasn't entirely sure what Katastanîôs was referencing. It would make sense that the Equestrians knew nothing of his people's faith. “I suppose if there's nothing I can do to work towards peace, I should get going...” Luna straightened her stance, but quickly deflated again, a hopeful smile upon her face. “But I do have one other question. Mostly unrelated to any current events.”

“Alright, ask away.”

“When Financier Kairôs came to Lithton to negotiate with us, he mentioned something. He said...” The alicorn's face contorted in recollection, as she tried to drag out memories that didn't seem to be cooperating. “I think he said that your kind was hunted for centuries, by a great enemy, who you eventually cast into Hell, that was the term he used. Aegis couldn't answer this, but what exactly was he talking about?”

“Ah...” Katastanîôs folded his hands, and leaned forward now. How am I going to give a quick answer? he wondered. There were so many details he’d have to leave out... “The Great Enemy. It's bad luck to say his name, but that name would be... Vahâdrîn.” whispered the Emperor, giving a sly look around. Nothing bad happened, so he continued. “They say he was a man who turned to darkness; consumed the souls of demons! When he came out of Hell-” Luna gave him a questioning look. “When he came out of the underworld, he went after us. King Aikâlon led us to the Far North. There was a terrible battle and he was cast back into Hell; all thanks to a certain Zefîr, I might add.”

“Very interesting... Goldleaf would love to hear about this.” commented the Princess. “So I guess Kairôs was boasting that if you could defeat someone who ate demon souls, then we would be nothing?”

“More or less.” agreed Katastanîôs. “Does that answer your question?”

“Yes, it does. Thank you, Emperor Katastanîôs.” Luna nodded respectfully. “My time here has not been a complete loss, then.” She offered a slight smile.

“No, it hasn't. I sincerely hope you have better luck with my successor. Fate was not with you today, Princess. You were given a dying man to deal with.” The Emperor chuckled. “Had your sister waited two or three weeks to send her letter, or sent it two or three weeks earlier, things would be entirely different!”

“They would be.” Now Luna frowned. “I'm not really sure what to say to someone who's about to die. I hope that's not too blunt to say, but you just seem so casual about it-”

“Fear not. Death is coming to all of us mortals, I've known that for a long time. I'm not afraid of it. The Promised Realm awaits me, it's just a matter of getting there now.”

“Good luck on that journey, then.” said the Princess of the Night.

“And good luck on making peace to you.” Katastanîôs too nodded, one sovereign to another. Luna departed from his dream as suddenly as she had come. Fate might not have been with her, but it is with me. I meet an alicorn princess on the last night of my life. What are the odds?

The next morning, Katastanîôs was back to being decrepit in his wheeled chair, under assault from a vicious host of maladies. He held a black wooden box in his hands; in it was a vial of clear liquid. “You're supposed to do this with a priest...” he said to himself, looking around the empty room, filled with books and letters and records. It was still cool out, the heat of the day had not set in, and a pleasant breeze smelling of the sea came through the open balcony doors. “But I was never a people person. Well, Katastanîôs, this is it. God be with me!” He raised the vial.

Within a few hours, the city of Ar-Athazîon knew his long, prosperous, and sometimes intense reign of forty-four years had come to an end. Bells rang, black banners and silver stars were hung. So passed Katastanîôs Taizâres, the ninth of his name, in the city he was born in, and in the land of his fathers.

Author's Note

So it begins! If you haven't read Across the Sea, Part I, you really shouldn't be here. As for the rest of you, let's rock.

Also, next chapter begins literally seconds after Part I's last Tempest chapter ends, so you may want to review that if you're cloudy on the details.

In Parts Unknown

Tempest

“The Far North?” Snowy repeated, looking at the surrounding land. They were towards the bottom of great rend's ravine, on the other side of the Ôsavon from where they should be.

“We flew the wrong way!” Tempest groaned, collapsing to her knees. “How could I have been so stupid?” There was no way they'd ever be able to fly over the mountains, they were too high. And there was no way she'd fly back to that accursed fortress, either! Not with that thing still there.

“It's not your fault...” said Snowy guiltily. “I led us this way in the first place.”

“Yeah, but you're the hero here.” stated the supposed Queen of Highcrest. “You tackled a- a- shit, I don't even know what that was back there!” she swore.

“The Hell-wraith!” gasped Snowy, so surprising herself that she jumped to her hooves. “I tackled a wraith?” asked the other pegasus.

“Well, I'm still breathing...” affirmed Tempest, glancing over herself.

“Haha! I tackled a wraith!” Snowy squealed in delight, bouncing in excitement. Tempest couldn't help but smile, despite their situation. “I fought Hell-spawn and won! If you could see me now, mother, you evil-” she stopped suddenly, aware of what she had just said. “I didn't mean to say that out loud.” Snowy spoke quietly.

“Do you want me to pretend I didn't hear that?” Tempest asked. The other pegasus sighed.

“No... I would rather not talk about it, that's all.” she brightened again. “But I did fight a wraith! I fought a wraith! How many can say that?”

“Very few, I'm sure.” Fighting it really isn't the same was pushing it over in a surprise attack and flying away again, Tempest almost said. But, she did something rare, and thought before she spoke. A victory like this could only do Snowy good. And seeing a triumphant Snowy was certainly a pleasant change from an already-defeated, afraid, and nervous Snowy. “What was it you said to the wraith, anyway? Kaia something.”

“Kaia bâlon.” said Snowy, smiling craftily. “Heaven will be victorious: an ancient battle-cry, used by the humans against the demons that once hunted them.”

“Fitting.” Tempest commented. “Do you have any idea of where we should go from here?”

“Uh... East?” The pegasus just flung a hoof in the general direction of the rising sun. “That's the way to where we're supposed to meet Îrilôs.” Tempest nodded, getting the notion it was time to check the map the knight had given them, back in Jutan. It was weird to think that had been only a few nights ago.

But before either could act, there was a low howl in the distance, coming from the direction of Kakâdras. Was that a wolf- Tempest started to think, until she suddenly recalled the letter Sidâl had read to them months ago. Sir Lîetôs, the real Sir Lîetôs, not the impostor wraith, had written a letter to Ar-Athazîon about a strange creature they spotted on a ridge crest. She saw a ridge with a bare crest, directly north of her. “Well, fuck.” swore Tempest again. “Now there's demons and monsters after us!”

“J-just our luck.” Snowy commented, ears going flat when the howl sounded again. It made Tempest shiver. Their momentary triumph was gone. “That letter Sidâl read to us... Something's not right, it said.”

“Yeah, I was just thinking about that. Of course we get to experience it for ourselves!” grumbled Tempest. “It wouldn't be a genuine Blackwind adventure without catastrophe and disaster along every stop in the road.”

“I guess not...” sighed the other pegasus.

“Let's move before whatever that howling thing is gets us. We didn't escape a wraith to die to some pretend wolf, did we?” asked Tempest, hoping she could lighten the mood a little. Snowy only frowned.

It was off again, they moved in a straight north direction to put as much distance as they could between the howl and Kakâdras and themselves as they could. Neither of them knew if the wraith would chase them, but given that it didn't attack while they slept, it might have let them go. Or it might not have been able to find us by night... Maybe they should move by night? It was certainly something to consider. After reaching a high hill many miles from Kakâdras, Tempest decided they'd stop for the day, and resume travel at nightfall.

They rested near a spring that quietly bubbled out of the rock. While she was several dozen yards away from the water, deeper into the surrounding forest of firs and hemlocks, Tempest noticed something absolutely chilling; it looked like a series of rocks in a line, but after following it and digging around in the dirt a few inches, she realized it wasn't just a line, but the remains of a wall!

People really did used to live here, Tempest thought. It was an eerie feeling. All her life she had heard about this place, the Far North, ancient homeland of mankind. All her life it had been some vague, mysterious place, not really connected to the human narrative, except as a backdrop for the dawn of their history. But seeing this ruined wall... It was tangible. It was real. This might have been a home, or the border of a farm once. Someone had lived here, and someone had fled from here, driven so thoroughly that they and hundreds of thousands more had stormed a seventeen-thousand foot high wall of rock and taken on the most powerful race in the world just to get out.

The silence of the land pressed in on her.

Tempest rushed back to Snowy, suddenly not convinced that being alone was the best idea. “Is something wrong?” Snowy asked when she saw her worried expression.

“I saw the remains of a wall.” stated Tempest, glancing back into the forest. “I don't know Snowy, what if I was right?” Snowy had been present during a few lessons with Brenan, when Tempest had voiced her idea that something evil drove the humans south. “What if something bad happened up here, and it wasn't something natural like climate change or overpopulation? What would make an entire race abandon their settled lands and rush headlong at the alicorns, the nation not even dragons would touch?”

“I think you underestimate the human spirit, Tempest.” said Snowy, in a calm voice. “They are far from perfect, but they know how to apply themselves to problems. And if there was anything up here, it's long gone.”

“If you say so...” Tempest kicked at a rock, trying to calm her urge to move. “But you're the one who believes in gods and fire demons and shadow spirits and Hell-spawn.”

“We just got attacked by a wraith-” Snowy began, before closing her eyes and exhaling. “And there is only one God, Tempest.” she corrected.

“So you really did convert, then!” I saw this coming.

“That's not the issue. Fire demons and shadow spirits, they were real once. But the Great Enemy was destroyed thousands and thousands of years ago, according to the Kaiathîsa. His demons died with him, or shortly after.” Snowy lectured. “Wraiths and other monsters like Sidâl's, the ones that leave that horrible frost, those are all that's left. Angry creatures without a master, the last of their kind in a world leaving them behind...” she looked down, ears drooping. “I almost feel sorry for them.”

“I don't.” muttered Tempest, remembering the tunnel Sidâl had made, and the prisoners that went in and never came out. Truth be told, Tempest was more interested in the fact Snowy had basically admitted she converted to the human faith than in any story about monsters. What exactly did she convert from, though? wondered Tempest. The Queen of Highcrest had never paid attention to religion, human or pony, despite Aharôs's attempts to bring her around. She had no idea what she believed, except for the fact that her family was probably cursed. “Remind me to remind you to tell me why you went to their god, some time.” Tempest said, laying down in the shade of a cedar. “I'm getting some sleep before sunset, you should too.”

“I told you months ago, it's not their God.” Snowy corrected yet again, settling near Tempest after putting down her own blanket. Months ago, you were still a stammering, nervous wreck, Tempest thought. She was still pleased at how much progress her friend had made in this short time. Maybe all she needed these ten years was to just get out of Nikadîon for a while? They had never left for more than a few days, before Aharôs dragged them off into a war... In hindsight, being cooped up in that dark, gloomy place was far less preferable to being out here in the world.

Fortunately, the Far North was much less grim than that castle. It was surprisingly, really; she'd always imagined this as a cold, windy, grey place. But it was green, covered with trees and plants. And it was quiet. There were some birds making their calls here and there, and the occasional rustle of a breeze in the branches above, but silence persisted. Most of all, Tempest was surprised by the heat of the day. The letter from the real Captain of Kakâdras had said that winter's chill had lingered longer than it should, but Tempest felt no cold today. It wasn't long before the day's warmth and her own fatigue put her to sleep.

The first thing she was aware of was a smell she didn't recognize at all, something biting and sharp. She sniffed, and tried to sneeze it away, to no avail. Tempest opened her eyes. It was completely dark, the stars and moon were high in the sky. And there were clouds rolling in from some direction, going by the dark masses above. She glanced over a few feet to Snowy, who was still tightly curled up on her blanket.

But what was that smell? There was something about it that stung the insides of her nostrils. She got that feeling about burning wool and other acrid stenches, but this was something deeper. It was almost like it went all the way through her nose and behind her eyes; a notion that made her cringe. That mystery would have to wait.

“Time to get up,” Tempest said to Snowy, walking over and nudging her awake. “we've got ground to cover.” Snowy said nothing, she stood up silently and stretched her wings. They packed up what little they had with them. Tempest hoped she could find east, the moon was directly overhead, and the clouds had just gotten thicker and thicker by the minute. Soon enough, not only were the stars hidden, but so was the moon as well. “Hmm...”

“Mmh?” prompted Snowy.

“I'm trying to get my bearings.” Tempest looked around, trying not to be too desperate in her search for a sign of direction. But it was too dark to see anything other than vague shapes. She shivered, in part by the cold night air, in part by the idea of being temporarily lost in the Far North.

“Do you know what way to go? I don't...” Snowy commented.

“Yeah, uh... This way.” Tempest pointed off in the direction she thought was east. And off they were, flying through the night. It was a silent affair, there was little wind, but the air was quite chilled. When they landed for a mid-night meal, Tempest found her wings almost numb. As they sat on a hill top, chewing on the last of the bread given to them by Zefîra and her father, Tempest observed what little she could see. There wasn't much to see at all, though. Everything was cloaked in shadow; just vague shapes on a vague horizon.

“There goes the food.” said Snowy, with concern.

“We'll have to go back to foraging. Stick to plants you recognize, we don't know what is poisonous or not up here.” Tempest stated, before they took off again. They flew on; Tempest pressed hard to get away from Kakâdras and the false-wolf howl. Hours passed by, and eventually, the sky started to lighten... to her right. “That should be in front of us!” said Tempest. “We've been going north the whole time!”

Snowy just sighed in defeat, and began descending. I can't believe I fucked this up, Tempest fumed internally, as she followed Snowy down. You had one job! Just find east and go that way! You can't even do that right... she scolded herself.

They landed in a clearing, where Tempest tried to get her bearings again. She had no idea how far they had actually gone. She supposed that they could just fly south east until they saw the mountains again... But she wasn't willing to risk it by day. They needed to rest. As the sun rose, however, Tempest realized that they weren't actually in a clearing.

“What happened here?” asked Snowy.

It was a path of total devastation, going straight through the woods, without a single twist or turn. She lost sight of the path of ruin when it went up and over a distant hill. It wasn't the wind that had done it, that was obvious; not a single tree had been overturned. Rather, it was as if some great hand had plowed through, snapping every tree like it was but a twig. Each fallen trunk pointed the same direction, to the northwest. There were shattered stumps everywhere.

“Was it a cyclone?” wondered Tempest. A flood couldn't have done this, there was no water and the path pointed uphill. But a cyclone probably would have pulled the tree out with it's roots still attached. Whatever did this seemed to have hit the trees from a horizontal angle...

“I- I don't like this.” Snowy said shakily. She was looking at the ground, and Tempest followed her stare. There was no grass, no moss, no saplings, no ferns or shrubs. Just bare ground. Even the fallen trees had no leaves. It occurred to her that they were all sun-bleached. “We should move.”

“Hmm...” mused Tempest, absent-mindedly. She wasn't going to lie to herself, this was incredibly interesting. Her gaze slowly turned from the fallen trees, past Snowy, and to the hill beyond. It was the exact opposite direction of where they needed to go... “Snowy, have you ever gotten that feeling when you just have to take another step to see around the next corner, or over the next wall?”

“...No.” replied Snowy in a small voice, ears falling flat as she realized what Tempest was about to say.

“Whatever happened here, happened a long time ago. These trunks have been sitting out here for years and years.” Tempest said, walking around in the light of the rising sun.

“We saw a wraith-”

“That's true.” admitted Tempest. She had been scared by that, but in the face of an adventure to parts unknown, who cared about wraiths? They had a chance to go off the edge of the map! Her lifelong dream was a moment away from coming true, and no wraith nor howl-thing would stand in her way! “You yourself said the creatures of the ancient world are all but gone, and the only ones left are ones even you can best. What do we have to lose by following this path to its destination? It's not like Aharôs and the others can move faster than us.” A sudden pang of worry shot through her, as she realized Aharôs was also heading to Kakâdras and the wraith. But like she had just said, if even Snowy could best the wraith, then it would be no challenge for Aharôs. He was a better fighter than the two of them combined.

“I-” Her friend signed again, defeated as usual. “I don't know... Blackwind adventures tend to end badly.”

That too was true, very much so. Tempest paused her thoughts for a moment. Anything involving my family usually ends up a disaster... She didn't want to drag Snowy into any more danger than they were already in, the other pegasus wasn't cut out for this kind of situation. But at the same time, Snowy had survived the war in Equestria, she had survived the crossing of the sea, and she had survived Reshîv's usurpation... Perhaps her god was with her. “I think we'll be fine, Snowy. We've gotten through worse than some knocked over trees.”

“If you say so.” conceded Snowy, looking doubtful about the notion.

“We'll sleep until evening, and then we follow this thing.” Tempest declared, feeling unusually bold.

“This had better not turn out like the Debacle of 1499...” grumbled Snowy, getting a mildly annoyed expression on her face. Tempest had an un-queenly giggle at the thought of that incident. She was convinced the only people who had been amused by that were her and Sir Turaz.

“I don't think anything short of my return to Highcrest could turn out that badly again.” Tempest said with a smile. Despite being miles off course in the Far North, despite being attacked by a wraith, despite encountering this strange evidence of destruction, Tempest felt good. At last, she had a chance to do one of the things she had always wanted to do. That evening, when they woke up again, she would begin an adventure into the wild places of the world. Maybe they'd find nothing at all, maybe they'd find something, but the point was moot. The beyond pulled at her, compelling her forwards. Tempest was finally going somewhere unexplored.

Author's Note

That's right, two chapters in our initial publish. Because we're pushing this plot into overdrive. Kind of. Not really.

Luna and the Dreamworld

Author's note: It's been a while since I updated, if you're having trouble remembering what's going on, here's an entire summary of Part One. You can read the two prior chapters of this part easily enough, they're not long.

Luna

Sarathûl was surprisingly less alien than she imagined, except for the fact that the clouds were far too high to be reached by any pegasus or alicorn. And the fact that the weather was being controlled by nothing at all. Her first two nights here had been definitely out of the ordinary. On the first night, she had dealt with the general excitement of a new continent, and the general sense of foreboding, for it was a hostile one. Still, she was in the lands of her ancestors! On the second night, she had not only attempted to enter the dreams of a human, but gone straight for their Emperor! That had been more or less not worth the effort, as she discovered. Their Emperor was apparently on the verge of death and could no longer stop the events set in motion. So much for peace... Luna had resigned herself to inevitable battle. There was no point in trying to avoid it now.

“Well, I wonder who their next Emperor will be.” wondered Goldleaf, as they enjoyed their new command tent for this bold expedition into the realms of men.

“He mentioned one by the name of Îrilôs.” replied Luna. “But We do not know who he is.”

“These humans have such weird names.” Hemlock Farpeak stated, mildly annoyed. “Seriously, why do they have so many ôs-endings? Does it mean something? And why are we only dealing with their males? Do they not have females?”

“Such a curious young mare, isn't she?” Goldleaf muttered to Luna, before turning back to the pegasus. “They do have females, but we just never encounter many. Imagine an Equestria dominated by completely and only by stallions, and that's Sarathûl.” That notion made Hemlock scrunch up her nose in repulsion.

“Madness!” she remarked.

“I can't explain the ôs-endings, though. Probably just another human foolery.” The unicorn mused. “They have many fooleries, come to think of it.”

“Indeed.” Luna nodded, but as usual, her mind was elsewhere than the conversation. Goldleaf and Hemlock seemed to get into their own discussions while Luna feel deep into thought. She was deeply curious about this Vahâdrîn character Emperor Katastanîôs had told her about. All Luna knew was that he had pursued the human race, until he was defeated. A man that ate the souls of demons! How fantastic! Of course, Luna knew that eating the souls of demons was just that, a fantasy. Was it? That thing she had seen in the dream of her granduncle was proof that evil was a very real force in the world... At least it had been, once.

“How long do you think it will be before they realize we're here?” Hemlock asked, as the alicorn's ears returned to the conversation.

“I give them, at most, a few weeks. Probably less, until they all start trying to kill us.” stated Goldleaf, not without some apprehension. “I'm not looking forward to this at all, Hemlock.” confessed he, looking at his crippled leg. “At least you can fly, I can barely manage a single teleport. And running is dangerous at best.”

“Who says we'll have to run?” questioned the pegasus again. “Lady Silver told me that the human formations are tight, closely-packed, and not very maneuverable. Your magic could tear them apart.”

“I certainly hope so.” said Goldleaf. “And I certainly hope they won't need me out there, fighting.”

“You're one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria-” Hemlock began, before the unicorn snorted.

“That isn't saying much, you know. I'm just a shadow of Starswirl or any other of my predecessors.” he stated, looking somewhat condescending.

“I hope you're selling yourself short.” remarked Hemlock, rolling her eyes. “I really do.”

“I'm just being realistic.” the unicorn defended, waving his bad leg at her.

“No matter how it goes, you may prove useful yet.” Luna interjected, before the two could get further. They did like to get into their little debates.

“I can do paperwork.” offered Goldleaf. “But I doubt we're going to have much paperwork over here... That's a relief, honestly.”

“Rest assured, it is unlikely that We will need you on the battlefield. Our granduncle has trained the other unicorns in how to fight in groups, but not you.” stated the princess.

Uneventful days passed on, as nothing of note happened. Luna returned to the city of man in the dreamworld; but was unable to contact any human. She was beginning to think that the dreamworld was some reflection of the real one, it seemed every location had a corresponding one there. This was confirmed by a visit to Everfree and Canterlot in one of her nightly adventures. Moving around was simply a matter of envisioning oneself in that location. But, she was able to go visit places she had never been by “physically” moving there. Of course, her body wasn't actually moving, her mind was the only part of her in locomotion. What was most interesting was how empty and quiet it all was though. It seemed as if no living thing was ever there besides her; not for long, at least. Ponies and humans alike flickered in and out, some stayed longer, some stayed shorter. Only the human Emperor had ever noticed her and stayed to talk. Maybe it takes a certain kind of mind to realize its dreaming while still in a dream..?

There was, however, something more pressing that came to Luna's attention: the issue of food. Water wasn't a problem, given their location in mountainous terrain, but food would be before long. Their ships only had so much supply, they would not last forever with what they brought. But this was bad land for growing any kind of crops. Thus, it was rather devoid of human touch. A blessing and a curse, one could say. They didn't have to worry about being discovered yet, but they did have to worry about how they'd keep from going hungry here. Luna supposed that it was always possible to send the ships back to Equestria for resupply, but that'd leave them dangerously isolated...

“What does happen if they find us?” Hemlock asked one early morning, after Luna finished her nightly adventure in the dreamworld.

“Then we fight.” Goldleaf told her. “Well, you do.”

“No, I mean, what kind of fight will we be looking at?” the pegasus clarified. “Human tactics, I've been told, are meant for open-field combat. We're far from any open fields.”

“I doubt we'll be going up against any heavy infantry. The humans enjoy their pike-and-shot formation, but it wouldn't work here. Too hilly, too forested.” spoke Goldleaf, furrowing his brow in thought.

“I guess we'll have the advantage of flight, too.” Hemlock mused.

“I don't know much about aerial combat...” confessed the unicorn. “Just hope they don't all aim their pikes up when you attack, though.”

Another few days passed without incident. The pegasi furtively scouted, and the unicorns got to work on constructing a palisade wall around their encampment. Luna just got more and more acclimated to her domain of the dreamworld. It was on one of these nights she had a pleasant surprise in this new frontier.

“Luna!” called a familiar voice in the distance, as the alicorn princess paid a visit to Everfree Castle.

“Aegis?” she asked, spying a golden figure far off. With the blink of an eye, she was right in front of him. “Aegis!” Luna jumped up and hugged him.

“Hello there.” said her granduncle, with a smile. “I see you're acclimating well to this place.”

“Oh, I am.” agreed Luna. “It's so strange, but... I think I like it.”

“Well, I'm glad. I think once you have it all figured out, we might bring more ponies here.” Aegis suggested. “It'd be a useful way to keep in touch. In fact, that's what we used to use it for.”

“We can bring other ponies here?” she asked, ideas suddenly racing through her head.

“Of course. You can bring any living soul here, should you choose to. You can drag them in kicking and screaming, or help them in willingly.” stated the golden alicorn. “But only a select few can bring themselves here.”

“The human emperor could.” remarked Luna.

“You met Katastanîôs?”

“Briefly, on the night before his death. I thought I was in his dream, but I came to realize he had entered the dreamworld. It's weird how there are two levels of it...” Luna glanced around at the world, squinting at the night. “There's this place, and then there's all the dreams of creatures. But only a few can come here by themselves?”

“Only a few.” repeated Aegis. “And not all of them should be sought out.”

“Oh... Is this anything like what I saw-”

“Yes.” he nodded, cutting her off. Aegis now looked around warily. “Try not to bring that up. Some things resonate more strongly in here than out there... Though most things in here will be weaker than they are out there. That does not apply to you, being the daughter of the Nightlord. You're the rightful mistress of this realm; it will bend to you, in time.But you are still young and untried, so be careful with where you go.”

“Why?” she questioned, very curious about these other things.

“There are powers in the world that rely more on deception and trickery than raw strength to achieve their ends. Be wary of whom you meet in here. They might not be what they seem.” Aegis gave a guarded stare into the distance, as if remembering something. “That was not a pleasant lesson to learn; I would be loath to have you go through it too.”

“What powers are these?” pressed Luna. Aegis didn't immediately reply. Instead, he conjured up a white rose, growing out of the ground in a matter of moments. He bore a heavy expression as he regarded the flower.

“Have you ever heard of shadow spirits?” asked Aegis in return.

“Well- actually, yes.” Luna said, remembering Goldleaf and Hemlock talking about a supposed spirit of shadow that would bring darkness to the world, and the possibly-related evil ice spirit of the north. “Just a few weeks ago.”

“Most of them are gone. Maybe all of them, by now; it's been several thousand years since I last encountered one. Even in that day, it was very weak.” began the old alicorn, his eyes not leaving the rose. “At least, it was weak in our physical world. I didn't expect it to pull us into the dreamworld. And that's where its deception paid off.”

“What happened?” she asked quietly. Luna could sense there was a definite weight behind his words. She didn't want to pry at her granduncle's life, given how long and troubled her parents implied it had been… But she had to know.

“Just one more change in the life of Aegis Vigil, that's all.” Aegis shook his head and closed his eyes. “The good news was that I managed to severely hurt the shadow spirit. I don't know what became of it after that, other than it encountering the humans long enough for them to name it. Thîran, I think they called it...”

“Why would it go to the humans? Wouldn't they fear it with their superstitious religion influencing them so?”

“Desperation. I denied it the fire of life it had sought to feed on, and then beaten it back. As a last resort, this Thîran may have attempted to feed on humans, a poor substitute for alicorns at best.” Aegis said without concern. “The reason I'm telling you this is because Corthunien and I were never able to account for the final three shadow spirits. Thîran's fate is unknown, the pegasi would say missing in action. The other two, we never even managed to find. It is comforting to think they starved to death. But...”

“Maybe they didn't.” Luna finished for him. “Maybe they're still hiding, and still looking for alicorns to eat.”

“Exactly.” Aegis nodded. “The dreamworld is the best hiding place there is. I have met some strange characters in this place... Who can say who they really were? What they really were? If those spirits have remained out of sight this long, there's no reason to believe they couldn't hide right under my nose. So be careful in here, Luna. Very careful.”

“It sounds like you think about this a lot.” noted the alicorn princess.

“The early days of the world were full of evil, like I told you. It's easy to bring down a fire demon that's laid waste to half a continent, they're not hard to find.” Aegis grimaced. “It's the ones that managed to escape us after all these years I worry about. They're the smart ones. That makes them the most dangerous when it's only Corthunien and I left to deal with them.”

“And here I was worrying about how the human's black powder weapons would interfere with our pegasi's tactics...” Luna said.

“Black powder, now there's something I appreciate.” Aegis said approvingly. “How much trouble we could have been spared if we just had as great an equalizer as black powder! It doesn't need much strength, it doesn't need much skill, you point your weapon and push a lever... a deadly hail of lead follows no matter what. A lot more souls would be among the living today if we had that back then.” Luna could only nod. Aegis looked back down to his white rose, and it began to wither.

“The ancient world is dying, Luna. There's hardly anything left of it. What is a shadow spirit or other ethereal entity against cannons and sailing ships and steel? Things have changed so fast in these past few centuries, that I can't imagine what is going to happen as you and your sister grow up. How long will it be until all the empty parts of the Earth fill up? How long until the wilds are tamed and the last of the feared monsters are driven to their doom?” Aegis smiled. “How long until our descendents can live free of the fear and hardship I have fought so long against? I think the best is yet to come, Luna.”

“You do?” She frowned. “But we're on the verge of a war...”

“I have hope we can get Celestia to see reason before this goes any further than warmongering pegasi getting killed a thousand miles from home.” said the golden alicorn, looking genuinely happy for once. “The road ahead isn't smooth, but the sun is rising on the world, Luna. We're finally coming out of the long dark.”

Author's Note

I didn't mean to be gone for well over a month, but things happen. Luna never has been easy to write, too. Well, I'm back, let's get our adventure moving again. I meant to have this up yesterday, but Comcast is really screwing me over with connection issues.

On the Move

Turaz

“Well.” the knight said, looking through the ajar gates of Kakâdras. “It figures something like this would happen.”

“I did warn you, sire, that they would go after anything and anyone close to you. Even your ward.” stated Sidâl.

“I just don't understand...” sighed Brenan the priest. “How?”

“How? Does it matter how?” coldly asked King Aharôs from atop his zôsha. The King had an expression that Turaz could only call calmly enraged. It was just a bit unsettling.

Down the fortress's gates were painted the words too late, with a single blue-grey feather hanging off a nail hammered into the stone. The note was signed with KRL. “King” Reshîv Loiar, no doubt.

“What matters is that my half-brother has gone and done something to the one I swore to protect, and has sacked an Imperial citadel, on the March, no less!” Aharôs said. He wasn't fiery at the moment, but there was venom in his tone. Turaz was afraid that he could lose control at any moment; this might be too much for the already unappreciated, frustrated, and betrayed King. “This is unbelievable.” he growled. “Absolutely unbelievable.”

“There'll be Hell to pay, that's for sure.” noted Sergeant Haior, from behind Turaz.

“For who, is my question.” Turaz replied.

“We know who.” commented Sir Eberis, in a rare moment of vocation.

“Do we?” he asked again, in a quiet voice. “Something has happened to our Queen Tempest, but the culprits...” Turaz shook his head. “I don't think Reshîv's hand reaches this far.”

“Perhaps it does, perhaps it doesn't. Who can say?” answered Eberis.

“Should we investigate?” Brenan posed the question, leaning to the side as he peeked into the courtyard beyond.

“It would be prudent.” noted Haior. Aharôs nodded, and waved them forward. Turaz dismounted from the zôsha he had been given, as did the others. Cautiously, Eberis walked forward and opened the gate further. Inside, there was nothing. There were no people, not even bodies, and no signs of a fight. Everything was in order, except the scaffolding going up the keep's ill-repaired walls.

“Nothing.” commented Turaz, almost disappointed. “Haior, Eberis, go take a look inside.”

“Yes, Sir.” nodded the sergeant. Unfortunately, Streaming Breeze was still too injured to go fly up and take a look at things there. The dark red pegasus had been placed awkwardly on another zôsha; an uneasy situation, as she had made it clear that the beasts were considered enslaved but estranged cousins in Equestria.

“I wonder how Îrilôs is doing.” Aharôs suddenly said. “If Reshîv is bold enough to go against the Emperor, would he not go against his envoy as well?” Turaz only shrugged, his armor creaking.

“I can't say, sire.” Sidâl replied, sniffing the air, looking concerned. “Do you smell that?”

“No...” The King frowned at the sky.

“It smells of magic.” the sorcerer-spy stated. “The kind I use.”

“Do you think Reshîv has his own sorcerer, then?” Brenan asked.

“It's possible.” Sidâl put a hand to his chin. “I am not the only man of my kind walking the world. But the odds of someone else with my level of training also being in Athair? Very low... very low indeed.” Why would Reshîv hire a sorcerer when he professed hatred at Sidâl's work? wondered Turaz, before something else occurred to him. Why is Sidâl even working for us?

“Sidâl, what keeps you on our side?” questioned Turaz. “You could have abandoned us at any point, and as far as I know, we don't even pay you... Yet you keep on, with a seemingly losing cause.” Aharôs gave him a sharp glare.

“We're not losing.” he muttered.

“That's a good question, Sir.” acknowledged Sidâl, with a sly smile. “Perhaps I believe in the righteousness of our King's cause. A King that rules by right of law, and rules by the law, heedless of distraction or temptation. A King with actual integrity.” There was an ever-so-slight tone of bitterness with that final sentence.

“Where are you from?” Turaz asked again.

“Somewhere far away, somewhere with a bad King. A corrupt, incompetent, fool.” Sidâl answered. “We're luck to be in the service of King Aharôs. He may be harsh to his enemies, but does what's right, even when it's hard.”

“Thank you for your confidence.” Aharôs said dryly.

It was a good bit of time before Haior and Eberis returned from the interior of Kakâdras, but they emerged almost empty-handed.

“It's all clean, Sir.” Haior reported. “There's no sign of any struggle; no sign of anyone at all, really. No bodies. Just this.” He held out a letter to Turaz, who handed it to his King.

“What could this be...” Aharôs spoke to himself, as he unrolled the paper.

“It was placed very conspicuously, sire.” stated Haior, with a respectful bow of his head. “I believe it was meant to be found.”

“There's nothing written here. It's blank.” the King sighed.

“Might I see it?” asked Sidâl. Aharôs silently handed him the paper. The sorcerer stared at it, but to no avail. “Well, I'm afraid it's bested me as well. If there was invisible ink, none of my tricks can reveal it. Would you object if I kept this? It's possible there could be something here which could be uncovered once I'd had time to think.”

“What makes you think there's anything there at all?” queried Brenan.

“I told you I smelled magic in the air. Forces beyond your understanding were at work here, no matter how lightly or heavily.” explained Sidâl. “If there's anything to discover, it'll be me who does so.”

“Fair enough.” said Haior.

“Now, what do we do about Queen Tempest?” asked Turaz. “If Reshîv's henchmen really did get her... Where would they go?”

“East, the same way we're going.” Sidâl quickly said.

“Why?”

“Because south is Jutan, and the Duke of Jutan will be wanting to stay out of this affair, it's how he's kept his lands safe so far. West is to the steppes, there's nothing out there for us Vûrdashai, except our distant cousins. East is the only option to get back to Athair quickly now.” stated Aharôs.

“And why would Tempest be in the Far North?” asked Sidâl to no one in particular, looking towards the ancient homeland of mankind, just opposite of the way they came. He squinted at the horizon, a serious look about him. “That's just a silly notion.”

Author's Note

le_irony_face.jpg

Short chapter today, because I'm preoccupied but you guys deserve more steady updates. These character's aren't gonna be doing much for some time anyway.

Meeting Below

Tempest

For the first time in months, Tempest dreamed. She dreamed of a world of washed-out colors, littered with empty towers and crumbling bridges that led to nowhere, beckoning her onwards nonetheless. Sometimes she caught movement in the corner of her eye, or got the sense she was being watched, but she was never sure. But always, something pushed her forward. Tempest awoke confused and rather on edge. She soon forgot about this though, when she realized she was still on an adventure. An adventure to follow a road of flattened, dead trees. Not the most worthy quest, but one worth the effort regardless.

The path had gone on for longer than either of the pegasi thought, always pointing towards the northwest. They had followed it for a full night, and seen nothing of note. It never turned away, it never deviated in course.

“This is too straight to be naturally formed.” Snowy had commented one evening.

“So what could have done this? A controlled storm?” suggested Tempest.

“Maybe... But who would control it? And for what reason?”

They were both good questions, and Tempest couldn't answer either of them. Now here they were, dozens if not hundreds of miles from the nearest trace of living civilization. The days were still warm, but noticeably less so; and nights were genuinely bone-chilling. Had they gotten that far north already? It didn't seem possible...

“How much longer are we going to go, Tempest?” asked Snowy sleepily as she stretched her forelegs.

“This trail can't lead on forever.” she stated. “We can make it to the end.”

“But how much longer? We really aren't prepared to deal with snow or ice...” Snowy said, pointedly drawing her cloak closer around her. “And it's so cold already...”

“Well, if we hit the ice, then we'll lose the trail, because trees don't grow well in ice, not in my experience.” Tempest smiled to herself. “We'll be fine, Snowy.”

“I hope so.” commented she, frowning.

The journey continued, deeper into the abandoned homeland of mankind.

By the end of the night's flight, Tempest noted that the trees lining the path of destruction were changing. They were all evergreens, that was normal, but these ones had a peculiar pattern about them. Not one bit of moss or lichen grew on them under a certain level...

“Why are they like that?” Snowy wondered. Fortunately, Tempest knew the answer to this question.

“That's the snow-line. In the winter, the snow reaches that high, so nothing can grow there for very long before being smothered.” explained she.

“That's six feet up.”

“This is the Far North.”

“Still... Hard to believe anyone chose to live her, with such a harsh winter.”

The two sheltered from the bitter cold underneath the tent-like canopy of a red-cedar. Snowy buried herself in her cloak, wrapped up so tightly only her nose poked out. Tempest just kept her own cloak between the ground and herself; the forest floor would leach more heat from her than the air ever would. Again, that night, she dreamed. This time, she was standing in the same woods she slept in, and something called her, into grey mist. What was calling her, she did not know. There was no sound, no smell, no sight nor taste; just an urge to move. There was a light ahead, and movement in the fog...

It was still day when Tempest opened her eyes. She stifled a startled squeak when she saw the mist. That is too weird. Did some unconscious part of her know that the mist had moved in while they slept? Tempest shuffled closer to the other pegasus, looking through the branches warily. There was no movement or light out there. Hours passed by, but the fog stayed. Tempest woke Snowy and get them on the move again, not wanting to lose the path to the dark.

“The dead trees... There's less of them.” Snowy noted.

“Huh.” Tempest looked over a log, and saw bare ground. Most of the fallen trunks had been bleached clean and pushed into the earth, where there were any trunks at all. “This must be an older part.”

“If it's older, why are they still pointing northwest?” asked Snowy. “Shouldn't the oldest part of this trail be at the beginning instead of closer towards the end?”

“You'd think so...”

Sunset must have been nearing, as it was getting darker. The fog was blown away, and for a brief while, they had light. It wouldn't be an issue, though, as soon they spotted something ahead.

“Look!” exclaimed Snowy, pointing ahead.

“What is that?” Tempest questioned, squinting through the dying sunlight. It seemed to be a small, snow-covered hill... in a circle of fallen trees. She flew into the air for a better view. The little hill was surrounded by a huge circuit of dead trees, a mile across, mowed down in such a manner that each tree pointed to the next. It was as if something had ran around and around, knocking them over as it went. But what was most interesting of all, were the three other paths of fallen trees feeding into the circle, just like the one they followed.

“Whoa...” Snowy breathed in awe, when she joined her above the scene.

“Let's check out the hill.” commanded Tempest, diving forwards. The little hill was not coated in snow at all, but covered in... white roses? They were so thick that she could barely see the ground under them. Only at the very top was there a clear area. “What are these doing here?” she asked to herself. Snowy ignored the question and asked one of her own.

“Do you feel the warmth?” she asked. There was indeed a warmth in the air here. And a sense of serene calm, different from the uneasy quiet the Far North had given them so far.

“Come to think of it... yeah.” At the peak of the hill was a small obelisk, no more than ten feet tall. As they approached it, Tempest noted how worn down its appearance was. The corners of the obelisk's sides were chipped and smoothed, so that it was almost more round then square in circumference. A single word was carved into the obelisk, on the eastern side: Versa. It was in Equestrian letters.

“Versa?” Asked Snowy again, tilting her head.

“Sounds like a name.” commented Tempest, rearing up to take a closer look at the word, just as the sun slipped below the western horizon, and night began. “Do you know why an Equestrian named Versa would be on an obelisk in the middle of the Far North, mounted on a hill full of flowers surrounded by miles of dead trees? Is it some kind of monument to victory?”

“It's a grave.” Snowy stated after a moment of contemplation. “I- I think I remember reading that the ancient alicorns used obelisks to mark the places where their heroes fell. There's some throughout Sarathûl; it's no surprise there's one up here.”

“So some alicorn named Versa died here.” reasoned Tempest, returning all four hooves to the ground. “I wonder who she was.”

“I do too...” Snowy looked at the surrounding flowers. “White roses must have meant something to this alicorn. And whomever buried her here, they were powerful. This hill is the only thing alive within a mile. That's no small feat of magic, guarding against whatever happened to those trees.”

The two looked at the obelisk in silence, as night's darkness set in; and the howl of wind was heard in the distance.

“You know, when we get to Ar-Athazîon, we could try and find information on this Versa.” suggested Tempest. “The Emperor is bound to have a library of some size.” Snowy nodded.

“I should hope so, otherwise he wouldn't be much of an Emperor.” she agreed, before she looked up at the sky. Clouds had suddenly swept in, obscuring the sky. “Looks like we have a storm in the making.” The wind had picked up far off, but Tempest couldn't feel it yet. “I think we should wait it out here, it might just be a squall.”

“Fair enough.” Tempest conceded. They had made it to the end of their side-quest, after all. The world got darker and darker, and the scream of the wind grew stronger and stronger. There was no thunder or lightning, however. “Why don't we feel the wind?”

“Maybe it's the magic here.” replied Snowy, frowning in worry as everything beyond the hill was devoured by black clouds, very close to the ground. Hold on, those are touching the ground!

“This is too eerie.” muttered Tempest to herself, flicking her tail and twitching her ears. “Those clouds look like they're a matter of yards away!” she nearly had to yell at Snowy to be heard over the wind's howl.

The closer she looked, the more apparent it became that the dark clouds were spinning around them. They came right up to the hill, roaring and roiling, with an almost oily sheen to them, moving faster and faster. And yet, the air remained stiller than ever. Snowy took shelter within her cloak, peaking out in fright. Tempest found herself laying down, almost clutching the ground, as an unpleasant wave of shivers went down her spine. This was no natural phenomenon. Fear crept into her heart, and the black clouds kept whirling-

As quickly as it had begun, it was over. The mass of cloud peeled off its circuit and down one of the paths of flattened trees, screaming away out of sight like a long snake of fury.

“Madness...” Tempest whispered. “Madness!”

Snowy said nothing.

By silent agreement, the two decided to leave this magic place immediately, in case the strange storm decided to return. For the rest of the night, they flew in an east by southeast direction, edging away from the path they followed, and taking a straighter course to the ocean. As usual, they spent the day sleeping, and once again, Tempest dreamed. Once again, she was urged to keep moving, away from the strange hill and its monument, and towards somewhere else. She could almost hear something, a whisper tickling at her ears, too faint to be understood. The setting was the forest again, mist and all; but this time the mist was dark. She was very thankful that it was a clear evening when she woke up.

The journey continued; another night, another sleep, another dream. Late on the third night, or perhaps early in the third morning out from the hill and the eerie storm, Tempest spotted ruins, the first she had seen since the day they arrived. It looked like the collapsing shell of an ancient tower, somehow holding out against nature all this time. It's one brave tower... Maybe she'd be that brave, one day. Maybe. In fact, why not right now?

“Let's check it out, Snowy.” said Tempest, pointing at the tower.

“Hmm...” Snowy looked unsure, but the first shades of grey were appearing in the east; dawn was not far off. “Alright...” she conceded. They descended, landing outside the ruin. This structure seemed to have be taller once, given the amount of rubble surrounding it. And it, like Kakâdras, was far more angled in shape than Tempest would have expected. I thought human architecture used to be more round. Angles were supposed to be a recent thing... Quite a strange occurrence. “What do you think this place was?” asked Snowy. “It's too big to be another grave marker.”

“Maybe it was a king's house. Er, a palace, I guess...” wondered Tempest. “Or a castle.”

“The design is all wrong if it's an ancient castle. I don't think humans even used stones for fortifications until they moved south.” replied Snowy. “Maybe it's an ancient alicorn building.”

“Why would it be up here, though?” Tempest continued to think, but the answers evaded her. The two walked around the structure's remains, but found nothing of note. While Snowy looked at the stone blocks, Tempest took a look inside. There wasn't much within either, just an unsafe staircase skirting the walls, which reminded her of the wooden one at the top of Kakâdras. This one was made of stone. She was about to leave when...

Blackwind? Is that you?

“Huh?” Tempest glanced around the tower's interior, but there was nothing there.

It's been some time, hasn't it?

That wasn't her own voice in her head! That was someone else's!

You and I have much to discuss... spoke the foreign voice, soft and smooth. The pegasus wheeled about, trying to locate the source of the intruder. Down here... beckoned the voice. Something caught Tempest's gaze, something that she hadn't spotted before. A stone latch on the floor.

“Snowy, I found something!” she yelled. Quickly, Snowy's head appeared in the empty doorway.

“What?”

“Look, there's a latch on the floor. I think it might be some kind of hidden entrance.” Tempest pushed the fallen shards of masonry out of the way, revealing the stone floor. There was a barely visible outline of a door.

“Good eye, Tempest.” Snowy commented.

“It was pointed out to me.” The other pegasus gave her a confused look. “I'm serious, Snowy. A voice came into my head. It said to go down to whatever is beyond his door.”

“And you're actually going to do that?” asked Snowy incredulously.

“It called me by name, and said 'it's been some time.' I don't know about you, but I want to find out why whoever this is thinks we've met before!” declared Tempest, locking herself into decisiveness before she had time to second-guess. “Now get the lantern, we're going down.” While Snowy fetched the light, Tempest pulled upon the stone hatch. It was heavy, but not impossible to lift, thankfully. Beyond the opening were stairs, descending into darkness.

“Are you sure about this?” Snowy asked nervously, when she returned.

“Of course!” Tempest stated firmly. Her friend could only sigh in defeat, before she lit the lantern. The descent began. It turned out that the stairs slowly curved downwards, in a fairly typical spiral manner. But what made it different was just how tall it was. The passage was only a few feet wide, but upwards of twelve feet high. As for the stairs themselves, there was easily a foot and a half between each step, which made the going quite awkward. “Who built this? Dragons?” wondered Tempest aloud.

After at least several minutes of making their way down the stairs, the two arrived at a door. It was arched to match the shape of the passage, but it showed no signs of handles. “How do we open it?” asked she.

“Hmm...” Snowy drew closer, and gave the doors a light push with a hoof. Predictably, they didn't budge. “You try.” Tempest jumped up and flew at the door, hitting it solidly with both hooves. There was a clang of metal, but nothing happened.

“Come on, we didn't come down here for nothing!” growled Tempest. “Open!” She unlatched the sword on her one vambrace, pointing it forwards, and struck the doors.

“I don't think-” Snowy's statement was cut short as she gasped, nearly dropping her lantern. Something clicked, muffled and distant, before the doors silently and slowly swung outwards, revealing an even deeper darkness within.

“Well...” Tempest swallowed her sudden sense of unease. “Nothing else to it, then.” She darted into the blackness, followed quickly by her companion. Snowy's lantern didn't illuminate much, but Tempest could smell how fresh the air was. That's not right... Shouldn't this place be stale?

“S-sure is dark...” noted Snowy, far more on edge than Tempest. As if alerted by her speaking, a new source of light appeared, though slowly. The light remained relatively dim, almost like the room was in perpetual twilight. It was revealed the two were standing in a large, circular chamber. The walls were curved and bare, except for an arch on the far side of them... That arch was just as tall as the doors they had entered through. The entire chamber must have been thirty feet in diameter, and height. The floor was completely absent of dust, or anything at all. It was spotless. What was strangest of all though was the sensation Tempest was getting: it was a timeless feeling; as if the long march of the millennia was no longer valid here.

Welcome to my home, the voice spoke. Please, come forth.

Ahead of them, the doors of the other arch swung open silently, a black abyss beyond. A cold abyss. The dim light of the room stopped at the threshold, as did the light of Snowy's lantern.

Tempest eyed the darkness. She folded her sword back, walked forward, and put a hoof into it. Immediately she was greeted with a sensation like running it through a stream of cold water.

“This is... odd.” Given the absolute darkness beyond, Tempest decided to find out if there was anything solid; she lowered her hoof down until she felt the floor on the other side. “I think we can go through without falling into anything. Just keep your wings ready.”

“Go through it?” asked Snowy, eyes wide. “You- you c-can't be serious! Some voice brings you down here, and- and- you just want to walk into some chasm it puts in front of you?”

I thought you traveled with braver companions, Blackwind. I have no memory of this timid creature.

“I was invited down here for a reason, Snowy.” stated Tempest, steeling herself against the cold maw facing her. “Whatever is in there knows who I am, it thinks we've met before. Like I said, I want to find out why. Now come on, if we were in danger, it would have struck by now.”

“I-if you say so...” Snowy sighed in defeat and apprehension. She looked just as worried as she had been at Kakâdras when the wraith revealed his ruse. They crossed the threshold at the same time, like passing through a freezing waterfall. They were both still dry, though, and both firmly standing on the ground; a pitted, rocky surface. No fall into an abyss followed.

“Good thing you have that lantern, Snowy.” The blue-grey pegasus commented. The light of the lantern barely made it five feet before being swallowed by the dark. Immediately, a sense of nervousness began to creep into her. She understood why Snowy hadn't even wanted to get near this.

“Y-yeah...” Replied Snowy, who didn't even try to disguise her fear. They both looked back at the arch. The room was still there, of course, but it was almost as if it were muted... But unlike the room, the arch on this side stood free, there was no wall for it to be embedded in.

“Snowy, stay right here. I'm going to see that's on the other side of the arch.” Tempest commanded, curiosity overcoming her unease. The idea of being left alone in the sea of darkness was obviously not appealing to the beige mare.

“But, but- what if-”

“Nothing will happen to you, I promise. It'll only be a few seconds.” reassured Tempest.

“Go on then...” sighed Snowy, facing the arch and sitting down. Cautiously, Tempest left the circle of light. As she got further away, it dimmed rapidly. But I can still see her, and that was good. Slowly, Tempest rounded the large free-standing arch, and looked through the opposite side...

She was met with total blackness. The floor continued on through the other end of the arch, she could feel that, but there was no Snowy, no light, no room, nothing. A flat plane of shadow. Her heart began to beat faster, and a cold fear settled in her gut. What in the name of God... she asked silently. Tempest looked around the arch, and there was the dim light of Snowy's lantern, sitting right where it was supposed to be. When she looked through the other side, there was absolutely nothing. It was so unsettling she found it horrifying; and it was so horrifying she flew back to the light of Snowy in only a moment.

“What d-did you see?” She asked.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Literally, nothing. There- there was nothing through the other side. No doors, no light, you weren't even there.” Said Tempest, looking back at the arch. She had never been more unnerved in her whole life, and she didn't even understand why. “It- It was the same place, but you weren't there!” Repeated Tempest.

“Lord of Heaven...” Snowy said quietly, pressing close against her, wide eyes glancing around. “That- that sh-shouldn't be-”

At last, we meet again, came the whisper from the shadow. It was much clearer in here, smooth and rich, maybe like some fine wine. Tempest didn't know that taste, though.

“Is that the voice?” Snowy asked quietly.

“Yeah, that's it.” nodded Tempest. “Who are you?”

You know who I am, Blackwind.

“Uh, no. Not really.” Tempest replied to the shadow beyond.

No? I sent you my agent, to slaughter Prysm Swiftrain and the nobles who supported her.

“What?” Tempest asked, tilting her head. “Slaughter... Prsym Swiftrain?” The usurper Prysm had died under mysterious circumstances, which prompted her mother to rebel for the throne...

Your mother? Now it was the voice's turn to ask. You are not Maelstrom Blackwind?

“No, I'm her only child.” stated she. “What do you mean by slaughter?”

Maelstrom is deceased then... And she did not tell you how she made her bid for dominion over Highcrest? She came to me, and asked for my help in her quest to further her lust for power, the voice explained. In return for my aid, I set her upon another quest, one which would further my ambitions. I released one of my agents on her enemies, she performed two tasks for me. She swore it, on her blood. I delivered. She did not.

“I don't like your tone.” Tempest said, narrowing her eyes at the darkness.

I don't like oathbreakers. The cold in the voice made Tempest shiver.

“And what oath would that be?” she probed.

My agent butchered Swiftrain and her council. Maelstrom Blackwind was to release me from this place.

“T-Tempest,” Snowy whispered to her, trembling. “should we really be d-dealing with something that's been imprisoned? Who knows what it really is-”

You have little choice in this dealing, Equestrian. Maelstrom Blackwind swore on her blood that she would fulfill her debt. If she is truly dead, than that debt has fallen to you, Tempest Blackwind. You will fulfill it. The smoothness was no longer so smooth, a sharp, metallic edge underlaid the words.

“And what if I don't?”

There would be consequences.

“Yeah, sure. Find someone else to help you, I'm not playing your game.” She stood a little straighter, ready to-

BLACKWIND! The voice boomed through the darkness, shaking Tempest to her core. Snowy let out a tiny gasp of terror. YOUR MOTHER'S INCOMPETENCE DID ENOUGH DAMAGE AS IT WAS. I WILL NOT SUFFER THE SAME FROM YOU. All pretense of nicety was dropped, it sounded as if cold fury had been personified and aimed at her. Tempest realized she was crouching; or more accurately, cowering. Snowy had managed to somehow make herself even smaller, ears pointing straight down. IF YOU DO AS I ORDER, AS IS THE ARRANGEMENT, THEN YOU WILL WALK AWAY WITH YOUR LIFE. IF YOU TRIFLE WITH ME FURTHER, THEN I WILL TOSS YOU TO THE HORRORS BEYOND THE VEIL OF CREATION.

...Do you understand?

“Y-yes.” stammered Tempest quietly, blinking back the beginnings of tears. Her heart hammered in her chest, she felt icy claws dragging her down. Whatever brief notion she had entertained of getting out of this, it was gone. An invisible hand was clamped around her throat, she was going to do exactly as it told her.

I am not your enemy, Tempest Blackwind. Not unless you make me one. All I want is for your half of our deal to be done. Nothing more, nothing less. The voice had returned to its former smoothness. Your companion need not fear me at all, she owes me nothing.

“Alright. Alright.” Tempest said in a shaky voice, nodding. “Tell me what you want, I'll do it, I swear it.”

Maelstrom did that for you, twenty years ago.

Thanks mother, Tempest thought grimly.

You will follow this light, the voice ordered, as a purple, glowing line began to draw itself over the ground. Tempest followed it timidly, with Snowy silently falling in next to her, glancing about in open fear. They walked into the blackness for some few minutes, until a second light began to emerge. It too had a purple glow about it, and it emanated from an ebbing and flowing sphere. It just seemed to hover in one place, patterns of light swirling about within it. My agent gave you a crystal, did he not?

“Your agent? Sidâl gave me-”

“You're the benefactor.” Snowy said suddenly, cutting of Tempest. She looked at the sphere, her face somewhere between awe and terror. “You're the one Sidâl said was helping us.”

A benefactor? Perhaps so. Sidâl gave you a crystal, Blackwind; touch the crystal to the sphere. Tempest did precisely as the Benefactor ordered her too.

“What will this do?” asked Tempest, before taking the crystal up with her mouth.

Break the seal on this place, allowing you to carry a fraction of myself out of here. Tempest didn't like the implications of that, but it was either this or death for her, and probably Snowy as well. She touched the crystal to the sphere of light-

Something Unremembered

Luna

“...and that's-” Aegis Vigil stopped in mid-sentence, looking very disconcerted.

“What is it?” Luna asked, ears moving back in unease.

“I... I don't know.” the golden alicorn shook his head and closer his eyes. “It was as if I was suddenly reminded of something... but I do not know what...”

“How strange.” commented Luna. “Did you leave a lamp burning in the real world too long?”

“No, no.” denied Aegis. “It's more than that. It's... something I should remember, but I don't. It'll come to me later. It's happened a few times in the last years anyway. Now, where was I?”

“You said 'and that's-'” Luna reported.

“Ah. And that's why, Luna, you need to keep a constant watch on your perimeter. It doesn't matter if the pegasi think patrol duties beneath them, being taken by surprise is the last thing you want here...”

Author's Note

Ruh roh.

Note: Luna and Aegis are talking in the dreamworld, in case it's not clear.

A Day of Flight

Tempest

“Are you there?” Tempest asked, nervously. The sphere of light was gone, but the line remained.

Yes. Just follow the line back out, and quickly. They did as told.

She was too shaken to say anything, either to the Benefactor's disembodied voice, or to Snowy. There was something about its threats that scared her more deeply than even the idea of Celestia's wrath. It wasn't even what it had said, it was the feeling of looming inevitability that had suddenly crushed down on her as it spoke. It had felt like she was being choked, but... Maybe she actually had been. It was too hard to tell the difference between what had been real and what had been her own fear. What have we gotten into? Tempest asked herself, staring at her hooves as she walked.

“Why w-were you in here?” Snowy asked, her voice a storm compared to the silence of this dark place.

I had a disagreement with Aethera the Ever-free. The Lady of Light, you have come to call her.

“Celestia's grandmother.” noted Snowy.

The very same, I understand. I advise that you keep a fast pace.

“What did you do to her?”

I attempted to right wrongs. I sought justice for terrible grievances done against my kin and I. Aethera and her masters did not share my sense of morality. The Benefactor sounded even more serious than before. Ahead of them, Tempest saw the arch and the room beyond appear. They were almost out.

“Are you a spirit?” her companion questioned.

No. But speaking of such things, the moment you touched Sidâl's crystal to the sphere, there were powers in the world that noticed. I've been telling you to move quickly for a reason. Unless you want to be trapped down here forever, I suggest you listen to that advice. That didn't sound good...

“I don't want to spend a moment longer in this horrible place.” Snowy declared.

A sentiment I share. Onwards, then, Equestrians. And prepare for the flight of your lives.

“Why?” Tempest asked, swallowing nervously.

You'll see.

They returned through the icy-feeling of the arch, the twilight of the chamber being as bright as noon compared to what surreal world they had just come out of. “What did we just go through, Snowy?” Tempest asked. Snowy could only shake her head.

I'll explain later. Up the stairs, quickly! urged the Benefactor, who apparently now was in Sidâl's crystal. Tempest wondered if Snowy could still hear it. The two pegasi jumped straight into the air, half-flying, half-hovering up them, until they came out on the surface. It was still night, but the east was growing light. When they stepped out of the ruin into the open, everything seemed normal...

“Why are you in such a hurry?” asked Tempest, looking at the crystal. “What noticed us?”

Use your ears!

In the distance, she heard a howling wind...

“It's that storm from earlier!” Snowy gasped. Far to the west, the treeline on a ridge started to topple, as something darker than night rolled over it.

That's no storm, the Benefactor stated. That's a shadow spirit.

“Well, shit.” swore Tempest, ears going flat. “It figures something like this would-”

Fly, you fools! roared the Benefactor in her mind.

Tempest flung herself into the air, with Snowy right behind her. They made a mad dash for the east. It was only moments before the screaming and howling wind picked up, despite the air being so still. Snapping and cracking and shattering echoed behind them; Tempest looked back and saw a dark mass plowing through the woods, faster than anything she had ever encountered before. Tree after tree was annihilated before it.

A demon of the ancient world, straight out of a story book, was chasing them. Why did we ever come here? Tempest bemoaned. Oh, that's right. Prince Reshîv, the ungrateful little shit, had betrayed Aharôs. If he had kept his place, they would have never gone to Kakâdras, never come to the Far North, never met the Benefactor just minutes ago, and never been chased by a God-damned shadow spirit right this instant. I'm going to fucking kill him, I swear it! This is all Reshîv's fault!

No, Tempest, this started with Maelstrom. The Benefactor gave off a sense of resigned acceptance, no doubt what it wanted her to feel as well. You were destined to come here.

Well, I can't exactly go back in time and tell her to just give up on Highcrest, can I? snapped Tempest back.

This is a bad time to debate who is at fault here. It's gaining on us.

Any ideas, mighty Benefactor? Care to toss it to the horrors beyond the edge of creation? Tempest thought, almost bitterly.

I had power in there, not out there, not yet. I'm only a voice in a crystal in this world. If that was true- Before you ask, we had to get out because the only alternative was being trapped down there by the shadow spirit indefinitely. It'd sit outside the gateway for eternity if it had to. And if it somehow managed to get in... Very bad news, to say the least. I could have crushed you like an insect in there, but the demon would be something else entirely. This way, we stand a chance against it.

But how? Tempest looked back again; Snowy was keeping up, for now. But it didn't matter, she could see the roiling mass getting ever closer, smashing anything in its way to pieces. It screamed and screamed and screamed, a nearly deafening cacophony of maddened rage.

Survive. That was an order, not a plan.

It didn't seem likely though. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed the darkness; right before it shot forward on either side of her, two arms circling around to far ahead of them. A wall of shadow began to rise in front, in back, and around them. Tempest and Snowy were forced to land, beholding the trap growing around them. Oily, bubbling, slimy clouds of darkness were vomited up out of the ground, piling higher and higher around them, howling its unearthly cry.

Just a moment more, damn you... whispered the Benefactor, almost to itself.

Tendrils of darkness shot down at them, nearly blotting out the pink sky- pink sky! A new scream pierced the air, a scream of pain and dismay. The bubbling in the shadow spirit's vast bulk grew ever faster, as it began to melt away. A ray of golden light blasted through the demon, and another, and another- breaking it apart into smaller and smaller chunks. It howled, cursing the sunrise in a language Tempest didn't need to understand, but it retreated, seeping back into the ground, leaving only bleached devastation around them, as if everything had been sucked clean of life.

Snowy let herself collapse, panting. “Did... did Celestia just save us?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Tempest breathed heavily. “Celestia just saved our lives. I guess that was your plan, Benefactor, lead the shadow spirit on a chase until the dawn.”

So it was. It was closer than I expected, but it worked.

“Was it?” questioned Snowy.

She can no longer hear me out here, only the one who is near the crystal can.

“Yeah.” Tempest nodded. How long am I going to have you talking in my head?

Until we find Sidâl. You will turn this crystal over to him, and then we will plan the other half of your task.

And that is..?

Much the same as this. Go down the stairs, go through the gateway, release me again. The Benefactor made it sound easy. Aethera split me into several parts, the last one remains trapped.

What's the twist?

The other location is in Equestria. Tempest didn't bother replying to that, she just sighed.

“Snowy, let's-”

No sleeping. You need to get as far away as possible; the spirit will return at sunset, and hunt for us.

“Let's get on the move.”

“Normally, I'd object, b-but...” Snowy shivered, looking at the ruined forest around them.

“Yeah, my point exactly.” Tempest stated. The journey went on. In the past day, Tempest and Snowy had met a shadow spirit at an alicorn grave, freed the mysterious Benefactor under the threat of oblivion, and then been chased by that same shadow spirit. This isn't my idea of an adventure, she thought sourly.

Get used to it, Tempest Blackwind, the Benefactor told her.

Are you listening to my thoughts? she asked.

It is not something I can control in this situation... admitted the Benefactor. Tempest Blackwind, you are a young soul, and the fire of life burns hotter in you, even dim as it is for a mortal. This, combined with my proximity to you, makes it very hard not to hear what you think.

Oh... Tempest frowned. I still don't like it.

I'm going to be practically stuck in a fifteen year old girl's head for the foreseeable future, how do you think I feel about it? the Benefactor replied.

I'm not that bad! protested Tempest. At least she didn't spend her days doing... whatever it was that human girls her age did. She didn't even know what Equestrian girls did at her age. At least she got to go on horrible, nerve-wracking adventures with Snowy.

The flight went on, as Tempest focused on not thinking anything at all. The hours rolled by, and they passed over the empty forests and hills of the Far North. To the southeast they went, the air growing ever slightly warmer. As usual, they stopped to gather what food they could find. With so unnaturally few animals about, it wasn't hard.

Where is everyone? the Benefactor asked at one point. The last I was here, this place was crawling with life. Thousands and thousands of little lights dancing about. Now I see only dimness here, but for you two.

You must have been down there a long time. The Far North has been abandoned for over fifteen hundred years.

Why?

Hell if I know, they can't even answer that. But I bet it has to do with that shadow spirit.

No doubt... agreed the Benefactor.

What did you mean by seeing lights? Tempest wondered.

I see very differently from you, at least for the moment. I see the world as the shadow spirit sees it. A dark slate filled with the fires of the living. Some burn brighter, some less so. But they all make their own light, no matter how small. Even the insects, even the trees... explained the Benefactor. They are the dim background noise. You and your companion glow far brighter. Dragons and greater alicorns, the immortals, shine like the moon. And a fire spirit... A star come down to the world. Look at the one above us now.

Tempest looked up. You mean the sun?

You misunderstand, that is a fire spirit. Tempest tried to wrap her mind around that, but to no avail. It could have been a joke for all she knew.

What are you, anyway? Tempest questioned. I'd like to know what exactly it is I'm helping.

Me?I am a savior, an agent of righteousness, on a quest to punish the wicked who think themselves above retribution for their sins and raise up those who were cast down, declared the Benefactor. Aethera found herself opposed to me, that is why I was... banished. The sentence upon her has passed to her descendents now. Much like Maelstrom Blackwind's debt passed to you.

Celestia and Luna?

Yes.

Well, I won't stand in your way, they both want to kill me. Tempest nodded to herself. Perhaps I was wrong about you, Benefactor. We have similar interests.

See, now? I am not your enemy, Tempest Blackwind. I can help you greatly. I just do not take kindly to being crossed.

It did sound fair enough, alright. If she had been stuck in that dark place, she too wouldn't like to lose a chance of escape to someone failing to deliver on their word. Tempest couldn't blame it for being so forceful.

I am a he, not an it. So the Benefactor was male, whatever he really was.

The time came when nightfall was upon them, the sun was slipping under the western horizon. Both pegasi were worried at that. As soon as the sun was gone, the shadow spirit might come after them. I'd like to get as far away as possible... thought Tempest, but one look at Snowy told her that wasn't possible. The poor pegasus had been pushed to the limit and beyond of her endurance today, it was by some grace of her god that she was still flying.

Tempest's eyes were drawn to a rocky outcrop, devoid of trees. “We'll stop there!” she pointed at it. “The spirit came out of the ground, it looked like. Maybe rock would... slow it down, or something.”

Snowy said nothing, and just dived. Not even the Benefactor was saying anything, maybe he was tired too.Regardless, sleep fell upon the two of them, or even all three of them quickly. It had been a very long day. But just before Tempest slipped away, questions came to her mind. Why was there a tower over his prison? What was that strange, dark place? Why did releasing him alert something that had been supposedly dead for thousands of years? But most of all...

How had the Benefactor known how old she was, if he claimed he hadn't even been aware of her existence until today?

Author's Note

“A fire demon would live underground.” Corrected Snowy. “And a shadow spirit would only come out at night. But the ancient world is just that- ancient. Not much is left of it.” -from Following the Dashavon, Across the Sea Part I

Th-thanks Snowy... Anyways, it's midterms time, so the next chapter may or may not be delayed. As usual.

Burning Time

Goldleaf

“We've been very lucky, so far...” Silver Farpeak said, stalking back and forth in front of Princess Luna's tent. “But I fear our luck may run out soon. We've spotted our first humans.”

“Really.” Luna replied, calm as ever.

“They were lightly armored, and mounted on those slave-beasts.” said Lady Silver. “Centered around a single, covered wagon. I considered ordering an attack, but for all I knew, that could be some garrison's payroll for the next six months, so I decided on doing nothing. Given their relaxed behavior, they had no idea we are here.”

“Where did you see them?” asked Luna.

“A good thirty miles to the west, in the foothills of these... bigger hills. They traveled along a road that was little more than two wheel-ruts through the woods and fields.” Lady Silver stated, using a wing to point at the location on a mostly blank map that they were slowly filling in. “If you want to remain hidden, I advise keeping our forces away from that area. No flying far above the treetops, keep quiet, keep stealthy. Although I'd prefer a direct fight, myself.”

“We shall stay hidden.” the alicorn princess nodded. “Give out the orders, Lady Farpeak, We do not want to be detected too soon.”

“As you wish.” Silver Farpeak answered, bowing and leaving.

“Whatever else she may be, at least she can follow orders.” Hemlock remarked as soon as she was gone.

“For now.” Goldleaf frowned. He was sure Lady Silver was up to no good, even if he had absolutely no proof at all. Her personality speaks for itself, he thought in his own defense. “I've said it before, and I'll say it again. There are better ways to get what you want than brute force. Lady Silver seems to have the exact opposite belief.”

“That's for sure.” agreed Hemlock.

As usual, Luna drifted off into unresponsiveness. She'd been doing that a lot lately, ever since she managed to get into the late Emperor's dream. It was almost as if the alicorn was putting herself into a trance... Goldleaf was sure that was what she was doing, actually. As to what she was doing in there, only the stars knew. While their princess traversed the dreamworld, he and Hemlock had run out of work. There were no papers to be filed, no letters to be delivered... Goldleaf spent most of his time in the tiny tent given to him for the duration of their stay, reading what few books he had managed to bring. Hemlock wandered off to do whatever it was that she did in her spare time; he had never bothered to find out.

Tonight, Goldleaf was reading up on the griffon migrations to the west. The griffons claimed their gods had struck them down for their hubris, and fled their ruined homeland, settling on a set of large islands in the eastern sea, and even in the north of Equestria. To the unicorn, it sounded like some kind of natural disaster had driven them out, a few centuries ago. Discord was busy fighting the alicorns at the time, so it probably wasn't him... Was it? It presented an interesting problem to Goldleaf. In the world they lived in, coincidences were rare. Every cause had an effect, and every effect spawned more causes. The ordinary pony was unaware of such things, but for a learned stallion of Unicornia University, it was all too obvious. He might have been only a commoner, but at least he could see things few others would ever notice. Ah, the wonders of education-

“What are you smiling about?”

“Huh?” Goldleaf glanced up, and saw a dark beige pegasus standing in the entrance, giving him an odd look. “Oh, nothing, Hemlock. Just thinking. How do you know where my humble residence is, anyhow?”

“I asked where the cripple was.” answered Hemlock, with a satisfied smile of her own.

“And you've found him.” He had learned long ago not to let little comments like that bother him, even if they were probably made in jest. “What brings you here, Hemlock?”

“Uh... Nothing, really.” Hemlock replied, looking around the sparse interior of the tent.

“Nothing?”

“Yeah, nothing.” she affirmed, shuffling awkwardly. “Just thought I'd stop by, I guess. I really don't have anything else to do.” It was Goldleaf's turn to give her an odd look. “I don't mean that you're not important or anything- I'm just bored, you're the only other pony here I know besides Luna and my mother, and one of those is in a trance and the other is... yeah...”

“Fair enough.” said Goldleaf, whom the thought of willingly spending time near Silver Farpeak repulsed. Can't blame the girl, Lady Silver is a real piece of work. And even a unicorn is probably more relatable than an alicorn princess. And a common unicorn, at that. “So...”

“So...” Hemlock repeated.

“Well, don't just stand there-” He stopped himself, and looked around his tiny tent. There were a few blankets, and a little collapsible desk for writing, and not much room for anything else as long as he was in there. “On second thought, I'll join you outside.” Goldleaf's tent was unceremoniously placed on the edge of the camp the Equestrians had set up on the cove's shore, while their ships were anchored just far enough out that they wouldn't be beached at low tide. It was only a few yards between Goldleaf's tent and the slopes of the hills that plunged down towards them. “Well, if you're interested in history and economics, I have plenty of that to talk about.”

“Not particularly.” Hemlock said, pawing at the gritty sand under her hooves.

“Really?” asked Goldleaf. “The Oath of Arminius and Ballomar's Pilgrimage are fascinating accounts, and ones that most historians agree really happened!”

“Griffons are just another enemy of the pegasi, Goldleaf.” stated Hemlock, raising her head and taking a cool tone. “All we need to know is how to crush them, nothing more.” Her voice then returned to its normal, warmer tone, and she released her imperious pose. “Or so a certain Farpeak likes to say. Personally, I don't really care, as long as the griffons just keep to their lands.”

“Thurisind Northbrim isn't likely to stay quiet for long, depending on how things go in this foolish adventure.” commented the unicorn. King Thurisind, like his forefathers who carved out a petty holding for their tribe on the desolate shores of northeastern Equestria just four generations ago, was a bold opportunist. His relative, Audoin the Conqueror, was a larger threat, having managed to take more fertile lands to the south. He was not very creative in naming his new kingdom “Greenland.” Fortunately, the Conqueror was no longer in such a mood to conquer.

“We'll see what those cannibals and miscreants get up to. Nothing Princess Celestia can't handle back home, that's for sure.” Hemlock said assuredly.

“As long as Clothar of Friedeland doesn't do anything rash...” added Goldleaf. The Friedeland griffons were an uppity tribe, always ready to join their brethren who had settled in Equestria in fighting the wretched ponies. Griffons and ponies had never been good friends.

“But I didn't come here to talk international politics.”

“No, I'm afraid not. I'm not sure why you're here at all.” Goldleaf frowned.

“Well...” Hemlock shuffled about again, before looking into the forest. “Have you been beyond camp lately?”

“No.” said the unicorn. “Not once. There's humans out there, you know.”

“They're at least thirty miles away, Goldleaf.” chided Hemlock. “Let's go see what's out there!”

“Are you mad?”

“Come on, there's nothing more dangerous than lions and bears.” Hemlock said. “And maybe some poison oak or something... It's not like we'll be walking into a battlefield.”

“Fine.” sighed Goldleaf, rolling his eyes. “We'll go see what's in the forest.”

“Aren't you even the least bit interested in an entirely new, wild continent?” the pegasus questioned, as she led the way, with Goldleaf hobbling in tow.

“Well, I am.” admitted Goldleaf. “But I think I'd rather be back with my book...” Even if the moon was out, the forest still looked very dark in the night.

“Hah!” Hemlock laughed, as they passed the first trees. They were salt-swept pines, their windward buds killed by the summer breezes off the ocean, no doubt. Indeed, most of the trees here were pines and spruces, going by their differing bark, with a few broadleafs he couldn't recognize in the dark. The forest floor was dominated by ferns and some kind of bush with orange raspberries. They weren't actually raspberries, but they were similar in shape and size, just orange. I wonder if they're edible... He was still disappointed that Sarathûl was so similar to Equestria. It was nearly the same, just rougher around the edges. And there was the issue of uncontrolled weather, but so far, it wasn't a problem. The going quickly became rougher and steeper, and Goldleaf was forced to stop... though he wasn't looking forward to admitting it.

“Up here!” urged Hemlock, as if she sensed his thoughts. Goldleaf gingerly made his way up, wondering what it was she had led him to. “Give us some light.” He did so. The soft glow from his horn revealed a half-buried skeleton. A human skeleton. There were even little scraps of cloth left on it.

“What in the name of...”

“Neat, huh?” Hemlock asked, with a grin. “And look, there's more!” She pranced over the skeleton, and when Goldleaf followed, he saw five more of them in various states of ruin and entombment. “I was keeping this as a surprise for you.”

“But you said you didn't have a reason to come see me.” protested Goldleaf, furrowing his brow in confusion.

“Because it was a surprise! That's not even the issue though!” she said with exasperation, pointing to the hillside they were on. “Skeletons!”

“Yes, I see.” Goldleaf nodded. “Quite a few of them.”

“Do you know what happened here?”

He gave her a flat look. “Hemlock, it's six dead humans. That's piecemeal. They need to die by the hundreds or thousands for it to be noteworthy. So do we, for that matter.”

“Well, can you use your unicorn powers or something?” she asked again.

“I-” Goldleaf snorted. He couldn't expect her to know that magic couldn't do everything. She probably even didn't know how magic worked, given her upbringing. “I'll do my best.”

“Excellent.” declared Hemlock, smiling smugly. It didn't take long for him to figure out what had happened to these people.

“Axes.” stated Goldleaf, looking at each skull one by one. “To the back of the head. Seems like they were executed.”

“Ooh... I wonder what they did?” Hemlock leaned closer to one, staring into empty eye sockets. “Maybe they were pirates! Or mutineers!”

“Or the victims of pirates and mutineers.” countered Goldleaf darkly. “Well, this has been interesting, to say the least.”

“You don't make it sound so.” commented Hemlock back.

“I've always been more of a book pony. Roughing it out in the forest isn't exactly my thing.” he explained.

“We're a sixty yards from camp.”

“Far enough for me.” muttered Goldleaf.

“It's not that bad! Adventures are fun!”

“Hmmph.” The unicorn glanced at his bad leg. Adventures used to be fun, he thought. Used to.

They began to make their way back to camp, or so Goldleaf assumed. Once more, Hemlock led the way. A few times, she had to stop to let him catch up; no doubt realizing he was nowhere near as fast as her. Eventually, they emerged back at the shore, though a ways south of the camp itself.

“Well, that was a nice change of pace, don't you think?” asked Hemlock, not bothering to wait for his answer. “We should do that more often.”

“We?” Goldleaf turned to her, making no attempt to hide his now-weary state.

“Yeah, we...” affirmed the pegasus, suddenly looking concerned. “I mean... we're friends, aren't we?”

“Yes, yes.” sighed Goldleaf. “But Hemlock, I'm not exactly in a condition to go off traversing the wilderness. I haven't been in a long time. And I never will be again. Wandering the woods isn't exactly easy with only three legs to do it with, you know.”

“Oh.” Hemlock said, as if she had just remembered that.

“I appreciate the effort, but I'm afraid it's wasted on me... I'd rather keep to things I can do without worrying about falling on my face.” She nodded in silent understanding. “If you want to join, by all means, feel free.” he stated. “I'd welcome the company.” Well, he wouldn't, not really, but that would have been rude to say. At least Hemlock was more bearable than most of the other ponies here. She was one of the few who didn't believe the humans were leftover agents of Discord.

“Yeah, I get it... I was kind of looking forward to getting out and about, though.” said Hemlock quietly, looking down at her hooves. But she immediately perked up again, offering him a hopeful smile. “But, you mentioned griffon history earlier?”

Goldleaf closed his eyes and exhaled; before they made their way back to his tent and books, though they remained outside. In the end, he did get to speak about the Oath of Arminius and Ballomar's Pilgrimage, and to his surprise, Hemlock actually seemed interested. “I wish Equestrian history had a moment like that.” she commented, after he finished recounting the Oath of Arminius. “One of those moments that's a defining beginning, you know?”

“Oh, I know, alright.” Goldleaf agreed. “The Equestrian realms just emerged out of the oblivion of Discord, fading in. The griffons get a single moment that they can trace everything to. Kind of.”

“Kind of?” asked Hemlock. “Their High King swore that he and his people would never look east again, never be like their ancestors again, and basically started the entire modern griffon civilization around that!” She paused, looking uncertain. “That was what happened, right?”

“Yes and no. Griffon civilization goes back as long as ours does, to a time immemorial.” he explained. “But griffons before the disaster were an entirely different sort than the ones Arminius led west.”

“Ah...” Hemlock nodded. “I see. Funny how they kept moving west instead of reclaiming their homes from the fire god. What was he, anyway? There aren't exactly gods walking around in the world these days...”

“I wish I could tell you.” shrugged the unicorn. “There have been legends of fire-beings as long as there has been recorded history. Who is to say there wasn't a god of flame still active somewhere in the far corners of the Earth, even as recently as a hundred years ago?”

“I wonder what else is out there...” Hemlock looked up at the night. “It reminds me of something my sister said once, not long before Maelstrom Blackwind took her across the sea. Snowy asked me if I thought all the mysteries would be gone one day. It's an odd thing to ask for an eight year old, and hard to understand for a seven year old.” Speak for yourself, Goldleaf almost said. “Well, Snowy was always introspective, always wondering and wandering alone. Mother really hated that. But it makes sense now. Here we are, a world away from home, and nothing has really changed... Are all the mysteries gone, Goldleaf?”

He certainly doubted it, but it was something to think on.

The next night, he managed to catch the Princess before she went into trance, or whatever it was she was doing. “I'm telling you, your highness, she's desperately bored. Bored enough to ask me about history, and that's saying something. Bored ponies out in the world on their own for the first time... It's not a good mix, Princess.”

“What would you have Us do?” Luna asked, obviously not very interested. “Sit Lady Hemlock in a corner and tell her to calm down? She's an adult.”

“No, no, just...” Goldleaf lowered his voice. “I really don't want to be responsible for Hemlock going off and doing something stupid. Like... Oh, I don't know, but you know how youth can be...” The midnight alicorn raised an eyebrow at him.

“Then prevent her from doing something stupid.” stated Luna. “Now, if you excuse Us, We have things to do.”

“As you wish, your highness.” said Goldleaf, bowing out. At least Hemlock was surprisingly good company for discussions, even if she was uneducated. Perhaps this wasn't the end of the world.

Author's Note

Oh no, character building at a snail's pace! Yes, I'm afraid so. Hemlock's lines seem kinda familiar, don't you think?

In other news, chemistry is the devil and it's preventing me from writing as fast as I want to.

Doubts and Uncertainties

Tempest

She dreamed again, this time of fire and storm. Any other details were lost in the confused haze of waking. I'm alive... the shadow spirit must not have gotten them, then! Tempest jumped up despite a lingering weariness in her bones. The sun had risen some time ago, they must have been sleeping for a while... Snowy was still sleeping, in fact.

Welcome back, commented the Benefactor's voice.

“I guess it's too much to ask that yesterday didn't happen?”

Yes. Wake your companion, you have ground to cover.

“I didn't know you were on a schedule.” remarked Tempest.

I don't like your odds in shadow spirit territory.

Shadow spirit territory? “Did you have a revelation while we slept or something? I thought this was just the Far North, land of mystery and isolation...”

From what little experience I have with them, spirits tend to carve out territories for themselves, and don't take kindly to trespassers of their order... The Benefactor's tone made it clear he didn't take kindly to spirits either. But it's late in the morning, Tempest Blackwind. We need to get south, with haste!

Tempest nodded, even though the Benefactor probably couldn't see that. “Alright, Snowy, time to get up.” she said, gently nudging the other pegasi's shoulder with a hoof. Snowy squinted up at her, before looking regretful.

“I hate mornings...”

“They're not so bad.” Tempest said. “Especially when there's no shadow spirit chasing you.” Snowy bolted upright, looking alarmed.

“I forgot about that.” she replied, ears falling. “I wanted to forget.”

“Yeah, but a certain helper of ours would prefer we didn't, and would prefer we escaped this place alive.” stated Tempest. Speaking of forgetting, she realized she had something she wanted to ask the Benefactor before she fell asleep... But what was it? I'll figure it out later, she told herself. They found water and some small fruits for food; it would have to be enough. Tempest thought it lucky they were up here in the summer, when such things were plentiful.

“My wings are really sore...” complained Snowy, stretching them and cringing.

“Can you still fly?” Tempest asked.

“I think so.” nodded Snowy, though wincing as she took to the air. “At least for a little while.”

“It'll have to do.” Concern started to lurk in the back of her mind.

I don't suppose you can go on ahead by yourself? Once I'm gone, the shadow spirit ought to leave her alone... suggested the Benefactor. Tempest shot a hateful glance at nothing.

I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you just ask me to abandon my best friend to the wilderness, she thought darkly.

My apologies, replied the Benefactor, had I known she was that important, I wouldn't have asked that. I appreciate your loyalty to those close to you. The two pegasi and disembodied voice in a crystal flew onwards, hopefully moving to the point where the Far North's southern border met the sea. Snowy managed to last a while longer than either of them had probably thought, finally making a landing with the sun low in the western sky.

“I'm sorry, Tempest, I can't go any further.” she said, out of breath and ears drooping. “I- I just wasn't made for this...”

“Hey, you made it far enough.” Tempest assured her. “From Vatherîon to Kakâdras, and from Kakâdras up north and then to wherever we are now. That's got to be a long way.” she said. Wherever they were now looked a lot like where they were yesterday, and the day before...

“But how can we find somewhere safe from the shadow spirit now?” questioned Snowy, looking worriedly around. It was trees all around, except this one clear meadow.

“Hmm...”

Leave me with your friend, you go find somewhere safe. said the Benefactor. I might just be a voice out here, but if something does happen, I can guide her. An image of a fallen Snowy with an innocent looking crystal sitting nearby came to mind. Why would I kill her? I am an agent of justice, and she's done no wrong to me.

“Alright, the Benefactor stays with you, Snowy. I'll find somewhere where the spirit can't get us.” Tempest bowed her head, and pushed the crystal on the necklace off. She offered it to Snowy, who put her head through the loop.

“Hello.” Snowy said, no doubt to the voice inside it.

“You be careful.” Tempest ordered. Snowy nodded, and then sat down, craning her head to look at the crystal. With that, Tempest flew off, scanning the horizons for anything that would suit her purposes. For a full half hour, she circled the region, looking for any rock outcrops... but all she saw were tree-covered hills. She eventually got the idea of checking out the hills themselves, searching for the signs of stone caps. The old priest Brenan had once told her that the hills on the coast of Athair were capped with dried lava, so they didn't erode as fast as the other land. Basalt, he called it. If she could find something like that, they would be set. Unfortunately, Tempest couldn't tell if there were rocks under the hills or if they were just giant piles of dirt. It took an hour for her to find a hill where there was an exposed bed of some kind of rock, it wasn't basalt though. And as fate would have it, it was not two miles from her original starting point... Of course, she sighed to herself, half-expecting that smooth voice to offer his own opinion on the matter inside her head.

She returned to the meadow, where Snowy had laid down in the shade of a fir. “Any luck?” she asked.

“Yeah, I found somewhere. It's not what I'd call secure, but it's better than sitting out in the open.” stated Tempest. “It's two miles south.”

“I was hoping for something a little closer...” commented Snowy, frowning. “Normally, I could fly two miles easily.”

“But...” Tempest looked at her wings pointedly.

“Yeah, exactly. I guess we'll have to walk there.” Snowy did even less walking than flying. Once again, Tempest was surprised she'd made it this far with so relatively little complaining. I mean, she hasn't exactly been stoic about this, but she's less vocal than I would be in her position. Maybe Snowy was made of sterner stuff than anyone thought... Relatively speaking, of course.

“If it's not one thing, it's the other.” said Tempest.

“Yeah.” sighed Snowy in agreement, as they set out for the hill on hoof. Tempest tried to enjoy the unspoiled wilderness of the land, but she kept on glancing around. This place was more sinister than she had thought, and now she couldn't take her mind off that. The sun was getting low in the sky before either of them said anything again.

“Have you been talking to our friend?” asked Tempest, breaking the eerie silence of the Far North.

“Mmh?” Snowy looked up. “Oh, yes, I have. He seems... honest.”

“Honest? About his intentions, or..?” prompted Tempest.

“About everything, really. He says he just wants to right some very grave wrongs and help people.” said Snowy. “Something about being a savior.”

“He said the same to me.” Maybe that was the question she had forgotten; what exactly did the Benefactor mean by savior? She'd have to find out later...

“Our Benefactor seems like a decent person, really.” Snowy stated, with a tired smile. “We agree on a lot of things.”

“Really?” That was surprising... But Snowy said nothing more, no doubt resuming whatever silent conversation she was having with their tag-along voice.

It was nearly night when they arrived at the top of the hill, a patch of rock mostly covered by trees. The protection it offered seemed meager, even illusory, but Tempest could only hope for the best. Most of the time, she'd expect the worse, but if she waited for the shadow spirit to vomit out of the ground like some foul, slick, putrid oil upon the Earth... well, she might not even fall asleep. Snowy gave back the crystal to her and quickly fell asleep, too tired to be afraid.

Tempest just looked at the black crystal, and set it on the ground near where she had laid down. The unnatural quiet of the Far North set in, and as the last light of the sun faded over the western horizon, fear came upon her. Why now? she asked herself. Logically, it was because she spent all the night after last on the move, and the last day on the move as well; and was too exhausted to even think the previous night. But today had been comparatively easy thanks to Snowy, and now she could think. And once more, thinking was the bane of Tempest's life.

How did I get here? Tempest wondered, looking at the night sky. For nearly eleven years she had asked that question, in one way or another. She'd never really been able to answer it. The more time passed, the more the question confused her. Months ago, after Seshilîon, she had told Snowy in no uncertain terms that their predicament was a fucking mess. She stood by that opinion now, more than ever. The next day she had told Snowy that they were better off staying south with Prince- no, King Aharôs. Tempest missed him. She wished she could be more like Aharôs; certain, confident, courageous... but it was not so. That's not who Tempest Blackwind was.

Do not be so hard on yourself.

The sudden presence of the Benefactor shocked her. You can hear my thoughts when I'm not wearing the crystal?

Yes. It is proximity that counts, not physically wearing the crystal, and I am right next to you...

Tempest sighed. He had heard all of that, then.

So I did. You are worried about showing your weaknesses in front of others. You've been hiding who you really are for some time, I gather... deduced the Benefactor.

I'm the Queen of Highcrest. I'm supposed to be a strong, wise, brave mare... But I'm not! I'm a fifteen year-old girl who has no idea what she's doing. Tempest fumed internally. If the Benefactor knew how in over her head she was, then there was no point in hiding anything from him.

They expect a lot from you.

Yeah, but none of them ever asked me what I thought about it! I didn't want to be a warrior, I didn't want to kill anyone, I didn't want to be destined to fight an alicorn princess! She laid her head on her hooves, staring discontentedly at the east.

No one ever asks us what we want in life. All we can do is work with what we've been given... stated the Benefactor. And what we're willing to take. Maelstrom understood this. She was willing to take much and more.

Look where that got her. I don't want to take anything from anyone, Benefactor! she declared, remembered the first time she had taken a life, and how sick she had felt.

Neither did I, once... But if you refuse to take, then you must give.

And I would give up everything I have, throne, crown, sword, all of it, if it meant my mother would still be alive and none of this had ever happened; instead of abandoning me to this madness! she paused, surprised by the resentment she felt. It wasn’t hate, she’d never hate Maelstrom; but she’d never quite realized how strongly upset she was over being placed in this situation. It made sense, though.

Everything, Tempest? Even your friend there? She looked at Snowy, who was fast asleep.

No. Tempest sighed. Not Snowy. I'd have to be even stupider than I am to give up my only friend. She's been more loyal to me than I probably deserve.

So such things go, in my experience. You and I are very much alike, Tempest. When you reach out to those with nothing, when you care for the unwanted, your only reward is loyalty. But who could want anything more? asked the Benefactor. Your friend, Snowy, would stand with you to the end of days. I, too, have a friend out there who would follow me into the gates of Hell if I but asked him. All the times I thought of giving up, I remembered those who had sacrificed for me. You are not there yet, but that day will come. And when it does, you will be glad she is there. Never give up your friends, not for anything.

I... I won't. Tempest assured the Benefactor. She didn't expect the disembodied voice to have such strong opinions on these matters.

And you are not alone as you think you are... the Benefactor continued. There is Aharôs. That was true, to say the least.

I wish I could talk to him. I don't even know where he is, or how he is! said Tempest.

I am sure he is alive and well. He's done a lot for you, has he not?

Yeah... Tempest agreed. He has his frustrating moments, but he's practically... my father, really. I guess I've had time to appreciate him in the last few weeks, now that we're apart for the first time... ever. For over ten years, she had lived in Athair, and the former Prince had never been very far away.

It is not until you leave home that you really begin to appreciate it, is it not? Tempest nodded silently. I spent a long time in distant lands as a soldier, and then a wanderer of places far and alone. I was a shadow on the stars. Not but a passing flicker in the world, never leaving anything behind, always moving on... Returning home was one of the happiest moments in my life.

I wish I still had a home. said Tempest, with a bit of envy towards the Benefactor.

I do too... He made no attempt to hide the pain in those three words. But it was gone as quickly as it had come. But you have Aharôs Loiar, and you have Snowy Farpeak. They care about you, and you will always have a place to belong with them. There are many in this world who do not even have that. Cherish that what you have, Tempest, and hold onto it forever, even if it becomes but a memory.

There was silence for some time, as Tempest let the Benefactor's words sink in. A memory did surface, though. It was a few weeks after her unfortunate arrival at Nikadîon. She had been frightened and lonely, not entirely understanding why she was in this dark, gloomy place full of these strange humans. Prince Aharôs had come to see her, stating he was her guardian now. The technicalities had been beyond a five year-old's understanding, but she had understood the message. Her mother was gone, this new creature she had only heard the name of was going to raise her instead. The first thing she had done was ask him to read to her; from Friends of Mankind, her illustrated compendium of all the animals the humans had domesticated. So Aharôs had read it, with her curled up on his lap. Despite her circumstances then and now, it brought Tempest a warm feeling, and she smiled. For all his flaws and mistakes, Aharôs was still human, and he had done good by her as best he could.

I just wish I could live up to what he wants me to be. What they all want me to be. But I can't. confessed Tempest.

I do not think you wish that, the Benefactor disagreed. I think you want to be who you really are.

And who am I, then? she asked.

Not who they think you are. That is why I say not to be so hard on yourself. You were not made for the life they seek to give you anymore than Snowy was. Your path is elsewhere.

I guess... I guess maybe it does. Tempest acknowledged. I just don't want to let Aharôs down. He said I'd make him proud one day, but what if I don't? What if I'm just another failure and disappointment to him?

Tempest, you are fifteen. You are uncertain and scared now, but you have your whole life ahead of you. You will find a way.

Right... Sometimes even she didn't remember how old she was. It's not like her life was halfway over, or nearly at its end like it had been for her uncle. She had time to get things right. I'm sorry about all this, Benefactor.

What for?

I've got ten years of issues I'm unloading on you. It's not even your problem, I don't know why you're putting up with this. Tempest looked at her hooves, and pointedly not at the crystal next to them. I never considered talking to Aharôs because, well, I just told you. I don’t want to be a disappointment. And it's hard to talk to Snowy because she's had her own things to deal with. So you're really the only one I've been able to tell; a disembodied voice in a crystal that threatened to kill me a few days ago.

I am a listener, Tempest. You are not the first to come to me in a dark hour, and you will not be the last. It is what I do.

Well, thanks. It's... It's nice to get this out in the open. Even if nothing comes of it. A few minutes more of silence passed between them. It really was as if some load had been taken off her shoulders. Not all of it; far from all of it, actually, but... It would do. She was glad this mysterious agent had been so patient with her trivial frettings of youth. Something tugged at her memory, then, perhaps the question she had forgotten about in the morning. Benefactor, you told me the other day that you were a savior. But who do you save? asked Tempest.

I am a savior of the abandoned, the alone, the outcast, the wronged, and the betrayed. the Benefactor stated. For I was once all of those myself. I help they who have nothing; and I punish they who took everything. To Tempest's ire, he offered no other words on the matter. But it did make her feel more confident about all this. Whoever, or whatever he really was, this Benefactor seemed to be on her side. She'd take his words tonight to heart. The fear and anger of earlier had subsided into a quiet thankfulness, and sleep came. As happened every night now, the dreams came. This time it wasn't bridges or a forest or even fire, but instead something warm and peaceful for once.

Snowy and Tempest continued their journey southeast by hoof alone the next few days, making far less progress than Tempest hoped to. She feared that Snowy had hurt her wings in some way, but with luck, it would only turn out to be a case of overusing unworked muscles. It was not an unknown phenomenon, after all. The Benefactor was keeping quiet after their discussion that one night, he often had little to say but advice on where to stop for sleep. Sometimes Tempest passed his crystal off to Snowy, they seemed to get along well just fine; and Snowy could use some extra friendly motivation to keep moving on. The travelling of the past few weeks was starting to take a visible toll on her.

On the morning of the fourth day, Tempest flew up to see what was around; and spotted a chain of peaks looming in the south. The Ôsavon... We must be getting close. They had sneaked up on her; Tempest remembered spotting the distant mountains from as far as a hundred miles away when they were still in Athair. If we're this close to the mountains, then maybe we're close to the ocean.

It was tempting to fly ahead of Snowy and get a look, but both agreed the risk of being separated was far too high. Tempest was the only one with a weapon, for what little good it would do against things like the shadow spirit, and Tempest was the only one who had any idea of which plants were good to eat and which ones were not. Snowy wasn't much of a nature-oriented pony; she preferred history, arithmetic, politics, and other such high-minded studies. Why isn't she the Queen of Highcrest? Tempest often wondered.

It is a good question. The Benefactor broke hours of silence. But I fear she would not make a good Queen either; your friend does not react well to significant amounts of attention. Snowy told me she prefers to stay behind the curtain, so to speak.

Really? Tempest asked. She's never mentioned that before... Though it makes sense.

You two should talk about the road ahead more often. Just because you do not wish to tread it, does not mean you will not have to. Wise words from their mysterious companion.

As chance would have it, it was another day before Tempest spotted the sea, a glimmering sliver of blue far to the west of their position on a high hill amongst other hills. “Haha!” exclaimed Tempest, rushing back to the ground to tell Snowy what the trees were hiding. “We're almost back to civilization! Just a few more days and we should be safe!”

“Thank God.” sighed Snowy earnestly. “This has been quite an... experience.”

“At least we'll have one great story-”

I wouldn't tell them about this, if I were you. spoke the Benefactor suddenly.

“Or maybe not, says the Benefactor.” grumbled Tempest. “We'll just tell them we got delayed at Kakâdras, fought a wraith, and... got delayed some more...”

“I don't think they'll buy it.” Snowy said, raising an eyebrow.

“We'll work on it as we go.” They continued on, spending six more days traversing the increasingly chaotic terrain. The Ôsavon crashed into the sea here, in a jumble of cliffs, islands, canyons, inlets, sounds, and more. It was as if some great hammer had smashed this place apart in distant days past; the sea's unending assault only helped. But, it was certainly beautiful. There was still snow upon the high peaks above them, the conifer forests covering these islands and slopes were vibrantly green. It was much wetter in this place, probably because fog and clouds were pushed up against the mountains by the wind, and had no choice but to rain in order to continue their journey up. Tempest and Snowy certainly appreciated what sights they could see as they walked along the rocky shores strewn with driftwood and seastacks.

And so, after nearly two week's journey south from the shadow spirit's attack, they came upon the first outpost of civilization. The two had climbed a hill for the first half of the day, and then beheld a small walled port with a castle nestled at the back of a bay, where a river met the sea. Bôsamîon; the easternmost guard against the Far North. From their vantage point above, they could see a very distant lone peak; a volcano of the Dashavon, no doubt; somewhere in Jutan or Athair.

“We did it.” said Tempest, feeling exhilarated despite the long climb up. “We survived the Far North!” They'd arrived precisely where Îrilôs had told them to go, what seemed like a month ago. It probably was a month ago by now. All that remained was to get to Ar-Athazîon.

Author's Note

In which Tempest is a completely normal teenager and doesn't really realize it. To celebrate the arrival of season 4 tomorrow, I ram minor character development down your throat; and then kick plot acceleration into overdrive by condensing three chapters of nothing happening into one chapter of a little bit happening so we can get to the coming action AHAHAHAHAHAH YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVED THAT?

The Return to Civilization

Turaz

They had gone east for a week and a half, before reaching the outpost of Bôsamîon. No one along the way, peasant or landholder, had even heard word of any Equestrian passing through, captive or not. Aharôs had started to consider that perhaps Queen Tempest and Lady Farpeak had escaped whatever had befallen Kakâdras and had taken the route on the other side of the Ôsavon. Sidâl had said they were beyond his vision now, but perhaps that it would be wise to leave someone behind in case they turned up; for pressing matters awaited in Ar-Athazîon.

Naturally, it had been Turaz who was volunteered for the job, along with Streaming Breeze and Sergeant Haior. The brick-red pegasus was still recovering from her wounds and could do with the rest; Haior was the Turaz to Turaz's Aharôs. And for another week, the three had resided in one of the empty warehouses the garrison Captain had graced them with. It was currently Haior's turn to sit on the roof and look for any inbound Equestrians.

“Any word from home?” asked Streaming Breeze, from her perch on a crate. She was well enough to walk and jump now, but still no flying.

“None.” Turaz replied. He was sitting on the floor-planks, cleaning his armor. After so much travel, he was surprised there was no rust. Perhaps they had gotten lucky by avoiding too much rain and mud. “I'm not too worried though, my family is safe so long as they keep their heads low. And being from Surana... Well, they know a thing or two about keeping out of trouble.”

“That's good.” said the pegasus. “Though I suppose they couldn't contact you anyway, on account of us being on the run and all.”

“Yeah... that could be relevant. Besides, I couldn't even read any potential letter.” the knight agreed, scraping out some dirt from between two plates. “I just wonder how this will all turn out. We're a band of... assorted people against an entire kingdom. I don't see how Aharôs means to retake his birthright... Not with Equestria threatening to invade Sarathûl.”

“It's a situation, alright.” Streaming Breeze nodded. In the eight days they'd been here, he'd hardly learned a thing about her. She was nowhere near as quiet as Snowy or reserved as Tempest; she just didn't reveal much about herself. “I wonder if we'll live to see the end of it. This is all starting to feel like some weird dream.”

“I know what you mean.” Turaz said back. “It's been a blur of constant movement since Vatherîon. This little break of ours has been nice, but it's just a break. We'll be moving on eventually.”

“What happens if Queen Tempest and Lady Farpeak don't show up?”

“I really don't want to know, and I definitely don't want to be the one to tell Aharôs that.” he stated firmly. “Besides, the Blackwinds have a habit of surviving unlikely situations, our Tempest will pull through.”

Another quiet day passed, each of the three taking a few hours up on the roof. The summer weather and their northern locale made it rather pleasant than unbearable as it surely would be further south. But on the next day, while Turaz sat under the temporary awning Haior had put up, he saw something through his spyglass. Movement, on the hill on the other side of the inlet. Two movements. “By God, they've done it.” he muttered. “Haior, Stream, I think I see them!” he yelled down through the hatch.

“You sure?” asked Haior, quickly climbing the ladder up and poking his head out.

“I'm honestly not surprised.” Streaming Breeze commented from below.

“Well, there's two somethings out there.” Turaz stated. “Let's go take a look.”

The three set off through the empty and quiet set of buildings which made up the outpost. Turaz brought his halberd but no armor; Streaming Breeze was entirely unarmed; so Haior was the only one truly prepared for a fight if those two things weren't their lost ponies. Turaz led them towards the forest and northern part of the inlet.

“What if it isn't them?” Haior asked, adjusting his helmet.

“That's why we're armed.” Turaz replied.

“This is the Far North after all...” commented Streaming Breeze, looking around. “I've heard stories of this place.”

“Just stories.” Haior replied. “Probably just stories.”

“Let's hope so.” the pegasus said quietly. They reached the treeline, and skirted around it on the rocky shores. It was slow going, for the most part, their pegasus companion taking offense to to the multitudes of unstable rocks in regards to her hooves; she ended up dodging waves and walking on the much finer grains in the surf. Humans had the advantage of boots, and thus did not mind the palm-sized stones beneath them.

It was a quarter of an hour by foreign reckoning, and an eighth of a bell by the realms of men, by the time they came upon the two figures Turaz had spotted. One was a blue-grey, the other was a beige color. There was no doubt, they'd found the two missing pegasi.

“Well, look who we have here!” Turaz shouted once they were within hearing distance. “You two better have an explanation for this!”

“You wouldn't believe it if I told you.” came Tempest's response. Turaz hadn't heard her voice in well over a month, it had almost been a relief.

“Really.” said Turaz, once they were roughly standing face to face. Tempest and Snowy looked absolutely disheveled. They were covered in dust and dirt, and both looked exhausted and hungry, Snowy more so than Tempest. The former seemed worse for wear of the two, she even had bits of plants stuck in her tangled mane and tail.

“Streaming Breeze, you made it out?” Tempest asked in surprise. “Îrilôs said you all died...”

“I'm surprised too, my Queen.” she said as she bowed. “I didn't make it out unscathed though, I've been grounded for a month.”

“Well, you're not the only one.” Tempest pointed at her ever-present friend. “Snowy hurt her wings, she hasn't been able to fly in days.”

“How'd she manage that?” asked Turaz. “It's not like you two ever get into a fight on your own.”

“Yeah... We had our moments on this little adventure.” Tempest shivered.

“Wait, did you two fight-?” Haior began to ask, but was interrupted.

“What? No, no, we didn't fight. Where'd you even get that idea?” The Queen of Highcrest didn't wait for an answer. “We fought something else. Two other things. And it wasn't really a fight... It was more of flying away really fast after a brief encounter.”

“Are you going to tell us?” Turaz questioned, wondering just what they had run into out in the ancient homeland of mankind.

“Later. First, I want to know what you three are doing here.” she commanded.

“King Aharôs left us behind to wait for you, since Sidâl told us this is where you were supposed to meet us. Obviously, you were very, very late.” stated Turaz. “So we've waited here for a bit, hoping you'd show up. Here you are.”

“Snowy and I agreed this morning, that before we tell anyone anything about our little adventure and run-ins with storybook monsters, we're going to want to get cleaned up and have a hot meal for the first time since... Jutan, I think.” stated Tempest.

“I'm not spending another minute in this condition if I don't have to.” Snowy remarked, lifting a hoof muddy and sandy and staring at it with discontentedly. Huh, not a single bit of stuttering, Turaz noted. “I haven't washed in three weeks, it's disgusting.”

“Welcome to the life of an infantryman.” Haior grumbled. “Three weeks is nothing.” Streaming Breeze gave him an alarmed look, while Turaz could only chuckle.

“My sergeant may be exaggerating.” he warned. “Well, I'm eager to find out what exactly you two were up to that concerns storybook monsters. Come along, my Queen, we're going back to town.” Their two formerly-lost pegasi were quiet on the way in, but not uncomfortably so. They both looked visibly relieved at the moment. Whatever storybook monster they ran into must have been quite a fright. Streaming Breeze helped the two wash off a month of accumulated dirt, while Turaz and Haior enjoyed the weather on the roof.

“What do you think is out there?” Haior asked, tilting his helmet so the visor blocked the sun's glare. He looked straight across the inlet, to the hill their pegasi had walked over. “What could they have possibly ran into?”

“Last summer I would have just said an overactive imagination.” Turaz replied. “But after what I've seen from Sidâl, what I saw in after that Verâdîm ambush, what I heard in that pit, how I saw him fight at Vatherîon...” He shook his head. “The world has a lot more secrets than I could have thought. I don't know if I want to know them all.”

“I didn't see him at Vatherîon.” said Haior. “Did he...?”

“It was the eeriest thing I've ever seen, Haior. He slid around like he was on ice and no one could see him.” The knight shuddered.

“That sounds more comical to me.” Haior commented.

“It was like he just jumped from shadow to shadow, and there'd be a knife he wasn't holding a moment ago sticking through the neck of the soldier he had just been in front.” Turaz held up one hand, and quickly slide his other from its front to its back, trying to demonstrate what it had been like. “I can't explain it any other way. And then he went ahead, and we found halls covered in that foul frost with no signs of life. As if whoever had been there had just been pulled out of the world... I shiver to think where. Or of what took them.”

“Well...” The sergeant tilted his head, and continued to stare at the distance. “The good book says there's a balance to all things. Whatever Sidâl has at his command surely cannot be good, but surely, there must be something to counter it that is not so evil.”

“I hope so.” Turaz said. “I have a bad feeling about that man. Sure, he came from somewhere with an ill-ruling king and now seeks to aid Aharôs to prevent that from happening again, I can sympathize with that motive. But I just cannot believe it is his only one. Queen Tempest and Lady Snowy agreed with me on this. And, did you know, Sidâl knew who I was by sight before we had even met?”

“I don't believe I've heard that before.”

“It's true, he did. He walked up to me in Sturaj and said I was quite well-known in his circles of friends. Why, though?” asked Turaz, putting a hand to his head. “Why me? Where does an illiterate one step above commoner come into play in this grand game of princes and sorcerers?”

“We'll probably find out too late.” remarked Haior. “That's what happens in the stories.”

“I don't think we're in that kind of story, Haior.” rebuked Turaz.

“It just feels like it, sometimes. Like we're just players in some far greater play.”

“That's called the human metanarrative.” stated Turaz. “Lady Snowy taught me that, believe it or not.”

“A metanarrative? I've never heard of such a thing.”

“It's an Equestrian idea. Meta isn't even Tarsen, it's from some kind of Alicornian dialect. But the metanarrative is... How did she explain it...” Turaz racked his brain. “A great story that we all are a part of, I guess. It's history as we tell it, the quest of our people to work towards whatever we're working towards. Snowy can speak of it better, ask her if you're really interested in it.”

“All the world's a stage...” muttered Haior.

“...That's a good way to put it.” He should put that in a book, thought Turaz.

Both sat on in silence for a long time, thinking about their part in the world's stage. Until Streaming Breeze yelled at them from below.

“The Queen is ready for your presence!” she reported.

“Well, time to find out what they saw up there.” said Turaz, climbing down the ladder into the loft. Haior followed him in short order. Tempest and Snowy looked as good as new. Well, Tempest looked her usual, clean but plainly unremarkable and just one step above unkempt. Snowy, on the other hand, had her appearance well-maintained and ordered as usual, and was diligently brushing her still-damp tail. Where did she even get a brush? Did she bring one on their little adventure? wondered Turaz.

“It's story time!” eagerly said Haior, hooking a stool with his foot and sitting down.

“Fine, fine.” sighed Tempest, sitting down on a blanket with Snowy and Streaming. She looked rather out of place; not as feminine as the beige pegasus, but not as hard and worn as the red one. The Blackwind Army, in all its glory, confined to one old quilt in a backwater outpost's warehouse. It was actually kind of saddening. “Well, it all began when Reshîv turned on Aharôs. We were all there for that, Snowy and I got out of there. Streaming too, apparently. Îrilôs met us and told us to go to Kakâdras, and then to this place, where there would be a ship waiting. But, he also said we should avoid flying over Athair or Verâd, so we took the long way around, on the other side of the Dashavon. It was smooth going for a few days, it took that long to get Snowy into the habit of long flights. We slept one night at the manor of a Jutan nobleman, he and his daughter were very accommodating. And then we went to Kakâdras from there... That's when things got...”

“Scary.” interjected Snowy, laying down and putting her head between her forelegs.

“I'm very interested in this part.” Turaz commented. He didn't tell them it was to make sure their story lined up with what Sidâl and Aharôs had decided was the official one.

“We show up at the gates, and they let us in, they know who Îrilôs is apparently. No surprise, given the garrison commander was a relative of his. But...” Tempest paused, looking uneasy. “Everyone had their armor on. Visors on too. Scrubbing away at things on the ground and walls. No one but a single soldier at the gate said a word to us. We go up the tower, met another soldier who talks, and meet the Captain, he's very interested in Aharôs...”

“Seems rather normal.” commented Streaming Breeze.

“You see, the Kakâdras tower had portraits of all the Captains on its walls, and the current Captain's portrait was done of him standing right outside the tower door. He doesn't come within half a foot of it. But then he stands up in front of us, and leads us down outside... And he has to duck under the door.”

Turaz and Haior exchanged glances.

“Yeah.” Tempest said.

“Old men don't grow a head's worth of height overnight.” Snowy added.

“So the Captain wasn't actually the Captain. No, that'd have been too easy. The day something goes right for me is the day the world ends.” Tempest stated bitterly. “You know what the Captain was? A wraith.”

“You have to be kidding.” said Turaz disbelievingly.

“Madness!” Haior exclaimed.

“A what?” asked Streaming Breeze.

“A wraith,” began Snowy, “more properly a Hell-wraith, is an evil soul the Great Enemy dragged out of Hell with him, when he arrived upon Earth. Whatever they once were, human or otherwise, is gone, all that remains is a wicked creature that knows only hate.”

“Great Enemy, that was... Vahâdrîn, right?” Streaming tried to clarify. Snowy nodded. “I thought the humans said all his demons died with him, though?”

“That's what I thought too.” Snowy said quietly.

“They obviously missed a few.” grumbled Tempest.

“So, you two met a wraith?” Turaz repeated. “How did you even know it was a wraith?”

“The Captain suddenly transformed into this tall shadowy thing.” explained Tempest, waving a hoof in the air to emphasize the height. “I didn't see any face, and it had magic. Some kind of purple light. Not a glow, like you say unicorn magic is, but more like... lightning, I guess. The wraith grabbed me by the neck and said Sidâl and Îrilôs should have never sent us there, and that now I was going to die.”

“Lord of Heaven.” muttered Haior, touching two fingers to his forehead in unspoken prayer.

“I wasn't afraid, though.” Tempest said. “I knew Snowy would pull through. And she did! She flew right into the wraith and knocked it over, freeing me. We decided to fly for it, and... Well, we didn't check where we were going, and ended up on the Far North side of the Ôsavon.”

“Wait, so not only are you attacked by a wraith, Lady Snowy saved you?” Turaz asked incredulously. “Her?” He pointed at the docile and timid pegasus. That's how she is, right? He didn't like the idea that Snowy had been playing them all for over ten years; pretending to be a cowardly, harmless scholar, all the while honing dangerous skills to hidden perfection. It was just too far-fetched.

“Yes, her.” said Tempest.

“It was an act of divinely-inspired courage.” Snowy added in, with a slight blush. “I didn't think I had it in me.”

“I'll say.” said Turaz. “What an adventure you two have had.”

“Oh, it's not over yet. Far from it.” Tempest sighed. “The morning after that, we were still pretty spooked. Kept hearing this howling noise too, though nothing ever came of it, thankfully. But as we were flying, I got a little turned around on an overcast night, and ended up taking us even further north than we already were. And that's where we see this... path.” She paused, thinking on her next words, probably. “It was a solid line of knocked over trees. Not torn out of the ground by a whirlwind or something, they had been pushed over from the base of the trunk. And they were dead, too, bleached and drained, as was the ground below them. As if something had come along in a perfectly straight line and sucked all the life out of everything it knocked down. I decide that we should follow this path and see where it goes. You all won't miss us if we're a few days late, right?”

“Hmmph.” snorted Turaz.

“So we keep on going north, Snowy didn't like the notion but she wasn't in much of a position to object. And... it must have been a week or so later, we finally arrive where this path and many more meet. We were deep in the Far North by that point, the nights were freezing and the sun seemed like it was only up for a third of the day. But there we saw it: this big circle of destruction, surrounding a little hill covered in very much living white roses. And there was an obelisk on top, which said 'Versa' on it. Snowy thought it was a memorial to a dead alicorn, and I'm inclined to agree.”

“I wonder what an alicorn was doing in our territory.” Haior mused to himself.

“No sooner are we on the hill investigating than a storm comes over us. Black, oily clouds rushed towards us, and started spinning around the hill. They're what's caused the destruction, I realized. But for some reason, the storm can't touch us, so it starts screaming.”

“Screaming?” asked Streaming Breeze.

“Screaming. It wasn't the wind, because the air was completely still. It was something screaming at us in some abominable language we didn't need to understand to know what it meant. And that's when it hits me: this isn't a life-draining storm, this is a monster of darkness. A demon of the ancient world. We were under attack by a shadow spirit!”

“That's impossible!” scoffed Turaz. “The last shadow spirits died with the Great Enemy!”

“Madness!” Haior said again.

“A what?” questioned the red pegasus.

“A shadow spirit was supposedly a fire spirit which had its flame extinguished, and in its jealous rage, turned to evil. They tried to eat all the fires of life in order to rekindle their own.” explained Tempest. “Or so Snowy said later.”

“I thought a wraith was unbelievable, but a fucking shadow spirit? Shit.” swore the knight. “Why doesn't anyone else know that thing is out there?”

“I... I don't know.” shrugged Tempest. “Brenan always said it was more likely that overpopulation, famine, and weather which drove you out of the Far North. But maybe the demon was behind that? Maybe it wanted you to leave and started killing crops... and... whatever else demons do.”

“Tempest, Snowy, keep this to yourselves for now. Tell it to the Emperor when we get to Ar-Athazîon, but don't say a word.” ordered Turaz. “If that falls upon the wrong ears... I don't know what, but I don't like the idea either.”

“Got it.” nodded Tempest. “The shadow spirit was driven off by the sunrise, the sun seemed to almost melt it, and that was the last we saw of it. Snowy and I fled to the sea as fast as we could, and made our way down the coast to here. Of course, she messed up her wings along the way, and we spent most of that journey walking.” Tempest then launched into an account of the last half of their journey, spent in fear of the demon's return. Turaz noticed Snowy had fallen asleep at some point, and the Queen herself was losing enthusiasm as well. When she had finally caught them up to where they were now, Tempest looked ready for a nap herself. “Well, that's our story.” she said with a yawn. “Nothing more to it than that.

“Now we know.” Turaz stated. “Get some rest now, you've earned it.” he suggested. Tempest, used to doing what she was told, laid down where she sat. Streaming Breeze gave her a curious glance.

“Gladly.” agreed Tempest, yawning again. And with that, she was out. The other three moved off to another part of the warehouse.

“What do you think?” asked Turaz to them.

“What do you mean?” Streaming replied.

“Wraiths? Shadow spirits?” he prompted. “It's not that I think their story is false, but I have to wonder if they really did see those things, or they think they saw those things. I mean, we thought Reshîv had something to do with their disappearance given what we found at Kakâdras, but then these two give us a completely different explanation for things.”

“Maybe the wraith worked for Reshîv.” suggested Haior.

“But didn't Reshîv hate sorcery and anything to do with the supernatural?” questioned the red pegasus.

“He does...” Turaz put a hand to his chin. “It seems like we have a mystery on our hands.”

“And hooves.” Haior added. The knight and pony both gave him an unamused look.

“Regardless, now that we've fulfilled our duty here, we can finally join everyone else in the civilized world.” he stated.

“You mean-?” began Streaming Breeze.

“We sail for Ar-Athazîon.”

Author's Note

“I wasn't afraid, though.”
Tempest Blackwind, you're a liar and a craven! Anyways, this chapter felt a little rushed to me, but I've dilly-dallied way too long on this part of the plot.

Ar-Athazîon

Tempest

It was soon evident that she hated sea travel. Beyond hated. Tempest was sickened by sea travel, quite literally too. It had taken only a few minutes for an uneasiness to settle upon her once their ship left the inlet and hit the open ocean, and only a few minutes more for her to lose her lunch to whatever spirits of water dwelt in the depths below. That was putting it kindly, too.

It had been four days since they set sail in their portly carrack, sitting high in the water from lack of cargo on her return trip to Ar-Athazîon. That exaggerated the problem of rolling, and rolling, and rolling, Tempest figured. Wave after wave hit the ship, going up, and then down, and then up again, always rocking side to side.

“It's really not that bad.” Streaming Breeze had had the nerve to comment on the first day, and the last time Tempest had been above deck. No, it really is that bad, lamented Tempest. She had tucked herself away as close to the keel line as was possible below deck, she believed that the swaying of the ship was least in the middle as opposed to the sides. Unfortunately, there was no noticeable difference... Fortunately, she had hardly eaten in these four days, so there was nothing left to vomit up. All she had now was a constant, intense nausea. When she considered it, feeling like she was constantly about to vomit was about as bad as actually vomiting... So her situation really was not improved, at all.

Every day had passed in a slow, agonizing blur of ill-feeling and boredom. Such a toxic mix Tempest had never felt before, and she very definitely never wanted to feel again. And the Benefactor had been quick to order transfer to Snowy for the duration of the voyage. Sea-sickness, or any kind of sickness, is unbecoming of one such as I. Thanks, Benefactor, Tempest had thought.

So that was how she had found herself alone and seemingly dying in the dark cargo hold of an ornery, wretched ship. Everyone else usually kept above deck whenever possible because of the heat, except Snowy, who checked in every now and then. Now was one of those moments.

“How are you doing?” asked she, quietly.

“Kill me.” moaned Tempest, raising her head from between her hooves. Her stomach twisted at the sudden movement.

“We should be arriving by morning.” Snowy reported, sitting in front of her with a frown on her face.

“I thought it was morning.” Tempest said. Not surprising if I've lost track of time this badly though...

“It's actually past midnight.” replied Snowy, looking around the hold at the few lanterns. “I can see why you'd get confused down here, though.”

“Yeah.” agreed Tempest tiredly.

“Are you sure you don't want to go up top with the rest of us? It's awfully warm down here.”

“No, I stay.” It was indeed uncomfortably hot, but she wasn't going up there after the hilarity she had caused to the human sailors with her weak constitution. Something else occurred to her though: “Snowy, if it's after midnight, why are you still up?”

“I'm having some very interesting discussions with our... fellow-traveler.” stated Snowy, peering down at her chest, where the black crystal on its string rested. “No one even asks about this, you know. It's like they don't even see it. I'm starting to think maybe they don't.”

“Magic...” grumbled Tempest. “I wouldn't even doubt it.”

“He wouldn't either.” Snowy noted, with a little smile.

“Hmmph.” snorted Tempest, putting her head back down.

As usual, she got no true sleep that night; only drifting in and out of consciousness until finally, the swaying of the ship began to lessen and slow. Orders were shouted above, and she heard the cry of gulls. It was at least an hour before she found the strength to stand again; she shakily made her way onto the deck.

“Lord in Heaven,” said Turaz when he saw her. “you look terrible.”

“I felt worse.” Tempest told him. The water was greatly calmed, they were but a few miles from shore. They had reached Edas Bâlôn, the Bay of Vision, there was no doubt. She couldn't see over the forecastle of their carrack, but to their north were low hills, and higher ones to the south.

“Welcome back to the world of the living, my Queen.” commented Streaming Breeze.

“I'm glad you could join us.” Snowy said, almost bouncing with excitement. “We're almost there!”

That would be Ar-Athazîon, the brightest gem in the crown of humanity. I have to admit, I am a bit interested to see what it looks like... Perhaps she should have been more eager to see this legendary place she'd always heard about, but she hadn't exactly been in a condition for anticipation, lately. “Well, let's take a look.” Tempest nodded to the stairs up the forecastle. The five of them, three pegasi, plus one Sir Turaz and one Sergeant Haior, ascended.

And there it was.

Before the carrack stood an utterly massive bastion of gleaming white stone. Out of the sea rose vast buttresses, holding up a steeply sloped wall. It was a good two hundred feet tall, and spread out for miles on either side. They were sailing towards an arched passage at the base, where the waters of the bay flowed through to the harbor, bristling with masts, beyond. The sides of the arch contained great metal teeth, no doubt the edges of some mighty double portcullis to shut out unwanted visitors. The leviathan wall was topped by a tower every few score yards, which brimmed with cannon ports and were draped in the long black and white banners of the Empire, bearing the red star.

“Holy shit.” swore Tempest, eyes wide.

“It was not by the hands of men that this city was first built.” Snowy quietly noted to the two pegasi, a delighted grin on her face. “Before you stands the ultimate monument to Old Alicornia.” She was careful not to let any human hear her.

“Oh my.” commented Streaming Breeze, mouth agape.

“I knew the walls were supposedly huge, but... I thought it was just normal exaggeration!” They said that this city had works of architecture that had taken generations to complete... What lay beyond this magnificent bulwark? Tempest noted that the base of the walls at water level was stained green with plant life. Great rusty streaks also poured down from little holes here and there, no doubt something having to do with Îrilôs's claimed system of pipes that could move water hither and thither. But these imperfections did little to dull the sense of awe this gave her. The mountains bordering the Far North may have been much taller; but this all had been built, and maintained, for at least several thousand years!

“They circle the entire city; it's five miles in diameter.” said Snowy.

“Five miles?!” Streaming was incredulous. “There is no city on Earth that huge!”

“Just you wait.” Snowy's grin grew even bigger. Gone was any semblance of timid quietness; she was getting into her element, and she was enjoying it. “This wall has never been breached, not once in all its history. Catapults were laughed at; dragon-fire flowed off of it like water; magic simply rebounded. Not even the cannons of discontent princes could put a dent in them. Ar-Athazîon has never fallen to an enemy... on the outside.” No doubt there was a trove of Imperial intrigues Snowy wasn't mentioning. “They say this city contains a third of all the wealth in the world.”

“How did the alicorns lose it?” asked Tempest, not able to look away from the looming walls.

“They abandoned it. It was only a matter of time before the humans scaled the walls and opened the city from the inside.” Snowy explained. “Most of the alicorn buildings inside are gone, but anything worth noting is built on their foundations.”

“Imagine how many soldiers it takes to garrison this... how many engineers it takes to keep it from falling down.” wondered Streaming to herself. Snowy explained just how many it took as they approached the arched gate.

“This is a center of world trade.” stated Snowy. “Here you will see ships of all races and nations, even ones we haven't heard of, I bet. All have come seeking this harbor.” she pointed ahead, at the huge complex of docks and wharfs where hundreds if not thousands of ships were tied up. Tempest put her knowledge of ships to use.

There were caravels, carracks, cogs, holks, and galleys, of all shapes and sizes. There were even styles of ships she didn't recognize at all, despite all those hours she and Aharôs had spent at the top of Nikadîon watching ships come and go on the river Aiô. Strange ships with rigid, rectangular sails; sleek ships, low to the water, with triangular sails; ships with tall masts but few decks; and some few ships without sails at all!

A shadow fell over them, and they were inside the arch. “You'd make a good guide, Lady Snowy.” commented Turaz, satisfied with his people's great achievements. “You know how to make us look good.” Tempest eyed the rusty teeth of the gates to either side warily as they passed by. If the gates suddenly closed, very quickly, their comparatively little carrack would be smashed to pieces. Above them were what looked like holes in the ceiling, perhaps to drop things from if intruders started sailing through.

“I just read a lot.” replied Snowy modestly. “If I remember right, over there,” she pointed left, “should be the moorings of the Imperial Fleet-”

“Armada is the word I'd use!” exclaimed Haior. Several score tall galleons and fearsome galleasses were all smartly packed in, side by side. They wore fresh paint, green, gold, and red decoration; their cannons gleamed, and each vessel had its own name-banners fluttering on top of the aftcastle.

“Looks like they have enough firepower to take the entire Eastern Sea for their own.” said Streaming Breeze. Tempest frowned at the implications of why the Empire would want the Eastern Sea controlled. It was a mighty large fleet the Emperor had at his command, here... And the Emperor was a friend of Aharôs. She turned to look at the city itself.

The wall enclosed a gently sloping hill within it, which sharply jutted another four hundred feet into the air on the easternmost side. Upon that rise was the citadel of Ar-Athazîon, an ancient structure which still kept its sheer vertical walls. At least it had square towers, though, arranged like arrowheads to provide covering fire to other nearby bastions. The citadel was topped by a spire, from which proudly streamed the Imperial banner. It probably takes all day to climb up there, Tempest thought. Below the citadel was what had to be the Emperor's residence, a much less fortified complex which surrounded the citadel's walls and seemed to hang off the steep sides of the rise. There was a vast amount of green within it, no doubt many gardeners had spent their lives trying to keep the place in order.

In the very center of the city, though, was the domed octagonal Cathedral of Saint Aikâlon, from which eight wings radiated off, lined with their own steeples and domes. It was twice as tall as the city walls, made of dark tan marble, domes tiled in a deep, rich blue and lined with silver. From the dome flew the Banner of Heaven, much like the Imperial one, but all black and with a silver star instead. Truly, this city was a beacon of divine right to rule!

There were other buildings which caught Tempest's eyes too, rising out of the sea of houses, apartments, storerooms, and other commercial places. Scattered near the citadel's rise were castle-like buildings; boxy, square, windowless, miniature fortresses. “What are those?” Tempest asked.

“Banks, I believe.” said Haior. “I've heard of them. Very shadowy people, those bankers.”

“Their paranoia almost puts King Aharôs to shame, if they have to live in forts.” remarked Streaming Breeze to Snowy. Tempest probably wasn't supposed to hear that.

Also of note was a large, walled place near the west of what Tempest could see. “That's the University,” said Snowy. “they're very particular on who they let join them.” Beyond the walls and a bell-tower, though, Tempest couldn't see much of it. And around the city there were various patches of green, probably the private gardens of wealthier residences. “There's about eight hundred thousand souls in this city.” Snowy continued, waving a hoof around. “And three hundred thousand more living outside the walls, but still under Ar-Athazîon's direct administration.”

“I don't smell anything nasty.” noted Turaz. “Surana used to have a distinct smell of rotting everything. Not here, though.”

“That's the plumbing system at work.” Haior said. “I heard about this in Sturaj from a merchant last year. Instead of throwing shit in the gutters, they have this whole... thing of pipes and pumps which takes it out far away and dumps it into the ocean. Very advanced.”

“I wonder how they figured out how to make it work.” Tempest scrunched her brow as they sailed closer to the docks. A good slice of area enclosed by the walls was just water for the harbor. The dock system itself ran in a kind of oval shape, half on the the shore, the other portion built into the walls directly over the water.

“I have no idea.” replied Snowy.

“So, Lady Snowy, care to tell us what makes this city so important for trade?” asked Turaz. Snowy blinked, Tempest opened her mouth to answer for her, but to both their surprise, it was Streaming Breeze who spoke first.

“The free market.” said the red pegasus. “In Equestria, there are bounds of laws that regulate what you can and cannot do in the economy, changing from various fief to fief. Earth ponies can't sell certain goods in certain places, pegasi cannot purchase the services of unicorns, unicorns are required to buy everything magic-related from royally approved vendors, it goes on. I guess this is similar elsewhere in the world, because all merchants eventually make their way to Ar-Athazîon. You humans are a strange lot, true, but you have seldom few rules when it comes to commercial ventures or interests. Everything is fair game. For better or for worse, a free, unregulated market has certainly made your city a popular destination for mercantile business.”

“I have no idea you were so interested in economy.” remarked Haior.

“I too do a lot of reading.” Streaming Breeze simply replied. “Most of Ar-Athazîon's income is from ship repair and lodging services, and the fees derived from that, you know; not the tax of business.”

“A lot of it is from upstream traffic too,” added in Snowy. “The Empire directly controls much of the Karthâ river. Even with tolls as low as they are, every toll paid goes to the Emperor... It adds up.”

“I could have said all that.” Tempest murmured. “A part of the reason behind the Karthâ Wars was high tolls.”

“Let someone else do the talking, my Queen, you've been ill.” said Streaming Breeze.

In a few minutes, the carrack's sails were pulled up and it drifted into an open dock, bumping against the burlap sacks of dirt that existed just to be bumped into. The captain and customs officer launched right into the usual discussion of cargo and destination. When the officer was told they had Imperial passengers aboard, the five were immediately let ashore with their scant baggage. Everyone else would wait for the moment.

“Where do we go from here?” asked Tempest, once they had descended the gangplank. The docks were in total chaos, from an outsider’s perspective. Porters and workers milled about in every direction. This is what Turaz used to do, before he became a knight.

“We need to go there.” Turaz pointed to the citadel and palace below it, lording over the city. It looked very far away.

“But how?” asked Tempest. “None of us has ever been here before. And three Equestrians in a human city, beyond the commercial sectors... well, it might attract unwanted attention.”

“Haior and I will go to the citadel ourselves. You three stay here near the docks and keep out of trouble. We'll be back eventually.” stated the knight.

“Wait, you didn't have a plan for this before?” asked Streaming Breeze.

“Duke Îrilôs was very unclear, and we didn't have much time before he and Aharôs left.” Turaz shrugged. “We're improvising.”

“Have fun climbing two, maybe three miles of hill in that armor.” Tempest said. It was still early in the morning, but the days had been getting hotter and hotter as they had gone south.

“Armor will make us look more official.” Turaz adjusted the chains of rank on his right pauldron. “I'm a knight, so I am nobility. I should look the part.”

“Indeed, Sir.” nodded Haior. He had his helmet hanging from his belt by the chin strap. Turaz, though, had to carry his, on account of not upsetting the blue plume. He placed it on his halberd instead, the spike going through an eye hole to keep it secure.

“They allow weapons here, don't they?” he asked.

“They ought to.” Tempest assured him. “But they can't arrest a knight, can they?”

“We'll find out. So, you three stay in this general area, we'll be back... when we're back.” With that, the two humans set off into the crowd, making in the general direction of the Emperor's residence.

“Well...” Streaming Breeze looked around. Tempest did as well, suddenly feeling rather alone. This was the first time she had ever been in a human city without Aharôs or Turaz close by. Even with Snowy and Streaming with her, this was a bit unnerving. There were so many people...

“I guess we should find somewhere shady.” said Tempest.

“No doubt.” Snowy agreed. They wove their way through the dock crowd, being completely ignored. But it was still worrisome that they were only chest high to the humans about, none of them were eager to get trampled. Tempest led them back a few buildings from the docks, to get away from the noise and crowds. She did not feel comfortable with so many people about.

“This is as good a place as any.” Streaming Breeze said, stopping in front of an alley. The warehouses here were tall enough to completely block out the sun, so it would be cool all day if they needed to stay that long. Snowy climbed up onto a crate and laid down, though she kept her head raised and ears alert. Tempest joined her, but only sat down. Streaming was left on the ground. As is her place, really...

“I wonder what we're sitting on.” Tempest looked down at the crate, tapping it with a hoof. It sounded empty. That was lucky, they couldn't get in trouble for sitting on nothing. I hope so, at least. Who could really know? As they waited and the minutes went by, they began to notice people who weren't human in the crowd. Sure, humans were the majority here, but far from the total majority. For the first time in her life, Tempest saw several creatures she had only known through stories.

A pair of zebras came by, with their exotic gold jewelry; one had a veil. There was a slippery looking griffon as well, grey-feathered, with an expression of paranoia about him. I bet he just swindled someone for a lot of money, Tempest thought. There was another creature she didn't immediately recognize, but it was richly garbed, stood on two legs, and had the face of a dog.

“A dog?” Snowy asked to herself. “They said there was a race of dogs who dwelt under the Earth, to the south of Equestria.”

“Looks like he's one of them. He's a long way from home.” Streaming Breeze noted.

“As are you, Equestrian!” hissed a voice to their left. Tempest let out an unqueenly squeak of alarm, jumping up to face the newcomer. This one too stood on its hind legs, though it was hunched and far shorter than the dog. It had a pointy face, a bald tail, black greasy fur, small ears, and long fingers and toes. In other words, it was a...

“Rat.” Streaming Breeze said with visible disgust.

“What are you doing here?” the rat asked, his eyes narrowed.

“We are guests of someone very important. What are you, besides a miserable flea-bitten pile of filth?” Streaming was very displeased with the rat, it seemed.

“Typical pegasus arrogance.” growled the rat. "Why wouldn't one of an exiled nation be so far abroad?"

“I didn't even know rats were real.” Tempest said to Snowy, who looked very unnerved. “I thought they were just storybook villains!”

“You thought that about the shadow spirit too!” Snowy whispered.

“Is that what we've become?” questioned the rat, darkly amused. “You scatter my people to the four winds, never to see our homeland again, and then forget we ever existed? I would have thought my kin's great foes would be more thoughtful!”

There was a legend in Highcrest, Tempest recalled, that after the pegasi had been forced into the south by the windigoes, that they had settled in the mountains, in which the rat-folk lived. The rat-folk did not take kindly to their new neighbors, and disagreements rose to a blood feud, which rose to all-out war. But Tempest had always taken that story to just be a lesson on what happened when neighbors didn't have good fences… Or when one’s neighbors were quite literally vermin. It seemed, once again, there was truth in fiction, and far more than she realized. And if the rat-folk were real, then so were their deeds.

“It's a good thing there's three of us and one of you,” Tempest stated, scowling. “A monster has already tried to eat me once this month, I don't need another to make the attempt.”

“Aye, count yourselves lucky, Equestrians, that my tribe is not here with me. You yourself would not be good for food, but your companion there looks well-fed enough...” the rat looked at Snowy, and smiled a cold smile, showing filed teeth. Tempest moved defensively in front of her friend, wishing she hadn't packed her sword up for the voyage. But she was ready to have at it with this beast bare-hoofed, if need be. The rat himself inched a hand closer to his belt, and the wickedly curved blade tucked through it.

“Hah.” laughed Streaming without humor. “You're an outcast, you're alone.” The rat ceased his smile. “I can tell, you have no mark of clan or tribe about you. Believe me, I would know them after my time on the southern frontier.”

“An observant pegasus, how rare.” the rat spoke softly, no longer reaching towards his dagger. “See that you remain so... We'll be watching you.” With that, he stalked off, throwing them one last dark glance.

“I don't think I like rats at all.” Snowy said quietly, peaking out from behind Tempest to watch their almost-foe leave.

“No, I don't think I do either.” agreed Tempest. “So they really did once eat ponies they caught?”

“That is so.” nodded Streaming Breeze. “For the record, I never went to the southern frontier, but Coldstar did, and told me about it plenty of times. The whole exile thing was a lucky guess.” She offered a rare smile to Tempest.

“You sure put on a convincing act.” Tempest said.

“When in foreign lands, the talent of acting is a good one to have.” Streaming commented, gazing sternly down the street. “Especially with scum like that out in the world. Ponies and rats have always been enemies, my Queen. Especially with regards to us pegasi. Rat-folk are barbaric wretches and nothing but vermin, show them no mercy, for they would show you none either.”

“I'll keep that in mind.” said Tempest. Something caught her eye, and she turned to the Benefactor's crystal just in time to see a tiny purple light extinguish itself. What was he ready to do? she asked herself. No doubt he knew that she had seen something, she was definitely close enough for her thoughts to be heard.

I am.

Well, that settled that. Streaming Breeze was still facing down the street; Snowy quietly ducked her head and passed the crystal to Tempest. Ready for a change? asked Tempest internally.

Irrelevant. We have business to discuss, now is a good time to discuss it.

Very well... Tempest silenced herself, and waited for her passenger to speak.

I am reminding you that you are to mention the full extent of these events to no one but my agent Sidâl and Snowy Farpeak.

I understand.

I am also reminding you that once you give this vessel to Sidâl, our work together is not yet done.

Yeah... Tempest recalled what he had mentioned when they first met. You want us to go to Equestria, and do the same thing there.

It is not only what I want you to do, it is what you will do.

Yeah. Tempest agreed again.

You and I both know your true destiny is not what Aharôs and the others think it is. But they are right on one account: your path will lead you to your homeland once again. If fortune favors us, we might be able to just... slip you in, under the alicorn's eyes. They'd be none the wiser.

The shadow spirit knew you got out, wouldn't the alicorns? wondered Tempest.

Yes and no. Aegis Vigil and I have a history, the other two do not know me. the Benefactor stated. But Aegis Vigil is old and cautious, history has tempered him. And for once, that will be what thwarts him.

Whatever you say... The Benefactor was silent after that. Three more hours passed by, and the Equestrians maintained their vigil on the street. Even with the shade of the buildings around them, it was still quite warm. She could only imagine how bad it was out in the sunny parts of the streets. A lifetime on the coast of Athair had made Snowy and Tempest accustomed to cool, wet weather, even in the summer. It was not so here. Snowy eventually fell asleep, while Tempest too felt the threat of slumber from sheer boredom. But Turaz had told them to stay here, and stay they would. Streaming Breeze eventually broke the silence.

“Why are they all so tall?” she asked.

“The humans?” countered Tempest.

“Yes, my Queen, the humans. They're so much taller than the rest of us. Pegasus, griffon, zebra, rat, the humans tower over us all. Only alicorns and dragons are bigger.” Streaming frowned. “It's not fair, I say.”

They're actually very short, noted the Benefactor. It's the rest of you who are ridiculously small.

“I once heard that humans are actually short.” Tempest said, curious to see what Streaming had to say about the secret fourth member of the party's statement.

“That's absurd.” said Streaming in return.

No it's not! protested the Benefactor. These creatures are tiny compared to a real human!

“Just something I heard once.” Tempest stated with a shrug. What the fuck are you talking about, Benefactor?

Oh, nothing... It was too late for him though, Tempest was now dwelling on his words. Aharôs and Turaz were both normal sized humans, right? Somewhere above five and a half feet. The only explicitly tall human she had ever met was... was not a human at all, Tempest realized. Strange...

A fourth hour passed before a simple and unadorned carriage pulled by four zôshai pulled up next to them. The door opened, and out popped the head of none other than a weary Sir Turaz. “Get in.” he told them, holding the door opened. “We're going to see the Emperor.” Tempest nudged Snowy awake, and they entered, Streaming Breeze following them in.

“Hello there.” said a very familiar voice belonging to a very familiar man. It was Îrilôs, Tempest's favorite person in the world! He was dressed very richly today, in a robe of red, gold, and green. He had gotten a new ring, too, one that bore the simple eight pointed star of the Empire.

“Wonderful, it's you, Îrilôs.” Tempest said in a flat tone. “Just who I wanted to see after weeks of wilderness and seasickness.” Turaz stifled a laugh, seeming very amused at the moment. “Alright, take us to the Emperor.” ordered Tempest. Îrilôs got a very smug smile; he leaned forward and folded his hands.

“My dear Tempest, you're looking at him.”

Author's Note

Alright, who here is legitimately surprised we even made it this far? I thought I'd have given up and slipped into forever hiatus months before reaching this point. Anyways, some actual notes:
-We have cover art now! Thank you Wikimedia Commons for letting me use the boat from the unofficial flag of these two French islands off Newfoundland.
-This chapter was going to be 10,000 words or more if I didn't split it right where I have. Looks like we missed some political action down here! Too bad we were having character development, though...
-Speaking of characters, I realize every other chapter in this story has pretty much been Tempest. Poor Luna hasn't had a real chapter since her first, and Goldleaf only has one under his belt as well. But there's just not a lot going on with them for the moment, and this story really is about Tempest at heart. So if you don't particularly like her, you're not gonna be in for a pleasant ride... Not until the Luna/Goldleaf plot comes back into serious play. Which it will.
-There are rat-folk in poni canon, watch this clip from the G1 show. Though the way I imagine them in this story is rather edgier... Shout-out to Pigeonsmall for finding me evidence that these guys actually existed. There's actually a picture of our Snowy over there, go check it out.

Luna the Eavesdropper

For several days, Luna had ruminated on something she had overheard. It had been innocent, she didn't actually meant to overhear anything. She'd only wanted to surprise her granduncle with her increasing control over this domain. But instead... As Luna had approached Aegis in that ethereal place between the waking world and dreamworld, she had found a second presence with him; something far more ancient and greater. Luna had paused just beyond their awareness, for despite their power, she was the mistress of that place.

“...Whatever broke open the seal, it wasn't human. It might have just been an accident.” That had been Aegis speaking, in his voice of soft steel. Luna had learned some time ago that she could listen in on the internal happenings of dreams, without actually entering them.

“I do not find that likely. If one of the Alûthrîl has actually escaped, then matters are far more serious than some human sorcerer-turned-warlord who claimed to be one. You should investigate this, Aegis.” This second voice, though, was as deep as the sea and rolled like a distant thunder. There was a tremendous weight to it, bearing the burdens of a life-age of the Earth.

“Were that I could. Celestia has gone and started a war, and family does come before those troublemakers, Corthunien. You know that.”

“Very well...”

Corthunien, the lord and father of all dragondom. The single oldest, most powerful being in the world. It was at that point Luna backed straight away from them and out of sleep too. She'd been avoiding meeting with Aegis since, and he did not press the issue, being unaware of what she had heard. Twice now, Luna had almost gone to her sister, but every time, she stopped before reaching her.

What was an aloothreel? What was sealed? What did it mean? She kept coming back to these questions. Luna had thought about entering the Everfree Royal Library, in the older alicorn castle, but somepony had put wards on it, even in the dreamworld. Her father, no doubt. She had thought about going to a human library, but the dreamworld was only the most accurate and stable in places one had actually seen in the waking life. As for asking Aegis... I don't like that idea, thought Luna. I know too much already, what if that's the final strike? It was a scary notion. He said he would choose the world over her if it came to that.

“Princess?” came the voice of Hemlock Farpeak. “Are you there?”

“Please respond.” added Goldleaf.

“Hmm?” Luna looked up from the ground, which she had been staring at for some time now.

“You've been really out of it for the last few days.” Goldleaf said. “We're starting to worry.”

“Yeah, Lady Silver has practically taken over the camp. Definitely something to worry about.” agreed Hemlock.

“I've... had things to think on. Big things.” explained Luna as best she could. “Important things.”

“Princess things?” suggested Hemlock hesitantly, as she raised a hoof.

“No, not Princess things. Very much not Princess things.” she sighed. “It wasn't meant for my ears, but I heard it anyway, and now I am troubled.”

“Well, she's not speaking in the royal plural, so we know something is wrong.” Goldleaf muttered to Hemlock.

“Oh, We apologize for that.” Luna immediately sat straight and looked up. “Duty comes first before Our own thoughts. Has anything of importance taken place lately?”

“Well, Lady Farpeak's patrols are reaching further and further inland. We tried to stop her, but we've only contained her thirst for a fight, so far...” Goldleaf said with a frown. “It's only a matter of time before something happens out there.”

“So it would seem.” agreed Luna. “What have you two been up to lately?”

“I'm learning history.” said Hemlock, with an air of self-satisfaction. “I never thought it'd be useful, but maybe I was wrong.”

“It's a small step in the right direction.” Goldleaf added, leaning towards Luna and lowering his voice. “Even if she is completely ignorant.”

“I heard that!” Hemlock remarked.

“It's something we're working on.” the unicorn stated, ignoring the pegasus.

“Carry on, then.” said Luna. “But summon Lady Silver to me. We wish to have a talk.”

“As you command.” bowed Goldleaf, as he walked off as best one of his health could. Hemlock followed him out, normally cheery demeanor darkening as it did whenever Silver Farpeak came up in conversation.

“After this, can we go to the top of the hill?” asked Hemlock, on her way out.

“Yes, fine... Don't expect it to be a fast trip though. I can't imagine what's up there that's got you so excited...”

It was only a few minutes before Hemlock's mother appeared in the place of the two, as beige-coated as her daughter, but as silver-maned as her namesake. She was wearing plain armor of hardened leather, like most pegasi tended to do when ready for battle.

“You wished to see me, my Princess?” asked Silver, inclining her head just enough to be respectful.

“We have heard you are growing bold in your forays into the countryside.” stated Luna.

“So I have.” Lady Silver acknowledged. “Is this a problem for you, your highness?”

“It worries Us that you may cause premature detection of this expedition.”

“And what if it does?” asked the noblemare. “We've been here for weeks and heard not a single word of Princess Celestia's main army arriving. As far as I'm concerned, we're stuck here with no reinforcements or reserves. It would be better to hit the humans hard, get them worried, and then conduct the main invasion somewhere else completely and catch them off guard! It might not even come to that! If we strike enough damage and fear into the, they might even sue for peace with Celestia and that'll be the end of this!”

“You are not in charge of this expedition.” Luna reminded her.

“With all due respect, I'm starting to think I should be.” Silver said sharply. “This is war, Princess. Equestrians and humans alike are going to die, whether you like it or not. There is no feasible action you can take which would prevent that. What I propose will ultimately save lives.”

“You are a cruel, cold, and violent creature, Silver Farpeak.” remarked the Princess of the Night, with unveiled disdain. “We cannot believe you are in any way interested in saving lives.” Silver snorted.

“So it all comes back to that, doesn't it?” laughed Silver. “Oh, you softhearted fools. You have your time and purpose, but so do the likes of I. Equestria was built on strength and force, something you're all too eager to sweep away. It was ponies like I who helped your kind remove the taint of Discord, it was ponies like I who drove back the griffon invasions, and it will be ponies like I who protect our realms from mankind. Do not forget that, Princess Luna. You need us more than we need you.”

Those final words stirred something in Luna; she didn't know if it was anger or pain. A small voice in her head wondered why she was letting this wicked pony talk to her like this.

“Now,” Silver said in a stern tone. “will you let me do my duty?”

“No.” stated Luna, narrowing her eyes. “Stand down and wait on my orders alone.” Lady Silver clenched her jaw, and flicked her tail.

“Very well.” she said after a moment of silence. “You will regret not listening to me, though.” With that, she spun around and stalked out, ears flat. There's going to be trouble from that one, Luna thought with resignation. No doubt about it, now. Perhaps Silver would go off on a renegade attack and get herself killed, though. It would be nicely convenient... if revealing their position as well.

Minutes came and went, while Luna sat in her tent and looked blankly at the map that had been out for weeks. There was nothing else to do now. Between her Night Court of two, and Lady Silver's officers, the camp ran itself. So long as all ponies played their parts, Luna didn't need to raise a hoof. She had studied the situation as much as possible, too. The humans had a decisive advantage in numbers, for the moment, and on the open field as well. Assuming they had the discipline and initiative to deal with flying enemies they way they dealt with mounted enemies of their own kind.

However, the Equestrians had an advantage of their own: magic. The average unicorn like Splendor Garnet even Queen Ember Platinum was only able to mildly shock a foe at worst with her inherent magic, or pick up a weapon with a levitation spell and use that instead. Goldleaf was an exception to the rule, even if he was no Starswirl. But, using old alicorn techniques, unicorns could pool their power together, with devastating results. Luna had vague memories of such cataclysm being unleashed on the spawn of Discord, and on a smaller scale against the griffon invasions at the turn of the prior century. She didn't like the idea of pitched battle against creatures that were not evil at heart, but if it did come to that, the Equestrians were far from helpless against the steel and fire of men.

The next night, Aegis and Corthunien's discussion was still on her mind to the point she could focus on nothing else. Luna decided it was time to investigate what information the humans had. There was only a small chance of finding anything, but it was worth a shot. She slipped in to her trance-like state in reality, and let her mind drift into the ethereal. Luna passed through the shadowy plane, lit by countless tiny lights. As she had come to know, each of these lights was a living, thinking creature; the entire vision was just a reflection of the waking world. She had to pass through here to get into the dreamworld.

The process of entering into the dreamworld proper was one Luna couldn't entirely describe, or even understand. It just... faded in, around her, and then she was there. Her tent, her camp, her ships anchored in the cove... Everything was as it was in reality. Luna stood, and flared her wings, galloping outside and leaping into the air. She wheeled about and set off in a northerly direction, in the direction of Ar-Athazîon. Travel was fast in this place, faster than it ought to have been, and what should have been at least four days of flying turned into forty minutes of flying.

The white walls, shimmering in the moonlight above, was the first of Ar-Athazîon she saw. Then the lights of the city itself came into view, flickering in the distance. She recognize some of it, from the view she had been given from the Emperor's dream when she visited him. There was the big domed building and its eight wings, the long arc of docks, and some other assorted structures she couldn't put a name to. But Luna was flying to the ring-like palace around the city's citadel. If there was a place for the humans to keep secret information, it was there. Aloothreel sounded like a human word, so surely, they'd have something about that?

Luna landed in one of the big gardens of the palace, and began to search for a way in. This wasn't the same one she had visited Emperor Katastanîôs in. He should be dead by now, Luna thought. A shame, she had liked him, from what little time she had talked with him. But the problem with the dreamworld was that it wasn't exactly stable in places one had not been to before. In this part of the palace, everything appeared to be as if it were seen through water; ever so slightly blurred and warped. The smaller the detail, the more distorted it was. Everything was a bit fuzzy and undefined in here, even Aegis was, but this was an entirely different level.

She pushed open a door, and strolled into the luxuriously-decorated hall. These humans certainly liked to spruce things up; though she didn't share their taste. Too many dull colors. Luna wandered about, looking into various rooms, hoping to find their library. They had to have one.

“It's got to be here somewhere...” she said to herself. Luna peeked into another room, which looked quite lived-in. “Not here, though.” she said after another revealed a bed with someone sleeping in it. For good measure, she entered another room, and searched for any books at all. “Aha!”

She bounced happily over to it, and read the cover. Friends of Mankind. A look inside revealed it was all about domesticated animals. Well, that wasn't useful at all! Something then caught her eye in the next room... a... hoof? Sure enough, Luna discovered, there was a sleeping pony, flickering in and out of the dreamworld as so many dreamers often did.

She was a pegasus, a blue-grey one, with a charcoal mane. It must have been hot in the waking world, she just laid on top of the covers on her back. I have an idea... Luna thought up an obscuring cloak, and willed the mare to “wake up” into the dreamworld.

“Huh?” groggily asked the pegasus, weary eyes blinking. Luna noted they were red.

“Greetings, subject.” Luna said in her best mysterious voice. “Can you direct me to the library?”

“The... library?” yawned the pegasus.

“Aye.” nodded Luna.

“Uh, about... forty yards down the hall, and up two flights.” said the mare. She seemed quite young, barely more than a girl, really...

“Thank you.” said Luna. “And sleep well.” she added, willing the pony back to bed, and weaving up something pleasant for her mind to do with as it pleased. That was something she'd been practicing, as part of her duty as warden of dreams. I wonder what a pegasus was doing in the Emperor's palace... Luna took a glance at the two swords resting on a table, but thought nothing more of them.

Forty yards down the hall, and up two flights of stairs. The forty yards part was easy enough, she followed the gentle curve of the wide hall for precisely that far. But there were no stairs, just big arched windows and heraldic tapestries. Luna wandered further on, until she found a straight staircase. That was very odd, most staircases were spiral-shaped. This one went straight up, and then doubled back the opposite way. Luna climbed up, passing one floor, and then coming to a third. There were no more stairs, so this had to be it. She traced her steps backwards the way she had come below... And came to two great doors.

“This has to be it.” Luna said, making the doors open as she walked towards them. Indeed, it was it! Great cases full of books stood before her. It was rather dark, even with the tall windows letting in the moonlight. “Aloothreel, aloothreel.” she repeated quietly, walking into the stacks, and searching for titles. Most of them were too distorted to read. Many were just simply squiggles instead of words. “I really need to visit this place for myself.” But some, those that looked positively ancient, had been in the here long enough to fully imprint into the dreamworld. None of them were what she was looking for, though. Luna found that there were three floors to this library in total, and on a hunch, decided to go straight to the top.

Hours passed by, and still, she found nothing usable. Even the middle floor had nothing. Luna sat down in the stair well, sighing. “I knew this was a bad idea.” She had only wasted him here, there was nothing stable enough to use. But an idea came to her... Luna glanced towards the tall windows which lined the southern wall of the library. She ran to one end of the great hall, and then ran back again, counting as she went. There were thirty-one.

With a thought and a push, Luna opened one of them, and flew out a ways to see the building from the outside. She counted the windows... Thirty-two. “Huh.” she said to herself. “Did they really think no one would notice that?” Luna approached the thirty-second window on the second floor of the library, and looked in. It looked like a private reading room, but there were no books. She hadn't seen a door on the inside, but there was one in here. She flew up to the next floor, and looked through there. “A curtain!” she said in disdain, forcing the window open and moving the curtain aside. And there it was: the secret room full of shelves she had known was somewhere. As it turned out, foalhood stories were a good source of knowledge after all.

These books were definitely old, and had been her a very long time, so most of them were stable enough for her to read. Three walls were lined with them in their shelves, except the one with the window, and a spot that she assumed was the hidden door. Someone had put a table with three chairs in here, at some point. Luna was about to start her search of the books.

But it was not to be... The sun was rising, and she needed to actually sleep. Luna would return tomorrow night.

Author's Note

You really need to stop exposing yourself to information you shouldn't have, Luna. It'd be a shame if you got... hurt. Hey, we finally get to hear Corthunien though, if not exactly meet him. Yet another off-screen character almost on-screen!

Goldleaf the Storyteller

Goldleaf

“I can't believe you talked me into this.” Goldleaf looked up the mountain in front of him. He couldn't see the top on account of its slope's curvature, but it was up there. Four thousand feet by his reckoning. Up there was where Silver Farpeak had set up their advance guard, as this mountain was some two dozen miles inland, and the tallest one they could see in any direction from the summit. So the pegasi said.

Goldleaf and Hemlock had hitched a ride with a supply cart to get here, traversing a mostly-dry stream-bed which emptied at their cove. Princess Luna, they figured, would be deep in the dreamworld tonight, as usual; so Hemlock had goaded him into just going off on their own without asking permission. And now, here they were, a night and a day's rest later. The sun was setting behind this great hill; twilight was upon them.

“It's time!” Hemlock said, looking back at him from a narrow trail worn into ground by countless creatures coming and going in days past.

“Lady of Light, save me...” grumbled the unicorn, hobbling forward. This was going to be quite an ordeal. The days had grown hot in Sarathûl, and the nights were quite warm too. Summer seemed a bit late in coming to this land, but come it had, that was for sure. And here he was, climbing a mountain in the middle of it. On three good legs. While carrying provisions in his saddle-bags.

“Believe me, Goldleaf, the view is amazing!” excitedly gushed Hemlock, flying in circles around him as he slowly made his way up the path. “I flew up there the other day, it is worth it to get up there.”

“Thank you, Hemlock, but I don't need constant motivation.” Goldleaf told her dryly. Save it for later, he thought, looking up the forested slope.

“Sorry,” she said, still fluttering around above. “I've just been looking forward to this, and I really want you to see it!”

“I appreciate your enthusiasm,” replied Goldleaf, trying not to roll his eyes. “but please try to calm down.”

“Alright, alright.” Hemlock landed, and fell in beside him. It didn't take long for her faster pace to get ahead of him though, and before he knew it, Hemlock was anywhere from five feet to fifty feet ahead of him. She often turned around and walked back to his location, before ascending the very same path again. This went on for a good hour, before he had to stop and rest.

“This isn't easy, you know.” he said, appreciating the cool night breeze that dispelled some of the heat for a few moments.

“I know.” his pegasus friend said, perched on a rock. “We have all the time in the world, there's no rush.” she said. That glance to the east spoke otherwise, though. She really wants to get up there before dawn, he noted. She had already dragged him this far, he might as well be with her when she accomplished her goal for the moaning.

“Let's get back at it.” Goldleaf said, after taking a swig of water. Hemlock bounded off. “I'm too old for this...” muttered he, though he didn't quite believe it.

And so the process repeated, as they climbed higher and higher. The stars wheeled about overhead, the moon climbed and began to sink, the creatures of the night lived their lives, some unhappy about their disturbance by two ponies. Hemlock was able to lithely surmount any obstacle in their path, while Goldleaf had to cautiously navigate, lest he fall and cripple himself even more. Thus was the advantage of such a fit physique as Hemlock had.

“We better be close.” sighed Goldleaf, looking around the forested slope.

“Not too much further!” Hemlock replied, flying up for a look, and then down to him again. “You can make it, right?” she asked, with a concerned look.

“Of course.” To prove his point, he resumed the climb, though his it was taking quite a toll on his physical well-being. Middle-aged, crippled unicorns were not meant to be on mountains, that much was for sure. But, Hemlock had wanted to go up here and bring him along, for whatever reason. And if it kept her out of trouble, then that was what he was going to do. And he wasn't about to be made to look any weaker than he already was.

The first light of the sun was in the east when Goldleaf emerged onto the bald, rocky summit of the nameless mountain. Over yonder, there was a tent, and a little tower the pegasi had made; no more than a platform on stilts. Some of the Highcrest soldiers gave him strange looks, they weren't use to seeing unicorns around. Many probably didn't welcome his presence. Goldleaf just laid down, thankful he had made it alive and without any incidents.

“You did it!” said Hemlock happily, prancing around him like an excited filly. “And just in time!”

“I told you I could.” Goldleaf said, smiling back despite his weariness. “Just let me catch my breath here.”

“Fair enough, you made it up on practically three legs...” the pegasus looked impressed by that. She sat down, and pulled out her breakfast from her packs. It was only a few biscuits and a carrot, but it seemed enough for her. Goldleaf had the same in his packs, but he wasn't feeling hungry, so much as tired. “Did you do a lot of climbing before..?” she nodded to his bad leg.

“No.” he said. “Why?”

“They called you Goldleaf the Lame in Canterlot and Lithton. That seems to imply you're crippled.” Hemlock said, in a matter-of-fact tone.

“I am.”

“But you made it up here without trouble. So you can't be that badly hurt.”

“Without trouble?” he repeated, almost incredulous. Goldleaf sat up. “Your opinion of me is far too high. That was a poor performance on my part.”

“Nah.” disagreed Hemlock. “You did fine.”

“You know, there was a time when I would have done better than fine.” He glanced at his bad leg. “This,” he waved it at her. “wasn't always useless.” Hemlock had a fine sense for story time; she looked at him expectantly. “I used to be quite athletic, not as much as you, but I could hold my own in fights, and sporting, and so forth.”

“Were you on any teams?” she asked.

“No, nothing formal.” Goldleaf shook his head, but he smiled. “But we did have our own informal sports, I took part in those. Those were the days... I was on the top of my game, so to speak. Third in my class at the University of Unicornia, ranked by magical talent. Among several hundred, this was quite good. I was full of myself!”

“You still kind of are.” noted Hemlock humorously.

“So I did what any young stallion would do when he thought he was about to master the world. I went on little adventures in the city, I wooed local maids, I even got up to some rather criminal acts. Though in my defense, I was choosing to pay for tuition instead of food, and I wasn't intent on starving.” Goldleaf laughed. That had been quite a winter.

“I really don't see you wooing anypony.” The pegasus looked rather amused at that.

“Believe it or not, I had my ways... twenty years back. Good heavens, I can't believe it was that long ago...” It was times like this when he felt old.

“I wasn't even born yet.” Well, now he felt really old. “My sister might have been... Though we were only a year and a half apart.”

“Well, it was good times for Goldleaf. But all good things come to an end, Hemlock.” he said pointedly. “I hit my peak, one late night in a more rough part of Lithton. I had a bit of wine in my blood, but nothing too serious, or so I thought. I was just going to head back to my one-room home, sleep, and then regret the night in the morning. Just another post-exam celebration, right?” Hemlock blinked, having never taken an exam in her life. “It wasn't to be so. I saw these two earth ponies accosting some mare. She was old enough to be my mother; she could have actually been my mother, from what little I remember about her. But ruffians, causing trouble for innocents, in my Lithton? Especially a serf race like earth ponies? Nay, I said!”

“I think I know where this is going.” commented Hemlock, no longer smiling.

“Turns out, there weren't two of them. There were four. And even as the third strongest magic user in my class, I wasn't able to take on all of them. Not so inebriated as I was, at least. I don't recall exactly what they did, but... It certainly left an impression, I'll say that. It's really nothing more than a drunk, overconfident student who got what was coming to him. With lasting consequences.” Goldleaf lifted his bad leg. “They broke the bones in several places, and the whoever found me in the morning either didn't bother with a splint or did it completely wrong, because the doctors weren't able to fix it right.”

“That's terrible.” Hemlock's ears drooped a bit.

“It taught me a very good lesson on caution.” Goldleaf corrected her. “And a healthy respect for earth ponies. I might be a powerful unicorn, by modern standards, but what good is raw strength against numbers and tactics? Perhaps I took that lesson on caution to heart too well. Perhaps I became too worrisome, too nervous, too hesitant to act without thinking something through fully. I certainly got a reputation for cowardice after that. And maybe I am. I did lose some of my spirit after that... Slipped in my studies and dropped to fourth in the class, stopped getting in fights and duels, even stopped bothering mares. I became a very different pony.” Goldleaf paused, reflecting on what to say next. It was a good a place as any to end. “And that's who I've been, ever since. It's helped me survive, and I am very fond of surviving.”

“I am too.” agreed Hemlock, looking east again. “Do you tell that story often?” she asked.

“No, not often. I told it to my sister years ago, and... Yeah. Only you and my sister know exactly what all happened, and why.” he said.

“Well, thanks for trusting me.” Hemlock gave him a bright smile. “But look!” she pointed at the horizon.

Sure enough, the sun was beginning its rise. The line of grey sea beyond the lower hills lit up gold, and so did the sky, its clouds turning pink and red. Hemlock and he turned around to look west, deeper into Sarathûl. There were more low hills out there, but far fewer than the ones nearer to the sea. Their own mountain cast a long shadow over the valley and sparsely-wooded grassland beyond. Other parts were stained that beautiful gold color too, though, and a few streams out there sparkled as the light hit them.

“It really is something.” said Goldleaf, using his horn's magic to take out the spyglass from his pack.

“It really is.” sighed Hemlock, sounding very content. “I used to do this at home, but we're even higher up than Greatfall is...”

Goldleaf took a long look at the realms of men, seeing what he could see. And he saw... a glint? What was that? he wondered, trying to find it again. He recalled that Lady Silver had mentioned a road out there. There! Another glint! “Take a look at this.” He levitated the spyglass to her, and pointed it where he had seen the tiny flash.

“What is that?” she asked. “Wait, hold on, aim it a little left.” Goldleaf did so. Hemlock was silent for a moment, before pulling her face away from the spyglass, looking gravely concerned. The unicorn looked through, and saw what she had seen. A little line of glints, heading north. A line that got longer, and longer, and longer as it moved.

“A column.” he said. “It looks like one of our human friends is going to war.”

“Yeah.” agreed Hemlock. “Against us.”

“Good thing they don't know we're here...”

Up in the little tower, an armored unicorn was also looking through a spyglass. But she was looking at something completely different. Goldleaf aimed his own spyglass that direction. This was much more worrisome than the column out on the road. “Uh, Hemlock...”

“What is it-” she began to ask, as she looked through it. “...Fuck.” she simply swore.

There was a second column. It was roughly five miles away. And it was heading right around their mountain, approaching the way to the cove.

“You!” Goldleaf yelled to a nearby pegasus. “Tell the Princess we're going to have company!”

“Well, here goes our cover.” Hemlock said nervously.

“It was bound to fail eventually.” The unicorn exhaled deeply. “I just hope we can get out in a quick and orderly fashion, just like we drilled.”

But Goldleaf had a very bad feeling that things were about to fall apart in a most spectacular manner.

Author's Note

You know what's about to happen. And now for a real note:

Like many [natural] places in this story, this little nameless mountain is based on a real location... I'm bad at taking photos, and you can't see shit because it of the valley fog we get in the winter. Though the view Hemlock and Goldleaf had would not be obstructed by a certain volcanic range on the horizon...

Turaz the Listener

Turaz

“No way.” Tempest said. “Who would make you the Emperor?” she asked disbelievingly.

“You'd be surprised.” Emperor Îrilôs, formerly a mere duke, replied. He was enjoying this, there was no doubt. “There was quite a bit of drama over who would succeed my late uncle, Katastanîôs, who succumbed to his illnesses some few weeks ago. We were still in Vatherîon when it happened. But, my agents did exactly as I asked of them in this scenario, and managed to cause enough trouble for Aharôs and I to arrive without issue and make true my claim to the throne. He and Sidâl were most helpful.”

“I can't believe it.” said Tempest, shaking her head.

“You should.” Streaming Breeze told her. All three pegasi were squeezed in on the other bench of the cabin; Streaming on the right, Snowy on the left, and Tempest stuck in the middle. With them lined up next to each other, it was apparent just how unhealthy Tempest looked compared to the other two. She and Snowy's little misadventure had taken a harder toll on her than she realized, it seemed. The voyage to Ar-Athazîon had only added to her troubles, while relieving her friend's. Turaz wasn't sure why this struck him more readily than the fact he was sharing a bench in a carriage with the Emperor himself. Perhaps he was just used to Îrilôs's presence by now? From envoy to Emperor... One big leap for a man, that's for sure.

“So, what took you so long?” Îrilôs asked them. “I feared you had gone native, Queen Tempest, and decided to stay in the backwater like any good Vûrdashai would.” Turaz ignored the jab at his people's inward-looking nature; it was in good humor, anyway.

“We ran into some... problems.” Tempest said, looking at Turaz. He nodded. “Problems of the storybook kind.”

“Really?” Îrilôs put a hand on his chin. “Tell me more.”

“Ever heard of wraiths?” she asked.

“Yes... The Kaiathîsa features them heavily. Did you meet one?”

“Meet one? It attacked us! If it wasn't for Snowy, we'd both be dead.” exclaimed Tempest, waving a hoof, which due to her forgetting her tight confines, bounced off Snowy's head. “I should mention that it, and some accomplice, I believe, killed the entire Kakâdras garrison. And then re-animated their bodies, or something... I don't know what it was we saw, but it wasn't natural.”

“Oh my.” the Emperor said. “Necromancy? I do not like the sound of that.”

“It gets worse.” Tempest continued. “We were trapped in the Far North when we fled the wraith at Kakâdras. And we found a shadow spirit out there. That almost got us too, if it wasn't for the sun rising and burning it away from us.” Îrilôs did not reply immediately, he had a dark and thoughtful look on his face. It was the most serious Turaz had ever seen him.

“Two weeks ago, Tempest Blackwind, I would not have believed a word you said, though I would pretend to for politeness' sake.” spoke Îrilôs quietly, looking her in the eyes. “But recent information has been revealed to me, and... Well, we will speak more of it in days to come, but for now, tell no one but Aharôs and Sidâl of this. We can trust them. But not Eberis, not Brenan, not any other of your friends from Nikadîon who are also here.” ordered the Emperor. “The same goes for your sergeant, Sir Turaz.” He nodded silently. What information could have been revealed to him? wondered the knight, though it wasn’t his place to know.

“Very well.” agreed Tempest.

“I would not be telling any of you this at all, had some of you not already been privy to this, and had some of you not actually experienced what you did.” Îrilôs looked at all of them, before smiling. “So please, keep quiet. As far as anyone is concerned, you were delayed due to illness and injury. I am to understand Lady Snowy has a wing injury, yes?”

“I do.” nodded Snowy.

“And you did not react well to sea travel?” he turned to Tempest.

“Not really...”

“Well, you already look half-dead and half-starved, so we'll just say you got sick from something in the Far North.” Îrilôs clasped his hands together again. “Agreed?”

“Agreed.” said Tempest, before she looked to Snowy. “Do I really look that bad?”

“Yeah, you do...” admitted Snowy, after a moment of hesitation. Turaz certainly thought so. Weeks of poor nourishment and constant travel had left both of them thinner, but Tempest never had anything to spare, unlike her friend; she was in danger of rivaling Aharôs for gauntness. Her little foray with days of seasickness had left her even worse off for wear. She was in less of a fighting condition than even Snowy, at the moment. It was a testament to her willpower that she hadn't complained once. Or maybe to Aharôs's life lessons about shutting up and dealing with what life throws at you... Though that may have been willpower all the same.

The rest of the carriage journey was spent with Îrilôs pointing out various locations of note through the windows. It took some time for them to return to the Imperial residence, nearly an hour. Morning traffic had turned into afternoon traffic on the streets, and the day was very hot; progress was much slower going back up hill than it had been coming down.

But finally, they arrived in the Upper District, where the so-called paper nobility of Ar-Athazîon lived; minor lords and lordlings who attained their posts by appointment, rather than earning it on the battlefield or being born into it. They were often at odds with the so-called sword nobility, men like Aharôs, or Turaz himself. The Upper District was a pleasant place, narrow paved streets lined with grass and trees, which separated them from the buildings. The houses, and most of them were houses, or wealthy inns, were packed in so tight they formed long walls of structures, which the carriage weaved and turned through like a giant labyrinth. A very nice, shady labyrinth, at least. It was much cooler up here than it was down in the rest of the city.

The carriage rolled up to a heavy gatehouse, which opened in good order for them. They had arrived at the Imperial residence, the last place Turaz had ever expected to find himself. And here he was, entering it for the second time today. From porter to palace... he thought. What his brothers would say if they could see him now! A shame they didn't live to see this day, but the Lord of Heaven's ways and wills were beyond the understanding of mortals like he.

“Here we are.” said Îrilôs, opening the door on his side of the carriage, and climbing out. He looked very regal in the Imperial garb, that was for sure. “Welcome to my home, Queen Tempest. Please, enjoy your time here.”

“I'll be sure to.” Tempest replied, following Streaming out and back onto the ground. The Imperial residence was a chaotic mess of buildings and annexes, constantly being torn-down and rebuilt. None of it but the throne room was considered original, and even the throne room was supposedly unrecognizable since an upgrade five hundred years ago. The citadel, towering above them on its stout rocky spire, was older than everything surrounding it. They said it was one of the first purely human structures built within these walls. Then again, that could have been just legend, like many other things about Ar-Athazîon.

The retainers of the Taizâres family were everywhere as well; men in elegant armor painted a cool, dark green, with a slight tinge of blue in it too. Red and gold leaf-work adorned it heavily, and they all had white plumes in their helmets and red tassels on their halberds and swords. Turaz had found their painted armor odd, but this was apparently a well-loved and time-honored fashion in this part of the world. His bare metal had gotten him strange looks, until he had finally took it off and left it here earlier.

“Now,” said Îrilôs, “I'm sure you'll want to be seeing King Aharôs?”

“Very much so.” agreed Tempest. “Turaz told me he was alive and well, but...”

“I understand.” the Emperor spoke. He waved one of the attending servants over, and told him to take the pegasus to Aharôs, wherever he was. Snowy made to follow, but Îrilôs put a hand on her shoulder. “Not so fast, Lady Snowy. Intuition tells me that your friend would appreciate talking to the King one on one. We'll allow her that, today.”

“Oh, alright.” Snowy didn't look very happy about that, but she stayed put.

“Come with us, I desire to speak with you about something.” Îrilôs waved for Snowy to follow him; Stream and Turaz followed along for lack of any other instruction. They were led through the entrance courtyard, down a long and richly decorated hall, and out into one of the many gardens this place had. The Imperial retainers followed at a distance. The Emperor bade them to sit down at a pre-set table underneath an elm tree, overlooking a miniature lake. In the distance, Turaz could see the colonnaded, covered paths that linked the various buildings through the gardens. At the table, there was a variety of food; a spiced beef stew for the humans, and one with vegetables and redwheat for the two Equestrians. Îrilôs had planned this hours ago, it seemed.

“This is quite a marvelous home you have, your highness.” said Streaming Breeze, not knowing that you only spoke to the Emperor when spoken to.

“I am inclined to agree. I grew up here,though, so I am used to it.” replied Îrilôs. He didn't seem to mind this breach of protocol; after all, he knew her beforehand. Kind of. Did he ever interact with any of the Blackwind pegasi, aside from Tempest and Snowy? Well, it wasn't an important question.

After spending a few moments looking from the Emperor, to her stew, and back again, Snowy spoke up. “We are grateful for the meal, sire, but what is it you wished to speak of?”

“You seem to have found your courage, Lady Snowy. You are not the same as you were last we met.” said Îrilôs.

“Well...” Snowy looked away. “I don't know about that.”

“In Vatherîon, you could hardly talk to anyone besides Queen Tempest. Yet, here you are, holding conversation with me just fine.” Îrilôs tapped his hand on the table. “Something happened to you out there.”

“I don't think it was anything concerning me.” said Snowy humbly. “The wraith had Tempest by the throat, it had some kind of dagger and it was about to kill her. I...” she stopped, frowning. “I got really angry, for a moment. So I flew into it, and knocked Tempest free. As soon as I realized what I had done, I was scared as ever again.”

“Divine inspiration, perhaps?” suggested Îrilôs.

“Yeah.” Snowy noded.

“It seems not to have fully worn off, if you ask me.” the Emperor smiled slyly. “Which is why I feel confident in proposing something to you.”

“What would that be?” Snowy asked cautiously, between sips of her stew.

“I have met many individuals of many races, in my short twenty-five in the world. I've met dragons, griffons, Equestrians, and more. So you can know I am not lying when I say that you, Snowy, have potential.” stated Îrilôs. Turaz thought he seemed too young for what he was doing.

“Potential?” repeated Snowy. “But... Sir Turaz and the others always were telling me how useless I was. Not that they ever cared about finding a way to make me useful.” Snowy gave Turaz a very unfriendly look. That was something she'd never been so forward about, before her little adventure with Tempest. The knight and Equestrian had a cool relationship, at best, but it seemed Snowy no longer outright feared him. He was alright with that, actually; it was good that she was starting to stand up for herself. I still stand by with everything I've said, though.

“I am not the others. I said it on our march through Verâd, did I not? You have potential. Not as a warrior or even general, I also am neither of those myself. Rather...” Îrilôs looked thoughtful. “You are a thinker, Lady Snowy, we both are. I have put my mind to use here; the right words with the right people, the right decisions at the right time... You can do anything. Ten years ago, I was a nameless nephew of Katastanîôs. Ten weeks ago, I was his most likely heir. And now, I am the King of Man, as Aikâlon, Bâlôs, and Athazôs were before me.”

“What are you saying?” asked the beige pegasus in an unsure voice.

“Politics, my dear Lady Snowy. And not the boring negotiations and meetings that King Aharôs would call politics. I'm talking... hmm, intrigue might be a better word.” stated the Emperor. “Everything that happens behind the scenes of the play, if you will. I don't even mean assassinations and blackmail, that's peasant business. It is much more rewarding to use subtler kinds of power to persuade those who would be your enemies to be your friends. Quick thinking, soft speaking, open hands and an agreeable attitude.” Snowy looked at the underside of a hoof, though she very well knew what open hands meant as a figure of speech. “And when that fails, well, it pays to know the methods of blackmail and coercion too.” Îrilôs sighed. “You would not like that, but you are cut out for it as well.”

“But...” Snowy began to protest. “Why? I'm not brave, I'm not strong, I'm not fast-”

“The stuff of soldiers. I am none of those things, myself, and look where I am now!” Îrilôs cut her off.

“I don't want power, though!” said Snowy, looking unhappy.

“No, that is true. And neither does Queen Tempest, for that matter... But I happen to know that Aharôs is deadly serious on restoring Tempest to her throne in Highcrest. And I am going to help him, using this war between Celestia and I as an excuse. Tempest will be in power eventually, even though she is far from queenly material. And that's why I want your help, Lady Snowy. You're smart, you're adaptive, and you've proven your loyalty time and again. I want you to help me to help our mutual friend, Tempest Blackwind.” Îrilôs opened his hands, and gave her a questioning look. “Will you accept my offer?” Snowy frowned, and looked at her meal. It was almost like she expected it to give her advice. Îrilôs, ever the opportunist, took the moment to add more. “It is obvious you two are very close; Tempest trusts you more than anyone else alive, I believe. You are in the perfect position to make her life much easier in the future. And I can help you do that.”

“Alright.” Snowy said, looking up again. “I'll do it. Though I'm not sure what it is you want me to do, exactly.”

“I will explain it as time goes on.” the Emperor said, producing a set of keys from his robes. “But it comes with access to the entire Imperial library here.” He slid the ring across the table. Snowy brightened up immediately, ears pointing straight up, and a slight smile coming over her.

“Really?” she asked. “This isn't a trick, right?”

“What could I possible gain from such a petty act?” questioned Îrilôs in turn. Snowy again glanced at Turaz, eyes narrowed. “I'll have one of my servants show you to your quarters. Streaming Breeze, you will be shown to your quarters as well. In the meantime, enjoy your stay here.”

“Thank you, your highness.” With that, Snowy and Streaming were dismissed, the former looking very cheery for once. Turaz raised an eyebrow, and turned to the Emperor.

“What is it?” asked Îrilôs, finally giving leave for him to talk.

“I can't say I'm confident in this little plan of yours, sire.” the knight said. “Call me a skeptic, but Lady Snowy has the heart of a mouse. She'll probably get too scared to do anything useful for the Queen.”

“I doubt that, Sir Turaz. I doubt that very much.” Îrilôs folded his arms, and leaned back in his chair. “If she challenged a Hell-wraith, an infernal spirit in the service of the Great Enemy, which had already slaughtered the entire garrison of one of my fortresses, for the sake of her friend... I believe, with that kind of courage, Snowy has a part to play yet in this grand scheme.”

“And what scheme would that be?” Turaz asked.

“Something far bigger than you, my good knight.” Îrilôs waved a finger at him. “Mankind is only a matter of steps from achieving dominion over all life on this Earth. It will not be within our lifetimes, nor our children's. But our actions today will cast a long shadow on tomorrow.”

“Dominion?” Turaz didn't like the sound of that. He wasn't a peace-monger, nor a craven, but he was a man of some faith, and subjugating entire races was not on the road to Heaven, as far as he understood. Inter-human conflicts were purely human, they were bound to happen amongst an imperfect people, but to wage war for to bring low fellow creatures of mind and soul for the purpose of mere subjugation did not seem right. “How exactly do you plan to do that?” asked Turaz.

“I don't. It won't be me who sees us reach that day. All I can do is aim us in the right direction. The only true threats to Sarathûl now are dragons, and perhaps this shadow spirit up north. But I will leave that to Sidâl to ponder… the Equestrians will not be a problem for long.” The Emperor changed the subject. “On a related note: I meet with our two guests from Korthûnîen's Halls in a few day's time. I believe I have kept them waiting long enough. Would it be wise to bring Tempest Blackwind along, just for the experience?”

“I would ask King Aharôs about that.” Until Tempest was sixteen, Aharôs was still her legal guardian, and thus under his protection. “But I must say, your highness, that I have never seen a dragon before.” Turaz admitted. They were real, everyone knew dragons were real, but very few people ever did see one. Turaz was among that vast crowd.

“Keep your eyes open, knight, you may be witness to one yet!” The Emperor rolled his fingers on the table again, looking into the sky. “I wish I was a dragon, sometimes. A nigh-indestructible flying engine of fire... Marvelous, don't you think?”

“Sire, if I might be so bold as to say, but one of your ancestors had an unhealthy obsession with spiders. I implore you, on behalf of your people's and your family's dignity, do not go down that same path.” Emperor Fâôs the Spider-sick, who had reigned from 1397 to 1415, if Turaz recalled rightly. Emperor Îrilôs the Dragon-sick, who reigned from 1504 to... whenever. That would certainly be an interesting title, at least. Better than Katastanîôs the Old, as the city had begun to call their late liege.

“No, I think I shan't.” Îrilôs shook his head. “You make a good anchor, Sir Turaz. Don't let us princes get our heads too far above the clouds.”

“I've only been doing it for a decade and a half, your highness.” Turaz paused, before asking a question of his own, one from what felt like long ago. “Sire, you wouldn't happen to know where I can get a glass eye, do you?”

Author's Note

What exactly is Îrilôs talking to Snowy about? Well, I'd consider it a more personalized form of soft power. How is that applied, exactly? We'll be finding out. Why does he think Snowy can help him help Tempest? Because you don't get to become King of Man without learning to go with your gut. There's an entire story to our new Emprah we haven't heard, and we'll be taking a brief look at it soon enough.

Tempest the Doubter

Tempest

Tempest was led through the opulent halls, down one flight of stairs, up another, though not as high, and then through more halls. There a large pair of doors they passed by. Imperial Library and Archive, it read. They promptly went down two more flights of stairs, and then down yet another hall. “That will be where you are staying.” said the servant, gesturing to a door on what Tempest thought was the south side of the hall.

“Got it.” she acknowledged. But they continued on, where they were intercepted by Tempest's second-favorite person in the world after Îrilôs: Sidâl.

“Tempest Blackwind,” he said with a respectful bow. “we meet again.” He turned to the servant. “I will take her from here, you are dismissed.” The servant left silently. He should be lucky to so easily escape Sidâl.

“You'll be taking me to Aharôs?” she guessed.

“I implied as much, did I not? Come along, I have heard about your sidetracking north of the Ôsavon.” he said, in a serious tone. “Including the your unseen passenger.”

“Really?” Tempest said flatly.

“We have been in contact.” Sidâl replied. “In short, you encountered a wraith, a shadow spirit, my master, and then the shadow spirit again, and barely escaped with your life.” The hall was completely empty, for whatever reason. Perhaps Sidâl had something to do with that.

“Did you know I was going to meet our Benefactor?” Tempest asked.

“I was aware that it would happen, though I did not know how or when. Which is why I gave you that crystal at the earliest moment possible, under the pretense of warding off nightmares.” Sidâl told her.

“But it did do that. Until the Far North, at least; now I dream every night again.”

“Indeed, that was me trying to be convincing.” Sidâl glanced around, as if to make sure everything was still empty. “But the Far North is a strange place. What I worked on that crystal was unwound when you passed beyond Kakâdras.”

“The wraith told me that you could not help us there.” Tempest noted. She had almost forgotten about that, in the terror and chaos of that night.

“...Did he?” The too-ordinary sorcerer-spy asked to himself. “Well, it was right in that account. There are spells, ancient ones, in those mountains. Once you pass over them, any magic worked on either side of the barrier is undone once you cross. Believe me, I've studied it.”

“Really? You went to the Far North?”

“I did. How else do you think I got in contact with our mutual benefactor?” Sidâl stopped, standing between a column and a statue of some saint of a bygone century. It is time for us to part ways, Tempest, spoke the Benefactor. “Speaking of which... I believe you need to hand something over to me.”

“Right.” said Tempest, looking at the crystal around her neck. What exactly is your plan, here? Tempest asked to him. That was always on the back of her mind. The Benefactor had been locked away, in several parts apparently, by the alicorns. But why? He said it was because they disagreed on his attempt to bring justice, but... What exactly was he trying to get justice for? Who were his kin? Who was the Benefactor?

You know my name. And with those final, useless words, the Benefactor's spirit shard was in the hands of Sidâl, and away he went until who knew when they would next meet. Tempest scowled. She did not know his name! But at least it was over, for the moment.

“Thank you.” said Sidâl coolly, putting the crystal on its string around his own neck. “Now, to Aharôs.” Sidâl led her the rest of the way there. It wasn't long before they stood before his chamber's door. “I'll leave you to have at it. Just one more thing.”

“Yes?” asked Tempest, wondering what could this annoying man possibly want with her next.

“If you ever mention this business with the crystal to anyone but Snowy or I, then you will quickly regret making that choice.” warned Sidâl. A slight chill entered the air, making Tempest's fur raise.

“As far as they're concerned, it never happened.” Tempest told him, in the hopes of appeasement. Sidâl gave a wordless look of approval. And then he too was gone, leaving Tempest to stand at the door alone.

To be honest, she was a bit nervous. She didn't know why. But it would be good to see Aharôs again, to know he was alive and well. Tempest knocked on the door with one hoof. The response from within was slow, but eventually, the door did open, and there he was; somber and discontent as always. It took him a moment to figure out what he was seeing.

“Uh, hello.” said Tempest, shuffling. Aharôs looked terribly confused.

“I have a lot of questions,” he finally said, “but none moreso than: where exactly did you come from?”

“Turaz and the rest of us sailed in this morning.” she replied. Aharôs nodded slowly, before opening the door fully.

“That would make sense... Come in.” Tempest did as told, and he closed the door behind him. As per usual Aharôs manner, the curtains were half-drawn and all was dark. “You look absolutely terrible.” he noted. “Dangerously thin and sick.”

“Well, that makes two of us.” she retorted, with a weak smile.

“So it does.” agreed Aharôs. “I suppose you have a tale or two to tell... Let's hear it.” Aharôs walked over to an odd piece of furniture. He sat in what looked like a very, very wide chair. It could have held three people; there was nothing like it back in Nikadîon. Tempest followed him up, and sat next to him.

“You won't believe what Snowy and I went through.” she said.

“I've heard some mighty strange things lately, Tempest. Speak.”

And so, Tempest began on her second recollection of the previous month and a half's events. Unlike Turaz, Haior, and Streaming Breeze; Aharôs remained silent and contemplative the entire time. The only thing she left out was Snowy and she meeting with the Benefactor, his threat and their discussions. Otherwise, she did exactly as her former voice-in-a-crystal had suggested, and told Aharôs as much of the truth as she could. “The shadow spirit was just bubbling out of the ground, like some oily, sludgy filth. And it screamed. I didn't think much of it at the moment, I was too angry at Reshîv for getting us into the mess, but later... It was horrible. The more I think about it, the worse it gets. I don't know what language it was speaking, but it was something evil. I'm not exaggerating, it was wrong, it was terrifying. We came face to face with real, tangible, evil...” Tempest shook her head, and her ears fell. “I don't know half of what there is to know about the world, but there is something far viler than I ever could have imagined out there.

“Have you ever felt that fear, Aharôs?” asked she. “It's like an icy claw that... that grabs you. It wraps around your throat and- and squeezes until you can't even move. I tried to be like you, I really did. But confidence and courage... they don't come naturally to me, I found out. I wished you were up there with us, you'd have known what to do. But you weren't, and I didn't. I'm not what you tried to make me, I can't do it.” She looked at her hooves, shamed by her inadequacy. Aharôs was still quiet for some minutes more; but eventually, he did break his silence.

“Fighting men is one thing. Standing up to demons, though... That's an entirely different matter. There is no way I could have prepared you for that.” he stated. There was something skeptical in his voice, but he seemed to believe her nonetheless.

“It's not just that.” Tempest looked in the opposite direction, not wanting to see Aharôs's expression. “It’s all of this.” she waved a hoof vaguely around. “I can't do it. I can't fight, I can't rule, I can't even travel from one place to another without things going terribly wrong because... because... I don't even know why they go wrong, they just do! It's a curse.”

“But you can do all that.” disagreed Aharôs. “You've proven yourself in battle already-”

“At Seshîlîon, I killed a peasant soldier and then felt so horrible I got sick.” That stopped Aharôs's train of thought.

“You never told me.” he said quietly.

“It wasn't what you wanted to hear.” Tempest replied, not without some guilt and bitterness.

“Ah...” It was Aharôs's turn to look elsewhere. “I've... never had that issue, myself. Perhaps I hoped my less-forgiving nature would have rubbed off more strongly on you over the years.”

“It didn't.” affirmed Tempest. “It really didn't. But... I had a lot of time to think up there. I figured that it'd be best to just tell you the truth about everything as soon as I could. No more pretending I am anything other than what I am. And that’s not what you want me to be.” There was another moment of silence between them.

“I appreciate your honesty. I didn't raise you a liar.” Aharôs stated, before standing up. Tempest watched him walk to a window, where he peeked out from behind the half-drawn curtain. “It is a cruel world, out there. It does not care for our desires or abilities. It does not ask us what we want. All we can do is act with what we are given. Even when it gives us nothing, takes everything, and stabs you in the back at every chance it gets.”

“I had a feeling you were going to say that.” sighed Tempest, recalling the Benefactor's own words. Despite the rough start to their relationship, at least the Benefactor was easy to talk to. Aharôs... He was as empathetic as a rock, and he understood very little about those around him, which further dulled any sense of compassion he could have had for them.

“Like it or not, you have a path before you, and I intend to keep you on it. I vowed to your mother I would see her work completed.” Aharôs turned back to her, as stern as ever. “You've faced true evil and lived, Tempest. You are not as weak as you think. You can do what has to be done when the time comes. And that time will come; the world is against you as much as it is against me, I fear. You do have that strength in you.”

A few months ago, that little speech would have worked. Tempest would have snapped out of her fear and uncertainty. But now... No. Aharôs's words were empty. She had seen how she did on her own, who she truly was. And it wasn't who Aharôs wanted her to be.

“Alright.” she said with a nod. “Thanks for listening to me... I know it all seems silly to you, but... Thanks.”

“I do try.” Aharôs replied. You did, for what it was worth, sighed Tempest silently. That was very much the story of Aharôs: a man who tried and failed without realizing why. But now, Tempest could see why. It made sense why no one wanted him for a King, why so few respected him beyond the measure of fear he inspired.

Tempest left, and visited the room that would be hers for the foreseeable future. It was actually two rooms, as she found out. A solar, with a thankfully dark fireplace and a door to what seemed to be a small balcony; and then the bedroom itself, where her possessions from Vatherîon had already been placed. She opened her trunk, and pulled out her books, placing them on a table in the sitting room. Someone had placed both her swords, and the rest of her armor, in the bedroom. She didn't bother with moving those. There were two more doors in the bedroom as well. Closets, she assumed, though she didn't know why anyone would ever need more than one.

One of those doors opened, and revealed Snowy. “Oh, hello!” she greeted. “I didn't know you were in here.”

“Snowy, why are you in my closet?” Tempest asked, tilting her head.

“Uh, I sleep through there-”

“Why are you sleeping in my closet?”

“It's a washroom, Tempest. My room opens up to it from the other side. I saw this door, and decided to see what was through here.” explained Snowy. “It looks like we'll have to share this.”

“Well, at least we have our own rooms again.” Tempest said thankfully.

“It will be nice.” her friend agreed. “I've missed real beds.”

“A shame about the weather, though.” Tempest gave a baleful glance out the windows. “I have a feeling it's going to be far too hot and sunny for my tastes.”

“We are several hundred miles south of Nikadîon.” Snowy pointed out. “But... Look at what I have!” She ran back through the washroom, and came back a moment later, with a ring of keys in her mouth.

“What are they for?” Tempest asked.

“These,” Snowy said after placing them on the same table as the swords. “are the keys to the Imperial library!” She was beaming with joy, and as she had been on their arrival to Ar-Athazîon this morning, almost bouncing with excitement. “Duke- er, Emperor Îrilôs gave them to me.”

“How nice of him.” remarked Tempest. It did make her day better to see Snowy was so happy about something. She deserved it, after the last few months of troubles, and how hard she had worked to get through it all.

“Well?” prompted Snowy, smiling eagerly. Even though she was quite tired from her recent ordeals, Tempest wasn't about to make her friend explore alone. Snowy had put up with their flight from evil through the Far North despite her exhaustion, Tempest could put up with a few hours in a perfectly safe ibrary despite her own weariness.

“Alright, let's go see the library.”

Snowy made a wordless sound of delight, grabbed her keys, and trotted back the way she came. As Tempest followed her somewhat less energetically, she saw just how little Snowy actually owned. There was her pack from the Far North, her hairbrushes, her well-serving lantern, her copy of the Kaiathîsa, a book of the study of mathematics, and... that was it. Everything Lady Snowy Farpeak owned in the world, on a single bedside table.

Once they were back in the main hall, Tempest took lead; as she actually knew where the library was. It was about forty yards west of their rooms, and then up two flights of stairs, and then back a bit east. “I've heard about this place.” Snowy said. “It's three stories tall, and thousands of square feet in area.” It must have been one of the taller, boxier parts of the residence that they had seen from afar earlier. “There are more books here than there are in the rest of Sarathûl combined, I imagine.” Snowy stuck one of the keys in the lock, and turned it.

“I wouldn't go that far-” Tempest immediately cut herself off when they entered through the double doors of the library. “Alright, maybe I would.” she conceded.

From floor to ceiling, there were twenty-foot tall shelves packed with books. Long, narrow windows stood on the other side of the room, spanning its long length. This place had to be as long as the walls of Ar-Athazîon were tall, or more!

“Lord of Heaven, be praised,” Snowy said in quiet awe, “for I have seen what lies in the promised realm to come.” It sounded like she was quoting something... Tempest had a good guess as to what.

“This is certainly something.” agreed Tempest, looking around in amazement.

“I could spend a lifetime in here, I bet!” And the game was on. For three hours, Snowy led Tempest around, talking about history and culture and everything else that came to her mind which could be found in this library. Of course, Tempest knew little of what she spoke about, and understood less, but she didn't mind that. Snowy's pure, unbridled enthusiasm for these subjects was what Tempest appreciated, she had a way of making them interesting when they should have been as dry as imaginable. It was a side of Snowy that rarely got to show itself.

Finally, they found themselves in a corner of the third and uppermost floor. The setting sun's rays coming through the windows illuminated the columns of dust in the air, giving the entire place a gilded look. She had to sit down at one of the many little tables between the shelves and the windows.

“As much as I enjoy learning about why it might be better to measure angles in arc segments of a circle, I'm afraid I don't have any more left in me.” Tempest yawned. “It's been a very long journey. All I want to do now is eat supper and go to bed.”

“I've been looking forward to both.” said Snowy, eager as ever. “Real food, real beds... A giant library we've even barely scratched the surface of... What else could you want?” Tempest didn't reply for a moment, taking the question seriously.

“I can think of a few things.” she mused, stopping herself from going any further with that thought lest she ruin her friend’s spirits. “But, first, I'm hungry. You must be too.”

“Very. All this excitement today has certainly left me with an appetite. I wonder what they'll have for us...”

Tempest made a note in her mind: bring Snowy to the library often. She'd never been this lively before, nor so outright happy. It was troubling for Tempest to realize that she had never really seen her friend in such a truly good mood, but here it was. At Nikadîon, there always had been something haunting her, she always looked ready to flee or hide... Not here, though. Something in Snowy had changed on their journey through the wilderness. She wasn't afraid anymore. Not always, at least. It was the wraith, I bet, thought Tempest. The wraith, and the Benefactor. I wonder what he said to her... Well, it wasn't for her to find out. Their mysterious ally seemed like a secret-keeper.

They had supper with Streaming Breeze that evening, and for Tempest, it was the first time she'd had a real meal since their time in Vatherîon. Excluding their stay with the knight and his daughter in Jutan, of course. Snowy said there was only biscuits, water, and dried fruit on the ship south, so it was the same case for her. Not that Tempest would have known what they had to eat on that dreadful voyage...

The other two pegasi seemed to be enjoying themselves here, but Tempest did not have a clear conscience. There used to be eight of them. Now there were three. She had hardly known any of them. For their Queen, Tempest had never been very considerate of the ponies that followed her for no reason other than loyalty; misplaced or not. Snowy had been her friend for more than ten years, but the others had just been there. Even her late uncle, who had never been particularly friendly to her until his last months. Well, that was his fault, not mine, he said so. Should she have done more for them? What could she have done? They all would have died for her at Vatherîon anyway, and if she had known them better, their loss would actually hurt. Perhaps it was better she had hardly known them.

Tempest felt very guilty for thinking that.

While she thought her thoughts, Streaming and Snowy were having a discussion entirely without her. Of all her followers, the red mare had always been the least hostile to Snowy... That was fortunate. But why her? Why did she survive, and not the others? Of all the pegasi to come out of Vatherîon alive, she had expected it to be Coldstar, a hardened fighter. Streaming Breeze was... What was she? Tempest knew almost nothing about her, just like with the others. She came from a poor commoner family, joined the Blackwind army because she was hungry, gained favor with Coldstar, and then stayed with her new Queen in Athair for a decade with nothing good to show for it. Tempest didn't understand her. She didn't understand anyone, for that matter; not even Snowy.

“...I'm sure of it, Lady Snowy, the local rats are up to something. The humans should have never let them move in.” Streaming Breeze was saying. “Before you know it, they'll have the whole city undermined.”

“Why would they do that though?” she asked. “Destroy the ones who shelter them?”

“It's the nature of parasites to destroy what they feed on. They cannot help it anymore than we can help being disgusted by them.” the red pegasus stated.

“I guess so...” Snowy agreed, frowning, and no doubt remembering her uncomfortable encounter this morning.

“We ought to warn the Emperor about them. The humans probably don't know our history with the vermin.” proposed Streaming.

“I can do that.” Snowy said. “I'll be seeing him quite a bit in the future.” Wait- why? Wondered Tempest.

“My Queen, are you alright?” asked Streaming, when she saw Tempest's confusion.

“You've been awfully quiet, Tempest.” noted Snowy.

“Yeah, I'm fine... Just tired.” Tempest stood up, and made to leave. “I think I'll be heading to sleep now. It's been a long month and a half.”

“Goodnight, my Queen.” said Streaming, with a respectful nod. Snowy nodded too, and the two resumed their conversation. Tempest made her way back to her room, but found it uncomfortably warm. Even with the windows open to the cool night air, it was still too hot to even go under the covers. She settled for laying on her back, looking at the ceiling. Sleep did not come. Minutes slowly ticked by on the mechanical clock in her room, and they surely turned into hours. She heard noise in the washroom, and then a soft knock on her door.

“Yes?” she said, in a very awake voice.

“I'm not disturbing you, am I?” Snowy asked, poking her head in.

“No. It's too warm for sleeping.” sighed Tempest.

“Yeah...” her friend said. “But really, is there something wrong? You've been distracted all day.”

“I'm fine.” repeated she.

“Right...” Snowy made it obvious she wasn't buying it, but did not pursue the issue any further. “Do try to sleep, Tempest, you need it after all this. Goodnight.” She retreated back to her own room.

How long Tempest spent lying there, looking at the ceiling, she didn't know, but eventually, sleep did come to her. She dreamed of wrath and ruin and all the fires of Hell unleashed upon the world; then a mysterious visitor, asking the way to the library, and then of bees. As Tempest would recall later, it was something small but pleasant to end an overall trying few weeks.

Author's Note

And that concludes our four chapters all taking place in the same day. Tempest, as usual, wraps things up on a mostly grim tone. Stop being so moody, you 15 year old.

Next week, we get some actual fighting! Kind of! As you might tell, we're hitting a part of the story I have very well mapped out, so updates are being very regular for the foreseeable future.

A Friendly Greeting from the Lûndôvîn

Goldeaf

Princess Luna was quick to arrive at the hilltop watch-post, along with Lady Silver. Sure enough, there was a column of human soldiers marching up a valley, whereupon they would soon discover the mostly-dry stream-bed and the signs of activity there. And they would surely be noticed if they went missing, and if they escaped, it wouldn't be long until that main column some eleven miles away would be notified. So there was only one realistic choice available:

“Begin evacuating. Everypony is to withdraw in good order to the ships, and execute a fighting retreat if necessary. Lady Silver, you will lead the rearguard action should it come to that.” Luna ordered. Goldleaf breathed a sigh of relief internally. Soon enough, he'd be on a ship back to Equestria, where he wouldn't have to worry about any of this. “Goldleaf, you will assist her in whatever capacity you can.”

“Wait, what?” he asked, his momentary alleviation shattered the moment it was born. “Princess, I'm no soldier-”

“But you are the most powerful magic-user here, short of Us.” stated Luna. “Do what you can to slow them down if they notice our presence.”

“Stars above...” Goldleaf lowered his head. “Very well, Princess. Your wish is my command.”

“Hah!” laughed Lady Silver. “Welcome to the action, commoner!”

“Princess,” spoke up Hemlock, eying her mother warily. “I'd like permission to stay with the rearguard.” Lady Silver nodded in approval, before going off to prepare her troops.

“Granted.” said Luna. “We will return to the cove and oversee the evacuation. We expect you to be there. And do try to find out how they discovered us!” Hemlock bowed, and the Princess flew off the way she had come.

“Why?” Goldleaf asked. He couldn't fathom why anypony would want to face fire and steel if they had absolutely no good reason to. All the rearguard had to do was keep an eye on things, but if Lady Silver had her way, it'd escalate into an entire battle!

“Who else is going to look out for you?” Hemlock asked in return, looking stern. “My mother certainly won't care. Neither will the other pegasi. They might leave you behind, given the chance... You're just a foreign commoner to them.” Goldleaf sighed again, closing his eyes and steeling his nerves.

“I'm glad you care, at least.” he spoke, before looking for Lady Silver. “Looks like it's time for folly.” Goldleaf approached the disagreeable noblemare, who was drawing up a crude map in the ground.

“Let's get this over with.” he grumbled. “Where do you need me?”

“Not so fast.” Lady Silver replied. “You, you're going to the ships, right?” she pointed at a pegasus stallion.

“Yes, my Lady.” he answered, pausing from rolling up a map.

“Off with your armor, the unicorn will need it.”

“I will?” Goldleaf asked, not liking the implications of that.

“Well, maybe.” Silver shrugged. “Just put it on. I don't particularly value you, but the Princess does, and I'm not keen on losing you to a stray shot.”

“Very well.” sighed the unicorn. The stallion quickly removed the hardened leather, and resumed his task. Goldleaf levitated it up, figuring out how it tied together. “Are you sure this will offer any protection?” he asked.

“Put it on, unicorn, or I'll do it for you.” Goldleaf didn't like the idea of Lady Silver touching him, it'd be sure to end in some kind of abuse. He did as told.

“Never worn armor before... Didn't think I'd ever, either.” the unicorn said.

“Not my problem.” dismissed Silver. “I'm putting you with the rearmost of the rearguard, about a mile north of here. They're the most likely to come under attack, but it's a heavily wooded and sloped area. You'll have the advantage. Just... rain down fire on them, or however it is you unicorns fight.”

“Understood.” acknowledged Goldleaf, swallowing nervously. Great, more hobbling about... He could teleport, but that'd risk discovery on account of the light and noise.Hemlock had disappeared, though. Where could she have gone?

“Never thought I'd see you in armor.” she said, coming out of nowhere. From somepony, she had gotten a sword attached to a vambrace, a traditional pegasus weapon. Because it was not retractable or adjustable, Hemlock was restricted to flying or standing awkwardly while carrying it.

“I just said the same thing.” he noted. “You know, I'd feel safer with a helmet.”

“Too bad there's no unicorn armor about.” Hemlock said. “I saw one up here earlier, but she wasn't armored.”

“A pity, I could have requisitioned something from her.” Goldleaf looked down into the valley with his spyglass. How were they even discovered? The sun was in the east, it couldn't have reflected off anything... Not this morning. But Silver's patrols have been in this area for weeks, perhaps some human did see something and told it to whoever this army belongs to. That watchtower they had made up here, though... In the setting sun, the light could bounce off a spyglass's lens, and it would be seen for miles around, if a single pair of eyes was on this mountain at the right moment. He very much hoped that they had not been found due to something as small and stupid as that. Even if word had reached the local authorities, why would they believe it? Unless, of course, they went and saw for themselves... Which they could have done weeks ago, for all the Equestrians knew. A little boat passing by the cove at night, or a single man sent to trek through the hills, could have easily infiltrated their lines.

Or worse. Lady Silver could have disobeyed orders, and engaged battle somewhere. Princess Luna did not command the immediate loyalty of the Highcrest pegasi, or even the unicorns of Unicornia. It would have been pathetically easy to execute such a conspiracy; the alicorn and her two misfit followers wouldn't have a clue until it was too late... And then they'd all suffer for it.

No, Goldleaf didn't like those notions at all.

“Is there anything I know?” asked Hemlock. “You've got that thinking look on your face.”

“I'm just trying to figure out how they know we're here. Either we are supremely incompetent, or Lady Silver is an insubordinate of the highest degree.” he stated. “I can't decide on which, because they're both so likely.”

“I wouldn't call us supremely incompetent-” Hemlock started to say.

“Do we Equestrians look like we are cut out for war?”

That got Hemlock to stop for a moment, to work it out in her head. Pegasus culture was steeped in martial ability, but even ones as vocal as Lady Silver about it would have to admit, four hooved limbs were not ideal for combat. Whatever had created ponies, it had surely not intended for this to happen to them!

Two hours passed by; Goldleaf and Hemlock kept a nervous vigil on the mountaintop. That column below had changed course, it was spreading out into individual units, and disappearing into the forest on the slopes, as far as Goldleaf could tell. There was no doubt, their presence was known. Lady Silver summoned them at the foot of the watchtower.

“Here's the situation: we have roughly three hundred humans coming up the north side of this mountain. They're from the realm of... Loon-doh-veer, as far as we can tell by their banners.” Lady Silver struggled with the word Lûndôvîr. “There's about forty of us. Everypony else has already left, and so will we, once we delay them long enough. Goldleaf and the other six unicorns with us will take up position at various points along the slope; us pegasi will be spread along that line. Do not attack them head on, use stealth when possible, and hit them from above and behind. Do not fly into a pike block. If you do, you will die.” Lady Silver looked to him. “Is there anything you know that you think might be helpful?”

“Black powder is smoky and noisy.” said Goldleaf. “Once they fire their woefully inaccurate arquebuses a few times, you won't be able to see a lot. It's not my place to say this, but just do what they did in Maelstrom's Rebellion, when the Athairîm cannons paid a visit.” Lady Silver nodded, surprisingly.

“Wait for the smoke to gather, use it to obscure your movement, attack them from above.” she stated. “Don't take needless risks, try and keep them split up. Our withdrawal will be made five at at time, I'll personally tell you when it is your time to leave. Understood?”

“Understood!” answered all the pegasi, with vigor. The unicorns nodded along silently.

“Then have at it!”

And that was how Goldleaf found himself lurking behind a boulder, with Hemlock and some other Highcrest pegasi holding the east flank, waiting to see enemy movement below. He was still worn out from his climb up this mountain, but at least his magic was at full potential. What worried him most was the question of how he was going to make it all the way back to the ships. I really have better things to be concerned about, he told himself, when the almost inaudible beat of drums echoed up the slope.

Indeed, the humans were heard long before they were seen. Drums, drums, and then a very distant round of shots to the west. Then they could smell them. Ponies had a good sense of smell, better than humans, but Goldleaf only noticed when he smelled something new. Like the sulfur of black powder burning. He swallowed nervously, and peeked out from behind his rock.

“They're definitely out there.” he reported.

“Wait until they get close,” Hemlock said. “maybe we can surprise them.”

“I should hope so, my Lady.” replied one of the pegasi. “Get your unicorn to start throwing things at them, keep them occupied while we go up and over them.”

“Can you do that, Goldleaf?” asked Hemlock,

“Well, I guess. I'll need something to throw though.” he answered. In response, the pegasus who had spoken gestured at the rocks around them. “Oh, right. I suppose these can do.”

“Good.” said Hemlock. “Keep them focused up here when the time comes.”

It took an eternity for the humans to emerge out of the foliage, but there they were, not twenty yards downhill. There were no pikes among them; only halberds, arquebuses, and a variety of other weapons. Pikes would be nearly useless in such thick forest.

“Now!” ordered Hemlock. Goldleaf felt the magic channel through his horn; he picked up a hefty rock, and hurled it over the boulder they were waiting behind. There was shouting below, and a disorganized volley launched their way, guns cracking as they fired. All their shots bounced harmlessly off the boulder, or embedded themselves in nearby trees. But the smoke was out, and it was now Hemlock and her pegasi flew upwards. Goldleaf threw two more rocks, one of them found their mark because he heard a dull thud on metal. He kept in cover, but he could hear the shouts of surprise and alarm when they humans realized five pegasi had slipped between their ranks.

Four returned, including Hemlock. All were bloodied, in blade and body, though most of the blood wasn't theirs. “Alright, I don't think that's going to work again, but at least we thinned them out a little.” said Hemlock.

“Why not use the unicorn?” suggested one of the pegasi. “Surely he knows combat spells.”

“Well, yes-” admitted Goldleaf.

“Just look around the boulder and shoot them with something then!”

“Do it!” agreed Hemlock. For a moment, Goldleaf froze. Actually kill somepony- or someone, in this case? He'd never done that before- the rapid snapping of branches above and roar of gunfire passing over them quickly settled the issue.

“Here goes nothing.” he said to himself. His horn lit up again, but he held back the magic, letting it boil and bubble in its containment. This wasn't so much a spell as a very carefully executed “misfire” of magic. Sometimes, young unicorns would lose control of their magic, or try and control too much, resulting in an explosive release when their ability to contain that energy finally failed. In this case, Goldleaf very able to control where said explosive release went, and when it happened.

He peeked out from behind the boulder after the next volley, and saw a line of yellow uncomfortably close to them. Painted armor? he asked himself, before release the energy in his horn. It blasted forward like a lance of reddish-gold light, passing right through one man, and smashing into another. There was great dismay amongst them.

“Stars above!” exclaimed Hemlock, clearly impressed. “I didn't know unicorns could do that!”

“Not many can. Not that safely, at least.” panted he.

“Can you do it again?” asked a pegasus.

“No,” he shook his head. “not for a few minutes at least. Well, I could do it right now, but that'll get dangerous to my mortality, very fast.”

“Don't do it again until it's safe, then.” Hemlock ordered, sneaking a glance around the big rock. “Seems you've scared them further down the slope. By the time they come back, you should be able to do it again, right?”

“I hope.” the unicorn replied. “But this isn't something I can keep up forever.” For the next few minutes, they listened to the distant sounds of battle to the west. Then the smell of death was in the air, far off as it was. Their human foes approached again, with great caution, and Goldleaf greeted them with the same display as earlier, and even stronger. This blast took out another two, bounced off a third's chest plate, and then took off the head of a fourth. The third man, well-decorated, was unharmed, aside from having the wind knocked out of him, as far as Goldleaf could see. They retreated in quick order, for a second time.

An hour went by, with no sign of the humans from earlier, though the Equestrians knew they were nearby, because rocks thrown down the hill sometimes prompted yells of anger and pain. “Most of war is spent waiting around, my mother said.” Hemlock commented, twitching with nervous energy.

“Aye.” agreed one of the pegasi. “But we are to hold this position until given word to retreat.”

Another hour gone by. All five ponies smelled the flankers long before they saw them, and made their own withdrawal up the hill a few yards to hide behind trees and underbrush. When the ten humans turned their backs to the slope, Hemlock and her pegasi struck, while Goldleaf worked a spell he wasn't supposed to know, and forced the underbrush to tangle in their legs. Between suddenly being assaulted by plants, and attacked by flying targets, they were quickly dispatched... at the cost of another pegasus.

It was shortly after that Lady Silver came to them, battered, but very much alive. “We've done all we can here.” she told them. “I got a messenger from the main camp, we're leaving in two hours.”

“Two?” asked Hemlock, discarding her sword now that the fight was over. “But it's thirty miles to the ships, we'd never make it back in time.”

“Of course you would.” scoffed Silver. “Even flying at normal speed will have you back in no time.”

“Then how are the other unicorns going to get back, my Lady?” Goldleaf questioned, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He could guess the answer, and he wasn't going to like it.

“The others are dead. I fully expect you will be too, soon.” Silver said dismissively. “Come along, soldiers of Highcrest, we're going home.” The others took off, and Silver was in the air, waiting on Hemlock. “It's nothing personal, but you are a commoner and a unicorn... You're not worth the effort to save.”

They're going to abandon me here! He did not like that thought one bit. But what was he going to do? An able-bodied unicorn might be able to make it, assuming she could run for two hours straight on rough terrain. But a crippled stallion past his prime? There was no way that was possible!

No, no, no, it wasn't going to end like this for him. He'd come too far, dodged too many killing blows in his life just to die alone in an alien land! If he could teleport the whole way there, maybe he could make it... But no, that wouldn't work either. No pony in the world had that much magic reserve, except a greater alicorn like Lord Aegis. This was how it was going to end. Left to perish, even by the one pegasus he considered his friend. His anger rose up, replacing any fear he had before.

“So I save your sorry asses, several times in this morning alone, and this is how I get repaid?” Goldleaf fumed. “Faithless traitors!” he accused. “They were right about you all along, you're all backstabbing warmongers! I should have never cast my lot with you witless dullards!” Lady Silver rolled her eyes. “Fine then, go! Why don't you-”

“Oh, shut up.” groaned Silver, smacking him with the flat side of her sword. Goldleaf fell to his side, and landed on his bad leg. Fuck! he swore silently. Silver turned to her daughter. “Stay or leave, Hemlock, now is the time. I'd hate for Greatfall to be denied to you, but I'm not going to waste my time with you any longer. If you want throw your lot in with the unicorn rat, go ahead. My cousin Briar will welcome the news you're out of the way.”

That was it! If he was going to die, at least he'd take this remorseless, soulless scumbag of monster with him! He was about to start channeling when Silver flew off, beyond his reach. “No!” he shouted. “Get back here, you thrice-damned filth! Face your judgment! Pegasus rat!” But then he saw: Hemlock still stood there, glancing between her retreating mother and Goldleaf, looking upset and conflicted; her ears were flat in unease. “Go.” he sighed, closing his eyes. “Leave me to my death, Hemlock. Don't taunt me.” When he opened them, Hemlock was still standing nearby.

“No.” she said, in a shaky voice. “I'm staying.” It took a moment for those words to hit him.

“Why.” For the second time that day, the young mare made a statement that utterly confounded him.

“You're my friend.” replied the pegasus. “I'm not going to let you die here. Not after what you've done for me.”

Goldleaf sighed. “You shouldn't be doing this. You're the heiress of a very important house, you shouldn't be getting yourself killed on the account of a worthless unicorn commoner. Your mother would-”

“I am not my mother!” Hemlock snapped, and stamped a hoof down. “I will never be!” The sharpness in her voice was only matched by her conviction. “I'm not going to leave you here to die, Goldleaf, because I don't care about her rules and I don't care about yours either. If we go on, we go on together.”

Again, for a moment, he was surprised by Hemlock's words. He still did not truly understand why she was so eager to throw her life away, but it was relieving he wasn't going to face this alone. “Very well.” he conceded. “Stay then, if you will.”

“I will.” the pegasus said firmly. “We're getting out of this, somehow. And I'm not going to abandon you.”

“I can't imagine what I did to earn this loyalty. I'm the commoner, remember?” Goldleaf commented. Hemlock snorted, and looked through the trees.

“Let's just get out of here.” she said, moving east along the slope.

It wasn't long before they picked up the scent of men and black powder again. They were being followed. And then there was another band below them on the slope, moving faster than the pair. Curse this ailing leg! Goldleaf thought to himself, willing his body to move faster, but to no avail. Within half an hour, the two got the distinct feeling they were surrounded. The little glimpses of yellow off in the woods didn't help, either. But, they pressed on, hoping in vain that they might breach the human lines and... And what? They had an hour and a half until the ships left, and they hadn't gone more than a single mile by hoof. They weren't even off the mountain yet!

“This is it.” Goldleaf said, noticing the yellow shapes get closer through the underbrush. His horn lit up.

“No it's not!” disagreed Hemlock. “Put that damned light out!”

“So you have a plan?” he asked, catching his breath now that they were stopped.

“Yes.” she replied. “We surrender.”

“You have to be joking!” A pegasus? Surrender? Unheard of!

“No, it's simple.” Hemlock told him. “I am of noble blood. You are my servant. We surrender, I give my word we won't escape, and we get escorted by the humans to wherever they are going until the Princess pays our ransom. That's how they do it here.”

“...You've been reading my books about the humans.” realized Goldleaf. “You sneaky little- Never mind. I can't believe I didn't think of that...”

“You're supposed to be the thinker, between us.” scolded Hemlock.

The men of Lûndôvîr approached out of the forest, halberds and crossbows ready. No arquebuses, though they smelled them. They were in armor that was painted a dull yellow, adorned with a blue and white serpent. Their leader, mounted about one of the strange zôsha-creatures, was in armor painted a much more golden yellow, with many serpents of blue and white; not to mention, even more details between them. His helmet had two plumes of white on the brow, arrayed like a moth's antenna, and he had two fine chains of gold draping across his right shoulder to his gorget.

“Ekvestrrîm!” he called, opening his visor to reveal a grey-bearded face. Whatever he was telling them, it sounded like some kind of introduction. Goldleaf didn't know enough of their language to make out any of it, though.

“I am Hemlock Farpeak, and this is my servant, Goldleaf.” said Hemlock in reply, taking off her sword. “We yield.”

Both parties stared at each other. The ponies made no moves, the humans stayed still. Neither understood each other's tongues. Finally, the human leader waved forward his men, who advanced with caution. Goldleaf tried to keep a straight face when he noticed some of them carried chains. But Hemlock didn't even flinch as they clapped her in irons and a collar. This girl is full of surprises today.

“I don't think they know you're noble.” whispered Goldleaf to her.

“We'll find out.” Even if she wasn't showing it, Hemlock sounded nervous too.

The two Equestrians were marched off down the slope, and by midday, Goldleaf and Hemlock found themselves being dragged along at the rear of the little column, as it moved into the sparse woodlands of inland Sarathûl, to rejoin the main army. He noted how half of their force was going in the opposite direction, making for the cove. But the Equestrian fleet had left hours ago.

Goldleaf and Hemlock were now prisoners of the enemy. A thousand miles from home, deep in a land whose language they did not know. His good legs were starting to give him problems, too, from trying to make up for the bad one. And the day only got hotter as the sun climbed high... His troubles for the foreseeable future made themselves painfully evident. When they joined the main column, they remained in the very back, at the tail end of a great baggage train. So, not only was it hotter than any day in Lithton or Everfree, not only were they fur-coated ponies, and not only were they prisoners chained to the back of a wagon, they were now covered from head to hoof in the dust.

“Are you sure this was a good idea?” he asked, parched as he was becoming. The hot iron collar around his neck didn't help either.

“No.” sighed Hemlock with a frown. “It really wasn't.”

Author's Note

Oy vey, what a twist!

Lûndôvîn is the plural for people from the Kingdom of Lûndôvîr, which was mentioned way back in part one as the place they'd be landing in. This land belongs to Lûndôvîr in the same sense the Peruvian Amazon belonged to the Spaniards. No on contests it, but there's no official infrastructure. As to what an army was doing nearby, we'll find out soon...

Encounter on Water

Luna

“What do you mean, Goldleaf was left behind?” questioned the Princess harshly, failing to keep her anger in check.

“We had no choice but to leave.” said Lady Silver, sighing in impatience. “It was us or him, I chose us.”

“And where is Hemlock?” Luna tapped a hoof on the ship's deck, which was carrying them swiftly back to Equestria. They'd be leaving the cove any moment now.

“She decided to stay too, apparently.” Silver replied, rolling her eyes. “Her choice, though. Maybe she'll learn a thing or two.”

“What!?” Luna exclaimed. “You abandoned your own daughter to the enemy!?”

“Princess, do try to remain calm. Hemlock made a calculated choice to stay. Whether it was a good choice or not will remain to be seen, but whatever it was, it was hers.” Luna got the feeling Lady Silver was treating her like a child. “Contrary to common opinion, I was not cruel with my daughters just because I could be. I was cruel with them so that they would know how to survive in this world. It was all for their own good, and I trust my lessons have stuck with Hemlock. She'll make it home eventually, and wiser for it, I hope. If not, I have a cousin to replace her in line for Castle Greatfall.”

Luna snorted. She could not believe this wicked, heartless mare! Were I more like Celly, I'd burn you to a crisp right here, Luna thought. She was in a real foul mood now, that was for sure. Goldleaf and Hemlock, both left behind in Sarathûl! Now she was back where she had started this spring; alone and friendless but for her increasingly distracted sister.

“Very well.” said the alicorn, gritting her teeth. “Should anything happen to either of them, you will be personally responsible.” she threatened. “In fact-” Lady Silver looked over her shoulder, over the bow of the ship.

“Princess, as much as I enjoy being berated, this isn't a good time...” Silver sounded almost worried. Almost. Luna followed her gaze, past the passing cliff sides that guarded their cove. There were a pair of three-masted ships coming up from the south, bearing blue serpents on their mainsails, and streaming banners of yellow. Rows of oars beat back and forth like they were two giant waterbugs, and she could spot cannon muzzles poking out from the round bastion at the front of each. Galleasses, Luna identified. And from the Kingdom of Lûndôvîr, too.

Luna saw the flashes before she heard the thunder, but the shots fell far short of them. “For once, We agree,” growled the alicorn. “Sound the alarm!” she ordered to anypony that could hear. A unicorn rang a bell, which spread to other ships. There were still a dozen more behind this one, perhaps the humans didn't know what they were getting into?

“Do you have any idea of what you're doing, Princess?” Lady Silver asked, frowning at the two galleasses bearing down on them. “They'd tear us apart if they get any closer.”

“We thought you relished the idea of a good fight.” countered Luna, coldly.

“I do not shy from bloodshed, but I cannot say this is my battlefield of choice. Pegasi and vast amounts of water do not get along well. Only underground is worse...” Silver said, sneering in disdain at the thought. “Underground water is right out.”

“We are facing neither.” the Princess stated. The ship's unicorns had deployed a ballista, a common anti-pirate weapon. She doubted how effective it would be; though she had to admit, she'd never seen one in action. In fact, Luna had only ever been in one battle, and that was against a force far more ethereal and primitive than mortal men.

Another boom of thunder and wave of smoke came from the bastions at the front of the two Lûndôvîn ships. The vessel behind them had a hole punched in its side, though well above the water line. “We need to get our hooves on those.” remarked Silver, glancing up in annoyance as a shot screamed over their heads.

“All things in time.” Luna said, gritting her teeth at the waves of din coming off the human warships. Their own ship shuddered as it was hit by two shots that failed to do any real damage.

“Princess!” shouted a unicorn from the main deck. “We request permission to attack!”

“Make it so.” ordered Luna, waving a hoof down at them. There were three ballistae in all for ever ship, each one with a crew of four ponies. One to aim, one to load, and two to use their magic to winch back the torsion spring-powered levers, which could hurl a hundred-pound missile over five hundred yards, she was to understand.

With a crack, the ballista loosed its projectile. It spun as it flew, and arced straight into one of the cannon ports on the approaching galleass. A second buried half its shaft in the wood bastion, and the third followed the first in. Not bad shots, noted Luna. The missiles would never even scratch the enemy ship, but they could kill their sailors. A gruesome reality of war. Behind them, the ballista crews of the other ships let loose their shots; some were aimed at the rigging and sliced through the ropes of the sails. One ship was even sending over burning balls of pitch, though the wind pushed them just off course enough to miss. Somepony hadn't done her math right...

The humans responded with another volley from their bastions, still closing in as fast as they could. Their rounds crashed into the side of the Equestrian vessel, sending splinters flying every which way. Luna pulled up a magic shield for herself; and one particularly large shard of wood bounced off it.

“For somepony who doesn't like me at all, you seem intent on saving my life.” Silver commented, looking at the shard which would have otherwise hit her.

“It was an accident.” growled Luna, ears going flat.

“Then fate is truly on my side.” Silver said with a smile. You arrogant- the princess exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself down. Silver had just abandoned her only two friends to die, and she had the nerve to act like this? Unforgivable.

The galleasses were now getting uncomfortably close, adjusting their rudders to keep their prows pointed ahead. The one closest to the shore had pulled ahead of its partner, perhaps on account of a better angle with the wind. At this close range, their cannons were becoming more and more effective... so was the aim of the ballista crews, though, who had taken to targeting individual members of the crew. Luna saw an arquebusier in armor impaled through his chest, and knocked clear off the bastion by the force of the impact.

“I don't like the looks of that.” Silver pointed to the galleass farthest from them. It was roaring straight for the fourth ship in the convoy.

“What are they doing...” wondered Luna. The way its bow broke the waves caught her eye... there was something down there.

“They're trying to hit them!” exclaimed Silver, more in awe than fear. Before any warning could be sent, the galleass smashed up into the Equestrian ship, revealing a flat-headed iron ram which tore a gaping wound in the hull. A mighty cheer went up from both galleasses, as the Equestrian vessel began to take on water and list. The close one was rowing right for them, now.

“Turn north!” shouted Luna, in the greatest voice she could muster. The unicorn at the helm didn't need to be told twice, he wheeled the wheel about and they began to spin away from the oncoming warship. Without wasting anymore breath, Luna took to the air and summoned up a mighty wind to pull their sails harder. She was only half-aware of how she was doing it.

Their ship did bump a little as the galleass's ram hit it, but it didn't hit hard enough to break through the hull. Luna sighed in relief; they were safe- Oh no, Luna realized. They weren't safe at all. The cannons that could in the bastion opened fire, raking across the length of the ship, killing some and wounding many. Only five managed to traverse themselves enough to do so, luckily. One of their own ballistae had been ruined, but the other two kept up their attacks, pouring missile after missile into cannon port and exposed crew alike. At this range, there was no way they could miss with such accurate weapons. Luna winced as the entire port broadside of the galleass opened up on the next Equestrian ship, in a deafening roar and blinding white smoke.

“Princess!” shouted Silver, who had taken cover behind the wale of the bow.

“This is not a good moment!” replied Luna, sneering down at the pegasus. “We do not have time for your trite-”

“Shut up and listen to me!” Silver snapped, in such a harsh and angry tone that it struck a tiny sliver of fear into her heart. “Those ships rely on their oars more than sails, break them and we can easily escape onto the open ocean!”

Damn her, but she's right, Luna thought. But how to break their oars? Light them on fire? That was Celestia's power, Luna was never good at it. Celly would have come up with something by now, she lamented. What would her sister do here if she couldn't burn the problem away? Something glinted in the sun, a metal buckler belonging to a dead unicorn soldier. That was it!

She levitated the buckler up, and held it in place while she spun it around and around. Luna darted towards the stern of her own ship, while the occasional arquebus shot whistled by. After dipping down near the water, Luna let the spinning buckler go, and watched as it smashed through half the starboard oars on the galleass before falling into the water. For good measure, Luna used her magic to tear out some of the rigging on the forward mast. That should cause them a bit of trouble. A crossbow bolt bounced off her magical shield, reminding her to get back to her own ship quickly. Immediately, the enemy vessel slowed down, its oarsmen ceasing to row as they realized what had happened. A wise captain was letting momentum and wind carry his ship forward, while he tried to figure out the oar situation.

While the five cannons in the bastion harassed their own ship, Luna took a moment to see what was going on further down their convoy. Except for the rammed one, the others had all gone around the second galleass, and were sailing out behind the one now chasing Luna's ship.

One of the Equestrian vessels in particular had broken off, and was speeding up behind the first galleass. It cut a very different figure from the hulking human ship, sleek and swift with its lateen sails and lower to the water. Like a dagger, it came up and crushed the remaining starboard oars of the galleass, snapping them all like twigs. There was a brilliant flash of light, the roar of cannons and more, and then the Equestrian ship was free, passing out the human's fire arc. It had taken very heavy damage to the side, but as Luna soon noticed, they had done what they set out to do.

“That was impressive.” Silver said from below, seeing what Luna was seeing. Black smoke was coming out of the cannon ports on the galleass's starboard side, the orange and red tongues of flame were crawling out of the hatches on the deck.

“What did they do?” wondered Luna out loud, watching the fire spread further. An explosion ripped through a part of its deck. That fire is going to reach their powder magazine, Luna realized. She was glad they were getting well away, as were her other ships. Even the humans were abandoning ship, throwing off armor and weapons and grabbing planks to use as floats. Her ballista crews ceased their action, there was no honor in attacking an enemy out of combat.

“I'd guess they had a unicorn of some power on board, who teleported something in there...” Silver theorized. “We'll find out soon, Princess. Enjoy the show in the meantime.” She grinned wickedly, eagerly gazing out to the growing inferno they were leaving behind. The other galleass had withdrawn to a safe distance in the opposite direction, now nearly a mile away from them. A few more explosions flared up. “Here we go!”

With a tremendous FWOOM, a column of fire screamed into the sky; pieces of wood and metal flying every which way. Lady Silver's were wide like a foal's, absolutely delighting in what she saw. The shattered, burning ruin of the ship that had sailed so proudly into battle not half an hour ago did not take long to sink beneath the waves. “Stars above.” whispered Luna. It was the most destructive act she'd ever seen, aside from anything done by Discord.

“Beautiful.” said Silver, watching the raining debris land in the ocean amidst the survivors. Far off, the other galleass was sitting near the overturned hull of the one it had rammed. They may have been intending to tie it to their own ship and use it to bring the surviving sailors ashore, but Luna wasn't intent on finding out.

“Set course for home.” she ordered. “Lady Silver, if anything should happen to Hemlock or Goldleaf because of your actions, or lack thereof, you will be held responsible.”

“I'm sure.” Silver replied, an unspoken challenge in her voice. Just you try, she seemed to say.

Watch me, Luna thought back.

Author's Note

Remember the ship Luna noticed throwing balls of flaming pitch instead of bigass arrows? Guess which ship had a mid-tier power level unicorn who could mass teleport. The ship with the flaming pitch. With our two month quota of action in, it’s time to get back to slow paced character and plot building. This chapter is pretty short, but it ended in a very good place, so that's where we'll leave it.

A Hint at the Past

Tempest

Her first week in Ar-Athazîon was a rather dull one, though fortunately not a bad one. Tempest learned some history, some names, made a new acquaintance, and found a way to celebrate Snowy's birthday.

On the morning after her arrival, right after she finished her breakfast with Snowy, they were both summoned to Emperor Îrilôs. They met in what looked like some kind of council chamber, with everything arranged like Aharôs's solar the day they'd gotten that letter from Celestia. This time, though, it was only Tempest, Snowy, Aharôs, Sidâl, Îrilôs, and... a woman? asked Tempest to herself. She was in the same deep green with red and gold that Îrilôs was, and wore a loose veil over her hair. Her eyes were green and her hair was brown, and her face had that regal look to it that Tempest thought was caused by human cheekbones. She didn't know if that was true, though. But why was there a woman here?

“Good morning, Tempest and Snowy.” greeted Îrilôs. It was supposedly uncommon for the Emperor to even address people by name, but then again, Tempest had an uncommon life. “We all know each other here, except for the case of Alaia.” he gestured to the woman, who bowed her head in respect to the two pegasi.

“Good morning.” she said.

“Alaia is the Duchess of Fâharîon.” the Emperor said.

“Wait, I thought you were the Duke of Fâharîon.” Tempest stated. “How can she also be that if-”

“How do you think I got that title?” Îrilôs smiled knowingly. “Why would the duke of an important city be off playing schemer in the backwater realm of Athair? No offense intended, Aharôs.” Aharôs just shrugged. “That is, unless he was only honorary duke.”

“What he's trying to say, is that I'm his wife.” Alaia said, giving Îrilôs the same look she had once seen Sir Turaz's wife give him when he had been caught in a very childish dispute with Tempest. The absence of Turaz here was notable.

“Ah.” said Snowy.

“Well...” Tempest frowned. “Is there anything else important that you have never once mentioned to us before?”

“You have no idea!” laughed Îrilôs, tapping a stack of books on the table. “Why do you think you're here?”

“So you can annoy me?” guessed Tempest.

“Be careful, I'm the Emperor now.” Îrilôs warned, in a joking manner.

“Emperors rank higher than us Kings and Queens.” Aharôs added, in a very serious manner.

“As much as I'd like to banter,” Îrilôs continued right on, “we do have important things to discuss here. After I'd secured my throne, something I'll tell you about another time, I set about doing all the important things my ancestors have done once they were in power. This is something of a... not quite secret. Parts of it are known to the learned, of which some among us are, and of which some among us are... not.” Every person in the room looked at Tempest. She felt her face grow warm. “Tempest, my dear, how closely have you studied our faith?” asked Îrilôs.

“Uh...” Tempest looked away. “Well, there's one god, who is everyone's god, and there's some saints who did... things... Like Aikâlon! He was a king everyone liked, and-” she felt Snowy's hoof on her shoulder. Her friend gave her a look which clearly said that's enough.

“Are you familiar with the Great Enemy?” Empress Alaia asked.

“He was... Vahâdrîn, right?” guessed Tempest. She'd heard that name uttered in fear and contempt before.

“It's bad luck to say his name out loud.” Sidâl remarked, with a knowing smile. “So they say.”

“And you know the story of the Great Enemy? You're already familiar with Saint Aikâlon.” questioned the Empress.

“Aikâlon defeated the Great Enemy.” guessed Tempest. In all honestly, she had no idea at all what had happened. She just knew the names.

“In a roundabout way.” Îrilôs waved a hand dismissively. “Would it be too far to hope that you'd familiar with Âûm and the Alûthrîl as well?”

“What?” Ay-oom? Al-oo-threel? She wasn't familiar with either. They didn't even sound particularly human in name; they flowed off her tongue far too easily.

“That answers that...” sighed Îrilôs. “Alaia, if you'd please...”

“Âûm was the Captain of the Alûthrîl, and they were the vile minions of the Great Enemy.” the Empress told her. “King Aikâlon and others defeated the Great Enemy, but only with the Host of Heaven coming down to Earth to aid them. The Great Enemy and his Alûthrîl were cast back into Hell, and there they were destroyed.”

Sidâl coughed lightly. “However...” the sorcerer began to say.

“However...” Îrilôs continued in a somber tone. “We might have missed one. From a certain point of view.”

Tempest blinked, and exchanged a look with Snowy. “What do you mean?” she asked slowly.

“It's the wraith you told me about yesterday which makes me say this. I unknowingly sent you straight at it; I feel I owe it to you two to tell you why there was a wraith at Kakâdras.” Îrilôs rubbed two fingers on his temple. “As best I can, at least. Snowy, you've told her about wraiths, right?”

“Yes.” nodded Snowy.

“For a long time, it was assumed what demons of the ancient world remained were directionless entities of malice and hate.” Îrilôs began. “By all means, that's how they acted. But, almost exactly a thousand years ago, things started to change... Ar-Athazîon has been threatened by armies many times, but only thrice has it been truly threatened. And every time, a sorcerer calling himself Âûm has led those armies of Hell-spawn, monsters, villains, and other mischief-makers.”

“An ordinary sorcerer like myself does not easily call upon the powers that be.” Sidâl interjected. “The creatures who come at my humble request come because I offer them prey, they are not mine to command.” Tempest shivered. Prey, she thought, recalling that foul frost and blood-chilling sound. “We have a working relationship. A Hell-wraith is far more powerful... It answers to no one, except those who let it out of Hell in the first place.”

“So you're saying...” Tempest took a moment to put it together. “You're saying that one of these Alûthrîl managed to dodge your heavenly host, and is now still trying to fight you?”

“That's a possible explanation.” Îrilôs stressed. “We don't know for sure. It could just be a series of sorcerers with a powerful artifact. It could be men working on orders from some mysterious third party. Or it could actually be Âûm, the lieutenant of the Great Enemy himself.”

“But if that was so,” Alaia said, “we would have known it by now. Korthûnîen would have sent word that we had a very serious problem on our hands. Our sources say that there was no dragon involvement with these sorcerers claiming to be the Captain of the Alûthrîl, so there must be no merit to their claims.”

“I hope so...” Snowy whispered.

“Whatever the wraith was doing at Kakâdras, it had a purpose.” stated Îrilôs. “Someone was commanding it, whoever they might be. It might have been a probe of our defenses, it might have been a distraction from something else, I cannot say. Even the Emperor is not all-knowing, sadly. But that wraith had a job to do there.”

“Which brings up a question of my own.” Aharôs finally spoke. “If Kakâdras had just been slaughtered by a wraith, who left that note at the gate implying Reshîv had hurt Tempest?”

“It is a mystery.” shrugged Sidâl. “Perhaps the wraith is in the service of Reshîv?”

“Hah.” laughed Aharôs, without mirth.

“Oftentimes, such things go unsolved. Wraiths have much more experience to draw on and use against us.” explained Sidâl. “We can only guess at what game it or its master was playing.”

“I don't like not knowing. Especially when this demon got personal with me.” frowned the King of Athair.

“So it goes, I'm afraid.” sighed the Empress. “The Lord of Heaven knows it's happened to Îrilôs and I.”

“Thank you for your time, Tempest and Snowy. I felt you should know this, and now you do. You may take your leave.” Îrilôs gave them the slightest of courteous nods.

“As you wish.” Tempest and Snowy both bowed their heads, and left. When they were in the hall and clear of the retainers at the doors, Snowy turned to her questioningly.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“I think Sidâl was right, as much as I hate to say it. It's a mystery. Not our problem, though.” Tempest said.

“I hope so, I really do.” Snowy replied, frowning.

As the next few days passed, Tempest found herself at a loss of what to do. All her life, she'd been on a schedule of sorts. Train with her pegasi and Turaz, take lessons with Brenan and Aharôs, spend some time with Snowy, read... It had been a simple life, but a disciplined one. Now? Turaz and Aharôs were busy cooking up some kind of plot to deal with Reshîv, Snowy was frequently in the company of the Emperor of all people, and Streaming Breeze... Tempest didn't know her at all. In fact, the thought of approaching her beyond official business made Tempest uneasily anxious. So who knew what the last of the Blackwind soldiers was up to. To pass time, Tempest found herself looking for interesting books in the Imperial Library.

Unfortunately, Tempest's definition of interesting did not match her friend's. She liked books about plants and animals and other nature-related things, that had plenty of illustrations and diagrams. The Imperial Library did not have any such volumes, Tempest discovered after two days of thorough searching. The entire place was uncomfortably warm, as was everywhere else here, really. And that was how she found herself wandering aimlessly through the palace gardens, trying to keep to the shade, when her ears caught a familiar sound.

“Aha!” Tempest exclaimed to herself. “I knew it!” She hopped over a rose bush, using her wings to propel herself. There before her was an apiary, with three hives in wooden boxes under it. Hundreds of bees came and went, carrying their pollen in and sending new workers out. Tempest found a shady spot near the center of the action, and sat down to watch.

About an hour went by, as Tempest observed the comings and goings of the hives. She wondered how hot it was inside those boxes, if it was hot enough outside in the shade to drain all her energy. She wondered if the bees had some kind of way to keep cool; she'd read that termites in distant lands made chimneys in their mounds to cycle hot air out... Did bees do the same? Because of her thoughts, it took her a while to notice that she was no longer alone.

“We meet again, Tempest Blackwind.” It was the brown-haired woman who she had met a few days earlier; Empress Alaia.

“Good day, your majesty.” said Tempest, bowing. Sure is weird not being the highest ranking one around, she thought.

“There's no need for formalities.” said the Empress, smiling. “Well, there is, when we're in public, but we are not.”

“Yes...” agreed Tempest.

“It's beautiful weather we're having.” she said. “But I can't imagine you're enjoying it.”

“I'm afraid not. Fur isn't the best thing to be permanently wearing in such heat.” Tempest scowled at the burning sun. “And this is my summer coat, too. I'd hate to have my winter coat for this...”

“Well, at least you'll be warm when cold comes back. We cannot say the same. Man is a tropical creature, at heart.”

“I thought humans came from the north?” Tempest asked.

“We may have lived there, once, but if man was of the north, would he not have a fur coat of his own?” countered the Empress. “No, I think his origins were in a place more frequently warm than this. Wherever that might be.”

“Wherever that might be...” repeated Tempest. “The same place you got all your animals, I guess.”

“I would not be surprised.” The two were quiet for a bit, watching the insects, until Tempest had a thought occur to you.

“You know, Îrilôs never once mentioned you when we were in Athair.” she said.

“Ours is not a marriage of love, but of convenience.” Alaia replied. “We worked well enough together that we decided we would marry to pool our resources. It's been a successful venture, I'd say!” she laughed. “From second daughter, to duchess, to Empress.” Tempest frowned.

“What happened to the first daughter?” She didn't know if she wanted to find out, given Îrilôs's hint that he'd had to seize power here to become Emperor first. And seizing power usually meant someone died along the way.

“She married a lord with more immediate power than Îrilôs, but neither reckoned that the future Emperor and I would steal Fâharîon once she had left for his lands.” Alaia explained. “Possession is half the law, Tempest. Once we secured the fortress and the city, there was no way they could root us out. Once dear old Katastanîôs recognized his nephew and I as the legitimate rulers... Well, it was only up from there.”

“You two sound like you've had quite some experiences.” remarked Tempest.

“That we have.” the Empress nodded. “But enough of Alaia Latavîr, Empress of Ar-Athazîon. I'd like to hear more about you, Tempest Blackwind, Queen of Highcrest. Walk with me.” Tempest had no choice but to follow the woman, as the left the apiary and went down a paved path rowed by tall, narrow tress. Mercifully, they provided excellent shelter from the sun, and the stone under her hooves was cool to the touch. She had no idea how Alaia managed to keep her hair covered and not even break sweat. Maybe she's just used to this, having lived this far south all her life? That was the most likely explanation.

Tempest told her the series of unfortunate events that had brought her to the cold shores of Athair; her mother's quest for power and recognition, her miscalculation of the alicorns, her ill-fated battle that left her mortally wounded, her shipwreck which finally finished her off and left Tempest with an uncaring uncle and then-Prince Aharôs as the only family remaining. She told the Empress of her ten years in Sarathûl; of the quick desertion of most of the Blackwind army until only a few more than half a dozen others remained, of how the hostage Snowy Farpeak became her only friend, of her training for war, and then her unlikely adventure through Verâd, Athair, Jutan, and the Far North, which had led her here. The only parts she left out was where the Benefactor and Sidâl had been involved, and her personal feelings on the issues.

“You've lived quite a life yourself.” said Alaia. “Just as many experiences as mine, though of a different sort. I'd rather face cousins and courtiers than shadow spirits and wraiths.”

“Yeah...” sighed Tempest. “I've gotten more than I ever bargained for, that's certain enough.”

“I can't imagine how she feels about all this.” Alaia went on.

“Snowy?” guessed Tempest.

“Yes. Snowy is such a sweet girl.” said the Empress. “I've come to like her quite a bit. But I simply have no idea how she's managed to come out of your adventures almost completely unharmed, time and again...”

“She always has been sweet...” Tempest nodded. “Snowy's got enough compassion and empathy to cover for Aharôs.” The Empress smirked at that, she must have known Aharôs by now. “She even felt sorry for the Great Enemy's demons still left on Earth. And then she went right on to face down a wraith when it nearly killed me.”

“It takes a strong soul to love one's foes, and a strong soul to stand against the enemies of God.” the Empress said. “Heaven's spirit is in her, just like it was in Zefîr.” Tempest only recognized the name, it was some religious figure.

“I take you've gotten to know her, then?”

“So I have. Îrilôs and I are giving her the best inside information we can when it comes to what she'll be doing soon.” Alaia stated. “Best to learn from the masters, don't you agree?”

“I do, but what exactly is she going to be doing soon?” wondered Tempest.

“Why, isn't she going to serve as your adviser once you take back Highcrest?”

“Oh, uh... that's actually going to happen? I mean, yes, if by some chance of good fortune, which doesn't happen to me, mind you, I do become the real Queen of Highcrest, I would definitely call on Snowy's intelligence. But... I don't really see it happening, Empress.” Tempest stated.

“You'd best change your outlook, then.” Alaia said, smiling that smile that said I know more than you just like Îrilôs often did. No wonder they got married. I'm worried about what their children would be like... “It is going to happen, my dear Tempest. Soon.”

“How soon?”

“Well, it's too late for anything this year, we still have to deal with the Duke of Echarîon and a local heresy.” Alaia put a finger to her chin. “But 1505... We were thinking spring.”

“S-spring?” choked Tempest. That was only eight months away!

“There's no time like the near present.” said the Empress. “The King of Lûndôvîr has already pledged support for our war with Celestia. Others will fall into line soon enough. We might even be able to deal with the situation in Athair if we get enough lords to answer the former Emperor's call to arms. Technically, using the soldiers who came to fight a holy war for secular struggles is bad practice, but... Well, I'm sure the Lord of Heaven can find the mercy to forgive us poor sinners, don't you?”

“Uh, yeah, sure...” Tempest wasn't really listening anymore.

“You look frightened.” I do? Tempest thought in alarm. She was supposed to be better at hiding what she really thought! “I think Snowy was right about you.”

“What did she say about me?” asked Tempest, slightly worried and slightly curious.

“She told Îrilôs and I that you want no part in this life you were given. That you dream dreadful dreams of the path ahead of you.” Alaia answered. Tempest's ears dropped a little, but she didn't say anything.

They walked on in another stretch of silence, passing rows of immaculately maintained white roses. “I used to get the same ones every night.” Tempest finally said. “They were never pleasant...”

“I have the same dream over and over, too.” the Empress confessed, as she checked under the leaves of a rose. “I am sitting under a starry sky, under a vast, warm plain. There is no moon anywhere to be seen. It's beautiful.”

“I imagine.” commented Tempest.

“I take my harp, and I start to play songs... I can't remember them when I wake up, but they are songs I have never learned, I am sure of it.” She put a finger to her chin, looking at the sky. “And then... a voice sings. I can never see who he is, but his voice sounds old, and sad, but happy too. Like my father's, right before he passed... Oh, what I wouldn't give to be able to hear it in waking!” sighed the Empress. “Or to even remember it, at least.”

“I wish I had dreams like that.” said Tempest. “It sounds much nicer than being scared to death.”

“Îrilôs says that you can't miss what you don't know. But I'm not so sure he's right. My husband has a very worldly mind.” she said with a warm smile.

“I don't think he's right either.” Tempest agreed, with far less warmth herself.

“Why so?” the Empress asked.

“Snowy already told you why.” she said. “All I want is to have a quiet, happy life in some remote corner of the world, far from all this... But I don't see it happening. My destiny is elsewhere, I guess.”

“Ah...” Alaia looked thoughtful. “Have faith, Tempest. The Lord of Heaven weaves as it wills; you future may not be what you expect after all. Even in the darkest hour, there is hope, and we are far indeed from that time.”

“I'll try.” Tempest sighed. “Thanks, though.” It was good to have an honest talk with someone other than Snowy for once. They parted ways; Tempest retreating inside as even the heat in the shade became unbearable for her.

Her thoughts were still on her friend when she realized that Snowy's birthday was coming up soon. When she checked the calender that came with her room, it revealed that soon was actually tomorrow. The twenty-ninth of July, by Equestrian dating. Some middle day of summer by human dating. “Huh.” Tempest said to herself. “That sneaked up fast.” What was she going to do?

She used the shared washroom to access Snowy's room. Should I even be in here? Tempest wondered. Well, it's not like Snowy would know she'd been in her room. Little had changed since the other day they first went to the library. A journal and inkpen sat at her bedside table, her books, brushes, and lantern had been moved to the drawers. For a moment, Tempest was tempted to take a look inside the journal, but she thought better of it. She didn't know what secrets Snowy had, but Tempest was sure Snowy wanted them to remain just so.

The real question was, what could she do for her friend's birthday? In years past, Coldstar had tried to make the day pass without notice, given her dislike for the Farpeak girl, but it had never stopped Tempest from doing anything. Even if it had been something as simple as raiding the kitchen for an extra bit of dessert for them to celebrate with. Those days were over, though, for better or for worse. Tempest had a real opportunity to do something now. But what?

Luckily, Emperor Îrilôs came by later that day and inadvertently provided the perfect answer. Later still, Tempest had supper with Streaming Breeze and Snowy.

“So, Snowy, tomorrow is your birthday.” she said.

“Why yes, it is.” nodded Snowy, half-surprised. “I'd almost forgotten about it...”

“I completely forgot about it.” Streaming remarked.

“Well, I nearly did too.” Tempest said. “But, a rare opportunity has come up, to quote Îrilôs himself. One I think you'd like to take with he and I.”

“What do you mean?” Snowy questioned.

Tempest couldn't stop herself from imitating the Emperor's smile; though perhaps she put a little too much giddiness over the knowing. Was this how he felt every day? “Snowy,” she asked, “how would you like to meet a dragon?”

Author's Note

Âûm? Alûthrîl? We've heard these wacky John Hood names before, right?

The Game is Afoot

Turaz

“I don't see what my purpose here is.” said the knight.

“All will be revealed.” Sidâl assured him. The two, plus a silent Aharôs, were walking through the Upper District; it was night. Where they were going, Turaz had no idea, but it was somewhere along this tree-lined backstreet. All the houses and shops were dark. Well, almost all, a few candles still burned at this hour. Turaz wondered what was keeping those people up.

“For now,” Aharôs said, “you're to make sure nothing ill becomes of us.” Aharôs had been the one to ask him to come in the first place.

“How can I do that with no weapon?” asked Turaz. They had told him not to go out armed after dark in the Upper District, it only would attract trouble. They didn't elaborate on why.

“Think creatively.” said Sidâl.

“And can't you take care of yourself? You're a sorcerer, after all.”

“I want to avoid making any scenes.” Sidâl shrugged. “Only a fool calls attention to himself in my business. A fool, or a man of destiny.”

“Are you a man of destiny?” Turaz questioned.

“I should hope not!” laughed Sidâl. “But I know of one. Have you heard of Ezarethîz?”

“...Yes, actually.” said Turaz, after some moments of thought. “The name is familiar, at least.”

“He was the greatest sorcerer who ever lived, born over a thousand years ago.” Sidâl spoke, in a reverent tone. “It was said he could play on the wills and desires of others like you or I would play a harp. His skill in our art was on par with his deceit, and his deceit was bested only by his cunning.”

“Hold on.” said the knight, as a memory of his youth returned. “Is this the Lord Ezarethîz from the Song of Sîvôs?”

Sidâl sighed, and frowned. “Yes, they are the same. But the Song of Sîvôs is a highly fictionalized-”

“I knew it! Sîvôs put his horn to his bloodied mouth, and blew with all his might! The earth shook and the mountains resounded, for a day and a night!” sang Turaz, reciting the Song by heart. Sîvôs has been a childhood hero to him, a brave knight who had led the rearguard of the Emperor's forces as they retreated to safer ground. Lord Ezarethîz, an evil sorcerer, was making war on Sarathûl; his wicked servants had attempted to dispatch the rearguard in an ambush so that they might fall upon the main column without warning. Sîvôs had prevented such a disaster, at the cost of his own life.

“We'll never live down that damned Song.” grumbled Sidâl. “And it didn't even happen like that!”

“That's not what we remember.” Turaz told him. “There is no room for facts in history.”

“Hmmph.” snorted the sorcerer. It was a very rare moment where he had the best of Sidâl.

“He's right.” Aharôs said. He had nearly forgotten his King was with them. They continued on, with Turaz whistling the rest of the song to himself.

“As I was saying,” continued Sidâl, “Ezarethîz was very much a man of destiny. Song or not, he did lead an army to conquer Sarathûl, though he did fail. But not before becoming the most powerful of mortals who ever lived.”

“Even more powerful than King Aikâlon?” asked Turaz.

“I'd wager so.” Sidâl agreed. “Had Ezarethîz been around in those dark days, Vahâdrîn would very well have won.” The way in which Sidâl said the Great Enemy's cursed name made Turaz ever so slightly uneasy. It was like he didn't even care if he brought ill fate upon himself by using it. Not that Turaz was exactly a superstitious man... But it never hurt to be careful!

“What if Lord Ezarethîz had fought against the Great Enemy instead?” Turaz wondered. “I mean, the Great Enemy wanted nothing less than the destruction of the human race, and Ezarethîz was still human. Wasn't he?”

“That depends, my good knight, on what one exactly considers to be human.” Sidâl replied. He said nothing more on the matter. Aharôs nodded along, as if to agree.

Turaz and the King were led through more winding, quiet streets, until they came to an unremarkable building with an unremarkable door. “In we go.” said Sidâl, knocking seven times. It opened silently, and on the other side was a woman. She looked like she was from further south; not many people in Razadrî or the Vûrdasha had small noses or tanned skin. Not to mention, her style of clothing was unfamiliar; hanging too lightly and loosely to be from Turaz or Aharôs's part of the world.

“Good evening, Avenîl.” spoke the sorcerer. It seemed they knew each other.

“You must be King Aharôs. But who is he?” she nodded to Turaz.

“Security.” Sidâl said. The woman opened the door wider, and stepped aside.

“Come in, then.” she said. They were in a narrow hall, one with a spiral stair leading up a floor, and down to what could only be a basement. There was another room to his right, but the door was closed. This is an exceedingly cramped home, Turaz thought.

“How was your trip?” asked Sidâl.

“A bit on the cold side, I admit. I much prefer this climate.” Avenîl sighed. She was definitely a southerner then. “But, everything went as planned, at least. Almost no unexpected trouble for once, aside from an incident with Thîran we heard about.”

“I heard about it too. It could have been disaster, Avenîl.” Sidâl scolded.

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Turaz interrupted, making his displeasure clear. And what kind of name was Thîran anyway? Who would name someone The Hungerer? Was hungerer even a word?

“Oh, it's of nothing worth you worrying over.” the sorcerer assured him.

“I hope not.” Aharôs said coldly.

“It could have been disaster,” Avenîl agreed, “but it wasn't. That's what matters. And speaking of what matters...”

“Yes, right.” nodded Sidâl. “Bring the box out.” The sorcerer produced a black shard of crystal from his jacket, dangling on a string. I swear there's a little purple light in there, thought Turaz. Maybe it was just a trick on his eyes, though. For some reason, he recalled seeing this black crystal before, but where? He couldn't pin it down. Avenîl vanished down the spiral stair.

“Why do I get the feeling I've seen that before?” asked Aharôs.

“I was wondering the same thing.” muttered the knight.

“I carry many little crystals, though none as special as this. I gave one to Tempest once, to help ward off her nightmares. I fear she lost it in the Far North though...” Sidâl shook his head. “The carelessness of young girls strikes again.”

“Certainly it does...” agreed the King of Athair. Tempest was quite careless at times; Aharôs, and to a lesser degree Turaz, knew it better than anyone else. Except maybe for Lady Snowy… Avenîl returned, bearing the box Sidâl mentioned.

“Here it is!” she said, more eagerly than was proper for a mere box. The box in question was small, only the size of his helmet, if not smaller; made of unadorned but very old and weathered wood. Avenîl opened it, revealing a dark crystal sphere nestled in a cloth padding. Well, it wasn't entirely a sphere; there was a chunk missing, as if someone had cut it into four pieces down the center and put only three back together. Sidâl placed his own crystal near it; the shard warped and bent, before joining seamlessly with the rest. And then what had been three-fourths became seven-eighths, as if it had always been that way.

“That was it?” remarked Sidâl. “I expected a little more...”

“A little more what?” Avenîl prompted.

“I don't know, just something more than that.” He put a hand on his chin, before waving to Aharôs. “No matter, though. Come, sire, your audience is sought after.”

“About time.” said the King under his breath.

“With who?” Turaz asked.

“That does not concern you. Stay out here, if you would.” Sidâl requested, ushering Aharôs up the spiral stairs.

“Of course...” said Turaz quietly. ...not! The three of them retreated up the stairs, leaving Aharôs in the empty hall. The first thing he did once they were out of earshot was check to see if the closed door to his right was unlocked. It wasn't, unfortunately. There goes that idea... But the stairs weren't closed off to him.

Turaz unlaced his boots, and walked in only his socks to the stairs. He was silent, like a stalking cat. None would hear the one-eyed knight's approach. Slowly, he crept up the spiral, using his hands to take some weight off his feet. He could hear muffled voices; and a peek above the landing revealed a well-furnished room. There were chairs, a very long chair they called a sofa, an Ar-Athazîon invention, and many shelves. The shelves mostly bore strange things with he could not describe; little machines and other devices of unknown purpose.

There were skulls, too; of Equestrians, of a threateningly large bird, of a small dragon, of something he couldn't even recognize, and of men. There were many skulls of men, some small, and some very big indeed. Many of them were positively ancient-looking. One skull had an even bigger helmet engulfing it, one with no brim nor plumes of any sorts and rectangular eye-holes. He'd never seen a helmet quite like it before. A sword as tall as Turaz leaned against the wall behind it. Both were forged of a dark, iron-like metal.

But, there was no one to be found, the voices were coming from behind yet another door. He continued his furtive advance, and put his ear against the keyhole.

“...Yes, master, this is the one.” Sidâl was saying.

“Hmm... So you say.” replied a voice, soft and smooth. It was distant, like talking to someone a thousand miles away, and yet, it was still quiet and unstrained. “Step closer, Aharôs Loiar. I have not been able to see in a very long time, and I much desire to know your face.”

“You're the one that's been helping me, through Sidâl.” Aharôs said.

“Ah, how you creatures change with time.” the voice continued, ignoring what Aharôs was saying. “To see the world in color and shape again... Wondrous! It has been an eternity since...”

“My Lord,” Sidâl said, “I do not wish to offend, but the King is a very forthright man...”

“So I have heard.” the voice agreed. “The daughter of an acquaintance of mine implied as much.” Perhaps he meant Avenîl, Turaz guessed. He didn't know who else the voice could be talking about. Tempest was a remote possibility, but there was no way she could have come in contact with this thing before. That would also mean that Maelstrom had been an acquaintance of this voice, which Turaz had no evidence to support whatsoever. “Tell me, Aharôs Loiar, why is it you have sought my aid?”

“I have used your agent as a means to bring criminals to justice and take by force what was mine by right, though denied to me. And I would continue to do so.” Aharôs stated sternly.

“A noble goal.” commented the distant voice. “But all things come with a price...”

“As I expected. I am used to paying for what should already have been in my possession.” sighed the King. “I stand here making deals with phantoms while my half-brother plunges fifteen years of my work into ruin. What manner of thing are you, anyway? Too petty to be a demon, too worldly to be an agent of Heaven. Though in these days, I question if Heaven would even bother to send an agent down to us...”

“I assure you, I am neither.” the voice spoke. “I am a champion of justice, if you must call me anything. I am a soul of principle, I could not yield that principle when it was convenient to, and so I was locked away for who knows how long.”

“Then we are kindred, of a sorts.” Aharôs said. “I could not yield what was right in the face of what was wrong, and now here I am. A king with neither crown nor throne.”

“My sympathies. But, as our principles stand, so do those of transaction and contract.” the voice pressed.

“No demon would follow the standards of the market that devoutly.” said Aharôs again. “Whatever you are, I doubt you are a being of evil. Very well, mysterious benefactor, name your price for your continued aid.” There was silence, then; or words too lightly spoken for Turaz to hear. “I will not have failure as an option, then. I accept your terms.” Aharôs stated.

“I am glad we could come to an arrangement.” the voice replied. “I will be in contact again, soon. There are many affairs I must tend to, many things to catch up on.”

“We will take our leave, master.” Avenîl said. Turaz made a hasty but muted retreat back down the stairs, and into the hall. Without time to lace them up again, he pretended to be emptying his boots of any debris inside.

“What are you up to now?” Sidâl asked, as he descended.

“I swear I got a rock in here. Something was poking my feet.” said Turaz.

“Fooleries.” snorted Aharôs. “My task here is done, let us return to the palace.”

“So soon?” questioned the sorcerer. “You've only just arrived.”

“You have been to Highcrest itself, have you not, Sidâl?” asked Aharôs.

“That is so, but why- Ah, I think I see...”

“I will need to make use of your memories, then. At a later time.” Aharôs got a far-off look about him. “There are plans in motion, sorcerer. We cannot turn back now.”

“What plans?” Avenîl asked.

“1505 is going to be a big year in the history of mankind. As will the years following it as well.” the King told them. He folded his hands behind his back, frowning into the distance. “The last of the old world will soon be swept away. The winds of change howl on the horizon.”

Sidâl smiled slyly. “Oh, they certainly do, sire. They certainly do.”

Which of the two’s manners concerned Turaz more, he could not say.

Author's Note

So, why did they even bring Turaz along? Aharôs had a reason to bring him... I wonder what it was.

I apologize for how short this chapter is, last week was midterms part two and... yeah. Time for writing is in short supply. Guess who's been reading the Song of Roland for history class, though. Tempest chapter next weekend.

The Emissary

The Emissary

Tempest

“If you're going to be Queen, you had best look the part.” Snowy had said last night. “Especially for creatures like dragons.”

“It'd help if I knew how.” Tempest had countered.

“Then I'll show you. It's not hard.”

Well, so much for honesty. Tempest sat, bewildered, in front of her bedroom's mirror. Snowy had already combed Tempest's mane and tail, a fierce battle if there ever was one. Now, she had dug out Maelstrom's jewelry that had made the crossing and not been lost in the shipwreck. The necklace had been easy enough for them to figure out; a silver cord with a single ruby on it. “It goes well with your eyes, and I think that's good.” Snowy said.

“You think?” Tempest replied, looking skeptical.

“I'm only going on what I've seen Empress Alaia wear in this last week.” Their exposure to the feminine side of humanity was as lacking as their exposure to proper noble mares. Coldstar and Streaming Breeze were both commoners by birth, they would not have, and did not know any thing about this. Snowy was the best source on how to be proper, in that case. It could be worse, Tempest thought, I could actually be dealing with Coldstar still. Tempest did not miss her much.

Unfortunately, the other pieces were not so easy to work with as the necklace. Snowy and Tempest both had trouble figuring out how to open the bracelets, and eventually gave up on that when Tempest realized taking a sword to them wasn't a good idea after all. There was another piece, which looked like necklace too; Snowy said it was for her mane, though. Neither could imagine how one was to wear it. Tempest noted that she had nothing even resembling a crown. A queen with no crown or throne... It wasn't an impressive thought.

“And there we go!” said Snowy. Tempest's ears went flat when she saw herself.

“A flower?!” she exclaimed. Snowy had gone and placed a flower in her mane! A white something or other, she wasn't good with types of flowers. Tempest resisted the urge to shake it out.

“You need something for your head.” explained Snowy, with an exasperated look. “Otherwise, the dragon won't take you seriously when you stand next to the King of Man. Humans do not seem to like crowns, but the dragon knows we Equestrians do. We lack a crown at the moment, so this will have to do.”

“Fine...” sighed Tempest. As much as she hated to admit it, Snowy was right on more than one account. She couldn't let Îrilôs, Emperor or not, completely eclipse her. And, the flower did contrast nicely to her fur and mane. It almost makes me look pretty, thought Tempest. Almost. There was a hint of envy in her heart that Snowy was always able to look good, while she had to go through this comedy of errors to even approach that. Such was life, though. At least Tempest wasn't the one grounded for the moment on account of strained wing muscles.

“Yes, I think this will do.” Snowy said to herself. “I'll make a queen out of you yet.”

“God willing...” muttered Tempest.

“Strong words from an unbeliever!” teased Snowy, with a slight laugh.

“It's a figure of speech-”

“Don't be like Aharôs, Tempest.” her friend reminded her. “Streaming and I would appreciate it if you retained your ability to laugh.”

“Funny.” Tempest rolled her eyes. “But thanks for helping, anyway.”

“It's what I do.” Snowy said, a self-satisfied look about her.

Îrilôs and a few of his silent retainers were lurking near the base of the rocky spire on which perched the citadel. There was a gate in the cliff side. “Good morning, my little ponies.” greeted Îrilôs, waving.

“Good morning.” said Tempest coolly.

“You look absolutely adorable with that flower.” the Emperor said, humor in his smile. Tempest felt her face get warm; she scowled at him.

“The Queen of Highcrest will not be humbled by the Emperor of Ar-Athazîon.” Snowy said in a dignified tone.

“A wise choice, Lady Snowy.” agreed Îrilôs. “You're learning well from me.” Tempest noted Îrilôs didn't have a crown at all, just his ring of office and a medallion with the eight-rayed star of Heaven. “Though I did give you today off, on account of your birthday; you don't have to come.”

“I'd like to, though.” Snowy said. “Tempest invited me along, which was a wise choice on her part.”

“Very well. Let us descend to the Foreign District now.” The gate before them led down a wide spiraling stair, which sometimes featured landings for entrances to other tunnels. The stairs were embedded in the circular shaft, with nothing in the middle but empty air. Not even railings were present. There was no natural light, so one of the retainers had a lantern.

“How long did it take to carve this out?” wondered Tempest. “The rock looks like granite.”

“I haven't the slightest idea. This entire city is riddled with tunnels.” Îrilôs replied. “We keep good track of them, thanks to the local rat-folk.”

“Wonderful...” Tempest frowned at the idea of more rats. Her one encounter with them hadn't exactly been good.

“There aren't any down here, are there?” asked Snowy nervously.

“I should expect not, these are my tunnels. Rats stick to the rattish areas.” assured Îrilôs. Rattish? Tempest had never heard a word like that before, but she guessed that was an adjective for anything to do with rats.

Down they went. It was blessedly cool in here, completely sheltered from the heat of the southern sun. “Îrilôs, would anyone mind if I spent the rest of the summer under here?” Tempest asked. “It's a much nicer climate than above.”

“Well, I don't see why not... Just stick clear of places not meant for Equestrians. Or anyone who isn't a part of the garrison, really.” the Emperor said. Tempest figured he was talking about hidden stores of weapons and black powder.

They continued on, before finally arriving at the bottom of the long spiral. Îrilôs led them down one passage, up another but shorter flight of stairs, and then they were in the bright daylight again. For a few moments, Tempest was blinded. When her vision returned, it seemed like they had emerged out of another gate at the bottom of the cliff. Far above was the Imperial Palace, and just across the street was another large building.

“The House of Dragons.” Snowy said to her. “I can't believe we're actually here!”

But Tempest was more aware that the Emperor of Sarathûl had only two unarmed pegasus girls and four of his household retainers for security, and they were standing on the side of a street. Shouldn't he be more cautious? Tempest wondered. But Îrilôs seemed to know what he was doing. Directly before them was a very large gate, which Îrilôs promptly approached and knocked on. It swung open of its own accord. “It seems we're welcome!” the Emperor reported. The three entered, but the retainers stayed outside.

Inside, they entered a massive hall. It must have been fifty feet high! Tempest had never been inside such a vast space in her life, at least not one entirely roofed. Mighty columns held up an arched ceiling, and long windows plunged down from above to let in streams of light. “Marvelous.” Tempest whispered. Everything seemed as if it had been shaped from a single, gargantuan rock. Not carved, no, but shaped, melted and twisted and pulled until it had been made into the form some builder long ago desired of it. But that was not the focus of her attention:

The dragon was bigger than a house, perhaps even bigger than a barn. His scales were dark green with golden edges, his belly was red, and his eyes were a vibrant blue. And Tempest knew it was a he, the horns coming off his head were too imposing masculine for it not to be a male dragon. He stared right at her; Tempest was frozen in place, their eyes were locked.

“The King of Man brings one touched by the Devourer before me.” spoke the dragon, in a voice that shook the hall. “Yet she is a mortal, less than a score winters have passed her by...”

“W-what?” asked Snowy. The dragon's blue eyes filled her entire vision, even though they were yet far off.

“Then it is true. A shadow demon still lives. Tell me, mortal, who are you, and whence did you come?” the dragon asked. Tempest was released, and everything was normal again. What just happened?

“I'm Tempest Blackwind, the Queen of Highcrest.” she said in a small voice.

“I do not know this place, nor your name.” the dragon said, taking a step forward and sniffing the air. “But you have power in your blood, diluted and lessened as it is. You are who you say you are. It is no surprise that the Devourer sought you, Tempest Blackwind.”

“We are not familiar with that name; what is it?” questioned Snowy as respectfully as she could.

“A shadow demon, who fled into the north long ago. Lord Aegis told us it was weak and dying. But it seems he failed to destroy it once and for all...” The dragon paused, looking into the distance before turning back to them. “I see before me the heir of Athazôs, and the Queen of Highcrest. But what would you be, mortal?”

“I'm Snowy, of the house Farpeak.” said she. “I can't say I have any title, though...”

“You speak the tongue of men well. I go by many names; the race that now rules these lands once called me the Emissary. But their tongue is ever-changing, and now they simply call me Nesailon, as if it was nothing but sound in their mouths.” So, that was his name. “Tell me, King of Man, what is the purpose of these half-alicorns?”

“These, your eminence, are friends and allies of mine.” Îrilôs stated, with a polite bow. Even the Emperor deferred to a dragon, it seemed. “Maelstrom Blackwind was wrongly denied the throne of Highcrest, twenty years ago. Though she has since passed to Heaven, her daughter Tempest continues the battle for her birthright.”

“The affairs of mortals.” snorted Nesailon. “How is it that a queen found herself in the realm of a shadow demon?” He was still directing his questions to Îrilôs.

“More mortal affairs, I am afraid. Her guardian, Aharôs of Athair, also found himself wrongfully denied his throne, and they were both forced to flee the land. Queen Tempest and...” Îrilôs didn't seem quite sure what to call Snowy. “...her companion, Snowy Farpeak, were assaulted by a wraith at Kakâdras, and forced to flee into the Far North.”

“A wraith.” rumbled Nesailon. “Wraiths, demons, chaos spirits, and the cataclysm that befell the griffons last century... Something is brewing, King of Man. Be on your guard. Sarathûl is the only nation not yet assaulted by the powers of darkness.”

“But we are certainly under assault, your eminence.” Îrilôs sighed. “Celestia Everfree has declared war upon my people. I have no choice but to fight her.”

“Her mother would never allow such-”

“Pardon my interruption, your eminence, but her mother has passed to Heaven as well. As is her father, her cousins, her aunts and uncles... Everyone, but her sister, Luna, and Lord Aegis Vigil.” The Emperor almost sounded like he cared. Nesailon frowned, a troubled look on his dragon face.

“Dark powers indeed.” he said. “But what do men know of evil? The land was young, the fires below burned hot, no sun or moon shined in the heavens, when I first walked the Earth. The world was fair in that age... I was there when your ancestors came from parts unknown, King of Man. I was there when they stood against the one you call the Great Enemy. I was there when we battled to raise the first dawn, upon a plain of ice and in halls of iron, a star of light and a star of shadow above... I know evil, King of Man. The world has become marred and broken. A taint is still upon it, now more than ever.” The three mortals were struck silent. Tempest and Snowy looked at each other; what could they say to that? She'd have to ask Snowy later what the dragon really meant. “But that is not why you are here, heir of Athazôs, tell me what you have come to tell me.”

The two pegasi sat for the next two hours, listening intently to what the Emperor and dragon were discussing. Well, Snowy at least listened intently, ongoing events in the world were more to her interest than Tempest's. Her mind drifted off, to wondering about what exactly had happened between her and the dragon earlier. It was like his gaze had paralyzed her. She did not like that notion one bit. What was he? A dragon or a cockatrice? Her troubled thoughts distracted her until Snowy suddenly stood up, and the Emperor did too.

“Thank you for seeing us, your eminence.” said Îrilôs, with another slight bow.

“It is my mission.” Nesailon told him. As the two followed the Emperor back out, Tempest felt something brush against her. She turned around to see what it could possibly be, but there was nothing. Nothing, but the blue eyes of the dragon. Beware the forces of evil, Tempest Blackwind, for deceit is their nature. Tempest flinched in fright. The Benefactor had gotten her used to voices in her head, but she wasn't expecting that here!

It was midday when they got back to the palace, and the heat was setting in, as was to be expected. “Snowy, do you mind sending a prayer up to the Lord of Heaven for some rain?” Tempest asked, after Îrilôs had left them to attend court.

“Why don't you do it yourself if you believe that'd work?” countered Snowy; it came off more as an honest question than a retort. She had Tempest there. What I wouldn't give for some break from this oppressive summer...

“Anyways...” began Tempest. “What exactly did that little monologue from Nesailon mean? About the world being young when he was, and the star of light and star of shadow? I mean, if anyone knows about what he was talking about, it'd be you.” Snowy smiled.

“I have an idea. But let's go to the library; if I'm going to spend my birthday anywhere, I'd like it to be there.” she stated.

“Fair enough.” agreed Tempest, secretly dreading how warm it would be. “So, how does being nineteen feel?”

“No different than usual, I guess. Eighteen, nineteen, what does it matter?” asked Snowy. “Do you feel any different from being fifteen yesterday and fifteen today?”

“Not really.” admitted Tempest. “So why do I have to wait until I'm sixteen to be considered an adult like you?” That was just a week before winter solstice, she had a lot of time to wait.

“It's a convenient line in the sand, I'd say.” The two entered the library. Snowy dragged her off to an isolated corner by a window, which they managed to force open. At least there was a slight flow of air that way. They settled in, Tempest preparing herself for a load of information. “How much do you know about dragons?” she asked.

“Well, my mother told me they were the oldest race on Earth, older than even the alicorns.” said Tempest. “And she told me the tale of Redfang the Wrathful, Scourge of the South!”

“Didn't Nesailon seem rather tame compared to Redfang?” Snowy raised a hoof in question.

“Yeah, but I'd just attribute that to Redfang being a story villain, not a real dragon.” Tempest replied.

“Not quite so. A long time ago, there was a split between dragons. Some turned to darkness, others stayed... I wouldn’t call them good, but they were at least not malicious, and remained that way. Nesailon is one of the latter, Redfang was one of the former.” explained Snowy. “I don't know why there was a split, but I'd guess it has to do with the Great Enemy. Some dragons helped mankind, alongside the Host of Heaven, to defeat him. From what he said... Nesailon might be old enough to have been present!”

“That's... Lord of Heaven.” Tempest swore. “How old would that make him?”

“Seven thousand... eight thousand years old?” guessed Snowy. “That war was so far in the distant past we- well, the humans only remember it through the Kaiathîsa. Everything between then and the migration south was never recorded; and was forgotten. We don't even know how accurate the Kaiathîsa is about what it does record- don't tell the humans that, though. That's heresy.”

“Got it.” nodded Tempest. “So that dragon we just met was...”

“A living memory of the elder days, perhaps even a son of Korthûnîen himself!” Snowy said, grinning. She suddenly hugged Tempest. “Thank you for taking me along, Tempest, I never once dreamed I'd get to meet someone so important to history!”

“It's what I do...” Tempest said, wriggling out of her grasp. She smiled back anyway; if anyone deserved a happy moment, it was her friend. “I never even dreamed I'd be here at all, myself.”

“Can you imagine what he's seen in his time? How much has changed? I wonder what'd he'd have to say about how much better the world is getting?” Snowy went on, caught up in her own thoughts. Tempest felt her smile slip into a frown, as she remembered what Nesailon had actually said: The world has become marred and broken. A taint is still upon it, now more than ever.

If that was the word of an ancient one who had witnessed nearly the entirety of human civilization, what did it mean about the general human belief that the world was improving?

Days came and went, Tempest met with the Empress in the gardens, Snowy continued her studying under the auspices of the Emperor, Aharôs came up with grand schemes to take back both their thrones. July turned into August, by the Equestrian reckoning. It was late in August when the the King of Lûndôvîr arrived with his six thousand men-at-arms to swear allegiance to the Emperor for the coming war. And with him came two unexpected and unlooked-for individuals...

Author's Note

A shorter meeting than many of you hoped for, but important for the future nonetheless. I wonder who these two unexpected "visitors" could be?

Also, important blog post for you to read regarding near future updates.

In the Realms of Men

Goldleaf

Hell. Hell is what the humans called it; a plane of torments and evils. For Goldleaf, Hell was the horrible heat of Lûndôvîr, the searing sun of Sarathûl. It had not been this hot on the coast! How had alicorns ever been able to live here, thousands of years ago? Hemlock was taking it better than he was, if only by a little bit. She was lucky she was able to walk without trouble. Goldleaf was reduced to hobbling along, chained by the neck to the back of a wagon. At least it's a long chain, he thought grimly. It was a hot chain as well, and he was sure that he would end up burned by it.

“How are you doing?” Hemlock asked, a pained look about her. She was exhausted, almost as much as he was, from these three days of Hell.

Goldleaf didn't answer right away. It was as if the infernal climate was slowing even his thoughts. “I wish I was dead.” he finally rasped, his dry throat getting the best of him.

“It won't be much longer, if they keep up with this.” sighed Hemlock, her ears drooped as they had been since the relief of not being immediately killed wore off on the first day. It was entirely possible the humans were going to let them die by exposure. Hemlock was not happy with how they were being treated, like they were slaves instead of important members of the Night Court. But she had no way of telling them anything; neither pony spoke the tongue of men, none of the humans spoke Equestrian.

The Lûndôvîn had a strange habit. They liked to stop for lunch in the middle of the march. When traveling with the Princesses to Lithton, they had never stopped from morning to nightfall. But these humans just stopped; parking their wagons on the side of the road, sitting down in fields and under trees, breaking out their provisions to eat and their instruments for a few songs. Compared to the strict discipline Goldleaf had been noticing while actually on the move, it was strange. When they stopped for lunch today, Hemlock and he both took shelter under the wagon they were tied to.

On the first and second days, many humans had come by in the morning, lunch stop, and evening to see the two ponies. There was excited talk of alîkorrnai, Ekvestrrîm, Seleztîa and even a bit of Lûna. There were some other names as well, be he didn't recognize them. They could have been the Tarsen terms for Sun Queen and Nightlord, for all he knew. But today, few came. Goldleaf believed they had all seen the ponies by now.

“You know,” Hemlock said, “I don't think they know you're a unicorn.”

“What?” asked Goldleaf, not even raising his head from the hard-packed dirt beneath him.

“You're one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria; why don't we have actual guards?” Hemlock sat up as best she could, looking out from under the wagon. “Nothing. They must be completely unaware. You could break us out in a moment!”

He had to surpress a sigh. “And go where, Hemlock?”

“Uh...” She laid back down again, glumness returned. “Good point. We're three days deep in foreign land, and we're definitely not inconspicuous.”

“Beginning to regret staying with me?” Goldleaf thought about laughing, but it'd probably come out as more coughs.

“No, not really.” Hemlock said. She put her muzzle between her hooves, scowling out at the world. “We're deep in enemy territory, we don't know where we are or where we're going, and we've got no way home. But...” Her expression softened. “It could be worse. You could be dead and I could be at home.”

“Arguable.” said Goldleaf. Death may have been better than this weather. Hemlock was quiet for a moment.

“I hope they give us some water.” she finally spoke. But there was no water for them.

Their journey resumed shortly after, the two ponies plodded along after the rearmost wagon. All the dust kicked up by the long column landed on them, and they often had to sidestep unsavory things left behind by the humans' beasts of burden. Between the heat, the dust, and the stench... this truly was Hell. Who needed an afterlife of torment when it existed here on Earth? The afternoon wore on, the iron collar burned on his neck, his head throbbed, and his bad leg sent spikes of pain up every time he had to use it to keep pace with Hemlock and the wagon.

I can't keep this up, he realized. Each step Goldleaf took was upon a bed of nails. The world was spinning, it was too bright, too hot, he couldn't see anything. There was a yank at his neck, the clank of chains, and he felt the ground drag under him and the collar dig into his beck. It was almost like being choked.

Hemlock shouted something, and kept on shouting until the choking stopped, and so did the wagon ahead. Footsteps approached, and there was muttering too. The water splashed over his face suddenly, making him bolt upright.

“Tîez.” said the wagonmaster, putting a skin of something down. It was sweet-tasting if not rather warm, but Goldleaf drank gratefully.

“I was really worried for a moment.” Hemlock said, standing next to him. “Are you alright?”

“I'm gone, Hemlock.” Goldleaf closed his eyes tightly against the sun. “Just leave me here.”

“I'm not leaving you to the rats.” she said, very seriously.

Rats? he wondered. Must have been a pegasus phrase. Goldleaf let his mind go silent, and focused on listening to the world around him. The buzzing and chirping of insects and birds were actually quite loud, when one took the time to hear them. Hemlock was trying to talk to the wagonmaster, who kept on replying in his own tongue. She seemed to have gotten through to him, because a box was thrown onto the road. He looked up and saw that the wagonmaster was constructing a rudimentary stair up to the interior.

“It'll be better than being burned alive out here.” Hemlock said, looking pleased with herself.

“Thank heavens.” sighed Goldleaf. The wagonmaster waved them up, and in they went. The wagon itself was cramped, hot, and bumpy; but it wasn't as hot, and it wasn't dusty either. The canvas arched over the bed was good shelter from the elements. He let himself collapse in the one corner the wagonmaster had cleared out.

It was well into the night when Goldleaf woke, the pain in his head gone, but still present in his legs. Hemlock was curled up on a chest, fast asleep; she had left the waterskin for him in case he woke up. He didn't think there was water in there, though. Lithton had dedicated plumbing, the water there was clean. But in his youth, he remembered that water often had diseases and parasites in it. The rustics would often drink watered-down wine or ale, a much safer bet for ponies who couldn't afford to become ill. No doubt the humans did the same here. Now that he was in his right mind again, Goldleaf deduced he'd come down with a case of dehydration or heat exhaustion, perhaps both. He was lucky he hadn't died.

Over the following days, Goldleaf made sure to not to let that happen again. It was much easier now they he and Hemlock had a ride through Lûndôvîr. They got to look out of the back of the wagon and see the landscape, obscured by dust as it was.

“It's so hot, but it's still rather green.” Hemlock noted as they bounced down the road.

“They must get wet winters.” said Goldleaf. He didn't know what else to add; he certainly didn't know much about this place.

Boredom became an issue for the two. Now that neither of them was dying from the weather, they could actually think about other things than the cruel sun. The column's progress was slow, whoever led it was in no hurry to get anywhere anytime soon. Goldleaf started to notice a pattern about their stops, as well:

“Castles.” he told Hemlock one evening.

“Castles?”

“Yes. Every third night, we stop by a castle.” Goldleaf said. They were outside of the wagon, as the wagonmaster let them stretch their legs whenever they stopped for lunch or the night. He looked at the hill, about half a mile away. There were lights on it, and a solid shadow sticking out of the dusk.

“Someone important must lead this army, then, if she can stop at whatever castles she likes.” Hemlock guessed.

“Most likely a he. Human men lead their society, absolutely.”

“Right.” she nodded. “Maybe there's a great lord up at the front, out of the dust?” Hemlock laughed. “I wonder if he'd like to trade positions for a day with us...”

“Perhaps even a king.” Goldleaf recalled the banners they'd seen. One was black with a silver star, he knew that one. But the other was the blue serpent on a golden field, the banner of Lûndôvîr. More specifically, it was the banner of the Kingdom of Lûndôvîr. Perhaps the King himself was here? That was an intriguing thought. He told Hemlock his idea.

“Why would a king be here, though?” she wondered.

“Why would the Lûndôvîn be going north with their king?” Goldleaf asked. He had an idea, but he wanted to see if Hemlock could come up with something. Keeping the young mare's mind busy was a good idea; she wouldn't try anything stupid as young ponies were wont to do.

“Maybe Princess Celestia's declaration of war has already spread this far.” Hemlock guessed, putting a hoof on her chin. “They knew we were there, at the cove, though. So either they knew we were coming, or they were already preparing to fight us... And now that we've been removed from their land, they're going north. But for what?”

“To Ar-Athazîon.” Goldleaf answered. “And the Emperor.”

“Do you think they're going after home?” A flash of worry passed over Hemlock, and her ears fell.

“I don't know.”

And truthfully, he didn't. Goldleaf had no idea why they were really headed north, but Ar-Athazîon was a good bet. Why else would they be dragged along with the army instead of left in a dungeon?

Two weeks had passed since they were captured. Goldleaf and Hemlock had taken to playing naughts and crosses on a crate, gradually expanding the playing field from three by three to ten by ten, and then by giving themselves the ability to move the naughts and crosses around. The games got quite intense at times.

On the thirteenth morning, they saw a legend. A great white pillar rose out of a low hill, covered in vibrant wildflowers. It was rounded at the edges, and tapered to a sharp point quite abruptly at the top. “An obelisk!” exclaimed Hemlock.

“An obelisk.” Goldleaf affirmed. They both leaned out of the wagon for a better look. “The alicorns built them as monuments to their fallen heroes. I've heard of this one!”

“Who is buried there?”

“This is the obelisk of Castus, who fell in battle against something evil. I know that much. And I know Castus was a son of our friend, Lord Aegis Vigil.”

“Oh.” Hemlock quietly said. She bowed her head.

“His wife, Versa, is buried in the Far North, on a hill of white roses. They say they were her favorite flower, which is why Lord Aegis uses it as his sigil. Versa was killed by a shadow spirit, if I recall rightly...” he went on, before pausing. Goldleaf recalled how Hemlock had once made the poignant remark that Lord Aegis had buried every child he sired... A twinge of feeling came over him, and he found himself bowing his head too. He's really lost everything, hasn't he? And yet, Lord Aegis carried on. A brave soul, if Goldleaf had ever known one. “Perhaps I could have left that out.”

“Yeah...” Hemlock agreed. “Real life doesn't have happy endings, does it?”

“Not always.” said Goldleaf. “But there are times when everything works out.”

“Really?” she asked hopefully.

“Of course. Ashvale the Great made peace with King Vesper, who gave her and her line all of Eastmarch to hold against the ice demons of the Frozen North. Discord was utterly defeated and the ponies of Equestria freed by the alicorns. The Whitewinds drove the rat-folk out of pegasus lands... or something like that.” recited Goldleaf, recalling all his history. “Things do turn out for the best. Not always, but not never, either.”

“Oh, I know about the war with the vermin!” said Hemlock, beaming. She seemed eager to get to tell a story of her own for once. “We'd always lived in tension with the rats, in Highcrest. It was my ancestors who led us to our future kingdom, and who were attacked by the rats. For some reason or another, Hurricane Whitewind was our first Queen, not a Farpeak, but I wouldn't want to be Queen anyway. They brought the war to its climax. When Tempest Whitewind learned that the rats had been making ritual sacrifices of ponies to fuel their blood magic, she led the war in person. We tore down their Temple, razed their cities, and scattered them to the four winds of the world.”

“Ah, yes, that's how it went. Very pegasus-like, I must say.” Hemlock raised an eyebrow. “What? It is.” said Goldleaf, tapping a hoof on a box. “Your kind do like your dramatics, don't you?”

“I guess we do...” admitted Hemlock. “But it is something that deserves drama. They were the last servants of darkness in Equestria, save for Discord who was content to leave us to our wars. We'd gotten rid of the dragons, and the changelings, and the ice demons were contained... The griffons had yet to come, though.”

“I wouldn't call the griffons servants of darkness, Hemlock. If anything, they're as much victims of greater powers as we ponies have been.” Hemlock only turned her nose in the air dismissively. There was no small amount of bad blood between the two races, though not nearly as much as between pegasi and rats. Goldleaf sometimes wondered if rats were even real, he'd never seen one before. Not even a skeleton, come to think of it.

A few days later, Hemlock and he woke to voices outside the wagon. One was the wagonmaster's, they knew his voice by now. The other was new. They came around the back, and found both ponies awake and expecting them. Beside the wagonmaster was a dusty-looking man in worn black robes, carrying a pack and wearing a silver medallion of an eight-pointed star. He held a hooked staff with a lantern dangling from it, even though it was dawn. Unlike many of the humans he had no beard, and his hair was cut very short. To Goldleaf, the man looked to be middle-aged, perhaps even as old as he himself was.

“Hello, Equestrians.” said the man. Both ponies straightened up right away; it'd been a long time since they heard any other voice speak Equestrian besides their own.

“How do you-” Hemlock started to ask.

“I have been all over the world, little pony. If a people speak a language, I have tried to learn it. Though not always with success!” he laughed. “I am Thônar. Who might you be?”

Goldleaf and Hemlock exchanged a glance, before he nodded to Hemlock to answer. “I am Lady Hemlock Farpeak of Greatfall.” she declared, before pointing to him. “And this is Goldleaf, my... servant.” Goldleaf nodded.

“My lady,” Thônar bowed, “why ever do they have you in chains?”

“Because I can fly, I suppose.” answered Hemlock, shrugging.

“Well, I wouldn't want my prisoner flying off either.” said Thônar. “Do you know where you're headed?” They shook their heads. “This army is going to Ar-Athazîon, to serve the new Emperor. The King of Lûndôvîr leads it in person.”

“I thought so.” Goldleaf said. “But who is the new Emperor? It was Katastanîôs last we heard.”

“Alas,” lamented Thônar, “our late Lord and Master passed from this life some two and a half months ago. Now Îrilôs, fourth of his name, sits on the throne. Long may he reign, and Heaven protect him.” He touched two fingers to his forehead, and bowed his head again. Some kind of religious sign, I presume, Goldleaf thought.

The wagonmaster had returned to the front of the wagon, and now they were setting off. Oblivious to the dust, Thônar followed them as they moved off, only empty road behind him.

“Where are we now?” asked Hemlock. “You must know your way around here better than us.”

“We are forty miles out from Ar-Athazîon; thirty south of the Sorcerer's Bridge, and ten west of the Imperial city itself.” answered the man. Goldleaf wondered what the Sorcerer's Bridge was, but had a feeling he'd be finding out soon enough. “At the rate you've been traveling, you have a little less than a week left to go.”

“So slow.” Hemlock grumbled. “We travel much faster back home.”

“I'm sure of it. Equestrians are a fast-moving race, it suits you. But us?” Thônar looked about, with an apologetic glance to them. “The speed of walking is the speed of being human. We do not need to go faster, we do not need to go slower. The pace of humanity will take you where you need to go in precisely the same amount of time it takes to get to know another human. This was the design of God, Equestrians. All things serve their purpose.”

“That was more of an answer than I was expecting.” said Hemlock quietly.

“You seem like a religious fellow.” Goldleaf observed. Thônar smiled, and nodded, tapping his staff along the road as he followed the wagon.

“Naturally. I am a priest of the Ezerîn Order.” He tapped the silver medallion he wore. “It is my solemn calling to walk the world, reminding the faithful of the word, and bringing the word to those who have not yet heard it.”

“I find it hard to believe that people this close to the capital would need to be reminded...” Hemlock tilted her head questioningly, expecting an answer.

“My lady, I am not on this road to preach today. I am on pilgrimage, to the Cathedral of Saint Aikâlon.” stated Thônar. “And once I have prayed to the savior of my race, I will seek to serve the Emperor in what way I can. There are whispers of an expedition to Equestria...”

They talked with Thônar for another hour, before the column turned from a dirt road onto a paved road of solid stone, without a single rut, crack, or crevice in it. “One of the great highways of Old Alicornia!” Goldleaf told Hemlock. If he didn't know better, Goldleaf would suspect the alicorns had just poured lava into the ground and let it cool, before smoothing it all over. But controlling volcanoes was beyond even alicorn magic.

“They have proven exceedingly long-lived.” added Thônar. “The same can be said many things in this region. The Sorcerer's Bridge stands without a single support, and has gone without need for maintenance since the day it was found.”

“Why is it named that?” Hemlock asked. “If the alicorns built it, what does a sorcerer have to do with it? I heard that human magic is cold and dead.”

“You are right, my lady: 'human' magic is cold, and can only take life. It is my order's belief that we are not naturally inclined to magic, and those who do use it are remarkable individuals, who get it from some... other source.” Thônar explained, absent-mindedly touching his star medallion. “I have never seen any in my life, but I heard from an elder of my order, long ago, that the only magic we humans can use is derived from the power of blood.”

“How grim.” Goldleaf remarked. Blood magic was what the rats had used, in Highcrest, many centuries ago. It was an abominable thing, far more dangerous and potent than unicorn or dragon magic. Perhaps even evil. But blood magic could be used by any creature, magically-inclined or not. Rats were once a local problem for a tribe of pegasi; but human use of blood magic was something any pony in the know whispered about, and thus was widely considered to be a human brand of magic. It was an unfair judgment, but it was an unfair world.

“Yes, grim indeed. We have a tale here of a certain Lord Ezarethîz, the most powerful sorcerer who ever lived. He could summon demons, turn himself invisible, and kill a man with a single word! Lord Ezarethîz invaded Sarathûl with all manner of vile things. He came to the river Karthâ, but found he could not cross it. However, because he could turn invisible, he could also see invisible things, and broke the spell concealing the great bridge that spanned the river. It had stayed hidden for five centuries, so the stories go. After Sîvôs foiled his plans and the Emperor defeated Lord Ezarethîz, the bridge became free for all to use... so long as folk paid a toll to whomever controlled it, of course. And that's why they call it the Sorcerer's Bridge.”

“Really...” Hemlock looked fascinated. She had more of a love for history than she liked to let on, that was obvious. Goldleaf was interested in hearing what else Thônar had to say about blood magic, but didn't press the issue. It might not have been a polite subject in this society, and he wouldn't want to offend the only human who spoke their language they'd met so far.

Thônar followed the wagon for the rest of the day, not bothered by the burning sunlight. As far as Goldleaf could recall, humans on pilgrimage were generally not concerned with comfort. It was a strange ritual, to subject one's self to such humility and hardship. He could not fathom why they would do such a thing... At least Thônar was lucky that the paved road had gotten rid of the dust clouds, even if they were hotter from absorbing the sunlight.

However, Thônar was called away from the column on the second day. A local serf had asked him to perform something called the final dignity for a dying family member, and off he went. Goldleaf wondered if they'd see him again on the road.

Three more days passed until they saw the Sorcerer's Bridge. “Good heavens!” breathed Hemlock in awe.

The Sorcerer's Bridge was definitely more than Goldleaf expected.It was made of the same gleaming white stone as the obelisk of Castus. The bridge gently arched over at least three miles of water, if not four, touching down at the other side, and was two dozen yards wide. Not a single support held it up, it simply sprang out of the ground at one end and came back down at the other. At its tallest, the bridge must have been two hundred feet over the river below, maybe more on account of the steep rocky banks on either side. Walls guarded each side of the span, Goldleaf was glad to see; and at each end was an elegant gatehouse.

“Definitely alicorn magic.” Goldleaf said. Towns had sprung up on both sides of the bridge as well, walled with the same white stone in a neat circle. These walls and gatehouses had the same perfect look as the bridge; he guessed they were built with alicorn magic too. But the buildings of the towns were, without a doubt, man-made. “This must be the Karthâ river, the greatest watercourse in Sarathûl. That's what Thônar implied.”

“It's bigger than any river in Equestria.” Hemlock gaped at the river; it was wider than some bays in Equestria, and probably deeper too.

The traffic over the bridge was immense, and even with a King leading the column, they were forced to wait until the next day to cross at dawn. At first, Hemlock was excited to go over the great arc, but as they began the gentle climb, and gusts of wind began to grasp at the wagon's canvas cover, she started to look nervous. “No, I'm not.” she claimed, but Goldleaf saw through her lies.

“You are. And you're a pegasus, you could fly if we got blown off the bridge.”

“Too bad I'm chained to this wagon, just like you.”

“Hmm.” Goldleaf hoped those side-walls would keep them from being blown over the edge. Even the wagonmaster looked uneasy up here.

Crossing the Sorcerer's Bridge took them the better part of three hours, thanks to the column's length and the usual breakdowns of wagons. On the road, the column could simply go around the broken wagon, but as the were moving three abreast, there was no room. They were forced to wait for the wagon to be fixed before resuming. Both of them thought it wise to keep their heads down, though, with so many humans about in such a tight space. Goldleaf had to question if anyone even remembered they were there besides the wagonmaster.

Finally, they were across, and made progress of another mile before settling down on the banks of the Karthâ for the night. They must have been close to Ar-Athazîon, as there were many, many ships traveling up and down the river. In the towns at the Sorcerer's Bridge, there had only been Imperial banners flying as well; black and white with a blood-red star. He would guess that these towns paid tribute directly to the Emperor.

“Do you think we'll get there tomorrow?” Hemlock asked.

“We can't have more than nine miles left, I don't see why not.” he answered.

As it turned out, they did get there by sunset, the next day. Once again, they were awed by the works of Old Alicornia. Ar-Athazîon wasn't so much a city as a towering white wall, just as high as the Sorcerer's Bridge upstream. It bristled with towers, which themselves were lined with ports for what could only be cannons.

“Incredible!” exclaimed Hemlock, not minding how the setting sun shined so brightly off the wall. It got hotter as they moved closer; the reflected light at work, perhaps? Goldleaf wasn't sure. There was a smell in the air, too. For several miles now, the salt of the sea had been in his nostrils, but now it was joined by woodsmoke, and fouler things.

The source of the smell was an ugly mass of buildings outside the wall. The city sprawled over the great barrier, into a haphazard mess of shabby looking structures. The column stopped some distance from this urban planning disaster, for which Goldleaf was grateful. Any unicorn architect would have been disgusted by this.

“I wonder what they'll do with us now that we're here?” Hemlock asked.

“Only the stars know.” sighed Goldleaf.

The sun had long set, Hemlock was fast asleep beneath the wagon, and Goldleaf was dozing off, when the soldiers came. Some wore the Lûndôvîn colors, yellow and blue; but the others were new. Their armor was a deep green, with red and gold leaf patterns, and they wore white plumes in their helmets. One among them was devoid of all armor, in dark blue robes bearing some sigil or another... Goldleaf blinked. He knew this one! This was the man who had come to negotiate with Princess Celestia all those months ago, in Lithton!

“Ekvestrrîm,” he greeted in his ridiculous accent, smiling coolly, “velcome to Ar-Athazîon!”

“Kairôs Gadis, isn't it?” asked Goldleaf, narrowing his eyes. “I remember you. You came to see the Princess.”

“Ô, haô forrtunate! Thîs is delicious!” he chuckled. “Perrhaps you vill stand before the Emperor?” Kairôs clapped once, and gave an order in Tarsen.

“Hemlock, we're moving.” Goldleaf said, as he prodded her awake. She didn't say anything as they were led by their chains to another wagon, one no doubt meant for criminals given the iron bars over its windows. “Just our lot.” remarked he. “We're in the greatest city on Earth, and we can't see anything!”

“At least we're still alive.” Hemlock said back, with a hopeful smile.

Wherever they were being taken, it was a mystery to him. There was hardly a moment to look around before they got shoved into a tunnel lit only by torches. They quickly left the night's heat behind, and entered a cool subterranean realm. “You knô,” said Kairôs, as he led them on, “these tunnels vere carrved by rrats? They do not speak highly of you Ekvestrrîm.” The two ponies dwelt on that for the rest of their passage. There's rats, here, in Ar-Athazîon? Ill tidings for Hemlock, if they ran into one.

Up stairs they went, and up a spiraling tunnel, until they came into what only could be a dungeon. The ponies were shoved into two separate cells, and the doors closed. “You vill have guests tomorrô.” he said, before departing. Only a single torch on the opposite wall of the iron-barred doors remained to give light. Hemlock and he were separated by bars as well, though there was a heavy canvas woven through them for some semblance of privacy.

“Who could our guests be?” Goldleaf wondered out loud. “Any ideas, Hemlock?”

She yawned before answering. “I'm guessing the torturer.”

“Very funny.” he frowned.

“Sleep well, Goldleaf.”

“Hmmph.”

Their guests arrived in the morning, but not before the guards had moved Goldleaf to Hemlock's cell. He supposed it was for convenience. But no torturer came, no Kairôs Gadis, no questioners or officials or any human of the sort.

Instead, there were three pegasi standing at the entrance of the cell. Pegasi! Here, in Ar-Athazîon! Goldleaf pushed his confusion to the back of his mind, and beheld the three before him.

One was a brick red mare, battered and tough. Another was a blue-grey color, with a charcoal mane; she seemed much younger than the red one . The third, though, was a pretty mare that made him look twice. She looked just like Hemlock; the same beige coat and mane of blues, only a few shades lighter; the same vivid green eyes, the same height, nearly the same face, and even close to the same smell. The only real difference was that she was rather pudgy, not at all as sleek and slender as Hemlock. They could easily have been sisters. Wait a second-

Could this be her? Goldleaf glanced at Hemlock, whose mouth was slightly agape. For once, the pegasus seemed to be too shocked to say anything. She knew the pony she was looking at. There was no doubt, this had to be the long-lost Snowy Farpeak. And if this was Snowy Farpeak, then the one in the middle was...

“Good morning.” coolly greeted the blue-grey one, with a hint of accent under her voice. She seemed almost disdaining of his appearance, and Goldleaf became very conscious Hemlock and he had gone unwashed for nearly a month. “Do you know who I am?” the pegasus asked.

“I'm afraid not...” Though he had a very good idea.

“I am Tempest Blackwind, second of my name, Queen of Highcrest.” stated she, doing her best to look regal. “These are my followers; Lady Snowy Farpeak, and Streaming Breeze.”

“How?” whispered Hemlock. So it really is her... Snowy too seemed at a loss for words, her mouth trembled but she did not speak. Goldleaf wasn't able to count all the emotions running across her face.

“How?” repeated the elder Farpeak, finally solidifying her expression to hard and angry, if pained. “If you're asking how I'm alive, know that it was no thanks to you!”

“I- I-” stammered Hemlock, moving towards the back of the cell. “Snowy, I-”

“No, I won't hear it!” Snowy declared, sneering at Hemlock. “The ten years you all were out of my life have been the only ten years of my life worth living! You're dead to me Hemlock, you and the rest of them!” Her voice started to tremble, and Goldleaf swore she was blinking back tears. Snowy looked like she had more to say, but she suddenly turned and bolted from the cell. There was a moment of silence from the four remaining ponies.

“You know,” Blackwind said, “it usually takes a few inconsiderate remarks from me to get her to snap like that. But you managed to do it in a single word. I don't know if I should be impressed with your speed, or upset at your apparent cruelty.”

“You do realize this is Hemlock Farpeak, don't you?” Goldleaf asked the exile. Blackwind blinked.

“Who?”

“Hemlock Farpeak, younger daughter of Silver Farpeak of Greatfall... Younger sister of a certain Snowy Farpeak who disappeared some ten years ago.” explained Goldleaf. The pegasus blinked again, still not understanding what she was hearing. He had to admit, Tempest Blackwind was far less impressive than what he was expecting. She was a bit on the tall side, yes, but she was also as skinny as a rustic after a bad winter, and rather plain-looking on top of that. The Blackwind heir was more a daughter of a worn-down peasant than a daughter of a beautiful queen like Maelstrom. Goldleaf almost felt sorry for this young mare. He stopped himself from feeling any actual sympathy when he remembered the chaos she could bring to her homeland.

“She never told me she had a sister!” said Blackwind, scowling. She yelled something in Tarsen, with Snowy in it, before dashing out of the cell too. That left only the red mare, Streaming Breeze.

“Those two girls...” sighed Streaming Breeze, shaking her head. “It's been like living in a house made of glass in a world of stone-throwing, between the two of them. But, I might as well get your names.”

“I'm Goldleaf of Lithton, an important courtier of Princess Luna. And you already know Hemlock Farpeak.” he gestured to his traveling companion. Hemlock hadn't said a further word, she was looking at her hooves guiltily.

“That sounds like a fancy way of saying you're a worthless commoner like me who wants to be taken seriously.” The red mare laughed. “Well, Goldleaf of Lithton, we'll be seeing you again shortly. I've got to go track down wherever my Queen has run off to in search of Lady Farpeak. The former won't have gotten far, because the latter can't have gotten far. I'll be back. The shit I put up with...” She retreated, and the cell door was closed behind her by one of the human guards.

“Well.” Goldleaf said, at a loss for anything else. Hemlock just sat in her corner, still shocked by what she had heard.

“She's alive.” murmured Hemlock, staring at the floor, stricken with guilt. “How? How did she survive this long?”

“I'd think that you'd be pleased to see your sister again, after ten and a half years.” Goldleaf said, not sure what else he could say. He had no idea what had happened between them, to make Snowy so hateful of her little sister.

“My mother always told me that Snowy was weak and worthless, a disappointment to the family. But when she wanted Snowy to do something, and Snowy couldn't do it, I'd be the one who was punished.” Hemlock laid down, ears going flat and tucking her tail over her muzzle. “I started to hate Snowy. I thought that maybe she was making mistakes just so I'd be hurt for it... But she was still my sister, and mother would hurt her too when she was angry, so... I just didn't know... After all these years, after hearing about how pathetic and contemptible she was from my mother... I started to believe it. And I started to believe she was dead, too. And now... here she is.”

“Here you are, too.” said Goldleaf. He didn't really know what to say. Hemlock was only telling one side of the story, what had she done to earn Snowy's ire? Going against his friend wasn't something he wanted to do, but he couldn't help but wonder what really happened. He'd stay silent on that for now. “The real question is, what are you going to do next? We haven't seen the last of them.”

Hemlock only sighed. “I wish I knew, Goldleaf.”

Author's Note

And so we resume our journey, after two and a half months. This chapter is very long, and it's just for you patient readers. We'll be alternating between Across the Sea and Horn of the Damned from here on out, though with finals in three weeks, and then summer chemistry all morning every morning until late August, we'll see how fast I can be about it.

So, how about that Farpeak Bowl 2014: Episode one? Not as dramatic as you were expecting?

Tempest Tries to Learn of the Past and Future

Tempest

Twilight hour was upon Ar-Athazîon; the sun had set but the light was not yet gone, and the air was cooling to a more tolerable warmth. Empress Alaia and Tempest were making the evening rounds to water the plants of the palace's gardens, or at least the ones the Empress took an interest in.

“I heard you have new friends.” Alaia said, inspecting a plant's leaves to make sure they weren't withered.

“They're not my friends.” replied Tempest, picking up the watering can and following the Empress as she identified what plant needed the watering. She was a Queen, but the Empress was the Queen of Queens; so technically, she was bringing no indignity to her station with such manual labor. And it was nice to do something physical that she actually liked.

“I also heard there was some drama regarding Lady Snowy and one of these new friends.” The Empress gave her a sidelong look, and waited for her to say something. Tempest could only grit her teeth.

“Fine, I'll tell you about it.” That got a slight smile from Alaia. “Snowy had a little sister, this entire time, she never once told me about. I feel fooled. I never even got so much as a hint this Hemlock Farpeak even existed.”

“Was it important to know?” asked the Empress.

“Well...” Tempest scowled, knowing full well it wasn't. “Not really. But I would have liked to have known before she was standing in front of me!”

“Everyone has their secrets, Tempest.” Alaia chided, though not sternly. “I'm sure you have something you'd rather not talk about with your friend.”

“Hmm.” For the moment, Tempest said nothing more.

“What did Lady Snowy say, anyway?” asked the Empress.

Snowy was sitting on the battlements outside the dungeon, looking out at the sea in the warm morning sun. Her breathe came quick and shallow. “What happened in there?” Tempest asked.

“I can't believe it.” whispered Snowy in a trembling voice. “Why did she come here?”

“Well, she was captured-” Tempest reminded her.

“Thank you for pointing that out, Tempest.” Snowy snapped, ears going flat. Tempest recoiled a little; it stung when her friend got that sharp with her. “I hated her.” continued Snowy. “I still hate her! After all she did, she turns up now to- to-” She looked like she wanted to scream, but Snowy made not a sound more.

“I don't understand.” said Tempest quietly.“You never once told me you had any more family out there. Not even a hint. If I had a sister that turned up out of nowhere... I'd be overjoyed.”

“Your family loved you. They never hurt you, not even your uncle. I used to be jealous of you, you know.” Really? Tempest asked silently. “Even if Maelstrom died, she actually cared about you, Tempest. I would have rather had that for as short a time as it lasted.” Snowy lowered her head, sighing.

“What happened with you and Hemlock?” asked Tempest.

“I- I don't want to speak about it. Now right now.”

“But she's your sister-”

“Tempest,” Snowy took a forceful tone, “not right now.”

“Alright...”

“I still wish I knew.” Tempest grumbled, moving with Alaia to the next flowerbed. “Why didn't she tell me before? What happened between them? There's so much I don't know, because no one ever told me.”

“Those are questions for her, not I, Tempest.” the Empress stated. “She'll tell you when she is ready. But not tomorrow, you will be busy.”

“I will?”

“As you're aware, the Lûndôvîn arrived last night, with their King as well. He will be meeting with the Emperor and your Aharôs, your presence has been requested as well.”

“W-what?” stammered Tempest. “Why?”

“It's a council of monarchs, my dear, you must be there too. Or have you forgotten your station?” Alaia smirked. “His name is Fâôs Harthkanî, ninth of his name. I've never met him, but I've heard he not as severe as King Aharôs... Though you would be hard-pressed to find a man more so.”

The two finished their rounds in the gardens, and Tempest retired to her chambers. There were too many questions today, and they all revolved around the people near her, man and pony alike. She didn't like any of it, not one bit. Why won't Snowy tell me anything? she wondered, as she considered going through the washroom to actually ask her. They'd been the only friends each other had for more than ten years, surely there was some measure of trust there! Tempest snorted, and laid down on her bed. Alaia was right, though; Snowy wasn't ready to talk. Not yet. Besides, it's not like I've been entirely honest with her either. Even after a month and a half, the encounter with the shadow spirit still lurked in the back of her mind. That wasn't even considering the myriad other nagging doubts that constantly assailed her. Only the Benefactor had learned of those, and he was now with Sidâl, whatever he really was.

In the morning, Tempest skipped breakfast entirely, seeking out Aharôs instead. His dwelling was as shady as his chambers in Nikadîon, she'd come to expect such a solemn atmosphere with him. “Good morning.” Tempest greeted.

“We'll see about that.” answered Aharôs, emerging from the typical darkness of his room in his typical dark clothes and wearing his typical dark expression. “You've been informed of our meeting today?”

“Yes.” she nodded.

“Very well.” Aharôs stalked over to the maps on his table. When Tempest approached, she saw the familiar shape of Athair's coast. Little markers had once dotted it, but they'd all been knocked over and scattered.

“What happened to your map?” asked Tempest.

“Emperor Îrilôs altered our deal.” said the King, clenching a fist until his knuckles turned white. “We agreed last year that after Verâd was mine, I would bring my army south to help him enforce Imperial authority. Fair enough.”

“Quite fair.” Tempest agreed, though with a sinking feeling. She knew where this was going. “So what changed?”

“Reshîv, and his scheming whore of a mother! You were there, I don't need to tell you!” Aharôs fumed. Wisely, Tempest said nothing, and let him continue. “Now I'm a king with no crown and no throne and no army! What use am I to the Emperor? Very little, I'll tell you what! I came to him, thinking I had a friend in the Emperor, asking for his aid in returning to me what was mine, by every law in Sarathûl!” He flung the map of Athair and all the markers off the table. Aharôs then seized a large scroll, and violently unrolled it, revealing a rough chart of Equestria. “This is the price for my home and birthright now!”

Tempest's heart fluttered at the prospect of returning home. “Lord of Heaven... it really is happening.”

“Yes, and I have the honor of leading it. The entire damned expedition.” seethed Aharôs. “Not just giving you back your kingdom, but I have to take all of it to get mine!”

“That's not fair.” she said, knowing that Aharôs would probably only be more incensed at hearing that.

“Fair? Nothing is fair, Tempest. Maelstrom told me that once, before our final meeting; I didn't believe her until she died in my arms. And I still didn't want to. I thought I could do justice by her, restore your lands to you like I swore. I never thought I'd lose all of mine trying to do it.” He sat down on the wide chair, hands on his head like he was beset by an ache. Tempest shuffled awkwardly, wondering if she should join him or not.

“I'm... sorry?” In all honesty, she didn't want her kingdom back. The Benefactor had helped her see that. Aharôs had lost his kingdom for hers, and she wouldn't even be grateful for it. Guilt set upon her. He's given you everything, Tempest, when he could have sold you to Celestia and had enough gold to deal with anything Reshîv sent at him. Instead, he wasted a decade of his life on you. She lowered her head, ears drooping.

“I'm not sorry, though. I made a promise, I intend to keep it. For your mother's sake, for yours too, Tempest. And when I've restored your rightful realm to you, when I've subdued the alicorns and Equestria's strength is spent...” Aharôs looked up at her, anger melting away into cold sternness. “I will bring justice to those who've wronged me. No matter the cost. Every man and woman will reap what they have sowed.” A shiver ran over Tempest. Aharôs's justice was cruel, that was for certain. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of it. “Now come, we have things to do.” He snatched up his medallion of office and put on a ring with his house's sigil on it. Tempest had never seen him wear those before, but she'd never seen him in a formal occasion as king before either. “Don't you have something to wear?” he asked.

“No, not really.” she confessed. “My uncle once told me that there's a crown and collar in Highcrest. But I've got a necklace from my mother I could wear.” Tempest said. The king nodded, and they stopped by her chambers to get it. When she put on the silver chord with its single ruby, Aharôs's expression softened. He knelt down, and lifted it up for a closer look.

“It's been a long time... Maelstrom wore this the first time we met. Must have been fifteen years ago. I haven't seen it since.” For once, Aharôs smiled. Even minutes after his barely-contained fury, he smiled. But it was over as quickly as it began. “Better days.” he said, leading her out into the hall again.

“It's hard to believe there were ever better days to you.” remarked Tempest. “You've been grim and gloomy since we met.”

“Things went wrong.” That was all Aharôs had to say on the matter. Once, Reshîv had said he wasn't always the way he was. Maybe it was true? But whatever the answer was, it didn't matter now, Tempest supposed. She had too many questions lately.

They went to the same council room Tempest and Snowy had attended after their arrival, a comfortable room with a wide table to sit at. There was a view of the the rising mountains to the north and not much else, but at least it was relatively cool. Îrilôs and the fourth monarch were already there.

She knew Îrilôs well by now, but the new king was quite a sight, the opposite of Aharôs. He was tall, fat, bald, red-faced, sported an impressive mustache, and looked like he was about to laugh. The Lûndôvîn King wore all golden yellow, and his big medallion of office bore a serpent scaled in tiny blue sapphires. “So,” he said, standing, “this is what an Equestrian looks like?”

“Yes..?” Tempest answered, ears tilting back in confusion.

“Bigger than I expected!” Fâôs remarked. It was strange that he didn't know what one of her kind looked like, Tempest knew that it had been his men who caught the pegasus and unicorn down in the dungeon. “I am Fâôs Harthkanî, the ninth King of Lûndôvîr by that name! How do you do?” He nodded just enough to be respectful, but not enough to humble himself.

“Well enough, I guess.” said she. “I'm Tempest. Uh, Tempest Blackwind, that is.”

“And the second Queen of Highcrest by that name, I would add. A good friend of mine.” Îrilôs stepped forward with his usual sly smile. “Please, sit.” The Emperor gestured for the three to make themselves comfortable around the table, which held another large map of Equestria. It was the biggest she'd ever seen. “I'm a busy man in these times, so let's get right to it.”

“Yes, yes.” agreed King Fâôs. “Given the complications with the Athairîm, I will be providing you your army to deal with the last of the miscreants in this region, my Lord. As we discussed the other day, King Aharôs will now lead the war on this Celestia girl.”

“So it is.” Îrilôs said, placing a little wooden boat on the map, before turning to Aharôs. “I understand that you've been plotting out a strategy for placing our Equestrian friend back in her homeland?”

“I have, my Lord.” Aharôs pushed the boat across the map. “As you know, my knight Turaz and Sidâl have been to Highcrest in the past. We've determined our best landing point would be just to the south of Cape Coldweather here. Our ships would need to lay anchor some few hundred feet out, but the beach is long and free of reefs or rocks. As the engagement last month showed, Equestrian ships are no match for ours. We should be unopposed.”

“And then what?” asked Îrilôs, leaning over the table. “We can't land and just say Tempest is in charge now.”

“The strategy is simple. We force the Equestrians into open battle, smash them, and march on Highcrest. Our cannons can make short work of them, Sir Turaz assures me. But, as for actually doing it? I do not know. I...” Aharôs clenched his jaw, and exhaled. “I am not a tactician, my Lord. Nor even a good strategist. We've seen that in Verâd.”

“No, you are not.” the Emperor agreed. “But you have a very useful ability to inspire fear in your enemies, King Aharôs. I think we can use that.”

“Really?” asked King Fâôs, obviously interested. “Did you catapult heads into a castle? Impale a few rebels along the road?” Aharôs looked up to him, and answered without a pause.

“I burnt a city of traitors down with the traitors still inside.” he stated.

“Ah...” Fâôs leaned back in his chair, hand on chin. “Well... That's quite a bold move.”

And he didn't mention the sorcery or demon-summoning, Tempest remarked to herself.

“I did what I had to.” said Aharôs. “I've always done what I had to, and I always will. If that means razing cities, so be it. If that means invading other continents because our Lord and Master, the Emperor, commands it, so be it. If that means destroying Equestria to ensure our dominion over all life on Earth... so be it.”

“So be it.” repeated King Fâôs. “Queen Tempest, what will you do once you're in power again?”

“I was never formally Queen. Nor was my mother for that matter, she started this mess.” Tempest explained. It felt weird to be called Queen by someone other than the Nikadîon garrison or her pegasi. She'd need to get used to that. “Once I'm there...” she shrugged. “In total honesty, I never considered I'd ever return home. I suppose I would keep the peace and give you whatever you needed to deal with Celestia.” The thought that Princess Celestia would fall from power was a nice one. The thought that Princess Celestia might be killed by the humans also occurred to her, and was also just as pleasant a notion.

“It's a start.” Fâôs said. “I'm not much of a general either, but I believe I will be going with you. Our securing of Highcrest will gain us a foothold across the sea, and with you in power, we'll have a friendly region to secure a flank for us.”

“Then comes the main invasion.” Îrilôs grinned, placing five more of his little boats on the map. “Six thousand men-at-arms from Lûndôvîr are the only men here at the moment, and are likely to be the only ones who appear this year at all. I expect they'll be closer to five thousand once we've dealt with local troubles. Not the fifteen thousand King Aharôs promised, but they'll do.” Aharôs gave a dark look to the map. “They'll be the ones going with you to Highcrest, along with whomever else shows up before this coming spring. I expect most of the lords who answered my uncle's call to war will be arriving closer to summer, in campaign season. Perhaps as many as twenty or even thirty thousand! More than enough to defeat the Equestrians and take the entire western coast and then some!”

Tempest glanced uneasily around. It was seven months until the spring equinox, but the humans sometimes spoke of spring beginning whenever the first sprouts appeared. That was as early as her February, which was but six months away. She had fall and winter before this was upon her.

“We'll figure out the details later, of course,” Îrilôs went on, “but for now, a loose strategy will do. Once we have the coast, we can strike inland. First, to Lithton, and then along this mountain range until we hit Everfree. With the heart of the Second Alicornia in our hands, the Equestrian spirit will break.”

“Everfree is a long way from the sea.” Tempest noted.

“We don't need to go that far.” spoke Aharôs, pointing to a mountain on the map. “Sidâl told me that they're building a new capital, here. Canterlot, they call it. Work started before the plague killed most of the alicorns. Take that, and it'll be just like taking Everfree.”

“Who is this Sidâl?” asked Fâôs.

“A man of many talents and many friends.” Îrilôs told him, quickly moving back to the subject at hand. It must not be good practice for an Emperor to keep sorcerers. Sorcerers and Emperors often ended up on opposing sides of a battlefield, she'd learned. “Highcrest, Lithton, Canterlot. That's three major realms under our control.” He reached over to the far side of the map, which was blank and devoid of any markings at all. “There is another realm here, I've heard, but I'm afraid it will remain too distant to attack.”

“Eastmarch.” corrected Tempest. “And beyond it is the Griffonlaw of Greenland. To the south is the Vesperswood, and in it is the hidden kingdom of bat-ponies.”

“Bat-ponies!” scoffed Fâôs. “What else is there?”

“South of that is nothing but earth pony tribes and the direct vassals of Everfree.” Tempest frowned. “This is a very big continent, Emperor Îrilôs. Not as big as Sarathûl, but it's more than this map shows. I doubt thirty thousand men will be able to even hold the western coast for long.”

“Have faith, dear Tempest.” Emperor Îrilôs soothed her. “Equestria doesn't have a grain of black powder, we have a limitless supply. And not just for cannons and arquebuses, but for rockets, bombs, and all manner of other weapons I've dreamed up. Our smoke will blot out the sun, and when it clears, only their dead will be left.”

Aharôs and she departed some time later, in silence. Neither was happy, though for different reasons. “I didn't take you to be interested in the polities of your homeland.” he finally said.

“I didn't either.” Tempest admitted. “Maybe I listened to Snowy better than I knew.”

The King nodded approvingly. “Listen to her more, then. She's more useful than any of your other followers ever realized, I believe.”

“Yeah.” said Tempest. “A shame they're not around to realize it.” They continued on for a while, before she spoke again. “Do you think this is possible? This grand scheme of Îrilôs's?”

“I don't think it's possible. I've seen it.” Aharôs whispered. “I've seen the future.”

“What?”

“Sidâl showed me the shape of things to come, the other day. I asked him what was going to happen, and I saw it. Mankind will stand triumphant...” Aharôs clasped his hands, getting a distant look.

“But I'm a pony...” Tempest pointed out worriedly. “What will happen to me? To us?”

“That's precisely why you have nothing to fear.”

Whatever he meant, she didn't understand. That was the last she heard from Aharôs for a while, he went off to do whatever it was he had been up to lately. Streaming Breeze had mentioned he spent a lot of time with Sidâl and someone else, a woman. She'd never seen Aharôs show any interest in the other half of humanity before. For a moment, Tempest wondered if the obvious was happening, but Streaming Breeze said all they did was pour over old scrolls and books and artifacts. That was certainly more Aharôs than any intimate relations. I wonder if he's even capable of that, Tempest asked herself.

“Did something happen to Aharôs when I was young?” she asked Streaming, while they took a dinner of tomato soup and bread together the next afternoon. The red mare looked thoughtful.

“Not that I recall, my Queen. My ship was caught on a sandbar during the storm, by the time I got to Nikadîon your mother had passed several days prior. That was the first time I met Aharôs; he was in a bad mood then, and he's been in a bad mood since. Though we were all unhappy in those days.” said Streaming.

“He told me he wanted to run a watermill once. He was never supposed to be king, but he ended up as the heir anyway.” Tempest recalled their talk, after he had put his own father to rest. It was the closest the two had been in a long time. She wished that he could always be so understanding, but Aharôs had pulled back within himself once again the next day, and remained there. “And now, all this has happened.”

“That it has.” Streaming nodded with resignation.

“You're the most normal person in my life, you know.” Tempest told her, pushing some bread around on her plate.

“I'm aware.” snorted Streaming, with a wry look out the window to the higher levels of the palace.

A question occurred to her, that she'd never asked before. “All my life, you've been in the background. I don't remember when we first met, because you've always been there. But all I know is your name. Who are you, Streaming?” Tempest asked. The other pegasus blinked in surprise; an amusing look on such a hardened and scarred warrior like her.

“Who... who am I?” she repeated.

“Who are you? Why are you still here? Why do you care what happens to me?” pressed Tempest, trying not to sound rude. I probably failed at that, but she probably expects that. Tempest hadn't always been entirely polite with her.

“I am who I am, my Queen.” said Streaming. “I was the youngest daughter of a poor family, I was hungry, so I joined your grandmother's retinue.”

“You knew my grandmother?” Tempest interrupted.

“Tempest Blackwind, the founder of the house, yes. Fearsome pony; you were named for her.” Streaming smirked. Tempest recalled the names of her great-grandparents, Squall Whitewind and Quercus of Everfree. Her grandmother had been legitimized, and lived a very long time and had many children. Maelstrom had been the last of them, born from the very late age of forty-nine from the first Tempest. Tough old mare. Nothing like her granddaughter at all.

“You could say I knew her, but I only saw her once, just before she died of cowpox, and that's when I met Maelstrom. Your mother was just a little older than you when she inherited the Blackwind lands and wealth, you know.” I had a vague idea, she was twenty-six when she died... “But even as young as she was, she was a true leader. Maelstrom was... inspiring. In different ways for different ponies. She was strong, courageous, clever, kind, beautiful. All of us who pledged allegiance to the Blackwinds served her without question. Your mother was as loyal to us as we were to her. And for a young mare like me, who had been disregarded all her life, that was something powerful.”

Tempest nodded in understanding. The Benefactor had told her something very similar, months ago.

“It was good for me.” Streaming Breeze went on. “Lady Maelstrom showed me I could be something more than an awkward, nervous young mare just serving for a hot meal and a place to sleep. I could be proud, I could be alive, I could have honor and fidelity to our cause. What more can I say? Our Lady became our Queen, she led us against the Swiftrains, and she lost. By then you were alive, and you know the story.”

“And yet, so many of my mother's followers deserted me.” Tempest said. She thought back to those rainy days after the wreck, when the alicorns and Swiftrains promised a full pardon to any who returned, and a wealth of gold to whomever brought Tempest back to them. Aharôs hadn't let any of them near her, not even her uncle Hearth, for weeks. “You didn't.”

“I was a true believer. Queen Maelstrom had done well by me, more than I warranted from one like her. I thought I could honor her name, and serve her daughter as well as she taught me to serve her.” The red mare shrugged. “So here I stand. The last soldier of the greatest pegasus since Hurricane Whitewind.”

A spell of glumness came over Tempest. A long time ago, a mare named Nightwatcher had been a part of their company. She had a shadowy mane and silver eyes. A fitting name for her, really, like many pony names. Nightwatcher had always interested Tempest; she had treated Snowy decently and never shied away from the hard questions Tempest asked as a child. But one day, Nightwatcher left, like so many others, to go home. From several hundred to seven, they'd all abandoned Maelstrom's cause. Then, something compelled her to say something she'd never said before.

“I know I've never treated you as well as you deserved, or even given you much regard at all... But here you stand, like you always have. Thank you for staying, Streaming. I know I'm not worthy, but thank you.”

Again, Streaming was surprised by her. A genuine look of gratitude went over her face, and she searched for words. “That- that means a lot to me, my Queen. After all that's happened in these twenty-eight years... Some recognition is really nice.” She nodded to herself, and couldn't stop a happy smile from spreading across her face.

“Well, you earned it.” she said. It was like the Benefactor told her up north. Cherish what you have, Tempest, he said. She had Snowy, a steadfast friend, and Aharôs, a not-as-steadfast guardian, but she'd forgotten about Streaming Breeze, a steadfast servant. Tempest didn't know her, and had never cared about her, but perhaps it was time to see things from a new light. She'd need all the ponies she could trust, soon enough. But there was a more pressing matter: “Tomorrow we have to go finish the... interrogation, I guess, of those two in the dungeon.”

It was the first thing the two did after breakfast; Snowy quietly excused herself from the affair. “I don't want to see her again.” she murmured, looking everywhere but at Tempest. Truly, it was rare for Snowy to be so set against someone, but Tempest was sure she'd be able to understand if she had any idea of what had happened between the two sisters. So, Streaming and she went to the dungeons alone. Since their last encounter, Goldleaf the Unicorn and Hemlock Farpeak had both been cleaned up; they looked much better now.

“There were some complications, but we'll resume now.” Streaming Breeze said, when the two captives had been put into the same cell. Tempest sat off to the side, while the red mare faced them from the center. It was noteworthy how Hemlock looked so much like Snowy; just more athletic in form. They even had a similar smell. It was also strange to smell a new pony after all these years... Tempest had almost forgotten every one of her kind had a different scent, as different as one face from the next. Goldleaf did not interest Tempest nearly as much, even if he was the first unicorn she'd ever met; he was a stallion just past his prime, and a cripple too.

“Wonderful.” the unicorn said.

“Goldleaf the Lame, they called you.” said Streaming.

“So they do.”

“Queen Maelstrom spoke to me of you, once. You're apparently the most powerful unicorn in Equestria?” she asked. Tempest sat up a little straighter. If he was the most powerful unicorn, why hadn't he blasted his way out of here yet?

“From a certain point of view.” Goldleaf admitted. “At the moment, I am the most powerful... But there is no doubt there are others more powerful than me, who were wise enough to lay low.”

“Perhaps.” Streaming asked about their mission to Sarathûl. Apparently, Princess Luna had been sent to gain a foothold on Lûndôvîr's rugged coast, but to no avail. Goldleaf had been abandoned by Lady Silver Farpeak, and Hemlock had stuck with him for whatever her reason. Silver Farpeak, Tempest mused. That was a name she'd only heard a few times in her life, and never once from Snowy. The unseen mare was more of a villain to her than the Great Enemy of human mythology. The one time Coldstar had mentioned Lady Silver, Snowy had shivered like a scared child hearing the name Vahâdrîn.

There wasn't much to be learned from Goldleaf and Hemlock. They both cooperated, but they simply had no information of value. Neither knew were Celestia was building her fleet, neither could tell them about Highcrest's current defenses, or the future movements of the Equestrian armies. When asked why they were so cooperative, Goldleaf said: “Neither of us truly believe in this war. If your human friends can end it quickly, all the better.”

“Fair enough.” Streaming agreed. “Well, we've learned all we can for now. I'll report this to Aharôs, my Queen.”

“Do so.” Tempest nodded. They were moving Hemlock back to her own cell, but Tempest decided on something else. “I would like a word with her.” she said.

Streaming frowned. “You're completely unarmed, my Queen-”

“If they wanted to hurt me, they would have by now.” Tempest said.

“Very well... But if you get killed-”

“I won't.” she stated. Streaming retreated reluctantly, while Tempest led Hemlock deeper into the dungeon.

“Where are we going?” Hemlock asked.

“Somewhere private.” said Tempest, nodding to the stairwell at the back of the dungeon, which led deeper down into the tunnels Îrilôs had used to take them to the House of Dragons. Hemlock gave her a wary look, which only served to confuse Tempest. “This isn't an execution or torture session.” she assured the other pegasus. “What I want to know,” said Tempest when they reached the spiral stairwell, “is why Snowy says she hates you. She won't talk to me, so I'm talking to you. And you don't have a choice, unlike her.”

“Ah...” In the half-life of the dungeon, it was difficult to see Hemlock's expression. “What's it to you, though? A Queen shouldn't concern herself with the troubles of those beneath her.”

“I'm not very good at being queenly. My... guardian once told me a true monarch has no friends, only enemies and subjects. But I have a friend, and I care about her.” Tempest stated. “Now speak.”

For a few moments, Hemlock remained quiet, looking down at her hooves. She sat, and her ears fell. “I really don't have a choice?” she asked.

“You gave up your choice when you surrendered.” That's what Aharôs would have said, she believed. Some small part of Tempest was very happy to be in charge for once; what better way to than doing what Aharôs always did?

“Has Snowy told you about our mother?” asked Hemlock.

“Only enough to know what she was.”

“I had better start there, then...”

Author's Note

I know I promised a Horn of the Damned update next, but inspiration was flowing for this, and not for the other story.

Spring 1505, it's happening, mark your calenders. Will we ever get there though? Or will John Hood keep throwing character drama at you? Things may be moving faster than they appear...

A Memory of Night

Author's first note: You may want to read the chapters "Luna the Eavesdropper" and even "A Hint at the Past" again, because they were published months and months ago and this chapter was supposed to have been published around May... Things happened though.

Luna

All things considered, Luna was glad to be home. The weather was fairer, the sky brighter, and the land more tamed. Her small fleet had fled back across the sea before any truly ocean-going human ships caught wind of their activities; she and Lady Silver had left them at Reedsport. The two, plus Silver's retinue, had gone to Lithton themselves. It had not been a pleasant experience for Luna. Spending a day, a night, and a morning that close to Lady Silver had been off-putting, to say the least.

“Look at all those rustics,” Silver commented as they took breakfast the day before, “milling about like they own the land, and not a single authority around.” Luna looked out at the earth ponies that had already started the day's work in the fields. There's probably a unicorn lady or lord around here somewhere, she had thought.

“We don't see the problem.” said she. “In Everfree, we have earth ponies that hold lands in fealty to us.”

“Not the wisest decision, Princess.” Silver replied. “The earth pony is inherently inferior to an alicorn, or a pegasus, or even a unicorn. Creatures with such short-sightedness and small minds should not be trusted with power over anything greater than a plow.”

That got a distasteful frown out of Luna. It was blindingly clear why so many earth ponies did not cooperate with the system, when ponies like Silver were at the top of it. But that wasn't one of the things Silver had said to earn even more ire from her. That came yesterday afternoon. The group had flown over what seemed to be a big wedding on one of the farms; there must have been dozens of families present. Earth ponies did like their weddings festive...

“In my lands, nopony marries without permission.” Silver remarked as they flew.

“Really.” Luna wasn't surprised.

“Yes, indeed, Princess. How does marriage work in Everfree?”

“Well... Ponies will do as ponies are wont to do, Our father said that once. If rustics want to marry, so be it. If nobles want to marry, so be it. If Celestia wanted to marry, Our mother would have forbidden it until she was of proper age. But Celestia is a special case.” said Luna, smirking as she recalled some of the passing fancies her sister had had over the years. For a moment, Lady Silver had given her a reason to feel good, and she almost believed it could have lasted.

“Fair enough.” Silver conceded. “Our contract with the House of Everfree allows for all realms to govern themselves as they see fit. Coincidentally, my house's charter with the Queen of Highcrest allows the same autonomy to us. The Whitewinds were a soft bunch by the end, they ruled lightly and ineffectively enough to allow that upstart Maelstrom to launch her rebellion when the last of them died. Weak and foolish.” The pegasus sneered disdainfully at the thought. “But when the Whitewinds learned the law of the Farpeak lands, there was some discontent over it. They wanted to revoke our charter!”

“We can't imagine why.” commented Luna, wondering where this ramble was going.

“Ironically, Maelstrom rallied houses to support her by promising to safeguard the ancient rights of our nobility.” Silver snorted. “I would have joined her, you know, if it wasn't for one thing: that bastard daughter of hers. Tempest, wasn't it?”

“Yes, that's her name.”

“Tempest Blackwind? Hah! They ought to call her Tempest Whoresdaughter. Marriage is a cornerstone of Equestrian society, Princess. It's why I make all ponies come to me before marrying, so I can make sure that everything is done properly. Maelstrom did not marry, and she had a child anyway!” Her sneer deepened. “Disgusting, isn't it? Such disregard for our culture from one so mighty?”

Luna said nothing.

“I'll tell you what, Princess: there are many things I hate in this world, but I hate dishonesty above all.” She waved a hoof at Luna, and gave her a stern look. “A few years ago, I approved the marriage of a couple. They were two rustics who lived below Greatfall in the farms; they had rustic children and their rustic life was in order. Earth ponies they may have been, but at least they were behaving. But one day, the wife runs off with another mare's husband! Can you believe that?”

If that other mare was anything like you, I could, Luna thought.

“Anyways, earth ponies aren't hard to catch when you can fly. I had them arrested and brought before me. The usual punishment was too good for them though, after they disrupted the order of the land. For their mutual infidelity, I had the stallion gelded and sent to Sadel Aravia. He was sold to some degenerate prince, I was told.”

All Luna could do was look at her in shock, for a moment. Gelding was the most severe punishment there was for a stallion, the price of high treason or regicide, technically legal but unused by Everfree for all its history. But Silver had managed to make a crime of the punishment nevertheless. “You sold a pony into slavery?”

“Yes, I had an example to set. Do not cross Silver Farpeak.”

“That's against the contract! It was clearly written that no pony shall sell another pony-”

Silver closed her eyes and exhaled, as if she were having to explain something yet again to a foal. “The contract of fealty was signed between Hurricane Whitewind and your mother, Princess Luna. The only agreement I have with a monarch is the charter between my house and the Queen of Highcrest. Now, where was I? Ah yes, the mare. Hemlock came to me and said I should reduce her sentence, so I had her watch me take the mare's head off. I asked Hemlock why I did it, but what do you think, Princess?”

Again, Luna was taken aback. “What?” It was almost too much for her to realize. The casual tone Lady Silver used to describe everything was almost enough to make it sound like some abstract lesson in morality instead of anything real.

“You, Princess Luna. I'm sure your sister would understand why I had to kill the mare who betrayed her family, and me. I know my slightly less worthless daughter did. But what do you think?”

“I- We think you're-” Decades of watching her parents at court kicked in before Luna could say something too offensive. They had dealt with many unsavory characters, far worse than Lady Silver, and all the while remained proper and righteous. She would hold herself to that standard too. “We think you killed her to show your power.”

“Wrong, Princess.” Silver sighed. “I said I gelded the faithless stallion to show my power. Why did I behead the mare?”

Because you're pure evil, Luna wished she could say. “Because... Because... We are afraid We cannot answer that, Lady Silver. Cruelty is not among the methods the alicorns of Everfree use to rule.”

“Princess Celestia might disagree. But this is the answer: I killed the mare because the Lady of Greatfall must be consistent.” Silver stated, as if she were proclaiming some noble truth of the world.

“We do not understand.” Of course, Luna didn't want to understand. This was a heartless, wicked creature in a pony's body, she would never understand it.

“Think about it: Maelstrom Blackwind was a degenerate whore who managed to land herself with a fatherless child. I swore my banner to Clearspring Swiftrain rather than follow that vile mare. And I swore that I would kill Maelstrom; and failing that, kill her wretched daughter, and end the Blackwind line. No disgrace to Highcrest that great could be allowed to survive!” The irony of Silver calling another pony vile was lost on her. “That is why I had to kill the faithless mare. One must be consistent in one's treatment of enemies, at all times.”

...It actually made a degree of sense. That scared Luna.

Once they arrived in Lithton, she was very happy to leave Lady Silver behind in favor her her sister and granduncle. Luna had a glad reunion with Celestia, though marred by her admission of loosing a ship and their foothold in Old Alicornia.

“I'm glad you made it out unharmed, at least.” Celestia said, hugging her.

“I'm sorry I lost one of your ships, Celly,” said Luna, “we really did try to fight them, but...”

“But?”

“We were outnumbered on land, outfought at sea. I- I just don't know how you expect to fight them over there. We were completely outclassed!”

“I feared as much.” sighed Celestia. “But now we know.”

“If you feared so, why did you send so many into danger?” asked Luna.

“It's what mother would have done, Luna. Sent an advance force to test the strength of the enemy. And strong they are...” Celestia looked out the narrow, tall window, out over Lithton. That fire in her eyes hadn't dimmed a bit in the time that had passed since they last met. “Does our fleet have a chance?”

“No.”

“There's nothing to stop them from coming to us?”

“Nothing.”

Only silence came from her sister. Her plans to invade Old Alicornia had probably just been dashed to bits... What would she do now? Negotiate a formal peace with the humans. That was too much to hope for, Luna quickly found out.

“Then we will fight them here.” declared Celestia. “Bleed them of pawns and wealth until they're weak enough to finish off at home.”

Luna had her doubts over the feasibility of this new plan. Sure, they'd be putting the burden of supply on the humans, but... Equestria may have been slightly more centralized than Sarathûl, but the humans were far more willing to stand together than the ponies.

Aegis Vigil listened more closely to what she had to say, when she found him in the study he'd made for himself in one of the castle towers. “Folly,” Aegis spoke, “total folly.”

“She won't heed any warning.” Luna pouted. “And she said she was doing what mother would have done.”

“Yes, my niece was a headstrong one. But even she knew restraint when it was time to show it. My brother and sister taught them well.” Aegis frowned deeply, batting his ears. “And I'm sure your parents would have taught both of you well, had they lived. But they made one choice that has turned out to be a very bad mistake: they taught your sister to harden herself first, by sending her to lead wars and fight our enemies. And that's all they had time to teach her before they passed.”

“They didn't even start preparing me to rule...” said Luna.

“That burden is mine now. You've been receptive, Luna, but Celestia, not so much. Have you seen the anger in her?” asked Aegis.

“How could I not?”

“It's her shield. It surrounds her, even in the dreamworld. I can't get through to her.” The old alicorn paused for a moment, before scowling. “Speaking of the dreamworld, you've been avoiding me for some few weeks now! I was content to let you be, a growing girl needs her space after all, but now that we're face to face...”

Luna cringed. She hoped he wouldn't have brought that up. Ever since she overheard his discussion with Corthunien, she'd been trying to stay out of his way. Aegis had a habit of knowing things she didn't expect him to know. “I... I haven't been neglecting your teachings, granduncle, I have been practicing my control over the dreamworld. Just... alone. I've been learning to give ponies dreams, you know! And I met one in-”

“Why have you been avoiding me?” The look on his face said he wasn't going to take her excuses. There was no way out of this.

“I heard you talking to someone a few weeks ago.” Luna said, glancing away. “About something I don't think I was supposed to hear.”

“Did it involve a certain dragon?”

He really does know! thought Luna, flattening her ears. “Yes...” she said. “I was going to meet you as normal, but I heard you before you knew I was there.”

“At least you're becoming skilled in going undetected.” Aegis sighed. “How much do you know?” he asked.

“Nothing! I tried to go to the library in Everfree castle, but it was warded, and the human library was-”

“You went to their Emperor's library?” Aegis interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

“We are at war, granduncle. It’s not exactly off-limits.” stated Luna, looking away nonetheless. “But I didn't have time to search it before the we had to leave, and I've been too busy and tired ever since. I don't know what an aloothreel is.”

For a moment, Aegis didn't say anything. He just frowned at her, narrowing his eyes. Not in malice or weariness, but... something else. There were many thoughts running through his mind, Luna was sure of it. Finally, he spoke. “Would you like to know what the Alûthrîl were?”

“Yes-” Luna said with a nod, before catching herself. “As long as it's safe for me to know, rather.”

“Then meet me here tonight.” ordered Aegis. “I will show you the answers you seek. But first I need time to gather those memories.”

“Of course.” she agreed, leaving the room. Luna eagerly counted the hours before the night, and quickly became bored. Her sister had nothing for her to do besides attend court, and Luna didn't want to do that. Unicorns could be a pretentious lot, sometimes... And that only served to remind her that her two courtiers were absent, stuck in Sarathûl thanks to Silver Farpeak.

But at last, night did come. Luna raised the moon as Celestia set it, before quickly running back up to Aegis's tower. He'd extinguished all the candles, and sat with his back to the door, staring out at the night. “Are you ready?” asked he.

“I am... though I am not sure what for.” said Luna. “You said you had to gather your memories?”

“Yes, we will be using them. Why tell you what you want to know when I can show you?”

“You can show me these Alûthrîl? How?”

“I will invoke my memories of them in the dreamworld, Luna, and you will watch. Now, I will see you in there.” Aegis entered his trance, and Luna willed herself into her own. She slipped quickly into his mind; it wasn't quite the irresistible pull it had been months ago, but she couldn't completely escape it either. Not that she wanted to, this time. Powerful minds had that effect in the dreamworld...

Oddly enough, Luna had lost control of her body. She was standing on a grassy hill, staring up at star-filled sky. They were brighter than they were in the waking world, and there was an unearthly light to the whole scene. But try as she might, Luna could neither move nor talk; she just looked at the sky.

What is this? she wondered.

This is a memory of mine, came the voice of Aegis. You are seeing through my eyes, and that is all you are doing.

I don't know why I thought we could be outside observers, Luna commented. She really had expected to be watching Aegis, but this made far more sense. She was in his memory, after all, he would remember it from his own perspective and not an outside one. Everything he did, she felt as if it were her own actions. Where are we? she asked.

We are on Earth, but as it was when I was your age.

Where is the moon?

There was no moon in these days. Hush now, Luna, here they come.

Luna felt her- or Aegis's- gaze turn down, out over a half-illuminated land. Three figures approached... humans? She squinted at them, and walked forward. It was strange to be doing these things with no control over her- Aegis's! she reminded herself- body.

“Who goes there?” she felt herself speak in a voice not her own. That voice was her granduncle's, there was no doubt, but it was so much younger. Luna could hardly believe it.

The three humans threw themselves down before her. “Noble one, please forgive the trespass of this wretched people!” the apparent leader begged. He did not speak their tongue as Luna knew it, but she understood him nonetheless. “But we can go no further!”

“What are you?” asked Aegis's voice.

“We were the slaves of Thîandûtar, noble one.” answered the human. “Our race is called man, and we have fled for centuries from the Great Enemy... But we can go no further!”

“I do not understand.” Aegis's voice said. “Where is your Thîandûtar? Who is your foe? Why can you go no further?”

The speaking human raised his head. His skin was so pale it could have been translucent, he looked starved and exhausted, filthy and ragged. “It was a long distance from here, it is lost to us now. We do not know the way back, and we do not have a way forward. We could see the torches of the Great Enemy behind us... they will not be long in arriving. Doom is upon us, noble one! Grant this wretched people mercy, let us at least rest before our end.”

The scene suddenly changed, and Luna found herself looking at five other alicorns. Each one was radiant and immaculate, two of them moreso than the others. They were familiar, those two... Mother? Father? Luna wondered, knowing it wasn't really them.

Close, came the voice of old Aegis.

Are they... my grandparents?

Yes, that is they. Aethera and Solanum, the greatest of all alicorns, and the first of all alicorns. My elder brother and sister, and your predecessors, Luna. Aethera, her grandmother, shined like a lesser sun, as if she were shaped of flame and light instead of flesh and bone. Solanum, her grandfather, was a dark mirror of her. Their faces were so similar to her parents... A twinge of sadness struck her heart, but there was a joy as well, that she had seen the faces of the ancestors of her entire race.

“They call themselves the race of man,” reported young Aegis, “and they say they are fleeing a mighty foe, who will be upon them soon. Their wish is to be left in peace for what little time they have left.”

“They expect to die?” Aethera asked, in a voice that made Celestia sound like an unrefined child.

“Yes, sister.” Aegis said. “They did not ask for our help.”

“But they will have it anyway. No innocents will suffer in our lands. If they wanted to be left to die, then they should have gone to Corthunien's realm. No alicorn has ever turned away a creature in need. We must help them, it is our way.”

Again, the scene changed. I wish Celestia had seen that, Luna thought.

I do too, Aegis replied, but I fear she would not react well to it. We brought the humans under our protection, long ago, by your grandmother’s order. But all Celestia can see is what they've done to us. How do you think she would react to this revelation?

Not well... Not well at all. Perhaps this would only harden her resolve.

Now Luna was flying, above a white circle... No, that was no circle! The walls of Ar-Athazîon! Luna exclaimed in her mind. Below her were white towers, green fields and shimmering lakes.

Behold, Alicornia in its prime, Aegis said. You didn't think the humans built those walls, did you?

It's so much more open than the city that's there now... Luna landed, and felt herself again speak in Aegis's voice.

“I bring... strange tidings from Lord Verax.” he said to Aethera, before looking at the sky. Three fiery orange comets blazed above, so big that Luna could have held her hoof up to the sky and they would not have been blotted out. “He says he will not do anything about the comets. They are not a problem, in his own words.”

“They are the herald of the Great Enemy!” said another voice; a human voice. “With him come the Alûthrîl, the accursed traitors.”

“It is time you told us who this Great Enemy is.” Aethera said to the man.

He was not the same one as earlier, this was a new human entirely. He was healthier, taller, and dressed in far finer clothes. “His name...” the regal man said, looking at the three comets, “is Vahâdrîn. And you do not know what he can do.”

A great wall of rock was being lifted out of the ground, as far as Luna could see to either side. Its jagged top rose over the starry horizon. Her head turned, looking back at a lonely peak behind them. “Will this work?” asked the young Aegis.

“They cannot be stopped, they can only be contained.” the same man from the previous memory said. He was older now, in a coat of mail with a sword on his belt. “It is just as we told you. There are but forty thousand of my people who can fight, and less than a few hundred of yours, Lord Aegis. How can we hold this storm back? Monsters, wraiths, changelings, Alûthrîl- even the spirits are against us!”

Alûthrîl, Luna noted. That was what she had come to learn of.

“Damn the spirits!” cursed Aethera, appearing in Luna's vision. “Verax has betrayed us, and so have almost all the others of his kind! They have been in league with your foe before he even arrived! It has fallen to us to preserve this world now, Aikâlon.”

Chaos erupted around her now. “Find him! Find him!” bellowed a tall man, dark cloak swooping around him as he made his way through the burning ruins of some city. No, thought Luna, that is no man! He was far too tall, far too big. His brimless helmet enclosed his head completely, with only two eye-holes to show where a face was; Luna had never seen a design such as that before. Not a hint of skin showed on this strange warrior. “Find their king!” he continued to roar to pawns unseen. “The Great Lord demands his death!”

Luna rose to her hooves, power coursing through her horn. “You will not find him here, Alûthrîl!” Aegis declared.

The Alûthrîl whirled to face him, drawing a blade as long as a foal's body, that was but a dagger in his hands. “Kill it!” screamed he. The blurring of the air was all Luna had time to see before she found herself leaping away and lancing something with a beam of light. Whatever horror this young Aegis had just killed began to melt even as it became visible. It hurt her eyes to look upon it, and Luna closed her mind to the memory for a few brief seconds. “Kill it, kill it, kill it!” shrieked the Alûthrîl, jabbing his dagger into the air around him. “KILL IT!”

Luna felt her horn charge again, sending a wave of light slicing through another one of those blurs. She was grateful Aegis had not spared a glance to its body. The Alûthrîl jumped at her, howling wordlessly. He was far bigger than Aegis; and knocked him flatly over. “Animal! Beast!” roared the Alûthrîl, clamping a massive hand around her throat. “I did not come through centuries of oblivion to die to you! I am the controller! I am the-” Luna's magic grabbed hold of a burning timber, and swung it at the raving attacker. The Alûthrîl stumbled away, but there was no escape for him. Luna's horn was engulfed in light, and she sent the lance straight through his chest.

The Alûthrîl collapsed, his shadowy garb returning to simple ragged cloth. She removed his helmet, and saw a face that was definitely human... But far too old, far too twisted, to be anything natural. Luna could not imagine what had happened to this creature. What are you? she asked herself.

The vision changed once more, Luna was in some place tropical. Despite the persisting night, the air was warm and pleasant here. “If Corthunien does not return soon, we are lost.” someone sighed. A human? A dragon? Something else? Luna couldn’t see who spoke.

“Nothing is lost yet.” Aegis said sternly.

Nothing is lost yet, repeated an unspoken but soothing voice. For a moment, Luna wondered if the sun had come down to join in whatever battle was happening here, floating in the air and gently glowing with a soft light. It was a fire spirit, it had to be!

“Evil has taken root in our world, it is our duty to resist it. Spirit, dragon, alicorn, man- all of us!” Aethera spoke, standing at the side of the fire spirit. They were so similar... “And so long as one spark of light resists the darkness, we have not failed!”

An array of images flashed in front of Luna, too fast to see, that finally settled with her standing before another of the Alûthrîl on a plain of ice. Above him hung that horrible black star, with its halo of sickly light dancing about.

“My master told you we did not come alone.” said the Alûthrîl. “You have won a battle, but you will not win the war.”

“Your false confidence fools none of us, Âûm,” young Aegis spoke, “you have been driven all the way back here, the very spot where you arrived all those years ago. On behalf of my race and all other races who stand against you here, I offer you the same terms I offered you then: leave this world now, and never return.”

Âûm looked back at the dark orb hanging in the sky, before facing his confronter again. “Even if we could leave, we would not.” Âûm said quietly, clenching a fist. “Even if you kill us, we have won. Even with your new host, it will not matter. Verax is destroyed. This world is dying, and it is not possible to save it, Aegis Vigil.”

“All things are possible.” Aegis said. The world was flooded with golden light, and Luna was no longer just a passenger in another body. She was free, the memories were over, though they were still in the dreamworld.

“Far more effective than any book reading, yes?” asked Aegis, his voice returned to its ancient tone.

“Yes...” breathed Luna, her mind still reeling from the experience. “I... I'm not quite sure what I saw, granduncle.”

“It will make sense in time.” he said. “But you know what the Alûthrîl are, now. And why Corthunien should be so concerned that there might be one still left on Earth.”

“You killed that one easily, though.” Luna protested.

“I am an alicorn of the highest order. I have... vivid memories of what they could do against mortal men, and even lesser alicorns.” Aegis grimaced. “We cannot be everywhere at once, Luna. And you saw what was in that final memory.”

Luna nodded. “That is one more being in the world who carries its image.” she said.

“And that being was its servant, wittingly or not.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was something their Captain- the one named Âûm- said. Or rather, the way he said it. Even if we could leave...” The old alicorn trailed off. “Regardless, these Alûthrîl were dangerous. Not as dangerous as the fire demons, or shadow spirits, or their master Vahâdrîn, but still a grave threat. Now, thousands of years later, who is left to face something that wicked? Me? Corthunien? Half a dozen elder dragons? Two alicorn fillies, one of them barely over a century old?”

“I see your point, granduncle.” Luna nodded. “But if one is out there, why hasn't he done anything?”

“Who says he hasn't tried?” asked Aegis, raising an eyebrow. The tower room dissolved away, and they hovered above jumbled, crowded mess of a city that was modern Ar-Athazîon. It was a far cry from the Old Alicornia they'd seen earlier. “This city has been attacked by a sorcerer three times. A very powerful sorcerer. Who, each time, has called himself Âûm.”

The implications made Luna's stomach sink. She looked down over the city; Aegis had summoned the sun to fully illuminate it. “Was it really Âûm?” she asked.

“If it was, do you think this city would still be here?” Aegis countered. “He was the greatest of them all. If there is an Alûthrîl at work in the world, it is one of the lesser ones.”

“That's a relief.” Luna sighed. “However, I’m still left with one question: I know what they are now, but… who were they? Men? Demons?”

“I’ve never really decided, Luna.” Aegis said. “But like the one I killed said, they passed through oblivion. And whatever oblivion that was, it changed them. All we really know is that they hated the humans, more than anything else. They hated them so much that they turned to the evil you saw, and brought it to our world. We did not understand hate then… Now I fear I understand it better than any other creature alive today.”

Luna looked away. “Can I tell any of this to Celestia?”

“No, not until this affair with the humans is over and her vision is clearer.” commanded Aegis.

“Celly and I once agreed we'd have no secrets between us. And now here I am, gathering them up faster than I can count...” said Luna, frowning. “But I won't tell her, not yet.” She paused for a moment. “Do you think she'll get better?”

“I hope so, Luna.”

The following months passed by uneventfully. Aegis trained the unicorns, Celestia gathered the pegasi and heard the reports of the earth pony pacification in the south. Luna often found herself exploring the dreamworld, going to places she'd only seen on the edges of maps. Sometimes she wondered about those terrible Alûthrîl, and she tried to find information about them in both the Ar-Athazîon library and the Everfree library, but to little avail. She learned a few more names, and the story of Vahâdrîn from the human's perspective. For a few days she considered asking Aegis to show her a memory of this Vahâdrîn, but she didn't want to press any issues with him. Most often of all, Luna found herself missing Goldleaf and Hemlock.

One evening, while having a silent but pleasant dinner with her sister, the incredibly obvious occurred to her. If she could talk to Aegis in the dreamworld, why couldn't she talk with her courtiers? Luna set out that night to find them, wherever they were in the world.

Author's Note

The ride resumes! With plenty of incessant vagueness and hints! But don't worry readers, we're close to the happening.

King, Queen, and Saint Zefîr

Tempest

“Do you smell that?” asked Tempest, looking out to the ocean from a palace balcony.

“Smell what?” answered Streaming Breeze, sniffing at the air. “I mean, besides the usual?” The usual being each other, the humans, and their city, of course. Tempest was used to former two, the latter-most was something she had grown accustomed to.

“There's something in the air.” Tempest said. “It's not quite so stifling, or so hot...”

“I don't smell anything like that, my Queen.”

“Well, it's there. Summer is nearing its end.” And it couldn't end sooner... “What I wouldn't give for a bit of rain!”

“It rains all the time back home.” Streaming said. “Even in the height of summer, unlike Athair. You'll like it.”

“Every memory I have of home has rain in it.” That was one good thing about returning to Highcrest. Rain, rain, rain, she thought. She would rather have a month of rain than a single day more of this Ar-Athazîon heat.

“It will be good to go back, after almost eleven years.” Streaming nodded to herself, a slight smile on her face. “But, my Queen, there's been something bothering me lately.”

“What is it?”

“You haven't mentioned the outcome of your talk with Hemlock Farpeak.” the red mare said. “Forgive my boldness, but I was hoping to know what she told you.”

“What she told me...” Tempest held her tongue, scowling as she recalled what Hemlock had revealed. There was evil in this world, and some of it was much closer to home than any shadow spirit or wraith. “What she told me convinced me to have Silver Farpeak killed at the first moment I get.”

“Lord of Heaven.” sighed Streaming. “Was it really that bad?”

“You don't know the half of it. How any pony could be so cruel...” Tempest grit her teeth, and flicked her tail.

“I knew the rumors...”

“The worst part was, Hemlock said she had to take part in it or else it'd be worse!”

Streaming grimaced. “Lady Snowy still won't see her?”

“I don't think so.” Tempest let her gaze wander off. “I... I haven't told her I've talked to Hemlock, either.”

Again, Streaming sighed, this time with more exasperation. “My Queen, would it be too much to ask for you both to act like adults here? Lady Snowy is nineteen, she ought to stop holding onto childhood grudges and think about it from Hemlock's perspective. You know, my Queen, my brother and I hated each other for years, but we got over it, and we talked it out. And you ought to tell her what you know! If Lady Snowy would listen to anyone on Earth, it would be you.”

“I know, I know...” Tempest muttered. “But... This is a lot more than a childhood rivalry!”

“Be that as it may, Lady Snowy and Hemlock are a thousand miles from home and ten years older. Talk to her, my Queen. If not for her sake, or yours, then for mine.” ordered Streaming, putting a hoof down pointedly. “I've about had it with you two being so moody lately.”

Who's moody? thought Tempest, narrowing her eyes.

Lately, Snowy had not been talking much. The Emperor often kept her in his company, trading her off to his wife when he had formal business to attend to. Tempest had asked Îrilôs what exactly they were teaching her, a few days ago. “Dear Tempest,” the Emperor had said, “it's quite obvious to me you have not been prepared to rule, only to fight. But kingdoms need rulers as much as they need fighters.”

“Then why aren't you teaching me how to rule?” Tempest asked, scowling up at him.

“You do not have a... hmm, diplomatic personality, Tempest. Our efforts would be wasted on you; that's the honest truth of it. But there is no shame in listening to the advice of those wiser than you. Since we intend to place you in power in Highcrest, it is in our interests to have you well-equipped to rule, rather than blunder about and alienate your subjects.” Îrilôs did have a point about that. Even Tempest was aware of her shortcomings in the field of personal relations. Though she usually forgot about them at the most inopportune of times...

She fell asleep that night trying to figure out how she'd convince Snowy to take a break from her busy days and deal with the Hemlock question. Her last waking thoughts were of how cool the air coming in from outside was.

Tempest found herself in a world of washed-out colors, littered with empty towers and crumbling bridges that led to nowhere. Cautiously, she crossed one of the derelict spans; her heart missed a beat when the stone beneath her forelegs cracked and fell away. She looked into the hole in the bridge, into a grey fog below. No sound came of falling pieces landing... For all she knew, they would fall forever in this place.

Ahead was another of the towers, looking as if it was only a matter of moments from collapsing. It reached down into the fog, and reached up into the sky, where it vanished into the blank, overcast sky. Tempest quickly trotted across the remainder of the bridge, and stepped inside. Stairs spiraling up, stairs spiraling down. And there were doors. Each one wiggled on its hinges when she bit on the latch and pulled or pushed, but she could open none of them. For a moment, Tempest wondered why there would be doors on the inside of the tower; there simply wasn't enough space for them to go anywhere. One would just step into the nothing and fall... Down into that strange fog.

Something about that fog below unnerved her, so she took the stairs spiraling upwards, and emerged at the foot of another bridge to another tower. Some of the bridges reaching out were broken in the middle, or simply led to nowhere but empty air. Tempest continued on, not sure where she was going or why.

Occasionally, she could hear voices in the distance; soft and silent whispers that stopped as soon as she tried to listen to them. She caught a hint of movement in the corner of her eye, but there was nothing when she turned to it. The air grew cold and clammy; the fog rose up, and the clouds came down, until all was veiled in a misty twilight. Silence crushed in. Tempest wished someone was here with her. She went to open one of the looming doors on the inside of a tower, but just as she was about to touch it, there came a terrible jolt from the other side, as if something had slammed against it. A squeak of fright escaped her. Now she really wished someone else was here...

And when she backed into something living, she shrieked outright. Tempest whirled around and saw... A pony? It was a unicorn, midnight blue and tall, in a dark cloak.

“Forgive us for Our intrusion,” the unicorn said, “but your are not the one We sought.”

“W-what?” stammered Tempest, backing away from the strange mare. Something felt wrong here... This didn't feel real. “Who are you? Where am I?”

“You are in a dream, subject.” the unicorn spoke imperiously. A dream? Tempest wondered. Was she dreaming? Was this a dream? “However, it is not your dream...”

“I- I don't understand. This is a dream?”

“Aye, and not your own. Someone else nearby has a very strong mind. You have been caught up in their dream, much as a fish can be caught in a kelp net.” she said, looking about the crumbling towers and bridges.

“If I'm dreaming, why can't I wake up?” asked Tempest. “And who are you?”

“We meant to ask you the same thing. Why would a pegasus live in the palace of the Emperor of Sarathûl?” The unicorn raised an eyebrow at her.

“If you answer my questions, I'll answer yours.” said Tempest, her suspicion beginning to grow.

“Very well.”

“My name is Tempest. I'm living in the Emperor's palace because he is hosting my guardian. This place is definitely not the palace, though...” she explained. The more she thought about it, the more she realized this was probably a dream. She didn't know of any place on Earth that looked like this.

“Ah...” A look of realization came upon the unicorn, and she became more alert. “That would explain it, wouldn't it? Tempest Blackwind, you can wake up, but only when you fully accept this is a dream.”

“How do you know my full name?” Tempest asked. Now she was really suspicious.

“There is only one Tempest in the world that would be the Emperor's guest. We are most intrigued to have met you. We have no need to introduce Ourselves, for you know Our name.” The unicorn tossed off her cloak, it evaporated into mist; and a pair of wings were revealed. Alicorn! And just as there was only one Tempest who would be in Ar-Athazîon, there was only one alicorn who could enter dreams like this:

“Luna!” gasped Tempest, her former fear returning tenfold. This was a dream, and Celestia's sister was now in it! She had to get out of here!

Her eyes shot open, and she was once again in the waking world, shaking and trembling. Princess Luna had entered her mind! They'd found her at last! If Luna could enter dreams, what else could she do in them? Could Celestia do it too? Tempest wondered. Are they going to be waiting for me next time I sleep? What will they do if they catch me? Can I be killed in a dream? Are they going to kill me? The more she thought about it, the more she was frightened.

Tempest rolled out of bed, went through the washroom, and knocked on Snowy's door. “Wake up, Snowy!” she hissed. Sure enough, Snowy appeared, blinking confusedly.

“What is it, Tempest?” she asked.

“I've been attacked!”

“What?!” Snowy's eyes shot wide open, and her ears pricked fully forward.

“It was Luna, she appeared to me in a dream!” said Tempest, looking back into her own room. “They've found me, Snowy!”

“Lord of Heaven...” whispered Snowy, as she pulled Tempest through the doorway. “Princess Luna? In your dream? Are you sure it was her?”

“I'm certain. And it wasn't my dream, she said.” Tempest sat down at the foot of Snowy's bed, staring at her hooves. “She said there was a powerful mind nearby and I was caught up in its dream. Then she asked who I was, and I told her, and she revealed herself.”

“You revealed who you were to a total stranger inside your mind?” Snowy asked, incredulous.

“No! Well... The more I think about it, the more certain I am that she knew who I was before I was even aware of her.” said Tempest, more trying to convince herself than Snowy of that. Why can't I ever think before I say anything? she chided herself.

“Was that all?”

“Yes... I woke myself up after.”

“You mean she let you go? Princess Luna can supposedly control dreams, just like her father... Why would she let you escape her grasp?” Snowy mused, looking at the ceiling and scrunching her brow.

“...Maybe?” Tempest wasn't really sure. She'd woken up so quickly that the alicorn intruder hadn't even been able to do anything. But Snowy raised an interesting point: if this Luna controlled dreams, then how was Tempest able to remove herself? Wouldn't Luna want her to stay, so that her mind could be read, and all her plans laid bare?

“If the Princess did let you go, then I really have to wonder if she means you any harm at all, Tempest.” Snowy said.

“But- But- It's Celestia's sister!” protested Tempest, waving a hoof about. “Celestia wants me dead, she has for ten years! Why not Luna too?”

“Just because she's Celestia's sister doesn't mean she's the same in spirit and mind.” Snowy stated, giving her a very flat look. I could say the same about you and Hemlock, Tempest nearly said. She was supposed to talk to Snowy about that...

“So what do I do if she comes back tomorrow night? Or even this night?” asked Tempest.

“I don't know.” Snowy said, uncertainty on her face. “You'll have to face her, I guess.”

“Face her? With what? I'm a pegasus, not an alicorn, I don't have an ounce of magic in me! And I'm not even that good of a fighter!”

“You could ask Sidâl for help...” suggested Snowy, though her expression betrayed her thoughts at that.

“Hah, right. After he tricked us into getting caught up in his schemes with the Benefactor... I don't trust him.”

“He's a sorcerer, we shouldn't trust him to begin with.” Snowy stated. Tempest nodded with her, recalling the array of legends the humans had about the magic-users among them. The sorcerer was always evil... Sidâl was out of the question.

“Well, I suppose I should get back to sleep.” she said. “Do you mind if I keep these doors open, Snowy? Just in case Luna comes back...”

“Not at all.”

But Tempest couldn't fall asleep again, when she returned to her room. She must have stared up at the ceiling for an hour before she got up again, this time going out into the hall. Tempest didn't know exactly where she was going, but it was better than doing nothing. Eventually, Tempest found herself in the gardens, where she spent most of her days anyway. The world was pleasantly quiet at night, and thankfully, cooler too. She rolled over onto her back, and looked at the clear sky.

For once, her mind went quiet. Perhaps the Lord of Heaven was granting her some peace after the encounter with the alicorn. The stars wheeled around overhead, and eventually a dim light grew in the east. Tempest got up before anyone stumbled upon her sprawled on the grass like a drunkard. The two ponies in the dungeon said they had been with Princess Luna... I wonder what they know about her?

That was how Tempest founder herself in the dungeon, facing Hemlock Farpeak and Goldleaf the unicorn; both in separate cells, but close enough together that she could face both of them at the same time. “Tell me about Luna.” she said. “Why did she enter my dream?”

“What?” asked Hemlock, feigning surprise so badly that even Tempest could see through it. Goldleaf smirked, but said nothing when faced with Tempest's scowl. Luna was busy, she deduced.

“She intruded on my dream, and talked to me. I want to know what she was doing in my head. You were her courtiers, right? You know her better than anyone else around here.” said Tempest.

“Perhaps she wished to talk to us, but found you instead.” Hemlock said, still trying to play the ruse.

“I know she talked to you too.” Tempest asked. The other two ponies glanced at each other through the bars of their cells.

“Yes.” admitted Hemlock.

“And?”

“And what?” Hemlock asked back.

“Watch your tone.” Tempest warned her, raising a hoof. “What did she want?”

“If you really must know, Queen Tempest,” Goldleaf sighed, “Princess Luna missed our company and wanted to make sure we were alive and well.” She narrowed her eyes, trying to pick up on any hint of a lie. Either Goldleaf was a far better liar than Snowy's sister, or he was being honest, as far as Tempest could tell.

“I don't like the idea of an alicorn princess having total knowledge of my, and your, whereabouts, and the ability to come harass me whenever I'm asleep. Tell Luna if she comes to any dreams again, mine or yours, you two will face the consequences.” Tempest really hoped she got the threatening tone down right.

“We'll let her know.” Hemlock said, but her unicorn commoner disagreed.

“Queen Tempest, I feel that's unnecessarily cruel.” Goldleaf protested. “Princess Luna is lonely at home, she just wants to see the only real friends she has. We'll tell her not to visit any dreams, but could you at least allow for her to see us?”

Luna, an alicorn princess, lonely? Tempest found that notion surprising. The idea of a lonely alicorn seemed strange to her. How could such a powerful creature feel such a weak emotion as loneliness? Loneliness was for small ponies like Tempest, not for great beings like Luna. But if it was so... “Very well...” she conceded. “Luna can talk to you two, but if she comes back to torment me, or Snowy, or Streaming Breeze, or any human in this city for that matter, especially King Aharôs, you two will pay for it! Is that understood?”

“Of course.” agreed Goldleaf, with a slight bow. “Thank you for being reasonable, my Queen.”

“Hmmph.” snorted Tempest, turning away and going back to the surface.

Tempest, as usual, spent most of her day with the Empress. She rather liked that woman's company; it was interesting to get to know about the other half of the human race they kept so hidden. “Sometimes I wonder if my life would be simpler if I was a human girl.” said Tempest, after a moment of quiet.

“Oh, no doubt.” agreed Empress Alaia. “No one would expect you to fight, or to rule, or to do anything, really, except produce an heir. And if you're highborn, you don't even have to run a household. But is that a life you want?”

“I don't know...” The idea of having a child scared her more than she liked to admit. It was something she avoided thinking about as much as she could. “Would you want to be an Equestrian?”

Alaia looked into space, smiling to herself. “There was a time when I wanted to be a sorceress. Not like Lord Ezarethîz, or even that Sidâl, but like one of the alicorns who fought the Great Enemy's servants. Doing something good for the world with my powers. But what magic we weren't born with, we must take. And only people who are willing to go that far are men like Sidâl and Ezarethîz.”

Another week passed, and September turned into October. October 2nd had been a special day back at Nikadîon, for it was the birthday of then-Prince Aharôs. Now-King Aharôs had another birthday upon him, and without any of the comforts of dreary Nikadîon. Being the good ward she was, Tempest went to see him in the evening.

“Thirty-eight years.” Aharôs told her, walking back and forth about his gloomy chamber. “Thirty-eight years...”

“You don't look thirty-eight.” said Tempest, sitting on a chair. It wasn't a lie, Aharôs really didn't look thirty-eight. He looked forty-eight instead.

“Hah.” He didn't look amused. “I'm supposed to go to the cathedral and pay my respects to the Lord.”

“Are you?” Tempest asked.

“I'll go.” stated Aharôs, folding his hands behind his back. “Would you like to come?”

“Uh... Why not?” Her mind drifted back to when Aharôs had said she was the only thing close to family he had left. It would be cruel to say no, right? “Snowy would like to come along, I bet.”

“I'm sure she would.” Aharôs said coolly. “But she's quite busy at the moment.”

“Oh...” That would make things a bit more uncomfortable.

One of the Emperor's carriages took them to the cathedral late in the night, when no one else was awake. Tempest guessed they did it this late because of her. The common folk were not used to the presence of Equestrian, and most non-humans were not allowed beyond the wharves or the foreign quarter.

She'd seen the cathedral from afar, almost every day when she went up the walls surrounding the palace and looked west. The Cathedral of Saint Aikâlon, they called it; an eight-winged structure mimicking their eight-rayed star, with a massive dome capping the central hub. It was tall enough to be seen from outside the city past a certain distance; probably four hundred feet high or so by Tempest's reckoning.

But at night, she couldn't see a thing, aside from the dim street lanterns that lined the road. Probably for the best, Tempest thought, I don't want to scare anyone. Too much talk of alicorn aggression, lately. If she was lucky, there'd be no one else in the cathedral at this hour... Tempest didn't know herself to be lucky. But Aharôs was even unluckier, so perhaps two negatives would make a positive? Snowy had said something like that once, but Tempest didn't know herself to be good at mathematics either.

The carriage stopped at one of the wings of the great cathedral, the one facing directly east. The entire square was empty this late at night, and the only lights were the occasional street lantern, and the candles and braziers that were within the cathedral itself, lighting its windows with a warm glow. Yellow sandstone bricks made up the majority of the structure, and stormy blue tiles plated the central dome, and the eight smaller domes in the middles of the wings. Of course, little of that was visible in the dark, Tempest had just seen it many times in the distance by daylight.

“Come along, Tempest.” Aharôs said, waving her to follow. The Emperor's retainers stayed outside with the carriage; they wouldn't need escort inside a hallowed place. I wonder if the humans would dare to hurt even an Equestrian in a church? she thought.

Inside was a cavern of shadows, stretching up to the ceiling where the moonlight came through the ring of windows under the wing's dome. Below the shadows were the lanterns and candles; the two lights mingled together in the darkness. Tempest had never seen anything quite like it. It was as if she had walked into some heavenly vault; the ceiling was so far above her that she wasn't sure if she could see it or not. “I didn't know it was possible to make buildings this big.” she whispered, not quite sure where her voice had gone.

“They spent a century on it.” Aharôs told her.

Between the tall windows, massive frescoes decorated the walls. Tempest could only assume they were of scenes from the holy book of the humans, but she knew next to nothing of any of that. They walked through the great chamber, and Tempest did see a few images that tugged at her memory. As impressed as she was, the wing was nothing compared to the central vault.

Words could not do justice to what it felt like to stand beneath a dome four hundred feet above her, in a hall that must have been the size of Vatherîon's entire citadel. Her head spun just from staring up, and she beheld the greatest fresco yet:

On the north side, the story began. Three comets flew through the night, and the humans pointed up at them in fear. Tempest had a good enough idea of their mythology to figure out the proper order of the scenes. After the comets came ragged men offering their swords to what looked like an alicorn, who glowed like the sun. Then stood a towering figure, stepping out of a pillar of fire, wreathed in shadow; his two burning eyes glaring out from behind a faceless mask. Vahâdrîn, Tempest recognized. Following him came his Alûthrîl, the Accursed, his wicked servants and soldiers. They did battle first against the alicorns, and then against men. On the south face of the great hall, Vahâdrîn and his Alûthrîl faced down a figure that could only be Aikâlon. And as the scenes went on... Aikâlon was defeated.

Tempest blinked, not sure if her eyes had deceived her, or if the dim fire-light of the cathedral interior was obscuring something in the fresco. But there was no such confusion, Aikâlon was struck down by Vahâdrîn. “I don't get it.” she said to Aharôs. He followed her gaze up.

King Aikâlon, in his silver mail, lay wounded on the ground, where he had been laid low in the previous fresco. In front of him stood a dark figure, twice as tall, wielding a cruel mace rippling with terrible and arcane energy;Vahâdrîn again. A legion of masked phantoms stood behind him, their eyes shining violet flames in the shadow. And between the two sides, facing against the darkness, stood a small man holding a sword, hopelessly outmatched.

“Who is he?” Tempest asked. She tilted her head, trying to figure out what that lone sword-bearer could achieve.

“That,” sighed Aharôs, sneering in distaste, “is Zefîr. Our greatest hero.”

“You don't sound too enthused.”

“Why should I be?” Aharôs glared at the fresco. “The priests always spoke highly about Zefîr. A common man, of simple desires and no lofty deeds. He was caught up in the sudden battle, when Vahâdrîn came upon our ancestors' first city. Zefîr saw his King struck down before him, and all hope seemed lost. The armies of man fled, but Zefîr took up arms. There was no hope for his victory, there was no hope for his survival, and there was not even a chance he could strike a single blow against the Great Enemy. But he held his ground. He stood. And he died.”

“Then how is he a hero if he got himself killed?” Tempest asked.

Aharôs kept up his sneer. “I'll be damned if I know anymore. Zefîr and Aikâlon were lucky, that was it. Our entire existence is owed to the brief distraction of the foe. There's nothing heroic about it! How many common rabble have I cut down in the same situation? None of them every got lucky enough to kill the tormentor of Verâd, and if they had, it would have been nothing but luck!” Aharôs clenched a hand tightly closed, and frowned at the cathedral around him.

“I've come to hate these places. Why did we even come here, Tempest?” he asked to her, not waiting for an answer. “Out of a meaningless tradition? Ever since Maelstrom died, nothing's gone right. Brenan said it's all a test of faith, but I have been devout to the right path my entire life! What allegiance do I owe to a god that sees fit to test me by taking everything, while degenerates like Reshîv have all their desires rewarded? Where is the justice in that?” The King paced about, looking up to into the distant dome as if expecting a reply. But there was none, as Tempest expected.

Aharôs paused again, breathing deeply. He looked up at the terrible figure in an earlier fresco, the one in which he stepped out of the column of fire. “The legends call him a traitor, Tempest. What drove him to turn on us, I wonder?” The King's expression softened as he spoke, as did his voice. “What could they do to a man to drive him so far into hatred? Who wronged him? Who betrayed him? Who abandoned him? Who did he lose? When did he finally become the demon we all feared for so long?”

The shining eyes of the Great Enemy stared back at him, narrowed in malice.

A great unease came over Tempest; the words Aharôs now spoke were words contrary to human civilization itself. “I think we should go.” she said.

“Yes, Tempest,” Aharôs agreed, “I have no place here. And I don't think you do either.”

“Is the human god not for Equestrians?” asked she.

“No for you, Tempest, and not for me either.”

Tempest took one last look at the great halls as they left. A wave of sadness crept up on her as she walked out, that none of the beauty or light here could ever be for her. As they took the carriage back to the palace, the question of Zefîr came to mind. She thought of who she could talk to about it. Brenan was around, somewhere, but Tempest had hardly seen him since they arrived in the city months ago. He's probably too busy for me, she decided. The Empress too might have been able to help, but Tempest didn't want to look any stupider than she already was in front of one of her only superiors in the world.

So, Snowy was her best bet, and luckily, she was just settling down to sleep when Tempest got back. “Hey, Snowy, can I ask you about something?” Tempest questioned.

“Of course.”

“Well,I went to the cathedral with Aharôs tonight.” she said.

“Oh?”

“He didn't like it.” Tempest frowned. “I thought it was a lovely place, but there were some confusing things, and we left. He said there was no place for either of us there.”

Snowy snorted. “It seems someone hasn't actually read his own people's holy book. The god of humans isn't just the god of humans, you know. It is for all life on Earth. The humans just happened to be the first ones to receive its word.”

“I knew that, but...” Tempest just shrugged. “I don't know. And I've been wondering about the one that saved the King, Zefîr. Aharôs said it was just pure luck, and I don't see what's so great about him if it was just luck. Isn't he supposed to be really brave? But why honor someone whose bravery just ended up with them getting killed?”

“I think you both missed the point completely.” Snowy said. “The story of Saint Zefîr isn't about his death. Zefîr is one of our greatest heroes, if not the greatest. Aikâlon, while a great man and leader of humanity in its darkest hour, was not Zefîr. Aikâlon was a king, trained for battle and war, with a whole life's experience of fighting behind him. Zefîr was just an ordinary man.”

“Then how is he a hero? Why would some commoner be remembered better than a king?” So far, Snowy wasn't giving her the answers she wanted.

“Because of the choice he made.” Snowy stated quietly. “Zefîr stood against the shadow, though he knew he could never prevail.”

“But why?” Tempest pressed. Snowy went on.

“There was no hope for his victory, there was no hope for his survival, and there was not even a chance he could strike a single blow against the Great Enemy. He could have chosen to live, to give into his fear and flee into the night, or throw himself down before the Alûthrîl and their wicked lord. But he held his ground. He stood. And he died.” Those were the same words that Aharôs had said, but Snowy spoke with reverence where Aharôs had spoken with disdain. “Because he stood against all odds, staying the Great Enemy’s hand just long enough, King Aikâlon was able to escape, and lead his people away from their doom at the hands of those Alûthrîl and their dark array.”

Tempest said nothing, but listened on. Snowy continued: “Do you see it, Tempest? Zefîr's defiance wasn't for his own sake. He didn't stand to save his own life; he stood to save another. He knew he would die, but in his last living moments, he saved all mankind. That is why we honor Zefîr. And I like to think, if Zefîr could stand against the might of Hell despite all his fear and weakness... Then perhaps the rest of us can stand too, against far fairer odds, in a far better place, and for causes far smaller.” There was silence between them for a time.

“I don't know.” Tempest finally spoke, ears falling. “Between shadow spirits and wraiths and wars and kingdoms... I don't think I can do it.”

“There was something Father Brenan said to me when I first heard this story, way back in Nikadîon.” Snowy gazed out through the window, before turning back to her. “He summed up Zefîr in just a single sentence: true courage can be found even in the most unlikely of souls. That's... That's always stuck with me, since I heard it. And I think you could do with hearing it too.”

Tempest looked down at her hooves, not sure of what she was feeling. Shame? Guilt? Resignation? There had been a time when she would have laughed at such sappy sentiment, thinking it was just something else the humans liked to tell themselves; something that Snowy had fallen for. But now... After everything Tempest had gone through, everything she had faced and felt, after so much uncertainty and doubt and fear, those words struck more soundly than she would have imagined in better times. The most unlikely of souls... Tempest repeated to herself. That was her, alright. An ordinary pony caught up in something she didn’t really understand, and didn’t want to be in. But if a common man no stronger or greater than she could find his courage when he needed it most, against a power darker than even the shadow spirit she faced... Maybe, just maybe she could find her courage for the coming days too. “Thank you, Snowy,” Tempest said quietly. “I don't know where I'd be without you.”

Snowy beamed happily. “You'll be saying that again when we have to balance Highcrest's budget!”

At that, Tempest could only laugh, and she went to sleep that night without worry of any alicorns.

Author's Note

[friendship intensifies]

Sorry about how long this took. I've just been torn between classes and trying to hammer this out. Worked on a Goldleaf chapter for a while, it stalled too. A part of the problem was this final scene, I've had a version of it sitting around since late 2012. It's actually pretty important, but the original one took place in the church with Snowy and the priest Goldleaf and Hemlock met on the road there, but... complications arose. Gotta have some cheesy morality, though!

Pacing spoiler: Fun times in Equestria for all four POV characters are sooner than you think.

Life in the Cage

Goldleaf

Something strange was going on. Goldleaf found himself standing on a field, one that tugged at his memory. He wasn't quite sure how he had gotten there, though. “Hello?” he asked to the silence. Tall grass waved in the gentle wind, and a warm sun shined down on him. Had he been here before?

“Hello!” called a voice.

“Princess Luna!” Goldleaf exclaimed, jumping. He whirled around, but he could not see her anywhere. “Are you trying that invisibility spell again? Where are you? Where am I? I thought I was in Sarathûl...”

“You are in a dream, Goldleaf.” Luna's voice said to him, echoing through the sky. “We are going to pull you into Our realm now.”

And then Goldleaf was standing in his cell in Ar-Athazîon, fully realizing what was going on. “Well, that certainly explains a lot. So I'm asleep right now?”

“Yes, your body sleeps, but your mind is awake. And in the dreamworld.” said Luna, revealing herself in the dungeon hall. “Feel free to leave your cell.” Hesitantly, Goldleaf pushed at the door, and it creaked outwards.

“It feels... slightly strange.” he noted. “And everything is blurred around the edges. As if my eyes were cloudy...”

“That is how the dreamworld is.” Luna nodded. “The waking world is always changing, and only long-term features solidify in the dreamworld. We do not fully understand it ourselves.”

“If I might ask, Princess, why are we here? Is this a rescue attempt?” asked Goldleaf. The alicorn princess scowled.

“We regret that such a thing is not possible, to our knowledge. However, life in Lithton gets lonely, with only Celestia and Aegis around. We seek the counsel of Lady Hemlock and you.” Luna looked around. “She is here, right?”

“She's sleeping in the cell right over there, in the real world.” He pointed at the cell in question.

“Hold on.” Luna blinked out of existence, leaving only Goldleaf and flickering torches behind. Within a minute, though, Luna had returned, and Hemlock appeared with here.

“Whoa.” gasped Hemlock, wildly looking around her cell. “Goldleaf, how'd you get out? Where did you come from, Princess?”

“Welcome to the dreamworld.” Goldleaf said.

“Ah...” The pegasus realized where she was. “So... why are we here?”

“Life in Lithton is not as glamorous as the unicorns would have Us believe.” Luna rolled her eyes, and Goldleaf let the tiniest of frowns appear on his face. “Your company is much preferable to endless court functions.”

“Court functions have their purpose.” muttered the unicorn.

“There's not many of those in Highcrest,” Hemlock said. “You've come to the right mare, Princess!”

“How is life among the humans?” Luna asked, as she led them out of the dungeons. It seemed she knew her way around the palace complex better than they did, even after weeks in this place. Well, they hadn't been let out of the cells in weeks...

“It's not horrible.” Goldleaf spoke. “But I do miss going outside.”

“Have you met anypony interesting here?” There was a mischievous look about Luna when she asked that. He took the bait.

“Yes, actually- how did you know?”

“Before finding you, We detected the presence of another pony in this place. A certain Tempest Blackwind. Did you know she was here?”

“She's come to see us once or twice.” said Goldleaf. “How did she react to you?”

“Blackwind did not get that she was in a dream, even when We told her so.” Luna looked over her shoulder as they came out of the dungeon. “She didn't seem to have the quickest of wits, nor the bravest of hearts. If this was Maelstrom's heir, then We do not fear her.”

“Snowy Farpeak is here too.”

“Is she?” The Princess seemed very interested to hear more.

“I was hoping you wouldn't mention that...” Hemlock muttered to Goldleaf.

“Snowy Farpeak alive... What other ponies does Blackwind have with her?” Luna questioned. By now she'd led them into what seemed to be a sprawling garden within the palace complex itself; something of a giant courtyard filled with plants and lawn. The light of the moon and stars was bright out here, compared to the dungeon's dimness. Even more vibrant than it was in the waking world.

“We've only seen one other, a certain Streaming Breeze.” Goldleaf reported. “I don't recall seeing any other ponies besides those three... or even other ones being mentioned, for that matter. It's entirely possible that Hemlock's sister and this Streaming Breeze are the only followers Blackwind has left.”

“An army of three, Queen Clearspring won't stand a chance.” Luna smirked. “But We are curious about the reappearance of Snowy Farpeak.”

“There's not much to tell, Princess.” Hemlock sighed. “I haven't seen here since we got here, she hates me.”

“For what reason?”

Unicorn and pegasus shared an apprehensive look. Goldleaf knew the full extent of Lady Silver's misdeeds, but did Hemlock want to share that with Luna? Not my call to make, Goldleaf thought. He remained silent.

“It's complicated.” Hemlock said, looking away.

The passage of time was almost non-existent in the dreamworld. The Princess wanted to know all about their capture, and how they came to be in Ar-Athazîon. She even told them how she'd deduced they were here; something to do with the Emperor. Goldleaf found himself drifting off for what felt like hours, before snapping back to the moment at hand only to realize Hemlock or Luna was still uttering the same sentence. After the third instance, he had to bring it up.

“What is going on here, Princess?” Goldleaf asked, explaining what he was experiencing.

“The dreamworld is only a reflection of ours, through the lens of a dream.” Luna told him. “And like dreams, the dreamworld can do strange things with perception.”

“If it's through the lens of a dream, whose dream is this?” questioned Hemlock. That was a good question. Why is this place even here? he wondered.

“We... We're not sure.” Luna said after a pause. “We don't think it's a dream of any creature, but perhaps of the world itself.”

“Is there anypony else here?” Goldleaf asked.

“Sometimes. Mortals can shift in and out, it takes a great focus to stay here. We can do it, and you are here because We are keeping you tied here. If We were to let you go...” Luna tilted her head, and Hemlock blurred into nothing but thin air. She reappeared promptly, looking over at Goldleaf.

“Where'd you go?” she asked.

“Me? I was right here the whole time, you're the one who vanished.”

Luna laughed lightly. “We will let you two figure that out for yourselves. But it is time to depart, your mind needs rest just as your body does. We ask that you remain vigilant for any suspicious things you see in the waking world, though.”

“We're not exactly in a position to snoop around.” Hemlock remarked.

“Be that as it may, We ask anyway. Aegis believes there might be something strange going on there.”

That was the last they saw of Luna that night. When he awoke again, Goldleaf was back in the same cell as always. Not long after sunrise, Tempest Blackwind herself came to see them. Hemlock of course was in another cell, he couldn't see her, but he could hear her when she answered the exile's questions. It seemed Luna really had visited her that night. As they promised, though, they gave Luna the warning when they saw her that night.

“Blackwind doesn't want you, or your sister, in her dreams again; or else she'll probably kill us.” said Hemlock.

“Oh dear.” sighed Luna. “We don't know if We could get Celestia to join us, but point taken. The Blackwind girl will not be troubled by us. We weren't really interested in her, anyway...”

“She says to keep away from her ponies and the humans, too. Especially a certain Ah-har-os.” added in Goldleaf.

“Aharôs? Wasn't he a lord of Athair that took in the Blackwinds?” Luna asked.

“Yes, I remember as much.” said Goldleaf. “I guess he's in the city too.”

“Blackwind must care for him enough to mention him by name... But it could also mean he's important to the coming war.” A thoughtful look came over Luna.

“Don't tempt her,” pleaded Hemlock, “I'm really not interested in dying in a dungeon.”

Days passed by in the darkness of the Emperor's jail. Goldleaf knew days were passing because of the pattern of foods they were given; something not unlike rice in the morning, a biscuit for lunch, and soup for dinner. Even if the accommodations were dreary, at least the humans fed them well.

By day, or by the time they got food, there was little to do except talk with Hemlock and count the stones in the walls, floor, and ceiling. There's at least several hundred, thought Goldleaf. Hemlock was more affected by the boredom than he; she wasn't as comfortable in the silence and isolation that often made up a good part of a scholar's life. Sometimes they’d take turns guessing what the humans had in mind for them.

“Execution.” said Goldleaf.

“No, that’s too simple! They wouldn’t drag us all the way here just to kill us. They’ll probably tie us up in cages and parade us around the city.” Hemlock answered. “Just be creative with an idea!”

“How about pony soup?”

“Well, they did say there were rats in the city…”

It was probably at least two weeks or so after their first talk with Luna that Tempest Blackwind came to them again, this time with Streaming Breeze.

“I can't imagine you like the dungeon.” Blackwind said, trying to look at both of them at once, though they were in separate cells.

“No, not really...” Hemlock agreed. “Can you let us go outside? Just for a little bit?”

“I was about to ask if you would like to... on one condition.”

“Deal!” The eagerness in Hemlock's voice was undeniable. “I don't care if I have to scrub all the floors in Ar-Athazîon, I'll take it!”

“It might be even harder than that. We'll take your unicorn servant with us too.” Blackwind unlocked their cells, and beckoned for them to come out.

“I'm not a servant.” Goldleaf grumbled to her.

“Whatever.” Blackwind rolled her eyes. “Just don't try to escape or kill anyone, alright?”

Like they often did in the dreamworld, they went out of the dungeon and up into the gardens of the palace. It was a very different scene by day, and cooler than the last time they'd been above ground in the waking world. “What month is it?” Hemlock asked, noticing the lack of flowers and cloudy sky.

“October the 17th, by Equestrian reckoning.” said Streaming Breeze. Even with the clouds, it was painfully bright on Goldleaf's eyes.

“Nearly two months underground...” he grumbled, looking at the grass below his hooves.

“Yes, it's been a while.” Blackwind said. “But I'm letting you come up here because I want Hemlock's help.”

“With what?” Hemlock asked.

“With your sister.”

Goldleaf shuffled on his three good hooves. This had potential to get very awkward.

“What is it to you?” Hemlock frowned, her ears tilting back and a look of dejection coming upon her. “She hates me anyway, remember? I thought she made that clear.”

“You don't know Snowy like I do.” said Blackwind. “I don't think she's even capable of hate...”

“Look, I already told you what happened between us! I don’t want to go over it again.” Hemlock lowered her voice, and grit her teeth.

“I know!” Blackwind hissed back. “Just-”

“Here’s how it is:” Streaming Breeze butted in, “Lady Snowy is angry with you, but she doesn't hate you. We've got some very important business coming up, and we'd all feel better if we knew you two had settled your differences before then.”

“Yeah, that.” Blackwind nodded along. “All we want is for you not to make a mess of anything. So if Snowy and I come to take you two outside, or something... don't provoke her.”

“Just the sight of me provoked her, last time.” Hemlock grumbled.

“Small steps, daughter of Farpeak, small steps.” Streaming Breeze tapped a hoof in the grass. “Or would you rather this sundering last a lifetime?”

“Fine.” sighed Hemlock, looking away. “I'll try, alright?”

“That's all we ask.” said Blackwind.

Their captors let them have a few hours in the open air, and the sun even came out later in the morning. Blackwind and her servant were content to let keep an eye on them from a distance, and at one point were even joined by a human woman. Goldleaf had never seen one of her kind before, and found himself mildly disappointed. For such hidden creatures, the woman wasn't much more remarkable than the men he'd seen. Sarathûl is a strange place, he thought. Mares and stallions were quite alike in Equestria, though the scales did favor mares a bit more, which wasn't a problem. They did give birth to foals, after all, that was no small feat. Here, it was the other way around, but even more so. A very strange place, he repeated to himself. There had to be more to it than he know, though.

October passed into November, between the conversations with Luna in the dreamworld at night, and the daily meals plus a dose of natural light above, Goldleaf fell into a comfortable if somewhat repetitive routine. In Equestria, the ponies prepared for war. In Sarathûl, even the jailer and his lackies whispered about the coming invasion. It was no secret to anyone that the Emperor meant to make war on the “alicorns.” That too was interesting.

“Have you noticed that?” he asked Hemlock one day, while they were getting their fresh air above ground.

“You notice a lot of things.” said Hemlock.

“They call us alicorns. Not just us two, but everypony back home. I don't think they realized almost all of the alicorns are gone.” Goldleaf looked off at the palace walls, where the guards walked. “And if they're preparing for a war against Equestria as it was before that plague...”

“Our odds don't look too good.” Hemlock frowned. “When they let me fly up to the wall, I can see dozens and dozens of ships down in the harbor. They’re huge, and there’s more every week!”

“They really are going to invade, then…” He imagined the fleet Hemlock saw. Countless tall galleons, shining banners flowing, coming over the horizon to their homeland’s shores... How could anything stop such an armada, short of the Princesses themselves? Did they even have that much power? Equestria’s future was not looking good at all. And as the two captives would learn soon from Luna, Equestria’s present wasn't looking very good either.

Author's Note

Two chapters in the same week?! I told you I've been busy filling in the blanks in my time away. Plus, fall term is almost over. :^)

Small Beginnings

Small Beginnings

Luna

The visits to Goldleaf and Hemlock in the dreamworld were enjoyable, but they were the only enjoyable things going on in Luna's life as of late. There was an unease in Lithton as word got around that their so-called advanced force had been routed by a human fleet. In actuality, they had been routed by two ships... “Folly, folly and madness.” Luna whispered to herself.

“What was that?” Celestia asked, putting down her morning toast.

“Nothing.” She'd tried to get her sister to see reason many times, but to no avail.

“I'll need you to stay awake a little longer than usual today. Queen Clearspring of Highcrest has news from her daughter's activities in the south.”

“Oh?” It seemed like forever ago that Clearspring had sent Princess Firebrand to deal with the obstinate earth pony tribes. Luna hadn't even wondered what had become of that.

“Yes indeed.” said Celestia. “So put on your crown and collar.”

They sat in the same great hall of Amethyst's Citadel that Kairôs Gadis, Imperial Financier, had come before them in in the spring. Now it was late fall, going on winter. Queen Ember Platinum of Unicornia was there with all her courtiers, warm-coated and regal, as was Queen Whiteglen and King Hardhammer of Eastmarch, the famed pegasus warrior-couple. Whiteglen was as pale as her namesake, Hardhammer as fiery as the smithy he earned his name in. Then there was Clearspring Swiftrain of Highcrest, the mare who had dared to fight against Maelstrom Blackwind's rebellion, dark as iron and just as hard. She came alone, as her husband was no leader of armies. Rye of the earth ponies was here too, as were petty lords and ladies of her kin who swore fealty directly to Everfree. And the bat-ponies had come, so far from their woodland realm... They were lurking far in the high gallery, away from the court.

Celestia spoke to them in a proud and clear voice. “Equestria has not seen such an assembly of her magnates since the days of Discord. Those were evil times, and now evil is upon us again. The race of men, who invaded and defiled Old Alicornia, rise up in might once more. They sent their pestilence upon Our kindred, and have mockingly defied Our calls for justice. Make no mistake, Equestrians: war will soon be upon you, borne out of the west on the wings of the winds. We have this winter to make ready. Queen Clearspring...” Celestia gestured to her.

“Thank you for your wise words, Princess.” said Clearspring. “This spring, I sent my daughter, Firebrand, to deal with the earth pony tribes who refused to hold up their end of the contract of fealty. I see a few of their kind have redeemed their race's honor,” Clearspring nodded to Rye and her folk, “but a great many more dwell in the south. And they have dwelt in safety, by the sacrifice of my people! The pegasi of the north have kept Equestria safe for centuries, against changeling and griffon, against wind-dragons and demons of ice and hate. What realm bled to destroy the flesh-eating vermin? What realm suffered to drive them wholly from these fair shores? Highcrest! Never did we ask any others to aid us. Now we have been called to defend the common good of Equestria, and we have answered! But where are those earth ponies now, who give us only contempt and disdain as we die so that they may live, free of fear and war? They cower and hide! That is why I say to you now with pride that my daughter has subjugated that ungrateful lot. If they will not fight with us, they will serve us nonetheless.”

“Subjugation?” one of the earth ponies with Rye spoke up, some minor fief-holder from the east.

“Do you mean to tell us our cousins are being held in bondage?” another asked. Rye just looked at the floor with fallen ears, as if she wished she were anywhere else.

“I do.” said Clearspring, turning to face the earth ponies. “They refused to fulfill their oaths, as the rest of us have. Why should we let them off free? They will serve us until the war is over.”

“And who exactly is us?” the same fief-holder that first spoke asked, her eyes narrowed. “The pegasi?”

“Is that a problem?” Clearspring asked. “I don't see what it matters to you. You're here, they're not.” The earth pony made to speak again, but Rye put a hoof on her, and shook her head.

“You have done well to bring Equestria to order, Queen Clearspring.” Celestia said. “Queen Ember, what do you have to report?”

Ember stepped forward before the alicorns, and told of Unicornia's preparations for war. But Luna did not listen, as that the things of war did not concern her. Instead, Luna reminded herself to see the bat-ponies as soon as she could. She had called them not long after returning to Equestria, at her sister's request, but didn't actually think they'd show up in person.

After Ember came Queen Whiteglen of Eastmarch, reporting of unrest in the griffon kingdoms of Greenland and Northbrim, but nothing serious at the moment. Minor pegasi lords from the north had little to speak of from their homes, and the earth ponies had little to say as well. Most did not want to be a part of this, and for good reason.

The meeting was adjourned, and all parties returned to their quarters. Luna dismissed herself from her sister's presence, and went off to find the bat-ponies. They'd already left the gallery, and were no doubt trying to find some place dark to hide from the sun. She herself felt like doing the same, having been on a nocturnal schedule since coming home, but this was important.

As it turned out, the bat-ponies had let themselves into one of the high towers of Amethyst's Citadel, hiding out in the eaves of its conical turret roof. “We thought We would find you up here.” said Luna. The bat-ponies turned about, staring down at her through the gloom.

“Princess Luna!” one of them acknowledged. They dropped down to the floor, and knelt. “We have come, as you asked.”

“We see. Your presence is unexpected, though not unwelcome.” she said. “Who among you speaks for the bat-ponies?”

“I do. I am Roscidus, your highness.” The bat-pony stallion raised his head. He was a silvery-blue color, and darker in mane; like all his kind, he had the slit-pupils, leathery wings, and tufted ears. “I come as an envoy of King Vesper.”

“Vesper is still alive?” Luna asked. She had met Vesper the sixth many decades ago, when she had been but a child...

“Vesper the sixth remains our king; he is very old now, but still hale.” said Roscidus.

These bat-ponies live a long time, Luna thought. She'd last seen him almost sixty years prior. “Did the other ponies give you any trouble on your way here?” she asked.

“From time to time.” Roscidus frowned. “Some thought we were legends, others ran in fear, thinking us monsters. It is a strange world outside our borders, Princess, that forgets so quickly.”

“To think that just twenty years ago there were ponies still alive whose grandmothers had living memory of Discord's day...” Luna muttered. “We alicorns do not forget either, but most of our subjects do. We would much like to know why you do not.”

“All things in time, Princess.” said Roscidus, giving her a sidelong look. “Our King has sent spies out for some few months now. We have heard many things; word of griffons and men on the move...”

“Men at least are moving, that is true.” Luna said. “Celestia has gone and started a war with them!” The bat-ponies whispered among each other in their own tongue. It was derived from the Alicornic all other Equestrians spoke, but with many strange words Luna did not know. She only understood fragments of what they said, though it was enough to let her know they did not approve.

“It is not our thought that the humans should be held responsible for this disease. If they had intended to spread it, then they would not have tried to negotiate a settlement.” said Roscidus.

“You know of that?”

“We have heard many things.” the bat-pony said again. “It would be unwise to challenge them in war. Our King believes that to do so would be to give them a single purpose again, which leads down a path we oughtn't to tread. But it is too late, I see.”

“What path would this be?” asked Luna, raising a hoof as concern settled over her.

“They have a vast, rich land; their numbers are beyond count; their weapons without equals. If Great Griffonia still endured, perhaps it could have matched them in power, but that realm has perished. If the Shadow-King of the Akrav still reigned, perhaps they could stand against mankind, but he was long ago cast down. No, Princess Luna, there are few powers left in the world that could stand against this race of men. And some of those are better left alone...”

“What does your King foresee in this conflict?”

Roscidus frowned deeply, and paused before he spoke. “Only wrath and ruin, though for whom, he cannot be sure. Something has awoken, he said. ”

No hope from the bat-ponies, Luna thought. It was obvious the Equestrians were bringing down the wrath of humanity on themselves, which would lead only to ruin. Man's position was unassailable. “It seems We alone still hold hope that this disaster can be reduced, if not averted. But enough of dark words. Tell Us, Roscidus, how fares your kind?”

Luna and the bat-ponies talked for a while, and probably longer than they should have. Both of them slept by day, though, and Luna departed for her own chambers to return another time.

Normally, she did not dream while sleeping, that came in the night when her mind was rested. But that day as she slept, she did. It was night in this dream, no moon could be seen, though the stars shined brighter than Luna had ever known them to. Something tugged at her memory, she'd seen this before... There was a desk in front of her, with paper and pen. The word LUNA was written on it, in immaculate lettering. Below that was written: ARE YOU THERE.

Luna blinked. “Yes, I'm here.” she said. But there was no response. She took hold of the pen with her magic, and wrote “Yes.” But nothing more happened, and she was left to wonder about it all night as she went about her royal duties. Luna had the same dream the next day, and there was written: ARE YOU BEING WATCHED?

“No,” Luna wrote.

Again, she had to wait until the next dream for a response.

ARE YOU SURE?

“Yes, absolutely. Who is writing this, anyhow?” Luna wondered why this other presence only left one sentence a night for her. It took some number of days to unravel the full message.

A FRIEND OF THE LORD OF NIGHT.

“My father? If you're a friend, why can't you talk to me directly?”

THE GOLDEN ONE AND I HAVE NO GREAT LOVE FOR EACH OTHER.

“Oh?”

HIS WARDS SURROUND HIM IN THE DREAM, AND YOU ARE CAUGHT WITHIN.

“Perhaps they're there for a reason.”

THE GOLDEN ONE HAS MANY REASONS FOR WHAT HE DOES, SOME OF WHICH HE HAS KEPT SECRET FROM YOU.

“Is that so?”

IF YOU WISH TO FIND OUT MORE, SEEK ME WHERE YOUR LAND'S EASTERN RIVER MEETS THE SEA.

What? Luna asked herself. Which eastern river? There were many rivers that flowed east in Equestria... Your land, the writer had said. Did that mean Everfree? The Everfree river flowed into the Crystal river, which emptied east into the cleverly-named Shoe Bay... Whoever it was, that was the place it must have meant. That night, in the dream-world, Luna made the journey. She was too curious not to. It was a silent flight from Lithton to the other side of Equestria, but it did not take the weeks it would have in the waking world.

Shoe Bay was cold at night, though not as cold as Lithton. Luna barely felt it thanks to her mastery of this other-world. There were some meager settlements of earth ponies scattered around the many miles of shore, but nothing of note. Then, she heard a bird call. There were no birds in the dreamworld, any more than there were animals of any sort at all...

“Are you there?” asked Luna to the unseen bird.

“I am.” The voice that answered was a whisper, falling on Luna's ears like a soft blanket. She could not tell if the speaker was male or female.

“Show yourself.” she ordered.

A nightjar flew out of a bush, and perched on one of the shrubs in the river delta. It was dark of feather, but spotted, with big, shining eyes and little whiskers around its beak. It was absolutely adorable! “I have looked forward to meeting you.” said the nightjar. “You look very much like your father.”

“Yes, some have said that before.” Luna replied, her skepticism fading. “You aren't really a bird, are you?”

“No,” the nightjar agreed, “but I do not wish to draw attention to myself.”

“Then what are you?”

“A well-wisher, if you would.” The little bird almost seemed to smile. “I taught your father many secrets of the dreamworld, and word has come to me that he has passed before his time.”

“Yes... he did.” said Luna, frowning. “He taught me very little before the human's plague took him. Aegis has had to teach me since.”

“The Golden One!” the nightjar shook its head. “Deep does his envy run.”

“What do you mean?” Luna's frown grew, and her eyes narrowed. “Aegis is a good pony, he always has been.”

“It was the Golden One's doom that he watch all he sired perish, while his sister's bloodline persisted. That is you, Luna, and your sister, and your mother and father too.” The nightjar adjusted his wings; his wings because Luna was starting to get the sense he was male, whatever he really was. The more she listened, the more convinced she was. “I do not doubt he is good at heart, but it would be foolish to deny that there is not envy there.”

“And what makes you say this?” asked Luna.

“If you had been born earlier, you may have seen it for yourself. Your father would always tell me of how restrictive and controlling the Golden One was. He refused to teach him many things of the dreamworld and of the night, so he came to me for help.” The nightjar's whispering grew quieter, and Luna had to lean in to hear him. “The Golden One was wrathful, but there was nothing he could do, for your father's mastery of this world was greater than any other being's. That is perhaps why the Golden One has put such powerful wards are you now, Luna.”

“Wait- he put wards around me?” she asked, disbelieving Aegis would be so untrusting of her.

“Yes. They encompass whatever dwelling you now are in, but they are focused solely on the dreamworld. Whose domain is that but yours?”

The nightjar had a point, but Luna still didn't believe it was true. “That's very interesting to hear.” she said. “But how can I be sure you actually did know my father?”

“Mortals called him the Nightlord, but his true name was Tenebrerus.” Luna blinked in surprise. Only she, her sister, and Aegis knew that- “If you are not yet convinced, your father always called your mother Aprica.”

“H-how do you know that?” Luna stammered, looking at the nightjar in shock. Aprica had been an affectionate name she and Celestia always called their mother. It meant sunny, and it brought back a pained anguish she had spent months trying to ignore.

“Did I not say I was a friend?” the little bird said. “Your father trusted me with many things, Luna. I am here to help you, if I might.”

“I see.” said Luna, in a small voice. All the sorrow she had felt this spring after the plague had reaped its due was coming back. Hearing the names of her mother and father again brought it all right back to her, as if it had happened yesterday.

“Do not despair, brave child of Caelum.” whispered the little bird, coming closer to her. “Hope is not yet lost.”

“Hope for what?” asked Luna.

“The night shall come again.”

And then, a strange but welcome comfort came upon Luna, and she let herself fall out of the dreamworld. When she returned to the waking life, all her sadness had gone, and it was as a great burden had been lifted.

Luna made no mention of this encounter with her sister, nor with Aegis, nor with Goldleaf and Hemlock when she came to talk to them in dreams. She did not see the nightjar again for several weeks; a note came to her that he did not want to risk the sight of the Golden One and bring wrath on her. So she would have to wait until she had grown stronger in that realm. Whatever he really was, he was trusted enough by her father, so perhaps she should trust him too. And as Luna thought that, a seed of suspicion grew at the intentions of her granduncle...

Author's Note

Reintroducing some characters we've met or heard mention of before. Pic of a nightjar, since it's not a bird in common knowledge, being nocturnal and all:

Oh, and Merry Christmas.

Tempest's Last Birthday in Sarathûl

Tempest

It had finally come. December the thirteenth by Equestrian reckoning, some time towards the end of 1504 by human reckoning. Their years were a bit offset; it would end on the winter solstice, but that was only ten days before Equestrian new year anyway. But this day was important to Tempest no matter what it was called: today, she was sixteen. And by human standards, that meant she had reached adulthood.

“Too bad I don't feel like it...” muttered Tempest to herself, looking out the rain-splattered window. Winter came to Ar-Athazîon late in October, and by halfway through November it had set in with full force. When it wasn't foggy, it was raining, though not nearly as badly as it had in Nikadîon. But at least the cold wasn't an issue, her winter coat had grown in and was doing its job quite well. Tempest did not envy the humans who couldn't grow extra fluff and fur as soon as the days shortened; they had to wrap up in cloths and shiver in the chill.

There was a knock at door that led to the washroom linking her room with the next one over. “Come in, Snowy.” she said.

“Good morning, Tempest!” Snowy greeted her with a cheerful smile. “Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?” asked Tempest.

“Did you forget it's your birthday?”

“No, I just don't know what I have to be ready for. Are we going somewhere?”

Snowy sighed. “Don't be dense, Tempest. You know what I mean.”

“I guess.” But she really didn't know what Snowy meant... “How busy will you be today?”

“Not busy at all. The Emperor has released me from today's lesson, so I'm free to stay with you!” said Snowy. That made Tempest's hopes for the day much better.

“Welcome news.” Tempest said, looking out the window again. “So... Any ideas?”

“It's your birthday, Tempest. You were supposed to think of something to do.”

“Hey, it was my idea to take you with to see the dragon! You owe me.”

“Fine.” Snowy rolled her eyes, and made a show of pouting. Neither said anything for a few moments, Tempest let her friend think in peace.

What is there to do anyway? wondered Tempest. We're half prisoners here already. We can't go into the city, the palace only really has the library and gardens open to us...

“Well,” Snowy began, “the plan was for supper with Streaming, me, and you. The usual, really, just with some more festive food. I thought we'd do whatever it is you do when I'm busy.”

“You mean lay around and read?” asked Tempest. “Or walk in the rain aimlessly? It's been pretty boring without you around, to be honest. No training anymore, no lessons either. If you weren't so busy so often, it'd be bearable, but...” She shrugged. “That's not been the case.”

“I really wish I wasn't.” said Snowy. “It’s for the best, in the long run. We've got about four months left here, and at least one of us needs to know how to run a kingdom.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah... Don't remind me of that.” Tempest wished to enjoy her last days in Sarathûl, not spend them trembling in fear of what was coming. And she did tremble, in the long, dark nights when she couldn't sleep. Her dreams were often filled with fire, just as they had been before Sidâl gave her that crystal all those months ago. “But I'm glad you've got the day off, Snowy. Let's not put it to waste.”

They ended up just wandering around the palace, chatting idly about this and that. For a while, it seemed as if they'd returned to more carefree days back in Athair; though with a far more talkative and far less temperamental Snowy. That was one thing Tempest didn't miss. She was happy that Snowy had overcome her constant stammering and most of her former timidness, not to mention her tendency to be upset by the slightest sharp word. Though she still shied away from those she didn't know, it was better than outright hiding from them. At least someone in these tumultuous few months had been changed for the better! But all illusions ended, and they came to the subject of Hemlock Farpeak.

“Stream and I usually take your sister and that unicorn of hers up for an hour of fresh air every other day. Would you like to come along?” asked Tempest. Snowy froze in place.

“Come along?” she echoed. “I... I don't know, Tempest. I wish I could explain it to you...”

“You don't have to. I've already heard Hemlock's side of things.” That surprised Snowy; she blinked and leaned back a little.

“You... what?”

“I had Hemlock tell me what happened between you two.” Tempest said, trying to sound as firm as she could. “She's not too proud of what she did, you know. Started crying halfway through our talk, sniffling about how sorry she was. I didn't feel too proud either, about making her remember all that...” She tried to laugh, but it fell flat. “But really, Snowy. Give her another chance. She's nothing at all like that evil mother of yours, from what I've heard of her. And you deserve more friends in this world than just a clueless exile like me.”

Snowy was silent for a few minutes, almost looking like she was going to cry, which was the last thing Tempest wanted. But finally, Snowy straightened up, and inhaled deeply. “Alright, I'll come with. But only because I trust you more than anyone else in the world.”

“Thank you, Snowy. You won't regret it.”

“If she comes near me, hit her, alright?”

“If it makes you feel better...”

So that was how Tempest spent the rest of her morning with Streaming and Snowy, keeping an eye on the pegasus and unicorn from Equestria. Hemlock's breath caught in her throat at the sight of Snowy, and she spent the entire time above ground trying to avoid looking at her sister. Her unicorn tried to cheer her up, but to no avail. “See how guilty she looks?” Tempest asked quietly.

“I see.” said Snowy, coolly. “And I dare say she ought to.”

“Lady Snowy,” said Streaming, “your sister has been very torn up over this for a very long time. Just as much as you. Please show some consideration.”

“Consideration-!” Snowy stopped herself before she said more, taking a moment to calm herself. “You said she was sorry, didn't she, Tempest?”

“Yes. It was rather awkward, what with the tears and all...”

Snowy frowned, and her ears drooped. “I... It won't be easy, putting all that to rest. It's not something you can just pretend never happened.”

“What was she supposed to do, Lady Snowy?” Streaming asked, ears tilting back. “She was what, six years old, seven? Could you have stood up to that wretched Silver Farpeak at that age? Could you even now? Your sister never wanted any part in that, but I hardly think she had much of a choice.” Now it was Snowy who looked guilty, and Streaming softened her tone and manner. “We're not asking you to pretend nothing ever happened, we're asking you to make peace with her. It would do you both good.”

“Why should you care, though?” Snowy wondered.

“Because you're to serve as adviser to my Queen, and I would not have her led astray on account of your own personal issues.” said Streaming. Tempest tried to suppress an inappropriately-timed smile. They'd come along way from the indifferent relationship with Streaming Breeze they’d once had. It was nice to have reliable ponies around.

“I understand.” Snowy said, with a nod. “After all, making peace is a virtue... I'm sorry for marring your birthday with this business, Tempest. Maybe I should have taken you up on your offer of laying around with books.”

“I think it's all turned out for the better.” Tempest said. “I'm getting hungry though... Anything planned for dinner?”

There was no real plan for the midday meal, as it turned out. Bread, butter, and water. No wine or mead or anything of the sort, though it was a bit early for that. Tempest was curious to see if they'd let her drink such stuff, now that she was sixteen, an adult by human standards. I was an adult by pony standards two years ago though... Aharôs did not look kindly on drinking, though; at least not to the extent many humans did.

But there was one surprise: Empress Alaia appeared, gracing the lowly pegasi with her regal presence. She held a bundled cloth under her arm. “Good afternoon.” she said, inclining her head ever so slightly. Snowy and Streaming knelt, and Tempest bowed her head.

“Good afternoon, Empress.” she said. “What brings you down to this part of the palace?”

“I heard you became an adult today. Sixteen years old! Seems like it was just yesterday for me.” The Empress smiled fondly, looking off into space. “In fact, I heard this quite a while ago from your friend Snowy. Îrilôs said you had no medallion of your own during your meeting with him, King Fâôs, and King Aharôs. Well, we thought it best you had one, so...” Alaia put the bundled cloth on the table, and opened it. There, as was promised, was the medallion. It was made of silver, hung on a silver chain; the black cyclone of Tempest's house over a white surface, both carved from the same two-layered, two-colored onyx crystal.

“It's beautiful!” Snowy gasped.

“What a work of art.” remarked Streaming.

“I like it.” Tempest said.

“Is that all you have to say?” hissed Snowy, poking her side.

“It's a very noble gift, my Empress.” Tempest went on. “Thank you very much.”

“I'm glad you approve.” she said, clasping her hands. “Well, go ahead, put it on.” Tempest did so, and placed the medallion squarely in the middle of her chest. “Ah, how queenly!” The Empress clapped, and Snowy nodded approvingly. “Now you look like a real monarch.”

“I certainly feel more legitimate.” said Tempest, smiling as best she could. She actually didn't, but it was a very nice piece of jewelry... “We don't have much food fit for the Queen of Queens here, but if you'd like to join us tonight for supper, you'd be very welcome.”

“Sadly, Îrilôs and I have court business to attend to.” the Empress said. “It was all I could do to get away for a bit to bring this by. I hope you do have a good day, Tempest.”

“And you too.” Tempest said, bowing again. With that, the Empress departed.

“What a lovely work this is.” Snowy lifted up the medallion with a hoof, and looked closely at it. She turned it over, reading the tiny stamp on the back of the silver. “The mark of Pashalîôs and Sons. Very prestigious, Tempest; they're the best jewelers in Ar-Athazîon. What a lucky girl you are!” Lucky! Tempest wanted to laugh, but appreciated Snowy's input more. “You'll put Aharôs and his backwater smiths in Vatherîon to shame with this.”

“Pashalîôs?” Streaming asked. “Haven't we met a Pashal before?”

“Yes, the Mayor of Sturaj, if I recall.” Tempest scrunched her nose up. “Unpleasant man.”

“That feels like a lifetime ago.” said Streaming. “I think I'd prefer to run into this jeweler... Of all those we've lost along the way, why couldn't that man have been one of them?”

“Believe me, Streaming, if I could choose who lived and who died...” Tempest trailed off, looking down at her medallion, with her family's emblem carved proudly into it.

“Say no more, my Queen, that is a dreary subject. I apologize for bringing it up.”

The three spent the rest of the afternoon recalling happier days at Nikadîon. Well, it was mostly Tempest and Streaming Breeze. Snowy listened in contently, but Tempest could see her twitch when Streaming mentioned one of the Blackwind bunch in a better light than either of the two had ever known them to stand in. Coldstar especially. She and Streaming had been close, both undyingly loyal to Maelstrom and veterans of the same battles, but Coldstar had never been nice to either Tempest or Snowy. Indeed, she had been downright cruel to Snowy. Not long after arriving in Athair, Coldstar had proposed that they cut off Snowy's wings and send them to the Swiftrains as revenge. Tempest had forbidden it, as she had no idea what Snowy had might have possibly done to them; she was a friend, even if Snowy wouldn't get the nerve to speak to Tempest for another two weeks.

Supper was a more formal affair for the three, though the food was much more exciting. Tempest discovered the delight that was sweet-bread, which was like some kind of human version of cake. For a while, it seemed like it was a pony-only affair, but Aharôs and Turaz turned up partway through the meal. “Good evening.” said the King of Athair, cool and distant as ever.

“How nice of you to join us.” Tempest said. “You are joining us, right?”

“Sure.” said Turaz, sitting down. He'd been missing from her life for some time now, and she had half a time to ask him what he'd been doing. His beard was full now, as men of the south often wore, but his eyepatch unchanged. But being the dutiful ward, Tempest had other things to address.

“You've been busy lately, haven't you?” she said, nodding to Aharôs.

“That I have. Plotting your return, and my liege's war.” Aharôs sat down too, though he did not take any food like his knight was.

“Most of the problems involve supplying thirty thousand men. We had what, less than ten thousand this spring?” Turaz asked.

“About there.” Aharôs agreed. “And when I'm not dealing with that, I'm out inspecting the ships or testing the rockets or-” He stopped, and shook his head. “It is not a life of quiet, like yours, Tempest.”

“I've rather liked a quiet life.” Tempest said.

“So I've heard. I've got a new book for you, you can have it later. For now, I'll enjoy your company.” The King gestured to the ponies and his knight. They all stared back at him.

“Forgive my boldness, my King,” Streaming Breeze piped up, “but we've never known you to enjoy anyone's company.”

“You'd be right about that.” Aharôs frowned. “Sidâl and Avenîl think I should be less sharp with people, though. It's aroused more suspicion than my normal behavior, I do not think they were right.”

“Avenîl?” Snowy whispered to herself, growing lost in her own thoughts. That name did sound familiar... She just couldn't remember where she'd heard it before. It was a woman's name, Tempest knew that, but not a common one.

“I think you're better off just being you.” said Tempest. “Don't listen to Sidâl too much.”

“It won't matter soon enough anyway.” Aharôs waved a hand, as if shooing off a fly.

“Onto another subject, my Queen,” Turaz said, “we've recovered your armor and other sword from Vatherîon. It took some deal of Imperial trickery, but it's ours again.”

“Oh... good...” Tempest squirmed in her seat at the reminder that they expected she'd need such gear. The fighting on the Verâd campaign had given her enough of the taste of blood to know that she didn't like it.

“Good indeed, I'd say! That armor is as fine as any great king's. Finer than what your own guardian wore himself last time he went into battle!” Turaz knocked a hand on the table, emphasizing his words. “I've heard rumors here that that metal can deflect magic.”

“What kind of metal does such a thing?” Streaming Breeze asked. Tempest knew it was true enough, she'd seen her sword do as much when they encountered the wraith at Kakâdras.

“It's forged right here, under this very palace apparently. Master smiths from across the realms come here and work their way with it, for a price, but they are not allowed to take any of the ore or ingots or what have you with them. Most people seem to think it's a relic of the alicorns, when this was their city.”

“He's right.” Aharôs said. “It is some kind of alicorn relic. But as to the nature of that relic... We cannot guess.”

“Magic-deflecting armor. That could be very useful.” said Streaming.

“I intend to get some for myself, considering that my plain steel was left in Vatherîon.” Aharôs folded his hands, and leaned back in his chair. “I imagine our foe will be very surprised to find we do not burn as easily as they'd like.”

“I'm just happy Tempest has some. Though I hope she won't need it.” Snowy gave Tempest her best reassuring smile.

“Hope and Blackwind seldom go together.” Tempest said dryly, looking at her medallion again.

After supper, they went their separate ways. The long and cold winter nights were on them, and soon they'd reach solstice. The sun was setting already behind the clouded sky. Aharôs though, asked Tempest to come with him to his quarters. “Remember,” he said, “I've got a book for you.” Tempest was happy to follow at the promise of new reading.

His dwelling here had taken up a look much like that of his chambers in Nikadîon. Dark and gloom was everywhere, maps and papers were scattered about, most of the windows had their curtains drawn. The humans liked to keep little eight-rayed stars in their houses, but not one could be found in here. Aharôs pushed open a single curtain, and nodded, as if it was an improvement.

“This is for you.” he said, handing her an old-looking book. Tempest opened it, and to her great surprise, it was written in Equestrian letters. And not only that, but it was the common Equestrian, and not the formal Alicornic!

“Beekeeping in the Realm of Highcrest!” Tempest's ears flew straight up, and she couldn't help but grin. “It's wonderful! Where did you get this?” she asked.

“The city's rat-folk happen to have a good deal of Equestrian books. I don't know if they brought it with them in exile, or got it more recently, but they had it. Quite an unusual thing to find, I-” Aharôs froze when Tempest reared up and hugged him, standing just as high as he did. “Great Lord, you've gotten tall since you did that last.” he said. “Now, back down you go!”

She obliged, dropping back to all fours. “I know you never liked hugs, but...”

“Yes, yes, you're a happy pony, for the moment.” Aharôs nodded. “I think this book will serve you well when you return home.” He sat down on the very wide chair, and Tempest joined him.

“Do you think I'll have time?” she asked. “Being a Queen surely will take work.”

“Maybe.” He tilted his head to one side, staring at one revealed window across from them. “That depends on how much responsibility you give Snowy. Which will be quite a bit, I imagine.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I haven't been blind these last ten years, Tempest.” Aharôs said. “You're not your mother, at all. You may have her fur, her mane, and her family's name, but otherwise... No, you are nothing like her.”

“I'm not?” Maelstrom was everything ideal, according to everyone around her, barring her uncle... What did it mean if she wasn't like that?

“No. She was made of sterner spirit than you. I remember after you made your first kill this spring, you came to me and said you were upset. I thought you'd get over it, but as the months have gone on, I've seen you slip further and further away from who we all thought you were. And then you told me just how deeply those events had disturbed you.” Aharôs paused, and looked at her. He put a hand on her shoulder, almost as if he were forcing himself to do it. “It all makes sense, in hindsight. I’ve been thinking on it for some time now. When you were young, you loved animals and nature, you would rather explore the countryside around Nikadîon than learn of history or warcraft. Maelstrom said she spent hours going over strategies and political discourses when she was young, you spent hours watching the bees or coaxing Snowy out of her shell so that she might have one friend in the world.”

“Is that bad?” Tempest asked, ears drooping with worry.

“I have wondered that myself.” said Aharôs. “In the past few months, the veil has been lifted from my eyes. I see many things clearly, now, and you are among them. There is no warrior in you, Tempest, nor much queen. But there is heart, and perhaps it may yet count for something. Even in a world as harsh as this one… Though how is still beyond my understanding.” Those were far kinder words than what Tempest was expecting him to say, at least compared to the last time they’d had a talk like this.

“Since when did you have a sense of empathy?” she asked, smiling anyway. “Did Sidâl show you a magical crystal or something?”

“Hah!” He certainly looked amused at that idea. "Maybe he did..."

Months later, Tempest would realize that day had been the last time she ever heard Aharôs laugh.

Author's Note

If I told you this is our penultimate chapter in Sarathûl, would you believe me? You should.

The Empire Assembles

Turaz

“It's the greatest armament in a generation, they're saying. Maybe in a century.” said Haior, looking over the fleet in the bay.

“Every day, there's another ship, it seems.” Turaz squinted in the early spring sun, shielding his eyes. “We don't see many galleons in Surana... I wonder why we need ships this big?”

“Southern affairs, I hear.” Haior handed him back the spyglass, which Turaz took up again. “Everyone wants in on the spice trade, or the wine trade, or the whatever trade. It's all far in the south, where the days are always warm and nights are never too long.”

“Just be glad winter's over, here in Ar-Athazîon. Back home, we'd have another two months of rain and gloom.” said Turaz.

“Do you think Equestria is going to be warm?”

“Highcrest is worse than Athair, if I remember rightly. But we won't be going there.”

“Where, then?”

“That's a secret, sergeant. King's orders.” Of course, Turaz knew where they were going.

Another galleon sailed under the sea-gate of the city, one with black sails and bloody eight-rayed stars upon them. Turaz pushed the spyglass back to his sergeant. “Look at that one.”

“What a grim vessel...” Haior muttered. “I see a red banner with a golden sword.”

“Ah... the King of Adûnak sends aid.”

“Adûnakîm? I never heard much about them back home, and what I did hear wasn't good.”

“Fierce fighters, those southerners.” Turaz said. “At least they're on our side.”

“At least.” agreed Haior.

Spring had begun not long ago, and the ships were coming much more quickly than they had over the winter. So too were armies, many of them from the west and south. Even more numerous than armies were what the Emperor called independent operators: unlanded knights, free men-at-arms, fanatical zealots, opportunistic outlaws, and other such rabble, thousands upon thousands swearing themselves to the Empire's holy war in return for the promise of loot and pardon of crimes. The Equestrians knew not what awaited them.

As the cold months passed, King Aharôs had grown even more distant than usual. Ever since he'd fallen in with Sidâl and that woman, Avenîl, Aharôs had been increasingly aloof. Whatever was going on with them, Turaz doubted it could be good. But after that strange discussion he'd heard back in the summer, he'd had no further reason to suspect anything. Something has to be going on, though... Making deals with supernatural entities was a one-way path to trouble. For now, though, Turaz could say nothing against his liege.

A few days before their departure, Turaz was summoned to one final war council. He stood to the right of Aharôs, around a large table. Other captains and lords were gathered, plus Sidâl, with the Emperor at their head. If someone had told a young Turaz that one day he'd be standing among kings and princes, he would have never believed them.

“My lords, the time has come.” the Emperor said. “In three days you will depart for Equestria, in the boldest quest seen in the world since our battle with the Great Enemy. Your mission, at heart, is simple: bring Equestria to its knees, and ensure they can never threaten our race again. King Aharôs, if you would...”

Aharôs cleared his throat, and placed a little Imperial banner on a map of Equestria. “Our first landing will be south of this place, Cape Coldweather. The shores are long and open, there are no reefs or rocks. Landing should be simple, we may even be able to sail our ships right onto the beach, if the risks are negligible. The goal of this force will be to defeat the Equestrians in open battle as soon as possible. Sidâl here assures me that the most dangerous arm of the Equestrian army are the Highcrest pegasi. By invading Highcrest first, they will come to us, and quickly.”

“Forgive me if I am hesitant to trust a sorcerer.” one of the Adûnakîm said. Many of the lords assembled muttered in agreement. “How do we know this is accurate?”

“Sidâl has been nothing if not helpful.” the Emperor spoke, giving an appreciative nod to the silent sorcerer. “I don't know what sources he has over there but they haven't been wrong yet. Continue, King Aharôs.”

“Once we win a victory in Highcrest and secure the land for Tempest Blackwind, the main force will land north of Reedsport. Their goal is to capture the unicorn city of Lithton by this winter, and to deal another blow to the Equestrian army by that time. Our weapons give us an edge they cannot match, and we should use them to full effectiveness. We need to break their will to fight, from their common soldiers to their Princess herself. The only way I see to do this is to inflict as terrible a defeat as we can on them at every turn.”

Turaz wondered just what terrible meant. Aharôs had a penchant for being terrible, and if he felt the need to emphasize that here... I'm glad I'm not an Equestrian.

“And what then?” asked King Fâôs.

“Then we winter in Lithton, and in the spring of 1506 we continue the campaign east, right to Everfree itself if we have to. That is, if they don't give up by the time we take Highcrest and Lithton out of the war.” said Aharôs.

“We'll deal with those problems when we get to them.” the Emperor said. “Thirty-two thousand men have answered the call to defend Heaven's banner, there hasn't been a a bigger army gathered since the Karthâ wars. And one human is worth two ponies, if not three! Our victory is all but certain.”

“A victory is certain, of that I have no doubt.” said Aharôs, with a grim frown at the map.

After the council adjourned, Aharôs stayed behind to study the map. Ever the loyal knight, Turaz stood by until he was dismissed, as did Sidâl. “What do you think, Turaz?” asked the King.

“I'm not sure what you mean, my king.” Turaz said, shuffling on his feet. “I have no mind for politics or grand strategy.”

“You've got to think something.” Aharôs said. “After all, you're the only one here who has been there before.”

“That was some time ago, my king... Who knows how much the ponies have changed since then?” He shrugged, and stared at the map. “Black powder is no secret weapon to them. They've fought it before.”

“Do you think they'll be more prepared?”

“All things are possible.”

“At least you're honest about your ignorance.” said Aharôs. “You still can be counted on to tell me the truth. I don't know about any of these other lords... I have no reason to trust them.”

“They answered the call to arms, to fight under Heaven's banner, my king. I think that's reason enough to trust them.” Turaz pointed out.

“So you say.” The King turned back to the map at hand, his hand moving over Highcrest. “And what of Tempest? How do you think this will end for her?”

“Well, I hope. I never thought her life would take her back home, but Queen Tempest seems to be headed that way, better or for worse. It beats living in exile forever, I'd think.” said Turaz. “I do feel guilty for not training Tempest recently, though. We're sending her into battle, out of practice for nearly a whole year! None of us saw any of these recent events coming, but...”

“We're not sending her into battle.” said Sidâl, finally speaking up. “Queen Tempest is neither a soldier nor a monarch at heart. Lady Snowy will guide her rule rightly; the armies of man will fight for her. At least until she has her throne. After that...”

“That's what concerns me.” Aharôs muttered, wringing his hands. “I've lost my own lands and crown, but I would be happy if she could get hers back. And keep them.”

It can't be easy, thought Turaz. For ten years the Blackwinds had lived with them at Nikadîon, an ever-dwindling and impotent following focused on young Tempest. It'd been rather sad, really. Now Aharôs was reduced to that too; a king with only a handful of soldiers at his command, and with his personal relationship to the Emperor as his only claim to relevancy. Just like Tempest and him...

“Well, if Queen Tempest isn't going to be sent into combat... I suppose I do feel better about that. But it seems a shame for all that effort to go to waste.” he said. Aharôs gave him a sharp look.

“Let me tell you about waste, Sir Turaz: I spent half my life subduing one half of my realm, only to have both halves stolen from me as thanks. Any good that comes to Tempest because of us is enough for me. I could die a pauper for all I cared if we can do this. If we fail her, then yes, my life has been a total waste. If we do not fail her...” The King clenched his fist, turning his glare on the center of Equestria.

“I... understand.” Turaz nodded. “I just hope we can get this started soon. Queen Tempest has waited for eleven years now, let's not keep her waiting any longer.”

“My sentiments exactly, good knight.” said Sidâl, smiling.

The next three days saw an excited buzz come over Ar-Athazîon. Everyone knew the armies were departing for foreign lands, and many came to see them off, crowding atop the city wall and roofs alike to watch. The fleet was made of ships from every land, and it showed:

There were the black-sailed galleons from Adûnak; the Lûndôvîn ships with their blue serpents; vessels flying emblems of flowers and tigers and moths and calligraphic seals; carracks and caravels with striped boarding; holks and fluyts sitting low in the water, burdened with supplies. Each and every one flew the black banner of Heaven from the mainmast. Such a great armada had never been seen before; they appeared as if a bare forest had sprouted from the harbor.

“There's so many...” Tempest Blackwind said, upon seeing the fleet when they arrived at the docks. “Does... does that ship have butterflies on its flag?”

“Those are moths, that one is from Bîerlas. I'm surprised they showed up, knowing that King Aharôs is in command.” said Turaz.

“King Aharôs took a good amount of land from them, didn't he?” asked Snowy.

“That he did. Perhaps by fighting a holy war, they think they can regain favor with Heaven?” Turaz shrugged. “I'm not a king, I don't know. Let's get to our ship.” He guided the three-pony Blackwind army to the Lûndôvîn flagship, a tall galleon with its serpents writhing on the unfurling sails. With them came the two prisoners he'd heard about, a pegasus and a unicorn from the abortive Equestrian mission to Sarathûl. Goldbark and Henlock, wasn't it? No one told mere knights about these matters.

“I hate sailing...” Tempest grumbled, going up the gangplank.

“That's all you have to say?” asked Turaz. “You're going home, my Queen!”

“Yeah, but I hate sailing.” said Tempest, her ears dropping back. With that, she went aboard, with Snowy close in tow.

“Going home in a human ship...” one of the pony prisoners said in Equestrian. “That's what I call irony.”

“Yes indeed, it is.” agreed Turaz. The two looked surprised that he knew their language, but he didn't give them time to say anything. “Get up there, we've got a two week's voyage ahead of us, and the tide is going out.”

But Turaz did not get on the Lûndôvîn ship. He was going with Aharôs, aboard one of the Adûnakîm galleons. There was great fanfare as they led the host under the city's sea-gate, and into the open ocean.

And then they were away; the strength of the Empire assembled, aimed, and launched straight at Equestria.

Author's Note

SERIOUS OVERSIGHT: two chapters ago I accidentally wrote that the Golden One had great love for Luna's visitor, when I thought I had written no great love. This is why I need your help to find errors, people. That was an incredibly important distinction.

Anyways, sorry about this fourteen week delay. It happened because reasons. If I was a drinker I'd be a depressive alcoholic; luckily I'm not, but it doesn't stop my hair from falling out each morning anyway. Again, we're lucky, because writing is my escapism and I finally got my disintegrated motivation together to produce this. I chose a hell of a time to go inactive, didn't I? We were about to start the third act... Oy vey, this story is never gonna be finished. But hey, the time between my last update and now is almost exactly the same as between last chapter and this one! Yes, after almost three years of Across the Sea, we've finally made it one year in story time!

Homeward Bound

Tempest

If other circumstances prevailed, Tempest was sure that she'd be astonished. The day had actually come. Everything her followers had told her in her childhood, every promise they made to deliver to her the birthright that was stolen, every vow they had made, it was all going to be fulfilled. Tempest could have been anywhere else in the world and she would have only been amazed.

But she wasn't. She was stuck bedridden on this awful ship, tossing and rolling in the shaking sea. This time, she'd been smart enough not to eat before getting on board. It had been three days since then, and her only meals had been some dry flat-breads. “You're going to starve to death, Tempest.” Snowy scolded, when she came below deck to the cabin the Equestrians had been given.

“I wish...” groaned Tempest, her head spinning as she tried to sit up. “Anything is better than this nightmare.”

“I don't see what the problem is.” said Streaming Breeze. “We haven't even seen so much as a squall. Is it really that bad?”

“Don't antagonize the Queen.” Snowy said, frowning at the other mare.

There were some nights, or days, she couldn't tell below deck, when Tempest managed to clear her mind enough to dwell on her rapidly-approaching fate. Then the nausea returned, just as bad as ever. Everything's gone so wrong already; how will this? The horrendous mess of Tempest Blackwind's life continues...

Maybe the Swiftrains would send assassins. Maybe she'd be shot through the heart days after landing. Maybe she'd get consumption and die after weeks of further agony. Maybe the humans, her own supposed allies, would turn on her when they realized just how incompetent and useless she really was.

“Do you think they'd do that, Snowy?” asked Tempest, retreating under her blanket. “Would they get rid of me if I'm incompetent? Because I'm going to be.”

“Aharôs wouldn't let them. And I wouldn't call you incompetent.” said Snowy. She'd stayed close to Tempest the entire voyage so far, never going very far for long. At least she wasn't lonely down here... Snowy went on: “You were supposed to be a fighter, but things haven't gone exactly as planned.”

“That's a bit of an understatement.” Tempest grumbled, laying a foreleg across her eyes to shield against the harsh glare of Snowy's lantern. “If I'm a warrior that can't fight a war, then I'm worth nothing.”

“Warriors don't always make good queens, you know.” Snowy said softly. “Maybe it's time to stop thinking of yourself as one.”

“Yeah, maybe...” sighed Tempest. “But then what am I?”

At that, Snowy tried to smile brightly. “We'll just have to find out, I guess.” she said. “You should try and relax, Tempest. I'll be right beside you, with Streaming too. Above all else, you can count on us!”

You'd think that... Tempest knew she should. After all they'd been through, if there were two ponies in the world she could trust unconditionally, it was Snowy and Streaming Breeze. But the worms of worry continued to gnaw away at her. She rolled over in bed, looking at the wall and trying to ignore the swaying of the ship. “I want to think it's all going to turn out well, but I know it won't.” said she.

“It's because everything that's happened in the last year, isn't it?” Snowy asked.

“Yeah, just a little.” said Tempest.

“You'd be right to think things haven't gone as planned, lately. But we've had some luck along the way too. Like that knight and his daughter we met in Jutan, who let us stay in their home. Or how Streaming Breeze survived the usurping in Vatherîon. Or even the luck we had by falling in with Aharôs in the first place, who refused to sell you to the alicorns no matter how much they offered.”

“I... I guess.” To be truthful, Snowy had a point. Men of Aharôs's integrity were not common, and just about any other would have sent her right back to Equestria, instead of doggedly trying to fulfill his vow to a dead mare's worthless daughter. “But everything's gone wrong. Aharôs was supposed to be the king of his people, and it was supposed to be him who helped me take back my land. Instead we're both exiles, and we've got this King Fâôs and his army leading this whole adventure. Don't you have a bad feeling about this, Snowy?”

Snowy just smiled again. “I told you, Tempest, don't worry! If the Emperor didn't want you in power, then why would he bother educating me to help you stay in power? Everything will be fine, and if it's not, I'll be there to help.”

“I hope so.” Tempest said, before realizing how that sounded. “I mean, I know you're with me. I just hope everything will be fine.”

It was another week of suffering before the sickness began to pass, and Tempest started to find her sea-legs, as the sailors called it. She crawled out of bed and made it beyond the cabin door for once, and slowly walked up the stairs and onto the galleon's deck. A few lanterns burned on the aftcastle, but otherwise, all was dark. The cool and fresh night air was a blessing upon her; Tempest sighed in relief. The rocking of the ship still made her queasy, but it wasn't quite as bad as before.

Looking to what she could only assume was the west, Tempest could see dots of firelight and dark shapes on a dark horizon; the rest of the fleet following behind. The sky of stars above was revealed in full, not a wisp of cloud was to be seen. For a moment, she felt very small below that vast and glittering field. Tempest stared up, her wings twitching in case she suddenly fell off the world and into the endless night. She almost wished she would. That'd be the easy way, wouldn't it? Just float into the silence and leave this all behind... But her hooves remained on the deck.

During the day, Tempest retreated back to her cabin. No one bothered her in there; Snowy was often with her, but Snowy didn't count as bothersome. Now that Tempest wasn't dying of ship-related issues, Snowy could finally tell her all about what she and the Emperor had been up to since last month.

“You wouldn't believe the things I've learned.” said Snowy. “That Îrilôs is more crafty than we could have thought...”

“Really?” Tempest asked, raising one eyebrow. “I had no idea Îrilôs could be cunning.”

“At least you've got your humor back.” grumbled Snowy. “As I was saying, he's crafty. The right words, to the right people... Anything is possible. What matters is learning who those people are, and what they want to hear.”

“That sounds good, but do you actually know how to do that?” asked Tempest.

“I have a good idea. I won't lie to you, Tempest, we're heading to a dangerous place. And I'm rather afraid-”

“You're afraid? Do you have any idea of what these last few months have been like for me?”

Snowy put a consoling hoof on her shoulder, and kept talking. “-but, it doesn't have to be like that for long. The waters of governing are treacherous, but they are not beyond navigating.” She even sounds like Îrilôs, Tempest thought. “What you- what we need to do is keep the ladies and lords fighting each other, while we consolidate our power. That's the first order of business.”

“And how do we do that?”

“With a lot of false promises, I suppose.” Snowy shrugged. “I don't like lying, but when the choice is between lying for your sake and being honest with traitors who support an usurper, I'd rather lie.”

“You sound more invested in this than I am.” said Tempest. “What exactly did Îrilôs teach you?”

“It's not that. It's...” Snowy frowned, and looked away for a moment, ears drooping. Then she raised he head again, with a determination that Tempest had seldom seen before. “Our whole lives have been building up to this moment, Tempest. Whether we like it or not, this is our fate. You're the only friend I've ever had, and I'm not going to lose you to that band of traitors and brigands in Highcrest. We've come too far together to have it end like that. Anyone who opposes us will be...” Her expression softened, and Snowy looked at the ceiling in thought. “Will be... put in the dungeon for a while, I suppose.”

Tempest laughed. The more things change, the more they stay the same...

“What's so funny?” asked Snowy.

“Nothing. That was just a very Snowy-ish thing to say, that's all.”

At last, the day came when they sighted land on the horizon. It was almost a relief for Tempest, she'd finally be off this damned ship and back onto solid ground. Slowly, Equestria crept up into view, as a stretch of sandy beach.

“That's it?” Tempest asked, looking through a spyglass held by Streaming.

“That's it.” said Streaming.

“It's just an ordinary beach. I remember Highcrest having hills and cliffs right up to the coast.” Tempest said.

“That's why we're not landing in Highcrest, my Queen.” Streaming sighed. “Cape Coldweather is a few dozen miles north, but the only harbors up there are no doubt defended. It's easier just to unload here with no rocks or reefs to worry about.”

“I suppose that makes sense.” said Tempest. Far to the north there was a faint headland, but she saw nothing but hazy sky in the south, as the beach disappeared over the curve of the world.

All up and down the coast, the Imperial fleet was arriving and dropping anchor, some had arrived already and had been waiting, others would still be a few days in coming: galleons, carracks, caravels, holks and fluyts, and even a few towed cogs that had been dragged out of who knew where. Each one flew the Banner of Heaven; and all the human soldiers wore a form of it. Some had sewn a black patch with the star on their cloaks, others wore it as a covering over their armor, some had painted their breastplates with it, and a few bold men of fashion had wrapped bands of black cloth around their helmets.

King Fâôs made an appearance before the disembarkment began. “Well, Queen Tempest, we made it!” he announced, strolling up to the three pegasi. How such a large man seemed to ignore the swaying and tossing of the ship, Tempest would never know. Then he pointed to a galleon with black sails, several hundred yards away. “It seems your friend was already here. That's not surprising, the Adûnakîm are known to be fast. I've heard they do something to the hulls of their ships that keeps worms and barnacles off them.”

“I'm sure.” Tempest said, having no idea what the man was talking about. “Has anyone landed yet?”

“Not that I know of. The captains were instructed not to make landfall until we arrived. I figure that was Aharôs at work.” said Fâôs. “I'm sure you three can just fly over there; I'll have my men put those two prisoners on one of the supply boats later today.”

“Yes, that will do.” Tempest nodded. She tied to think of something to say that would make the King go away. “Uh... Thanks for the ride over here.”

“Playing your part will be thanks enough. Welcome home, Queen Tempest!” Fâôs gave her a polite nod, and returned to his people.

“Playing our part?” Snowy echoed, tilting her head.

“I guess some people think we're their puppets.” Streaming Breeze snorted at the notion.

“We kind of are.” said Tempest. “I mean, there's three of us, and thirty thousand of them...”

“For now.” Streaming tapped her hooves on the deck. “But we can deal with that later. I'd very much like to walk in my homeland again, Queen Tempest. If we could get going...”

“Of course.” Tempest obliged. “Let's go.”

And just like that, the three made the short flight from the galleon to the shores of Highcrest. Tempest set down with a light puff of sand beneath her hooves. The sheer solidity of land, and the joy she felt to be back on it, overwhelmed anything else in her mind. Tempest sighed in joyous relief, sinking her hooves into the warm grains. “I never knew how much I liked sand until now.”

“Of all the things to say, you say that?” Streaming Breeze gave her an incredulous look. “This is a historic moment, my Queen! We have witnessed the return of the house of Blackwind, a moment for historians and chroniclers to remember through the ages!”

“I don't think I'll be making any history books, Streaming.”

“Nonsense, my Queen. The house of Blackwind is a noble and proud lineage-”

“The house of Blackwind is one clueless mare and her two foolish friends.” said Tempest.

Streaming looked shocked, like she'd been hit in the face with a pan. “I- I'm your friend?” she stammered after a moment of silence, her eyes wide.

“That makes two of us, now!” said Snowy, snickering lightly. Streaming just grovelled in the sand.

“This is an honor beyond-”

“It's really not.” Tempest stopped her before she went any further. “I know how loyal you were to my mother, and why. Maelstrom was a natural leader, you said it yourself. But I'm not. I'm not her, and I can't be her. Anyone who's with me usually ends up the worse for it, just look at what happened to poor Aharôs. There's no honor to be had here.”

“You won't get rid of me that easily, Queen Tempest.” said Streaming, ears going flat. “I've served your family for over twenty years, I'm not giving up on you.”

“See, Tempest?” Snowy piped up. “There's no reason to be hopeless, you have us at your back, and we're with you till the end.”

“If you say so...”

The day passed on; the three pegasi sat on top of a dune and watched the armies of Sarathûl slowly seep onto the shores of their homeland. Tempest was sure that Aharôs had landed at some point, but if he had, he hadn't shown himself yet. After a few hours, Hemlock and Goldleaf were brought to them in chains by the Lûndôvîn men.

“...never thought I'd be so happy to set hoof on land...” the unicorn was muttering. His pegasus companion had gone silent the moment she saw Snowy. The two sisters stared at each other for a moment, before Snowy silently moved to sit on the other side of Tempest. Though the two had been exposed to other's presence for a few months now, but still neither was comfortable around the other.

“Eventually, these two will have to start talking to each other.” Streaming said, loud enough for both to hear.

“I wouldn't force it.” the unicorn remarked.

“Quiet, commoner, no one asked you.” snapped Streaming, despite being a commoner herself. This was the first time they'd ever been near the prisoners outside of their cell. By sunset, the entire beach was covered in tents and fires, for miles up and down the shore.

“I wonder if there's ever been so many people in one place at once?” Tempest asked to herself. No one else seemed to know the answer. But it was clear that thirty-two thousand was a big number.

When nightfall came, Aharôs finally showed himself. “Are there five of you now?” he questioned, giving a cool look at the prisoners.

“They dumped these two with us, my King.” Streaming Breeze reported, bowing. “These traitors are not a part of our force.”

“Apparently they are, given that they'll be traveling with you for the moment.” Aharôs turned to Hemlock and Goldleaf, and glowered down at them. “You are to be our guide in this country.”

“And why would I do that?” Hemlock asked, glaring back up at the exiled King.

Aharôs stated calmly: “Because if you do not, I'll kill the unicorn.”

Hemlock didn't respond, but she glared even harder at Aharôs. He's a cold man when he wants to be, that's for sure, thought Tempest, not sure how she should feel. This was the same man who'd taken her in and protected her, and tried his best to make sure she had a good life. And this was the same man who'd burnt down a city and executed dozens with his own hand. She'd often wondered lately how she could reconcile the “Butcher of Verâd” with the kind man who once read aloud to her when she was young.

“You look thoughtful.” Aharôs suddenly said. Snowy looked like she was about to say something, but Tempest went ahead:

“I- uh- it's nothing. I'm just thinking.”

“Clearly.” The dryness in his tone almost made Tempest think he'd gained some sense of humor.“Well, we finally made it, Tempest.”

“Yes, here we are.” she agreed.

Aharôs nodded to himself. “Are you ready?”

“No.”

“Then we'll talk later.” With that, the King departed back to the human camp.

“He's a man of few words.” said Streaming, before turning to Tempest. “Not that you talk much either, my Queen. You two certainly have your similarities.”

We certainly do, Tempest thought. Later in the night, the ponies too retired. The prisoners were not kept in any cage, but merely in a tent under guard. Snowy and Streaming got their own tents as well; it took a grand total of ten minutes for Snowy to appear in Tempest's tent.

“I knew you'd turn up.” Tempest said, without even looking away from brushing the sand out of her hooves.

“It wouldn't be right to end the day without coming to talk to you.”

“That has been our thing for the past year, hasn't it?”

“Hah!” laughed Snowy. “Well, there's not much else to do when we're on the move.” she said, sitting down in the one chair the tent had. “Aharôs was right, you know. You did look awfully thoughtful earlier.”

“Oh, that... I was thinking, like I said. About Aharôs. Which is why I didn't tell him.” she said.

“Were you pondering the duality of mankind, perhaps?” Snowy asked, smirking.

Tempest frowned. Duality of mankind? she wondered. It must have been some smart-person thing beyond her understanding. “I was thinking about how Aharôs can be so... cruel. You weren't there for this, but at Seshîlîon, he just shot captured Verâdîm count in the head. He didn't even give him a chance to say his last words or anything. And you saw what he did at Rôstôs, razing the entire city with the people still inside.”

A grim look came over Snowy's face at the mention of that evening. “I prefer to remember the next day when you were angry at me for no clear reason. It's less unsettling.”

“What? I don't even remember- never mind, that was nearly a year ago, anyway. What I'm trying to say is... How could he do all the things he's done?” Tempest looked at her chest of meager belongings, thinking of the book on Equestrian beekeeping Aharôs had given her a few months ago. “He's not a bad person, Snowy. Is he?”

For a few quiet moments, Snowy just looked at her with lowered ears. “I don't know, Tempest. Even the worst of men might still love their children. Good deeds do not wash out the bad any more than the bad deeds wash out the good. Life is rarely as clear-cut as we'd like it to be. I know Aharôs is the closest thing to a father you have, and I don't want to take that away, but... I can't tell you what you want to hear.” Then, Snowy offered her a hopeful smile. “Although, if you know that some of what he's done is wrong, and are worried about following his path, I don't think you have much to worry about at all. Which is pretty much what I've been telling you this whole time.”

“I understand.” said Tempest.

“Are you just saying that so I'll stop talking about this?” asked Snowy.

Tempest didn't answer. She really is too smart, sometimes.

“Tempest, I'm going to tell you a secret, one I was explicitly instructed not to tell you.”

“What?”

Snowy hopped down off the chair, and moved over to sit by her. She spoke quietly. “Emperor Îrilôs has no faith in Aharôs's continued usefulness. You are useful to him, and the only reason Aharôs hasn't been gotten rid of is because of your bond with him. The Emperor doesn't want to offend you by disposing of your adopted father. And that is what Aharôs is to you, don't deny it.”

“I know. I've accepted that for a while, now.” Tempest said. The news that Îrilôs wasn't the friend he seemed to be came as no surprise. She'd never trusted him wholly. “By dispose, do you mean..?”

“It would be good for Imperial relations with Athair and King Reshîv if Aharôs was eliminated.” Snowy scowled. “I don't have the same love for Aharôs that you do; but I wouldn't wish death on him. Once the dust settles on this business in Equestria, and the Emperor has what he wants...”

“...They're going to kill him, aren't they.” Tempest finished.

“Yes. They will try, and they will most likely succeed.”

“We need to tell-”

“I already told Aharôs. He said he knew of it, and he was the one who ordered me not to tell you.” What? Why? Tempest wondered, confused. Snowy must have seen her conflict before she could even speak, because she went on: “I don't know how much time you have left with him; it could be a few months, it could be the rest of his life. But cherish what good he's left you with, and if you ever worry about repeating his mistakes, just remember that you know those were mistakes. Aharôs has done the best he can for you, as flawed as he is. That's more than I could say of my own father.”

“You've never talked about him before...” said Tempest, immediately growing cautious. Snowy didn't normally bring her past up.

“No, I haven't.” agreed Snowy.

“Do you want to..?”

For a bit, Snowy was silent, deep in thought. “I think I do.” she finally said. “I'm not going to let fear and pain rule my life. That is not the way the Heavenly Lord would have us live.”

I wish I had your bravery, Snowy, Tempest thought. A year ago she wouldn’t have guessed she'd ever think such a thing. “Who was your father?” she asked.

“His name was Basalt, like the rock. That was the color of his coat... But I only got the blue in my mane from him. He was the only child of a local noble family, as far as I learned. Grandmother Farpeak decided that he was to marry my mother, so that when she died our house would have even more power in our fief. It was all very political and very typical for a pegasus realm.” said Snowy, as if she were reciting from a book. “Grandmother Farpeak did die not long after their marriage, and Silver became the lady of the house. I suppose in most arranged marriages the couple must learn to love each other, or at least get along, but...”

“But this is Silver Farpeak we're talking about.” Tempest said.

“Yes, it is.” Snowy sneered at the name for a moment. “If anyone knew what she was before then, they never said. I don't think my father knew until after I was born. Not that it would have mattered, he was doomed to be at Silver's mercy from the very start. He wasn't a strong stallion, there wasn't a mean bone in his body. He liked reading and writing and music before he was made to marry my mother, from what I heard. My mother hated all these things. She hated him, she called him a weakling and a coward, and if he ever disobeyed her...” Tempest didn't need to hear more to understand the implication. “I never saw him smile, not once in the eight years I lived with them. It was like he had died, but just didn't know it yet. The one time I remember he tried to protect me, he nearly died for it. There was a lot of screaming about how Silver would never let me be anything like him. After that, he'd just see what my mother did to us, and turn away before she got it in her mind he needed to be taught a lesson too.”

Tempest felt her ears fall back. “That's... awful.” What else could she say to that?

“I used to hate him for leaving us to that monster. How he'd just pretend nothing was happening, how...” Snowy trailed off, and looked at the ground; her eyes glistening and voice trembling. “When we first came to Sarathûl, Aharôs took you into the citadel and threatened to kill any one of the Blackwind army that even thought about selling you back to the alicorns. That some human would take you in and keep you safe, when my own father was too weak and impotent to protect his own child..! I hated him even more, for a long time.”

Snowy breathed out, closing her eyes. When she spoke again, she sounded calmer. “After I came to the Faith, I was challenged to forgive those who wronged me. Hatred is not a part of the Heavenly Path; hatred only corrupts and destroys. It is written that the truest victory in this world is won in our hearts... It has not been an easy victory to win for me. I've come to pity my father; that he could be reduced to such a broken and weary creature is a horrible fate for anyone.”

Really, what do I say to that? Tempest asked herself. “I...” she paused, trying to choose her words carefully. “I'm really sorry that you had to go through all that.”

“It's over and done with, now.” said Snowy. “But it still helps to talk about it.”

“That's good.” Tempest twitched her tail, desperately trying to think of something to say that wasn't foolish.

“I had another reason for bringing this up, though.” Snowy went on, looking her in the eyes. “You're not cold-hearted like Aharôs, and you certainly aren't wholly heartless like my mother. I don't think you have it in you to do any of the things they've done.”

“Yes... Aharôs said something similar, months ago. I hope you're both right.”

Snowy smiled, and draped a wing over her. “Of course I'm right. I know you better than you know yourself.”

“Sure you do.” grumbled Tempest, trying to wriggle away. Something occurred to her, then. “You know, while we're on this subject... how does Hemlock fit into all this? You say you stopped hating your father, but what about your sister? From what she told me, it sounds like she was just as helpless as he was.”

“Yes, that's how she'd tell it.” Snowy sighed. She pulled Tempest closer again, foiling her escape attempt. “My father was not guiltless, but he never helped my mother either.”

“What was Hemlock supposed to do?” asked Tempest.

“I don't know.” said Snowy, her gaze returning to the ground. “My hate for them was like an ember of a fire that never went out. Seeing Hemlock again last year just made it stronger. But then you talked to me, about how she was sorry for what she did, and how she really didn't have a choice...” Snowy shook her head. “I made a vow that what happened then would not haunt me for the rest of my life. It seemed easy enough at the time...”

“Saying you'll forgive someone is pretty different from actually doing it.”

“Exactly, Tempest. It was easiest for my father. Hemlock... I think I might be able to put those feelings to rest. It's just- I mean, every time I'm near her, that fire comes back. All I can think of is-” Snowy stopped herself before she went further. “I want to leave the past behind with her, but...”

“And what about Silver?” asked Tempest. This was the most talkative Snowy had ever been about this, it might be her only chance to learn where she stood on these things.

Snowy grimaced. “I don't think she's capable of remorse. Can you forgive someone like that?”

“I... I don't know.”

“I don't know either, Tempest.” Snowy sighed again, before sitting up straighter. “But it's not all gloom.”

“It's not?”

“My mother wanted me to be strong and fearless, so that I could continue her legacy. By her measure, I'm neither.”

“By many people's measures.” Tempest added, thinking of Coldstar and the other Blackwind soldiers.

“I won't say I'm not afraid, because I still am, even when I try not to be. But there's another kind of strength, one my mother could never understand.” Snowy's ears rose again, and she looked brighter.

“Well, what is it?” asked Tempest.

“I'll let you think on it.” said Snowy, smiling slyly. “But we should get to sleep now, it's getting late and we have a lot to do in the next few weeks.”

At least she's feeling well enough to tease me after that, Tempest thought as she narrowed her eyes. “Alright, go to bed Snowy, flaunt your vast intelligence some other time.”

“Sleep well!” she said, leaving for her own tent.

When she was gone, Tempest exhaled. Everything had gone far better than she thought it would after Snowy mentioned her father. The only times she'd ever come near the subject of her life in Equestria before her capture, it had ended in tears and gone little farther. She really has changed, thought Tempest. What would she do without Snowy? In their youth, she'd been Tempest's timid and stammering friend, hiding behind her whenever someone got near. Now she seemed more wise and more courageous than anyone else Tempest knew. How did she do it?

The question lingered until she fell asleep.

It took three days for the human army to disembark and assemble. Then, they marched north, into the realm of Highcrest. Battle came not long after.

Author's Note

Wow, only four weeks to get you guys a new chapter. Better than 16 huh?

But hey, at least we get more Snowy character development. I wonder what her secret to success is?

To Arms in Equestria

Luna

“We have heard of the humans' landing.” Luna said, in one of her visits to Goldleaf and Hemlock via the dreamworld.

“Yes, we're here.” Hemlock said. They were sitting on top of a sand dune, looking down at a beach filled with blurry and ghostly shapes. “We've been here for a few days.”

“That explains the camp.” said Luna.

“How so, princess?” Goldleaf asked.

“Things in the waking world tend to become imprinted on the dreamworld with time. If something stays in one spot long enough, it becomes a part of this place.” she explained.

“You've been doing your studying with Lord Aegis.” Hemlock said.

Not with Aegis... She felt a twinge of guilt at that. Everything Luna had learned of late had come from her mysterious new friend. He knew so much, and seemed to trust her with so much more than Aegis did. And if he had been a close friend of her father, then who was she to reject his help? If Aegis wanted to mistrust her, he could. She wouldn't need him before long.

“We have learnt much of late.” Luna said. “But war is upon us. That must be Our focus now.”

“It's going to be a disaster.” sighed Goldleaf. “You haven't seen the army here, Princess. You don't stand a chance.”

“Nevertheless, it is Our duty to stand with Our sister. We do not like this anymore than you, but We cannot betray Celestia.”

“We wouldn't ask you to.” Hemlock looked down at the spectral camp again, twitching her ears. “Though if you suddenly found a way to make peace, it'd be for the best...”

That it would. Later in the evening, Luna met with her friend again. He appeared as usual, a little nightjar perched somewhere at eye level. “War is afoot in your lands?”

“Have you been following me?” asked Luna.

“I have ears in many places, my child.” He could have been laughing for all she knew, but birds didn't laugh, even when they spoke. At least, this one didn't. “I have faith that I don't need to follow you around and keep you out of trouble, unlike someone else. Speaking of him...”

“Aegis suspects nothing, as far as I see.” Luna said. “I don't like going behind his back, though.”

“Nothing we are doing is wrong.” the nightjar assured her. “The Golden One's heart is in the right place, but he will be reluctant to let you stand on your own.”

“Aegis is rather protective...” sighed Luna. “But I don't have time to worry about that now. There's a battle coming. Celly is marching the army to the coast to meet the humans.”

“Bold... but foolish.” said the nightjar. “Your mother would have never been so rash. She knew how to fight a war.”

“Of course she did, she spent decades rooting Discord out.”

“Celestia giving them a pitched battle is exactly what they want. Have you considered letting her go ahead, and suffer the consequences? Sometimes, a hard-learned lesson-”

“I'm not going to let hundreds of lives go to waste.” snapped Luna. “No lesson is worth that blood.”

“Do the lives of the few outweigh the lives of the many?” asked the nightjar.

That gave her pause. “Some would argue,” Luna said slowly, “that it is better for the few to die sooner so that the many might live later.”

“And do you agree?”

“I... I don't know.”

Morning brought the daily council with Celestia and Aegis, and all the other assembled monarchs. The Equestrian army was made mostly of unicorns and pegasi, with reluctant earth pony auxiliaries tagging along. The latter were not included in the council.

“We are only a few days' march out, and that means only a few hours flight out! Let me take a force to strike at them in the night!” urged Silver Farpeak, already half into her armor.

“And give away our approach?” Queen Ember of the unicorns scoffed. “I think not!”

“Let me take two hundred of my warriors, and we'll burn all that black powder of theirs. They'll be helpless without their iron-fire!” Silver said.

“Splitting our forces would be foolish when we have not yet met the foe in battle.” Whiteglen of Eastmarch spoke calmly. “I'm willing to put aside our rivalry with the unicorns in face of this new threat.”

“Agreed.” Clearspring of Highcrest said. “Stand down, Lady Silver.”

“As you command...” muttered Silver. Luna tried not to smirk.

“Everything will go as We have planned.” Celestia told them. “No heroics, no fooleries. We will meet the invaders as one and crush them against the sea. They will have no choice but to flee back to their ships... if they survive.”

“Your confidence inspires us all.” Queen Ember said.

I wish it were better placed... Luna now tried not to frown.

The march to the coast went on, the foothills of Unicornia giving way to flatter patches of forest and field. What roads there were had been well-kept, and the army's passage was swifter than Luna expected. Lady Silver's scouts had been spying upon the human encampment through the scattered clouds, but they'd found traces of human scouts spying on them as well. Their approach was no secret.

“They're about six miles west, right on the shore.” Lady Silver reported on the third day. “But there's more of them than we thought, each day we count more.”

“How many, exactly?” asked Lord Aegis.

“At least twenty-five thousand.” Silver said.

“Impossible!” Celestia snorted, rolling her eyes. “A fleet that large doesn't exist.”

“Your highness, with all due reverence, you haven't seen their fleet.” There was a grim look about Silver. “I saw the biggest ships I've ever seen, with the biggest red stars on their sails I've ever seen. It's like a forest has sprouted out of the sea, from horizon to horizon. Facing them in the open without weakening them first would be a less than wise idea.”

“We are loath to say this, but We agree with Lady Silver.” said Luna. Those words left a foul taste in her mouth. “If we must attack, we must even the odds.”

“You all forget that we have magic, they do not.” Celestia said. “They are a race weak in spirit, cold and dead on the inside. What can mere numbers do against us?”

“Weak in spirit as they may be, and as confident as I am in our warriors, I do think it might be wise to force them to fight on our terms, at least.” said Aegis.

“And what do you propose?” sighed Celestia, seeming to relent.

Aegis was quiet for a moment, as he studied the map. “Unless they want to walk along the beaches for their entire time here, they will need to move inland. And the best way to do that is to take this village here- Cedarton.” He levitated a marker onto the map, placing it on the town. 4

“What a creative name...” Luna muttered.

“Cedarton is at a junction between the Highcrest road and the Lithton road; wherever they want to go, they'll need to go here first.” said Aegis. “We'll have time to choose our position and hold there, they'll have no choice but to attack.”

“Very well.” Celestia agreed.

“I'll have my pegasi take a look this afternoon.” said Silver. “In fact, I'll go myself. If you want something done right, do it yourself...”

“Do so.” ordered Aegis.

When Silver was gone, Luna had to make a comment. “Despite how horrible she is, at least she has sense for war.”

“At least.” her sister agreed. “I don't like her either, but she's useful.”

It didn't take long for Silver's findings to spread throughout the army. Many of the pegasi, especially Highcrest pegasi, relished the opportunity to win glory against a larger force. It was all the better that the evil bastard daughter of the traitor Maelstrom Blackwind, the much-maligned Tempest, was with these invaders! Some even believed that the notoriously treacherous Hearth Blackwind and the known murderer General Coldstar were with her too. Conflicting tales about the human leader were abundant; some said it was Emperor Katastanîôs, whom Luna knew to be dead; others said it was an icy-hearted king from the north who worshiped demons.

But not all were excited about the looming battle. The unicorn nobility were beginning to mutter, and the earth ponies especially were outright discontent. They wondered why they were going against what seemed like such a superior force. None of them had ever seen unicorns in battle, and none of the unicorns had ever seen pegasi in battle. Luna had seen no battle since the fall of Discord, and she had been just a child then, sent forward with her sister in a desperate last ploy. Which worked magnificently...

Cedarton was barely a village; more a collection of houses surrounded by fields than anything. There were no hills nearby, but there were patches of forest. Aegis and Celestia devised a plan of action: the main force would be positioned directly on and around the road, between two large groves. The unicorns would form the first line, being able to use shields and weapons with no hindrance, while their trained magicians would be behind them. The earth ponies would guard the flanks, while the pegasi attacked from above. The idea was to force the humans to condense their numbers and prevent them from bringing their entire army to bear against them; almost like a bottleneck. Luna doubted that the trees would do anything to protect them, but Aegis was confident their mounted knights wouldn't be able to get through them. They'd be forced to come right down the center, into the line of fire of the unicorns; earth-ripping spells had already been planted in the most likely line of attack.

Luna hoped they wouldn't have her near the battle; it was likely to be gruesome.

The next morning, before sunrise, Lady Silver's scouts brought the news: “The humans have left their camp! They're headed this way!”

“Finally.” Lady Silver growled, already in her armor again. “Princess Celestia, I still think you should have let me make a night attack beforehand.”

“And win without honor against these vermin?” she countered. “No, they will be destroyed cleanly and swiftly. There's no need for such under-hooved tactics.”

“As you command.” sighed Silver.

The Equestrian army deployed, forming up on the chosen field of battle. Celestia rose the sun from the command tent, and they saw the first glints of metal in the distance. Luna shivered, and her stomach fluttered. “It's actually happening.” she said.

“It is.” Aegis nodded.

“There they are.” Celestia pointed down the road. Five columns were advancing, a wall of pikes across the road, from grove to grove. Dull drumbeats echoed in the distance. The Princess turned to her assembled nobles. “Tell your troops this: Equestria expects every soldier to do her utmost. Drive the invaders back to the sea!”

“It shall be done!” Queen Ember answered.

“By your command.” Queen Whiteglen said.

“Death to the foe!” Queen Clearspring boasted.

Luna swallowed nervously, daring to think: We just might be able to win-

Then, they heard a sound never heard before on Equestrian shores: the challenge of a hundred trumpets, clear and sharp, ringing gold in the light of dawn.

Author's Note

I've had this done for a week but forgot to post it. We've finally gotten to what you've all been waiting three years for!