Blanket of White

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14

Chapter 1

Darkness, blackness and nothing but empty spaces within a lonely void are all that accompany me. It feels like a dream that you can never wake up from, and a peace that lasts forever without war. These shadows have become one with me, and I am one with them. However, can I really refer to myself as “I”? If my body is emptiness, non-existent, then I must not exist. I cannot be a mass of thoughts without a body to call home. Something else must be out there beyond these walls of black. Perhaps, something that can induce happiness or delight. Although, do these emotions even exist? So many questions I had never thought of before are caving in, and my need for answers is growing. A change is beginning to take place in this abyss of darkness. It’s becoming . . . cold, but my insides are warm. I can feel my . . . my chest moving up and down as air enters my lungs. I can feel my legs trembling, and my hands clenching into fists. Some sort of force is pulling me down against a hard but smooth surface. A line of something bright slices through the dark and my eyes grab hold of their first wonderful sight. A rigid hole has been cut through the roof of stone above me. Stone is surrounding me in this wide tavern. Through the hole shines a glorious aura of white into my irises, and gently floating down are small bundles of white that land on my cheeks. They feel so cold, but watching them feels warming. I never thought that there was something like this in existence, but . . . I do not remember anything before this. It feels as though I’ve been laying here all this time but never realized. I glide my hands over a smooth and slick cloth over my body being roofed by the continuous white particles falling through the opening in the stone. It appears to be black, and around my arms are sleeves that connect to the torso with cuffs outlined in white. Where did this come from?

Below my torso are my legs also sheeted in the same cloth, and dark pointed shoes that cover my feet tightened by shiny silver buckles. The back of my neck seems to be the warmest as it is covered by a dented and torn collar that hugs it. How could I have attained this apparel? How could something as wonderful as light such as this exist? Nothing but questions are filling my mind at the moment. My ears listen to the sounds of winds forcing their way across and through the hole bringing down a wave of the gorgeous white particles of ice. I had not noticed until now, but how do I understand what all of this is? It’s as though all these answers have already been in my mind hiding themselves, just as I have been hiding myself. Breathing in the chilly air feels so soothing, and watching the light is so pleasuring. What else could be out there? I will never find out unless I force myself to. I curl up my legs and turn my body over face down to the ground, which is sheeted in the bundles of white. I use my hands to press against it and my arms to push myself up, but a sound breaks the silence. A deep cracking sound from underneath my hands along with vibrations that travels through the ground.

I struggle to hold my body in the air, so I lock my knee under me as to keep my position causing even more sounds to erupt. Curiously I wipe away the particles of ice away from the ground and find that it is not composed of stone like the rest of this cave. It is cold and smooth . . . I find that I have been pressing down against a layer of ice. Lifting up my head I notice another opening across the empty cavern. If I can just stand myself up and move I can join that bright white light that seems to be beckoning me towards it. I push myself once again to attempt a standing position, but the ice under my hands bends downward nearly sucking my hand down under it. My fingers meet with a freezing fluid seeping through the indentation. My heart jumps in my chest as I yank my hand away shaking it to toss away the water. If the rest of this ice were to break I just might find my entire body submerged in this deathly freezing pond of water. I must escape, but how will I get myself to stand without breaking the ice? Especially after seeing what just the pressure from my hand could do. The light beyond feels like its extending its hand out to me for assistance, but it is just out of reach.

With my urge to see and have my heart continue to beat I carefully settle my foot onto the ice and begin to gently lift myself up, but sure enough I can feel the ice rupturing beneath me. There is no way I will be able to stand over the ice; I can just imagine it breaking and the cold water freezing my blood. I can see myself sinking down to the bottom unable to find my way back up as the water fills my lungs. I, not wanting to even attempt to move, remain still in the center of the frozen pond. There is nowhere else for me to go. I am stranded on this pond, and I feel any attempt to stand will completely shatter the ice. The wind grows even more violent up above as it whistles throughout the cave. The white wonder from above pelts the top of my head catching itself in my hair. Inside the winds my ears catch another sound. It grows louder and clearer; revealing itself as a voice trying to speak out.

“Do not stand.” It says.

I do not know why, but I feel that this voice has an authority over me; thus I do not move another muscle until I hear the voice say otherwise.

“Now, do not walk, but carefully crawl your way to safety.”

Without any questioning as to who or what this voice is I follow its directions and remain down near the ice. Inch by inch I shuffle my hands and knees along the ice towards the edge. The closer I get the louder and more intense the cracking sounds become.

“Do not worry, you will be fine.” Says the voice. My mind believes I should trust this voice, but that doesn’t stop my body from shaking and my heart racing. My hands finally come into contact with the glorious rigid stone, and with my whole body now safe on the solid ground my heart can finally rest. I begin to feel grateful to the voice, for I would not have believed that crawling along the ice would have kept it stable enough for me to cross. I must use my own voice to express my gratitude, but no matter how hard I try I cannot find it. My throat is not only weak, but my mouth is not capable of forming words for I do not know how.

“Do you know who I am?” The voice asks.

Clueless I stare out to walls of the cave without a sound.

“Do you know where you are?”

All I know is that I am indeed in a cave, but if this place has a particular name then I am not aware of it. I remain silent, waiting for the voice to share with me anything that can maybe help me.

“. . . What is your name?” It asks.

“. . . N . . . N-Name?” I mutter unknowingly.

Speaking feels odd, but at the same time it feels like it is slowly becoming natural to make words. This particular question digs itself into my mind. I for some reason feel I know an answer to this; I just have to burrow in deeper in my thoughts to find it.

“. . . I . . . I’m A-Aireal . . . My n-name is Aireal.”

I didn’t find this answer; it just seemed to flow through my mouth without any prior thought. It felt natural to say that this was my name, and now I feel it must be.

“Perfect.” Says the voice.

“W-What?” I ask curiously.

“Never mind, just do as I say and I will guide you to where you need to be. Do you understand?” I nod my head to show that I do indeed understand.

“Good, then you must press forward.”

“Wait. . . Wh-Who are you?”

“You will find out once we meet, are you sure you do not recognize my voice?”

“N-No.”

“. . . Then now you must go. I will take you to my home. I hope from there things will become clearer to you. You see the exit from this cave ahead of you right? Through there I will tell you the route you must take.”

Still kneeling on the rough stone I make another attempt to stand.

“. . . Will you take a look behind you?” The voice asks.

Obeying his voice I turn my head to the frozen pond. Behind it is an uneven opening leading further into the dark, looking into it causes my body to tremble as I do not want to be back in the dark. That cold and lonely space; never do I want to be surrounded by it again. It feels so relaxing to hear another voice, it assures me that I am definitely not alone in this place. But looking into the dark isn’t that horrific as the light from the hole drags my attention to the particles of ice falling down onto the frozen pond. I also had not noticed, but along the cave walls are transparent clean-cut stones growing from the walls. Looking at them gives me a slightly strange feeling.

“Does that look at all familiar to you?”

Staring at it I desperately try to come up with an answer for this mysterious voice, but I end up with nothing.

“. . .No.”

“Okay, then . . . never mind. Just go on and leave the cave.”

I use the energy that is now flowing to my legs to push myself up until I am standing on the bottom of my shoes. I nearly topple over, but regain my balance in time to fix my position. Now, I just have to walk. I lift my right leg, then my left, and I continue this motion until I find a comfortable rhythm. One of my legs gives out in the middle of my way to the exit, so I stop and fix myself to get back into the rhythm. I can feel the air becoming colder. Wind is blowing towards my body and sneaking its way through the fibers of my clothes and chilling my skin, but the wonderful white light ahead encourages me to keep moving forward. With my first step through the exit my foot falls deep into a white coating along the ground. As far as my eyes can see the land is laced with white. This . . . snow, it’s beautiful. It rests on top of every tree’s branches and pretty much every other surface for that matter. Tall blades of grass try to pierce through the snow but only their tips are visible. Beyond the horizon are enormous mountains and they look as though they were dipped right into the snow. The sky is purely white mixed with gray; the clouds are moving so quickly it is hard to keep track of them. As I bask in the wonder of this landscape my leg starts to freeze. Some of the snow finds its way into my shoe and up into my pant leg.

“Forward, go forward until I say otherwise.”

I sink my other foot into the layer of snow as it immediately starts to freeze along with the other.

Despite the cold it still is amazing to stare at. I push myself through the snow listening to it crunch beneath my feet. Every tree has icicles hanging below each branch reaching down the snow as if wanting to be a part of the splendor. The newly falling snow clusters sneak their way behind the collar of my jacket and down to my skin. My breath clouds and floats through the air like a ghost, but disperses instantly. Occasionally I’ll stumble on something jetting out from the ground under the snow forcing even more of it to find its way into my shoes. The wind begins to blow roughly towards my face as the ice particles feel as though they are cutting into my cheeks. I desperately pull the collar up as high as possible to block some of the wind, but it just finds its way around. The muscles in my arms begin to vibrate violently as well as my chest. I throw my arms around myself to maybe find some warmth. Every breath feels like the icicles are forming right along the walls of my lungs. After so long of walking my ears have begun to lose feeling as well as my cheeks.

“Keep going, you are almost there.” The voice says. “Stop, now you must climb your way up.”

I dreadfully lift my head out from behind the collar to see a rocky hill dead ahead of me. I never noticed it was even coming up for I had been keeping my face down to avoid the wind. There are a few wide openings that I can rest my hands onto to pull myself up. It isn’t like there’s a way around this; it stretches all the way from left to right. I grab hold of the edge as my hand quickly begins to burn from the cold snow. I grab hold with my other hand and try to use the openings below to slide my shoes into. Climbing up the wind blows a huge cloud of snow into my face and down my jacket. My nose is beginning to run, and my hands are turning red, but I must climb up one more ledge. I can’t, I feel the want to just sit and try to warm myself up as much as possible.

“You cannot stop now; if you do you will freeze. Just up that last ledge and you will not be far from my location. . . Please, just push yourself a little bit farther.”

Just a little bit farther he says, and I will have made it to wherever he is guiding me. Soon I will be relieved from this cold. I cannot give up now; I’ve gotten this far I might as well continue. Rubbing my hands together I prepare them for the cold, and I throw them onto the edge and hurriedly try to get my shoes some grip along the rocky wall. Lifting myself up I find my face becoming buried in a thick layer of snow. I dig myself out while trying to brush off the snow, but careful not to have anymore of it fall down into my jacket. Which of course is inevitable since a good majority of it gets stuck in my sleeves and behind my neck. Then out in the distance through the growing increase of snow raining from the darkening clouds lies a small little wooden shack with a yellow glow from behind the windows. Through the roof is a little chimney that spurts out streams of smoke into the air. I shuffle my way through the piling layers of snow, and just before I can lay my hand on the rusty knob of the shack the door flies open and my eyes are met with an animal. It’s like a small horse, except its features and body are quite strange. Its eyes are big and the irises are brown. A short hat with a long pointed brim rests atop his silver mane. The front of his mane is so long that it nearly covers his right eye. He bears a brown slightly tattered jacket with a tall collar, and stained white pants with paint brushes nestled in its pockets. His hind legs have brown shoes, and the cuffs of his sleeves are folded up to reveal his hooves.

“Come in hurry come in!” He urges while grabbing my arms and pulling me inside.

My body is met with instant relief as the little shack is so warm inside. He guides me through a short hall into a bigger room which is cluttered with papers covering every inch of the walls and floor. This place looks not very well kept, but how can I complain? I’m just grateful to be out of that chilling horror. “Here sit, sit.” He leads me to a little fireplace and sets me down near it. I notice as I bathe in the warm waves of heat that there are several painting canvases stacked up near the walls along with a wooden stand for one of them to rest in. The mysterious stallion takes a seat near me and watches me curiously.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Y-You’re that voice—”

“Yes, yes that we know; but do you remember me?”

“I . . . No I-I don’t.”

“My name is Valiari. Does that spark a memory in you?”

“I’ve never heard of. . . W-What do you want from me?” I ask nervously.

“I don’t want you to be nervous-l-look around you. Does any of this look familiar to you?”

I truly try my hardest to maybe remember something, but still I come up with nothing.

“. . . No.” I say.

The stallion stands and paces around the room with his hoof on his forehead mumbling inaudibly to himself. I feel I’m causing him irritation, and I do want to help him, but I really don’t know the answers to any of his questions. Perhaps he has me mistaken for someone else. His pacing continues anxiously as he now taps the tip of his hoof under his chin continuing to mutter, until something catches his eye beyond the hall. In a flash he trots over back to the room with something in between his teeth. A bag, it brings feelings of confusion to me. He takes his seat next to me again and reaches his hoof into the slightly worn and stained white bag.

“Now, I want you to look carefully at the item I’m about to show you. And I want you to tell me if you feel anything at all.”

He pulls out a clean wide-brimmed violet hat. It is tall and pointed at the top with decorations of yellow and light blue stars, dots and sparkles all around. I feel the need to say “no” yet again, but there’s something about it that seems peculiar. I reach out it and the stallion sets it in the palms of my hands. The fabric feels smooth to the touch, and also it feels . . . like I know what this is. I can feel myself struggling in my thoughts to figure out exactly where I may have seen this before. As if something in the back of my mind is trying to find its way out. My heart unknowingly starts to pick up its beat, and my breathing becomes unsteady. I can see something, an image, flashing on and off inside my mind.

“. . . Well? Anything?” He asks.

“I. . . I know this. This . . . belonged to someone I-I knew.”

“Yes, go on.” He says eagerly.

“And. . . we . . . I-I can’t-I can’t remember.” Valiari lets out a sigh of disappointment.

“Well, at least it’s a start. . .”

“. . . Trixie.” I mumble under my breath as my eyes have now become seemingly hypnotized by the violet hat.

“What? What was that? What did you just say?!” Valiari asks loudly and excitedly.

“Uh I-I—”

“Trixie? Is that what you said?!”

“Yes b-b-but I-I don’t know why I-just. . .” I can't help from slurring and stuttering my words out of anxiety and his pressuring me for answers. I don’t understand, why would that just slip out of my mouth? That name doesn’t sound familiar at all to me. It almost feels as though I myself didn’t even say the name. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t know why I—”

“No, no, no don’t be sorry! This is good we’re making progress!” He says with a newfound smile on his face and hooves grasping my shoulders. “Do you feel like there’s something in the back of your mind, but you just don’t understand what it is? Something that is trying to desperately find its way out?”

“. . . How do you know that?”

“That doesn’t matter, but what does matter is getting you to see what has been trying to show itself! You need to let it free, and if that was able to spark that much inside of your mind then showing you more should do the trick! Come on, we’re going to take a little trip!” The stallion flips through the stacked canvases and pulls one out from the group. He places it on the wooden stand and pulls out one of the paintbrushes from his pocket.

“. . . Where are we going?” I ask.

“To find your memories.”

Chapter 2

Valiari grips the paintbrush tightly in his teeth and dips it into a neighboring paint can. In quick motions he swipes the brush’s bristles across the canvas piecing together a winter landscape with a frozen waterfall being the main emphasis. He fills the entire canvas flawlessly without a second to pause and take a breath. I’m not sure but I think my jaw is hanging open as I watch him compose this instant masterpiece. After placing the final strikes of paint along the paper he steps aside waiting for some sort of response from me, but I do not know what to say. I cannot shape the words to describe my amazement. I mutter stumbling over what I think are words as the stallion smirks with the brush still in his mouth.

“That isn’t all. Watch.” He says.

Just as I believe that his incredible painting skills are all that my eyes need to absorb something happens to the painting. My eyes are presented with the unbelievable sight of bundles of snowflakes falling from the top of the canvas down to the foreground. The room suddenly drops in temperature and a chilling breeze blows against my face and the long pointed brim of the stallion’s hat. The both of us try to hide our faces behind the collars of our clothing but that is not enough. I can feel the snowflakes flying through the painting and onto my cheeks. The canvas looks like an open window leading out to the frozen landscape.

“Well? What are we waiting for? Let’s get going!” He shouts over the strengthening winds excitedly.

The stallion walks over to the painting, and I feel the need to hit myself in the head after what happens next, but he reaches into the painting with his hoof as it is enveloped by the canvas. His whole body passes through the paper leaving me befuddled. Not a single trace of him is left behind. I feel too afraid to follow; my legs might as well be glued onto the wood. The stallion’s head pokes out through the canvas as he beckons me to follow.

“Come on! This spell will not last for very long! There’s nothing to be afraid of! It’s perfectly safe!” He says while holding his hoof out to me.

Without the feeling of having any other choice I stand and force myself to walk towards him and his canvas fighting against the winds.

“. . . Don’t you trust me?” He asks.

I do not know why, but I can feel this trust for him building inside me. It’s confusing, for it doesn’t seem to be building, but instead has been there all along. I take hold of his hoof and he pulls me into the canvas. My body is entirely enveloped and for a split second everything flashes to white. I find myself plunging into a thick layer of snow as it quickly finds its way into my sleeves and smothering the back of my neck. I press my hands against the snow until I stand back up while brushing the rest of it off of my clothes.

“Well, here we are.” He says taking a deep breath.

This place is exactly as his painting depicted. Before us is a tall waterfall frozen in time. The formation of the water looks so astounding, but I wonder what it looked like when it was flowing. Icicles hang from the branches of every tree and cliff around the waterfall. We stand near a wide river sheeted in ice and snow. As I grip my hands around my arms I simply continue to take a look around this gorgeous yet freezing place. Why must something as beautiful as this be kept in the cold where no one would surely want to venture out in? It must be a lonely place out here, but not as lonely as . . . well, the place I choose not to remember. The dark, the cold and lonely dark oh how I hope it can soon be subsided from my thoughts.

“Do you know what happened here?” He asks, and I shake my head in response.

“Well, maybe if I show you what we came here for you’ll remember then. Come.”

He guides me through the piling snow as the wind begins to whistle through the air creating such strange sounds. Soon I realize that these sounds are not just natural shrills of the air, but they are forming a voice. I stop and freeze focusing only on the sounds. The voice becomes even clearer as it echoes through the wind.

“Hey! You there!” An angry muffled voice yells. My body jolts in shock and a gasp of cold air races into my lungs. I cannot tell where the voice had come from, but it seemed to have been all around me. The stallion stops and turns back to me.

“What’s the matter? Are you okay?” He asks.

“Be gone with you! Go on scram!” The voice shouts.

“Hey, are you feeling okay? You look a bit shaken up.” He asks.

“Just what exactly are you supposed to be? Hmmm . . . Strange, but go on get! Shew will you!” The voice shouts.

Out of fear I cringe and crouch down trying to hide myself from the voice. I cover my ears to try and keep it out, but I can still hear the echoes of the words in my mind.

“Aireal! What’s wrong?!” The stallion trots over and moves my hands away from my ears. “Are you alright? What’s going on?”

“N-Nothing.” I mutter while shaking my head.

“. . . Okay, then let’s keep going. . . And you’re sure you’re alright?” He asks, and I give him a short nod.

“Alright . . . come on. We’re almost there.” He says with a suspicious look on his face.

I cautiously begin to stand back up glancing all around expecting the voice to shout at me once more, but thankfully the wind stays silent. We trail through the snow until I can see some strangely shaped objects in the distance. I can’t quite tell what it is until we get closer. It appears to be large broken pieces of wood scattered all along the lake with some pieces actually frozen inside protruding through the ice. But we don’t stop there; he guides me a bit further to a much more intact object composed of wood.

“This is the only remains of it. I do not know where the other half maybe.” He says.

It is a broken half of some sort of large vehicle. The wheels below it are slanted and the spokes are cracked. Shards of the wood are scattered all around the snow. I do not know why but something about this object feels . . . eerie. A part of me even feels afraid, so without the want to take another step forward I turn back to the stallion worriedly.

“Well? Go on. Take a closer look.” He says.

Step after step the vibes this object gives off intensify the closer I come. On one of the walls snow has piled heavily against it covering nearly the entire surface, but something peaks out from the edge of the snowy layer. It looks like the letter ‘D’ so I use the sleeve of my jacket to wipe away the snow and reveal the word ‘Amazed’. Their must be more underneath, perhaps a complete sentence. So I wipe away even more of the snow until the words ‘Witness the Wonder and be Amazed by the Great and Powerful’ are now totally visible, but it ends very abruptly. Surely their must be another word to end it. With one more smear of the snow the last word is revealed, ‘Trixie’. It’s the name I unknowingly muttered when I held this violet hat that I am still clutching in my hand. Just staring at the name nearly stops my heart. What could this mean? What connection do I have with this name and why is this strange stallion showing me this? Perhaps a look around the object could show me more. Around the back end of this broken vehicle is a busted open door. Even though on the inside it appears empty I feel there is something in there . . . waiting for me.

“Come now, this way. Get inside before you freeze out here.” Says the voice from before, but this time it has become soothing and gentle. Strangely I do not question the voice, but instead I almost naturally go ahead and climb through the cracked doorway.

It feels like stepping into a whole other world once my whole body is now under the wooden roof. Nearly everything is sheeted in snow, but there are a few items that stick out. The door across the room is hanging off of its hinges and trapped between the snow. In the corner stands a wooden desk with a cracked mirror. Logs of chopped wood are scattered all around the floor and lumped under the snow. Beside the doorway is a stiff sheet of gray cloth jetting out from the surface. I reach down and grip my hand around it lifting it up from the snow. Holding it in my hands gives me a strange feeling of comfort and safety; it feels so familiar.

“There you are . . . here; this should keep you warm . . . Whatever you are.” The voice echoes.

My hands are trembling from the cold of the ice covering the cloth, but I wipe and crinkle the cloth as much as I can to try and bring it back to its original state. I wrap it around my shoulders and cross my hands gripping the edges across my chest. It feels so warm and comfortable that I shut my eyes and take a long breath to enjoy it. This in itself is familiar: the sheet around my shoulders and the protection it gives me from the cold; it is almost horrifying, but so calming at the same time. The air as it enters my lungs with every consecutive breath becomes warmer. The wind steadies down until the air is still and only the sound of it remains behind the walls. My feet are no longer suffering through the snow inside the soles of my shoes. There is no way that the temperature could have changed so suddenly, and with a peek through the crack of my eye lids I am thrown into a moment of shock.

I do not know if it is my imagination playing tricks on me but everything has suddenly become darker. The air is becoming warmer, and the snow cluttered along the inside of this place has disappeared. Everything has somehow fixed itself. The door across from me is now perfectly back in place, the logs that used to be scattered all along the floor are now neatly stacked against the wall and the crack in the mirror is no longer their. Also on the desk is a glass vase with horribly wilting flowers, but oddly enough I can still smell their scent lingering in the room which had never been their before. Through a crack in the wooden wall nearby shines a few rays of Moonlight into the room. It couldn’t possible be nighttime at this moment, but peeking through the crack it might as well be. The Moon is hanging high up in the black starry sky with thick gray clouds accompanying them.

The outside is also no longer covered in snow. All the bushes, trees and flowers are now flourishing and waving with the wind. In disbelief I slowly step back, and in the process I notice that the sheet around me is now somehow completely dry and soft to the touch. I turn back to find that the door that was missing is now shut behind me and the wooden wall is no longer cracked or dented. This cannot be happening, and to assure myself that this is all just some sort of illusion I place the palm of my hand onto the door. Sure enough however, the door is solid. Impossible . . . the door wasn’t here before, and neither was all of this! I can feel myself delving into a panic as I continue to feel around the door to convince myself that it is indeed real. Then, the sound of a match striking erupts behind me and an orange light blankets me showing my silhouette over the door’s surface. I whip my body around and see that a candle has been lit as it rests in a little silver holder on the desktop. Frightfully I throw my back against the door glancing all around the room for a presence, but the only thing with me is the shadows.

“. . . Just what exactly are you anyway?” The voice asks.

With those words a figure comes clearer from behind the shadows. The figure similar to the stallion, but is smaller with a longer mane. I cannot tell much else, but I do not want to move closer to find out as this fear holds me back.

“You most certainly are the strangest thing I have ever come across. . . Can you speak? . . . Do you have a name?” The voice continues to ask.

My body is trembling and for the first time I can feel sweat actually beginning to trickle down the back of my neck as opposed to the frost sheeting it. I keep my mouth shut as I lean back against the doorway to try and keep a distance as large as possible from this silhouette.

“I should have figured. You’re just some animal that cannot speak. I don’t even know why I tried to talk to you.”

The figure turns and dissipates into the shadows. It takes my mind a second to comprehend what it had just experienced, but now coming to the realization that the figure is most definitely gone I cautiously move away from the wall. With my trembling hand I reach out into the darkness and wave it around to be sure there is nothing there, and there is not. I begin to wonder: should I have spoken to it? Should I have told it my name, or at least what I believe it to be? Well, it is too late for that now, but I must see more. My mind craves to know more and this place holds something for me; I can feel it.

I grip my fingers around the handle of the door ahead and push it open revealing a very large dark room. Perhaps I can use the candle to light my way, so I reach back and grip the little silver handle around the candle holder and carry it with me. As I walk down the long wooden floor from what I can see there is a big red curtain hanging in the very back of the room as well as the front. What could have been the point to this room? It is just so empty with no real purpose pertaining to it. With my heart now gaining a short break I can now breathe normally without having it enter and leave my lungs so quickly. Maybe I should take a better look around; perhaps I’ll find something that could explain all of this. I figure their must be something behind the curtains, so I brush them open and carefully stick the candle inside. There are sandbags hanging from ropes that reach down from the ceiling, but it is still so dark there could be more that I’m just not seeing. I tuck myself behind the curtains careful that the flame doesn’t touch the cloth, but the flame is suddenly blown out leaving me in the dark. I freeze to the sounds of voices reverberating from everywhere forming into one.

“Now just listen closely, seeing how you seem to have trouble listening. I’ll go about my show as normal, and once you see me fill the stage with pink smoke then that is your cue to step out from the curtain and onto the stage. I want you to kneel down, and as the smoke is clearing you may stand back up. Just look natural alright? Once smoke covers the stage again you need to go back behind the curtain. Understood!? . . . Good. Now just keep quiet!” The voice demands.

I can’t take this anymore. It feels like torture to my mind as this voice continues to pound in my thoughts. I do not know if I should run out and try to maybe find a way to escape this place, or if I should obey this voice and stay. Odd how I would even consider this thought, but I feel this voice has a heavy amount of authority over me. In a flash the curtains flare open and bright spotlights glare into my eyes. Dropping the candle I throw my hands in front of my face to shield my eyes from the light as I try to maybe make out what is ahead, but the lights are too bright.

“And now, fillies and gentlecolts! Prepare yourselves! For The Great and Powerful Trixie is about to reach out to another realm, and show you all something you have never seen before!” The voice shouts.

Pink smoke begins to leak out from the sides of the stage and quickly finds its way into my breath forcing me to cough and hack.

“Behold!” The voice shouts.

The smoke takes a while to finally clear away leaving me still blinded by the intense lights. I can hear other voices ahead whispering and muttering, and soon they explode with cheers and stomping on the ground.

“Thank you! Thank you! You’re a wonderful crowd!” The voice shouts.

I cannot stand these bright lights any longer as well as the loud echoing voices, so I turn back, tear open the door and hide myself inside. I place both hands on my head while repeating out loud: this isn’t happening. I have been thrown into something that I still do not understand. What was the meaning behind all of this? None of it makes any sense. This nightmare has gone on long enough, I want to leave. I hurry over to the door and search around for a way to open it. I find a metal latch that is locked in place in the upper left corner of the door. I struggle to grip my fingers around the latch, but no matter how much I tug it will not even budge.

“I can’t believe it! We did it! What you did was flawless!” The voice says happily as the sounds of metal coins pitter-patter on the desk behind me follows.

Out of a jolt of fear I whip around staring out to the empty room. I hadn’t noticed before but somehow the candle is now lit and resting back on the desk. It is impossible, I swear I brought it with me out into the next room and dropped it.

“Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty-oh we made quite a stack of bits from this show!” The voice says happily while the sounds of coins moving and being stacked follow.

“I can tell that this is only the beginning of something much bigger for us. I can feel it. Now go get some rest, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow!”

The room then grows dead silent, even the winds outside have quieted. Something begins to stir from the shadows forming the pony figure I had seen from before. It leans closer into the candle light revealing half of the pony’s body. Her coat is cobalt blue, and her mane is somewhat long and silver. I become lost in her hypnotizing violet eyes glistening from the light. Her forehead bears a horn, and is partially hidden by . . . a violet pointed hat decorated with dots and stars. She is also wearing a cape of the same design held across her chest by a big turquoise jewel. Her smile . . . I have seen it before this I am sure! This can’t be—

“Goodnight.” She says cutting off my thoughts.

The candle blows out leaving the mare a shadowed silhouette once again. Her body turns and leaves the room. I snap myself out of this trance I had been put into and sprint for the door, but it slams shut in my face sending me staggering back. I try to shake it off and yank the door open, but it’s no use it must be locked. The sound of gears and tumblers turning travel through the room as it begins to rock. I peak through the crack in the wood and find that the wagon is somehow moving. The trees and bushes pass us by until a long wide river comes into view. The wagon rides across a wooden bridge over the river as I try to twist and turn the door handle to get it to open. Then a sudden jarring of the room pushes me against a wall. The room now tilted I crawl back to the hole in the wood and see that one of the wagon’s wheels has broken through one of the wooden boards that make up the bridge. I watch hopelessly as the bridge begins to creak, and the wheel digs down even further beneath the wood. Finally, the wood gives way and the whole wagon plummet down to the river. My body slams against the walls, floor and ceiling of room as various other objects fly across as well. My back smashes against something fragile as the sounds of shattering ensue upon the impact. Once the wagon splashes into the river water begins to fill the floor as it leaks in through several new formed cracks in the wood.

Lying on the floor I lift up my head noticing that what I had smashed into was the mirror. The water seeps through my clothes, and to my astonishment the water is very much real. I can feel it trickle beneath the strands of my hair and sneaks into my shoes. I stare at my hands that are soaked in water now coming to the realization that what is happening is real; it just has to be. I push myself to stand frantically looking around the room for a way out. With the only options I have I try to open both the doors in the room; I even resort to banging and kicking them, but nothing works. By now the water has reached up to my knees. Then, my ears catch a sound in the distance. A loud roar that grows louder the further the wagon floats down the river. I peer through the cracks in the wood and see that the end of the river is drawing near, and a growling waterfall awaits. I regret what I had said earlier about wanting to see the waterfall in its glory. My heart picks up the pace the closer we get, and without anywhere to go or anything to do I feel that my body has just accepted its fate. The wagon tips over and flows with the waterfall downward. I shut my eyes as my body weightlessly floats within the room.

I find myself falling down into with a cold burst of snow until my whole body becomes encased in it as well. The snow gets in my ears and down into my jacket causing my stomach to cringe. I lift my face out from the snow and take a heavy breath of relief to see the destroyed room once again. I notice that the violet hat is still in my hands still being tightly clenched.

“. . . Who are you?” I ask aloud with my eyes still on the hat.

The snow around my body begins to blow around me in a circular motion. It rises up above my body becoming some kind of thick tornado of snow. I jump to my feet glancing around frantically for a way out of this spiraling wall of snow, but I do not want to even try to stick my arm through it for the fear of it being swallowed whole. The snow bursts out into the air dissipating into small particles that evaporate into the air. I find myself back in the cabin with the stallion standing before me. Before I even get a chance to have another thought he walks up to me with an excited expression on his face.

“Well? What happened?! Did you find anything? Do you remember anything?!”

“I-I don’t think so.”

“Oh come now surely something happened in there! Anything at all? . . . Do you know why the wagon was destroyed?”

“It-It fell into a river and d-down a waterfall.” I forcefully sputter out of my mouth.

“Perfect. Now, did anything else happen?”

“Well . . . there was . . . a voice.”

“A voice?! Yes go on!”

“And . . . I saw things.”

“What? What did you see?”

“The room it . . . it changed. Everything was different. All the snow was gone, and outside all the trees and grass were bare.”

“Really . . . ? And what about this ‘room’?”

“It was all fixed . . . as if the damages never existed. The voice it . . . it kept talking.”

“Do you know the voice?”

“. . . I don’t know, but at the same time I do. . . I just—!” I begin to fall into frustration, and the stallion quickly takes notice and tries to calm me down.

“Just relax okay? This is good just tell me what else happened.”

“Well uhh . . . There-There was a stage, a-and I heard even more voices cheering out in the distance. These bright . . . lights were glaring into my eyes so I ran back into the other room. Then. . .”

“. . . Then? Then what? What?”

“I saw a . . . a mare.”

“Who was she? Describe her to me!”

“Uhh sh-she had a silver mane, b-blue coat and . . . this.” I say raising up the violet hat in my hand. “Her face . . . I know that face.”

“How? How do you know? Tell me who she was. . . Come on, you know this.”

“. . . I can’t.”

“No, no, no don’t give up now! Just think and remember.”

“I can’t remember! I’m not even sure if any of this is real and I can’t get that voice out of my head!”

“Aireal, relax.”

“Is that even my real name?! I can’t handle any more of this! I’ve been thrown into this and I feel trapped!”

At this point I am shouting hysterically, and the stallion grips my shoulders looking straight into my eyes. My mouth shuts and ears wait for anything he might have to say.

“Don’t go crazy on me, okay? I know who you are, and it is just a matter of time until you figure it out as well. Just take a few deep breathes, and calm down. I will help you through this just like I always have.”

“B-But . . . even after all this time and all I’ve seen . . . I still remember nothing.”

“Don’t keep thinking that way. I have one more idea, and I hope-no! I know it will work! We’re making good progress, and I can tell that we’re getting closer. We just need one more push and I’m positive you’ll remember something! I’m going to get your memories back; I promise.”

That word ‘promise’ keeps repeating in my head with his voice. My mind knows he’s said this before. I don’t know why but I’ve heard him say it to me one other time. He’s made me a promise before, and he kept it; I know he did. He’s guided me when I felt lost and alone; he was always over my shoulder keeping my spirits high. Whenever danger arose he was there to assist me. Whenever sadness over took us, we were there for each other. I can’t quite remember everything exactly, but this much I do know: I do know him, and he knows me. We were always there for each other almost like family. If only I could see what we had been through, it would disperse this fog that is clouding my mind.

“Promise. . . Y-You’ve made me a promise before, and you kept it.”

“Aireal?”

“V-Val . . . Valiari! You! I-I remember you! Your voice, your name your face I remember now!”

In the middle of my revelation Valiari embraces me squeezing the air right out of me.

“I knew it! I knew you’d remember me ol’ pal!”

“B-But that’s it. I can’t remember anything else about you or anything.” I say disappointedly.

“That doesn’t matter right now! The fact that you at least remember me is a huge step! We are getting really close I can feel it! Come on, I have another idea. I just hope they’re still there.” He says a bit worriedly.

I feel prepared for whatever he may have to show me. With this newfound knowledge that Valiari and I definitely have some sort of relationship together drives me to find out more. I know now that I was something before, and I am determined to figure it out.

Chapter 3

Yet again Valiari gracefully glides his brush against a new white canvas composing a very different picture that sets a much different tone. The previous picture he created brought me astonishment and wonder; this brings me emptiness and depression. The paint falls together to form several small crushed and dented wooden cabins that are all covered in snow. All of them tilt in one certain direction as if a powerful wind has pushed them that way. Long pointed icicles stretch out horizontally from the walls in the same direction. Valiari’s excitement and vigor compared to before has now diminished with this painting. His smile has disappeared, and this time he takes a few short pauses here and there to take a breath before returning to his movement. Once the image is finished he steps back as flakes of ice fly from the canvas and into the room.

“I hope they are still there.” Valiari whispers.

“Who?” I ask.

“You will see once we get there. If we’re lucky they will be safe and sound, if not. . .”

“. . . If not what?”

“Well, I’d rather not say, but if we’re not so lucky then hopefully the stone will at least be there. However, after what’s happened I doubt anything out there has survived.”

Valiari’s face, that face is tainted with sorrow. Something clearly haunts him and will not let his mind go free. I choose to keep my words to myself for now just to give him some space. After a long breath Valiari turns his head towards me with confidence.

“Let us go, I will explain more when we arrive. . . Umm, would you like me to hold onto that for you?” He asks looking down at the pointed violet hat in my hand.

“No, I’d . . . I’d like to keep it.”

“Very well, then you’ll need this. I assume you don’t wish to keep in your hands the whole time.”

With a smile Valiari tosses me the white sack that was hanging around his waist and I klutzily almost drop it. With one last look at the hat that mare’s face I saw back in the wagon flashes by. It feels that face is imprinted onto my mind. I gently place the hat inside the bag and tie the rope across my chest with the sack on my back.

“Now, let us go.” He says with a nod.

Valiari steps through the canvas creating ripples like water onto its surface. Before taking a step towards the canvas I take one last look around the room. The cluttered sheets of paper scattered all along the floor and tacked to the walls covering every inch. The warm fireplace and the wooden wardrobe against the wall all feels familiar now. So much so that I can see something fading in as my eyes lose themselves within the room. I can see Valiari embracing me at the doorway just as he did earlier. We appear as distorted ghostly figures, and as they walk across the wooden floor they produce not a single sound. He’s showing me everything about his cabin giving me a short tour of each room. He shows me the latrine, the kitchen, and of course, this room. He hands me a premade sandwich stuffed with greens and red berries. I see myself spit out the first bite I take after Valiari spontaneously alerting and warning me about what I had just eaten as if it were dangerous. After desperately searching for a place to rid my mouth of this horrid substance I spit it out through a window. He begins to laugh, and I worriedly take another bite. I can see us sitting, talking, and then an image of him resting his hoof on my back. I can see so much, but I do not hear the words we spoke to each other. Within seconds the figures dissipate into the air as wisps of incandescent light. I stand still frozen in shock, could this be just my eyes playing games? With a lingering fear I turn and follow behind Valiari, and after a flash of white I land feet first this time into the layers of snow. Again just as the painting depicted everything looks precisely the same. I notice that there are a few random tall piles of snow sticking up from the ground. Valiari is standing near one staring up at it, and then lowers his head shutting his eyes.

“W-What is it?” I ask.

“What I had feared to find.” He says.

Valiari wipes away a good section of the snow off the object causing even more to follow suit. What I find behind the snow causes me to gasp and stare in horror, but Valiari’s face carries disappointment. With that single wipe of his hoof it reveals two big eyes, snout, and ears frozen beneath a thick sheet of ice. A pony has been encased in the ice frozen in trotting position.

“As far as I know every last town and city has suffered the same fate. Every last resident frozen stiff like a statue.”

Just when I thought it couldn’t have gotten worse, taking a better look around the destroyed cabins I can see even more of them scattered around. No, surely they can’t all be ponies frozen in ice. I walk up to another and wipe away the snow to reveal yet another fearful face frozen behind the ice. After another and another I give up on the rest. How could these poor innocent souls just remain trapped like this? How could this have happened? I feel the need to try whatever I can to free them. I press up against one of the masses of ice and try to push it. I try to kick and throw my arms against it in vain attempts to possibly crack the ice. This urge to save them seemed to have emerged from nowhere. Why would I feel the need to save them if I myself do not have the slightest connection to them?

“C-Can’t you save them?! Don’t you have some kind of . . . magic that can free them?”

“I have tried, and every attempt left me without success. I’ve tried breaking it and even trying to heat it up to maybe melt it. For some reason this ice is impervious to magic or virtually anything for that matter. It’s horrific, but . . . remarkable at the same time. How can the ice not melt even the slightest to heat?”

Not even the slightest? That can’t be. I stare into the pony’s eyes wanting to bash at it again in the hopes of it cracking just a sliver, but I know that it’s pointless. To know that they are trapped with no way of possible ever escaping turns my heart blue. Those eyes, I cannot feel a speck of life within them whatsoever. I lower my head to stare down at the ice and take my eyes away from this horrid sight. I know what they must be going through. To be trapped is something that feels familiar to me. Not necessarily physically, but feeling isolated. My heart empty and searching for someone to maybe take my hand and reassure me that I am not alone. It was something that I had searched for, but the question still remains: Did I ever find it?

“Besides, even if you were to free them they most certainly wouldn’t be alive. Just leave them, it’s too late for anything to be done at this point in time.” Says Valiari.

I bring away my hands and step away from the ice. It is hard to accept Valiari’s painful truth, but I realize now that they are all doomed. Nothing can save them now.

“Come, we have no time to waste. We must find them.”

With my eyes still glued to the mass of ice I follow Valiari, but he catches my slowness and beckons me to hurry and forget.

“It is too late for them. There is nothing that can be done. . . I can feel a storm is approaching. We should hurry.”

I force myself to remove my eyes from the ice and follow behind Valiari pushing my legs through the snow. We try to walk through this little town as I try to keep my eyes away from the other tall stacks of snow. I can only imagine what their lives might have been like. I can see them all playing and laughing with each other like nothing in the world could put it to a halt.

“This used to be Shine Village.” Says Valiari. “This little village wasn’t a very fortunate one, but they made do with what they had and were grateful for it. Even though they suffered through tough times they somehow knew how to keep a smile on their faces.”

“. . . Why did this have to happen?”

“That is a question I continue to ask myself, but with no real answer. I remember what this place used to be. Trees flourished and flowers bloomed, and when winter’s turn came it would come and go. However, it seems to have overstayed its welcome. This winter has been plagued amongst Equestria. The entire country and beyond has been covered in a blanket of white. So much has changed, and not a single clue as to how this could have happened has yet to be found. . . Ah, well would you look at that. Up there is Canterlot, I’m surprised you can see it from here.”

Valiari stops and points his hoof out to a tall mountain that oversees the land. Built up from high up on its side is a dark intricate castle that gives me a heavy eerie feeling. Even though I’m staring up at it it feels like it is what’s staring at me. As if another pair of eyes is watching me, expecting me.

“That is where the monarchy resided. The two princesses that control the sun and the Moon give them their time in the sky once it was their turn. I haven’t seen or heard word from them in such a long time, but every day the sun still rises and every night the Moon still shines. Sometimes I wonder if they are still there trying to find a way to save their kingdom, or has this great freeze overtaken them as well. For it is too cold for anypony to even attempt a climb. Just think, the answer to all of this could be sitting comfortably just waiting to be found. That is why I plan to journey up there myself.”

“B-But you just said—”

“Yes I know, but what other hope does Equestria have left? . . . Wait!”

Valiari halts and holds his hoof out to me. The both of us take a pause as he remains motionless and I confused. Slowly he turns his head to one particular cabin.

“Do you feel that?” He asks.

“. . . No, w-what are you talking about?” I ask shivering from the cold.

“It’s very faint, but it’s there. Follow me, quietly.”

The both of us push through the snow as a peculiar feeling grows inside my heart causing it to flutter. My skin is becoming warmer, and my chest is calming. The air around the cabin feels as though it is melting the ice that has built up inside my lungs. I also find that I am not having much difficulty to push through the snow, but as Valiari and I both notice that there is no snow around the cabin. It all has melted revealing the dry stiff grass underneath. We turn our heads to each other in shock, and then back to the cabin. He presses his hoof against the front door and carefully pushes it open letting out a wave of warmth from behind. We step into the small dark room with tattered furniture and busted walls.

“Who’s there?!” A voice shouts startling both Valiari and I.

Out from a little hall comes a lightly gray coated mare with a much darker messy mane that droops over her right eye. Her face is full of fright that only intensifies once her eyes meet mine.

“Who is it Mommy?” A small voice asks from behind her.

“Sweetie go back in the room!” She then turns her attention back to me trying to guard the hall. “You stay away from us! Leave us alone whatever you are!”

“Ma’am please! We do not want to hurt anypony. Allow me to explain. We were just curious as to why this cabin is so much . . . warmer than anything else around here.”

Out from behind her a small little filly pokes her head around her back. Her mane is short and curls over her eyes with a smooth vanilla white color, and her coat is beige with splotches of dirt or soot just as the mare’s. With a little gasp she shows her whole face and smiles brightly at the sight of me.

“It’s you!” She shouts happily. “Mommy that’s him! That’s Ayreel!” She struggles to pronounce.

“That?! That is him . . . ? I thought you were just making that up!”

“No Mommy he’s real!”

“Well this is indeed a surprise! I cannot believe that the both of you are still here!” Valiari celebrates.

“Just who are you two exactly?” Asks the mother.

“Oh how rude of me; I barge into your home without even introducing us. My name is Valiari, and this is my friend Aireal. I see that your daughter is already acquainted with my friend here.”

“Yes, she talks about him all the time. I just thought she was just making up some tale, but I guess I was wrong. Well, welcome to our home.”

“Why thank you. I’m glad to see that somepony has survived this freezing cold.”

“I didn’t believe I would ever see another face. It is a pleasure to meet you Mister Valiari.”

“Same to you Miss.”

“This has been going on for so long, and my husband. . .” She begins to break down and tries to cover her eyes with her hoof.

“What about your husband?”

“He-He left a while ago to see if he could maybe find food or maybe somepony else, but he still hasn’t come back. Did you see him on your way here by any chance?”

“No I . . . I’m sorry Miss we haven’t.”

“Then. . .” She begins to cry but desperately tries to hide her tears.

“Now now that doesn’t mean he still isn’t out there somewhere!” Valiari reassures. “What does he look like?”

“Well he . . . he has an orange mane, and-and a white coat.”

“Okay, well we will try our best to find him.”

“You would do that for us?”

“Why of course!”

“B-But . . . !”

“But what?”

“There’s ‘things’ out there. My daughter and I have heard sounds, and sometimes voices. B-But they weren’t normal voices. . . It’s hard to explain.”

“Well whatever it is I’m sure it’s nothing that we can’t handle. Trust me, we will find your husband. I promise.”

“Thank you.” She says all choked up before beginning a slight chuckle. “Y-You know it’s funny. All of this reminds me of an old fairy tale my Father used to read to me.”

“Fairy tale? What was it?”

“No never mind. It’s silly. I shouldn’t have even brought it up.”

“No go on! What was the story?”

“Well, he would always read it to me whenever I felt sad or lonely. I can’t clearly remember every detail but it was about a young mare who fell deeply in love with one particular stallion. The both of them connected almost instantly once their eyes met. It felt like it was meant to be. They together lived in a peaceful little town, and everything seemed to be just too perfect. Until, one day the two of them took a trip up to the Snowy Mountains for the sense of exploration and fun. He told her that there was a view from that mountain unlike any other, and that . . . it couldn’t be described, you would just have to see it yourself. Once they arrived and began to hike up the mountain walls things started to take a turn for the worst. The cold was growing, and it all seemed just too dangerous to continue. But they were already so high up they figured they might as well keep going to see what they came for. A blizzard was stirring, and they could barely see a foot in front of them. They held each other’s hooves so they wouldn’t separate, but all of sudden she lost his hoof. She was frightened; all she could think of was to call his name as loud as she could. But no matter how much she screamed she wouldn’t receive an answer. Eventually the ground beneath her collapsed and she slipped breaking her two hind legs, she perished in the cold. Her body was dead, but her spirit was still in search of her lost lover. It said her spirit is the cold winter breeze slipping through the cracks and crevasses and swirling the snowflakes. She searched the mountain high and low, but could not find the one she was looking for. She couldn't go where there was warmth, so was restricted to the places where the cold could enter and search for him there, but she could not find him. Nopony else could see her, so she could not ask for help, but there were two ponies that could. And they promised that they would reunite her with her love. In them was her only glimmer of hope.”

“What happened next?”

“Well the both of them became partners and traveled together in search of him. Guh, I can never remember what happens next. But the ending was always my favorite part. If only I could remember it.”

“Well, it sounds like a wonderful story. I wonder if I’ve heard it before. . .”

As Valiari ponders to himself I feel something tug at my pant leg. I find that the little filly has the cloth gripped beneath her teeth trying to get my attention. Her big eyes and adorable face seem just irresistible to turn away from. I get down to one knee and give the little filly my attention.

“Hello, what’s your name?” I ask.

“You don’t remember?” She asks.

“No, I’m sorry I don’t. I don’t really remember much of anything.” I say with a slight chuckle.

“It’s Candle Light! Don’t you remember?”

That name, Candle Light. I’ve heard it before. This very moment itself feels like it’s happened before. I sat just like this, and our eyes met the exact same way. In my thoughts I can see an image emerging as if a key has just been turned in my mind. I can see us, and the stage I saw before with the lights shining upon us. Behind her is a crowd filled with ponies, and behind them is a village . . . this same village. She looks so afraid of me, but after exchanging a few words that begins to dwindle.

“No I-I remember. . .”

In my head I can hear voices, our voices, echoing in my mind.

“. . . Hello.” My voice whispers.

“Y-You can talk?” Her voice asks.

“Of course I can.” My voice says with a slight chuckle. “Are your Mom and Dad in the crowd?”

“My Daddy is.”

In the scene playing about in my thoughts Candle Light points to a stallion out in the crowd. He looks just as her Mother described, but the darkness makes the colors appear darker than they really are. He seems to be watching us very carefully and nervously.

“What about Mommy?” My voice asks.

“. . . She’s sick.”

“With what? A cold?”

“I don’t know, but Daddy always cries.”

I remember those words exactly, and the feeling that shot through me once they left her lips. It was like a quick jab at my heart. I felt so lost on what to say next I myself began to tremble with anxiety.

“I-I can tell you have a strong spirit. . . Let it stay that way. A-And no matter how bad things get promise me that you’ll stay strong. . . Do you promise?” My voice says.

For some reason it feels as though I did not come up with those words on my own. I read them before. I just can’t remember where or from what, but now I can’t stop thinking about it.

“Did . . . Did you keep your promise Candle Light?” I ask now back in reality.

“Yeah! Mommy’s feeling so much better now!” She says happily.

“I can see that.” I struggle to say, but holding a smile.

I can feel my voice weakening, and my throat is beginning to ache. I can feel the water building up behind my eyes as I try to hold it back.

“It’s. . . It’s good to see you again.” I say.

“You too!” She says throwing herself into me.

I gently wrap my arms around her and allow the tears to stream down my cheeks for there were no way I could hold it back any longer. While we embrace each other I murmur aloud: ‘I remember’ several times to ensure myself that I do indeed remember, and I shall not ever forget.

“Hey . . . where’s Trixie?”

“T-Trixie? Why? Do you know her?”

“Yeah! She was there remember?”

Immediately I am forced back in my thoughts. I can see Candle Light and the crowd behind her, but with a turn of my head I notice a pony to the far left of us. It’s the mare I saw back in the wagon. This time her entire body is visible. Everything about this mare is beginning to haunt me; her hat, her face, and those mesmerizing eyes. What was my relationship with her? I just have to know. I feel like I’m getting closer, but not close enough.

“Hey! I still have that shiny rock you gave me!” She says excitedly.

“Really?! May we see it?” Valiari asks.

Candle Light trots off down the little hall and into a separate room. I glance back at Valiari who looks eager to finally see this stone he was talking about. I take a look towards the Mother who is staring down the hallway waiting for her daughter to return.

“You know I really must say thank you.” She says and turns her attention towards me. “My daughter never really made any friends with any of the other kids, and with my illness it was just so much for her to take in. I didn’t know what I could do. But that day she went with her Father to see the show she came back with such happiness, and I’m glad I was there to see it. So thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” My still weak voice mutters.

Candle Light trots back in the room with something that immediately catches my eye beneath her teeth. A small translucent stone faintly shining a yellow-green light that reflects in her eyes. The closer she comes the stronger the warmth and feeling from before grows. My eyes become hypnotized in the wondrous light. Soon our voices begin to echo in my mind yet again.

“Do you have any friends Candle Light?” My voice asks.

“Not really.” Her voice says.

“No? Well guess what. . . Just a little secret between you and me. I don’t have very many friends either.” My voice whispers.

“You don’t” Her voice asks in surprise. “Well then. . . Maybe we could be friends?”

“You’d really want to be friends with me?”

“I thought you were scary, but you’re actually a nice monster.”

“. . . Thanks. That really means a lot. Well Candle Light, now that we’re friends, I want you to have this.”

“M-Me?”

“That’s right. Be careful not to lose it, because it’s something really special.”

“Thank you!”

“You’re welcome.”

I remember, I gave her that stone. After everything she had told me I felt that she needed it more than I did. But how could I have gotten possession of such a beautiful object? That stone, something about it feels eerily familiar. It feels like it’s calling my name.

“That stone really is something special.” Says the Mother. “Ever since she brought it home that day everything seemed to have been going our way. My illness suddenly disappeared like it was never there, and its strange warmth has saved us from the cold. We offered my husband to go ahead and take it with him when he left, but he insisted that we hold onto it instead for he wouldn’t be gone long.”

“Don’t worry Miss; now that we have this we will be able to find a way to end all of this. I made a promise to find your husband and I am going to keep it. I know what it’s like to lose somepony you hold near and dear to your heart. Once this spell begins to wear off then we will take you two somewhere warm and safe. Wait a minute . . . that’s strange.”

“What is it?”

“That spell should be wearing off right about now. Why hasn’t it started yet?”

Suddenly the winds outside begin to roar and push against the walls of the cabin causing them to creak and vibrate. Through the windows the only thing that can be seen are clouds of large bundles of snow blowing around in every direction.

“The blizzard! It’s here!” Valiari shouts fearfully.

The ceiling begins to crack, and soon holes are created from the powerful winds. The snow and chilling air rushes inside forcing all the warmth to escape. I can hear chunks of the walls breaking apart and glass shattering. Soon nothing in the room becomes recognizable. Everything is clouded with snow.

“Valiari! Valiari where are you?!” I shout, but the winds are so loud that I can barely hear my own voice.

I can barely even keep my body still as the winds try to push me around. The snow feels like blades against my face so I try to shield it with my arms. The winds become so powerful that they thrust my body across the room and into on the walls. It presses me against the wall before letting me go and allowing me to fall face first onto the floor. My back aches too much to try and stand so I let the snow pile on top of me as the walls continue to break away. I do not have the strength to call out to Valiari or Candle Light, but even another attempt would feel hopeless. Everything is turning white, and the cold is overtaking my body very rapidly as if it is definitely trying to kill me. Everything is beginning to fade to darkness, but I can hear fragments of a voice traveling through the winds.

“Goodnight.” It says.

Chapter 4

I wake to the chilling snow surrounding me, but none of it touching my body. I push my face out from the wet grass to find myself in the center of what remains of the cabin walls. The ceiling has been completely removed as the snowflakes float down towards me. Realizing what had just happened I spring up from the ground and spin around the little area of grass in search of Valiari, Candle Light or her Mother. However, they are nowhere in sight.

“Valiari! Candle Light!” I call.

Without a response I hopelessly take a breath to try and maybe calm myself. They’re all gone, vanished, and not a single trace of them is left behind. No prints no nothing. I press my hands against my head to force myself to remember what happened before I blacked out. Valiari and I had met Candle Light and her Mother, and a blizzard destroyed the cabin soon after. It just doesn’t make any sense. How could they have all been mysteriously swept away by the storm and I have been left here safe and sound? ‘What do I do?’ I repeat in my head. Just as apprehension overtakes me the feeling from before begins to resettle calming my heart and mind. It feels like a soft warm blanket is covering my body, and sticking my hand out past the grass is like entering a whole new world of cold. Turning my attention down to the grass I am stunned to find what is resting beneath the blades of grass. A yellow-green glow shines from behind them. The stone, Candle Light must’ve dropped it during the storm. The wind begins to pick up around me, and that voice flows with it yet again.

“I’ve had these for quite some time now; I used to collect these from a certain spot in the forest. I would just stare at these because of how beautiful they are. . . And every time I would watch them I felt something strange. . . It’s hard to explain. Here take a look.” It says.

With an anxious hand I reach down and wrap my fingers around the warm smooth stone. Hypnotized by the glow of its light I can see another image forming in my mind. I can see myself sitting in the middle of the room inside the wagon from before. I had just woken up from my time of sleep, and the mare . . . Trixie, is sitting in front of me with such elation.

“These stones glow all on their own, and I have no idea why. Here, take them. Perhaps you can show them off to the audience. You could even give one of the crowd members a stone if you wish, but please do not give them all away in one night. I could always go and collect more, but Trixie doesn’t want to have the chore of being the rock collector.” She says handing me a little brown sack, and I place it in my jacket pocket.

Trixie gave these to me so that I could use them during the show. To maybe impress the audience, but how could such an object have even been created? Where did this stone really come from? ‘A certain spot in the forest’ she said, possibly the vaguest way to explain where they came from. There was a whole sack she had given me, I wonder if there was more within it. Instinctively I reach into my right jacket pocket and feel around for the sack, but it is empty. What could have happened to the rest? Well, I’m lucky to be even holding one of them. As the vision in my mind dissipates I clench the stone tightly in my fist never to let go. I can’t just stand here like a statue the whole time. Valiari, Candle Light and her Mother are out there somewhere. Images of them freezing to death are flooding my mind. I try to shove back these horrid images of them collapsing in the snow by shutting my eyes and shaking my head. Then I am shot with a worrying memory. The hat, is it still around my body? Frantically I grip the rope across my chest and take a quick breath of relief.

Okay, just keep calm. I need to find help; yeah that’s what I need to do. But where am I going to find it? Everything surely has suffered the same fate as this little village. Taking a good long look around this frozen land my eyes are caught by the tall mountain where the castle rests. Valiari said that the two princesses that rule the land just might still be there. If anyone could be able to help me it would most surely be them. He even said that he would travel there himself, so there just might also be a chance that I’ll find him there as well. It sounds quite unlikely, but what other options do I have? I do not know if another blizzard will arrive soon, so I had better move quickly. With my mind set on the castle I take my first step out of many to come into the snow.

I do feel the cold, but the stone’s warmth is enough to make it bearable. If I were to want to really build up the heat I suppose I would have to find a place to rest so that the stone can do so. All this movement won’t assure me complete safety from the cold. I continuously glance up at the castle as I brush past tall pine trees that block half my vision of the sky so only the pointed roof can be seen. I’m trying to keep a straight path to the castle, but the farther I walk the farther the castle might as well be. For it doesn’t seem to be getting any closer. But I cannot stop now. I am bound to find something or someone soon. Until then my eyes are still set on the castle. I push myself through a wall of the pine trees as their needles jab my hands and cheeks, but the cold has numbed them so much that I can barely feel it. By now I am not sure how long it has been since I left Shine Village, but it might as well have been an hour if not longer. Glancing back I can see no sign of the village. Just pine trees and snow. At this point the cold is taking over the warmth of the stone. Everything around me all looks the same. It’s all just clusters of leafless trees and bushes coated in snow. The castle looks like it is just painted onto the sky forever out of my reach. Every muscle in my body is shaking, and the clouds of my breath floating through the air continue to remind me how deathly cold it really is.

My numb ears suffer through the cold and still strengthening winds, and in this wind they capture something else: fragments of voices that emanate from every direction just as before. At first they begin as low murmurs, and the first sound makes me stop and look around. Someone must be out there, perhaps more than one. But these voices are all around me, and they appear to be the exact same voice. This haunting female’s voice is enveloping me freezing me in my tracks. They keep growing louder pounding in my ears. I lower my head and clasp my hands over my ears as the voices crowd together overlapping one another. Why is this happening to me? What will it take to make the voices stop?! Then suddenly, they all silence. I am reluctant to remove my hands from my ears, so I lift them away cautiously. I raise my head, and I notice something in the distance between the tree trunks. A tall mare is standing dead ahead of me, staring at me. Her coat is a light shade of powder blue, and her short curled mane is even lighter. Her eyes are dressed with dark mascara and her body in a gorgeous white dress that matches the snow. Her eyes are locked onto mine, but before I can call out to her a gust of wind passes by her. Her body disperses into hundreds of little flakes of snow that are carried away by the wind, and the voices emerge yet again.

Out of shock and fear I turn around and sprint as fast as I can through the snow without a care of how much finds its way into my shoes and up the legs of my pants. I can feel the voices behind me chasing me. I find myself pushing my way through masses of tree branches as I find some of them smacking me in the face. Being pushed by pure adrenaline I continue to fight through them until finally, just a few trees ahead, there appears to be a wide clearing of land. Making my way through the last trees I lose my footing and slip down onto a declining slope of snow. I flare my arms and legs to maybe dig them into the snow and stop myself, but there is no way. I’m moving so fast and the hill is so steep it feels impossible. Trees are protruding up from the hill, so I try my best to glide my body around them. However my legs slam against one tree trunk that I could not see with all the snow blowing in my face. A shock of pain is sent through them as I scream my way down to the bottom.

My body lands into a thick pile of snow stopping my momentum. I moan from the sheer pain as if every bone in my legs has been shattered. While clenching my fists and my teeth I find that after all that time I was surprisingly still holding onto the stone. Despite the agony I can’t just lay here in this pit of snow. I push my arms out and dig my way through it trying to at least see the sky. Standing has now become impossible, so I drag myself with my arms to crawl out of the snow. Once I emerge from it I already feel exhausted, so I lay on my back trying to ignore the pain about my legs. Gently I lay my hands on my legs almost instinctively to maybe relax them. My left leg is in total agony so I quickly withdraw my hand from it, but my right . . . strangely the pain is easing away. Oddly enough, my right hand is in possession of the stone. I glide my hand up and down my leg and within a matter of minutes the pain has suddenly disappeared. Feeling uneasy I carefully bend my knee, and I am in bewilderment as I can bend it without a single dose of anguish. I glare at the stone in my hands full of questions, but still in pain I try to lay the stone against my left leg. Sure enough the pain subsides until completely disappearing. Ever so carefully I push my hands against the snow to help me stand. My legs feel brand new as if the injury never existed. Just what is this stone exactly? What else is this thing capable of? Well, knowing that there are some incredible special properties about it I will be sure to keep it safe no matter what.

As I grip the stone in my fist I notice that the voices have stopped, but the winds reawaken. The snow is beginning to fall heavily ensuring that another storm is brewing. I need to find some kind of shelter and quickly. I don’t want to be out in the open when the storm grows to its worst. I walk through the snow scanning the area for a hole or a crevasse I can rest in until the storm blows over, but my searching takes far too long as the winds grow so strong they could almost push me down to the ground. Just as it all begins to feel hopeless as the light about the sky fades to darkness my eyes are granted with a hopeful sight. Through the clouds of snow it seems a broken carriage sits ahead. With the collar of my jacket over my mouth and arms across my chest I push my way to the carriage. The back end of it looks busted open, so I crawl inside and huddle myself against the back wall.

It’s dark, but the green light from the stone is peaking through the spacing between my fingers. I hold the stone out to illuminate the little room. I find that not the entire floor has been sheeted in snow, but there isn’t much of anything else. Behind me I find that there is a door. It just might be a good spot to hide from the cold, so I turn the handle and stick my head inside. It looks like a very strange room to have in a carriage. Inside is an array of levers and pulleys and against the wall is some kind of motor. I have no idea what all of this was used for, but there are windows in the room with small velvet curtains hanging from them. It’s chilly, but much better than the previous room. I find a little countertop where I can lay my bag. I don’t know how long this storm will last, but by peaking through the curtains it doesn’t look like it will be letting up any time soon.

Walking over to the countertop my shoes crush something that sounds like glass. Lifting my foot up from the ground I see that there are a couple shards of glass on the ground. There is a much more intact piece of what used to be a glass vase in the corner. Scattered along the floor are several wilted flowers. It reminds me of the vase full of dying flowers I saw when I was in the wagon seeing things. I still wonder if any of which I saw and went through back there was at all real. I feel compelled to bend over and pick up one of the flowers. Holding it in my hands gives me this feeling that I’ve held it before.

“Ah, you’re awake.” The voice I heard back in the wagon speaks as my eyes become entranced by the flower. “So, before we . . . What is this? D-did you do this?”

“They’re for you.” My voice says.

“For me. . ? Why, they’re. . . They’re gorgeous. W-where did you get these. .? You really did this for me? Why that’s. . . That’s very kind. Umm. . . Th-thank you.”

These flowers, I . . . I gave them to her. I remember, they were a gift from me. It was a warm sunny morning, and I had just woken up in the wagon. The same one that Valiari brought me to. I felt so grateful to her that I wanted to surprise her with something. So I unlatched the door and snuck out into the woods. I searched for the brightest and most beautiful flowers that I was sure Trixie would love. They needed to be perfect for her I wasn’t ready to accept anything less. Just remembering this sends my heart aflutter. She looked so surprised to see them on the desk. She kept pausing between her words because of how flattered she was. I could tell that she loved them, and I couldn’t have been happier. I drop my bag to the ground and lean against the wall with the flower clutched in my hands. I can feel my eyes beginning to quiver and breathing becoming difficult. I don’t want to let this flower go, it holds so much to me.

To my side is the countertop, but below it I never noticed the little drawer. Curiously I pull it open and peek inside. It is full of empty spaces, but in the center lays a small carefully folded sheet of paper. I pull it out and inspect it a bit. It seems to have been crumpled up before, but is now neatly folded. I open the little paper and find a little note scribbled on its crumpled surface:

My dearest,

Do not let your dreams slip through your hooves, and do not let tears fill your life. You have a strong spirit, let it stay that way. I know you hate being alone, and I know I won’t be there to guide you through any rough times anymore. But you need to remember that you’re not alone in this world. If ever you feel like you cannot get through, then do not be afraid to call for help. You’ll find a friend to guide you I promise. It’s only a matter of time until you two meet.

The second sentence is what draws most of my attention. ‘You have a strong spirit, let it stay that way.’ That was what I said to Candle Light that day. I read it from this note. I . . . I remember I found it crumpled up in the corner of the wagon. Trixie came in and saw me reading it. She tore it out of my hands and scolded me for it. That was when she shoved me behind the curtain and gave me instructions on what to do and what to wait for. I remember her voice demanding I keep quiet until the smoke filled the stage. My mind is cluttering with voices and images, I just need to find some serenity. With my eyes still glued to the note I lay myself down onto the wooden floor laying the stone near my body. As soon as my head meets the wood I shut my eyes to maybe escape from this. Just for a minute perhaps. But it only helps me see more clearly than before; a new scene begins playing about in my head.

I was lying down just like this with the tall grass hugging my body, and Trixie was lying right next to me. It was this particular night that felt so special. The stars were flooding the sky as blue and purple hung like curtains behind them. The Moon and her stars rejoiced in such revelry with their magnificent light. The both of us were staring up at the stars until suddenly a star shot across the sky with such speed it left a trail of light behind it.

“A shooting star! It’s been a while since I’ve seen one of those. . . You do know what happens when you see one don’t you?” She asked, but I confusedly shook my head. “Well, once you see one you’re supposed to close your eyes and then make a wish. . . Of course I never believed in such a thing.”

“Why?” I asked in a low voice.

“. . . Because whenever I would see one . . . I would shut my eyes and almost cry. . . My wishes would never come true no matter how hard I wished, and no matter how long I waited. . . Why don’t you give it a try? Maybe it’ll work for you.”

I can feel the tears beginning to bleed through my shut eye lids no matter how tight I hold them.

“. . . I don’t need a shooting star.” I said.

“What? . . . Why not? Don’t you want a wish?”

“. . . You’ve already granted me my wish.”

“. . . G-goodnight.” She says nervously while turning over and pulling her cape over her head.

I felt guilty like I had said something wrong, so I decided to just shut my eyes and go to sleep and dream away. It was difficult to drift away to sleep, because I could hear Trixie quietly sobbing under her cape. I did not know why, but I did not mean to make her cry I just wanted to maybe fill her with happiness like she had done for me. Filled with guilt and confusion I forced myself to sleep, but I was awoken by a sound creeping though the wind. I stood up and noticed that Trixie was missing; only her indentation in the grass was left behind. The sound was coming from the front of the wagon, so I snuck up to it and leaned my ear near the window to hear it much more clearly. It was the sound of weeping, and then a sorrowful voice.

“You were right. . . You were always right. . . I wish that you could see me now. . . To see the. . .” A long pause is then drawn out. Confused I held my ear even closer to the window. “. . . To see the friend I have made. I wish you could see. . . I-I. . . I love you Mom. I miss you so much. . .”

The sound of the gentle folding of paper followed afterwards, and I hurried back to the grass and pretended to be asleep. Trixie came out from the wagon and sat next to me as I did my best to remain motionless.

“. . . You weren’t exactly as I had pictured. . . But still . . . Just when I was ready to give up. . .” She says.

The tears are pouring out of my eyes at this point and landing onto the piece of paper. I fold it and hold it along with the flower against my chest. Trixie and I . . . were friends. She was my only friend, and as I far as I knew I was ‘her’ only friend. We were so close, and now look at what has happened. If only I could go back and relive those moments. I want to see her again, I just. . . I curl my body and try to wipe away the tears, but they are quickly replaced with new ones. I miss her to an unbelievable extent. I just want to see her again; I want to be next to her. She brought me so much comfort and safety, and now I desperately need it again.

“. . . Trixie . . .” I whisper aloud.

With the sound of wind whistling outside and tears chilling amongst my cheeks I begin to drift away into my much needed escape. But I cannot dream sweetly, not with tears. Trixie is out there somewhere, she just has to be. I refuse to believe that she has fallen victim to the harsh cold. I must find them, all of them, and I will not stop until I do. When morning comes I will push myself to that castle. I hope that help is waiting there.

Chapter 5

“. . . Wake up . . .”

My eyes jolt open to a stunning silence about the room. I do not know if I had been able to catch a moment of sleep or if I had simply dozed off for maybe a minute. The strange silence outside leads me to believe that the storm has finally stopped, and I can now pick myself up. I find that the note and flower are still clutched in my hands. I sit up and hold it in both hands in front of my face. This note, a small damaged sheet of paper, feels like it means the world to me. I stare at the crinkles of the paper while sighing so that I can prepare for the journey ahead. I fear that something horrible awaits me, but I can’t let a feeling stop me. Instead, I should let it lead me. Before I felt like a nameless creature without a purpose, now, still unsure of my own name however, I have a reason to push myself forward. The white light trying to force its way through the curtains beckons me. My . . . friends, the only ones this life says that I have ever had, are in danger I just know it. They need me, and with this drilled in my head I cannot let anything stop me. I may not remember much about my apparent past, but something tells me it’s more than I could ever imagine. The feelings I must have experienced, the friends that I had made and the places I had been. There is more that I am still missing, and I must find it. I’ve come this far, so why would I stop now? Even if all of this is just a dream, an illusion or a lie I can feel that this is my responsibility to find her, to find Trixie.

My fingertips are beginning to grow cold, and this sudden chilling pulls my attention away from the window and onto the paper. The note is becoming sheeted in a thin layer of ice, and the same goes for the flower. Every last board of wood and metal lever is being overcome with ice as icicles grow from the ceiling. I jump up to my feet, and realize that the green stone and my bag are still lying on the floor. I reach and grab the stone, and as I reach back for the bag the ice covering the floor climbs onto it and coats the entire thing as I pull back out of fear. The light from the outside quickly convolutes to a teal color that highlights the ice inside the room. I am not covered in the ice but I might as well be since the fear instilled in me has completely frozen my body. After the entire room and everything within it has been sheeted in ice I cautiously reach out to my bag and test the ice to maybe guess how strong it may be. I hit it with my hands and step on it as hard as I can, but the ice will not break. In my hands the flower crumbles into hundreds of little pieces. The note in my other hand breaks as well into little pieces that join the shattered flower on the smooth shiny floor.

“. . . Are you afraid . . . ?” Asks a distorted feminine voice.

A shrill is sent through my body and I check all around the little room for who may have projected the voice. Of course there is not a soul in the room, but I feel like there is. I set my body in a defensive stance ready to sprint out through the door, but I am too afraid to move.

“Wh-Who-Who’s there?” I stutter.

“Shhh. . .”

The frozen door’s knob twists and slowly creeps open as the ice beneath its hinges cracks with it. The teal light peeks through the crack in the doorway, but I cannot see anything else past it. I clutch the stone in my hand and slide it in my pocket as I fear my trembling hands just may drop it. I force myself to step across the icy floor, careful not to slip, and rest my hand on the door. I take a cold breath to calm my heart before pulling the door the rest of the way open. I step out into the light and am met with a horrendous cold. My legs fall deep in snow that reaches past my knees. The sky is clouded with black and teal like paint in water. To my right is a tall wall of rock masked in snow that reaches up so high as to touch the very sky. To my left is a wide open landscape that I cannot see as the snow and gray blinds me, but I can see even more mountains reaching up from the clouds of snow. Somehow I am on the ledge of some mountain, but how could I have gotten here? This is just impossible. In need of some sanctuary I turn back to maybe hide in the broken half of the wagon, but it is no longer there. Not a dent in the snow is left to show that it even existed. My body is quivering escalating with havoc. My eyes are being overwhelmed with snowflakes blowing against them, and my chest is beginning to quiver to find some kind of warmth. This thin jacket and warm stone prove nothing against this sheer temperature.

“. . . Now, go. . .”

I have no other choice, either I stand here and freeze or do as the voice tells me. So I follow the voice’s command and trek through the high mounds of snow. Each step feels like its very own challenge with the wind pushing with all its might to force me back. What could this place be? A nightmare? But, it feels so real. The chills endlessly torment my body hoping for it all to end. I feel as though I am being forced towards my death by this voice; it’s only a matter of time until I reach it. If this truly is a nightmare, then I want it to end already and set me free. I don’t think I can handle this for much longer. I grip my hands around my arms tighter than before trying my best to hide my face from the pounding snow. Each gust of wind feels like a punch straight to my face. I look back to see how far I have gone by my tracks, and they seem to go so far back past my field of vision. It looks like I have gone so far, but I feel like I have gotten nowhere. I continue to shove my legs through the snow, until the ground slightly shifts. I stop and wait fearfully, but nothing happens. I disregard the sound as just a sound and nothing more, but I had let my guard down too early as the ground beneath me collapses allowing my body to slide down the deep mountainside. My body tumbles like a barrel down a hill as my head and back take turns plunging into the snow and back up into the air. My head breaks through the gentle layer of snow only to meet solid stone underneath. My head and back are in pain, but there is nothing I can do to stop it. The decline starts to lift up allowing my body to slow down and roll across somewhat flat ground. In too much agony and with too much speed I let myself roll too far as I slip off the edge. Dreadfully I dig my hands into the snow and grip onto the edge of the stone. With my legs hanging away all I can do is hold on, and every attempt to pull myself up fails as I end up losing even more energy to hold onto the stone.

I can feel my fingers slipping off of the stone as gravity seems to grow stronger. It feels like someone is pulling on my legs trying to drag me down. If I were to fall there is no way I would survive. Glancing down all I can see is a pit of blackness below. I want to scream for help, but I know the reality that no one will ever hear me. Even if I wanted to scream my frozen throat wouldn’t give off much of a sound. Then, as I try to gain some grip against the mountain with my shoes, a shadow looms over me. The gracious silhouette of a tall pony stares down at me from the edge of the mountain. I am overcome with relief as I try to force words from my icy lips.

“P-P-Please, help!”

The pony leans closer with its hooves on my hands. The teal light illuminates her face, and a sight that shuns my hope shines through. The smooth face and eyes lined in black shadow of the mare I saw disperse before my very eyes moves closer to mine. Her eyes are absent of pupils and are a solid periwinkle blue. She watches me with a smile, and a cold whisper moves from her lips.

“. . . It’s hopeless. Give up now, for it’s already too late . . . for the both of you.”

The mare pushes my hands off of the rock and I plummet down as she stares down at me still with a smile across her face. No amount of my screaming can save me as I watch the mountain cloud in darkness, and the mare’s face disappears. All of a sudden the wind stops, and the cold has vanished incredibly. I realize that my eyes have been closed, and opening them reveals the room of the wagon I had found. White light is bleeding through the curtains as snowflakes have caked themselves over small portions of my face. With a burst of energy I jerk myself up and against the wall as my breath quickens. I watch the window carefully expecting the light to change to that horrid teal color; thankfully it stays white after a minute of staring. It was just a nightmare, that’s all it was. But the cold, the snow the pain it all felt so real. I feel around my body to be sure I have no injuries, and I am grateful to find that there is not a single bruise about me. I lean my head back against the wall and run my fingers through my hair as I allow myself to enjoy a few deep breaths to remind myself that it really wasn’t real. But, that mare, I saw her before. Or was that just my mind playing more tricks on me? It seemed like a strange coincidence, and what she said to me. To ‘give up now, for it’s already too late for the both of you’. Just what was she talking about, and what does she mean by ‘both’? Who is she talking about? Just remembering her face gives me a slight headache.

I can feel something against my cheeks, and with an attempt to wipe it away I notice that streaks of ice have formed from my eyes down to the bottom of my jaw. My tears must’ve frozen from the cold, so I try to scratch away the ice. I find that the note and flower are on the floor, they must’ve slipped out of my hands while I was sleeping. I reach over, grab my bag, and pull out Trixie’s violet hat. I bring it to my chest, and for some reason holding it calms me down. I somehow feel . . . safer with it in my hands. I give it one last glance, as I must now prepare to head out and make my way to the castle. I place the hat back in the bag, and I also gently place the flower and note in the bag as well. I tighten the rope around the opening and swing it around my shoulder. I can feel the strange stone’s warmth near my leg. I pick up the stone, and after a second of hypnotism by its light I put it in my jacket pocket out of fear of losing it. Getting to my feet I take one last look at the room. I can still see the image of it covering in ice from my dream, but I put it aside for now turning the cold door handle and leaving the broken wagon.

Now, I am back trailing through the snow with my eyes set on the castle. Thankfully the air is calm for the moment so no deathly chilling winds are trying to reduce me to a crippled frozen corpse. I must take advantage of this and gain as much ground as I can. It feels like miles and miles that are still ahead of me, and it has just hit me like a pile of rocks as to how exactly I am going to get to the top of the mountain. I haven’t developed the slightest idea except to just climb, and if I must go on alone without the help of any sort of transportation then I am ready to climb. I say that now, but until I even come close to the mountain I wonder how my perspective will change. The scenery is beginning to become monotonous as it is just tree after tree. It occasionally is broken as I am forced off my path by obstructions like large stones that are almost as high as the trees and piles of trees that have fallen. Finally finding a new way to travel I don’t see the castle at all with these trees, which for some reason, are all leaning in one direction as if a powerful wind has forced them that way. Then something catches the tip of my shoe and I fall into the snow. The cold burns my cheeks and hands as I push my face out from the snow. It could’ve just been a log or a stone, but my curiosity brings me to inspect what it was. I hold the edge of my sleeve and brush away layers of snow to reveal a bird, a robin to be more specific, and it is frozen stiff with its wings outstretched as if it had frozen in midflight. But how could that even be possible? I thought it would’ve taken something quite some time to become sheeted in a coating of ice like this. The poor little guy, he never stood a chance. Just as I stand and begin to walk away my shoe hits another object under the snow. I reach down into the snow without a care for the burning of my hand and bring forth another bird frozen in the same way. Closer inspection of the ground shows several frozen birds’ wings and heads popping up from the snow. I can hear the sounds of birds chirping as if they were screaming and their wings beating profusely with such energy to escape from a hungry predator. I never noticed it before but also around me are deer frozen in a running stance. I can hear their long charge through the woods along with the birds chirping.

Little rabbits are also frozen to the ground and small squirrels are frozen attached to the trees. I can hear their scampering through grass, and the scratching of their claws against the tree bark. The sounds are becoming heavily overwhelming. I notice that all these animals are facing the same direction; all of them were running away from something. I turn to face the opposite direction, and ahead is the tall mountain with the dark foreboding castle against its side, my destination. Something must’ve happened to stir all these creatures, but I feel that the fear that was instilled in them has suddenly shot into me as well. I looked at this castle with hope, and now that’s slowly turning into despair. That feeling that eyes are staring straight at me from the highest window is now crushing me. I take a step back, and then a few more like a fearful child. I bump into something behind me and quickly whip around. It’s another tall mound of ice just as in Shine Village. I reach out with a trembling hand and wipe away some of the snow. I can see big fearful eyes staring back at me. I wipe away the rest and find another pony trapped within the ice. A mare with a butterscotch yellow coat, long pink mane frozen in a blown back position and her jaw is hanging open. She is staring straight upwards at the castle. How horrible, caught in the middle of the woods and doomed to become a statue. Valiari’s statement keeps repeating in my head: ‘even if you were to free them, they most certainly wouldn’t be alive’. It’s too late, there’s nothing that I can do no matter how much I want to. This time I still feel the anxious need to break open the ice, but after repeating to myself Valiari’s words I try to instill them in my head. Even if it was pointless I still feel the need to smash open the ice. My eyes linger upon this pony as she looks somewhat familiar, but I do not want to spend another moment staring at this pony for I feel it will send me back into my deep urges to free her instead of realize the reality. I hide my eyes from it and face back towards the castle, which doesn’t give me a much better feeling. I soon come to the thought that if a pony has been trapped in ice out here then surely a town must be nearby. With this in mind I take a deep breath and prepare myself to push forward.

I warily walk towards the castle against the frozen wildlife. After a while I come to sight with signs of possible false hope. Little cottages are appearing in the distance as I step up a snowy hill. At first I imagine another pony or maybe more still alive down there just waiting to be found, but with the pony I found earlier, all the snow, ice and horrible condition of the houses I quickly dismiss that idea. But, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a minute to check. I’m getting colder and a quick stop to rest could do me some good. Besides, what have I got to lose? In the village I have trouble telling the difference between here and Shine Village except that these cottages look like they might’ve been in much better condition in the past compared to Shine Village’s small shacks. There are so many ponies frozen in a trotting position facing outward of town. I pass nearly a row of ten of them before even setting foot in the village. Icicles grow out from the edges of every leaning cottage extending towards the direction of the woods. The height of the snow here is significantly higher than anywhere I’ve been previously, and it lays in mounds like waves of water across the ground. Every icy doorknob I try to turn is either stuck or comes apart in my hand. Some of them turn, but the door cannot be opened due to the snow blocking the way. Then one particular ‘house’ catches my eye. A large thick tree that looks like it could be hundreds of years old with how big it is has been transformed into a house. It’s complete with windows, a front door and a balcony that outstretches onto one of its long branches. Of course getting there would be impossible as the entire balcony is piled with snow. It isn’t like every other tree whose leaves are missing; no this tree’s leaves are all still green but are frozen to the branches.

I cannot stop staring at the tree, and then an idea strikes me. If I can get in there I would most definitely find something of use, maybe another source of heat. Why I’m sure the tree alone could prove to be a good place to stay and find some warmth from the cold. Besides, its very appearance alone feels to me like it is just begging to be explored. I scurry through the snow and try to pry open the door, but there is just too much snow. I walk around the back now losing feeling in my legs and ears with the incoming winds. I try to pull open the windows, but the ice has frozen them shut. That’s it, I’m going to need something to help me get inside. I leave the tree in search of anything that could help me make my way into the house, and after a bit of searching I find a wooden wagon that has been nearly destroyed. I pick up the nearest stray board of wood that must’ve come apart from it and head back to the tree. There is no way I can break the ice with this the wood would surely break, so getting in through the window is out of the question. Instead I decide to use the board to scrape away the surprisingly hard wall of snow blocking the door.

After digging my way through for agonizing minutes as the cold grows stronger I finally weaken the snow enough to pry the door open wide enough for me to squeeze in. Inside I drop the board of wood to the floor and shut the door pressing my hands against it to keep it shut. I quickly realize that the inside is nearly as cold as the outside, but just much darker. I pull the stone out of my pocket and use its light to give me a clearer picture of what’s inside. Somehow snow has found its way inside as it is piled and tucked around the edges and corners of the room, yet I don’t hear a single sound of wind at all meaning there can’t be an opening for snow to enter. Icicles hang from the ceiling and rise from the floor. The inner wood of the tree appears much darker in color then I had expected it to be. Built into the wood of the tree are rows upon rows of shelves filled with books. Some of them have fallen out and are lying on the floor. I pick up one of the books off of a frosty circular rug in the center of the room, and even a gentle turn of the page causes a chunk of the paper to break off in my hand. Venturing around the house I find a little kitchen with the cupboard doors flared open and kitchenware scattered all over the floor. I find a stove, and immediately test the burners to see if they light. I sigh as not even a spark comes from the stovetop. Something about this place feels familiar I just can’t shake it. Nothing about this room appears remotely recognizable. Other than that there is no reason for me to spend any more time in here, so I move on to find just a staircase leading up to a door.

Perhaps there might be something in the room beyond, or it just might even be warmer there than here. I grab and twist the knob, and with a push the door refuses to open. Something must be blocking the door from the other side, so the first thing that comes to my head is to try and force it open. I push harder onto the door, but it still won’t budge. I throw myself into the door repeatedly until I can hear the sound of something cracking. I must be making progress; one last strong enough bash should do it. I step back and lunge straight into the door with my whole body weight. The door finally gives way and large shards of ice shatter and slither across the icy floor. With all that momentum I end up falling onto the floor with the ice. The entire room is sheeted in a coat of ice, and there are even more shelves of books, but there are greater gaps in these. Furniture and several books are frozen to the ground toppled over each other. This place reminds me of the nightmare I had last night where everything froze over just like this. My eyes follow the shards as they glide towards a large pile of black charred remains of wood and paper. Next to it is something I had never expected to see. A lavender coated pony with a violet mane, pink highlights and a horn protruding from her forehead lays motionless and covered in frost near the pile of ashes.

Chapter 6

I lay stunned to find that the pony isn’t solidified in ice, and with a sudden sense of urgency I rush to her body with my mind running crazily. I’m not sure, but I feel there just . . . just might be a chance I can do something to help her. The charred remains of wood and paper give me the feeling that this pony has been here for some time, but the cold eventually got to her. No, this can’t be . . . I can’t feel her pulse at the base of her neck or her chest. Then it occurs to me: the stone; I can maybe use it to bring her back. In the back of my head I keep hearing ‘it won’t work, it’s too late’. But I’m not going to give up that easily, not without trying. I hold the stone over the pony’s chest in the hopes that its power may resuscitate her, but strangely the stone isn’t glowing anymore. I stare at it puzzlingly as all of its color has suddenly faded leaving behind a transparent glassy stone.

“No . . . No, no, no what’s going on?” I say.

I shake the stone and wave it around frustratingly in the air expecting it to somehow start to glow again, but nothing happens. Flustered I angrily shove the stone into the floor and run around the room for another way to create some heat. The ashes, there must’ve been a way for her to start a fire it just has to be around here somewhere. I start pushing tables and lifting rugs checking every last corner for something, anything that can help. It’s cold, but I can feel sweat starting to form at the base of my forehead from the tension of the situation. Each second I waste looking for a way to get some heat is another second she drifts away until I have absolutely no chance of bringing her back. Come on; come on there has to be something! Then I leap down to the floor straggling to grab what I had been looking for. An open box of matches covered in frost is resting in a corner around a bookshelf. I open the box and find only five matches left, which is more than enough. Now all I need is something to burn. Now my eyes are jumping around the room crazily. The books! I can use them to burn. Pulling off book after book and tossing them onto the pile of ashes I yank out a match and strike it against the rough black strip on the side of the box. Over and over I strike the match but it just won’t spark.

“Come on; come on . . . spark already!” I say heatedly.

Then after numerous tries the wondrous flickering of the head of the match is followed by it finally igniting with a little flame dancing about. With it in my hands as it warms my index and thumb finger I realize that this feels incredible to see a real flame after all this time of being surrounded by snow. I drop the match onto the books as the pages quickly catch the flame and share it amongst the others. The small fire grows as I move the pony as close as possible to the flame as I can careful not to place her too close. Now, all I can do is wait. With all the curtains and bed sheets around the room I figure I could use those to help as well, but they too are cold and frozen stiff. My heart is stuck in this constant heavy rhythm that pounds in my chest. I notice the stone I slammed onto the floor and pick it back up examining it further in my hands. It still refuses to show its color for some strange reason, and with the feeling that it is just an empty vessel now as that warm feeling it gave me has completely vanished I set it down gently onto the icy floor. I sit near the pony watching as the frost slowly melts and slips through the small hairs of her coat and puddles onto the floor. I find something odd about the floor around the fire. The ice doesn’t seem to be melting. I glide my hand over it and feel that it is completely dry and still cold. It’s impossible; the ice would have definitely at least started melting by now.

After quite some time the light outside has darkened as I lean back against the bookshelf behind me. The flame occasionally starts to die down, and with the pony still not moving I continue to lay books into the fire. Lazily I reach up and grab book after book at random then lay them into the fire. With another book in my hand I am about to crowd it against the others, but my eyes are caught by the silver cursive lettering on the dark front cover. “The Tale of The Mare of the Snow” it reads. I stare at it with interest as it brings back sour memories of Candle Light’s Mother sharing her thoughts on how the winter reminds her of a fairy tale her Mother used to read to her. I wonder if this could be the story she was talking about. I bring it away from the fire and closer to my curious eyes. The book feels ancient like it hasn’t been touched in years. I open the front cover as the book’s spine bends and creaks. My eyes glide over the aged paper reading the first words: “Chapter One: Love at First Sight.” Love? What is that? Skipping over my confusion of the word I press on with reading.

Once, during a cold and rainy night, a lonely mare was forced into the nearest café during her evening walk. Her brick red mane layed like a wet mop over her eyes, and her white dress was soaked. Her lightly gray coat glistened under the lights hanging from the ceiling. She loved to walk or trot through Bloom Park, a wonderful little place where lilies grew and fillies played. She happened to walk into the middle of a game of tag a few young fillies were playing in the center of the park around the fountain. A stone statue of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were spouting water through their mouths and into the hexagonal pool. The mare would always stop by this fountain and stare into the glimmering water, but the floor also glistened as shiny bits lay at the bottom. Sometimes she would toss a bit into the water, and as the ripples formed she would make a wish. Soon she would give up on trying again for she knew that such magic doesn’t and will never exist. She felt her wishing was in vain, and what was it she was wishing for? She wished only for a heart to join hers, to find that special somepony she had dreamed of finding. She felt silly for ever making such a wish, felt it pointless to even dream anymore. Despite her constant hammering of this idea into her mind she felt drawn to try again. She felt it relieves her from the stress and loneliness in a way she can’t explain.

The young fillies stopped their game immediately at the sight of her. She was struck with anxiety and froze in place as they stared at her.

“Oh don’t mind me, I’m just passing by.” She finally uttered after a short silence.

“It’s okay Miss!” One says.

“Say, are you busy?” Another asks.

“Me? Well I . . . No, I suppose not.” She says awkwardly.

“We could use another player! Would you like to play with us?” One asks excitedly.

“Why that’s very sweet of you to ask—”

“So will you?” One asks cutting her sentence off.

“Oh well you see I don’t think that—”

“You’re it!”

“Catch us if you can!” Another shouts as they all scamper away behind the hedges that fence the park like a maze.

“Wait! I . . . !”

She knew that she couldn’t just let these kids hide and not play along. She saw no harm in it, so she sighed and decided to go on and find them. The mare trotted and searched, and one by one she would find each little filly tagging them gently as they ‘awed’ with disappointment once they were tagged. She had found two, but the last one seemed elusive. Finally she caught up to the filly and chased her through what seemed like the entire park. The mare tagged her and sat down from exhaustion. All the fillies gathered around her giggling and bouncing with so much energy.

“That was fun!”

“Again again!”

“No I . . . I really should get going now.” The mare says still recovering her breath.

“Awe!” They all whine in unison.

“You girls really shouldn’t just talk to random strangers anyway.” The mare explained.

“Well, what’s your name Miss?”

“Meriva, why?”

“Hello Meriva! My name is Cotton Blossom! This is Peach Drops and Periwinkle!” The little filly says happily while introducing the other two.

“. . . Well, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Now that we’re not strangers anymore . . . wanna play?!” She asks excitedly holding her little hooves up to her cheeks.

Meriva looked at all three of them as they gleamed at her with their big shiny eyes and tiny smiles. She chuckled, and found the first ray of happiness she’s felt in a long time.

“. . . Okay, but just one more game.”

“Two more!” One shouts.

“Okay, fine.”

“Three more!”

“Maybe.” Meriva says with a chuckle.

Meriva, now getting back to her hooves, tries to get herself ready for the next round.

“Run!” One of the fillies shouts before they all disperse.

Meriva played a few more rounds of tag with them until she completely wore out. They spent all that time laughing and adorably accusing one or the other for being tagged. As she said her goodbyes she knew that the kids had a fun time and wished it could’ve lasted longer, but the clouds up above had other plans. They were gathering like a jigsaw puzzle fitting perfectly into place and turning to a heavy gray color rumbling in the sky. Her home was a bit of a walk away, and she knew that a storm was about to brew knowing her luck. Before she knew it on her way home the rain began to pour down. It was early fall and the cold rain mixed with heavy winds blew dead leaves and drops of the cold hard rain against her face. The streets were empty; she was getting drenched as her dress became heavier as it collected the rain. She couldn’t take it anymore, so she ran into Giano’s Café. She knew the owner Giano, he’s a kind stallion and she would consider him a good friend. She knew he wouldn’t have a problem with her staying in there until the storm blew over so she hurried inside. At the sound of a bell jingling upon opening the door to the café Meriva is instantly noticed and greeted by the shop’s Giano, a relatively middle-aged stallion with a pale coat, black mane and mustache below his snout, and white apron drying a cup with a dish rag.

“Ah Meriva! What were you doing out in the rain?” He asks concerned from behind the counter.

“I was just on my way home; then this storm started.” She says dripping with rain.

“Well come in! Come in! Just take a seat and let me get you a towel to dry off eh?”

Meriva takes a seat on the rubber sheeted stool and parts her mane out of her eyes. Good old Giano, always such a kind fellow. In her hoof she held the shiny golden bit she had planned to toss into the fountain, and with the dark atmosphere of the outside and evil pounding of the rain she slid it back into her little handbag. She almost didn’t even want to see it again.

“Ah, here you go Meriva.” Says Giano wrapping the big white towel around her before returning behind the counter.

“So, where were you before you decided to head home?” Giano asks curiously.

“. . . Nowhere.”

“Meriva, I can tell something is bothering you.”

Giano was always very good at telling when Meriva was upset. It didn’t matter how big or how small the matter was, he just always sort of knew. Even though he was an earth pony just like Meriva he had this magical sense about him.

“I just . . .”

“Oh Meriva, don’t start crying now.”

“I’m not.” She says trying to hide her sadness. “Why would I cry over something so silly?”

“It’s not silly. We’ve talked about this time and time again. Don’t you remember what I said?”

“. . . Yes.”

“You’ll find the right pony someday, or . . . ?” Giano waits for Meriva to finish the sentence.

“He just may find me.” Meriva says with a smile beginning to peak.

“Right! Meriva you’ve got your whole life ahead of you! Just because you haven’t found him now doesn’t mean you won’t ‘ever’ find him. Meriva, there’s something you have to understand.”

“And what’s that?”

“A wish is like a promise. Once you make one you should never, under any circumstances, go back on it. As long as you hold it in your heart it will surely shine through someday, you just have to give it time.”

“You’re right, as always. Thanks Giano.” She says with an entire smile.

“Hey, that’s what friends are for. Now, would you like a warm cup of coffee?”

“No thanks Giano.”

“Oh come on, it’s on me!”

No matter how many times she tells him no he still persists on making her that cup. As he grabs a clean glass cup from the rack the jingling of the bell rings behind them. A stallion enters with a hat over his short black mane dripping with rain from the edge of the brim, and an unbuttoned jacket around his body revealing his dark gray coat leaving its own trail of water behind as he takes a seat at the counter. One away from Meriva. Giano turns and greets the stallion.

“Welcome! A beautiful night out isn’t it?”

“Yep, it sure is.” He chuckles.

“What’ll ya have?”

“Uhh one cup, dark please.”

“Comin’ right up.”

Giano fills one cup with cream and sugar and lets the coffee machine pour its warm steamy liquid into the cup. He fills another with just the coffee and brings the two cups to the counter. He slides Meriva her cup, and then the stallion’s.

“That’ll be one bit sir.”

“Sure, umm . . .” He begins to then search his pockets then sighs out of frustration. “Ugh, I left my wallet at my cottage.”

“You know what, don’t worry about it. Just take it.” Says Giano sympathetically.

“No, that’s okay. I don’t want you to think I’m lying just to get a free cup.”

“Here.” Says Meriva handing over the bit she had in her bag to the stallion.

“Oh, but miss I couldn’t I—”

“No, just take it. I want you to have it.”

“. . . Thank you.” He finally says after his stunned silence.

He hands over the bit to Giano and thanks him for the payment. Giano takes one glance at Meriva, then at the stallion, and he can feel that this just might be the moment. With his unknown sense he could feel that it was about time he left them alone, but not without an attempt at starting a conversation.

“So, sir, I haven’t seen you around town. Are you new here?”

“Oh, yes I just moved in this morning.”

“Well then welcome! I hope you like it here.”

“Oh I do, it is quite nice—”

“Ah! I just remembered I have to go to the back and clean up the spill from earlier. I’ll be back as soon as I’m finished.” Giano says interrupting the stallion’s attempt to continue the conversation.

He gives Meriva a subtle wink as he moves into the back of the store. Meriva begins to shudder and tries to secretly beckon him back, but he just smiles and leaves. Leaving Meriva all alone with the stallion, as he sips his coffee feeling confused about how abruptly Giano just left, and feeling an anxiety she hasn’t felt in a long time. She glances at him and tries to force herself to utter just a friendly hello, but her voice cannot muster it. Finally, she takes a deep breath and tries her best to sound natural.

“So, you like it here?”

“Hm? Oh yes, it’s such a nice little town. Everypony is quite friendly. . .” A silence then fills the room as Meriva is left with nothing further to say. “Um, thank you.”

“What?”

“Thank you, for paying for my drink. That was very kind of you.”

“Oh, you’re welcome.”

“. . . My name is Dawston by the way.”

“I-It’s nice to meet you, my name’s Meriva.” She says shyly.

“Meriva?” He asks.

Meriva squirms in her chair at the sound of the repeat of her name. To her it sounds like he is about to criticize her name, and she prepares for it expecting the worst.

“That’s a nice name, a beautiful name.” He says.

“R-Really?”

At this moment they both raise their heads and finally make eye contact. As soon as their vision meets each other they are glued. Without a single blink it’s as if tape were keeping their eye lids open, and a padlock keeping their eyes on each other. They don’t know it, but a spark has just ignited within both their hearts, and from here it will grow into a much stronger fire. Giano was right, he was always right.

Chapter two starts on the next page. I feel so immersed in this story for some strange reason, and I just want to keep reading. This really must be the story that Candle Light’s Mother was talking about! During the time I had been reading a snowstorm seems to have started outside as the winds blow against the tree. Just as I am about to read the next words a sound breaks the steady silence that filled the room: the sound of something brushing against the cold icy floor. Startled I shut the book and set it down beside me as I scan the room anticipating it to happen again. My eyes catch something jerk near the dying fire. The pony’s hind leg twitches sending a burst of energy through me as I inspect her body. By now all the frost has melted away. I turn her body over so that I can clearly see her face. She’s coming through; she’s coming through she just has to!

“Come on wake up . . . wake up.” I whisper.

Then, her eyes begin to slowly open, and a violent coughing fit follows thereafter. I don’t believe it, she’s really awake! I feel so ecstatic I could just jump around the whole room. I try to hold her head straight with my hands on both her cheeks to have her focus on me. Her eyes struggle to open wider, but her breathing begins to calm to a somewhat steady rhythm. I thought that I would’ve had something to say instead of staring at her in silence. I guess, if I were to be honest with myself, I didn’t really expect her eyes to actually open.

“W-What . . . what happened . . . ?” She whispers. “Where am I?”

“Don’t worry, you’re awake now.” I say trying to keep my breath under control from excitement.

At the sound of my voice she then opens her eyes completely and stares at me curiously.

“It’s . . . But how . . . ?” She utters.

“What? What’s the matter?” I ask intriguingly.

“Where . . . ? I-Is this a dream?”

“N-No, it’s not.”

“Spike? . . . Spike where are you? Where are you?!” She begins to shout and squirm.

“Relax okay, stay calm.” I say in a vain attempt to get her to keep still and quiet down.

“My friends . . . Where are they—where are my friends?”

“I-I-I don’t know.”

“I need to find them, I need . . .” The pony tries to stand, but her weak limbs give out instantly.

Her voice sounds so drowsy and her movements are as if her body was completely made out of rubber. Every attempt she makes to stand and hurry to the door only sends her crumbling back down. I watch her hopelessly continue to try not knowing what I should do. She falls once more, and I can hear her beginning to whine. The thought that she may have gotten hurt sends me after her. Gradually her movements settle as she continues to have another coughing fit. And, looking up at me once again, her eyes are beginning to fill with tears.

“W-What’s wrong? Does something hurt?” I ask anxiously.

She touches my arms with her hooves as if to be sure that I am even real. As they make contact with the cloth encasing my arms she pulls back out of fear and cringes. With her irregular breathing and trembling body she scans around the room as terror imprints itself upon her eyes.

“No . . . No th-this can’t be.” She says, but I just remain silent and let her soak in the world for a moment. “This can’t be happening.” She says fearfully.

Again she tries to stand herself up, but this time she just barely spaces her hooves in such a way that enables her to keep herself up. She then begins to take uneven steps towards the door. Surprised at how she hasn’t yet fallen she continues down the stairs sending a burst of energy though me to catch up to her. She stumbles down the stairs and then makes her way to the front door as I watch her from atop the stairway.

“Where are you going?!” I call, but she does not even turn back to me.

She pushes open the front door letting in the harsh winds, and after a long look around the landscape she walks into the snow.

“Hey! Wait!” I yell. “Where are you going?!”

I need to follow her, but I should gather my things together before I do. After a sigh of frustration I hurry back into the room with a quick heart and pick up the still translucent stone so nervous that I almost drop it. I yank my bag off my shoulder and speedily drop the stone inside. As I turn back ready to go down the stairs I remember, the book! Back in the room I pick up the book and place it in my bag as well careful not to crush the flower inside. Also, just to be safe, I take the box of matches and place it in my bag as well. I tighten the rope and hoist it over my shoulder running down the steps. The intense cold halts me before the door as I try to spot her outside. It is snowing heavily, and the pony’s hoof tracks continue on into the clouds of snow and darkness. I hold my hand over my eyes and squint to strain my eyes and see if I can maybe spot her, but with all the snow and with how dark it is I can barely see anything. I brace myself for the cold as I cannot just let her stay out there all alone. What if something were to happen to her? She can barely walk and these winds could push her down into the snow to freeze her once again if I don’t act now. She's the first face I've seen in a while, and I'm not going to let her put herself in danger like this. I take a few breaths and throw myself into the storm holding my collar over my mouth as high as possible to block the cold snowflakes and wind. I keep my face down to hide from the cold, and to follow her tracks.

Chapter 7

To keep the snow from finding its way up into my pants I step into the pony’s tracks still following them, but it still sneaks into my shoes numbing my feet. The snow that is pouring out of the sky is caking itself onto my clothing and blowing into my ears. It’s so dark, but the snow blowing against my face is keeping me from opening my eyes even the slightest. It feels like small little blades scratching against my cheeks. I just don’t understand how this clearly injured pony could’ve trotted through this storm without me even having the chance to catch up. She must be really determined to find something, but if she believes that her friends are really out here then she might have some bad news waiting for her. Every other pony I've seen has been solidified in ice, and it wouldn't surprise me if her friends were as well. But, I’d rather not imagine such a thing.

The tracks lead me through a neighborhood of tilted cottages to a little wooden sign. It reads: ‘Sugarcube Corner’. Then below that is a sticker that has been peeling off from one of the corners that says: ‘Special! New Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes!’. The tracks continue on to an odd looking building ahead. I walk closer blocking the snow with my hand to get a better view, and the building appears to have a brown roof lined with white swirling borders like icing around a cake. Along the walls are shelves with flowers planted in little pots resting on them, but they are all frozen stiff. Extending from the roof is a little tower shaped like a cupcake with three candles sticking up from the top. She had to have gone in there, so I walk up a small set of purple steps between two candy cane-like poles on each side of the doorway. I tighten my hands around the cold handles, and I can hear the sound of a voice behind the door. Now sure of myself that she is in the building I pull open the double doors and shut them behind me. The room is covered in shadows, but I soon realize that just like the tree this place is entirely sheeted in a coating of ice. However there are some areas that have been left bare.

There are tables, chairs, and booths. In the center of the room is a big table showcasing the new cupcakes as they are all bunched together. There is a front desk with glass casing in the front with other pastries and cakes behind it. A little bell sits atop the counter frozen to the surface. The support beams on the ceiling are all carved and decorated with the shapes of hearts and swirls. There are even more candy cane style poles that hold up the ceiling. Also on the ceiling is a little chandelier with three branches each with a bulb at the end, and one single bulb in the center. Behind the counter are two double doors like a saloon that lead to a dark room. Along the icy floor a round green rug has solidified onto the floor as well as a rectangular darker green mat near the front desk. Behind the desk I notice that there are two ponies trapped in ice. One is a tall yellow stallion and the other is a chubby light blue mare, and they both have uniforms that lead me to believe that they are the owners of this little bakery. They are frozen in a position of them cowering in the corner of the room holding onto each other.

Around the table of cupcakes are four other ponies each with frightened expressions on their faces. One is a pink pony with a poofy mane of a darker color. Beside her is a white mare with a royal purple curled mane and another with an orange coat, blonde mane and cowgirl hat atop her head. Near the ceiling is a sky blue mare with wings like a Pegasus and a messy rainbow striped mane and tail. She is being held up in the air by icicles that extend from the floor and from the ceiling. It befuddles me how the ice could’ve done something like this. It’s as if the ice was reaching out for the pony and froze her in place. They are all frozen in a distressed position staring either down at the ground or around at the walls. Before them sits the lavender coated pony I have been chasing after, and she is mumbling to herself shivering violently from the cold snow that has gathered onto her coat.

“If only I was here. . . I could’ve saved them.” She turns her head back and notices me. I can see a stream of tears has formed down her cheek. “My friends . . . my only friends.”

I don’t dare take another step forward; I would rather just keep my distance and let her be. For her to see her friends frozen in ice must be something very difficult to take in. It’s something I never want to experience. Never would I want to see Valiari, Candle Light or . . . Trixie frozen into statues. I don’t think I would be able to move on. Without any words for my voice to form I keep silent, and allow the pony to have her space.

“The day seemed to be normal; the sun was out, birds were singing, and then everything changed.” She says after a short silence. “I heard ponies screaming outside. I took one look out the window and . . . an avalanche of some sort was covering everything.”

The word ‘avalanche’ has suddenly caught my attention. With the feeling that she will continue to explain I take a few steps closer.

“My room it . . . it became covered in ice. It locked me in as the outside was quickly being overrun with snow. Everypony was freezing in place like statues; it was an apocalypse.”

“. . . What did you do?” I ask.

“M-My magic had no effect on the ice, but it didn't take me. It left me to live as if it wanted me to suffer . . . to imagine what had been happening to my friends! And here they are! With no way out!” She shouts with struggles in her voice. “I should’ve been here; I should’ve been here.” She repeats sobbing.

My heart is wrenching inside my chest. I may not know these ponies very well, but I can tell that this pony truly has a strong connection to them. If only there was a way to help them, but there’s nothing that can be done just like Valiari said. But, maybe I can help her. Maybe if I propose to her my idea about the castle on the mountain she just may agree. Giving her a sense of hope. I hate to hear the sound of her crying, so I step towards her ready to attempt to comfort her. Just as I am about to lay may hand on her shoulder something immediately stops me.

“Don’t.” A voice commands. I hold my hand back and remain still as the pony continues to cry. “She’s trying to trick you.”

“Why? Why did this have to happen?” The pony mumbles.

“She’s dangerous.” Says the voice promptly. “Remember what she and her friends tried to do to you?”

I . . . I remember. At the sound of the voice’s question I suddenly recall these ponies. I can see images flashing in my head just like before. The lavender pony, the pink pony and all the rest are chasing after me. Chasing me down a series of dark hallways. The rainbow pony is flying after me, and the orange pony is galloping behind me.

“Applejack you take the left and I’ll take the right!” The voice of the rainbow pony advised.

“Why when Ah git ma hooves on you-you two legged varmint Ah’ll whup ya like a rented mule!” The orange pony shouted behind me.

The next thing I see is a lasso wrapping around my waist, and she is pulling me nearer with the rainbow pony not too far behind.

“They saw you as a nuisance, an enemy, a monster; and ‘she’ still does.” Says the voice.

I can see me and Valiari walking together in a very damp and swampy place. We’re running, running as fast as we can. They are behind us with angry expressions. The voice, it’s right. They tried to capture me and my friend. For all I know this pony could really be trying to trick and trap me. I am beginning to become suspicious of her, and begin to take a few steps back.

“Leave, lock her in.” Says the voice.

I can’t take the chance; I have to listen to the voice before it’s too late.

“But, at least . . .”

“Lock her in.” The voice demands as I continue to back up towards the door.

“At least you’re here.” Says the pony.

Her statement stops me in my tracks. Her voice sounds just so sincere there’s no way she could be devising some kind of plan against me. She is merely grieving over her friends, and I need to help her.

“What are you doing?” The voice asks. “Leave her, go!”

I feel so much pressure building inside me. My mind is telling me to leave her, but my heart is telling me to stay. My heart is racing and my blood is boiling. I don’t know what to do. What should I do? What should I do? She needs help and I might just be the only one left to give her that, but she could be trying to lie to me. Those memories, they were real I know they were.

“You’ll help me, right?” She asks still sobbing.

I want to say yes but the voice won’t stop! It won’t leave me alone!

“Go! Lock her in, lock her in!”

“R-Right?” She asks again.

“Do you want to find your beloved friends or not?!”

The pony turns her head to me covered in tears expecting an answer from me. Out of the sheer pressure and a marathon running in my thoughts I turn around and sprint for the door.

“Wait! Where are you going?!” She calls, but I do my best to ignore her and tear through the front doors.

I slam them shut and lean against them with all my weight. The pony tries to push the door open but I press against it with my freezing hands to keep her inside.

“What are you doing?! Please! Open the door!” She begs.

“Don’t listen to her. Next to you is a loose board of wood. Slide it between the handles, now.”

“Please!” She shouts while pounding on the door with her weak hooves.

My mind is going through so much stress at this moment. I want to open the door but my hands won’t listen to me. They want to keep her inside. No, I have to leave her. I can’t take the chance. I reach down and grab the board of wood protruding through the snow near the wall of the building and fashion it between the handles of the doors. I let go of the doors and step away as the pony continues to try and push the doors open, but the wood keeps them shut.

“Good, now leave. Go!” The voice commands sending me off in a fearful sprint away from the building.

Running as fast as I can into the storm I follow my tracks back towards the tree home. Once I know that I've gotten far from the building I slow down and walk the rest of the way. I try to keep the act out of my mind. I keep telling myself that it was the right thing to do, but I can’t stop hearing her pleas for me to open the door bouncing about in my skull. I try to focus my attention down to the snow to maybe get it out of my head, but I can’t help but remember. I start to turn my head back to the direction of the building, but I force myself not to look. I should feel a sense of accomplishment that I escaped, but instead I feel empty. What I had done it . . . it couldn't have been the right thing to do. Her grief, her tears those were most certainly real. Her words were sincere, every last one of them. Yet I let a voice tell me otherwise. It sounded familiar, but it most definitely didn't sound like it wanted to help me. I stop in the snow without taking another step away from the building. I turn back, and with my heart filling with stamina I run through the snow back to the bakery. Ready to fix what I had done.

The cold is becoming unbearable, but I push through it lifting my numbed legs through the building layers of snow. Some time has passed since I am retracing my steps back to the building, but the pony should still be there. How am I going to explain it to her when I get back, she might not trust ‘me’ anymore now. I hope she won’t jump to conclusions. I hurry up the purple steps, almost tripping on the last, and remove the wood board from the door handles. I hastily rip open the doors and run inside. As the doors close behind me I scan the room for the pony, but she is nowhere in sight.

“Hello?” I call.

I take a few steps into the room confusedly. Then suddenly something tightens around my heels and hoists me upwards. My back slams against the floor and my body is brought up into the air as I hang upside down. My bag slips off my shoulder and lands onto the floor. I try to reach for it but no matter how much I try it remains out of my reach. I can feel all the blood quickly rushing to my head and arms as they dangle to the floor. I lift up my head and see that a wire has been tied around my ankles and is connected through a heart shaped hold in the ceiling’s support beams and tied around one of the candy cane poles. The wire is black, and because the room is so dark I couldn’t see it at all. I try to lift myself up to maybe undue the knot of the wire, but I just can’t reach it.

“So, you came back.” Says the lavender pony stepping through a curtain of shadows towards me.

“Wait, I-I can explain!” I say.

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to. I see now how you really are.”

“Please just—!”

“No, I’m not going to listen to you.” The pony says promptly with her still wet cheeks.

She then refuses to look at me and grabs my bag with her teeth. She throws it over her neck and carries it.

“Wait, stop! You don’t understand!”

“I think I understand clearly. I knew there was something off about you since the first day I saw you. Everypony else might not have been able to see it but I sure did. I can’t believe I let myself fall for it too. But I’m not going to make that same mistake again! . . . If only you had disappeared for good.”

The pony, with my bag around her neck, walks towards the front doors leaving me to hang from the ceiling.

“Wait! Please!” I cry.

But it doesn't matter; she ignores my pleas and walks out the front doors shutting them behind her. I then hear the horrid sound of the board of wood against the surface of the doors sliding between handles.

Chapter 8

The sound of wind comes into hearing as it brushes past Valiari’s ears. His cheek has been lying atop a chilling floor of ice, and his body is then shot into an intense shivering. He lifts up his head to find that across from him is the only source of light in this unknown room: A few streaks of Moonlight that sneak through small cracks between the clouds outside. The light shines through a large window with frost settled along the edges and corners bouncing off of a white-tiled floor. He pushes himself up and leans back against a cold flat wall rubbing his eyes. Panicking he finds that he is trapped within a tight space between the wall and entangling icicles that seem to be branching out from the walls and floor to encage him. He tries to push and bash at the icicles with his hooves trying to find enough space to wind up for an attack, but the ice refuses to break. There is such a small amount of space he cannot even stand up to try and kick the ice. He becomes so desperate for a way out that he resorts to gnawing at the ice, but doesn’t even leave a scratch.

Thoughts spew out of his mind about the family and his friend. He delves into his memories to try and remember the last thing that happened. He sees him and Aireal talking with Candle Light and her Mother, and then a heavy blizzard ensued destroying the cabin. Everything went black after that. What could have happened to them? Where are they? He continues to ask himself. He takes a glance around at his surroundings outside the icy bars to maybe get an idea of where he is being held captive, but there is only darkness ahead except for the small amount of Moonlight. He can’t imagine what his friend might be going through, or Candle Light and her family for that matter. Stressful he tries once again to break the bars of ice, but with no success. His body is beginning to tire, but he can’t let exhaustion hold him back. They are in trouble, he knows it, and he needs to be there to help them. As he presses onto the ice pondering to himself he hears a slight sound off in the blackness. The sound of a small pony’s voice whimpering, crying, moaning as if injured erupts from behind the Moonlight and behind the shadows. Shaken by the disruption of constant wind echoing in this seemingly large room he listens carefully to the sound and tries to find out who it is that may need help.

“Hey! Who’s there?!” He asks, but the crying just continues. “Hey! Hello?!” Still no response.

Valiari disappointedly tosses his back against the wall and sighs a cloud of breath that lingers in the air.

“H-Hello?” Asks a weak mares voice. “M-Mister Valiari? Is that . . . is that you?”

Surprised to hear his name said he jolts back with his hooves against the bars of ice and his wide open eyes.

“Yes it’s me! Are . . . are you Candle Light’s Mother?”

“Yes! Oh what a relief it is to hear your voice. Where are we?”

“I’m not too sure, nowhere good I suspect. Say who is that crying?”

“It’s my daughter, sweetie? Sweetie can you hear me? Just relax okay, Mommy’s here . . . Mommy’s here.”

“Oh she’s here.” Valiari says with a sigh of relief. “How is she? Is she hurt?”

“I-I don’t know. She’s shivering like mad, and her body is freezing cold. Oh darling look at me, look at me. I’m here, it’s okay.”

‘Shivering like mad, body freezing cold’ Valiari quickly realizes the severity of the situation. He hates to admit it, but Candle Light is on her way to hypothermia. She’s young, and her body can’t handle the cold. If not treated immediately things might begin to take a toll for the worst. Her Mother continuously tries to get her daughter to calm down, but the crying and moaning continues. Valiari doesn’t want to frighten her Mother, but she must be aware of how imperative it is to keep her as warm as possible. Perhaps they aren’t as trapped as he is, at least he hopes not.

“Can you move around?” He asks.

“Why I . . . no. There’s something blocking the way. What is this? Is it . . . ice? Mister Valiari where are you? My daughter is freezing and I don’t know what to do!” She says exasperatingly.

“Look, look, look. Just remain calm. You and your daughter are going to be just fine, but you have to keep her as warm as you can.”

“I-Is she going to be okay?”

“Just do as I say, alright? And everything will be fine.”

“Oh Valiari, don’t you know it isn’t right to lie?” Asks a voice from the dark. “Why don’t you go ahead and tell them the truth?”

“Who’s that? Wh-Who’s there?!” The Mother asks.

“Me? Why I’m the one who brought you here! Don’t you just love what I’ve done with the place?”

“What do you mean? Where are we?” Valiari asks.

“You are in Canterlot, at least, what’s left of it. But if you ask me I think my renovations to the place make it much cozier.”

“Canterlot?” Valiari gasps.

“That’s right. If you really don’t like it here then maybe your beloved Princesses will come to your rescue.” A giggling is followed after her mocking comment.

“. . . No . . . What did you do to them?!” Valiari demands.

“Oh don’t worry about them, they are doing just fine.”

Valiari can hear sets of hoof steps drawing closer. Beneath the rays of Moonlight steps a tall white mare bearing a frosted golden necklace and crown. Her powerful appearance is ascended with the presence of a long horn, large feathery wings, and a pale rainbow mane that flows in the air. Beside her steps a smaller mare with similar attire; except her necklace and crown are black, and her mane is reminiscent of the night sky. Something Valiari hasn’t been able to see in quite some time due to the thick clouds that cover the skies. Valiari is shot with excitement at the sight of them, and jumps to calling out to them for their attention.

“Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!” He shouts.

However, the Princesses do not speak. Slowly they turn their heads towards him, and Valiari sits stunned to what he sees. Their eyes, they are pale and lifeless.

“Princess?”

“I wouldn’t waste your time with them; right now they are nothing more than hollow husks of who they used to be. They only hear my voice, and my commands. They are like little angels. You may leave now.” Says the voice, and the two Princesses walk back into the dark on her command.

“. . . I don’t understand. Why let them continue their duties of day and night? Sounds a bit pointless to me.”

“Why? Well their power surely will come in handy. Not only that, but I need ‘some’ way to get that feeble little creature to show up to my castle.”

“. . . What?”

“Yes! That’s right! I want to lure your little friend here, so that I can finish him off in the most satisfying way possible. He is an annoying little speck in my plans, and once he arrives he will most certainly regret it.”

“If you do anything to him I swear—”

“Oh you really are quite adorable! Thinking that any of your measly threats will scare me. What you fail to understand is that he is my toy, and I just might break him. But, I want him here, and I want you to watch him suffer.”

“No! Do what you want with me but leave him be!”

“Same goes for this little filly and her Mother. I have something special planned for them, especially that little one. Something . . . fun.”

“No! Please, will you just let this family go? They’ve done nothing to deserve this.”

“I won’t let you hurt my daughter! Never!” The Mother shouts.

“Now who said anything about pain? I just want you all to enjoy this wonderland I’ve created!”

“You are responsible for this-this chaos?!” Valiari shouts.

“Choas? Why, I find it as pure serenity. Winter is just so . . . beautiful. Don’t you think? The snow, the icicles that hang from rooftops, it’s all just so magnificent. Now, all of Equestria is wrapped in a blanket of white.”

“You will be stopped.” Says Valiari angrily.

“Oh? And how would that be? You are just a pathetic painter in ragged clothes! What power could you possibly have over me?”

“I wasn’t talking about me.”

“. . . Oh, you mean . . . ?” Suddenly the voice breaks out into an incessant laughter. “You-You really think that puny little pet of yours will—” The laughter bursts back out and then slowly settles back down. “You are too much Valiari! But you have no idea how much control I am gaining over your little pet at this very moment.”

“No, he’s stronger than you! He won’t let himself fall victim to your tricks!”

“I believe he already has. Every passing day it becomes easier and easier, and soon, his mind will become so weak to the point to where he will end up just like your Princess: empty. It’s only a matter of time.”

“. . . No, he can’t. He won’t.” Valiari whispers.

“Oh, he will. If by some chance he doesn’t, I have other ideas to bring him to ‘our’ side.”

“Our side? Just who are you anyway?!”

“I am the cold breeze of the winter season, and I will turn Equestria into a snowy wasteland along with everypony in it. There is nothing you can do to stop us. You are trapped Valiari, without any way to help your little friend. You . . .” The thick clouds beyond the window block out the space given to the Moon shrouding the entire room in darkness as Candle Light and her Mother continue to cry. Valiari watches the blackness with his body frozen stiff. Then just for a moment the light returns, and what is revealed sends Valiari into a deep fear he hasn’t felt in quite some time. “. . . belong to us.” Says two voices simultaneously.

For one second Valiari catches a glimpse of a mare standing directly in the Moonlight. He cannot believe his eyes, but they tell the truth. Her face, her mane, her eyes they all look so different then how he remembers. It can’t be; it couldn’t be. He thought that she was long lost, but now he knows. The mare disappears, and the Moonlight never returns. Only their giggling echoes around the room. Valiari hopes that Aireal is still out there alive and well. No, he knows he is. He just has to be. Valiari isn’t ready to lose all hope. Equestria still has a chance, but he cannot do it alone. If only he were still with him, to protect him. Valiari needs to come up with some kind of plan, but he needs time. There just has to be a way out of here. Wherever Aireal may be, he hopes that he doesn’t find himself in any trouble. He has to know, he just has to know.

I try once again to reach up to the wire that is entangling my legs, but I run out of energy and end up falling back down with an aching back. After all my shouting and calling for help I doubt that she will be coming back. I can hear the storm outside intensifying as the wood that constructs the bakery is starting to creak immensely. I can feel my head and arms swelling with the blood that has been rushing down to them. The wood continues to bend and moan, and the longer I hang the more I realize that there really isn’t any way out of this. No matter how much I struggle the knot of wire is too strong to be loosened. Giving up and letting my body dangle in the air I twist left and right. The ponies frozen in ice appear as though their all staring right at me, watching me. I feel they are still alive watching me from behind the ice, which unnerves me as I try to twist myself away from them. As my body swings around I see a wonderful sign of hope. Near the wall are a wooden table and a pink frosted cake on a white platter resting atop it. The table and cake are both frozen over with ice, but sticking out of the cake is a black handle of a kitchen knife and half the blade. Surprisingly the knife isn’t entirely covered in ice, only the base of the blade. If I could swing myself over to the knife and get it out of that cake I just might have a way to cut myself free. But from this distance I’m not sure if I’ll be able to reach it. No, I can’t think that way. If I say to myself I can’t do it then I will never do it. I just have to keep those thoughts out of my head.

With my eyes set on the knife I thrust myself back and forth reaching out for the handle. I push myself as hard as I possibly can, and I can see the handle getting closer and closer to my hand. I feel the handle touch my fingertips. I try to grab onto it but they slip away. This should do it, one more strong push and I should reach it. I hold my breath and launch myself forward. My fingers grip around the handle and I tighten my hold around it without any intention of letting go, but the knife is stuck. I try to jerk it lose but blade just won’t budge. Perhaps with two hands I’ll have enough strength to jar it loose. With my body at an angle I feel quite a bit of relief from being completely upside down, and because of my body’s position it proves a challenge to get my other hand gripped onto the handle of the knife. Finally I manage to get a grip with both hands, but blade still doesn’t budge. I hold on trying not to let go out of fear of possibly not being able to grab hold of it again. I tug and pull at the blade and I soon hear the sweet sounds of the ice cracking. I wiggle the blade out of the hardened cake and swing back with the knife in hand. I clutch it tighter than before as sure to not drop it, because if I do I won’t be able to pick it back up for it will be too far down to reach. Now, all I have to do is cut the wire.

I lift up my upper body struggling to stretch my arm all the way up to my ankles. I fix the blade between my leg and the wire and begin to saw at the wire. My back aches from holding itself up in this position for so long, but I can feel the blade is getting through the rubber rather quickly. Suddenly the wire snaps and my whole body slams onto the floor with a thud. Pushing myself up the blood can now flow freely to the bottom portion of my body. I drop the knife and hurry to the front door and quickly remember that the pony blocked the exit. Regardless I still try to push it open, but no amount of my strength can break through. There must be another way out there just has to be! In a panic I start checking all the windows for a possible way out, but they are all covered in a thick layer of ice. Maybe there’s a way out in another part of the bakery. I maneuver around the pony statues trying to keep my eyes away from them as I pass through the two double doors behind the counter.

I find myself in a kitchen with several cupboards that have been frosted shut, as well as the couple of ovens against the walls. Above one of the long countertops hangs a rack where big ladles and spoons hang frozen in place. They appear to have been in the middle of shaking violently before freezing. There is yet another window, but it too is blocked by the ice. Just as I feel myself running out of options I feel a chilly breeze against my back. Turning around reveals to me a fireplace with snow flowing out from its chimney. Then is strikes me: if there is snow coming in and down then there most certainly is a way up and out. I stick my head in the fireplace and gaze up as the snowflakes float down onto my face. I can see the storm blowing across the open exit out of the chimney. The shaft seems wide enough for me to fit my body in, so climbing out seems to be the only option I have. Not wanting to waste anymore time I crawl into the chimney careful of my head as to not hit the brick walls. I wiggle my arms inside and press them against the sides of the chimney while trying to get a good grip of my shoes against the bricks. I push my back against the wall and use my legs to push me up. I can already feel gravity trying its hardest to pull me back down as my arms tremble. Inch by inch I hoist myself up even higher through the shaft. The air smells like smoke and ash, and the higher I go the more soot that collects along my hands and face. I can feel the air getting even colder, despite this I am anxious to escape and hopefully catch up to that pony. She has my bag of things I’ve collected, and I need to get it back.

‘Just a little bit higher’ I keep telling myself as the chimney feels much higher than I had first thought. I can barely see the bottom as it is now too dark to see that far below, but looking down I feel my back starting to lose grip on the wall behind me. I can feel myself beginning to slide down and my arms are growing weak. I can’t; I can’t fall. My heart rate is building and my whole body is quivering in fear of falling all the way back down. Thankfully I manage to gain my grip and continue my way up with a breath of relief. My head is met with the glorious outside air, and my hands meet with the burning snow collected around the chimney’s edges. I lift and pull myself up and out careful where I lay my feet, but with all the snow blowing in my face I hadn’t realized how steep the rooftop actually is. Thus I slip and tumble off of the roof and splash into the freezing snow. It quickly finds its way into every open crevasse about my clothing: In the jacket, in the sleeves and behind the collar.

I push through the winds to reorient myself as to which side of the bakery was the front. I find the messy tracks in the snow that lead to the front door that is blocked with the board of wood, and from that stretches a new set of tracks. They lead deeper into the storm where nothing is visible, but I press forward. My face is numbing as I try to hide it from the intense winds, and my ears have lost all feeling. Step by step I try to stay within the pony’s tracks to keep more snow from getting in my shoes. Without the glowing stone to keep me warm I realize the severity of how cold it feels without it. The wind breathes through my clothing as if it were nothing. My body doesn’t want to keep moving, but I persist in the hopes that I’ll come across something soon. Ahead is nothing but emptiness and more of it along with the snow still pouring out from the sky. After nothing but seemingly endless walking it becomes so cold and unbearable to the point to where my legs give up and cause me to crumble down to my knees. I do not know how long or haw far I’ve been walking, but with a glance behind I suppose it’s too late to try and turn back for shelter. I can feel the cold reaching to the very core of my heart; I don’t think I can stand much more of this.

Then, a difference in the view of vast emptiness shines. Ahead the tacks lead to a small pulsing orange light that rips though the dark. I can almost feel its warmth from here, and with my eyes set on this light I rise and strife through the snow as it grows brighter. The emptiness of the land is finally filled with few scattered trees that thicken the further I walk. The orange light comes to be a small flame built atop loose tree branches. It sits near a little cluster of trees and intertwining branches that form a kind of rounded wall around it. Between the wall of branches and the fire lays the purple pony. She has dug a small ditch in the snow and is lying upon the bare ground sleeping restlessly. At the sight of her I stop to be sure that she is sleeping. Her body is struggling to sleep quivering and cringing as she tries to use her tail to blanket herself. I ease closer to the fire and am relieved by its warmth. If only I could sit here for the rest of the night with my hands outstretched to the fire as the flame’s heat warms my palms, but I need to hurry and collect what I need before she wakes up. Near her body lays my bag in the snow, and my eyes lock on to it. However, it is across from the pony. So I’ll have to reach over her and grab it without waking her. Already I can feel that she will wake and catch me. Who knows what she’ll do to me then? But I can’t just leave my stuff there. This might be my only chance to reclaim it. Holding my breath I crouch myself down and slowly step through the snow careful to cause not a single disruption that could wake her. Now near the pony and my heart beating faster I cautiously reach my arm over her body and try to grab hold of the bag’s fabric. Suddenly her body jolts frightening me as I pull my arm back. Afraid that I’ve awoken her but with nowhere to run I let myself sit as I shut my eyes bracing myself for punishment.

After a while of silence I peak through my straining eye lids to see that the pony is still lying asleep. My heart begins to settle as I quietly take a breath of cold air. Reluctantly I try once more to reach over her, and as soon as my hand grips the cloth I hold still for a moment afraid to lift the bag up. Ever so carefully I bring the bag out of the snow and over the pony. The rope almost brushes across her back, but I lift it higher before it can make contact. With the bag now back in my hands I move away from the pony, but still near the fire, and check inside to be sure that everything is still there. I loosen the rope and open the bag. Let’s see . . . the book, the flower, the stone (which still isn’t glowing), Trixie’s hat and the box of matches. Looking at the fire I realize that the pony must’ve used one of the matches to build it. I slide open the small cardboard box and find that only four matches remain. Well, four matches should do me good. I’m not too sure how far or where the castle is from here with the dark clouds stained onto the sky and thick clouds of snow, but I think with four matches I should be able to make some good distance. I begin to wonder if this stone will ever glow again. In case it does I’ll hold onto it anyway, it was a gift from Trixie after all and I can never imagine myself throwing such a thing away. Just as I am about to shut the box of matches and lay it back in my bag I look over at the purple pony. Still she’s shivering trying to cover herself with her hooves and then her tail. It occurs to me that if I do take all this back then how will she survive? These matches were her only way to make heat, and to take them away feels . . . wrong. I can’t just leave her with nothing. I don’t want to imagine her freezing to death out here. If I took them all knowing that she will eventually . . . die . . . I don’t think I would be able to live with myself.

I remove just one match from the box and drop it in my bag. With the box and the remaining three matches I shut it and lay it near the pony. I could have spilt it half and half, but I feel that she needs them. I tighten the rope and hoist the bag over my shoulder. After one last look at the pony I leave the comfortable warmth of the fire and press on into the thickening woods. Thankfully for all these trees and branches they block out some of the wind making it easier for me to walk. I hope I’m headed in the right direction. If the tree house was in the direction of the castle, and the bakery was further past that then . . . yes I should be going the right way. At least, I hope I am. I actually think I can feel the storm beginning to ease up a little. Maybe now I can finally find a moment of rest from the extreme cold.

“Hey! Stop!” Shouts a startlingly familiar voice behind me.

I turn around and see the purple pony charging straight for me, and her face is full of anger as she maneuvers around the trees to get to me. Realizing the danger I bolt further into the woods. She continues to shout at me but I refuse to even glance back at her. The adrenaline has just broken into me as soon as I saw her, and now my legs refuse to take a second for a break. I shove and bend the tree branches ahead as the pony’s trotting keeps drawing closer. Suddenly my right shoe slips up on the ground. I fall on my back and hurriedly try to get back to my feet. I find that I’m standing over a frozen pond of some sort. I feel I should be careful while crossing, but with the pony not too far behind and her shouting continuing I ignore all precautions and run across the pond as my shoes glide across the ice nearly slipping again. I cross safely and crawl up a little hill back into the woods. Hopefully that slowed her down a bit, but from what I can hear all noise is completely absent. No snapping of tree branches and no trotting of her hooves. Perhaps I’ve finally lost her, but still I sprint through the woods just to get as far away as possible. It almost feels too convenient how I lost her so easily. She was catching up so quickly, and for her to just give up doesn’t feel right. Nevertheless I continue my run through the forest. Coming to a nice open space between a thick tree and one not so much I decide to go ahead and pass through them. But I am stopped by the sudden whipping of a tree branch in my face and another into my lower chest. I fall back into the snow unable to breathe and in too much pain to move. I can barely keep my eyes open as my head and body now aches. I can feel something grab my collar and then my arms. Scarcely catching small pockets of air in my lungs something drags me across the snowy ground, and my body is too weak to retaliate as it pulls me back the way I came. Back to the purple pony’s campsite.

Chapter 9

Air is beginning to flow into my lungs without so much strain, and my vision is finally coming clearer. My head, chest and stomach all feel sore. I can see a bright pulsing orange light become a small crackling fire as it moves with the wind. I’m sitting, with my legs nearly buried in the snow, against a tree. My arms have been wrapped behind me and around it. I try to move them but they are tied together tightly with some kind of dry scratchy vine. Before me stands my hunter, the purple pony, staring at me with what I only can describe as hate. The glow of the fire behind her creates this feeling of such feebleness inside me as she ominously stares down at me. Her body is shivering, but her eyes still show anger. I realize that my bag is no longer around my shoulder; it is instead lying in the snow near the purple pony. I’m trapped yet again, this time with no clear way out. So I stare back up at her waiting for her to scold me, waiting for what kind of punishment she has in store for me.

“So, you escaped. Well I can assure you that won’t happen again. Just what made you think you could really get away? . . . Well? Say something!” She demands, but I remain silent seeing that there is nothing I can say that can show her I mean no bad intentions. “What? No excuse this time?” Still I keep quiet. “Fine.” She says with attitude.

She gives up on talking to me and walks over to the box of matches I left behind for her. She picks it up and smirks.

“You must’ve been in such a rush you left these behind.”

“. . . I left them for you.” I mutter.

“Oh really? Well isn’t that sweet?” She asks sarcastically. “Give me a break. Do you really expect me to believe that?”

“I took one for myself, and I left the rest for you.” I say in a low voice.

“Yeah, I’m sure you did. After you left me to freeze and locked me in I’m sure you really do care.” Again seeing that she will not believe anything I say I return to my silence and let my head dangle from my neck as I stare down at the snow. “I know that you have something to do with this, you have Trixie’s hat in this bag. Why? . . . What did you do?!” She demands.

“I didn’t do anything!”

“You liar!”

The pony kicks snow into the fire smothering it until it goes out. She picks up my bag and fixes the rope around her neck.

“Now it’s your turn to be left in the cold.” She says.

The pony walks past me and into the woods without a glance back. As soon as she is out of sight I desperately struggle to free my arms; but the knot of the vine is too tight, and without a tool to cut myself free I’ve never felt so trapped. There really isn’t a way out of this, and it’s all because of me. That voice . . . it’s because of that mare’s voice! I let it persuade me. I let myself follow its instructions to do something I would never even think of doing, and now I’m paying the price. I should have listened to ‘me’, to what ‘I’ was saying. It’s over, my journey ends here. I’ve let them down, all of them. I’m sorry Valiari’; I’m sorry Candle Light; and wherever you may be, I’m sorry Trixie. I hope that all of you can forgive me. I hope that this dreaded nightmare ends for you. I can’t imagine what you all are going through, but I hope your fortune is better than mine. I wanted to apologize to her, I wanted to beg for her to let me go, but that wouldn’t have solved anything. I know she has her mind set firm and isn’t ready to let it go.

Suddenly something disrupts the snow in the distance behind the trees. Something big moved about, like an animal. But I don’t see anything beyond the trees. It happens again to my left, and again to my right until the sounds are all around me. Something is watching me, no, there has to be more than one. I can hear the sound of a deep echoic growl beyond the trees. I try once again to free myself from the knot of the vine, but I can’t get loose. Whatever is out there is getting closer, realizing that I am trapped, and an easy target. My heart is trembling and my attention is being drawn at every little noise. I want to scream out for help, but that might entice what’s out there to make the pounce. I imagine several creatures ripping, tearing me to shreds and my blood staining the white snow. The growling continues, and I can hear the creatures scuttling in the snow. It feels like every breath I take, they take a step closer. I can already feel their teeth sinking into my flesh, and the life pouring out of my body. Something tugs at the vine holding my wrists and my whole body jolts. I start to shout and squirm, but I am quickly hushed.

“Shh! Quiet!”

I turn my head and see what I had never expected to see. The purple pony is trying to undo the knot of the vine. I am shocked and confused, but most of all I am thankful to see her again. But why has she come back for me? I thought for sure that—. My scrambling thoughts are interrupted by a long and loud howl. The animal’s voice sounds so hazy and off to be considered natural.

“Timberwolves?” The pony whispers. “No, that’s not a howl I’ve ever heard before-come on already!” She says frustrated over the knot still not coming undone.

Between the trees pairs of eyes begin to shine with white irises. Eyes to the left, the right, all around us. One by one they step out from the shadows to reveal themselves. They all have the body of a canine with frosty fur. Their tails are abnormally long and pointed, and from their bodies icicles dangle from their nearly transparent ears and ever other part of their body for that matter. Their head is a strange shape, and their snouts are awkward. I realize that parts of their head and body are covered in thick ice, which is the reason for their disfigured appearance. For all that ice gathered onto their bodies it doesn’t seem that they should even be alive. They look like they have frozen to death, and are now breathing once again. They all step closer showing their sharp white teeth and growling angrily at us. Their eyes pierce the dark around them; pairs and pairs of them open in the darkness, and they move closer to reveal their long pointed fangs. She continues to fumble with the vine until it finally comes looser. I slip my hands out from the vine and stand. The pony and I take slow careful steps backwards with our eyes still on the strange creatures.

“Now, you listen and do exactly as I say. On ‘three’ we run. Understand?” She whispers. “. . . One.” The creatures take a few more steps closer. All of their glowing eyes I feel are only staring into mine. My heart is shaking as my ears eagerly anticipate the next number. “Two.” Their growling grows even louder, and all of them show their fangs at us. I can already feel it just as I had before: their teeth cutting through my skin to tear me apart. My arms and legs almost feel numb. “Three!”

On the cue I turn and sprint as fast as I can into the woods. The pony and I are side by side maneuvering around every tree in our way. I can hear the creatures barking and trailing through the snow to catch up to us. The cold air is burning the back of my throat as my breath quickens. Immediately my body is beginning to wear out. My chest and head are still sore, and my legs are still tired from the pony chasing me earlier. Soon she is getting farther and farther ahead of me, and I can feel myself slowing down immensely. I can also feel the creatures right behind me ready to make me their meal. No matter how hard I try to push myself I just can’t muster up the energy to continue running. My voice is becoming so weak that I can’t even call out to the pony for help. Her head suddenly turns to check on my speed, and quickly realizes that I am starting to drag far behind. Frustrated she hurries back to my side and tries to get me back on pace. She tries to urge me to move faster, and even though I do pick up my pace a little it’s not enough to outrun the wolves behind us.

“Can’t you move faster?!” She asks irately.

“I . . . can’t.” I say exhaustedly.

The pony starts to glance around the forest like a frightened animal trying to maybe plan an escape route. Her eyes glue onto one spot, and she then yanks me with her.

“This way, we might find some place to hide!” She shouts.

She and I enter a thick part of the woods where the trees are bunched together in such a tight space.

“Come on hurry!” She urges.

The pony lets go of me and starts to squeeze through the trees with such apace. Branches get in her way, but she breaks and bends them out of her way continuing deeper in the thickened woods. I can hear the wolves are not far behind, and so I gather myself and make my way inside the condensed bunch of trees. Some spaces are so thin that I have to turn my body sideways to be able to squeeze through. I feel small rubbery branches scratch at my clothes and face. Some even hook into the threads of my jacket as if to purposefully slow me down. It continues to the point to where I no longer care if they latch onto my clothing, so I simply just move on as they snap some of the threads. I can see the purple pony has already gotten through them all and is waiting for me on the other side, except I still have a bit of a ways to go. Curious about how close the wolves are I turn my head back to see, and they are filling the empty spaces between the trees swarming towards me.

“Don’t look back!” She shouts.

It’s too late; my heart is filled to the brim with fear. Knowing how much faster they are gaining ground forces me to forget about everything just for one moment, and just move through the trees as swiftly as possible. My legs are tired, but I push them to keep moving anyway. The tension building in my mind only drives me to move faster. I nearly trip on a few of the tree roots that protrude out from the ground, but my shoe happens to get caught under one of them. I fall painfully to the ground onto my forearms to catch myself. Feeling without the time to even stand back up I try to crawl through the spaces between the trees. I feel something yank on the bottom of my jacket violently, and as I turn to see as I’m sure it’s just another tree branch something pounces on top of me. One of the wolves presses its front paws against my chest as I can feel its claws through my jacket. I don’t retaliate; I don’t even try to break away. Its teeth draw closer to my face, and my eyes are entranced within its eyes. My mind feels so empty of thought that I do not even feel fear of this creature, not even a sense of danger. My body feels so calm and relaxed. The white glow of the wolf’s eyes makes mine feel they do not want to miss a second of it. I feel hypnotized in the wolf’s gaze, it’s so peaceful.

Suddenly the bliss is interrupted as the wolf’s eyes disengage their contact with mine. The purple pony uses one of her hind legs to kick the wolf in its face sending it flying back into the snow. She then hurriedly lifts me back up to my feet. Confused I feel the need to familiarize myself with my surroundings. For a moment it felt like I wasn’t even here, I didn’t even feel like myself. The more I think about it the more perplexed I become. I stare at the wolf as it scrambles and stands back up in the snow. I feel the need to stare into its eyes once more.

“What are you doing? Come on!” The purple pony urges.

With the sense of danger returning to me I turn and follow the purple pony out of the condensed bundle of trees as the wolves, which seemed to have stopped once one of them had captured me, continue their pursuit. Free from the trees and now able to roam a bit more freely the pony pulls me around a tall hill covered in snow. She gasps at the sight of a small opening at the base of the hill big enough for us to fit in.

“In here hurry!” She urges.

She crawls inside the dark tunnel and I follow closely behind. It’s very dark, and I can feel the soil underneath my hands is covered in ice and frost much like everything else in this frozen land. We move back as far as we can until the tunnel becomes too tight to move back any further.

“Shh!” She says looking at me straight in the eyes.

I do as she says and go as far as to hold my breath to be sure I am as quiet as possible. She and I gaze out the tunnel as the world seems still. Then out from the side one of the wolves steps out into view. It growls while looking around the woods. It stares into our little tunnel and takes a few steps closer. It sniffs the air and continues to growl, and as my heart trembles in my chest I try to keep my body still as I feel it can still see me regardless of how dark it is. Second after excruciating second I watch the clouds of breath leave the wolf’s mouth until finally turning and running of in the opposite direction as the rest of the pack follows. As the sounds of their paws dashing through the snow fades away the purple pony starts to catch up her breath.

“I think they’re gone.” She mutters.

My mind is having trouble fully grasping that we are indeed safe, so just to put my thoughts at ease I go ahead and try to take a quick peek outside. I crawl through the tunnel and just before I’m able to get a complete view of the outside I am aggressively pulled back away from the opening.

“What are you doing?!” She whispers.

“I-I was just—”

“Don’t! They might see you! Besides who knows what else could be out there?! So just keep quiet and we’ll wait here for a while until I know for sure that they are all gone, maybe get some rest. Who knows what else might be out there.”

The purple pony then crawls all the way in the back of the tunnel becoming sheathed in shadows. I don’t feel comfortable being near the exit after what she had said, and it feels much colder here than it did back there. I don’t feel safe, and I don’t want to be isolated by the only face I’ve seen in days. Awkwardly I try to move towards the back of the cave, but before I can even move close enough to her she stops me immediately.

“Hey! You stay over there! This is my side and that is yours, so stay on your side.” She orders.

Out of sudden fear I refrain from moving any closer and sit myself back to where I originally was. The pony lies down and lays her head. Her eyes glare at me, and out of nervousness of being scolded again I turn my head the other way. Fearfully I turn back and see that now she is trying to sleep, but I myself feel wide awake. My body is tired but my eyes are bouncy and my hands are still a bit jittery. I still want to know why she came back for me, but I don’t think she really wants to talk right now. Then again, I do feel I should at least thank her for saving me. After a bit of thought I finally muster up some bravery to speak.

“. . . Thank you.” I say.

“What?” She asks irritably.

“Just thank you, for-for saving me.”

She doesn’t respond, and instead turns her body around to block me out. I notice that she has my bag on her back. I want to ask her for it back, but I think that would be pushing it a little. Besides, I’m too afraid to even breathe loud enough for her to hear. I lean my back against the curved wall of the tunnel and look down at my hands. Still they are trembling, so I try to rub them together to maybe calm them down and warm them up. I feel I should just calm down and try to get some sleep, but after what has happened today I don’t think that’s possible.

“. . . I saved you because I didn’t know what to believe.” She says.

With a jolt I turn my head towards her, but she still refuses to look my way.

“I just couldn’t help checking the bag just to be sure, and sure enough there it is just like you said . . . you did only take one match, and left the rest for me-but! Don’t think that means that I trust you! I’m not even sure if I made the right choice, so don’t you think for a second that all of a sudden now we’re friends-because we’re not. Understand?!” She asks angrily.

“. . . Yes.” I say frightened.

“Good.”

“. . . My name’s Aireal.”

“I know that.”

“You-You do?” I ask intriguiged. “ . . . Well, w-what’s your name?” But she does not respond. “. . . You . . . You said you know Trixie. How? Were you—?”

“Will you stop with these redundant questions?! You already know the answers so why are you asking?!” She asks annoyed. “Just how are you even here anyway?! After what happened that day I thought you were gone for good.”

“What do you mean? What happened? . . . Please tell me!”

“And why should I?!”

“Becau—.” I pause realizing that my excuse is one that she will never believe. “Because I don’t remember. I don’t remember anything.”

“Ridiculous.”

“I’m telling the truth!” I plea.

“Why should I believe a single word that you say?!” She jolts up and glares angrily at me. “I was on my hooves crying over my friends.” She begins to step towards me, and I am filling with fear. “I asked for comfort, and what did you do?” She comes even closer. “You ran and locked me in without a word!” She says heatedly now near my face. “After that do you really think I should believe anything you say?” I start to back up towards the wall, but she leans in even closer with her eyes staring down at me. “Well? Should I!?” She shouts. “If you really are you say you are then maybe Trixie is better off without you!”

Slowly I can feel my heart shattering. As she stares me down I feel like an insignificant insect compared to her. Her anger has filled me with fear, and her words and tone of voice are filling me with misery. The longer she stares with her big furious eyes into mine causes them to tremble. I can feel water building behind them, and then a tear down my cheek. The pony’s anger starts to unexpectedly calm, but with my throat growing sore and the tears not stopping I turn away and hide my face beneath my arms. I proceed to uncontrollably sob quietly as the pony says not another word. I feel like a child who had just been scolded by his mother, and is now reduced to a puddle of tears. I can feel her eyes still staring at me, and I try to ignore it, but it doesn’t work. Her shouting and saying that Trixie is better off without me just . . . hurt. Not a physical pain, but a pain that stabs the heart. I’ve felt sadness before, but this is different. Very different. I already know what I’ve done to myself. I let myself fall victim to that voice. My misery is mixing with anger, anger at myself. It wasn’t me, not who I really am. I may not remember much about myself, but I do know that I am not someone who ignores ones tears and cries for help. Breathing becomes a struggle, and trying to capture a breath only makes the sound of my whimpering worse. Then, I start to think.

“. . . M-Maybe your-your right.” I struggle to say. “A-After what I did, then how do I know I haven’t done something worse? Maybe. . .” I pause in near disbelief of the words that are about to leave my lips. “. . . Maybe she is better off without me.”

I lift up my head a little and see the purple pony turned over again facing the blackness of the tunnel. It feels pointless to continue speaking as I’m sure she will just ignore anything I have to say, but I still believe I should say it.

“I . . . I know it won’t matter to you but, I’m sorry. For everything.” I say.

She remains motionless, now out of things to say I give up on my voice. There isn’t anything else I can say. There really isn’t anything else that needs to be said I suppose. I went on this journey searching for the one that I believe I held dearest to me, but now it’s convoluted by the idea that maybe she doesn’t want to see me again if she really is out there. I barely remember anything about my past, and for all I know I could have done something horrible. I don’t even know who I am anymore, or who I’m supposed to be. My mind is running crazily with thoughts hopeful and distrustful. If only I could just silence them for a moment to breathe. I lay down against the frozen soil and my head against the curved tunnel wall. The cold air chills my wet eye lids and cheeks. For once, staring out at the falling snow relaxes me. I need to sleep; it will give me that moment to escape, a moment that I desperately need to relieve the stress.

I shut my eyes and try to drift away. Hours it seems pass by as I toss and turn on the ground restlessly. The tears around my eyes have turned into a very thin coating of frost. Nothing but the sound of the wind is around me, but not even this calm silence can help. I still can’t stop thinking about them. Trixie, Valiari-all of them. Every time I open my eyes and try shutting them again all I can see is their faces. Again I continue to toss and turn almost violently to try and clear my head. I clench my eye lids to keep them shut, but that only makes them want to open even more. I give up on trying to sleep. I lay flat on my back and stare up at the ceiling of the tunnel with a sigh.

“Can’t sleep either huh?” Says the purple pony.

Startled by her voice I turn my head to her as she also is lying flat on her back staring up at the ceiling.

“I just can’t stop thinking about them, my friends. They were everything to me and now . . . now they’re gone. And I can’t bring them back.” She says. “Just seeing them in that ice, frozen and lifeless . . . and it’s all my fault. I wasn’t there to save them; it’s all because of me. I put my studies before them, and now they’re gone.”

“. . . It’s not your fault.” I dare to speak. “M-Maybe now you’re their only chance.”

“That can’t be. My magic, it’s useless. It’s so cold that it has stunt my ability to cast spells. I just-! . . . I want to believe there’s something I can do.”

“. . . I know that feeling.”

“How could you possibly know how it feels? To be the only hope your closest friends have to save their lives, but in reality it’s either too late or your too weak. How can you know?”

“All this time I’ve been trying to find my friends. Ready to go through anything to find them, but it’s just like you said. It’s probably too late, they might just be nothing but statues now. And if they’re not I’m just not strong enough.”

“So even though you feel it’s too late, and you’re physically incapable of making it through, you’re still looking for them?”

“. . . Yes.” I say in disbelief. “It’s just . . . a feeling I have. That maybe they’re still out there somewhere, and I have to find them. They’re all I have, and after how far I’ve gotten, I might as well keep going.”

I can’t even think of giving up, not now and not ever. They are the only ones that keep me going. If it is too late I’ll never know for sure unless I find them myself. Until then I will keep going, and I won’t stop searching until I find them. I should be thanking this pony. Because of her she’s reminded me the whole reason that I’m here, and why I never should have even considered that what I was doing was in vain.

“. . . Don’t you feel that?” I ask. “Don’t you feel like there’s still hope?”

“I just . . . I wish I could see them again.” I hear the pony’s voice starting to struggle. “I-I keep remembering all the times we’ve shared together, all the fun we’ve had and the tears we’ve shed. I just want to . . . relive those moments.”

“And no matter what, you’ll go through anything just to be with them again.”

“. . . No matter how impossible it seems.”

At that moment she and I turn to each other at the very same time the both of us now shocked and speechless. In her I no longer see the furious pony that shouted and hated me, but I see that pony I saw back at the bakery with her big teary eyes, droopy ears and innocent face. The one that wanted help and comfort, but this time I’m here. To help her as I know exactly how she feels. As she stares with her tear-filled eyes into mine I realize that she and I really aren’t so different after all. It almost feels like I’m looking into a mirror.

Chapter 10

The pony and I still haven’t been able to keep our eyes closed for even a minute. Not even the darkness of outside or the calming sounds of the wind can ease our minds. We’ve become so restless to the point to where we had both given up on sleeping, and instead we sit against the rigid tunnel walls just waiting for something to break the silence. Occasionally the pony will glance up at me from staring down at the icy ground, and once I look up at her she immediately directs her attention back down to the ground. I feel there’s something she wants to say to me but just doesn’t know how to put it into words. Perhaps now, since she doesn’t seem so aggressive against me, I can apologize for what I had done to her. After a few seconds to build up some courage to talk words finally leave my lips.

“I-I’m . . . I’m sorry about what I did.”

“Don’t apologize okay? Just-Just don’t. I need to think right now. I just need to think.”

She presses her hooves against her forehead to maybe push some thought into her mind followed by a heavy sigh. Feeling the need to give her some space I rest my voice and stare out of the tunnel. The snow continues to fall collecting to the ground, and the sky is nothing but a black blanket doused with milky clouds. It’s been snowing so much for so long that the tracks we left outside before we came in here have been filled in with snow. It doesn’t look like the tracks even existed. Staring out into the dark past the thin leafless trees I feel that a pair of white eyes will shine through to fill me with fear. If they were to find us here, what would we do? We have nowhere to run, nowhere else to hide, if they found us we would surely be done for. All these thoughts in my head make me feel like this tunnel isn’t really that much of a safe haven as I once saw it. Now it feels more like a trap. I think that we should leave and find a new spot to hide since my comfort here has gone away.

“Wait. . .” She mutters. “Th-There was only four of them.”

Startled I turn back towards the pony as her eyes are wide with surprise. She lifts her head up and stares straight at me while I awkwardly stare back.

“W-What?” I ask.

“My friends, there were only four of them at Sugarcube Corner. So that means . . . she still might be out there!”

“Who? Who’s out there?” I ask anxiously and almost frightened.

“Fluttershy! One of my dearest friends! She has to be out there she just has to!”

The pony dashes for the exit of the tunnel, but then stops before me and looks me dead in the eyes as I lean flat against the tunnel wall alarmed.

“M-Maybe you’ve seen her?! You’ve been wandering about outside for quite some time haven’t you?!”

“Y-Yes.”

“Well then tell me did you see anypony?!”

“Uh-Uh. . .”

“She’s got a long pink mane, teal blue eyes and a yellow coat. She’s a Pegasus uhh . . . does that sound familiar at all to you?!”

With a moment to think back I can’t quite remember a pony of that description, until it finally hits me. I think I know exactly who she’s talking about. That mare that was frozen in ice along with all the forest wildlife she must’ve been the one! Her eyes were blue, and her coat was yellow. Her mane was long and pink, and I hadn’t really noticed it, but looking back I do believe I saw closed wings on her back. She must’ve been Fluttershy. If the pony were to find out about this I don’t even want to imagine the depression she would be set in. To know that her only other friend has been frozen in ice just like the rest would just destroy her heart. In her face I can see this sparkling hope about her that maybe one of her friends might still be alive, but the dreadful truth lies with me and with me it will stay. I cannot tell her, if I do then what hope does she have left? The only thing that’s keeping ‘me’ going is the belief that my friends might still be alive out there, and if I knew that they were frozen over in ice I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. ‘Besides, even if you were to free them they most certainly wouldn’t be alive. Just leave them; it’s too late for anything to be done at this point in time.’ That’s what Valiari had told me, and to know that if my friends were frozen in ice and no longer alive then what else do I have left? If this pony found out that her friend is frozen in ice I’m sure she would ask herself the same question diminishing all the hope that I see in her now.

“N-No, no I haven’t seen anyone like that. I’m sorry.” I stutter.

The pony draws back and nestles herself back in the dark against the tunnel wall with her head staring down. All her energy has disappeared, and now she is back to what she was before.

“But that doesn’t mean that she’s still not out there somewhere!” I suggest. “Maybe she’s still out there.”

“. . . I hope so. Fluttershy, I hope you’re okay.” She mutters. “You know she . . . really is somepony special. But she was always just so shy. She’s always so quiet and to herself most of the time, but when she’s around us we see a different side of her. A side that I hope I can see again. She would always care for the little critters of the forest. Well, both big and small actually. She would always be there for them to house them and nurture them, and they all loved her. She was a friend to all animals. She has a really kind heart, but it’s always so easily broken. Whenever she was upset she would hide in her home and just cry and cry. We hated when she was upset, so we would always be with her to calm her down. Tell her that no matter what we were always there. Then that side of her would soon come back. The side that we all wanted to see. When the tears would stop and a smile would show. . . I miss her so much. I miss them all.”

Speechless I begin to think back to when I saw the pony. She was with all those woodland animals. Perhaps she was trying to save them, lead them somewhere safe. The poor mare, and those poor animals, they never stood a chance. I almost feel jealous of the purple pony. To hear her recite all those memories of her friend it makes me feel ashamed of myself for not remembering much about my own friends despite the strong connection I feel for them. I almost don’t feel like a real friend to them. I want to remember, I want to relive those moments. To see if there was any moments just like she and her friends shared. I haven’t thought about it before, but it just popped into my mind. I am not like the others. Everyone seems to be completely different from me. I have hands, they have hooves. I walk on two legs, they have four. Everything about us is different. So then, what exactly am I? I lift my hands up and inspect them closely just to see them. Are these even my hands? Are these my clothes? Is this my life? So many questions repeat over and over in my mind and not a single one of them answered. My head is starting to ache, and out of sudden frustration I hide my hands away from my eyes and lay my head back against the wall. I turn to the pony who is still just sitting staring down at the ground. I can tell that she is in deep thought about something. Probably thinking about her friends.

“Hey.” I whisper to her.

“What is it?” She asks.

“I know that you probably still don’t believe me, but I just . . . wanted to know if. . .”

“. . . If what?” She asks almost impatiently.

“Can we . . . start over?” I ask.

“. . . Sure.”

“My name is Aireal . . . and you are?”

“Twilight, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Twilight? W-What is that?”

“It’s the time after sunset or before dawn.”

“I’ve never seen that before. It must be a beautiful time of day.”

“It is, the gold and violet sky. Watching the stars start to peak through and the orange gathered around the sun. It really is something amazing.”

As she describes this ‘twilight’ I can see it almost perfectly in my head. The violet and orange mixing together as the sun sinks below the horizon. I have never seen the sun before, but I can see it all so clearly.

“I wonder if I’ll ever see it one day.”

“. . . You will. I’m sure you will.”

Twilight continues her routine of giving me an occasional suspicious glance. What could she be thinking about that involves me?

“So, if it’s true that you do not remember anything about who you are, where you are or anything you’ve been through; then why are you here?” She finally asks.

“I . . . I was just looking for my friends.”

“Yes I know, but where were you even planning on looking? Were you just aimlessly wandering around the snow in the freezing cold by yourself?”

I want to say that I don’t really feel like I’m by myself. I want to tell her about the voices I hear in my head, but I know she would never believe me. She would probably just consider me completely insane let alone a nuisance. It’s probably best that I keep the voices a secret for now, maybe if she starts to trust me more then I can tell her. Thinking about the voices puts me in a long pause as Twilight still waits for an answer.

“Hello? So are you just by yourself?” She asks impatiently.

“Huh? Oh-uh-I was headed to the . . . umm.”

“Where? Where were you going?”

“Th-The castle atop the mountain. I don’t really have any other options so I decided I’d go up there and see if I could find help. I thought that maybe my friends could be up there, maybe even the Princesses like he said.”

“Who?”

“My friend, Valiari. He said that he was planning on going up there himself, he thought that maybe the Princesses are still there.”

“Canterlot . . . hmm, if there really is any place to go it most certainly would be there. For all we know the Princesses could have survived. It just might be the only option. If not then I’m sure I could find ‘something’ helpful up there. Maybe a way to restore my magic. . .” She whispers to herself. “Okay listen, this just might be our only chance. We’re going to have to make the trip up to Canterlot. But it’s all the way atop the mountain; you must be insane to think that you were actually going to climb up there. The temperature would be so cold you would freeze to death in an instant. Not only that but the mountain is miles away from here. The only way we could make it is if we took the train, but I doubt with all the snow it will be able to move. Also I’m sure that all the gears and mechanisms are frozen and unable to move. There has to be another way, there just has to be. . .”

Twilight’s voice rides off to a whisper until stopping. Her face appears as though something has suddenly alarmed her as her eyes carefully scan the tunnel. She jolts and pulls my bag from around her back to the front of her. Opening the bag she lets out a gasp as a ray of green light shines into her eyes and against her cheeks. I watch in amazement as she lifts from the bag with her hoof the small green stone shinning anew just as it had before. Immediately I can feel it’s warmth as she and I stare hypnotized as that strange feeling overcomes us.

“Th-This. . . Where did you get this? This is a shard of the glowing mineral that had formed from that cavern. It truly is something spectacular. Never had I ever seen or even read about such a stone. . . Wait, if you have this then there certainly must be more back down below!”

“W-What do you mean? Do you know what it is?”

“Not entirely. I tried to study them when I first found them, but I couldn’t figure out exactly what they were. But this just might be the key to what we need. Quick get yourself ready, we’re going on a trip.”

“. . . Where?”

“To the caverns deep in the forest. This stone produces enough natural energy to sustain a constant state of warmth, so it should keep us temperate through the cold until we find them. I just need to remember where exactly they were. Was it . . . no, no, no it must’ve been. . . I remember this I know I do. Let’s just go and I’m sure I’ll find my way. When we get there I wonder if we’ll meet that mare again.”

“Mare? What mare?”

“You’ll see when we get there. If you’re telling the truth about not having any memory of anything, then I’m sure she would be the one to rejuvenate those memories. She might even know a way to stop all of this, or she might know who or what is responsible. I just hope it’s not too late.”

“Oohh Valiari?” A voice sings.

Valiari wakes from his weariness but has been trying to avoid sleeping afraid to close his eyes for too long.

“Huh? What? What is it now? Hm?” He asks irritably.

“It has just occurred to me that you are . . . thinking very heavily about something.”

“Well when you’re trapped behind bars with a complete lunatic you might know why.”

“ Ha! I had almost forgotten how funny you are Mister Valiari. But honestly now what is on your mind? Is it about your little pet? Upset that he might have frozen to death by now?”

Valiari sighs out of anger and decides to not say another word.

“. . . Or is it about something else. A certain . . . special somepony perhaps?”

Valiari’s heart jumps and his anger is replaced by nervousness.

“Yes, I thought so. ‘Tis a shame, it must feel awful to be separated from her for so long. I’m willing to bet that it’s killing you inside just to think of her. The bond you two must’ve shared all to be lost in such little time.”

“What would ‘you’ know about it? I have reason to believe that you haven’t shared such a bond with somepony. Even if you did I’m sure the stallion would have to be both insane and deaf to fall for you and your repulsive personality.”

“Hey!” The mare’s voice yells and echoes throughout the dark room shaking the very floor and walls. “You know nothing of me, and you never will. I do know what it feels like to be in love. I thought that it was the most amazing feeling I had ever experienced. Until it was snatched away from me! It’s because of love that I’ve become what I am! You don’t know what I had suffered and I will not sit here and waste my breath to explain it to you! As far as I’m concerned love is a foolish emotion. Equestria would be a much better place if it had just been lost for good.”

“How can you say that? Love is what holds Equestria together.”

“Pathetic. You ponies and your feeble emotions. Well Valiari, since you seem to have your mind set firm that ‘love is the greatest thing in the world’ then why don’t you tell me how you feel right now? Do you still love her?”

“Of course I do what kind of a ridiculous question is that?!”

“I see, do you remember . . . the first time you two met?”

“What?” He asks confusedly.

“Remember? You were on your way to your cottage until you were stopped by a quite striking mare. She wanted to know if you were going to the annual Sweetheart’s Day dance, and you persisted on not going. She asked you again and again begging you to come, and you didn’t understand why. Perhaps it was because everypony in town was there and she didn’t want you to be left alone, or maybe it was something different. You found something . . . special in her eyes. So you went, and once she found you the two of you spent the rest of the night together. What was her name again? It was . . .”

Valiari cannot believe his ears. Just how could she know about how they had first met? He never even spoke a word about his love yet she knows exactly how that day played out.

“Ah! Of course! How could I forget? Aria was her name, correct? Your dearest Aria.”

At the mention of her name his heart nearly skips a beat. Fear overtakes him as his curiosity rises wondering how she could possibly know her name.

“Just how do you know that? Who are you?!” Valiari asks.

“Valiari, the longer you’re here the more I find out about you! I can see everything that goes on in that little head of yours. Everything you think, and everything you imagine.”

Valiari keeps himself quiet and is in complete disbelief of what she says. There’s no way she could know everything he’s thinking. It’s just impossible.

“Like right now, you’re thinking: it’s just impossible. Well, I want you to know that it is very possible. Your memories and thoughts no longer belong to you. Now, they belong to me. . . It also seems that we have a couple of eavesdroppers listening to our conversation.”

“N-No! We weren’t listening I swear!” Candle Light’s Mother pleas.

“No I think you were listening in on our private little conversation, and I don’t appreciate that.”

“You leave them alone!” Valiari shouts.

“Well, since you’ve been listening, why don’t I share a little something else with you? You seem to also be a victim of this disgusting emotion called ‘love’. Yes, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Your beloved husband, and your daughter’s loving father.” Valiari can hear Candle Light’s Mother beginning to whimper with fear. “Can you imagine what he must be going through? The misery that’s overtaking him?”

Valiari wants to raise his voice and demand that the voice of the mare stop. He doesn’t want to just sit back and listen as she reduces their hearts down to puddles, but the longer he keeps quiet the more his hatred for the voice grows.

“But, you two need not worry about that right now. He hasn’t fallen prey to the cold just yet. And you Valiari, your little friend has been coming across a very strange stream of luck lately. I just might have to fix that.”

“There’s nothing that you can do that can stop him. He will find you, and he will put a stop to you.”

“Really now? Well then why don’t I put him to the test? Let’s see if I should really be afraid. Remember, anything that happens to him will be because of you. I will be back, until then I want you three to remain quiet. Oh, silly me of course you won’t. So I’ll just have my dear friend see to it that you three don’t conspire anything. Goodbye for now.”

Through the Moonlight shining through the only window in the room a thick chalky cloud of fog fazes through the glass as if it were never there. Valiari can hear hoofsteps coming closer and stopping in the center of the room. It may be too dark to see, but he already knows who is behind the shadows staring straight at him. He can’t help but regret ever saying anything. He doesn’t realize the trouble he’s gotten Aireal into, and regrets ever saying a word.

It feels like Twilight and I have been walking for hours. We’ve gone so far but everything still looks the same. She’s been leading the way and I’ve just been following behind as close as possible to keep warm with the stone in the bag. I feel like asking if I can at least have my bag back. I’d feel more comfortable if I had it with me, but I’d really rather not ask. I feel too fearful to. Before the storm seemed to have quieted down, but now it all suddenly picked back up. The wind is blowing in front of us slowing us down. Twilight tries to hide her face from the wind as her mane blows crazily in the air. I try to pull my collar over my cheeks to block out at least some of the wind. With all the holes and cuts in my clothes the air and snow just chills my body. The wind then starts to bring big bursts of strength stopping us in our tracks. It becomes so much harder to move even a few steps. My legs are freezing as I’m sure that Twilight’s are as well. Before we were running through the snow with such speed and now we’ve been reduced to a couple steps every few minutes. The wind has gotten so strong and loud it’s hard to hear anything as it fills my ears.

“It doesn’t look like this storm is going to let up anytime soon! We might have to spend the rest of the night in shelter! . . . Hey! What’s that over there?!” Twilight shouts.

Out in the distance using my hand to block some of the snow a small glimmering light appears beyond the snow.

“Is that . . . is that a campfire?!” She asks. “Come on!”

We push through the winds to find that there actually is a campfire built inside a little metal bowl that stands on three legs that are submerged in snow. Twilight inspects it confusedly examining the rusty bowl and the area around it.

“That’s strange . . . this snow it’s not as packed together as the rest of the vicinity. There’s tracks left behind. Somepony was here recently, but where could they have gone? I just don’t– . . . What’s that behind you?” She asks as she points her hoof out.

Turning around I see another small light out in the distance moving about in the air quite strangely. While staring at it another light appears next to it, and then another. Before I know it more lights appear all around us. Twilight and I glance at every light trying to figure out what they might be. The lights draw closer forming a complete circle around us. I can feel myself starting to panic, but Twilight looks on with suspicion and curiosity.

“Now!” A voice shouts from out in the distance.

At the order of the voice I hear something snap and the ground beneath me starts to lift up. Something underneath the snow hoists my body up into the air wrapping me in some kind of net. It all happens so fast I have no time to react or even to blink. Ropes extending from the net hang from a high tree keeping me trapped inside and up off the ground. I struggle and squirm but there is barely any room for me to move. Through the holes of the net I find that Twilight is safe and staring up at me with fright.

“We got it! We got it!” A voice shouts.

“Miss get away from it!” Shouts another.

The lights come even closer and are revealed to actually have been small oil lanterns being held by several dark figures. They all come to the campfire and as the shadows leave I see that they are just other ponies dressed in thick winter clothing such as coats with furry hoods and plaid scarves. One of them grabs Twilight by one of her front legs and pulls her away from me.

“Don’t worry Miss you’re safe now!” He says.

The other ponies all cautiously step closer towards me. They all stare at me with interest, but most of them have dark goggles that cover their eyes. They all set down their lanterns and begin asking each other questions.

“What is this thing?”

“I don’t know but I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“It doesn’t seem to be violent unlike the other creatures we’ve seen.”

“Who cares? It’s a monster! I say we dump it off somewhere where it can’t escape!”

“Yeah! Let’s get rid of it!”

Suddenly I feel something hit me in the back. A sharp pain shoots through me as I try to see what I had been hit with. A pony with a long wooden stick continues to whack me with it as well as a few other ponies that join in. I start to shout in pain, but they continue regardless.

“What are you doing?!” Twilight shouts.

“Don’t worry we have it under control.” He assures her.

“No! You don’t understand he—”

“Hey wait! Stop stop!” A voice calls.

At the sound of the voice they all refrain from attacking me and focus their attention to the figure walking towards us. Through the darkness another pony dressed in a coat, scarf and goggles hurries over with his hooves outstretched for them to stop. The ponies all step away from me slowly as the other steps closer. I feel the fear building up inside me as everything has turned quiet and he stops near my face. He pulls down his scarf to reveal his vanilla white mouth and snout, and he pulls down his hood to reveal his messy orange mane. He lifts his goggles up to his forehead and stares at me in disbelief with his big brown eyes. Suddenly it becomes clear to me who he is. From the color of his mane to the color of his coat it is exactly as Candle Light’s Mother described, and is exactly as I saw it.

“It’s you . . . Cut it down.” He says.

“What? Are you nuts?”

“Just do it! I don’t think it’s here to cause harm. If anything, it might be able to help.”

“How do you know this thing isn’t dangerous?” One pony questions angrily.

“Because it helped me once! It helped my daughter through a very tough time, and it felt incredible to see her smile again. So would you please, cut it down?”

“And possibly endanger everypony here? No way.”

“Since when did you start calling the shots anyway? Last I checked you’re not the one in charge here.” Another pony questions.

“That’s right.” Says a deep stallion’s voice.

From the dark another pony emerges, and the first thing I notice is his tough and rugged posture. His coat is a navy blue, and his eyes are shielded by intimidating sun glasses. His chin bears a black goatee and his mane is short. It feels like there’s this aura about him that gives off the vibes of leadership.

“But, we should still listen to him.” He continues. “He says that this creature helped him before, and it looks to me that it’s not here to cause trouble unlike the other creatures we’ve encountered.”

“But sir we don’t—”

“Trust me, I believe him. Now go on and cut the rope.”

Reluctantly, the pony that had been arguing with him walks over to the thick tree and gnaws at the rope with his teeth. The rope snaps and I fall down into the snow still covered by the net. I scramble around to get the net completely off of me and try to stand, but my body feels bruised from all the bashing of the sticks. All the ponies that were gathered around me have backed away as I climb to my feet. The stallion with the glasses looks out in the distance and checks around the skies.

“This storm is going to be going on for quite some time. We should all get to our tents and we’ll be ready to move in the morning.” He announces.

“Um excuse me. I-I was just wondering who you all are exactly. Especially you . . . sir.” Twilight asks.

“My name is Adarrell, and all of us are survivors of this blasted winter. We’ve been going around seeing if we can find any others. And who might you be Miss?”

“My name is Twilight Sparkle, from Ponyville.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Miss Sparkle. Uh . . . what exactly is ‘that’?” He asks.

“Don’t worry he’s . . .” Twilight pauses and stares at me as she is trying to decide upon an answer. “. . . He’s friendly.”

At Twilight’s answer I can feel my heart light up. I think I’ve finally proven to her that I can be trusted, but I feel she is still leery about me. Still, I’m thankful to hear those words.

“Well, I sure hope so. Why don’t you follow us, we’ll take you and your . . . ‘friend’ to a tent. We’ll get better acquainted along the way. ”

Chapter 11

Adarrell guides Twilight, the stallion with the orange mane and I through the storm. He takes us through a series of tents being held down by metal pegs that penetrate through the snow to reach the soil. The tents’ fabric waves and sways in the wind as a few of the ponies from the group unzip the entrances and hurry inside. Their lanterns light up the beige fabric from within as their shadows move about in the tent. I can hear ponies coughing heavily within the tents. At one tent I see that a pony has a little fire and an old pot being held above it as steam grows from the top. The pony pours some liquid into a cup and brings it inside. Turning back I see that some of the other ponies are busy setting back up the net trap. They stop for a second to stare at me, and their expressions are those of suspicion. The one pony that argued with these two stallions stares at me with not just suspicion, but also anger. Out of fear I whip my attention back in front of me only to catch the stares of other passing ponies. I notice that the stallion with the orange mane is staring back at me, and as soon as we meet eye to eye he turns his attention away.

“So Mister Adarrell, sir, just who are all these ponies?” Twilight asks.

“Ponies from nearly everywhere. We’ve made several consecutive stops at different towns and cities to see if we can find anypony lucky enough to survive. So far, these are all that remain. There uhh . . . used to be a few others. But we . . . we lost them.”

“Goodness I-I’m sorry. How did you lose them-if you don’t mind me asking?”

“One got lost in a heavy storm. We kept calling her name and searching, but we never found her. The others they . . . they were taken.”

“By what?”

“That’s the same question I keep asking myself. I don’t know what they were. It was so snowy I could barely see anything. But I know there was more than one, much more. They kept making these strange sounds that made my ears ache. If only I could find ‘em and just . . . !” Adarrell stops and stomps the ground out of anger before taking a deep breath to calm himself down. “Well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be pretty.”

“What’s the matter with everypony? All I hear is coughing from almost every tent.”

“Many of them are sick.”

“A cold?”

“I don’t think so. Every day they get worse. Their temperature goes up, coughing doesn’t stop and they’re all too weak to even walk. We’ve tried everything we can, but no matter what we do it doesn’t seem to help. We don’t have any medicine. Out of every town we’ve been to their hospitals were either destroyed or buried in snow and ice. If we can’t find medicine for them soon, I don’t think they can handle this for much longer. Not only that, but we’re running low on food rations. We would’ve been goners a while ago if wasn’t for Wick Flame over here. He—”

“Sir, please.” The stallion with the orange mane interrupts.

“Oh, right. I’m sorry I uh wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s okay.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Twilight whispers to Adarrell.

“He doesn’t like to talk about what happened.”

“What happened?”

“It’s about his family, look I’m sorry but I don’t think I should be talking about it behind his back.”

“No it’s okay, I understand.”

“. . . Well, here we are. Let’s all get inside; the cold is just getting worse.”

Twilight enters the tent first, then Wick Flame and Adarrell. Before I can enter Adarrell stops me near the entrance holding his hoof out to me.

“Now hold on there Two-Legs, Miss Sparkle should we keep this thing on a leash or something? I don’t know what it is and I don’t want it going off somewhere.” Asks Adarrell.

“Uh . . . well, I mean . . . I don’t think—”

“I’ll just keep it on a leash anyway, just in case.”

“But sir I assure you it won’t do anything! I need to talk to it to see if . . .” Wick Flame says as his voice drags off into silence.

“Flame, look. Don’t get me wrong, I trust you. But I have no idea what this thing is! I’m going purely off your word here, but I need you to respect my decisions. We’ll tie it up just to be safe, then I’ll let you have your time with it okay? I understand you miss your family, but as much as I hate to admit it that pony is right. We can’t just possibly endanger all of us by bringing in this thing without knowing what it is.”

“But we shouldn’t just leave it out in the cold!”

“It’ll be fine. It’s an animal right? So it should be able to stand out in the cold for a little while. Look let’s just see what exactly Miss Sparkle’s story is and then you can see if you can get anything out of this thing.”

“. . . Yes sir.”

“Alright then, now just get in the tent for a few minutes while I tie up this thing.”

Wick Flame gives me a short stare before leaving and pushing past the tent’s door flaps. Adarrell reaches in the tent and retrieves a rope. He walks me over to nearby tree and ties it around my wrists and then to the trunk of the tree.

“I don’t know what you are, but I hope I’m doing the right thing trusting him.” He says as he ties the knots in the rope. “You know sometimes I think he’s just losing it. To know that your family is somewhere out there in the cold possibly dead or dying, it must be horrible. It must be driving him mad, poor guy. At least he’s found some hope, and ‘I’ hope that you, whatever you are, can help him. . . All right, that should do it. Now don’t you go anywhere, un-der-stand?”

Because of how he delivers the word ‘understand’ he must believe that I’m not intelligent enough to understand him, so I keep quiet just to spite him. He waits for an answer but eventually gives up with a sigh and enters the tent with Twilight and Wick Flame. Now I stand in the cold air as the snow trickles down behind my collar and chills my neck. Without my hands in my pockets they start suffering from the cold as they are turning pink and numb. I can hear them talking to each other in the tent, so I move as close as I can to hear clearly what it is they are saying. The light from one of their lanterns creates their silhouettes against the tent walls.

“So, Miss Sparkle, before we get into anything regarding our situation could you maybe shed some light as to what that thing is outside?” Asks Adarrell.

“Well, he’s—”

“It’s a he? Really?”

“Yes I am positive, and he’s not necessarily . . . i-it’s hard to explain.”

“Should we be worried about it? Should we be . . . I don’t know, careful?”

“Well, I mean . . .” Twilight’s voice then converts to an inaudible whisper, I can barely make out a single word she’s saying.

“Okay, well we’ll—”

“Shh! He might hear you!” Twilight tries to urgently whisper.

They continue whispering for a while until I give up on trying to find the words they’re saying. I just can’t help but think about what they might be talking about. Do they not trust me? Are they preparing something for me? Is Twilight telling them something I should know? I almost feel frustrated by the fact that she still won’t trust me.

“Now, Miss Sparkle just who are you exactly?” Adarrell asks.

“Well like I said I live in Ponyville, and I am a student of Princess Celestia.”

“The Princess eh? Well, that must be something.”

“And what about you sir? Who are you?”

“Me? Well I’m from Baltimare, and I was a boat captain.”

“Really?”

“That’s right; I remember I was sailing over the calm waters enjoying the cool fall breeze. I wanted to enjoy the water before winter came, but as I was sailing I saw something peculiar ahead. A thick cloud of white, and the longer I looked the bigger it grew and the closer it came. It consumed everything around it with a loud rumbling sound. I’d never been so scared in my life, so I trotted down into the hull and hid. My boat was rocking violently back and forth, and I could hear these strong winds just pushing against the walls. Then all of a sudden the boat stopped, everything got calm. I was too afraid to go up and see the outside so I gave it a while to be sure that it was definitely safe. I waited and waited; soon I finally forced myself out from the corner and went to check the bow. But the door was stuck, and after I kicked it open a gust of cold air hit me. When I walked up the steps and saw the outside I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was snowing, and everything around me including the trees and my boat were covered in the stuff. I tried to get my boat moving, but I soon realized that the water had frozen over and my boat was stuck in it. Not only that, but somehow the ice covered the whole boat! The only option I had was to leave the boat and look for help. From there I traveled town to town and soon I found some survivors. Along the way we collected any supplies we could find and anypony else that might be in trouble. Just what exactly is up with this cold anyway? It just came out of nowhere!”

“Seems like you don’t know much more about this than I do.”

“On the contrary, we actually did find something out.”

“Really?”

“That’s right. It’s something I’ve noticed. That whenever we came into contact with these strange creatures, whenever the cold threatened us to the point of freezing to death.”

I hear something metal clank inside the tent.

“This here is what you need.” He says.

“A lantern?”

“Yes, but not only because you can see through the dark. These are what have been keeping us alive.”

“. . . I’m still not understanding.”

“Remember when I told you that we’ve lost a few of our group members?”

“Yes, a-and I’m very sorry.”

“But I realized, the ones that mysteriously disappeared, their lanterns ran out of oil just before they did.”

“What?”

“Not only that, but when we heard these strange sounds out in the woods and a few sets of white eyes would be poking through the dark, we all turned on our lanterns and suddenly they were gone! I think that light-warmth! Warmth is what’s keeping them away.”

“Warmth . . . yeah, that makes sense. So as long as we have a source of heat then we should be safe.”

“Precisely, so here, I want you to take this.”

I hear Adarrell hand over the metal object to Twilight as it continues to clank around.

“Thank you.”

“Sure thing. So, you’re a unicorn huh? And for being a student of the Princess you must know some spells or something right?”

“Yes, I do know quite a few high level spells.”

“But if you’re just like the other unicorns we have here your magic mustn’t be working.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Great.”

“. . . Well, did you or anypony have some kind of plan? Anything?”

“Well we did have one plan, but we found that it’s not really going to work.”

I hear the sound of a large piece of paper crumpling and unfolding.

“We came from Baltimare passed Phillydelphia all the way down here . . . our idea was to head for the train station and see if we can get the train moving to maybe travel quicker and easier.” He says.

“And what happened?”

“Well we thought our pal Nuts-n-Bolts could maybe fix it up and get it running, but everything was just rusted and frozen to the point to where the metal was just so brittle that he couldn’t get it fixed. We had a back-up plan but I doubt it’ll be any help.”

As I’m listening I hear something moving about in the snow nearby. I turn my head and see that a mare is standing in the snow staring at me. The hood of her coat is pulled over her head as she tries to hide her snout from the cold air. From what I can tell her coat is a dark teal, and her mane is black. She continues walking passed me giving me an occasional glance. She enters the tent where Adarrell, Twilight, and Wick Flame are interrupting Adarrell’s conversation.

“Um . . . Sorry to interrupt you but . . .”

“Oh don’t worry about it you’re not interrupting anything. What? What is it? Is something wrong?” He asks anxiously.

“It’s my sister; she’s not doing so well.”

“What’s she feeling now?”

“Her fever’s getting worse and-and so is her coughing. She can’t get to sleep and she can barely even move a hoof.”

“Okay, just calm down. Let’s go check up on her and see what we can do.” Says Adarrell. “Flame you stay here with Miss Sparkle while we’re gone, and please don’t mess around with that thing outside until I get back alright?”

“Yes sir.”

“Alright, come on let’s see your sister.”

Adarrell and the mare leave the tent and walk by me. The both of them give me a quick look as they pass by. They walk all the way to another tent a bit of a long distance away. The cold is becoming unbearable. I can barely feel my hands or my feet. With the holes in my pants the air is flowing right through them freezing my knees. So much snow has gathered at the top of my head that even turning my head shakes some of the icy flakes off. Ready to go ahead and listen for anything that Wick Flame might say the tent sounds suspiciously quiet. Then Wick Flame pokes his head out from the door flaps of the tent checking left and right. He hurries out of the tent and towards me. Frantically he starts to unravel the knots in the rope around my wrists.

“I need your help. You’re probably the only one that can. Come inside the tent with me, you must be freezing out here. Forgive Adarrell it’s just . . . after losing a few of our group members he’s been . . . well, upset. And I don’t blame him. After what’s happened he’s not going to trust a creature from the woods easily. Come on, let’s hurry before he gets back.” Wick Flame urges.

I follow him inside the tent feeling the immediate relief of warmth. Lying across the floor of the tent is a map with X’s drawn on certain locations in red marker. Twilight sees me come in as a shocked expression comes upon her face.

“What are you doing?! Adarrell said to leave him out there!” Twilight says.

“Don’t worry okay? I just want to talk to him for a little.”

“You might want to hurry! He’ll be back at any moment! I’ll keep watch to see if he’s coming.” Says Twilight making her way to the door flaps.

“Thank you. . . Now, I have so many things to ask you. M-My daughter, do you remember her?”

“Yes, I-I do.”

“And you know who I am right?”

“Yes you’re-you’re her Father.”

“Okay, now tell me. Have you seen her at all?”

“Y-Yes I have.”

“You have?! Oh thank goodness, where? Where was she? Was she with her Mother?”

“Yes she was . . . but.”

“But? But what? What?” He asks anxiously.

“Th-They were home but then . . . they disappeared.”

“No. . . No, no, no, no! This can’t be happening it just can’t be!” Wick Flame says angrily as he sits himself down in the corner of the tent. “. . . Who knows what’s happened to them now?” He says.

Wick Flame pauses, and then speaks again.

“You know, I can’t stop thinking about the day you and that magician came to town. I remember the whole night. ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’, indeed she was. Her tricks were spectacular, and she made my daughter laugh and smile in a way that I haven’t seen in months. Then she brought you onto the stage. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw you, but when Trixie called on my daughter as a volunteer I began to feel afraid. I didn’t want her to go, but that look on her face, I wanted it to stay. So I let her go, but I kept a careful eye on the two of you. You two talked, and when she came back she was even happier than before. I wanted to thank her for the amazing show, but everypony else was crowding her, so I couldn’t. It truly was the best day we’ve had in a long time, and she just couldn’t stop talking about it. It felt amazing to see my daughter so happy. She told me she even had dreams of that night. There was one in particular that stuck in my head the most. She said she saw her and I in the crowd watching Trixie. She said she casted a spell that made everything shiny. Our shacks were transformed into actual houses clean and without rust, and all of us in the crowd wore classy clothing instead of torn rags. She brought you onto the stage, and then she called her up. You and Trixie smiled and said to her: ‘We have something special just for you, a gift you’ve wanted for so long.’ The curtains behind you two parted, and her mother stepped towards her. She said she looked so happy and healthy, and then the two of them hugged. She said the both of them were crying, and just listening to her dream made me start to cry too. You and Trixie made her so happy; the both of you restored her faith in things. You gave her that strange glowing rock, she was so ecstatic when she held it in her hoof. When we got home she didn’t keep the rock for herself you know, she gave it to her mother hoping that she would get better soon from her illness. She didn’t know the truth, but I did. There was no way she would live much longer. She told you on the stage that I always cried, and I did. Every time I saw my wife I just couldn’t hold it back. It seemed like the end was drawing near . . . but then a miracle happened. Her coughing started to stop, and her voice sounded strong again. Soon she was up out of that bed and trotting around with Candle Light outside. I couldn’t believe it. Her dream, and mine, came true; she got her Mother back. She always . . . wished you two would come back, and so did I. Just so I could thank the both of you for all that you’ve done. Now that you’re here I can finally say: thank you, thank you so much.”

“Y-You’re welcome.” I say trying to keep the tears away.

“And where is Trixie? Is she with you?”

“N-No, no she’s not.” I say saddened. “I’ve been trying to find her, but I haven’t yet.”

“You’ve lost her? Oh I’m . . . I’m sorry to hear that. I hope she’s okay. I mean she’s ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’ right? I’m sure she’s fine, you’ll find her eventually. I wish I could say the same for my family, but I . . . I don’t think I’ll ever get to see them again.” He says.

“B-But I’ll find them! I’ve been looking!” I object.

“. . . What is your name again?”

“Aireal.”

“Well, Aireal, it’s kind of you to say that you’ve been looking, but I don’t think we’re ever going to find them. I knew it; I knew I shouldn’t have left them alone, but we needed food so what other choice did I have?”

“. . . It’s not your fault.” Says Twilight jumping into the conversation.

“How? Can you imagine what my family must be going through? For all I know they’re probably . . . !”

“But at the same time they’re probably not! It took me a while to understand this, but you just might be the only hope they have left. If you were their then you would have suffered the same fate as them, but because you’re here you are the only one that can save them. Trust me, I know what you’re going through.”

“How do you know what it’s like?”

“Because I’ve lost four close friends of mine, we were so close you might as well call us family. Now they’re just statues of ice, but I still feel they can be saved. Not only that, but I still have two more friends out there that need me.”

“Really? Who are they?”

“My friends Fluttershy and Spike. I haven’t found either of them yet, so I’m hoping they’re still out there somewhere.”

“But what is keeping you going? How come you haven’t given up?”

“. . . I almost did, if it wasn’t for a certain someone.” Twilight then looks at me with a smile, then back at Wick Flame. “It’s a . . . a feeling that you know you can do something. It doesn’t matter if you’re not strong enough, you just have to remind yourself that it’s not too late and with that you have the strength to keep going.”

Wick Flame lowers his head pondering about Twilight’s words.

“All of us are looking for the same thing, the ones that we hold dear to us. And if we work together we just might find them! So, who’s going to give up? I know I’m not.”

“I’m not going to give up-never!” I say.

“Flame?”

“. . . You’re right, I can’t just give up. They are my world and I’m not just going to let them go. So no, I won’t give up, I can’t.”

“Then let’s find them, all of them. I have a plan, but it’s risky.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes.” Says Wick Flame.

“Okay, well here it is—”

“Wait! Adarrell! Is he on his way back yet?”

Twilight hurries back over to the door flaps and glances left and right.

“No I don’t see him.”

“He should be back soon. Aireal quick back outside!” Wick Flame urges.

Both Twilight and Wick Flame hurry me outside back into the cold and frantically start retying the rope around my wrists. Once the knots are tied Wick Flame hurries back into the tent. Twilight stays and looks at me.

“I hope the knots aren’t too tight. I’m sorry about leaving you out here but we should just do as Adarrell says so that he can trust us.”

Just as she turns to leave she whips back around.

“Oh! One more thing. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For restoring my faith in things.”

With my heart feeling alighted I nod to her. Twilight then hurries into the tent as I look around the group of tents for Adarrell. I don’t see him yet, but out in the distance I see him emerge from the tent he entered. He walks towards me with a worried expression on his face.

“Well, you’re still here huh? That’s a surprise. Just wait there a little bit longer alright Two-Legs?”

On that note he enters the tent with Twilight and Wick Flame.

“Adarrell! How’s her sister?” Wick Flame asks.

“She’s even worse. She’s burning up pretty bad, and I don’t feel safe with her sister being around her so much. She just might catch what she’s got herself.”

“Will she be okay?” Twilight asks.

“It’s . . . hard to tell. . . Miss Sparkle are you alright?”

“Huh? What?”

“It seemed like you were dozing off there. Are you tired?”

“Oh, no I was just thinking.”

“I see, so back to what we were discussing. Oh right, so I had a back-up plan but I don’t think it’s worth the trouble. What about you and that thing outside? Where exactly were you two going?”

“Well we were eventually going to head up to Canterlot.”

“All the way up there?! But why?”

“There’s a chance that the Princesses might still be up there, or maybe something else that can help us.”

“Canterlot eh? Sounds like a good idea actually, I can’t think of any better place to go. Alright, let’s go for it. However, it’s a long way up there. I don’t think we’ll be able to make it there on hoof, but . . . I think our back-up plan is the only way to ensure our safety.”

“Well, what’s the back-up plan?”

“Seeing as how if we were to walk there we would most definitely run out of supplies and most likely freeze to death our back-up plan, since the train near Ponyville isn’t working, then maybe the other train could work.”

“Other train?” Asks Twilight.

“That’s right. There’s another one right here.”

I then hear Adarrell mark something on the map.

“There will be a train station called Blue Line Train Station. There should be a train there, and the best part is that the station is an enclosed building unlike the one here near Ponyville. So that means that—”

“The chances of it being functional are much higher!” Twilight blurts excitedly.

“Exactly. It’s a bit far away, but I think we can make it. What do you two think? Sound like a plan?”

“I think it’s our best bet. If we find it and it works we can travel to Canterlot safely.” Says Twilight.

“Yeah, I’m in.” Says Wick Flame.

“Alright! Then let’s go for it. We just have to cut through Everfree forest and passed the big gorge.”

I hear Adarrell make several marks on the map.

“This is our route, it’s the shortest way there, but the danger is much higher. I’m going to go let everypony in on the plan, remember: keep your lanterns with you at all times.”

“Yes sir.” Says Wick Flame.

“When do you think is a good time to head out?”

“How about tomorrow morning? I think everypony is going to need the rest.” Says Twilight.

“Right, I’ll have some ponies take shifts for the night to be on the lookout for any danger. Umm Miss Sparkle? What do we do about that thing? Should we tie it up somewhere or what?”

“No I . . . I don’t think that’ll be necessary. Are you comfortable with that?”

“Well, I don’t see it as any threat, so that’s fine. But if you don’t mind I’d like to have whichever pony in charge of the night shift keep a close eye on your tent just to be safe. We don’t have that many extra tents, so you’ll have to share with it.”

“That’s fine, and no I don’t mind.”

“Alright, then let’s go and get some rest. Flame, you can go ahead and have your time with it if you want.”

“Thank you sir.” Says Wick Flame.

“Well, goodnight you two. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Adarrell leaves the tent and walks over to me. He then starts to untie the rope giving me a solemn stare.

“I hope you don’t make me regret this. I’m still going to keep an eye on you. But seeing as how you’ve just been patiently sitting out here I think I can trust you.”

“. . . Thank you.” I say.

“Ah! So you really can talk! Well umm . . . you’re welcome. I’m sorry for tying you up out here, and I hope you can understand. I just care for the safety of the group, but I swear if something happens to anypony over the course of tonight I know exactly who to blame. Do we understand each other?” He asks as I nod my head. “Good.”

Twilight and Wick Flame emerge from the tent just as Adarrell finishes untying the knots.

“Ah, Flame, could you go ahead and set up a tent for these two?”

“Sure.”

As Wick Flame re-enters the tent Adarrell leaves and enters a different tent amongst the group.

“Aireal.” Says Twilight. “I was thinking about the story Wick Flame told us, about his wife miraculously gaining back her health, I have a feeling that this stone had something to do with it. So what I’m going to do is test it, I’m going to go in the tent with the ill sister and hide the stone somewhere. By morning we’ll see if she is feeling any better. If so then we could use this stone to heal everypony else in the group.”

Wick Flame exits the tent with a beige bag around his waist.

“Alright, let’s go find a spot to set this up.” He says.

Wick Flame leads the way down passed other tents as we follow closely behind. We find a nice wide open space big enough for the tent.

“This’ll do.” Says Wick Flame.

He takes off the bag and lays it down in the snow. Unzipping it he pulls out the walls that make up the tent, and in a matter of time all of us help out in setting up the tent. We lay it out across the snow and stick the metal pegs through the holes in the corners and into the ground. We use these thin long flexible sticks and slide them into little sockets in the tent. We prop up the walls and then our tent is completed.

“Thanks for the help.” Says Wick Flame.

“It’s no trouble.” Says Twilight.

“Well, goodnight to the both of you.”

“You too.”

Wick Flame then leaves on his way to his own tent. Twilight and I unzip the door of the tent and crawl inside. It’s definitely big enough for the both of us, and it feels relaxing to finally be out of the constant icy wind.

“Okay, you stay here. I’m going to go hide the stone in that mare’s tent. I’ll be back in a moment. Here, you probably want your bag back.” Says Twilight.

She takes off the bag and pulls out the glowing stone. Grabbing the bag that was used to carry the tent she drops it inside and leaves the tent. I reach out, grab my bag and sit with it in my lap. I undue the rope and peer inside. Everything is still there: Trixie’s hat, the note, the flower, the box of matches and the book. I remember where I left off in the book, I wonder what happens next. Eager to read I pull out the book and find the page that I left off at. Here we are “Chapter Two: A Wish Come True?”

After that rainy night in the café it seemed that Dawston and Meriva had connected instantly. For the rest of the night they sat at that table talking and learning about each other. Their conversations flowed like a sparkling stream without an end. Alas the need for sleep had taken over Meriva, but she tried her hardest to stay awake and talk to him. Dawston noticed this and offered to walk her home which she happily accepted. Before they left the café Giano watched them leave with a proud smile across his face. Her wish was finally answered; he knew it was young love, he’s seen it all the time in his years in the café. This time he was happy to have been a part of bringing two hearts together. But, he couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow someway it would end unexpectedly like other relationships he’s seen. He didn’t want these thoughts to spoil the moment, so he ignored them and continued his duty of keeping the counter clean and waiting for any customers that might enter his café.

Dawston and Meriva galloped to her home as he threw his jacket over her to keep her dry from the rain. For them it was fun as they laughed the entire way. Once they reached Meriva’s front porch their excitement calmed as they knew it was time to part for the time being. Dawston said his goodbye, but Meriva caught him asking him when they could meet up again. Dawston happily replied.

“How about tomorrow? Maybe a walk in that park I’ve seen . . . Bloom Park I think the name of it is?”

“Yeah! I-I go there all the time.”

“Alright so I guess I’ll stop by at . . . noon?”

“Sounds great! I’ll see you then!”

“Great! Well, I should get going now before I’m completely soaked. Bye Meriva.”

“Yeah, bye.”

Meriva watches him disappear in the dark and the falling rain as she then starts to think to herself about how incredible this night was. It started out so gloomy, and now it’s turned into a splendor of feeling in rain. She hurried to bed ready to drift off to her dream world, but her tiredness had mysteriously disappeared. She restlessly tossed and turned thinking about tomorrow. Eventually she had finally drifted off into a deep sleep. The next morning they were together for the entire afternoon at Bloom Park. They watched the lake shimmer and the trees wave. The longer they were together the closer they became. Days and days passed, and during that time Meriva rarely saw Giano back at the café. Dawston had been taking her to other restaurants for dinner or lunch. They went to one particular restaurant that was supposed to be a pretty classy place, so Dawston felt it would be the perfect place. They sat down at a round table sheeted in a big white tablecloth with a candle in the center. A waiter came by to take their order and drop off their drinks. Dawston dressed in his only black suit and tie, as Meriva dressed in a lovely white dress decorated with doily lining at the end of her skirt. It was there that in the middle of a conversation they suddenly stopped and stared at each other. Their hearts were filling to the brim with nervousness, and their stomachs with butterflies. Dawston leaned forward, and so did Meriva. It was then that they shared their first kiss. It was a feeling that Meriva will never forget, it was at that moment she knew for sure that he was the one; the one that she had been looking for all this time.

Giano knew that she would be spending a lot of her time with him, but at the same time he did want to see his friend again at least once in a while. After everything they’ve been through he thought that at least she would stop by once or twice during the week. During all this time he began to delve deeper into his thoughts about Dawston. He had only met him once, but to him something didn’t feel right. The more he thought about it the more odd it seemed. He knows absolutely nothing about Dawston except for the fact that he is new to the town. He seemed to come out of nowhere. So why did he come here? What was wrong with his old town? How could the two of them just connect so quickly and easily? It was perfect, or was it a little too perfect? Questions flooded Giano’s mind, but then he came to the realization that maybe he was just jealous. Jealous that Dawston had been taking all of Meriva’s attention. He felt wrong, he should be happy for his friend, but he just couldn’t shake the weariness. He stayed up late one night in his café wiping an already shining countertop. He never acted the same around his customers. He tried to be his cheerful jovial self, but with the feeling that a wall had been built between him and Meriva turned him gloomy. Then finally one night Meriva stepped into his café, and he was immediately shot with enthusiasm.

“Meriva! I haven’t seen you in such a long time!” He exclaims.

“Hi Giano! How’ve you been?”

“Oh well, you know. Same old same old I suppose.”

“Oh Giano I’m sorry I haven’t been around, but it’s just Dawston and I have really bonded and I just want to spend any time I can with him.”

“I understand Meriva, you don’t need to explain yourself.”

“So, you’re not upset?”

“Of course not. Why would I be?”

Giano knew he was lying. He wanted to say that she could at least stop by a little more often, but he didn’t want to start any kind of argument.

“Well guess what?” Meriva asks smiling.

“What?”

“Dawston invited me to go on a little trip with him.”

“Oh really? Where?”

“Up to the Snowy Mountains!”

“The Snowy Mountains?”

“That’s right! We’re going to make a little hike up there. He said that when you get high enough and look out to the horizon it’s a view unlike any other! Oh I’m so excited.”

“But, that sounds pretty dangerous you know. I mean it’s always a blizzard up there, something could happen.”

“Oh I’m not worried; Dawston said it’s perfectly safe. He said he’s made trips there before.”

“Well, that sounds wonderful. It seems you two have really gotten close.”

“Oh come on don’t sound like that.”

“Like what?”

“You know exactly what. Giano you and I are and always will be friends no matter what, okay?”

“I know . . . but. . .”

“But what?”

“It’s just . . . I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”

“Giano I already told you there is nothing to worry about! I’ll be just fine.”

“It’s not just that, it’s about Dawston.”

“W-What do you mean?”

“Now don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t . . . I don’t have a good feeling about him.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Meriva, I just don’t think he’s right for you.”

“Not right? In case you forgot ‘you’ were the one that suggested we get together in the first place!” She says with her tone now getting defensive.

“I know, but now it’s just—”

“Also! I happen to really like Dawston. I think I might even love him! For once in my life something finally goes right and you’re saying I should just give it up?!”

“Meriva I don’t want to argue, okay? I just think—”

“You want to know what I think? I think you’re just jealous.”

Giano was afraid that she would go there.

“That’s not what it is Meriva!”

“No I think that’s exactly what it is. You’re jealous that I’ve been spending all my time with Dawston; why can’t you just be happy for me?”

“Meriva that’s not true-of course I’m happy for you! But—”

“But what?! I should just leave Dawston because you have a ‘feeling’ that there’s something wrong with him? You just think you’re always right! Well you know what Giano, this time you’re wrong, and I’m not going to let you split him and I apart.” She says promptly as she turns and heads for the front door of the café.

“Meriva! Just wait a second!” Giano desperately calls.

“Goodbye Giano, you were a good friend.”

“Meriva!”

Meriva ignores Giano’s call of her name and trots out of the café into the night. Running out of breath she stops and turns her head back to the café. She can feel a tear drip down her cheek, but she wipes it away and faces forward. She tries to keep herself angry, but the sadness still hides behind her eyes. No matter how much she doesn’t want to she forces herself to walk as far as she can from the café. Giano feels he’s made a huge mistake. The last thing he wanted was to break up their friendship. Perhaps he really is wrong, maybe Dawston isn’t who he thought he was. Giano knows it’s too late for an apology, it wouldn’t solve anything. Especially after the things he’s said, she will never forgive him. Giano laid his head down beneath his hooves against the countertop. Thankfully nopony else came into the café, or else they would have heard him crying.

The chapter ends there, and now I feel captivated and must read the next chapter. Suddenly a shadow starts to emerge through the split between the door flaps of the tent. I peek through the slit and see that Twilight is on her way back. I have no time to read the next chapter, so I stuff the book back into my bag and move away from it. I lay down against the smooth and crinkly floor as the chill from the snow underneath cools my cheek. Twilight pushes open the flaps and crawls inside.

“Are you asleep?” She whispers, and I shake my head. “Okay, well I hid the stone in that mare’s tent. Hopefully they don’t find it. I sure hope it does something. . . Anyway, I suppose we’d better get some sleep. Also, about the plan, he said that we would have to go passed a gorge. When he marked it on the map it looked like the same gorge where the cavern resides. When we get there, maybe we can see if we can find a way into the cavern.”

Twilight lays down and turns her back to me. Unlike my previous attempt to try and put myself to sleep my body actually does feel worn out. My eyes close without me having to force them to shut, and my body scrunches up to get warmer and more comfortable.

“. . . Goodnight.” I mutter.

“What? What did you say?”

“Goodnight, I hope . . . I hope you sleep well.” I awkwardly add.

“Oh, well . . . you too.”

On that last note I can feel myself finally starting to drift away to a well needed rest. I just hope that I don’t find myself lost in a nightmare like the other night, as if the real world isn’t already a nightmare on its own. The world turns black and all sounds silence for what seems like just a moment. Until my eyes tiredly open up at the sound of voices outside the tent. My arms and legs want to stay in the comfortable place they are, but with all the commotion outside I force myself to prop myself up while rubbing my eyes. A pony bursts through the flaps of the tent and glances all around the inside.

“Aireal! Where is Miss Sparkle?!” Wick Flame asks loudly.

Confused by his sudden intrusion and question I turn around and am shocked to find that Twilight is no longer in the tent. I whip back to Wick Flame without an answer as my voice is too stunned to speak.

“Come on we have to find her!” He urges as he leaves the tent.

I shake myself awake and start to crawl out of the tent, but I halt remembering my bag. I quickly stick my head back inside the tent to check for it, and it seems she left it behind. I grab it by the rope and toss it over my shoulder. Leaving the tent into the sudden chill of the wind I follow Wick Flame to a huddled group of ponies. Outside is still pitch dark and not a hint of light except for the lanterns the ponies carry by their mouths.

“Attention everypony!” Adarrell shouts. “The pony in charge of the night shift says that he saw Miss Sparkle leave the tent and out into the woods. I have gathered you all together so that we may start a search party.”

Joining the group they all turn their attention to me with suspicious looks. I feel my heart skip a beat once their eyes shoot towards me.

“Ah, there you two are.” Says Adarrell. “You, you were the only one with her in the tent. Do you know where Miss Sparkle could have gone? Did she say anything about going off to the woods?”

“N-No.” I say nervously.

“Well, then we can’t afford to waste any more time. It’s dangerous out there, and we can’t just let her go out there alone. I’m not going to lose another pony to this blizzard. Come on! Let’s follow her tracks! Remember to keep your lantern on at all times!” Adarrell shouts. “Alright, let’s go!”

All of the ponies then charge into the woods following the tracks in the snow that Twilight had left behind from the tent and onward.

“Come on! Let’s go!” Says Wick Flame while beckoning me to follow.

Within moments I am next to Wick Flame sprinting into the woods darting through the layers of snow that reach up to my knees with the other ponies like a pack of wolves. Some of the snow sneaks through the holes in my pants chilling my legs, but I ignore it all and focus my energy on keeping a constant speed to keep up with the group.

“Aireal, stay near me, and don’t stray too far from the light!” Wick Flame advises.

“Now everypony! I was told that Miss Sparkle had her lantern, so keep an eye out for any sort of glow in the distance!” Adarrell shouts to the group.

All of us are dodging past trees and hopping over bushes. Of course I almost trip over myself and end up dragging behind, but I shake it off and just keep running. The wind is blowing against us as gusts of air carry snowflakes up from the ground and up to our faces. After running and running we end up coming back to the town of Ponyville.

“Gosh, this place suffered just like the rest.” Says a pony in the group.

“Looks like this place got the blunt of the storm.” Says another.

“Stay focused, keep an eye out for a light.” Says Adarrell.

“I think I saw something!” Wick Flame shouts.

“What? Where?!” Adarrell asks anxiously.

“There! Beyond the trees!”

“Lead the way-we’ll follow you!”

In a burst Wick Flame takes off as all of us follow behind. He leads us into another stretch of woods that seem to go on forever. The further we go the more it feels like this forest is familiar to me.

“Tracks, I’ve found tracks!” Wick Flame exclaims.

“Let’s follow ‘em.” Says Adarrell.

We follow the straight line of tracks through sets of tall thick pine trees. Still this place feels familiar, until it finally hits me: this is the place I came from before I came to Ponyville. Why would Twilight be walking through here?

“There’s the light!” Wick Flame shouts. “Twilight? Miss Sparkle!” He calls.

The light grows the closer we get, and my heart begins to settle. Until one of the ponies trips and falls. All of us stop and turn back as another group mate helps the pony stand back up.

“What was that?” The pony that fell asks.

“Probably just a rock or something, come on we have to move.”

“Wait. . .”

The pony reaches down into the snow and lifts up a lump of oddly shaped ice. The pony that helped her up uses his lantern to illuminate the object as she holds it in her hoof. The light reveals that it’s a crow frozen in ice. The pony screams and drops it into the snow.

“What the . . . ? They’re everywhere!”

“Stay calm, just ignore them and—”

Adarrell tries to get the group moving again until he is stopped by a frozen deer in his way. He jolts and steps back staring into the deer’s eyes with fright. Terrified he maneuvers around the statue and beckons us to follow. We continue down the path between the trees toward the light, and sitting down in the snow facing away from us is Twilight. All of us hurry to her side, and I realize that she is crying.

“Miss Sparkle there you are!” Wick Flame says happily.

“What are you doing out here? I told you it’s dangerous to be out here alone. What’s the matter?” Asks Adarrell.

“I . . . I found her.” Twilight whispers.

“Found who?” Wick Flame asks.

Twilight doesn’t answer, and all of us look up and see something before her. A statue of a pony, the same pony I came across before. The pony with the yellow coat and pink mane, Fluttershy I think she said her name was. I hoped she wouldn’t have had to see this, but how could she have known? I never told her about the pony, what could have made her want to venture out here alone? Something doesn’t feel right, but now I wonder what she could be feeling right now. Now there is no-more secret to keep about it; she knows now that one of her last two friends have fallen victim to the cold. I lay my hand on Twilight’s shoulder, and Wick Flame does the same. He must already know who she is, and by the look of it it seems that everyone else knows as well.

“I’m . . . I’m sorry Miss Sparkle.” Says Wick Flame.

Twilight stands up and walks away from us. She stands before Adarrell with tears frozen onto her cheeks and an angry expression on her face. All of us watch her, waiting for what she might say. She looks up at him as Adarrell looks a bit intimidated by hers stance, in fact, all of us are intimidated by her.

“Sir.” She says.

“Yes, Miss Sparkle?”

“When do we leave for Canterlot?”

“Whenever you’re ready.”

“Then let's go, now.”

Chapter 12

Light is beginning to brighten the world around us. Through the cracks in the clouds streaks of it strip the darkness down to where I can actually see the trees on the other side of the camp. We didn’t get any sleep after what happened last night, and it shows. As the ponies are packing up their gear and disassembling their tents they do it with such fatigue and constant yawing. Adarrell announced to all the ponies that it was time to start cleaning up for we were about to head out. Wick Flame dashed into the camp to begin taking down his own tent. He said that he would meet up with us later. Twilight hasn’t said a single word to me or even looked at me since we walked back to camp. Not even Wick Flame could get her to say anything. Even though she hasn’t looked my way I’ve seen her heated expression as she quickly takes down the tent we slept in last night. Standing nearby I feel a bit too frightened by her to even try and lend a hand. I even feel too scared to even ask if she needs any help.

“D-Do you need help?” I reluctantly ask, but she doesn’t respond. “. . . T-Twilight?”

“No Aireal, no I don’t need any help.” She says irritated. “Here.” Twilight says tossing my bag into the snow before me. “You can take your bag back.”

“Thank you.” I say, but she doesn’t say another word after that.

By the tone of her voice I choose to keep myself quiet and just let her go about taking down the tent alone. I hoist the bag over my shoulder and fasten the rope across my chest. Now I stand awkwardly in the snow with my arms wrapped around my body to keep warm looking around at all the ponies whom are also disassembling their tents. I still wonder about last night. Why did Twilight even venture out into the woods anyway? It feels so strange; there just has to be a reason. Do I dare to ask with how her attitude is? With a trembling heart and stutter in my voice I blurt out the question.

“Why did you go out there last night?” I ask.

Twilight refuses to answer as she folds up the tent and starts stacking the pieces in a pile. She picks up my bag and fastens the rope around her waist.

“I’m going to go get the bag for the tent. Stay here.” She says without even looking at me.

Twilight walks through the snow in the general direction where she left the bag which reminds me about the sick mare from last night. Twilight said she hid the stone in her tent, I wonder if it did anything. I hope so at least, that poor sister of hers, I can only imagine what it’s like losing someone so close to you like a sister. Then I begin to think of Twilight’s friend we found last night. Seeing her again just brought back those fearful shivers up my spine, and they were not because of the cold. Just revisiting it in my mind gives me an odd feeling. Her lifeless body frozen stiff staring up at me. Those lifeless eyes. How . . . still, and empty.

“Ah Aireal there you are!” Wick Flame calls as he trots towards me with his tent bag hung around his waist. “Well, I’m all set to go. Where is Twilight?”

I shake myself awake as I felt I had been dozing off for a minute and point in the direction she left in the midst of all the ponies gathering their things together.

“I see. . .” Wick Flame says followed by a pause as he stands near me fixing his bag around his waist. “She must be looking for the bag for the tent. I’ll go and see if I can find one-be back in a second.”

Wick Flame trots off to look for another bag. I should have told him that Twilight was already going to get our bag, but my mind is beginning to doze off again just thinking about that pony’s eyes. I can see them staring, peering into mine. Despite how hollow they are I can feel they still see me, watching me. Screaming, begging to be set free, but nothing can save them from their icy prison. It’s . . . magnificent. Almost . . . wonderful.

Twilight trots through the snow looking for the tent with the sick sister. She can’t shake the image of Fluttershy frozen solid out of her head. The way she stood as she merely tried to guide the animals to safety, and neither she nor any of them survived.

“Miss Sparkle there you are!” Says Adarrell meeting up with Twilight. “Everypony should be ready to go momentarily. But I must say that I do not think that they are ready to go so soon.”

“Why not?”

“Well they barely got any sleep last night, and we still have to take into consideration the condition of the sick.”

“If we stay then we risk everypony’s safety if something comes out of those woods.”

“Understood, but I think that if we had the rest and time to recover then we would be able to travel a greater distance with a well rested team instead of a team with barely any energy.”

At this point Twilight is growing impatient with Adarrell and his constant judgment of her decision.

“Would you rather move a little at a time or risk more ponies going missing?” She asks sternly.

“Now listen Miss Sparkle you are not here to be giving me orders. I am having everypony move because I think it’s for the best. But I don’t want you to push my team to the point to where they can’t go on any longer.” Adarrell says beginning to become heated.

“It’s either we push them or we lose them.”

“But you are not here to command and tell us what we should do. I am the one that makes decisions. I’m trying to be nice here Miss Sparkle but your attitude is making it difficult. I know that pony in the woods was one of your friends, and I understand how awful it must’ve been to see that. I understand that you want to leave and get back at the things or whatever has caused this to happen, but don’t you take it out on these poor folk you hear? They’ve done nothing to deserve harsh treatment. We are going to go maybe a mile or so, and then we are going to give them a break. Understand?”

“. . . Yes.”

“Good, we are a team and we’re here to help on another. Not get carried away, we still need to be cautious.”

Adarrell leaves and Twilight continues through the groups of ponies angrily muttering words to herself.

“Pfft what does he know? Everypony will be just fine-they can move a few miles. We can’t just waste precious time sitting out in the open. I’ve lost my friends to this cold and I’m going to find out who or what is responsible. And when I do . . . they are going to pay.”

Pushing past a few ponies Twilight finds the tent. It’s still set up and nopony is taking it down. The two sisters must still be inside. Twilight opens the door flaps and sure enough inside are the two sisters. One sitting beside the other staring at each other in amazement. Once Twilight enters they both turn to her.

“Oh it’s you! Miss uhh . . . Sprinkle?” One of the sisters cheerfully asks.

“Sparkle.”

“Oh right! Well I have amazing news! My sister she’s feeling so much better!”

“I do, I haven’t felt this good in days.” Says the other sister.

“We should go tell Adarrell the news!” Says the cheery sister.

“Yeah, you should.” Says Twilight as she looks around the tent for the bag she left.

“Come on sis let’s go!” Says the sister guiding her to the exit. “Oh and Miss Sparkle?” Says the cheery sister turning back.

“Hmm?” She mumbles annoyed.

“Thank you for the kind words you said last night.”

Immediately Twilight is struck with the memory of what she had told these poor sisters the night she hid the stone. Twilight tried to be discrete and quiet as the both of them were already sleeping. Just as she started to hide the bag the healthy sister woke up. Twilight jolted as she stretched and opened her eyes. At first the sister was scared, but once she knew it was just Twilight she was able to calm down. Twilight didn’t know what to do or say so she just stood there frozen. The sister asked what she had been doing in her tent. Twilight said she just came to visit and see how they were doing and if her sister had been feeling any better. She said no and that Adarrell had told her not to be so close to her all the time or else she’d probably catch the same illness. But she said that she didn’t care about that, she told him she wanted to lay next to her sister no matter what. She wanted to give her sister as much comfort as possible. Twilight was amazed by her statement. She found it to be truly wonderful that she cares that much for her sister that she’d risk getting herself sick if it meant being by her side. It was then that Twilight could feel water building behind her eyes, but she tried to hide it. Twilight told her that their bond was just too strong to be broken. The bond between family is unlike any other, and she promised that by morning she would be feeling better.

Twilight took a chance, she felt that what she had told them was a lie, but if the stone really does possess such power then maybe it could cure her. Twilight was going off of hope, and after she said that the sister’s face lit up. She whispered the words ‘thank you’ as to not wake her sister, and Twilight immediately felt a burst of guilt. Without wanting to tell any more possibly harmful lies Twilight gave her a goodnight as she then began to peacefully close her eyes. Twilight fumbled a bit with the tent bag trying to lay it down without making a single sound. She set it down near their empty tent bag and quietly left the tent on the verge of sweating from the anxiety. As she walked away from their tent the guilt still hung heavily in her heart. She kept repeating a certain phrase over and over in her head, and she just felt compelled to say it aloud once she was a safe distance from the tent to not be heard. ‘I promise she’ll be okay. I promise.’ She repeated. Now struck with the memory of that night she tries to muster up a response.

“Don’t worry about it.” She says.

“No, I mean it. If it wasn’t for you I . . . I don’t think I would’ve been able to sleep last night.”

“Well I’m glad I could help.” She says as she tries to steer away from the subject by picking up one of the two tent bags on the floor.

“Umm are you looking for something?”

“Oh! I left my bag here last night. I just came to get it back.”

“Oh, I see. . . Well before you go I need to thank you.”

“You already have.” Says Twilight trying to avoid any more of her words that sit heavily upon her heart.

“Not for this. Thank you for keeping your promise.”

“Well I . . . you’re very welcome.” Says Twilight. “Why don’t you go on and tell Adarrell the good news, I’m sure he’d love to hear it.”

“You’re right, come on sis let’s go!” The sister says as she urges her sister out of the tent.

With thoughts circling in Twilight’s mind of just about everything she leaves the tent back towards hers. Twilight still can’t really believe it; the stone really did work after all. It couldn’t just be a coincidence that perhaps she had already gotten over her illness because they said it was only getting progressively worse with every passing day. Twilight now knows that this stone’s power is something great and just may be the key to fixing everything, and more importantly, possibly saving the lives of her friends. Twilight’s last words before she left the sister’s tent was just so that she could avoid any further conversation and finally leave the tent. She knows that they all have a long journey to make before they all arrive at this train station. They can’t waste their time on conversation. Every second spent without progression is a second closer they come to falling prey to the things that live in the woods. As Twilight walks through the snow she stops and ponders for a moment. Reflecting on how she’s been acting almost callously. She feels wrong, but she shakes this thought out of her mind before it can grow as she remembers the statues that were once her friends. Seeing them in her mind angers her as she grinds her hoof into the grass under the snow.

“Okay! I found an extra one; I think it might actually be yours.” Says Wick Flame as he trots back towards me.

I rub my eyes to force myself to stay awake. I wonder how long I’ve just been standing here lost in my own mind. I do not even remember what I had been thinking about if I was at all. He pulls out a crinkly tent bag and hands it over to me. Gripping the tough cloth in my hands I realize that Twilight must have been away for quite some time now. I hope she found the stone, and I hope that it did at least something to that ill sister. Now, with my thoughts back in order, I suddenly wonder what it means to have a family. To have what Wick Flame has. Did I ever have something like that at one time? Maybe . . . Trixie and I had something like that. Not exactly ‘family’ per say, but something close. I feel like crying at the thought of it since I’ll probably never get an answer. I know I miss her, but at the same time how can I miss her? It feels like she’s a complete stranger, but I know we were something at one point in time. I wish I could remember; I wish I could. All of these memories that I claim to have feel empty. Just shadows of who I am. Why, why must these thoughts torment me now?

“So I’m curious, how long have you known Miss Sparkle?” He asks.

“Huh?” I say breaking free from my perturbing thoughts. “Not long.”

“You two get along well?”

“I . . . I don’t know.”

“Well, do you know why she’s been acting so strangely? I mean she hasn’t said a word since last night, and the way she just looks concerns me. How about you?”

“Yeah, something isn’t right.”

“Do you think she’s hiding something from us?”

“M-Maybe.”

“We should try to find out, are you with me?”

“I-I’m not sure. I mean she’s—”

“Don’t worry about how she’s acting right now, just let me do the talking. But uhh, just promise that you’ll help me out in case she gets a little . . . you know.”

“Okay, I promise.”

“Alright . . . oh here she comes!”

I watch as Twilight stomps closer to us with her still angry expression as she clenches the tent bag between her teeth. She stops before us without even giving us a glance and drops the tent bag in the snow. As she begins to fumble with the pieces of the tent Wick Flame tries to get her attention.

“Umm Twilight-or uh Miss Sparkle?” He asks almost fearfully, and after a long pause without an answer he continues. “I found an extra tent bag lying around. It doesn’t seem to be anypony’s so I figured—”

Before Wick Flame can usher out another word Twilight angrily stomps over and yanks the bag right out of my hands with her teeth. She didn’t even take one look at either of us. As she now starts to put the pieces of the tent in the new bag Wick Flame found he tries to get her attention yet again after a nervous glance towards me.

“M-Miss Sparkle?”

“Twilight.” She says.

“Huh?”

“Call me Twilight. Not ‘Miss Sparkle’.”

“Right of course, well umm . . . we’re concerned.”

“Concerned about what? There’s no reason to be concerned.” She says still without looking our way.

“W-Well we’ve, and not only us, but we’ve noticed you’re sudden change in attitude lately and we just wanted to know if—”

A strong sudden breeze sweeps past us as I hold my hand to block the passing snow and Wick Flame his hoof. I try to peek over my hand to see if Twilight is okay, but she is more than okay. It doesn’t seem that the wind is even fazing her. Her eyes are staring straight at us without even a blink as her eyebrows express anger. Her mane is swaying crazily about, but she doesn’t show the slightest care. The ponies behind us are struggling to keep their tents from blowing away while also trying to hide their faces from the snow rising up from the ground and being carried up by the wind. Just as the burst of wind starts to calm Twilight begins shouting exchanging glares between him and I.

“Now I want the both of you to listen very carefully, because I am not going to say it again-there is nothing wrong with me and my attitude!”

“Twilight I understand you’re upset about what happened last night, and I think we should talk just to get your mind off it.”

“I don’t want to talk about it! I don’t want it off my mind! I’m never going to forget about it, so don’t try to convince me otherwise!”

“Twilight please stop shouting! You’re going to attract attention.”

“Stop shouting?! I think I ‘have’ to keep shouting just to get it through your skulls that I don’t need you or you to counsel me about my ‘change in attitude’!”

Twilight is now shouting straight in our faces, and the further we try to back away out of fear the closer she gets. I notice that all of the ponies behind us have stopped packing their things and are instead staring at us.

“Well, since I’m getting everypony’s attention why don’t I let them know as well? That I do not want to talk anymore about the subject, and that I don’t need any of your help! Understand?”

I look over at Wick Flame and can see that he is too afraid to say another word. I begin to think ‘not again, not again’ somehow this side of Twilight has pushed away the one I had longed would come back. She’s getting a bit out of control just shouting at the top of her lungs at Wick Flame like that. He warned me, but I didn’t think it would’ve been this bad. Feeling like she is mainly attacking Wick Flame I decide to speak up despite my trembling heart. I made him a promise, and I intend to keep it. Like the sudden burst of wind I force the words to leave my mouth.

“. . . We’re just trying to help.”

It was then that I felt I had made a horrible mistake.

“Help?!” She snaps. “Well listen, I don’t want your help! Now go! Both of you! Just leave me alone!”

After that she turns away and continues to shove the pieces of the tent in the bag she swiped from my hands. Wick Flame and I take a quick look at each other. His face is filled with a combination of confusion, fright, and concern; the same as mine. He turns his back to her and beckons me to follow. I refuse to move, I can’t just leave her alone. I take a few steps to her and instantly she forces me to stop.

“Aireal, just go.”

Without paying attention to her warning I choose to walk even closer.

“Go!” She shouts.

I jolt and immediately start to back away from her. Wick Flame, still waiting for me, beckons me once again to follow. I thought that the least I could’ve done was to help Twilight put the tent away instead of by herself, but it doesn’t look like that’s a possibility without her shoving me away. I walk with Wick Flame into the group of ponies whose tents are still being disassembled and put into their bags.

“Thanks for helping me out back there. I appreciate it, but it doesn’t look like we’re going to get through to her. Maybe it’s best we just leave her be, give her some time.” Says Wick Flame.

Perhaps he’s right; maybe all she needs is some time to calm down. But there’s also the possibility that she’ll remain like this for the rest of the way. I hope she recovers soon, or else she just might act this way from now and on.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” I ask.

“Yeah . . . yeah she should be fine. Trust me.”

As we continue walking we come across Adarrell whose face seems to be unusually bright and happy. I haven’t seen that before on him, it’s a nice change.

“Flame!” He calls. “Flame you won’t believe this!”

“Woah calm down sir! What’s got you so happy?” Wick Flame asks.

“Remember last night when that ill mare’s sister came by our tent?”

“Yes, why?”

“Well when I stopped by her tent I was so afraid. Her fever was getting worse and she could barely move.”

“Right. . .”

“And I could swear to you she would not have made it much longer!”

“I don’t see how this is ‘good’ news sir.” He says confusedly.

“No that’s not it! Just now, all of sudden, I saw the both of them trotting to me!”

“Wait what?”

“It was incredible! Her sister was smiling and jumping-as if she had never been sick in the first place!”

“Sounds like a miracle.”

“I’m telling you Flame, from here on out things are gonna start leaning in our favor. I can feel it.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I know I am! Come on I’ll show you, it’s just amazing.”

The both of us follow behind Adarrell as I hold in my breath. I feel so jittery at the sound of those words. She really was cured, and I know that stone is the reason. It makes me wonder what other kind of properties it may possess. With that stone we could heal every other sick pony in the group! I think Adarrell is right, maybe things are going to finally turn our way.

The beams that seem to be light pierce through the frosty window as it shines the colors of the stained glass across the floor and against Valiari’s face. The light causes him to stir around the icy floor until finally prying open his eyes expecting to see the one who was keeping watch of him all last night, but she is no longer there. Her image, however, is still embedded in his mind. It’s so cold in the room frost has been starting to grow on his tattered jacket and hat. Across the room he can faintly see the long icicles that encage little Candle Light and her Mother as she is embracing her to keep her warm.

“Awake Mister Valiari?” The Mother asks. “I couldn’t get any sleep last night, not with my daughter like this.”

“How is she?” He asks.

“Getting worse, oh every time I look at her it feels like she’s slipping away.” She then holds Candle Light closer as she presses her head against hers.

“Don’t say that, she’ll be just fine. It’s just a matter of time until we find a way out of here.”

“W-What about that friend of yours? Is it going to save us?” Valiari turns away without a response. “Hello? Well is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean? You said—”

“I know what I said, but at this rate I feel like time is running out. I only hope that. . .”

“Hope that what?”

“N-Nevermind, look we can’t stay here any longer or else the cold will be too much for our bodies to handle . . . especially for your daughter. Now listen, maybe. . .”

Valiari stops at the sound of the wind outside. It grows louder and stronger outside the walls. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling begins to shake and rattle as scraps of ice drift down from the ceiling. Flakes of snow dance behind the stained glass before fazing through it. All the hundreds of flakes come together to form the shape of a mare. The body is tall, the coat is becoming a soft powder blue, and a short curly mane of a lighter color droops over her rich crystal eyes darkened by mascara. Around her an elegant white mist trickles in the air to form a graceful white dress around her waist. The mare’s body ends at the waist leaving only a wisp of snow. Now finally able to see the owner of the haunting voice a mixture of fear and hatred fills his heart. Candle Light’s Mother guards her daughter by pulling her away from the misty being and against the intertwining icicles.

“Hello again, I’m sorry to have taken so long. I hope my friend has been keeping a close eye on you.”

“. . . What are you?” Valiari asks angrily.

“I’ve already told you my dear Valiari, but you need not worry any longer. The end is drawing nearer with every passing day. Now, it is time to put this little game to an end I’m afraid.”

“What do you mean? You leave them alone!”

“I am not referring to the Mother and her little one; I mean your pet and his friends.”

“He—! Wait, what friends?”

“It appears he’s found a little group of his own. I never would have thought that such a number of ponies would have survived my paradise. Funny, out of all of them only two give him trust. One a quite strong, and intelligible mare of a purple coat.”

“Miss Sparkle. . .” Valiari mutters.

“And a rather interesting stallion who bears quite a . . . sorrowful loss. Separated from his family, a stallion who misses his wife and daughter.”

“My husband!” Candle Light’s Mother exclaims.

“Ah so ‘he’s’ the one that’s been crowding your thoughts is he? I’ll have to be sure I treat him with the same luxury.”

“Please no! Don’t hurt him!” She begs.

“Hmm . . . why?”

“W-What?”

“Why should I show mercy to your husband? Why must I?”

“B-Because he is everything to me and our daughter. . . My poor baby, don’t worry, Mommy’s still here.” She whispers to her daughter.

As she cradles and rocks Candle Light back and forth in her hooves Valiari is frightened by how motionless she is as one of her front legs hangs off the side. Valiari hopes that she is simply asleep and the worst hasn’t set in just yet. ‘More time’ he repeats in his mind, ‘We need just more time’. As she continues to rock her daughter the misty mare glides through the air leaving trails of snow to linger. She peers through the openings between the icicles and tilts her head. Her eyes show sadness, but Valiari feels the need to just break through the ice that encages him no matter how many times it may take. He hadn’t noticed before, but Candle Light’s Mother has been crying all this time, and the ghostly mare tries to calm her.

“Shhh . . . do not fret. I promise that no harm will come of your husband. No pain, no misery.”

“. . . R. . . Really?” She asks sniffling.

“Of course, why would I lie to you?” Says the mare.

She reaches her hoof into her cage as her leg passes through the ice. She caresses and wipes the tears off of the Mother’s face. At first she tries to pull away, but she cannot lean back any further as the wall forbids her. Wiping the tears away the Mother finally gives in and let’s her continue. Valiari grips the icicles in front of him tightly as he watches just waiting for the mare to strike. He can feel it.

“Will you tell me something?” The mare asks.

“W-What?”

“That story your Mother always told you at night as you laid your sleepy little head against your pillow. It always made your eyes close as you envisioned every single word on those pages happening in the world you imagined. It made you smile, and cry, but you always loved to hear your Mother’s voice speak to you that story. You would become excited and snuggle under your blanket as she opened the cover of the book. It made you eager for bedtime, how lovely. Do you remember that story?”

“Y-Yes, yes I-I do.” She stutters.

“Such a beautiful story, wouldn’t you say?” She then nods her head. “Tell me, how did this story end?”

“I-I don’t remember. It was s-so long ago I. . .”

“Well tell me, was it a happy ending?”

“Yes, yes it was.”

“Now do you remember ‘how’ your Mother always told the ending?”

“How. . . What do you mean?”

“The way she told the ending, it was a bit. . . odd, wasn’t it?”

“. . . I’m sorry I. . .” She says as she drifts off into thought. “Wait, I. . . She. . . She always told the ending . . . without looking down at the book. She never looked down once.”

“Really now? What does that tell you? If she looked down at the words every other time except for the ending, what does that mean to you?”

“She. . .”

Valiari watches as Candle Light’s Mother’s voice drifts off. She says not another word as the mare waits. Valiari sits confused, but listening attentively to their conversation. This story that they are talking about, she talked about it before. But what could it have anything to do with what’s happening? He continues to ask himself, but cannot think of any logical answer. He tries to see if he can remember this story for perhaps he’s heard it before, alas, nothing comes to him. However he knows that this story they speak of has some significance, he just cannot figure out why. After a while still without an answer the mare smiles, as she already must know the answer.

“It makes sense to you now doesn’t it? Your Mother made that ending you know all on her own. It wasn’t what was written on those pages. Why do you suppose she would change the ending? Perhaps, it wasn’t a happy ending after all.”

The mare floats away from her icy cage and by the window as the light fazes through her body.

“The truth is a frightening thing isn’t it? So dangerous and terrifying. It’s murky and distorted, just like this light. But lies, they hide you from the danger of the truth, and in my eyes, lies will save one from harm. Unfortunately, Mister Valiari, your pet and his companion are not protected from the truth any longer. I can feel their minds already slipping. From here, they will only deteriorate until all that remains is a hollow shell of who they once were. Then, they will become friends of mine.”

Valiari’s hatred and need to shout are growing, but he tries to hold it back as he knows it will not solve anything. It will only give this monster pleasure. Instead he repeats his words on and on within his own thoughts. He feels the need to stomp his hoof into the ice as she smiles at him.

“Do not worry Mister Valiari, I know your hatred for me is only heightening; but I hope that soon you’ll understand. I cannot have them disrupt the peace that has been brought upon this land by us; ‘we’ will not let them. Besides, two against many isn’t very fair. I think it’s time we even it out a bit, wouldn’t you say my friend?”

“Yes, I agree.” Says a voice beyond in the dark that the light cannot reach.

“Now, we shall we return momentarily. Maybe during this time you, Mister Valiari, can set aside your foolish retaliations and join us. We would love to have you as a part of our little friendship. Goodbye for now. Come my friend; let us play a little game with the travelers.”

The mare dissipates into a cloud of snow and fazes through the stained glass along with another misty cloud emerging from the dark. Never has Valiari felt so helpless, for he knows there is nothing he can do to save his friend and the others. The bars of ice forbid him, and the cold disheartens him. He never would have imagined this being the end of what used to be a bright and lively land. He thought that after what he, Aireal and Trixie had been through before; the evil they silenced then would have been the end of it all. Instead, because of the awful truth a new evil has been created. For a moment Valiari thinks about what the mysterious mare had said. How the truth is a dangerous thing, and for what had happened back then, yes, the truth was dangerous. He knew the truth, but he hid it by keeping the knowledge all to himself. It was able to save so much, but in the end the truth came back to strike. Perhaps, she is right. At the very thought of that statement Valiari throws his head against the icy wall behind him and tries to snap himself out of his train of thought. He feels filthy for even thinking the very words.

“. . . Aria, I wish you were here; I wish you could hear me. I need you, please. . .” He mutters.

Both Adarrell and Twilight made sure that everyone packed up quickly. The both of them appear to have taken the role as leader of the group. However, Adarrell would give her a dirty look here and there for the things she would say, or more shout, to the ponies. I helped Wick Flame carry his bagged tent. I felt a bit useless as Twilight decided to carry our tent all on her own along with the bag that had the stone in it and all I had was my little bag to carry. I stuck around Wick Flame most of the time as I feared being yelled at again by Twilight. Whenever a pony would just give a glance in Twilight’s general direction she would just explode with anger. We trailed through the long thick forest without any disruption in the silence except for Twilight’s voice. Not once did I ever see or hear something beyond the trees. For once I felt safe, especially while being surrounded by others. The cold was taking its toll on all of us. Wick Flame and the others were showing signs of fatigue, so Adarrell said that we should all stop and take a break. But Twilight suggested that we keep moving. She said that according to the map the train station isn’t that far away and that we should instead take a rest there where we could definitely find refuge opposed to out in the open. Adarrell hesitated, but after some thought he gave in to Twilight’s idea. He reassured everyone that we would have our chance to rest once we reached our destination.

“Alright everypony let’s get moving. Our destination is just down that way. We should see a building where we can all stay. I’m sorry but the faster we get there the faster we can be sure that we are all safe. I don’t think we can risk staying out here another night.” He says.

All the ponies let out a saddening groan that makes me feel sorrowful. I don’t see why we just can’t let them rest just for a little while. Well, if Adarrell thinks it’s best then it surely must be. I don’t think he would agree to Twilight’s idea if he didn’t think it was for the best. I hope their right about this; my cheeks are turning cold and my hands are turning numb as the wind is growing stronger. Then, something odd happens. The light, despite how little there is, is suddenly leaving. The snow is falling in bundles as all of us stare up at the sky in wonder, and fear. I can hear something rumbling in the clouds. It sounds nothing like thunder, but then again, how would I know what thunder sounds like?

“Alright everypony it looks like a blizzard is on its way! Come on! Get yourselves together and let’s get moving!” Twilight shouts.

“. . . Come on everypony, let’s hurry.” Says Adarrell delicately as opposed to Twilight’s commanding yell.

All the ponies gloomily get themselves prepared fastening their bags around their waists or atop their backs and stand up after they were trying to sit and rest. We all start moving again as we finally make our way out of the woods and to a wide open area sheeted in snow. The rumbling in the sky continues, and why does it seem that something is watching us. Eyes are peering at us; I just can’t shake the feeling. The wind becomes stronger and louder the further we walk. I’m holding my hand in front of my face to at least block some of the snow that hasn’t found its way behind my collar as all the ponies try to move their heads to the side to avoid the snow. Except for Twilight who is keeping her head facing forward and resisting the urge to turn away.

“I can barely see a thing!” Wick Flame shouts.

“Hello?! Who said that?! Where is everypony?!” Another pony shouts from the group.

“Everypony group together! The storm is just going to get worse and I don’t want anypony wandering off from the group!” Adarrell shouts.

At his command all of us assemble to form a tighter group. Around me are Wick Flame and a few other ponies who are complete strangers to me. We continue down the land of snow as more of it piles and cakes on top of the already thick coating of snow. I can barely see Adarrell or Twilight, whom are leading the group, ahead. Nothing but snow and grey can I see before me.

“I-I don’t feel good about this.” A pony near me says.

“Yeah me too this storm just keeps getting worse and worse.” Says another.

“I don’t know about you guys but, something feels . . . off. You know?” Another asks.

“What do you mean?” Wick Flame asks.

“I-I don’t know it’s just . . . a weird feeling. Like something . . . something bad is going to happen.”

“Nuts-n-Bolts don’t talk like that alright? I’m afraid you might be right.” Says one of the ponies.

The mention of the pony’s name rings in my head. I think either Adarrell or Wick Flame spoke of that name before. The one that was supposed to get the train working. Out of curiosity I try to get a better look at what this pony looks like. He has a messy black mane, and wears glasses. His bag is more cloth-like than the tent bags, and has several pockets filled with metal tools such as wrenches and screwdrivers. His coat is grey as the other ponies’ are a dull green and pink.

“Umm . . . hello?” He asks as he catches me staring at him.

Without a response I turn away pretending I had never stared at him at all. His stare lingers on me for a while as he is still anticipating an answer from me. Still I keep my attention forward until the snow forces me to turn away. After a while of me not responding to him he turns to Wick Flame.

“Hey Wick.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“That thing was just starin’ at me. . . Should I be worried?”

“Oh no not at all. He’s not dangerous, so there’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“Are-Are you sure?”

“Bolts trust me, he’s not what you’re thinking. Once you get to know him you’ll find he’s actually very kind on the inside. He’s helped me before in the past, and I’d like to call him a friend of mine.”

Hearing Wick Flame say those things about me just makes me feel wonderful. It feels good to know that I can say for sure that I have at least one pony’s definite trust.

“If you say so. . .” Nuts-n-Bolts says nervously.

“I know so Bolts.”

Afterwards we continue trekking through the snow as the rumbling in the sky and snow proceeds to build. We’ve been walking for quite some time, and all of us are growing impatient on finding this train station as the ponies start to complain. About the cold, the storm, the distance and just about everything else.

“Everypony stop!” Adarrell shouts.

At his order all of us halt waiting for Adarrell’s next command. Instead he says nothing as the rest of us lend our ears to the wind. Then a new sound breaks through the constant wind and roaring of the sky. A sharp screech behind the clouds echoes and rings in my ears. All the ponies begin to mutter amongst each other asking about the noise. Before another question can be uttered the sharp call breaks through the air yet again. This time much louder and closer as more of them erupt from the clouds. I can feel my ears almost deafening as all the ponies start to cry out in panic and scramble around no longer as a group.

“Everypony stay calm! Get out your lanterns!” Adarrell shouts.

Just as all the ponies try to pull out their lanterns from their tent bags I hear something large swoop through the air and it is followed by dreadful calls of help.

“What was that?!” A pony asks.

“I don’t know! Did you see anything?!” Another pony asks frantically.

Again and again something huge swoops down and more chilling yells fill the air. I do not know what to do or where to go. I stay still just out of fear glancing all around me at the grey emptiness. I move closer to Wick Flame who appears to be just as entranced as I was. Just when I try to make myself feel safe when I’m near him something breaks through the grey and snow towards us. It’s big and dark. It has a big black beak and wide bat-like wings that stretch out extremely far and are pointed at the ends. Its belly is flat and its rib cage can be seen easily from behind its bare black skin. At first it appears to be some kind of bird, except its entire body has no feathers only bare skin. Around its long thin neck white fur forms a thick collar. Its feet bear long sharp talons that are aiming to grab onto either me or Wick Flame. It lets out its ear-splitting screech that forces me to cover my ears with my numb hands. The next thing I know something grabs and shoves me down into the snow. I feel the wind of the horrifying creature pass over my head. As I dig my already numb hands into the snow and push myself up I find that Wick Flame had been the one who pushed me down into the snow. He . . . He saved me. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if he hadn’t.

“Are you alright?” He asks, and I, still in a state of shock, nod my head in response.

After a bit of all the ponies fumbling around with their bags and lighting their lanterns the screeching sounds come to a sudden halt. All the other orbs of light gather in a group as I follow Wick Flame and his lantern to the group with Adarrell, Twilight, the two sisters, Nuts-n-Bolts and a few other ponies.

“What happened? Is anypony hurt?” Adarrell asks worriedly.

“No, we’re all fine I think.” Says one of the ponies.

“Alright, good. Whatever was out there must have been driven off now. Let me do a head count to make sure everyone is accounted for.”

As Adarrell counts all of us he stops and stares confusedly at all of us. He starts to count again for some reason, and at the end he again stares at us all confused.

“. . . We’re missing three-no . . . four ponies are missing? Miss Sparkle do you see any other lanterns out there?”

“No, no I . . . I don’t see anything out there.” She says.

“Does anyone see any stray lanterns out there?!” He asks nervously.

As we all glance around the area we can find not one lantern glowing at all. Without any luck we turn back to Adarrell as he begins to quiver.

“No, no, no, no! Not again!”

Adarrell starts trotting around the snow searching for any other pony that may have gotten lost, but he finds nothing. Not a single trace of life except for us. Soon out of a fit of anger he stomps and kicks around at the snow shouting up at the sky.

“You blasted freaks ‘a nature! Why don’t you come on and take me why don’t-cha?! Huh?! Come on I dare ya! I—”

Before he can finish his shout the ground suddenly starts to shake. It continues to rumble violently throwing us all off balance.

“What’s happening?!” One of the ponies cries out.

“I think it’s an earthquake!” Twilight shouts.

The ground proceeds to shake and shiver, and eventually the sounds of cracking and rumbling erupts from the ground. Between my legs the ground starts to split apart revealing the blackness beneath. I hop over to the side closest to Twilight and the rest as I am almost shaken off balance. I see Adarrell is struggling to stay standing as the ground before him starts to break apart.

“Adarrell come on! We have to go this way!” Twilight shouts.

Just as Adarrell trots toward us that dreadful screech fills the air yet again. Before I can even blink one of the bird-like creatures swoops down and captures Adarrell carrying him up to into the sky. All the ponies hopelessly call out his name and reach out to him, but they can only watch as he is carried up and hidden by the grey mist of the storm.

“Everypony! Run! We’re almost there!” Twilight shouts.

At first all of us are reluctant to follow as we are all still frozen in fear watching the skies, but after she urges us once more we all turn and follow Twilight. We jump and sprint through the snow as the creatures’ screams follow us, and the earth shakes beneath us. I can hear more of those creatures snatch and carry away the ponies around me as they cry for help. Twilight glances up with her face finally showing signs of fear. But then she notices something back behind us and halts. Wick Flame and the couple of ponies that are left stop and look back as well. I see that far behind us the two sisters are still frozen in fear as they are shivering and holding onto each other.

“What are you two doing?! Come on!” Twilight calls.

“You girls can’t just sit out in the open like that let’s go!” Wick Flame shouts.

I can hear the sounds of the creature’s screams, and two of the winged beasts swoop towards the two sisters. Just when I thought they were going to become their next victims I find that the two monsters fly right past them. I don’t understand, how could they have missed? They seemed to be right on course how could . . . ? Without any clue as to how they could still remain unharmed I turn to Twilight expecting an answer of some sort, but her face is full of . . . enlightenment.

“Girls! Come on this way!” Wick Flame urges.

Suddenly Twilight gallops through the snow towards them hopping over the wide cracks in the ground. She stands near them and for some reason checks their bag. Twilight then beckons Wick, the others, and I to follow. Confused we all turn our bodies and hurry towards them as the ground continues to vibrate and break apart. With all the creatures’ screams it urges me to move faster in the hopes that I may not be the next one taken, I can only hope that neither Wick nor anyone else for that matter suffers the same fate. Nuts-n-Bolts swiftly trots over the cracks and makes it safely to Twilight’s side. The plates of the ground all begin to tilt sending the rest of us sliding in different directions. The couple of ponies slide so far that they end up falling over the edge, but manage to hold onto the edge of the plate of frozen land before falling into the darkness below. The cracks become wider as the plates of land move farther away from each other. The two ponies call out for help, and it looks like Wick Flame and I are the only ones that can save them. Twilight tries to trot and jump over the crack that separates us, but she stops as she realizes it is too great a distance for her to jump. The two sisters stand petrified still holding onto each other for dear life. Strangely, the plate of land they are standing on appears to be undisturbed and very still.

“Aireal come on! We have to help them!” Wick Flame urges.

I stand back up carefully trying to keep balance on the tilted slippery land as I try to make my way to one of the hanging ponies. Wick Flame grabs onto a mare’s hooves who’s been holding onto the edge, and I try to help up a stallion who almost lost his grip. But he’s just so heavy I can barely lift him up; all I can do is hold onto his hooves. Then I feel something tug at the back of my jacket. Wick Flame has his teeth latched onto my clothing and is pulling to help me lift up the stallion. Even the mare he rescued is trying to pull back on his body to help. With our combined strength we manage to hoist up the stallion as we all fall back onto the ground due to the force. Twilight lets out a sigh of relief as she watches us.

“Come on hurry! The gaps are getting wider!” Twilight shouts.

“Right! We’re on our way! Come on you two first!” Wick Flame urges the two ponies.

The both of them leap over to the other side without a problem, and now it’s our turn. Just as Wick Flame and I take a few steps back before jumping the ground starts to swivel and tilt crazily. Our plate of land separates even farther from Twilight’s as she and the others stare in horror. Wick Flame and I are thrown off balance and he slides off the edge of the plate of land to the far left, and I slip up and nearly fall off the far right side. Thankfully I am able to hold on to the edge as well as Wick Flame, but my hands are still so numb and my arms are weak from helping up that heavy stallion. I won’t be able to hold on for very long, and I fear Wick Flame is in the same situation as me. I look down and all I can see is pure darkness. My heart is beating crazily, and my arms are weakening as Wick Flame and I both cry out for help. I hear the ponies all gasp on the other side and Twilight shouts:

“Hold on you two!” She then turns to the other ponies. “I have to go save them!”

“There’s no way! That jump is just too far!” The mare shouts.

“You’ll fall!” Shouts the stallion worriedly.

“I can’t just leave them there!”

Twilight takes several steps back as the ponies move out of her way to give her as much space as she needs. Twilight’s face is lined with focus and concentration, and her body is poised and ready to sprint. In a burst of speed she is sent galloping to the fissure between our plates of land, and from what I could see it doesn’t look like she’s going to make it. I watch her leap up and am in shock as she gracefully soars through the air. The snow is pushed out of her way as her mane and tail sway with the wind. Her eyes are shut tight as she tries to block out any fear that may overtake her. I am in such disbelief; she just emanates such an aura of an elegant heroine that I cannot turn away from. Her hooves stomp onto the ground as she releases her eyes to see that she has made it across. She herself appears surprised as well.

Now there she is, between Wick Flame and I, and I can feel my grip loosening as I’m sure Wick Flame’s is as well. We both call out to her, and she glances left and right at us taunted with the decision of who to go for, as only one of us might be saved. Twilight faces forward and shuts her eyes once again. She turns and trots to Wick Flame hurriedly lifting him up. I can hold on no longer my hands give up and I begin my plummet down. It feels like my mind needs a moment to realize that my journey into the blackness has begun. I see Twilight peak over the edge reaching down to me with her hoof, but she is too high. Wick Flame peers over as well, but he already knows it’s too late. The two of them watch as I plunge down into the darkness. Even though they are too high for me to reach, I still hold out my hands to them in vain. They and the light around them get smaller and smaller as the dark envelops my body. Eventually they become completely invisible and I am left in the dark still descending downward.

My back slams against a slippery slope of ice as it descends downward. I slide down it as a quick burst of pain shoots through my spine and the air becomes still and yet even colder than up above. I cannot see where I am descending to as my body bounces about on the curves and bumps on the icy slope. I can feel my body following the twists and turns of the ice. Then, something appears around the darkness. Rows of small yellow lights form around the apparent walls of the tunnel I have found myself in as I swiftly slide right past them with more ahead.

“Fillies and gentlecolts! I welcome you to the greatest and most spectacular show you will ever see! That, I can guarantee!” A very cheerful voice announces as cheers and stomps follow. “Now just settle down; settle down. Why don’t we get the show started then why don’t we?!” The cheering then grows even louder.

As I continue to slide down streaks of many colors rise up and explode in wondrous splashes of color in the form of sparkles and orbs of light.

“For my first trick, something simple. Something I know we’ve all seen before!”

Before my eyes wooden crates and barrels appear out of nowhere and hover around the tunnel. Hypnotized by their motion as they levitate around the roof of the tunnel they all shoot swiftly towards me. I try to maneuver my body around as they all miss and slam against the ice. They all break apart and shatter into smaller shards and planks of wood. I can feel intense fear building inside me, and it only gets worse at the voice’s next announcement.

“Now, on to my next trick! I’m sure the Pegasi didn’t tell you all about a storm did they?”

Up above the rows of passing lights reveal the formation of thick misty clouds joining together to form one big mass. I can hear them thundering and glimpses of light flashing beneath them. Just then several small streaks of lightning strike towards me. Without any time to react I watch hopelessly as they zap the ice near and around my body. My whole body tenses up as I slide over some more curves and bumps in the slope of ice.

“Next! A classic!”

Up above five cards appear in a straight row with their backs facing me.

“I simple card trick it would seem! But I will show you all something new and amazing!”

Before my eyes the cards grow to giant proportions and flip side ways on top of each other. They throw themselves spinning and twirling in my direction. I try to cover my head with my hands afraid they might sever it from my body. The cards collide into the ice above my head one at a time.

“For my next trick I will need a few volunteers! Come on up to the stage! I think you all could use a bit of a makeover wouldn’t you agree?!”

Up above an image of Wick Flame appears. He happily glances around awaiting whatever is about to take place.

“Are you ready sir?!” The voice asks, and he nods his head. “Then here we go!”

Wick Flame instantly is sheeted in a thick coating of ice as his face changes from happy to horrified.

“No!” I shout.

Wick Flame’s frozen image then explodes and all the shards of ice fly at me. None of them are big enough to cause damage, but the image will forever be imbedded in my mind.

“Next! You ma’am!”

Up above an image of Twilight appears. Just like Wick Flame she too happily glances around impatiently bouncing about. Her image is sheeted in ice as her expression is now full of anguish. It too shatters, and then the next image appears.

“It is now your turn sir!”

The next image is Valiari, and he too appears happy and cheerful. I can already feel what’s going to happen and I do not want to look, but somehow I cannot resist.

“Valiari!” I shout.

He doesn’t respond, but instead he’s looking straight at me with a smile as I watch him endure the torture of being coated in ice. His image shatters, and so does a part of my heart.

“And finally! You young filly! Would you please step closer!”

“No. . .” I mutter.

An image of Candle Light jumping about with her big innocent eyes and joyous smile comes into view.

“No. . .” I mutter again.

“Are you ready?”

“Mhmm!” She agrees.

“No!” I yell.

I then endure the torturous wait as I already know what will happen; it’s just the dreadful time I have to watch her until it happens. Her body is slowly enveloped by a coating of ice as her suffering and pain looks to be the worst of all. My heart completely shatters along with Candle Light’s image. More cheers and stomps erupt from the invisible crowd.

“Thank you! Thank you! Before we continue I would just like to thank our lovely volunteers! Now, for something that I am sure all of you have never, and probably may never, see again in your lives! Only tonight may you set your eyes upon something as ‘other-worldly’ as this!”

All around me clouds of pink smoke start to fill the tunnel as the rows of lights are just barely visible behind them. They become so thick that the smoke makes it slightly harder for me to breathe.

“And now, fillies and gentlecolts! Prepare yourselves! For I am about to reach out to another realm, and show you all something you have never seen before!”

There is something very familiar about this voice. Everything about the way it sounds is just so . . . wait, Trixie, this is Trixie’s voice. It just has to be I know it!

“A creature that is unknown to our world!”

I can feel my speed picking up as the slope of ice suddenly declines even farther downward. Then it loops back upwards guiding my body off the ice and now into mid-air.

“Behold!”

My body flies through the dark and collides into something cold and solid. Without any momentum I plummet down into a pile of snow. Everything hurts my back, my arms, head, and especially my heart. I can feel myself drifting away as my eyes slowly shut themselves. Now, the silence and cold are somewhat soothing. Slowly, ever so slowly I drift away. To probably dream, but however, I feel that I may already be dreaming. At least I hope.

Chapter 13

“Aireal! Aireal!” Twilight screams down the deep dark fissure that swallowed him whole.

Twilight’s eyes are locked in the never ending drop into the abyss as her calls of his name reverberate within its jagged icy walls. She doesn’t realize it but her hoof is still reaching down into the dark in shock of not reaching him in time. The wind pushes Twilight’s hair over her still eyes without a single blink. Wick Flame puts his hoof on her shoulder to try and snap her out of her trance, but she sits calmly and still without a jolt. She can still see him falling as anger begins to build inside her, but is shunned away by sadness. She clenches her hoof as her eyes begins to fill to their lids with tears. She clenches her teeth and stomps her hoof into the snow. Wick Flame is unsure of what to do or say; he only looks on with grief and chills as he too stares down into the dark eyes of the abyss. The two sisters are afraid to release each other especially after what they had witnessed. The other two ponies: the mare and Nuts-n-Bolts, are looking on with mixed emotions as they stand motionless glancing back and forth to each other. Suddenly the ground begins to shake once again, and Wick Flame fears the worst. Seeing as how Twilight is still peering over the edge he pulls her away as quickly as possible.

“Twilight be careful!” He shouts dragging her away from the edge.

But soon he notices that the ground isn’t splitting apart, it instead is coming back together. All the pieces of the frozen land slowly come back together fitting snuggly with one another like a jigsaw puzzle.

“W-What’s happening?!” Wick Flame asks in distress.

“No. . . No, no, no!” Twilight shouts as she breaks away from Wick Flame.

The plates of frozen earth conjoin together to close the fissures as Twilight stomps and digs at the snow. Wick Flame watches as she desperately tries to get through the ice without any success. Eventually she tires out and gives up stomping her hooves into the snow one more time before running out of energy.

“. . . Miss Twilight?” Wick Flame asks.

“I could have saved him; I could have. . .” Twilight mutters.

“You had to make a choice; I’m sure. . . I’m sure he would understand.”

“We were supposed to get through this together . . . all of us. Now. . . Now look what’s happened! There’s only six of us left out of our whole group! And who knows how long it’ll be before the rest of us are taken!” Twilight begins to raise her voice angrily. “Everypony I know is disappearing right before my eyes! Aireal, Adarrell, all of those innocent ponies-just taken away! Who knows what’s happened to them?! They’re all probably de—!”

“Twilight enough!” Wick Flame shouts at the top of his voice to overpower Twilight’s.

She holds her voice in and gives him her full attention. She is surprised by his outburst, and also a bit frightened.

“Now look, I understand we’ve lost much, but that doesn’t mean this fight is over. We still have a chance. All we have to do is keep ourselves together and work as a team. Just look over there.” Wick Flame then points out to the snowy horizon. “I can see a building from here that must be the train station Adarrell was talking about. All we have to do is get there . . . Twilight!” He shouts noticing that Twilight is losing focus and gazing up into the sky.

Twilight jolts awake with her tears drying on her cheeks as calmly falling snow collects in her mane and on her face.

“I need you to focus Miss Twilight. Help us figure out what to do. You are going to have to lead us now, I know you have it in you.”

“Right, okay . . . okay.” Twilight says now coming to her senses. “First, we all need to stay as close to each other as possible.”

“Right.”

Twilight and Wick Flame trot over to the other four other ponies whom are still in a state of shock.

“Strange . . . I’ve just noticed how calm it’s gotten. Don’t you find that strange?” Says Wick Flame.

“. . . No.” Says Twilight.

“No? You don’t find it strange? Well, why is that?”

“Because I already know why.”

Wick Flame watches Twilight in bewilderment as she walks over towards the two sisters. She takes away their bagged tent and reaches around inside. After seconds of fumbling around she pulls out her hoof clenched around a peculiar yet hypnotizing translucent stone that glows of green.

“’This’ is why we are safe, because of this.”

“A-And what . . . what is that?” Wick Flame asks entranced by the stone’s light.

“This is what’s going to keep us safe. I feel that whatever ‘force’ is out there that is causing all of these events to occur is weakened by this. I may be deprived of my magic abilities but I can still feel a magical presence about this stone. However . . . it doesn’t feel as strong as the first time I held it.” Twilight then turns to the two sisters. “This is what cured your sister, this is what kept you two safe during the earthquake. Whoever wasn’t nearby the two of you at the time . . . was taken.” The two sisters listen attentively to Twilight speechless with a slight sense of guilt. “Now, we’re all going to stay together. Nopony separates from the group. Understood?”

They all nod their heads in understanding as Twilight tries to figure out what to say next.

“Okay, now we’re just . . . just going to move straight ahead to the train station, and soon, we’ll be free from this nightmare.”

Valiari has lost the will to believe in anything anymore. He sits slouched over staring at his reflection in the icy floor. He brushes his hoof over it to wipe away the frost that obstructs his view. His own reflection doesn’t even remind him of himself. It only reminds him of the failure he’s become. Everything that’s happened draws back to him. It all started with him, and he knows that the utter destruction of Equestria and the creation of this ghastly abomination is all connected to him. When he looks down at his reflection he doesn’t see Valiari, the talented painter who sought to end evil and save the one he loved; but instead he sees the creator of his own nightmare. Valiari no longer feels angry at himself as he realizes that it won’t fix anything. As he no longer wishes to see himself in the reflection he leans up against the wall and pulls the brim of his hat down over his face.

“. . . Mister Valiari?” Candle Light’s Mother asks.

“Yes Madam, what is it?” He asks with a sigh.

“Do you have a plan?”

“A plan? . . . Oh, right. A plan. I . . . I suppose I don’t.”

“W-What?”

“I kept saying that we would all be okay, and that we’d find a way out of here soon. But I think it’s time the truth be told.”

“Th-The truth? Just what are you saying?”

“Just look around. We’re bound by these icy bars and watched by the eyes of these horrid beings. Everything I said was a lie all along. We really aren’t going to find a way out, we are going to rot in these cells. This, is check and mate. We’ve lost. Maybe it’s time we accept that. . . I’m sorry Miss, but there is nothing I can do. I . . . I wish I didn’t have to speak these words, but, it’s over. It’s been over since the first flake of snow touched the grass.”

Valiari tugs at the brim of his hat and leans his head back against the icy wall without even a glance at Candle Light’s Mother. He knows he doesn’t have to for he already knows what her face looks like. He can imagine the shock and sadness about her. He almost instantly regrets telling her the truth, he feels he should have just kept giving her false hope, but as it always does the truth would have found its way out eventually. Without anything to say she turns away from him. Struck with the awful truth she clutches her daughter tightly, but she feels that the truth isn’t something she didn’t already know. She knew, she knew that it wouldn’t end happily for her or her daughter, but to hear it from another pony fills her heart with dread.

Valiari is then overcome by a strange feeling, perhaps it’s just his heart growing heavy. He can feel as if another presence is with them in the room, maybe it’s those two monsters on their way back. Still he keeps his face hidden by the brim of his hat and the sides of his collar. A quiet giggling fills his ears. Sure of himself that it’s just that cursed spirit just playing more mind games with him he chooses to ignore the sound. But it continues, and a slight glow of a teal light shimmers over the icy floor. Valiari lifts up his head confused by the light, and finds that the source is emanating from nearby his cell. A little filly sits before the icicle bars as the teal light shines from her little horn. Her coat, almost like the light, is richly teal; and her mane is styled in swirls of white and pine green. She smiles at Valiari, and he stares in awe.

“. . . It’s you again.” He whispers.

The filly looks up at him with her big innocent eyes and joyous smile. She tilts her head as Valiari is left without any other response.

“Y-You helped us that day. . . I will never forget that moment. Since that day I’ve wondered if I’ve gone completely bonkers, seeing you again kind of sets me firm on that belief. Still, I must thank you as I never got the chance to, but there’s nothing that can be done now. It’s over . . . everything.”

Valiari again lowers his hat and hides his face from the filly. The filly’s smile turns to a frown as her tiny lips pout. She scratches at the ice with her hoof unsure of what to do as he still hides himself. Her face lights back up as she is struck with an idea. She reaches through the bars of ice and tugs at Valiari’s jacket. At first he chooses to ignore her, but after several continues pulls at his sleeves he finally gives in and turns her way. He sees how unusually happy she appears and is confused by it. The filly waves about her little horn and out from the thin air several white sparkles of light appear and join together to form a uniform ball of light. The ball begins to take a cylinder shape, and before Valiari’s eyes he realizes it’s the shape of a wax crayon she has created. Valiari raises an eyebrow at this as he is still confused, but intrigued at the same time. Using her magic she glides the crayon-like object across the ice and creates a child-like drawing of a pony. The drawing is being composed of thick lines of a bright white light as Valiari watches with awe.

“Hm, that’s a very nice drawing. You’re pretty good.” He says.

The filly finishes her drawing as the last detail she adds to it is the shape of a long-brimmed hat at the top of the pony’s head.

“Hey, is that . . . is that me?” He asks.

The little filly doesn’t respond and continues on another drawing. It’s the shape of another pony, but this time the light has changed to a more reddish color. The final touches she adds to her drawing is a horn at the base of the pony’s forehead, and a semi-long mane that curves upwards at the ends.

“And . . . who is that?” He asks.

The filly still refuses to respond to him, and instead looks up at him with a smile. She points down at the two drawings, and as he lowers his head to look at the drawings once more he feels that his mind must be playing tricks on him. The stick-like legs of the two ponies begin to move, and they both start turning their heads. The drawings lift up from the ice and gallop in the air leaving behind trails of light. The little filly starts to draw again on the ice. This time the light has changed to a pink color as she glides the crayon-shaped mass of light over the ice. It comes out to be the shape of a heart and it too peels from the ice and floats up into the air waving like a piece of paper in the wind. Valiari watches the two pony drawings galloping around in the air as the heart shape continues to rise and stops in mid-air. The drawings meet up in the two halves of the heart, and they both touch their snouts together. Immediately Valiari is struck with the realization of what is being depicted.

“Is that . . . ?” Valiari mumbles and trails off still mesmerized by the drawings.

As his eyes are still focused on the spectacle of light the filly created he can feel a tear drip down the side of his cheek. He understands; how could he have forgotten? He realizes now that he can’t just give up. There’s somepony that he’s holding onto in his heart and he cannot let her go. He even feels guilty for what he’s said and what he’s thought. He feels foolish for even accepting defeat by these monsters. He shuts his eyes and clenches his hoof as the tears fall from his chin.

“Aria . . . I won’t give up. I promise.” He takes a deep breath to calm himself down, and then he looks up at the filly. “Thank you.” He says.

The filly smiles, and with that her body and the drawings begin to fade away. Once the last spec of teal light vanishes Valiari puts his mind to work. He starts to carefully analyze his surroundings and the current situation. There is no way for him to squeeze through the bars of ice, and there is nothing around the room that can help get him out of his cage. The icicles are impervious to his magic, and from what he can tell they seem to be unbreakable.

“Come on there has to be ‘some’ way out! Something, there has to be something that I’m just not seeing!” He whispers frustrated.

His thoughts bring him around in circles and with no solution. He starts to study the floor and its ice-covered tiles. His thoughts bring him back to just moments ago with the filly and her drawings. How hypnotizing it was to just watch her compose such simple yet beautiful drawings along the ice. Valiari hits himself in the forehead almost knocking off his hat as an idea pops into his head. He cannot believe he hadn’t realized it before. Her visit had another meaning, not just to remind him of why he can’t give up, but the key to his escape.

“That’s it! That’s it! I’ve got it!” He shouts with joy. “Ma’am I’ve got it!”

“G-Got what?” She asks nervously.

“We are going to get out of here!”

“But I thought you said—”

“Never mind what I said! I have the answer! These bars, we can’t destroy them no matter how hard we try, and magic cannot melt or not even scratch them either.”

“So, what’s the answer?”

“Well, it’s true we cannot destroy them, but what if the answer isn’t destroying them at all? I can’t use magic to break them, but what if I just used magic upon its surface? Like a sort of a um . . . like a canvas! I could use my paints to create a doorway for us to escape!”

“Do you have paint?”

“Of course! Every good painter has his paints and brush with him at all times in case of an emergency.”

Valiari digs in the pockets of his jacket and pants and brings out three old tubes of paint and a brush with a chipped wooden handle. He scatters the tubes of paint to be sure he has all the colors he needs.

“Let’s see. . . Blue, white, black, red, yellow-these are all that I need! Just hold on Miss I’ll get you out of there! I just have to . . . um. . .”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I-I don’t have enough paint! The tube of blue is running out, and I would have to paint two paintings. One to get you two out and one for us to escape. And since blue is all around us it is the most predominant color! But it only looks like I have enough paint for one painting! What can I do? What can I do? Uh-maybe I can try to even it out and make two, but I don’t know if it’ll be enough—”

“Just go.”

“I mean maybe if it gets darker I could utilize black, but they’ll be watching us at night-there’s no way I’d have the time—”

“. . . Just go.”

“We could wait it out and maybe they’ll leave us alone again, but we might not have another shot at this—”

“Mister Valiari!”

“Huh? What?”

“Just go!”

“No I . . . I can’t-I. . . Miss there’s no way I’m going to leave you and your daughter here. Who knows what those two might do to you?!”

“But if you escape then we might have a chance.”

“No Miss I won’t do it! All of us are getting out of here!”

“Mister Valiari there is no time. They’ll be back any minute now. Besides I don’t want to be a dead weight, we’ll just slow you down.”

“But Miss I-I can’t I. . .”

“I heard you whispering to yourself. . . You miss someone, someone close to you. I know how that feels, and I may never see mine again. But, if you go, we both might have a chance.”

Valiari can feel his heart sinking down to the bottom of his chest. She and he stare at each other through the spaces between the icy bars of their cold prison, Valiari almost can’t believe his ears. As opposed to Valiari’s sudden depression she looks on at him with a smile.

“Go on, please.” She says.

As Valiari opens up the lids to the tubes of paint and readies his brush he looks back up to her one last time before he begins.

“I will come back for you, I promise.”

“. . . You don’t have to keep every promise you make, because sometimes . . . you just can’t.”

Valiari pauses just before his brush touches the ice as her words shoot through him like a sharp arrow. He tries to put them out of his mind, because he knows he will come back, and she along with her daughter will be saved. They won’t suffer, he won’t let that happen. She will be reunited with her husband, and her daughter will have her father back. Determined he lets the brush take over his mind as he begins to create his escape. As quickly as he can and with sweat starting to form at his forehead his hoof is starting to tremble, but he tries to ignore it and focus on the details. He can’t stop glancing up at the stained glass window expecting to see the two monsters arrive. Even the smallest flake of snow drifting in the air sets his heart rate on a marathon. He can feel them coming closer, and his work of art is not even close to completion.

The air is cold, my lungs feel as though they’ve turned into ice. Everything is black, but I realize that my eyes are indeed open. The dark; not the dark. I try to move my hands but I can barely feel them. I dig them down into the snow below and try to push myself up, but my back stiffens as pain fires up my spine. I groan in agony and almost drop back down into the snow face down, but my numb hands and locked elbows keep me up. I dig my feet into the snow to try and find solid ground to stand. I feel around and my fingers are jabbed by something jagged under the snow. I feel no pain, but I can feel it cut at the skin. I pull my hand out from the snow afraid to keep it under and hold it to my stomach afraid it might be bleeding for it’s too dark to tell. I plant both my feet down onto an uneven surface under the snow and force myself to stand despite the weariness. I feel too afraid to walk forward without my sight, I feel too afraid to even move a single muscle.

“Twilight?” I whisper with my weak voice. “Wick? . . . Anyone?”

Without any answer except my own voice bouncing back at me I shuffle my legs through the snow struggling to keep my balance. Occasionally I’ll stumble over something rough under the snow, or I’ll find myself walking into a rigid wall. Everything hurts, everything is too dark; I need someone with me. Please, someone, anyone. I don’t want to be alone; I don’t want to be alone. I’m scared; I’m so scared. I feel blind, I feel mute. The only sound I hear is the sound of snow brushing against more snow every step I take. Suddenly my foot gets caught under something and I plummet down face first into the snow. Something blunt and solid jabs me in the side of my body. I try to scream but I can’t. I choose not even try to stand up as I lay in cold misery. I can feel myself starting to cry as I try to roll my body off the object. Make it stop; someone make it all stop. The pain, the dark, someone make it all stop please!

“Ah! Over here!” A voice shouts far above.

I hold back my sobbing and groaning just for a moment listening for the voice. I hear pebbles crumbling down from a mile above down to the ground. I hear something . . . several of them walking. The sound of hooves hitting solid stone are coming closer. There must be at least three of them, maybe they can help me. If only I could call out to them loud enough for them to hear me. I hear them drop down and moving closer. I feel confused as I do not hear them pushing through snow, but instead through tall grass. Through the horrible dark a small shimmer of blue light breaks the shadows apart. I watch as it comes even closer to reveal its orb-like shape. As it passes by me I catch a glimpse of a mare’s face. Her coat is a cobalt blue, and her eyes are lightly violet. Her mane is a mixture of white and pale blue. At that moment I realize who it is, and find it difficult to believe my eyes. It’s Trixie, I know it’s her. She and the light leave as other steps through grass follow behind her and pass right by me.

“Trixie . . . wait.” I struggle to say.

As she trots farther away I set aside all the pain and crawl to the light. I know I will never catch up unless I stand and run. I hold in my breath and clench my teeth as I throw myself up and limp towards the light.

“. . . Here. . . Here is where I found them.” Says Trixie as the light finally stops, but I am still very far away.

“. . . There’s more of them. They’re everywhere.”

I know that voice too. It’s Valiari’s! But how? How could he be here? Knowing he is here as well pushes me to move faster. I can feel my side pinching painfully, and my legs are about to give out.

“V-Valiari! Valiari it’s me!” I say slightly louder.

“This is the place where I would always find them. I came here nearly every night because . . . I would always get this strange feeling. . . Valiari? Are you alright?” Trixie asks.

I am getting closer as I continue to call out to them, but neither of them answer my calls for help.

“This. . . This is it. . . This is where. . .” For some reason his voice quiets.

“This is what? What do you mean?!” I ask hopelessly.

Suddenly the blue light disappears, as well as the ground beneath me. I land on something solid and my body sprawls across the cold frosty surface. Before I can even pass a single thought I hear the sound of crackling and splitting. The chilling ground beneath me is coming apart, and without any time to react I plunge into what I believe to be ice cold water. In a panic I thrash about as water finds its way into my mouth and nose as it freezes my entire body. I feel too weak and tired to continue flailing about, and thus I begin to sink deeper to the bottom. I hold my head up high to try and grab whatever amount of air I can before the water shrouds my face. Up above I can see wavy mists of light, and as they glow I reach up to them, but with my body sinking further and further the lights only become smaller and invisible as the water clouds my vision. My lungs begin to plea for air, but I am afraid to gasp and fill them instead with water.

I feel my back touch the bottom of this pool of water and I can no longer fight the urge to gasp. I can feel something touch my arm, perhaps a fish, but I then feel something touch my back. Whatever it is it grips me and lifts up my body. I am brought out through the water’s surface and layed onto the ground. Finally I can breathe in, and with that wondrous breath I choke on the water that has found its way into my throat. But soon, the pain stops; the agony stops. The pain in my back and legs is slowly disappearing. I open my eyes and wipe away the water to see the stone ground as drops of water fall from my hair and face. The ground is lighted with colors of orange, green, and pink. I look up, and the lights are emanating from these big translucent stones embedded into the ceiling of this cave. I can barely see a yard ahead of me as the lights cannot illuminate past that length. I am beginning to fill with a familiar feeling; it reminds me of what I felt when I . . . held that stone. Maybe, this is where it came from. I still do not know what to call this feeling, but it feels like a heightened sense of happiness and relief.

“That was a close one. For a minute there I thought you would have been done for.” A mare’s voice speaks.

With a jolt I turn my head and see something that startles, but at the same time, amazes me. Laying atop the pool of water with floating shards of ice around her body is a mare with her hooves layed atop one another. Her body is what captures my eyes as it is completely transparent like glass. Her horn and her mane both are just like her body. Her eyes stare at me calmly as I fill with anxiety and confusion. Her appearance is just so gorgeous, it even gives me a sense of peace the longer I stare.

“I never thought I’d be able to see you again. You do remember me, don’t you?” She asks.

Still mesmerized I simply shake my drenched head no.

“Hm, I do hope this isn’t just a dream of mine. Please, tell me this isn’t a dream.”

‘ As I cannot muster to speak she sighs with sadness, and lowers her head down.

“I knew it, this couldn’t possibly be real. My . . . what has happened? Is there anything, anything at all that can be done? When will these dreams of false hope end?”

“. . . Who-Who are you?” I ask.

“What does it matter? Soon all of our names will be forgotten, lost. And there will be nopony left to hear them. . . It shouldn’t have had to end this way, it shouldn’t have.”

“What do you mean?”

“Everything was supposed to be peaceful after the cleansing of that evil, but instead a new one has taken its place. It was unavoidable, he and I both knew. But he thought he could hide it long enough before it happened.”

“What are you talking about? Who is ‘he’?”

“Are you trying to bring back those horrid memories? I suppose this is more of a nightmare than a dream.”

Becoming frustrated with how I am not getting any answers and how she is completely convinced that this is a dream I give up and turn away. However, I can’t blame this mysterious mare. I myself don’t know whether or not this is a dream, but it feels like reality. I feel around my chest for the rope of my bag, thankfully it’s still tied around me. I lift the bag around my shoulder and hold it in my lap. Hoping that everything isn’t too soaked in water I untie the rope and open up the bag. I find that the wilted flower has been flattened out and has lost a few pedals. I am saddened to see it so destroyed. I still have the book, and thankfully it doesn’t seem the water has gotten to it. The cover and edges of the pages feel wet, but the inside still feels dry. I find Trixie’s note, and am horrified to see it soaked. I feel too afraid to even try and grab it as I fear it might break apart in my hands. Depressed with having lost two precious items to me I am left with one more, Trixie’s hat. It is wet, but is still very sturdy and in good shape. I pull the hat out from the bag and stare at the wonderful starry and spotted design as the lights above brighten it up while I try to flatten it out to get rid of any wrinkles.

“. . . What is that you’ve got there?” The mare asks. “Where did you get that?”

“A friend of mine gave it to me, it belonged to someone . . . I think was important to me.”

“May I see it?”

I feel a bit reluctant to relinquish the hat and hesitate.

“Do not worry, I will be careful.”

With that I give in and hand over the hat to her. She uses her magic to levitate it over towards her and inspects it.

“. . . You don’t remember who this belongs to?”

“Well yes I-I do but. . .”

“If you do then why would you say you ‘think’ this pony is important? It’s either yes or no.”

“I-I don’t know! . . . I don’t know.” I say filling with stress under the pressure of her questions. “What does it matter? I’ll never find her, never. It’s all over. . . I’ve let them all down. I don’t even think we had a chance.”

“You really are confused aren’t you? My, this all is starting to feel . . . real. Can you really be . . . ?”

“I don’t know who I am, or what I am. I don’t know; I don’t know.” I repeat still stressful and grasping my head with my hands as a headache ensues.

“Now now just relax, breathe deep. It’ll calm your nerves.”

I do so and she tries to get my attention once again.

“Now look at me, please.”

I turn to her, and I’m not quite sure if tears are dripping down my face, or if they are simply drops of water. I hadn’t noticed before but I have been slightly rocking my body back and forth as to calm myself down. Clearly it hasn’t helped.

“Do not cry, just relax. Alright? Now, do you remember this pony’s name?”

“T-Trixie. I’ve been looking for her but-but I can’t find her. I’ll never find her.”

“You’re just going to give up? Why? Don’t you remember what you two have been through together?”

“N-No. Sometimes I see things, b-but I don’t know if it’s real.”

“. . . What else do you have in that bag? Can I see?”

Afraid to damage the flower even further I pull it out regardless and show it to her. She uses her magic to take it from my hand and brings it closer to her face.

“Oh, I remember this. This was one of the many beautiful flowers you gave to Trixie that one morning. Such a sweet thing you did.” She says with a smile.

“I wish I could’ve been there.” I say.

“What do you mean? You ‘were’ there.”

“It doesn’t feel like I was.”

“I see now, you refuse to believe what your mind is trying to show you. Perhaps if you see it, your view will change.”

“I’ve already seen it.”

“Everything?”

“Yes I . . . I-I think so.”

“My, there is so much you have forgotten. So much more that you are missing.”

“What do you mean? What else?”

“I’ll show you.”

The mare hovers her hoof over the pool of water in a circular motion. She hasn’t even touched the water yet somehow the ripples form in the area if she actually was. She stops, but the ripples continue to flow about the water. She beckons me to come closer, and so I do.

“Look into the water, look into your past.” She says.

I look down into the pool, and before my eyes upon the surface of the disturbed water an image begins to appear. I can feel the warmth of a light shine upon my face as I stare into the pool of water. It’s as if I was looking right through my own eyes at the scene the water portrays. I see the room of Trixie’s carriage. Rays of sunlight are peeping through the cracks and holes in the wooden walls. Most of the room is covered in shadows, but I nearly recognize everything in it. The pile of cloth sheets, chopped logs of wood stacked against the wall, and the little table with a mirror and make-up kit. Trixie is standing near the table staring at the vase filled with flowers I had just given to her. I see that she’s talking, but I do not hear her voice.

“W-Why can’t I hear anything?” I ask.

“My magic isn’t strong enough to project sound, but you only need to see. Go on, look.”

Back down in the water I see that Trixie has her hoof over her mouth, and after a glance at me she leaves the room.

“She just . . . left? I guess they didn’t really mean much to her after all.” I say.

“Well, let’s look at it from another perspective. Look again.”

Looking back the ripples in the water wave a bit more violently. Soon the image is changed to a completely different place. I’m not too sure where this is, but the room is very dark. I can see, however, a wooden door. Trixie hurries through the door and closes it behind her with her back against it. She looks so overwhelmed as she covers her face with her hooves. As she slowly lowers them down I see that her eyes are overflowing with tears as she tries to wipe them away.

“Why is she crying?” I ask.

“She’s crying because she’s touched. Nopony has ever given her a gift as wonderful as yours, in fact, nopony has ever given her a gift at all. Her heart was filled with such a feeling that made her eyes cry tears of joy. She hid from you because she didn’t understand what she was feeling. She didn’t want you to see her cry. It was at that very moment that something changed within Trixie.”

I notice in the image Trixie gets up from the door and leaves out of view.

“What? Wh-Where did she go?” I ask.

“You’ll see.”

The image changes back to my point of view back in the slightly lit trailer room. Trixie comes back in and starts showing off her hat and cape. If only I could understand what she was saying, but I’ll do as the mare says and just watch. She reaches back behind the doorway and brings forth something in her hoof. She holds up a long black jacket outlined in white at the base, cuffs, and collar. The cuffs are pointed, and the collar stands tall. . . I grab the chest of my jacket and clench at the wet cloth.

“That jacket it’s . . . it’s mine.”

“That’s right, but that isn’t all.”

Trixie also brings out a pair of black pants of the same style as the jacket, as well as a pair of shoes with pointed tips and silver buckles. . . The same pants and shoes I wear upon my person.

“You see? The very clothes on your back came from her. The night before she went to the market on her own and stayed awake all night sewing them together just for you."

“For . . . For me?” My voice starting to crackle.

“That is right, go on take a look.”

Back in the image it has changed yet again to a very familiar looking room. It’s lined with levers and pulleys, curtains waving in the air, and Trixie sitting in the middle of the room trying to keep her eyes open. Around her are stacks of black and white cloth as she works with an old sewing machine weaving the batch of cloth through the fast moving needle attached to the machine.

“Hours upon hours she spent at this machine weaving her gift to you. Not only time, but the bits she had earned were spent to pay for the supplies. She used not a single one on herself.”

Suddenly the image falls apart and disappears into the water. I am left speechless and still, in shock from what I had just learned. Now, the clothes on my back have a whole new meaning to me. From now and on whenever I grasp onto the slick cloth of my jacket I will only see her in my mind, just as I do now. I can feel my eyes beginning to ache the harder I clench the cloth.

“What else do you have in that bag of yours? Go on, show me.”

I pull the bag by the ropes and look inside. I could show her the note, but I do not know if it will even be legible anymore. Carefully I peel it from the cloth of the bag and hold it out to the mare. She uses her magic to take it from my hand and opens the soggy paper.

“Ah yes, this. This brings back sour memories of the past. Do you know who wrote this letter?”

“I . . . no, I don’t know.”

“It was a letter from her Mother. Trixie’s childhood wasn’t a pleasant one. Her Mother was plagued with a deathly illness, and no cure has been found to treat such a disease.”

It feels like a hammer just smashed my heart at the sound of those words. I don’t know what to say or what to do, but to just listen.

“So, day by day she sat at her Mother’s bedside hoping that one day she would recover. Instead, it got worse with each passing day. Soon, the poor girl was left without a Mother. She passed away one night right before her eyes. It was then that she would never be the same again.”

“Th-Then what happened?” I ask curiously.

“. . . You know, I always heard voices echo against these walls. They were always voices of sorrow and pain, but I only hear those that wish. The stars channel their calls for help to me, and I could hear them as if they were right here next to me. And all I could do was sit here, powerless, and hope that their wish will be answered. But, out of every voice I heard during every night there was only one voice that kept calling for help, and that was Trixie’s. For several nights I could hear her voice, and she would always ask for the same thing every time.”

“W-What was it?”

“. . . She wished to see her Mother just one last time. She continued to plea for the same thing every single night. Even after the passing of several years. But then, she grew bitter, and her heart turned darker. It hurt just to watch this sweet little filly turn into somepony else. I could just feel her pain thrashing about in my own heart. . . And then, one lonely night, you came along. You gave her something that she never thought she ever would have obtained in her life.”

“I did?”

“Yes, you did. Companionship, a friend. Soon she realized that, with you in her life that was all she ever needed.”

I feel something warm run down my cheeks. With a trembling hand I brush it along my face, and feel that streams of tears have been running down my cheeks. Something touches the bottom of my chin and gently raises my head. The mare has her cold transparent hoof under my chin and she’s staring straight into my eyes.

“She needed you then, and she needs you now. Don’t give up on her, don’t let it all drift away into the dark.”

“I . . . I won’t.” I say while choking on my own breath.

“Promise me.”

“. . . I promise.”

“Good. . . Now, there is something I have for you. I have held onto this since that horrible day.”

From behind the mare she levitates a small brown bag with a small rope tied around the top. She lets it hover near me waiting for me to take hold of it.

“Go on, take it.” She says.

I grab the bag and she releases it from her magic. I feel so confused just staring at it. I pry apart an opening at the top of the bag and look inside. It’s too dark so see anything inside, but I can feel the bag does have some weight to it. I tip it and shake it a bit until something falls out into the palm of my hand. A little white sphere rolls out from the bag into my hand. At first I feel even more confused by it, but then I begin to feel dizzy. I can hear the voices coming back. I can see everything happening as I drift off from reality just for a moment. I see Trixie, and we’re sitting outside near her wagon. It feels strange to see the ground not covered in snow, but at the same time it feels wonderful. The grass is a healthy state of green, and the flowers around us feel so real that I can almost smell their sweet scent.

“I know that you seem to have a handle on just standing around and looking good for the audience, but why don’t we make it a bit more . . . fun?” Says Trixie. “I was thinking you could. . . I don’t know. . . Move around a bit. Get more involved with the audience! I could cast a few spells around you so you can improvise. Here, I found these in my little trunk I keep stashed away in the trailer.”

She then hands me the same little brown sack, and as I peer inside I can see she has given me quite a bundle of the little white spheres.

“These are smoke balls. All you have to do is take one. . .” She reaches over and pulls one from the bag. “And just throw it to the ground!”

She slams it down onto the dry soil and it explodes creating a thick white cloud of smoke that masks everything around us. Once the smoke clears I see Trixie standing with her hooves outstretched and a smile on her face.

“And that’s not all!” She adds.

Trixie brings out another bag identical to the one she had just given me.

As she opens up the bag a bright yellowish light explodes through the top filling the whole area as she tries to show me what’s inside. The light becomes so blinding that I can no longer see anything around me, instead, once the light clears I am brought back to the cave with the mysterious mare. She lays atop the pool of water staring at me patiently waiting for a response from me. I remember now, that was the moment she gave to me the bag of strange stones.

“Please, keep it safe.” Says the mare.

“I will. . . I will.” I say holding it close to my chest.

“Now, I’m afraid time is running out. It will be time for me to go soon.”

“W-What? No d-don’t go! Please!” I beg.

“I’m sorry, I wish I could stay; but I can feel my energy lessening.”

“Is there something I can do? Anything?”

“It cannot be stopped. The stones that line this cave are what keep me here, but their energy has been dying. I thought that they died out quite some time ago, but somehow they’ve gained a glimmer of energy. But . . . there is, one thing.”

“Anything! Tell me!” I say with the need to help her in any way I can.

This mare has shown me things that I never would have remembered. She has shown me something that I had lost by reinvigorating my very spirit. I feel like I am in her debt; I am ready to listen to whatever she has to say. Whatever it may be that she needs I will follow.

“Do you remember . . . Valiari?”

“Y-Yes I do!”

“Have you seen him?”

“I was with him just days ago.”

The mare sighs with relief and rests her hoof on her chest.

“I knew I heard his voice, I just knew. Where is he now? Is he okay?”

“I . . . I don’t know-but I’m going to find him! I will-I promise!” I assure her.

The mare closes her eyes, and tears fall from the corners of her eyes. She must have some kind of connection with him. I feel like she believes that hope is lost for him. I want to assure her that I will find him and he’ll be alright, I know he is-he just has to be. I’m not even going to consider that he might be . . . gone. I’m not ready to accept that, not after this.

“Oh, Vali . . . Why?” She whispers. “. . . Time is running thin, it is time for you to go.”

“B-But wait! I-I want to help you, what about Valiari? He’s alive-I know he is! What did you need me to do?”

“I was going to ask you, that if you find him, will you tell him that I . . . I love him?”

“Yes, of course I will.”

“Thank you.” She says now smiling but tears still leaking out of her eyes. “He truly was right, you really are something special.”

The mare stands and circles her hoof over the pool of water once again. The waves are much more violent than the last as some of the water is pushed out from the pool and onto the rocky floor. A bright light peaks through the waves illuminating more of the cave that hadn’t been seen due to the shadows.

“Now go, find your friends, and rid this land of its curse.”

“W-Wait! You never told me your name.”

“My name is Aria.”

“Aria . . . I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t. Now, I know that this is no dream, nor nightmare.”

“Why?”

“Because dreams don’t give you a high sense of hope like this.”

With my face still coated in tears I smile as she bears the same expression. She’s right, never have I felt a sense of hope quite as strong as this one. I stand, and she gives me back the wet wilted flower and soggy letter as she uses her magic to put them all back in my bag. I fit Trixie’s hat back in my bag after giving it one last look, and I put the small brown bag of smoke balls in my left jacket pocket. Aria and I give each other one last glance before she bids me farewell.

“Goodbye, Aireal.”

As her body begins to fade away I realize that I had never told her my name, yet she somehow knew. As she completely disappears and with the feeling of little time remaining I hold my breath and jump into the pool of water. After I break through the pool’s surface I feel no cold, I feel no water. The light envelops my body, and the sounds of those horrid winter winds are caught by my ears.

Through the stained glass window comes the breeze of snow and freezing air and all the flakes of snow come together to form the figure of the mare from earlier. Another breeze fazes through the window and hides in the shadows in the far corner of the room. Valiari, leaning back against the icy wall, tips his hat to the mare and happily greets her.

“Well hello again! Back so soon?” He asks.

“Sorry to keep you waiting dear, but we were just having a little fun with our guests. And as I promised, Miss, I made sure your husband was spared.”

“Th-Thank you.” Says Candle Light’s Mother.

“Yes well, I am a mare of my word. However, as for ‘your’ little friend Valiari I’m afraid the same can’t be said for him.”

“What do you mean?” He asks trying to contain his anger.

“Well, a little mishap took place. My friend and I decided to just shake them up a bit, but sadly he took a plunge down into the darkness beneath the ice.”

“He what?” Valiari asks in shock.

“It was just a little accident Mister Valiari. That purple coated mare Twilight needed to make a choice, so I helped her make the right one. Oh well, it’s no big deal right?” The mare then starts to giggle. “Well, I must say I am glad that there was plenty of them to go around. My birds have been getting hungry.”

Valiari wants to attack the mare with words, but he knows he must stay calm. He cannot give the mare any sort of pleasure via his suffering. He is tired of giving her the gratification she desires through his pain. He hates to admit it to himself, but he needs to accept that Aireal is . . . gone, finished. He and the others never stood a chance against this monstrosity, and he will make sure that he gets vengeance for everything she’s done.

“I suppose so.” He says.

“I’m surprised at you Mister Valiari! I was expecting some sort of retaliation out of you.”

“Why argue when you’re right?”

“Mister Valiari I think the cold has finally gotten to your head. I almost miss your threats and name-calling. Your cries of hope, your anger. But, I suppose this’ll have to do.” She says with a sigh.

The mare is about to turn and look out the window when she notices something strange about Valiari. Not only is she thrown off by his awkward and sudden change in behavior, but he doesn’t have his jacket on him. Instead it’s layed out on the floor as he sits with his tattered white scarf and shirt without a single shiver. With a raised eyebrow she walks over to his cell and questions him.

“Mister Valiari I couldn’t help but notice your jacket, it’s on the floor.”

“Hm, so it is.” He says in surprise. “I hadn’t noticed.”

“You hadn’t noticed? I think you’ve finally lost it you old colt. I knew it was only a matter of time.”

Valiari smiles and looks the mare in the eyes with the shadow from the brim of his hat covering his face.

“You know, there’s so much I hate about you. You’re cold, wicked, a monster.” He says calmly.

“Oh do go on!” She says flattered.

“But, despite all that, there is one quality that I love about you.”

“Really? And what would that be dear?”

“Your stupidity.”

Valiari lets himself fall back onto the floor where his jacket is sprawled out, but along with his jacket he falls right through the floor. She notices the floor has been painted over with an image of the room, and not a trace of Valiari has been left. The mare, in a panic, starts glancing all around the room for him.

“Where did you go?!” She shouts. “I will find you Valiari! And when I do you will regret what you’ve just done!”

The mare starts floating around the room checking every corner for him. But what she doesn’t know is that he’s hiding near Candle Light and her Mother’s cell. As he peaks at them through the bars the Mother almost gasps at the sight of him. Valiari holds his hoof in front of his mouth signaling her to keep quiet.

“What are you doing? You have to go!” She whispers.

“Not yet, there’s just one more thing. . .”

With his jacket in his hooves he pushes it through a gap between the icy bars and into their cell.

“What are you doing-you need this!”

“You need it more. Keep yourselves warm with it, and I’ll be back soon.”

“Thank you.” Says Candle Light’s Mother on the verge of tears.

“Don’t mention it.”

“Goodbye Mister.” Candle Light mutters.

“. . . No problem kiddo. Now just wait with Mommy, I’ll be back before you know it.” Valiari assures her.

“Be careful.” Says her Mother.

“I will.”

Valiari sticks to the shadows paying close attention to the mare as she investigates the room. He tries to keep the sound of his hooves touching the ice as quiet as possible, so he must go slowly and carefully. He can see the door coming closer and the mare is off on the other side of the room checking around for him. This is it, he’s almost free.

“Where do you think you’re going, Valiari?” Asks a distorted voice behind the shadows and into his ear.

Frightened he decides to gallop out of the dark and towards the door. He felt something try to grab as his shirt, but he was able to move away just in time. The mare turns around and spots him trotting away.

“Get him! Don’t let him escape! I will stay and watch these two!” She shouts.

Valiari can hear the sound of hooves trotting after him, so with his heart pounding crazily he rips open the door and gallops out of the room with whoever was chasing him right on his tail. Valiari realizes that this is his only chance at hope, and is not ready to let his lungs and legs hold him back by exhaustion.

I drop into a pile of freezing snow as it stuns my body from the warmth of the cave and now the sudden cold. The light lingers in my eyes, but after a bit of rubbing and waiting I can now see clearly. I take in the beautiful sense of sight. The thick white snow surrounds me, but doesn’t reach up to my knees. Through the surface of the snow stretches out the branches of bushes and small trees without their leaves and scattered about the ground. Behind me is a big puddle of water surrounded by shattered ice and slush. I bend down and touch the cold water remembering the mysterious glassy mare, Aria. She freed me from that dark chasm, and now it is time for me to press on. After checking to make sure I still have all of my things I trek through the snow as it has become hard like ice.

I lift up the branches of trees that block my path and I soon notice that every single tree is horribly tilted in the same direction. I follow the trees by the way they are tilted and come to a cliff. As the wind brushes aside my hair I can see the pure white horizon. It looks like a far drop down, and the fear of possibly slipping causes me to step away from the edge. Still staring out at the barren snowy wasteland I am reminded about Twilight and Wick Flame. I can only wonder where they might be and whether or not they are okay. I hope the cold hasn't gotten to them, maybe I'll meet up with them soon . . . maybe. I choose to turn around and walk against the trees, and up ahead past the milky clouds my eyes are blessed with a sight I thought I would never see. The castle of Canterlot, this is the closest I’ve ever been to it. Seeing it this close and being able to actually make out the finely decorated towers and windows is remarkable. It is just out of my reach, all I have to do is keep walking.

Walking through the snow I notice something peculiar about the ground. Embedded in the snow are two parallel indentations that lead up the hill ahead. I find that in the snow are two parallel long pieces of metal nailed to several consecutive pieces of wood that lead up the hill ahead towards the castle. These must be the train tracks, if I follow them it should take me right to the castle’s front gate. With this plan I choose to follow the tracks for the rest of the way. The cold is already turning my ears numb and my cheeks are starting to burn, but I push passed it. I’ve come too far to let the cold stop me now.

Continuing up the hill I notice a break in the tracks. The trail no longer follows a smooth curved path, instead it skews off to the side. Curious I follow the trail, and in the snow I notice there are oddly shaped objects dug into the surface. I pull one out of the snow and find that it is very thin and sharp and nearly cut myself while holding it. It’s . . . a piece of metal. Where could this have come from? Determined to find the answer I follow the broken pieces of metal, and the longer I follow, the bigger the chunks of metal lie ahead. Until finally I am met with something horrific. Up ahead is a large object tipped over and crashed into the side of the mountain. Its windows are all smashed or cracked, and its body is horribly dented. It’s a train, and along its side I can read big white letters written along a blue stripe that stretches across the whole body of the train. It reads: Blue Line Trains.

Chapter 14

I hurry through the snow to get a closer look at the train. It looks even worse up close. The big metal hinge on the back of the train cart looks as though it has been torn apart. The locomotive has been smashed right into the side of the mountain with the one cart behind it still barely hinged on. I wonder what happened to the rest of the train. Along with the deep dents and scrunches in the metal I notice marks have been cut into it. Some are long streaks that look like something has torn right through the metal as if it were paper. The others look like punctures that go all the way through the walls. Every single window has been smashed open, and the roof of the train cart has been completely torn to shreds as pieces are left flared up from where chunks of the metal has been peeled apart. Just what could have been strong enough the cause this much damage? The name ‘Blue Line Trains’ is still completely visible along the blue strip that runs along the train’s body from side to side. This train must’ve come from the station Adarrell was talking about. In the milky air puffs of gray mix with the flakes of falling snow. The clouds of smoke are leaking out from the dented pipes of the locomotive. Then, I start to think; if the engine is still smoking then there’s no way that this train could have been here for a long time despite the long icicles that have formed along every edge and corner of the walls. The crash must’ve just happened. Driven by curiosity I decide to take a quick look inside and check for any signs of life.

The back door into the train cart has already been blown open, and with a heavy creaking sound and scratching of the bottom of the door against the floor I push it against the wall. The cart seems to be resting atop an uneven surface as the floor tilts. I grab hold of the backs of the first row of seats and balance my way through the cart. I see that all the broken glass has collected down into the lower part of the train in which has tilted towards the ground. I notice a big baggy object stuffed away under one of the benches. Bending down to take a look I find that it’s just a plain old bag, but still I reach under and pull it out. It gets a little stuck between the bottom of the bench and the floor, but after one good yank it comes loose. I stagger back almost losing my footing, but I catch myself by grabbing onto the arm of the bench. I unzip the long vertical zipper along the bag and pull apart the opening. Inside are nothing but long plastic sticks and some kind of tarp; I soon realize that it’s the parts to a tent like the ones back at the campsite. They must’ve made it! But . . . where are they?

“Hello?!” I shout, but with no response.

I drop the tent bag and hurry down the rest of the aisle in the train cart nearly stumbling over myself. The rest of the isle is empty, and thus I come to the door that leads into the main engine room. The door appears to have been violently smashed from the outside. With the hopes that someone might be behind this door I waste no time before twisting the handle, but the door won’t come loose. I decide that since it’s already damaged I could easily knock it down, so with one good kick the door flies open sending small pieces of metal flying and clacking against the metal floor. Inside is a bit cramped with all the levers and switches, and it appears that through the small little windows on either wall of the cart have overflowed with snow as it pours down from them to the ground. The big mass of machinery appears to be crushed and collapsed due to the crash. Nestled between what looks like a main lever sticking up from the floor and some other mechanics is the body of a pony with a lavender coat. I rush to her side nearly slipping on the several scattered pieces of coal over the floor and lift her up from the shadows.

“Twilight! Twilight can you hear me?” I ask hysterically, but her body remains still.

Her head hangs from her neck as her mane droops over her eyes. I lift her head up and notice that from her mouth small pathetic wisps of breath leave her lips. ‘She’s still breathing; she’s still breathing’ I repeat to myself to calm my heart.

“Twilight wake up! Twilight!” I say while shaking her body. “Twilight!”

Twilight’s eyes flare open as she takes several deep breathes of the cold air to calm herself. She feels she had just awoken from a horrible nightmare, and as she looks down at her hooves she notices they are trembling and can’t get them to stop. She looks around at the engine room and finds nothing. The room is empty, and the coal she and Wick Flame put into the engine is still burning strong. She glances up at the nearest window and notices that it’s turned to dark outside as she then begins to ponder how long she’s been asleep. She listens, and hears the train’s wheels still turning and trailing over the metal railroad. But yet, something doesn’t feel quite right. She doesn’t really remember falling asleep on the train after they left no matter how hard to tries. She feels she should go out and check to see if Wick Flame and the others are okay, perhaps they had gotten to sleep as well. Twilight gets up, but a sudden scuffling in the next train cart frightens her stiff.

“. . . Wick? Bolts?” She calls thinking it must’ve been one of them.

“Sorry Miss Sparkle! Did we wake you?” Asks one of the sisters from the next cart as her muffled voice can be heard from behind the closed door.

Relieved to hear her voice she responds newly calm.

“Oh no I just . . . I had a bad dream is all.”

“Oh, okay. Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Twilight walks over to the window and peers outside. It’s very dark, but she can see that their still traveling the tracks on the way towards the castle. She can’t help but study the skies for any movement as she dreads the sight of one of those winged creatures from before, but thankfully the skies seem empty. She gazes at the mountain up ahead with Canterlot poking out from its side. Just staring at the castle gives her the feeling that she’s already standing before its front gates. She remembers the days where she would look up at the castle and feel peace, safety; but now she looks on with fear and unease.

“Hey! How is your sister doing? Is she alright?” Twilight asks with her eyes still glued to the castle as an attempt to relieve some of the anxiety.

“. . . She’s scared.” Says the sister.

“I understand, I’m a bit scared too. But we can’t let that stop us. . . Hey uh do you know where Wick Flame and Nuts-n-Bolts are?”

“. . . They’re scared too. . . We’re all scared Miss Sparkle.”

Twilight turns away from the window towards the door distraught by the sister’s words. Something about the way she’s speaking just doesn’t seem right.

“Well, are you all okay?” Twilight asks.

“. . . Can you come outside Miss Sparkle? Please?” Asks the sister.

“. . . Okay, I’ll be right out.”

“We’re scared Miss Sparkle. Very, very scared.”

Twilight rests her hoof on the door handle, but before twisting it she puts her ear close to the door. She can’t hear anything besides the train’s engine, so she tries to peek through the little window near the top of the door. Most of the room is covered by shadows, but she can see the silhouettes of the two sisters sitting in one of the benches. The sister nearest to the aisle gives Twilight a little wave with her hoof. Twilight hides under the window despite knowing she saw her. Her hoof won’t twist the handle, her mind is conflicting with her on whether to open the door or not. Something just feels wrong, something about them just feels wrong.

“. . . Twilight please come out. We need you. . . Please?”

“O-Okay, I’m coming out. . .”

Twilight twists the handle of the door with such caution and fear that she carefully pulls open the door as the metal screeches beneath its hinges. She scans the aisle but the two sisters are missing from their seat. Her hoof traverses through the boundary of shadows and out of the safety of the light. She carefully and quietly walks down the aisle checking every seat for the two sisters, but after about six seats nearby where she last saw them they all appear empty. Just then a gentle knocking on the door ahead causes her to jolt her head and glue her eyes to the door.

“Miss Sparkle? Miss Sparkle are you out there?” Asks the sister’s voice from the other side.

“Yes I’m-I’m here.”

“Come with us Miss Sparkle, we need you.”

“W-Well just stay where you are and I can . . . I can help.” She says with a dry throat.

“Okay.”

Twilight then pushes herself to walk towards the door as she feels her hooves are nailed to the floor not wanting to leave their ground. She can feel the air getting colder every step she takes to the door as she can now see her own breath clouding in the air. Hoping that the painful trip to the door can be delayed as long as possible so that she may gather herself together she instead finds herself already at the door’s handle. She twists the handle and this time instead of delaying the inevitable any longer she pulls the door open as fast as she can. She can see the dark silhouettes of the two sisters all the way down at the end of the aisle, and slightly relieved, she calls out to them.

“Okay, I’m here. W-What’s the matter?” She asks.

“Come closer Twilight, please.” The sister asks innocently.

Twilight reluctantly takes a step forward, then step after agonizing step she decides to stop about a meter away from the sisters who say nothing upon her arrival. They stand almost lifelessly facing toward Twilight. Their faces are too darkened to see their eyes or just about anything else about their faces. Still without any words she decides to blurt out a question to break the uncomfortable silence.

“W-What are you two doing all the way back here? It’s f-freezing.” Twilight says shivering.

“We’re scared Miss Sparkle.” Says the other sister.

“Okay b-but why? What are you scared of? Why did you bring me all the way out here?” Twilight says wanting answers.

“We need you Miss Sparkle.”

“Okay I’ve had just about enough of this. W-Why are you two acting like this? Just tell me what’s going on!” Twilight says running out of patience.

The door all the way at the end of the aisle behind her slams shut, and with a gasp of chilling air she glances back at the door and then back at the sisters.

“We’re scared Miss Sparkle. We’re very scared.” Says the two sisters in unison.

Twilight can feel the temperature in the air begin to drastically fall. She can hear the sounds of crackling ice as the windows nearby cover in a sheet of frost, and the same thing happens to the floor along with the seats. The frost crawls from the two sisters towards Twilight covering every inch of the train cart. From the frost’s surface little crystals of ice grow as Twilight begins to take careful steps backwards, and the frost continues to spread. Twilight’s eyes begin to fill with a strange teal glow emanating from the ice as it becomes more intense the more it spreads.

“We’re scared Miss Sparkle. We’re scared Miss Sparkle. We’re scared Miss Sparkle.” The two sisters continue to repeat.

With their voices, the teal glow of the ice filling the train cart and the frost drawing nearer to her hooves she whips around and gallops toward the door. Despite how far she is from the two sisters their voices still sound as if they were right next to her ears. Charging at full speed and not wanting to waste time by twisting the door’s handle she instead busts right through the door with the side of her body. Up ahead the door to the engine room seems to have been somehow shut as well, so she continues to gallop with the sisters’ voices still ringing in her ears. She bursts through the door with ease, however, as she soon as she starts to feel safe she finds that she is not in the engine room; but instead another empty train cart. She can’t remember going through another part of the train, but she shakes away the thought and just continues to trot down the aisle. With her side beginning to ache she bursts through the next door, and to her surprise it takes her to another empty section of the train. In a panic she doesn’t spend any time to think about it and just pushes herself to pursue the next door. And so door after door it seems to be an endless string of empty carts, and with Twilight’s side bruising and her legs tiring she is unsure of how long she can continue. She can feel the cold catching up to her as the sounds of crackling ice are just barely underneath her.

She can feel her body ready to give out, but after painfully busting through the next door her eyes are met with the beautiful sight of light reaching out to her through the open door at the end of the aisle. Like the light of a glistening princess lending her hoof out to her for safety. Twilight pushes herself to burn her last few gusts of energy racing to the door with the ice following closely behind. She enters the engine room and slams the door shut behind her as she presses up against it with her back as she breathes heavily with sore legs. As she braces the door she is confused to find a strange silence suddenly fall upon the train. The voices have stopped and she is unsure of whether or not the ice is still trying to consume the train. With only the sounds of the crackling coal fire and the humming of the train’s engine she relaxes her tense muscles. But the moment of peace is short lived as a sudden pounding on the door causes her heart to leap into her throat.

“Twilight! Miss Sparkle please open the door!”

“W-Wick Flame?!” Twilight asks in astonishment. “Is that you?!”

“Yes it’s me! Nuts-n-Bolts is with me too. Now Miss Sparkle could you please open the door?!”

“Yes-something’s gone off with those two sisters aboard the train!” Says Nuts-n-Bolts in a panic.

“Okay just hold on! Let me just—”

Twilight pauses driven into thought. She feels suspicious about them, and so she peers through the little window to see if she can clearly see them. She finds their silhouettes standing before the door waiting for her to open up. She sees the two figures glance at each other which appears much more natural than the two sisters’ stiffness, but, something still doesn’t feel right. The whole train cart is clean of ice, and the door Twilight had busted open is somehow shut closed.

“Uh Miss Twilight are you going to let us in?” Asks Wick Flame.

“Yes please, won’t you?” Asks Nuts-n-Bolts.

“I . . . I don’t. . .” Twilight trails off as she slowly backs away from the door.

“Please Miss Sparkle, we need you.” Says Wick Flame.

“We’re scared.” Says Nuts-n-Bolts.

“Yes, very scared.”

By the pattern of their words Twilight continues to back away from the door. She is sure of herself that the two ponies behind that door are not who they seem to be.

“Open the door Miss Sparkle, please, let us in.”

“Open the door Miss Sparkle.” Says Nuts-n-Bolts.

“No . . . I-I won’t.”

“Please Miss Sparkle, we’re scared.” Says the two sisters’ voices. “We’re all scared.”

Now, all of their voices together repeat the words: We’re scared Miss Sparkle. Over and over as she backs all the way to the engine. With nowhere left to run or hide she stares at the door in horror as the room suddenly becomes gradually colder. As their haunting voices grow louder and faster through the siding of the door frost leaks out from the cracks. Ice covers the little window, and within seconds, the whole door. The ice spreads across the walls and floor as the warmth from the coal fire near Twilight dies down leaving her to nestle herself between the levers that stick out from the floor. She watches as the ice consumes the entire room, and is reaching closer. Suddenly a loud pounding at the door erupts as with every pound the door is heavily dented. Pound after pound the screws along the door’s hinges come loose and fly off shooting across the room. Twilight digs in her mind looking for some sort of solution, but there is no time. All she can do is wait with her screams getting lost beneath their voices.

I’m not too sure how much time has passed, but it has been long enough for the skies to darken. Ever since I first found her nestled in this engine room I haven’t left her side. However I did go back to the bag I found earlier and I used the tent to cover Twilight like a blanket. The covering to the coal chute has been left open, and with the smell of ash I figured I could maybe start a fire to help keep us warm. I searched through my bag for those matches I had, but they were all soaked and bent. There’s no way they would’ve been able to light. I still tried to strike one of them, but it didn’t work. So here I’ve sat with careful eyes on Twilight, and yet I haven’t seen her stir, not even once. I’m not too sure what else I could do. Without fire or any other coverings this is all we have. I shut the door so that not all the cold winds could rush in all at once, but the broken windows allow it entry. Every now and then I get up and check to make sure that Twilight is still breathing and her heart beating, but they stay that slow and steady pace.

I will stay here and wait until she awakens. I know she will, she survived the cold once, so she can surely make it this time. With my bag resting against the tilted wall, so that I could lay down and rest on the cold hard floor, I begin to wonder what was going to happen next in the storybook. I reach over and lazily drag the bag over to me. Undoing the ropes I pull out the frost covered book and hold its chilling cover in my hands. I pry it open as the water has frozen the pages together, but not too tightly. With the sounds of pages crinkling as I search through the book I come to the next chapter, “Chapter Three: Masquerade.”

Meriva is walking by Dawston’s side as they both are walking across the bricked road with the shimmering lake nearby. The air has gotten colder and the wind slightly stronger as winter is beginning to settle among the town. They’ve noticed these sings put up all around town about some event later that evening. The sings all read: “Local Town Party Tonight! Everypony is invited to join for dancing and food! This year’s theme is Masquerade, so go out and find a stunning mask that speaks to you! The party will be held at Thevan Manner and hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Thevan from 6:00 to 11:00 P.M. We hope to see you all soon!” Dawston particularly takes an interest in the event, however it doesn’t seem Meriva even knows the signs exist. Dawston invited her here to walk with him, but, she hadn’t seemed quite as excited as he expected her to be. In fact, she hasn’t really said a word to him since they left her home. With such a beautiful day in their hooves, yet she won’t even speak a word about it. To him, she appears to be the one wilted flower in a happy field. It’s strange, because yesterday she seemed so vibrant and full of life, perhaps something happened to her later that night.

“. . . Hey, are you okay?” He finally asks.

“Hm? Oh, yes. . . I’m fine.”

“You sure don’t seem like it. Did I do something wrong?”

“Oh no, no, no of course not! It’s just. . . I’m not too sure.”

“About what?”

“About the trip to the mountain.”

“Oh come on, I promised you that it’s safe—”

“I know that-but . . . what if something goes wrong?”

“Nothing will go wrong, don’t worry. Why all of a sudden you seem so worried? You weren’t like that when I introduced the idea.”

“It’s just I-I feel a little . . . nervous.”

Dawston realizes that by nervous, she means scared. He needs a way to take her mind off of it for a while then maybe she’ll feel more relaxed. He ponders to himself as they continue to walk, and an idea hits him.

“Hey, you know that party that’s being held later?” He asks.

“Party? Oh right, they have those every year. I’ve never been to one because . . . well, I guess I just didn’t want to.”

“Well how about you and I go tonight?”

“R-Really?”

“Of course! It sounds like fun.”

And just like that Meriva’s worry about the trip had almost disappeared instantly. Joyfully as Dawston wrapped his front leg around her she leaned against his side with a newly brightened smile upon her face. Together they strolled through the park and made a trip to the local clothing store where they had all sorts of dresses and garments. Because of the upcoming party the section of masks was full of ponies digging through them to find the perfect one that suited them. Dawston and Meriva joined the chaos picking and searching through the wall of masks trying on several before finally settling on one. Meriva’s mask is sparkly white and in the shape of a butterfly to go with her white dress, as for Dawston, his is slick and shiny while resembling a black raven as its beak goes past his snout. As he put on his mask he got Meriva’s attention and began jokingly pecking at the ground with his legs positioned like a bird’s wings. Meriva, despite how ridiculous he looks, can’t help but let out a joyful laugh.

After they left the market with their new masks they still had plenty of time to spare before the party begins. Dawston decided to ask Meriva if she fancied going out to lunch while they wait, and she agreed. They passed by Giano’s shop, and so Dawston thought it would be a good idea to stop by there for some lunch.

“Say why don’t we go and eat there? You could see your friend too! Come on let’s—”

“Wait!” Meriva calls grabbing the sleeve of his jacket. “Let’s . . . let’s find a different place to eat.”

“But why? Don’t you want to go see your friend?”

“Can we just find somewhere else, please?” She asks in a fret.

“Woah relax, why don’t you want to see your friend? Did something happen between you two?”

“I just . . . I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, okay. If you really don’t want to then we’ll just go.”

Dawston accepts Meriva’s attitude, but he wishes she would just tell him what the problem was. He figured he shouldn’t press it on too much, otherwise it just might make her feel worse, so they ignore the restaurant in search of another. Just as they pass by Meriva can’t help but glance back at the windows. She feels a heavy sense of guilt and need to walk through that door, but for some reason she just can’t muster up the courage to go. Not after last night. Facing forward she tries to put it out of her mind, but she can feel it lingering in the back of her skull. She hadn’t noticed because of the darkness behind the glass of the windows, but Giano had been staring out the window all by his lonesome.

He watched as she passed by his shop with Dawston. It feels as if a part of his heart had left his chest and run away without recourse. In his hoof he clutches Meriva’s coin she had used to pay for Dawston’s coffee, the one she would have used to toss into the fountain. At this moment, he feels he could use a wish of his own, to have his friend back. He feels the need to run out and catch up to her, but perhaps it be best he remain out of the picture. She seems to be happy with Dawston, and he doesn’t want to come in between that. He grabs hold of the string near the window and closes the blinds so that not even the sun can find its way in. He turns and gloomily walks behind the counter. He grabs a clean dish cloth and carefully wraps Meriva’s coin in it before leaving the dining room and hiding it in an empty drawer upstairs. As he lays it down on the barren wood a tear drops from his eyes and absorbs into the cloth.

Dawston and Meriva settle on another restaurant, one that Meriva had never seen or heard of before. Perhaps it was because the only restaurant she had really been to was Giano’s, and that only makes her think more about him. As they find a table and the waitress takes their orders Dawston notices Meriva’s sudden dejection, and it only makes him want to find out what is haunting her. So, he decides to try one more time after giving it much thought as he fears any backlash. The waitress brings them their meals, and he throws the question at her.

“Meriva, just tell me what happened. I want to help.”

“It’s just. . .” Meriva sighs. “Giano and I, we were such good friends. He was my only friend. He was always there for me when I needed help or just somepony to talk to. Which, was all the time.”

“Sounds like he was a pretty good friend, but then what happened? Why all of a sudden you just don’t want to see him?”

“It’s because last night we got into an argument!” She says with attitude frightening Dawston.

“Okay well, do you want to tell me what it was about?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Meriva, talking about it will make you feel better.”

“. . . Okay, it was about the trip.”

“What about it?”

“Well I told him about it and instead of being happy for me he kept trying to convince me not to go. He kept saying it was too dangerous and something could happen-and so I . . . I got a little upset. But, then I started thinking, and I thought that maybe . . . maybe it could be.” She says as Dawston sighs.

“Meriva, I didn’t mean for you to break away from your friend—”

“It’s fine-just-it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” She says in a fret.

“. . . Well, I want you to know, that if you really don’t feel like going then we don’t have to. Okay? I don’t want you to do something you don’t feel comfortable with.”

And with that Meriva and Dawston remained silent for the rest of their meal together. Meriva wasn’t sure what to say, and Dawston thought that he had it all settled. If she didn’t want to go then she doesn’t have to, he just thought it would have been a nice quiet time together separated from everypony else and society itself. He had a perfect plan. They would climb up the mountain with the wonderful glistening white surrounding them. He knows a spot where if you look out you can see a sight your eyes would thank you for. One cannot describe it, one can only see it to experience it. A sight unlike any other.

They waited until it was time. The stars had begun to spread themselves along the black blanket of the sky. The Moon gleamed so brightly one’s eyes could remain attached to it for as long as they wished. The Thevan Manner’s windows lit up with golden light as ponies from all within town gathered at the doors eagerly awaiting for the turn of the knobs. An older stallion with a grey coat and white mane wearing a black suit and velvet rose in its pocket opened the doors. Everypony in their dapper dresses, suits and decorative masks happily trotted inside where there were tables covered by white cloths and topped with glass vases filled with sweet smelling flowers. Excited, Meriva and Dawston follow them inside. In the center of the main room is a wide open space for ponies to get together and dance. To the far left and right of the room are slick wooden staircases leading up to a balcony over watching the whole room. Hanging from the ceiling is an immaculate glass chandelier producing the golden light that coats the refurbished wooden floor below.

“Just a moment everypony, allow me to inform our hosts about you’re arrival.” Says the butler.

He trots up the stairs and disappeared into a room above. Everypony begins to socialize while they wait. Meriva looks up at Dawston excited for the party to start. Minutes go by and still no sign of the Thevans. Everypony quickly is starting to grow curious and impatient.

“What could be taking them so long?” Dawston asks.

“I’m not sure.” Says Meriva.

Just then the butler returns at the top of the balcony.

“Everypony, I apologize for the delay. And now, Mr. Thevan.”

A stallion with a brown coat and a slick black mane combed over and a mustache upon his snout appears atop the balcony. His mask is black and is an undefined shape with wavy protrusions along the sides, and his bow tie and suit are black with a white rose in its pocket.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts, thank you all for coming! It is an honor to be this year’s annual party host, and I want all of you to enjoy yourselves. We hope that this night will be one to remember. We have food setup on both sides of the room, and the music should begin shortly. So let us get started shall we?”

Everypony below begins cheering and stomping their hooves against the wooden floor in excitement. As Mr. Thevan steps away from the balcony and makes his way downstairs he is followed by a mare in a black dress, black pearl necklace, and mask that resembles the shape of a crescent Moon in the color of black. Her vanilla coat is joined by a pink mane as its bangs hang across her forehead and the rest is tied in a tail.

Ponies in suits and ties carrying several different instruments step out and position themselves near their own little black stand with a book of sheet music resting on the stand. Violins, cellos, and even a pianist comes and takes a seat at the grand piano near the rest of the musicians. Within seconds they begin to play, and everypony wastes no time to grab their partner and begin to dance in the center of the room while others move on to the two long tables filled to the edges with food of all kinds, Meriva and Dawston are amongst this group. Soon, everypony is moving about socializing and switching between food tables. Dawston and Meriva grab a little tray and draw from the piles of little cakes and sandwiches as they fill their trays. She takes a bite into a little vanilla cake as soft as sponge, and her senses are met with the delight of its sweetness.

Dawston ends up having to go use the restroom and tells Meriva he will only be a couple minutes. He leaves, and Meriva is left to go ahead and check out the other food table on the opposite side of the room. She squeezes her way through the ponies without cutting through the dancing area. After some time alone she sees that Dawston is now back but on the other side of the ocean of ponies. Both he and she maneuver through careful as to not push somepony by accident. Until Meriva accidentally ends up knocking into a mare who was trying to work her way through the ponies as well.

“Oh! Dear me, I am terribly sorry Miss. I didn’t mean to run into you like that.” Says Meriva pouring with apologies.

She then stares at the mare with new eyes realizing whom it was she had bumped into, the mare that she saw with Mr. Thevan.

“Oh-uh Mrs. Thevan I presume? Please, forgive my rudeness I-I didn’t mean to . . .”

For some reason, Mrs. Thevan seems to be only staring bafflingly at Meriva without saying a word. Meriva ends up trailing off her sentence whilst becoming confused by Mrs. Thevan’s awkward stare. Now, the both of them seem lost in each other’s stares. Before Mrs. Thevan can say a word Dawston comes up from behind Meriva and pulls her away.

“Meriva, come on let’s go.” Says Dawston behind her.

She grabs hold of his hoof, yet still holding her stare with Mrs. Thevan. He guides her away, and Mrs. Thevan leaves lost from view within the crowd of ponies glancing left and right as if she is in search of somepony. Dawston and Meriva stop near all of the dancers with the musicians nearby.

“Was that Mrs. Thevan? What happened?” Dawston asks.

“Well I just accidentally bumped into her and . . . I don’t know it was just a little strange.”

“Why is that?”

“I just . . . never mind.”

“You know, this music is pretty nice. Very classical.”

“Yes, it is nice.”

“Would you. . .” Dawston then takes a bow before Meriva. “Care to dance?” He asks holding his hoof out to her.

“I thought you’d never ask.” She says smiling.

Together they grab hold of each other’s hoof and join the cluster of dancers. They decide to do just what everypony else is doing, so Dawston puts his other hoof on Meriva’s waist and hers upon his shoulder. They follow the music and dance just as everypony else. Meriva and Dawston simply cannot keep their eyes off of each other. Meriva never thought she would see the day. The day that she and the stallion she had only dreamt of would hold each other hoof in hoof dancing to the sweet sound of music. Her mind, clear of any and all thoughts before this night have left for the moment. All she is left with is him, and she couldn’t be happier. Her heart fills to the brim with that special feeling, except now it is amplified so much so that it could soar across the skies. They are lost in each other’s gaze without any intention on turning away, not even for a moment. Looking back at all the moments they have spent together: they’re first meeting, first kiss, and now their first dance; she realizes that her deepest wish has come true, and with that, her cheeks turn rosy and her heart is set aflutter.

The music begins to rise in speed, and so does their hearts. Suddenly everypony halts their dancing and murmurs to each other as they all back away from the center of the room. With everyone crowding together Dawston and Meriva stop to look and notice what is causing all the commotion. Mr. and Mrs. Thevan are in the center of the ballroom dancing with the speed of the music. Their moves are so quick, so elegant. Mr. Thevan does the occasional twirl and back to Mrs. Thevan’s grasp. The both of them appear so in sync, despite everypony’s attention mainly set on Mr. Thevan for his movement. The rhythm of the music continues to pick up as well as their dancing. The music reaches its highest point with the pianist dancing his hooves over the keys, the violinists and cellists gliding their bows over the strings of their instruments with such speed, and then down to a sudden halt as the couple finishes by pressing up against each other and faces close together. Out of breath they look into each other’s eyes, and just when everypony expected them to finish with a kiss, the couple turns their heads in surprise to see everypony watching. Everyone in the room cheers and stomps their hooves against the wood floor with so much joy from the spectacle that was their dance. Dawston and Meriva glance at each other smiling, and out of their own happiness they stomp and cheer for Mr. and Mrs. Thevan with the crowd.

“Wonderful! Wonderful!” Shouts the butler as he trots up to Mr. and Mrs. Thevan. “Dear me, I haven’t seen you two dance like that since . . . well, it’s just wonderful to see you two dance again. Everypony! Let’s hear it one more time for our hosts!”

The whole room again rises in cheering, and Mr. and Mrs. Thevan, clearly nervous, take a bow before their guests and their heartwarming cheers. Soon, after some more dancing and fun, the time came for everypony to depart. Tired and exhausted everypony walks on to their homes for the night. The cool breeze is refreshing to them all from the excitement of the party as they walk home against the wind. Meriva and Dawston, hoof in hoof, walk back to her home. The wind blows fallen leaves across the path as they scrape the dirt. They can hear the trees groaning as the air pushes past them, and crickets chirping beneath the grass. Once they reach Meriva’s cottage Dawston believes it is time to end the night and head on home.

“Well, did you have fun?” He asks.

“It was the most fun I’ve had in a while.”

“Good, well I’ll uh . . . I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Dawston wait!” She calls just as he starts to turn away. “I want to go.”

“What do you mean?”

“To the mountain, I really want to go.”

“Y-You sure? I mean like I said if you really—”

“I’m sure. I believe you when you say it’s safe.”

“Okay well . . . great! Uh whenever you’re ready to go we can—”

“How about tomorrow?”

“Tomorrorw? Well-I don’t see why not. . . Alright tomorrow. How about we leave at ten in the morning?”

“Sounds great!”

Meriva trots up to Dawston and leaves a kiss on his cheek before stepping in her doorway. She gives him a wave goodbye and he, in a daze, waves back. She closes the door and begins to untighten her dress. She lays her mask on her little round table and heads upstairs to bed. About ready to fall into a dream she throws herself down onto the mattress with her dress still on. She didn’t even bother to wash off the mascara she had put on. She doesn’t quite understand what made her change her mind about the trip, but she’s glad she made it. She feels there is nothing that can make her change her mind, she has it set firm on Dawston’s words. Excited yet tired she snuggles her head into her pillow and closes her eyes, waiting for tomorrow.

After reading that chapter I could almost feel my own heart beginning to flutter as well. Such a nice little story this is turning out to be, I can see why Candle Light’s Mother enjoyed hearing this story when she was young. It’s comforting to feel this whilst being surrounded by the dangerous cold and piling snow. It’s been a little difficult reading this in the dark, so much so that my eyes are beginning to hurt from the strain. The cold as well is starting to get to me. Even with all these clothes it doesn’t make any difference compared to if my skin was bare. I look on at Twilight through the dark, and she still hasn’t budged. I’m beginning to worry, so I stand and step towards her to check for her breath, temperature, and her heart. Her heart is still a bit slow and steady; she’s still lightly breathing, but her ears, cheeks and neck are just so cold. I reach underneath the tent tarp I covered her in, and it seems to be keeping her body warmer than the rest. Hopefully it’s enough until she wakes up.

With her condition settled in my mind I turn away ready to sit myself back down against the metal wall. Just as I begin to squat down I hear something shuffle behind me. I stop, listening for the sound again; but instead I am met with silence. I look back to Twilight, and see that she is still in the same position as when I last looked at her. I pass the sound off as just snow or ice falling from or onto the train’s roof or its walls. I set myself down against the wall with a careful eye set on Twilight. After a few minutes of her still in the same position I turn away towards the book which I left open to the page I left off. I can see the big bold letters of the title for the next chapter. My curiosity drives me to pick up the book and pick back up on the story. I wonder just what might happen next. ‘Chapter Four: The Mountain’.

A knocking at Meriva’s door wakes her from her heavy sleep. Her eyes open to the sun’s rays pouring over her cheeks, but are blocked by thick masses of clouds. She stretches out her legs across her bed while sucking in a deep breath. It’s odd, because she is used to hearing birds chirp and sing every morning she woke up, but now, there are no birds. She understands that winter is on its way, but the birds never leave this early.

“Meriva! It’s Dawston! Are you just about ready to go yet?!” Dawston shouts from below her bedroom window.

In a flash Meriva jumps up and hurries to her window.

“Dawston! I-I’ll be there in a minute!” She shouts.

“Okay! I’ll wait here!”

She realizes she had overslept and that there is really no time to wait around. She grabs a brush from her make-up table and quickly brushes her mane. With her mind buzzing about she realizes that she still has her white dress on from last night. She decides to leave it on and just go as she is. Rushing down the stairs careful not trip on her skirt she meets Dawston outside who is prepared with a big backpack and a poufy jacket. He looks at her in confusion as she tries to act normal with a smile.

“Um, you’re going in that?” Dawston asks.

“Uh-yeah! I just thought I should dress for the occasion!”

“Well it shouldn’t be too bad up there, if you get cold you can just use my jacket. Alright, let’s get going shall we?”

They begin their walk to the tall mountain topped with snow, and Meriva cannot stop glancing up at the darkening sky. They leave town, the first time in a long time Meriva had actually left town for once, and are met with a large field of dry pale grass. Ahead, they can see the bottom of the mountain where they will begin their hike.

“It’s pretty convenient you live near the mountains, and you’ve never decided to come around and just check it out once in a while?” Dawston asks.

“No I . . . I figured I’d rather just stay around town. I guess I just really wasn’t interested, but I’m glad I finally get the chance to try.”

“I’m sure you’ll love it. . . Say, the clouds are getting a little dark. Perhaps a storm is on its way.”

“I hope not.”

“I think we’ll be fine; it might just pass us by.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right.” Says Meriva looking up at the slate colored clouds.

Meriva and Dawston soon begin their hike up the rocky mountainside. Careful as to not trip over any loose stones or roots coming up from the ground by the leafless trees. The higher they go the less trees and grass there are, and the air becomes colder. Meriva sees that the mountain’s walls are becoming covered in thin layers of snow as they ascend. Meriva can’t help but gaze up at the sky once more, and it seems the darkness has spread from down to the town to above the mountains. Something is wrong, she can feel it. The storm clouds don’t appear to be moving away not even the slightest. It’s almost as if they were painted directly onto the sky.

“Meriva? Are you coming?” Asks Dawston.

Meriva realizes that she has stopped walking while being lost in the clouds, so she shakes the thoughts of it out of her head and continues with Dawston.

“Sorry, I was just looking around is all.”

“Meriva, don’t be nervous. Everything’s going to be just fine, I promise.”

Meriva feels something land on her cheek. She gazes up and holds out her hoof, and a little snowflake falls upon it. The soft bundles of snow continue to fall, and Meriva and Dawston press forward. They continue, and the light of day seems to have left them quite quickly. With the clouds blocking all of the sky barely any light at all shines through. Soon, the few bundles of snow turn into many at once. The winds are growing stronger, and their visibility is dropping to nothing. The rocky path ahead is becoming drenched in the snow, and the walls as well are coated over oddly fast. They can barely see or walk through the barrier of wind constantly pushing them back, and it’s only becoming colder by the minute. The wind is so loud they can barely hear each other’s voices.

“How much farther?!” Meriva shouts.

“Not too much farther now!”

“The storm is getting worse! Should we turn back?!”

“Let’s see if we can find somewhere to maybe wait out the storm! Like a cave or something! I brought provisions so we should be okay! If it keeps getting worse then we can turn back!”

They continue up the mountain, and there is no sign of anywhere for them to possibly wait out the storm. Not a single crack or crevasse to be seen, especially with all the snow. Soon they reach a point where the snow has gotten so deep as to dig their whole hoof into. The air cuts right through Meriva’s dress, but she’d rather not complain. Most of the time Dawston hides her behind him to protect her from the winds and barrage of snow. The cold, the air, the numbing of their hooves and cheeks becomes unbearable. Meriva decides to cry out to Dawston, ready to give up.

“Dawston! Let’s turn back!”

“We can’t! We’re almost there! I know there’s a cave nearby somewhere!”

The walls of falling snow are so thick Meriva has lost complete sight of Dawston.

“Dawston! Dawston where are you?!” She cries.

But she receives no answer, just the loud hum of the winds accompany her. Again she tries, this time at the top of her lungs as loud as she can.

“Dawston!”

“I’m here; I’m here! Don’t worry I’m with you! Just hold on to my hoof and don’t let go!”

Dawston pulls her along with him against the rough winds. Meriva can’t even see his face, only his hoof as she grips it as tightly as she can. The onslaught of snow seems never-ending as every inch of space is full of it. The wind is nearly pushing them down to the ground covered by high layers of snow. Meriva can feel her skirt blowing crazily along with her tail behind her, as she shivers violently for warmth. She wants to beg Dawston to turn around and retreat back home where there’s warmth and comfort, but she can barely hear her own thoughts with the wind swirling in her ears. Until suddenly—

A sound throws my eyes off the page and all around the engine room. I see Twilight stirring about under the tent tarp as she begins mumbling. With a burst of sudden energy I lay the book face down still opened to the page I left off on and hurry to Twilight. Her eye brows are straining and her breath is quickening. She curls up her body as she mutters inaudible words or sounds under her breath.

“Twilight? . . . Twilight wake up!” I say while trying to shake her awake.

She continues to stir, but this time more violently. I can see her shivering like mad, but her forehead is dripping with sweat. I can feel my nerves are exploding not knowing what to do. All I can think to do is keep shaking her and calling her name and maybe she’ll wake up.

“Twilight! Twilight can you hear me?!”

“Stay away!” She screams.

She kicks one of her back legs into my chest knocking the air right out of my lungs. I fall down onto the hard metal floor gasping for air, and Twilight throwing off the tarp I covered her in.

“A-Aireal? Is that you? No it can’t be, it can’t be I-I saw you. . .”

“It’s . . . It’s me!” I struggle to say lacking the air.

Drawing in a breath I nearly choke on it as I try to breathe it in as quickly as possible. I try to stand up, and I realize that Twilight is silent while staring at me from against the mass of levers.

“Twilight I. . .” I try to draw in more air. “I was afraid you weren’t going to wake up. I was so scared.”

“S-Scared?”

“Yes! I was so scared that—”

“No, no you’re-you’re not Aireal. You couldn’t be I-I saw you fall!”

“Twilight, please just calm down. It’s me I—”

As I start to walk towards her she begins shouting and staying as close as she can to the engine behind her.

“You stay away from me, stay away.” She orders.

“Twilight, it’s me don’t you see? Look—”

“Stop right there! Don’t you dare come any closer! You’re a liar-you’re not him! I’m not falling for your tricks again!”

“W-What?”

“You don’t think I can see through you huh?! You’re a fake just like the others!”

“Twilight I need you to—”

“Need me?! You need me?! That’s what they said too!”

“Twilight please-it’s me y-you must’ve been having a bad dream. This is really me-I promise!”

Twilight’s face is full of fear as she quivers near the coal chute. She must be in some serious shock from whatever happened during her sleep. By the look in her eyes, it must’ve been something horrifying. I need to calm her down somehow, but her mind seems so unstable I’m afraid to even step closer. With her finally giving her voice a break from all the screaming, but still breathing uncontrollably, I find this might be the right time to act.

“Twilight, please. It’s me, see?” I say while holding out my hand to her. “This is me. It’s not a dream; I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.”

She says nothing, only cowering and keeping a close eye on me. I take one step closer, and she tenses up. I need to take this one step at a time, I got her to listen, so I must be very careful about what I do and what I say. I feel that just one wrong word spoken or one wrong move could send her permanently on the defensive.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but I’m here. I survived. . . Twilight?”

My words don’t even seem to change her horrified facial expression, not even the slightest. But I must keep trying. I’m digging around in my mind to find something that can maybe snap her out of it; to show her that I’m really me. Although, it’s hard to even convince myself that ‘I’m’ even me. There is only one thing I can think of, and that is to attack her heart with something she holds dearest. The memories of those she held close.

“Remember . . . remember when you told me about your friends?”

At the very mention of the words she jolts her head eyes focused right onto mine.

“You said they were everything to you, and that you wished you could just . . . relive those moments you all had together.”

I can see Twilight’s eyes are beginning to tremble and fill with tears. I’m getting through to her, I can feel her defenses weakening. I just have to keep pushing.

“Seeing your friends frozen in that ice . . . it must’ve been horrible for you to see. I can’t imagine the pain you felt. You told me that it was all your fault, but I know that it wasn’t. And you said you’ve always had a . . . a feeling; a feeling that ‘you’ could do something. It’s ‘because’ you’re here now that you can save them! You’re their only hope left. . .”

Twilight’s eyes can no longer handle the pressure. She collapses to the ground sobbing and weak. I take my first careful step towards her, but she is so overwhelmed by sadness she doesn’t even lift her head up as her tears flood from her eyes and onto the icy metal floor. I get as close as I can and squat down before her. I feel there’s something else I need to say, just one more.

“. . . And no matter what, you’ll go through anything just to be with them again.”

“No matter how impossible it seems.” Twilight joins in.

She lifts her head up and reveals her soaked cheeks and eyes staring into mine. I can see that in her a sort of sudden realization has occurred. She no longer stares at me in fear, but in revelation.

“. . . It really is you, b-but how?”

“I’ll tell you all about it, but first let’s. . .”

I hold my voice and notice that under Twilight’s bangs her coat appears reddish instead of purple. As I reach for her mane she pulls back out of fear.

“Hold still, just for a moment.” I say.

Proceeding to move her mane out of the way I find a big red and blue bruise on her forehead. The sight of it shocks me and sends my adrenaline running.

“You’re hurt! Uh-hold on. Just sit down and keep yourself warm, I’m going to go find something that can help.”

I guide Twilight to set herself down as I cover her back up in the tent tarp

“H-How long have I been out?” She asks.

“Since it was still light out-now just wait right there. I’ll be right back.”

I hurry out of the engine room into the much colder train cart. The snow is and has been pouring from the broken windows and has collected onto the floor. I locate the big bag I found the tent in and dig it out of the snow it has been partially buried in. I rummage through it to find anything of use. Sifting through the bundles of plastic sticks to prop up the tent and find a white bulky bag along with a smaller empty sack at the bottom. I never noticed them because I was in such a rush to get the tent out to warm up Twilight. Lifting the bulky bag out I realize that it’s much heavier than it looks. I open it up and find there are a few sealed metal cans along with assorted silverware and a can opener of sorts. The other smaller empty sack is made of a fabric that doesn’t seem to be as porous as the cloth bags, making it perfect for what I have planned. I set down the bag of cans and take the little one with me outside into the blizzard. Hurrying through the snow to the nearest window I desperately reach up and break off a few of the many icicles that have formed around the roof of the train. I rush back inside shutting the door against the winds, and with the icicles in hand I break them apart setting each broken piece onto the layers of snow piled in the train cart. One by one I drop them into the little sack which fills it up near the top. I tighten it closed and collect the heavy bag of cans and the big tent bag as well for I feel they might be of some use as well.

Reentering the engine room where Twilight is still waiting. Once she sees me with the bags her face fills with anxiety.

“Is that . . . ? Oh no please don’t let that be . . . oh it is-why? Why did this have to happen?!” She says in a fret.

“Twilight just keep calm. . .” I say.

I set down the bag of cans and walk over to Twilight who is covering her eyes with her hooves. Rolling up the big tent bag I lay it down and try to get Twilight’s attention.

“Here, just lay down and rest your head.” I say while guiding her to rest her head down onto the bag I rolled up to act as a pillow.

“Again, again more ponies lost because of me.” She says.

“Don’t say that. . . Are you listening to me?” I ask since her eyes seem to be lost looking at everything else except me.

“They took them all except for me, why? Why didn’t they . . . ?” Twilight then gasps as her eyes widen. “The stone! W-Where is it?! I-I had it—” Her voice now erratic as she lifts her head up off the bag glancing all around the room.

“Twilight please! You’re hurt and you need to rest.” I impose while trying to keep her down.

“The stone it’s somewhere around here. Aireal I think I must’ve dropped it behind all the gears and levers. It looks pretty cramped back there and I don’t think I’ll be able to reach back behind all of that.”

She finally calms down and rests her head back against the tent bag I rolled up. I don’t want her to jolt back up as I fear something might happen with her injury.

“Just lay here, and I’ll see if I can get it.” I say while gently resting the little sack of ice onto Twilight’s welt on her forehead.

I tuck her in with the tarp making sure there is no room for the cold air to enter. Her eyes stare at me in a mix of confusion and . . . flattery I believe. Her eyes follow me as I am brought with the challenge of trying to find the stone behind the mass of crushed mechanics. The spaces are so dark I can’t see anything, and they’re so thin I suppose Twilight just wouldn’t be able to fit her hooves through the spaces. I stop and think, perhaps I could find a pole or stick of some sort. But I don’t think I’ll find one in these couple carts of the train. I consider running outside and finding a tree branch to reach back there, but my body already begins to tense up just thinking about the cold. Also, what if there’s something out there just waiting for me to leave the safety of this train. It just seems like too big a risk just for a way to reach back behind the machine, but I have to get the stone out and I feel so anxious that I don’t want to wait until day time. Flustered with myself I run my hand through my hair trying to think of another way, then it hits me. I look at my hand and arm realizing that I could most definitely reach back there myself. With my arm being much thinner than Twilight’s hoof I think I could fit through the spaces.

Ready and excited to put my plan to the test I sit down near the engine and squeeze my hand through the space nearest the floor as I suspect that if she dropped it it most likely rolled behind it all. Blindly I maneuver my arm through the maze of machinery accidentally jamming my hand into many blunt and sharp pieces of metal. After a few good minutes of feeling around and trying several different openings to find the stone I’m still at a loss. While shoving my arm into another open crevasse I feel my hand hit something loose as I can hear it roll around. Afraid of hitting it again I freeze and carefully try to move my hand slowly to find the object. I fear I may have lost it after that little incident, I just hope it wasn’t the stone. Suddenly my index finger touches something small and loose. Nervously I wrap my fingers around the object and pull it out of the dark. I realize that what I have in my palm is just a metal bolt, and so a heavy sigh ensues. I toss the metal bolt into a pile of snow off to the side and resume my search.

Desperate for the stone I shove my entire arm through as the metal scratches against my shoulder. I feel around and find that beyond is a wall of metal that I cannot pass through. So, I feel around the perimeter of the wall making sure not to miss any crack or crevasse the stone could possibly be stuck in. Feeling around my hand glides over something edgy. Something has nestled itself in a fold of crushed metal. I grab hold of it and struggle to pull it loose because of how smooth the object is. However after a bit of finagling I finally get it to come loose and into the palm of my hand. I retract my arm hopeful that the object isn’t just another metal bolt, and after opening up my fist I see that it is indeed the stone.

“Have you found it? Oh, you have. Thank goodness, I thought it was lost for good.” Says Twilight. “I . . . I could’ve sworn the last time I held it it was glowing. Can I see it?”

I hand over the stone to Twilight as she holds it in her hooves carefully inspecting it front to back with her eyes fixated on its empty surface.

“Strange . . . I can sense its power but . . . it feels as though it’s weakening. It must be lying dormant for the time being to conserve its energy. I fear it won’t be long before it completely runs out.”

That means soon, we won’t have the warmth and protection this stone has granted us as long as we held it. Soon, it will be nothing more than a little glassy stone. I hope that it’ll start to glow again soon. It has saved our lives numerous times, I don’t know what would happen if we were to lose the stone and I would rather not think too much about it.

“I . . . I didn’t think the radius of its protection was broad enough to keep them protected. All because of me, ‘I’ was the one that should have known.”

“Twilight, it wasn’t your—”

“It’s because of me and my misjudgment that those monsters took them all away!”

“What do you mean? What happened?” I ask.

Twilight remains silent as she stares up at the ceiling as if lost in her own mind.

“Twilight, what happened?” I ask once more.

“After we lost you, we decided to press on as the train station was in our view. We walked and walked, we were alone but . . . I felt like we were being watched. Not a single word was shared amongst us through the whole trail of snow and ice. Finally we reached it, we wasted no time to hurry inside. That’s when we found the train, and I made sure that we stopped for a break. I could tell that everypony was tired and cold, and desperate for a moment of peace. Once we set up camp all they talked about was what might be happening to Adarrell and the rest. After they got all of that out of their system it was Wick Flame that lightened up the mood. It was then during that time that we could unwind and relieve ourselves of the stress that had built up in us. Afterwards, we found the only remaining train and that its engine was still capable of running; it just took a little engineering from Nuts-n-Bolts to get it up and fully functional. It seemed like . . . like everything was going to turn out alright. That is until . . . we began our course to Canterlot. It all seemed clear, and since it was light out we felt it was the safest time to go ahead and travel. We were wrong. The train began to shake as if something was pounding on it. We took one look out the windows and . . . we saw them. A flock of those winged monsters from before smashing into both sides of the train. They began to cling onto the roof and peck at the windows sending glass flying around the cart. We all cowered near the walls as the train rocked left and right due to their excessive ramming into its sides. We began to ascend up the mountain, and then . . . they started pecking through the roof. Tearing and peeling it apart. They stuck their big menacing heads in and snatched them away one by one. Wick Flame tried to save them, but they took him just as easily. And where was I? Cowering in the engine room! Without my magic I felt useless and helpless. I thought we were going to be safe, but they were taken right before my eyes-it didn’t matter how close together we were. After they took Wick I locked myself in the engine room, and they began to peck and bash at the door. And before the door could bust apart it all stopped, and everything went dark. . . The next thing I know I’m still in the train, still on the way to the castle. Then, I heard their voices. They looked just like them.”

Twilight’s voice is now beginning to sound hysterical.

“I-It was the sisters, Wick and the engineer. They kept calling my name, begging me for help. S-So I ran and hid in the engine room. The whole room was becoming covered in ice, and they kept pounding on the door. A-And then when they broke through the door I saw . . . her.”

“. . . Who?” I ask.

“I-It was a mare. It was hard to clearly see what she looked like, but she was mostly white, and her eyes were dark. I only caught a glimpse of her before I woke up. . . I don’t know, I suppose it was just a nightmare.”

“I’ve had nightmares too.”

“Really? And what are they like?”

“I-I’ve seen a mare too. . . She had a curly white mane, and her coat was a powdery blue. Sh-She had this flowing dress as white as the snow, and when I looked at her . . . I felt so afraid.”

Twilight seems to be very interested and a bit uneasy by my story, and without a response from her I guess I might as well keep going.

“Sometimes I . . . I hear her voice. She tells me to do things that . . . I never would do. But I listen, because I’m afraid.”

As I speak about the mare and her voice I see her image in my head, and her voice ringing in my ears. I begin to tremble, and I see Twilight glance down at my shaking hands and then back up at me. Her face is full of concern.

“I-I don’t know who she is or what she wants but . . . but she just won’t go away.”

“You’ve heard . . . her voice?”

“Y-Yes.”

Twilight looks away from me and up at the ceiling in silence. Distraught by her sudden quietness I begin to assume that maybe she believes that I’ve gone insane. Maybe I shouldn’t have told her, for all I know she might be planning her escape right now. That look on her face, she’s thinking deeply about something.

“Aireal, do you remember that night where I left camp and went into the woods?” She asks moving her eyes back towards me.

I nod, and she continues.

“I never did tell any of you why I did that did I? . . . Well, it’s because I was afraid of what you all would think of me if I told you. But now, I feel obligated. . . That night, as I slept in our tent, I was awakened by something . . . a mare’s voice. She told me that . . . that if I followed her voice, then she would take me to one of my friends. So I crept away, only to see that she was—!”

Twilight begins to become flustered.

“. . . That she was just like the rest. Frozen in that accursed ice!”

Twilight then starts to take a few consecutive deep breaths to calm herself down.

“Aireal.” She continues. “If you’re telling me the truth then that means that there are forces at work here that we don’t quite understand. Now, I don’t believe in anything supernatural-nothing even pertaining to that certain topic. I most certainly do not believe that we are having a shared delusion or anything like that, but . . . I don’t know what else it could be. This mare, or whatever she is, I feel that she plays a part in all of this. I-I just feel it. And, I have a hunch that she’s not here to be friendly. And this. . .”

Twilight then holds out the still dull stone in her hoof.

“This, is what’s going to keep us safe. It healed the one mare of her sickness, and it protected the two sisters during the invasion of the winged creatures. I just hope that it begins glowing again soon. Now Aireal, I need you to make me a promise.”

“W-What is it?”

“If either you or I see this mare again promise me, that no matter what she might do or say, you will ‘not’ let her persuade you to do or think anything. Don’t let her get inside your head. Okay?”

“Yes I-I promise.” I stutter.

“Good.”

Feeling that there really isn’t much else to be said I get up and walk over to the bulky bag. I dig around inside getting a better look at all the shiny metal tins noticing they all are unmarked. They feel a bit heavy, which only makes me even more curious as to what their contents could be.

“Hey, you never told me how you came back. I thought you were . . . gone.” Says Twilight.

“Well . . . I was falling, and an icy slide caught me. I followed it all the way down, and I hit my head pretty hard on something. When I woke up I thought I saw . . . I thought I saw Trixie. So I chased after her, only to fall again. But this time I was in a strange cave. Th-There were these stones embedded in the rocky walls just like the one you have. Then I . . . I met a mare. She was clear as glass, and she . . . she showed me things. About myself.”

“So you found the caverns huh? I was wondering what happened to them. I can’t believe the whole valley iced over. But anyway, what did you learn while you were down there?”

“Just a little bit more about my past, and a reminder of what I’m after. But, I still feel there’s so much missing.”

“Well, I’m just glad to see you alive. . . Say, what do you have there? Are those canned foods?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Here, hand me one.”

I hand Twilight one of the metal cans and she begins to inspect it.

“Hmm I don’t see a label or anything; let’s try to get it open. Do you have an opener for this?”

Reaching over I take the can back from Twilight. Digging around back in the bag I pull out the can-opener . . . except I don’t know how to use it. I stare at it blankly trying to figure out just how it works as she watches me and my cluelessness.

“You do know how to use one of those . . . right?” She asks.

“Well . . . um . . .”

“Just cut into the top around the edge, and cut all around until it comes completely off.”

With Twilight’s directions in mind I jab the sharp end of the utensil as close to the edge of the can as possible, and proceed to make several more cuts around the rim. Carefully I lift up and break off the lid to reveal the liquidly contents inside. Inside the liquid appears very brownish in color, and I can barely see anything through it except for a few brightly colored lumps of something.

“Well? What’s in it?” Twilight asks.

I reach into the bag and take out a spoon. As I stir the contents of the can I feel solid lumps moving about beneath the liquid. Lifting the spoon I find it’s caught a few pieces of chopped carrots, celery, and small noodles.

“It’s soup.” I say.

“Oh good, my stomach feels completely empty. It must’ve been days since I’ve last eaten.”

Twilight says as she stirs around under the tarp trying to sit herself up. As I hand over the open can to Twilight she takes it in her hooves. I then take out another metal can and proceed to dig the can-opener into the top as she begins to sip the soup from her can. After opening the can and grabbing the shiny silver spoon from the bag I rest against the door to the engine room with Twilight opposite of me. We spend a few silent minutes eating the cold soup, but to me, it feels just as refreshing if it were warm. The feeling of the tasty broth traveling down my throat and into my empty stomach is so blissful with the soft vegetables to fill in the gaps. Lost in the pleasure of finally filling myself with food Twilight suddenly speaks.

“I just don’t understand. . .”

“What?” I ask after swallowing the broth in my mouth.

“‘You’, I just don’t understand ‘you’. You do all this for me: you sit here for hours, keeping me warm from the cold, concerned about my injuries, and I haven’t shown a single bit of gratitude. . . Why? Why do you do it?”

“I . . . I just. . .” I trail off unable to produce an answer.

Staring at Twilight I myself begin to wonder. I mean, I just considered it to be the right thing to do. It would be painful to deal with the guilt of leaving behind a pony in need. That’s why I turned myself around after I left Twilight in the bakery. I just couldn’t do it, no matter how many times I tried to convince myself. Perhaps, I just don’t want to bear the thought of being alone. If I had to traverse these hills of snow by my lonesome I do not believe I would make it very far. All this time I’ve needed someone’s help, or even ‘something’s’ help through a tough challenge. I can’t quite recall a time where I had to fend for myself. If anything, I should be asking her why she puts up with me. I haven’t been much help on this journey. I might as well just be considered a dead weight, because that’s exactly what I am. Just a bag of flesh and bone being dragged along just waiting to be captured or torn apart by whatever awaits beyond the snow. All this time I spent thinking to myself a deep silence has fallen upon the room.

“I uh . . . I never thanked you for saving me back at my library. So, thank you.” Says Twilight.

“You’re welcome. . .”

And the night continues as the storm outside rages on. Accompanied by the wind are the sounds of snow hitting against the walls of the train and my spoon tapping the walls of my can. Neither Twilight nor I use our voices to break the constant drone of the storm, instead we sit in silence. Once our cans are cleaned dry of any left-over broth Twilight makes a suggestion.

“Why don’t we get some rest? We’re going to need it for tomorrow, we’ve got quite a hike ahead of us.” She says.

With that Twilight covers herself up in the tent tarp and rests her head down on the rolled up bag I set out for her. I stretch out my legs and with my back already against the door I rest my head back and cross my arms to try and keep warm. However, all the holes and tears in my jacket and pants don’t make it very easy. I shut my eyes and attempt to make myself comfortable, but I cannot hold my eye lids down for long as they flare back open within an instant. My hands are frozen, so I cup them together and blow my breath beneath them. As I repeat the process I rub my hands together to maybe generate some warmth, and it works, for my hands anyway. I don’t want to make too much noise as I know Twilight is trying to get some rest, and the last I would want to do is keep her awake. I draw my legs in and wrap my arms around my kneecaps. I need to fall asleep, because if I don’t then I’ll be too tired to move in the morning. Maybe if I just lay down and rest my head on the bag that held the cans I’ll eventually fall to sleep.

“ . . . Aireal.” Says Twilight startling me as I take out the extra can of soup and silverware from the bag.

“Y-Yes?”

“I have an idea.”

Twilight then digs herself out from under the tent and grasps the big rolled up bag. She tosses it over near me and she then grabs the tent tarp with her teeth and walks over to me. She fluffs her bag-pillow and sets it down alongside the bag I was planning on using.

“Go on, lay down.” She says.

Confused I lay my head down onto the bag and she lays her head down against hers. The both of us lying down she pulls the tarp over our bodies.

“There, now we both should be plenty warm through the night.”

Twilight then takes a breath and shuts her eyes as she makes herself comfortable under the tarp and her head against the bag.

“See you in the morning.” She says.

“. . . Thank you.”

“No problem, now just get some sleep.”

As Twilight tries to get to sleep I lay mystified by Twilight’s actions. I never would have expected her to be content with being ‘this’ close to me. It just feels so strange how she seems to have changed from before. But, I come to realize that I don’t feel at all tense; instead I feel . . . comfortable. I never thought I would feel comfort except for the times where I held that glowing stone. I already begin to feel warmer, but my eyes still are not relaxed as I stare up at the ceiling. They begin to restlessly jump around the room until they are captured by the story book on the floor nearby. It’s still opened and face down to the floor just how I left it. I remember I left off in the middle of something and I just have to know what happens. Besides, maybe a little bit of reading will help me sleep. Careful not to disturb Twilight I reach over and bring over the book. I hold it up and hunt for the sentence I left off on. . . Ah, here it is.

. . . The wind is nearly pushing them down to the ground covered by high layers of snow. Meriva can feel her skirt blowing crazily along with her tail behind her, as she shivers violently for warmth. She wants to beg Dawston to turn around and retreat back home where there’s warmth and comfort, but she can barely hear her own thoughts with the wind swirling in her ears. Until suddenly she feels Dawston’s hoof slip from her grasp.

“Dawston! Dawston where are you?! Dawston!” She screams.

Without a response she stops in the middle of the blizzard unsure of what to do. She looks all around at her surroundings and can barely see two feet ahead of her. She knows she can’t just stand around and freeze, she has to find Dawston . . . wherever he may be. Blindly she presses on through the snow shouting Dawston’s name without end. As she pushes her hooves into the thick snow with every step she can feel just how much deeper the snow has gotten. Her voice has grown weak, and her hooves have turned completely numb. Yet despite the cold, the pain, the misery, she still moves forward continuing her cries.

“Dawston! . . . Daws—!”

The ground beneath Meriva gives way causing her to fall and tumble down the rocky mountainside. Her legs, body and head meet the solid stone underneath the soft snow sending shrieks of pain through the entirety of her body. Her body continues to thrash about against the rocks like a doll that has been tossed away. The slope of the mountain begins to lift up and slows Meriva’s ride downward. She desperately tries to grasp something, anything to stop herself. Her body rolls off the cliff, but she is able to hang onto the edge with her numb hooves. Her bruised and battered body hangs off the edge, and she can already feel her grip loosening. The pain and fear flowing through her veins pushes tears out her eyes and whimpers out of every breath. She tries to lift her broken body up, but she doesn’t have the strength.

She can only wait until the inevitable. She loses all her grip and plummets further down the mountain. Slamming against the snow-covered rocky hill she continues her painful descent. Until her hind legs slam against the trunk of a tall pine tree, then she is tossed into a deep pile of snow. It feels like every last bone in her legs have been shattered like glass along with everything else. Her head aches horribly, and her back is completely tensed. Her eyes burn from the never-ending tears as she draws in breath after painful breath. Slowly, the pain begins to disappear, and her vision starts to blur. She cannot feel cold, nor heat; her legs, or body. Her eyes blur until the white snow turns dark, and the sounds of the harsh winds silence. The only sound she can hear is her torn heart slowing its rhythm. The doors to her eyes shut, trapping her in darkness. The thumping of her heart comes to a steady halt, and her blood turns cold.

Yet, she can feel herself . . . drifting, her mane being blown against her face. Her fore-hooves no longer numb, but her heart still feels missing. She opens the doors to her sight once again, and it’s as though she’s flying, soaring like a bird with the snow and around the mountainside. It feels like a dream, but it looks so real. She glides her eyes around the landscape, and she almost naturally outstretches her forelegs just like a bird would. She lowers her head to see the pine trees below, and she begins to descend. Afraid, she lifts her head back up, and her body is brought back up. She then begins to wonder, and leans to the left. Now soaring to the left she leans to the right, and so she soars to the right. She can feel a smile spread across her face, and she then takes full control of her flight gliding wherever she pleases. She twirls and loops in the air as she lets out a joyful laughter through her strengthened voice.

She flips herself as if she were laying along the wind as it carries her weightless body with it. She gazes up at the thick poufy clouds still pouring the snow onto the land, yet she feels not a single flake of it. Suddenly, the clouds up above begin to part away from each other as the dark cloak of the night sky is revealed, and the stares peak out through the curtain. Her eyes catch a glimpse of something white waving about near the horizon. She looks, and finds that it’s merely just her dress flowing in the wind. Playfully, she spins as her dress follows suit. Meriva fixes herself back around, and her eyes catch something down below. Along the mountainside she sees a disturbance in the snow, as if something has plowed right into it. She changes her direction to soar towards it, curious as to what it may be. She hovers nearby, and it comes clear what the object buried in the snow is. Meriva finds a mare half buried in a pile of snow, with a greyish coat and brick red mane just like her. However, it doesn’t take her very long to figure out that the mare is indeed her. In horror she stares at her own cold, stiff, lifeless body.

The wind suddenly grows stronger as the snow blows across Meriva’s face. She can feel herself filling with anxiety as she covers her eyes from the horrible sight. But she notices that something strange has happened to her hooves, they’ve become almost transparent. As she stares down at her hooves with a dropped jaw the bangs of her mane get in the way of her eyes; and as she parts them away she finds that her mane is no longer brick red, but instead a bright white. Meriva shoots up from the snow and back into the air filled with adrenaline and only one thought on her mind: Dawston. Around and around she flies by the mountain her eyes jerking left and right checking every last inch of its snowy surface shouting Dawston’s name. Her cries echo in the air and follow her by the winds. She follows the mountain all the way to its top and no sight of Dawston. She can feel herself growing feverish as her eyes fill with tears. She covers her eyes with her hooves as her tears fall straight through them. ‘This I just a dream; this is just a dream’ she repeats to herself. All she wants is to wake up; to wake up in her bed and breathe in the morning air with the sound of the chirping birds at her window.

Meriva opens her eyes, and through her hooves lights from far in the distance diffuse. Lowering her transparent hooves she sees her town as the streetlights and windows of buildings glow in the night. She must return home, and find somepony that can help her. With her teary eyes fixed on her town the winds blow and carry her towards the lights. She can feel her heart pounding, as if her heart were still in her chest.

The chapter ends and my mind is left befuddled. Could it . . . ? No, it couldn’t be. I’m sure it must just be a coincidence, there’s no way. . . I should just keep my mind off the idea. I need to get some sleep, or else I’ll be too tired in the morning. Quietly I close the book and gently lay it down on the floor next to me. Twilight is now sleeping soundly with her head nestled comfortably atop her rolled up bag. Suddenly she stirs and turns over facing towards me with her eyes still closed, and she huddles up her forelegs trying to make herself comfortable. I don’t know what it is, but I feel . . . safe. Just knowing that she’s right here lying next to me gives me this sense of security that not even the glowing stone could give. I suppose since the stone can’t speak, or feel, it just isn’t the same as having someone with you that can. I see that the tarp is starting to come away from Twilight’s body, so I carefully reach over and tuck it back so that she is completely covered. My eyes have finally grown tired, and so I gently shut them closed. And now I wait, wait for tomorrow.