Myths and Birthrights: The Archive

Myths and Birthrights

By Tundara

Part Two: Tremors in the East

Chapter Eleven: The Lost Temple

The angry glare of Sol filtered in through Bellerophon's great cabin window, casting a warm glow across Twilight's back. The sun had calmed a little since Twilight teleported the ship, perhaps understanding that the circumstances were extenuating, or perhaps Celestia had spoken with Sol. In either case, Twilight could feel the lingering gaze of the sun on her back, making her mane prickle and her hooves jitter.

Placed in front of her on the great dinner table were a series of charts. None of them showed the island. A sighting had been taken before Polaris and Regulas had both reluctantly gone back to sleep. They couldn't help again until nightfall, and neither was happy about the forced inactivity. This left Twilight on her own.

Well, not totally on her own, she corrected as she looked around the table and the ponies gathered to discuss their plans.

The ponies immediately beside Twilight were Pinkie and Rainbow, both looking pensive and concerned behind the masks they wore. Twilight had grown up being taught by Celestia and knew how to see past the fronts ponies put up. Despite the wide grin plastered across Pinkie's muzzle, or the look of indifference on Rainbow's face, both had their eyes firmly fixed on Twilight, each waiting for her to come up with a plan. Twilight didn't want to smash their hopes as her own stomach twisted in knots and the energy of another alicorn filtered through the ship much like the rays of the sun.

Around the table were also gathered Bellerophon's senior staff and officers. Hardy's face was a tight line as he glared at the empty charts. He'd very reluctantly ordered the ship to stay away from the island despite orders and threats from his princess. Near the shore almost a dozen wrecks were visible. The broken bodies of ships, some as large as the Bellerophon thrust upon rocks or dragged up onto the beach and nearly to the jungle. Instead he'd ordered the Third Lieutenant into the jolly boat with a sounding line and several of the stoutest crewmares to row. Their orders were simple; explore the near side of the cove for a safe anchorage.

Next to Hardy was the First Lieutenant, Fighting Spirit, and beside her was the Captain of the Marines, Polished Armour—a distant cousin on Twilight's foster father's side— followed by Lieutenant Prism Flux of Twilight's personal guard, with the ship's Master, Polished Sextant, at the end of the table. Across from them went Pinkie and Rainbow, then the Second Lieutenant, Poetic Verse, with Timely Crown at the end. Fleur stood in a corner, looking unsure whether to join them at the table or not. She was technically a foreigner, though she'd lived in Equestria since being a young mare, and her official role as an advisor to Twilight about the Old World amounted to nothing with Bellerophon on the precipice of danger.

Bellerophon remained a couple miles from the shore slowly making a loose circle as she waited for her officers to decide on a course of action and the jolly boat to return with the soundings.

"We should put a detachment of the marines ashore immediately and begin scouting and setting up a base-camp," Polished Armour said for the eleventh time. He'd been repeating the same thing over and over every chance he got. Twilight was beginning to get a head-ache as his grating voice echoed through her ears. She used to wonder why Shining tried to avoid their cousin, now she knew. "We can even take a few of the cannons ashore and set up a battery."

"No, that'd just work the crew to the bone and wear their hooves to stubs for nothing. Once Babbling Grin is back with the soundings we'll take Bellerophon in close to the shore and lay at anchor. She'll be able to watch a good portion of the island while the princess finds her missing stars." Hardy tapped a hoof on the table and the incorrect charts.

"I don't like the idea of the princess even going ashore, or taking the ship in that close to this island." Prism Flux grunted adjusting the longsword strapped to his side. "Especially if there is an Alicorn somewhere over there. As the encounter with the serpent showed, the princess can't properly defend herself yet."

"Hey! Twilight has done just fine in the past! I'd like to see you try to take on Nightmare Moon or Discord!" Rainbow leaned onto the table thrusting her muzzle into Prism Flux's face.

To his credit, the royal guard didn't even flinch.

"Dash," Twilight said her friend's name in a level tone, one that conveyed exasperation and a simple warning: that Twilight didn't need her protection. Cheeks turning a slight crimson, Rainbow stepped back, shooting Twilight an apologetic look while the Princess turned to Prism Flux and said, "Lieutenant, if the Alicorn on that island wants to harm me, or this ship, there is nothing anypony in this room could really do to stop it."

Taking a deep breath, Twilight turned to look out the stern windows and the island they framed. Tropical trees swayed in a gentle onshore breeze while the towering volcano sent thick plumes of smoke and ash skyward. Near the shore, she could make out the jolly boat as it continued to survey the bay.

"I'm going ashore, and there isn't anything anypony can do or say to stop me. Ankaa, Phad, and Antares need me and—,"

"Surely it'd be better to send for aid from Princesses Celestia, Luna, or Cadence, your majesty, at the very least," interrupted Polished Armour.

Several harsh glares leveled themselves on the Marine Captain. Rainbow barely contained herself from jumping up onto the table again.

Twilight considered the suggestion, and quickly dismissed it. They were too far away, a teleport would be measured in minutes, and Twilight had no way of contacting her cousins until sunset began and Celestia would extend her Awareness into the heavens to guide Sol.

"I can't wait that long, I'm afraid," Twilight said as she shook her head. Taking a deep breath to steady herself for what was to come, she added, "In fact, I can't wait any longer."

Several voices at once leapt into the cabin to protest or argue. The Second Lieutenant began to shout at Prism Flux. Polished Armour growled incredulous warnings past Hardy, who just stared at the incorrect charts on the table. Rainbow and First Lieutenant Fighting Spirit both leaned across the table, sparks shooting between their eyes as they hurled insults at each other.

The heated voices were brought to a sharp halt as a shrill whistle rippled through the cabin.

Lowering her hooves from her mouth, Pinkie scowled at each pony in turn.

"You ponies need to stop being such grumpy-gusses," she chided. "There isn't a thing anypony here could do to stop Twilight if she wants to go to that spook-a-rific island." Pinkie shuddered, a shiver working its way from the tip of her tail all the way to the end of the bouncy lock of mane hanging down in front of her face. "I have a very bad Pinkie Sense about this Twilight, but if you're going, so am I!"

"I cannot let you go unescorted, Princess," Prism Flux stated, thrusting forward his chest and chin in his golden toned royal armour.

"Wherever you go Twi, you know I'll be right there with you," Rainbow said with her customary cocky grin.

From her corner, Fleur added her voice to those offering to accompany the princess. All in all, only the ship's Captain, First Lieutenant, and Master didn't offer, their presence being more useful on the ship. Every other pony present around the table, and a few of the crew hanging about the skylight above, shouting through the glass to be heard, volunteered to go with her.

"Very good," Hardy said, stomping a hoof to gather everypony's attention. "We'll send you ashore in the tenders along with any volunteers among the crew who wish to accompany you and guard the boats while you venture ashore."

Hardy gave each pony present a chance to add their own thoughts. None did, save Twilight, who just thanked everypony. The meeting having accomplished its goals, Hardy lead a procession out onto the deck.

In the enclosed world of a ship it was impossible to contain information. Word had already spread that the princess was going ashore, so it was no surprise to the ship’s officers that two neat lines of sailors stood along the port side, embroidered scarves about their necks as if they were before an Admiral for inspection. Their stances were both loose and ordered, an air of casual pride clinging about the crew as they watched their captain, and princess. Across from the sailors stood a single line of Royal Marines, their scarlet uniforms and barding gleaming with freshness granted by careful brushing of the prime Equestrian cotton and polishing of brass buttons. The six members of Twilight's personal guard stood on either side of the door into the great cabin.

Twilight wondered for a moment what the gathered ponies expected from her. Should she give a speech? Was one necessary? Twilight had read a lot about leaders giving rousing speeches before battle or important events to stir the hearts and courage of the troops. She felt a little tingle of anxiety at the idea, and worse, the faintness of the three missing stars.

If she hadn't just expended half her magic getting to the island, she'd have forgone the whole idea of using the boats, teleporting all the volunteers to the island instead. But she had no idea what to expect, except that three of her stars were slowly fading and another alicorn was on the island. Already at a huge disadvantage, Twilight didn't want to risk expending any more of her magic unless necessary.

"Thank you, everypony," Twilight simply said, and then she walked through to the railing, and with a couple strong flaps of her wings, jumped down into the boat waiting beside the Bellerophon.

Captain Hardy gave the order for the boats to set off moments later. Dozens of sailors, each seeming as limber and bendable as Pinkie, clambering down the ships sides and into the two boats. Pushing off, the oars were shipped, and at the direction of the second lieutenant, the boats headed to the island.

Mist clung to the shore as they approached, and Twilight could feel her own apprehension rise when the keel slid into the pebble beach with a crunch. From within the shade of the jungle lingered a deathly silence. There were no birds singing, nor monkeys at play, only the slap-swish of the waves and splashing as ponies piled out into the surf and began to haul the boats out of the water.

"Princess, are you okay?" Fleur asked as she stepped up beside Twilight, breaking her out of her staring contest with the shadows clinging beneath the entwined jungle branches.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Twilight muttered as Pinkie and Rainbow joined them and she set off towards the island's heart. "The missing stars are this way."

With quick orders a portion of the crew was left behind, the rest forming around Twilight as she tried to lead the way. She wasn't really in the lead, not in the sense that she was at the front of the herd. The Marines and Royal Guards refused to have her out front where she'd be the first to be in danger. It was from the middle that she led, correcting those ponies out front if they began to move away from the direction Twilight could feel the stars. For an hour they walked, the sun beginning to crawl towards the horizon. Twilight tried to make the group move faster, but they were bogged down by numbers and the dense foliage.

She could feel that time was running out for the three missing stars, and the delays only served to make her grind her teeth.

* * *

Fleur was lost in her thoughts as they continued to trek towards the smoldering volcano. When she closed her eyes she saw the apparition that had taken her life and thrown it so drastically off course. She wished Fancy Pants was with her so he could advise her on what to do. He was so sure and gentle, knowing just what to say to calm her and make her see the truth. Without him Fleur felt more and more lost and so very alone. She barely knew Pinkie and Rainbow, and the Princess was something of an enigma.

The three had tried, in their own ways, to make Fleur feel welcomed and comfortable on the journey. Pinkie had done her best to make Fleur forget about the terror she experienced during the voyage, making little treats in the galley and sneaking them up to her friends. Rainbow had been too pre-occupied with her own issues once aboard the Bellerophon, but on the train ride to Baltimare, had regaled Fleur with stories about the various adventures she and the other Elements had been on over the years. Fleur supposed Rainbow hoped the tales would give her confidence that the princesses would figure something out. As for Twilight, Fleur had managed to find something like kinship talking about the changes both were experiencing.

Then there was her latest dream.

Fleur took a moment to brush a hoof over her lips. She could still feel a slight tingling from the dreams final moments, when the apparition residing inside had leaned forward and kissed her. Not passionately, but soft and tender.

More than the kiss, the spirit's words were what haunted Fleur's thoughts.

In the dream, Fleur stood upon a precipice overlooking the Alicorn valley, behind her the Citadel of Light stretched up the mountain with the cloud shrouded peak of Mount Alicornus and Celestia's Sanctuary hidden beyond. She felt calm, at peace as the morning sun caressed her face and made her coat tingle with radiating warmth. For the first time Fleur was completely herself and in control, not trapped within somepony else's memories.

Then Fleur felt a change in the air and the sound of hooves settling on the grass touched her ears.

Turning her head a little she gave a start as she stared at the cause of her current problems.

Within the realm of dreams the apparition was as she'd been in life: tall, proud and full of power. Except for her wings, seeing the apparition had been like looking into a mirror. Her mane was far more elegant, hanging down her left shoulder in a braid with golden wire and jewels binding it together, amethysts and blue diamonds glinting like stars. A thick golden torc almost as large as Celestia's rested around her neck, gem studded representations of Fleur's cutie mark set into the metal. Wrapped around her was a thin, white gossamer garment, trimmed with yet more gold. Gold laced sandals adorned her hooves.

After the initial shock of encountering that which had plunged her down a path she had never wanted to take, Fleur had started peppering the apparition with questions.

"I'm sorry, I am not here to answer your questions, mortal," the apparition stated with a note of disapproval. "I've come to give you a warning and an offer."

Frowning at the condescension rolling off her uninvited 'guest', Fleur snapped her mouth shut and waited.

"The one you call Twilight Sparkle is a threat to us, you must stop helping her," the apparition stepped towards the citadel's edge as she spoke, total finality making her voice heavy and almost solid enough that it made Fleur stagger back.

"A threat?" Fleur snorted, unable to keep back her incredulity. "She's been the most help to us, to me."

"She is a threat!" came the roaring response, the dream darkening and pressing in around Fleur, making her feel trapped. "I can't stop you from involving her, yet, but I can help you, reward you, if you see things my way. We do not need to be enemies and work at cross purposes." A sly smile touched her lips as she continued. "It would be the worst thing if we were to fight each other, actually. We are already under incredible strain, and it'd be all too easy for both of us to crack under the pressure."

Continuing to frown, Fleur asked, "What would occur if that were to happen?"

"We'd become like the Titans," replied the apparition. She paused a moment, and then added, "No, we'd become something much worse than even them. They simply ignored their duty to satisfy their own indulgences. We'd become a twisted and warped reflection of my glory, an abomination and plague upon all the world."

Unbidden an echoing laugh rose up through the dream, one heard across Equestria years ago, heralding eternal night.

Images began to dance before Fleur's eyes. She saw herself, wings and horn flaring, ivory barding covering her from head to hoof. A sharp yet hollow laugh rolled from her tongue as she stood in the middle of Canterlot, the city being consumed by flames.

"If we work together it won't come to that."

Shaking off the illusions, Fleur asked, "What do I have to do?"

"Lie."

Fleur tilted her head at the blunt response. She didn't have any qualms about lying per se, she had to do it often enough as Prance's ambassador to Equestria.

"In return I will lend you my strength and Wisdom."

Fleur snorted and rolled her eyes, saying, "As you did against the serpent yesterday?"

"You were never in any real danger," the apparition gave her own snort, mimicking Fleur's eye roll. "That was just an illusion. An extremely complex and elaborate one supported by other spells, but an illusion all the same. Astraea would never have been deceived like your Twilight Sparkle. She'd also have been able to slay the serpent."

"Astraea?"

Ignoring the question, the apparition instead continued as if Fleur hadn't even spoken.

"If she wasn't the Goddess of the Stars for this realm I wouldn't even consider Twilight a threat. She's so naive and untested, her knowledge of magic is limited to parlour tricks or simple utility. She has power, to be sure, but nothing to direct it towards or through." Giving a last snort, the apparition turned to Fleur. "Tell her I have left, that I've crossed over to the Elysium Fields, or something. Just convince her that you are getting better. Do this and I will grant you all that I am, and was, and will be again."

For several minutes Fleur considered the offer. The idea was tempting, almost any pony would have leapt at the gifts being offered. Fleur knew there was a catch, there always was one. Years submerged in the intrigue of court her taught her that lesson. The power itself wasn't as motivating as the fear of what would happen if she refused, if she tried to fight back.

"Celestia, aidez-moi... Oui, I accept your terms." Before the apparition could look too pleased with herself, Fleur held up a hoof and added, "Under a few conditions. First, you will tell me your name."

The apparition gave a sour pout, stepping away from Fleur and considering a flock of robins flitting around the garden. At length she said, "It could be dangerous for you to know my name now."

Shrugging, Fleur continued with her demands. "I also want to know why. Why did you pick me? What possible use could I be to you? I doubt it is access to the Embassy or inner-workings of Prance's government."

"It could very well be." The apparition gave Fleur a predatory grin. "From your memories I've seen that Prance has almost Seventy ships-of-the-line, including the impressive L'Orient. Does your precious princesses know she was built with the express purpose of fighting Equestria, and them specifically? A hundred and twenty of those cannons. Such interesting weapons. I wonder, would this citadel have fallen had such tools been available?"

Fleur stood, her face pale and her legs quivering at the apparition's words and implied threat.

"Oh doux, Celestia... How do you know of these things?" Fleur began to back away as she asked, wondering just where or what she could do to protect herself in a dream.

"The sharing of memories is not a one way transference, Fleur," replied the apparition with an airy wave of her hoof. "To actually answer your question, though, I didn't choose you. I was drawn to you, like iron is drawn to a magnet. You were simply a compatible soul that was close enough to draw my attention in my almost mindless state." Giving an almost defeated sigh, the apparition leaned on the railing, and said, "as for what I want, I want what every pony desires, Mortal or God: A chance to live. Through you I may get that chance again, but only if we work together."

"How can I trust you?" Fleur stopped backing away. Running would be completely pointless, since everything was all a dream. "You still haven't told me your name, either," Fleur added in a moment of boldness.

The apparition considered Fleur with eyes heavy with worry and a hint of anger. Fleur didn't feel like the anger was directed towards her, but rather inwardly. Abandoning the railing, the apparition approached Fleur.

"As I said, my name holds power. Power over me, in your case because of," the apparition gestured to the dream at large. "I've been trying to protect you from knowing too many of our names, especially those who came with me. If I tell you mine, will you trust me?"

"Perhaps a small amount," Fleur admitted grudgingly. "I cannot fully trust any pony who would try to steal another's life."

"That's not..." The apparition's voice trailed off in a disgruntled sigh. "Very well, I understand, and it is wise of you too."

Leaning forward, the apparition whispered in Fleur's ear, "Athena, my name was Athena."

The words were soft, sad, and held a power that jolted through Fleur.

She felt like she'd been kicked in the head by the entire Manehattan Hoofball team. Staggering back she clutched her head as each beat of her heart sent a new stab of pain deep beneath her temples. The pain was far sharper than during the encounter with Iridia.

"I'm sorry, but I did warn you," Athena said wrapping a wing around Fleur. "It will hurt only for a while."

"What... what happens now," Fleur hissed, still fighting against the throbbing in her head.

"Now we begin the next stage of our journey. Not as adversaries, but as partners," Athena said, a note of hope in her voice.

And then the apparition's lips touched Fleur's. There was a slight tingle and shock like static, but pure and sweet, not sharp and jolting.

Fleur heard something snap, like the cord of a violin breaking, dragging her from the day-dream mere moments before she walked into a tree. The memories of the previous night vanished, along with the dopey grin Fleur had begun to wear, as the rough unyielding bark smacked her in the face. A nearby marine and sailor leapt forward as Fleur fell onto her haunches, clutching her bruised nose and pride.

"Lady Fleur, are you alright?" the marine asked, his eyes scanning the jungle rather than Fleur.

"Oui, I am alright," Fleur groaned, blushing profusely and refusing to look anywhere but at her own hooves.

Before she could continue, a call from the front of the group made everypony's heart quicken.

"There is a break in the jungle and what looks to be ruins up ahead."

Fleur felt herself brushed aside as Twilight shoved her way forward, a look of singular determination on her face.

"Good, we're close, I can feel it!" the princess exclaimed, taking the lead as she stepped out into the afternoon sun.

Thankful that her faux pas was so quickly forgotten, Fleur and the rest of the group followed the princess.

They found themselves in a wide bowl within the jungle next to the volcano's base. Throughout the field stood the remnants of walls and pillars, choked by green vines, creating a patchwork maze. At the heart of the ruins stood a pyramid comprised of white marble that shone so bright it blinded those who looked towards it. Placed along what would have once been roads or thoroughfares were large statues carved from dark volcanic rock.

Trotting up to the nearest statue, Fleur tore off the vines obscuring it. At first she thought it was a pony, but there was something wrong with it. Frowning a little, she pulled off more of the vines, revealing that it had two faces, a normal one, and a second on the back of its head. Suppressing a shudder, Fleur backed away from the odd statue.

"It's a statue of a Janus," Twilight said right behind her, making Fleur jump with a small shriek. "Sorry," the princess apologised before continuing, "I read about them in The Massive Manual of Mythical Monsters. The Janus were believed to guard the Temple of Fate. It is said they were able to see both the future and past with equal and absolute clarity."

Twilight gazed up at the statue for a few more moments before she turned away and continued deeper into the ruins.

"Come on everypony, the stars should be just up ahead."

A deathly pall hung over the ponies as they followed the princess and her friends. A few of the crew looked anxiously back towards the jungle, but they all remained quiet. They were with the princess, it was the safest place they could be, they hoped.

The ground proved to be treacherous to walk across, many of the ponies slipping on loose rolling debris and gravel. A gasp escaped Fleur as she rounded a corner and peered deeper into the ruins. Bodies, dozens of them, lay strewn in haphazard clusters among the tangled vines and broken stone. They showed a breadth of age, some no more than sun bleached bones, others desiccated and weathered, the thin scraps of clothes clinging to their mummified forms.

Among the bones were small articles and items. Buttons from jackets or bits, actual coins, some marked with the stamp of Equestria, other's belonging to the First Prench Republic, or the even older Old Kingdoms from the classical era.

Fleur wasn't alone in noticing the grisly road the group walked. A light muttering began to flow from the crew, many swearing oaths to the princesses. The marines stayed silent, though their distress and concern was easily seen on their faces.

"They should be here," Twilight said as they rounded one last bend and came to what had once been a square or forum.

In the center stood a statue recognizable to every pony.

Balanced on her hind legs, forelegs tucked against her chest with imperial wings spread as if she was in flight was a statue of the Namegiver. The statue's marble mane still showed flecks of the red paint that would have once been used to make the Namegiver appear more life-like. Etched onto the flank was a quill thrust into an ink-pot, leaving no doubt about the statue's identity. Still, the statue had seen better days. One wing was broken off at the first joint, the other had lost most of its primary feathers, shattered stone littered the statue's base. Likewise, the tip of the Namegiver's horn was missing.

Twilight hardly glanced up at the statue as she began to pace back and forth in front of it, small grunts and groans of exasperated displeasure leaving her mouth every few seconds.

"Where are they? They should be right here!" she said, stomping a hoof.

"Twi, what do these funny pictures mean?" Pinkie asked. The Element of Laughter had approached the statue and was peering at the tall base and the hieroglyphs carved into its surface.

Curious herself, Fleur trotted closer to inspect the glyphs. They were written in the old pictographic style of the Ancient Era. Running her hoof over the sun smoothed stone, Fleur looked from one glyph to the next trying to puzzle out the story they told.

The first was clearly of Ioka, the Great Turtle, She Who Bears The World. The glyph was exquisite in its detail, showing the mighty mountains that grew from Ioka's shell to help balance the world, with clouds, stars, and the sun and moon hovering on either side of the disc to display night turning to day. The surface of the disc itself wasn't depicted.

Beneath the glyph of Ioka was a map and at the map's center was a symbol Fleur didn't recognise. She assumed it must have been for the island, as the location was about right.

Beside Ioka and the map were more traditional glyphs arranged in columns. Fleur couldn't read what they said, there were very few alive who could.

"What is all this?" Rainbow snorted, gesturing towards the first glyph.

"It's the world, Dash," Twilight said, still pacing in circles and staring feverishly at the ground.

"What, the world is a turtle?" Rainbow laughed, clutching her sides in the paroxysm of mirth.

"No, it rests on the shell of a turtle," Twilight continued, then she stopped her pacing and gave out a frustrated shriek. "Where are they? They are close, I can feel it."

"Princess, if the stars are not here, perhaps it would be better to return to the ship and—"

"I'm not going back to the ship, Polished!" Twilight snarled, the anger in her voice making all the nearby ponies take a step back. "I know they are here, just... beneath us?"

The last words were as much a question as a statement. Twilight snapped her head up, and Fleur could almost swear she saw a light flash above the princess' head as inspiration struck her.

"Everypony, spread out and look for someway underground. A crypt, tomb, catacomb, basement, dungeon, or something!"

Lighting her horn with a spell, Twilight began shaking her head back and forth as she trotted off, eyes scanning for some way into the earth. She'd only gone a few steps when a scream broke out from the ranks of sailors. A beige pony leapt through the air, clutching a massive stone head sticking from the ground.

"What is it? What happened? Tell me," Polished shouted as he raced through the dispersing and confused ponies, stopping right before the statue and screaming mare.

"A spider was crawling up my tail," the sailor muttered, her admission creating a chorus of laughter at her fear.

That was when the statue opened its eyes.

The sailor slowly slid down to the ground, turning in time to see the wide stares of everypony else.

"What? Is the spider still on me?" she asked, genuine panic creeping into her voice as she spun around to check her tail and mane.

"It's a Janus!" Twilight screamed the warning, her throat almost ripping as she resorted to the Royal Canterlot Voice. "A real Janus!"

The warning came too late for Polished Armour.

From out of the loose soil rose the Janus, roots snapping as it stepped from the hole it had occupied for untold years. Polished Armour turned to run, terror etched across his face. Above him the Janus raised one colossal hoof. Twilight tried to call on her magic, to grab Polished Armour and drag him out of harm's way. She was too slow. With a finality that sent tremors through the gathered ponies, the Janus took its first step, and Polished Armour was gone.

The two-faced guardian cast its gaze downward, fixating on the ponies gathered around Twilight and the hieroglyphs.

"Everypony," Twilight said, her voice sounding distant and confused in Fleur's ears, "back to the boats!"

As a single body the gathered sailors and soldiers turned, fleeing before the two-faced guardian towering over the ruins. All except four mares. Twilight stood her ground, flanked by Pinkie, Rainbow, and Fleur.

"Girls, you really should run," Twilight growled, channelling her magic into a lance of simple telekinetic force that shattered into motes of light against the Janus' chest. The guardian hardly seemed to notice the hit, taking another lumbering step out of the hole.

Rainbow gave a derisive snort, while Pinkie shook her head so rapidly Fleur was surprised it didn't pop off the pony's shoulders.

"We're sticking with you, Twi." Rainbow gave a cocky grin before launching herself into the sky, twisting around and angling her flight towards the Janus.

Fleur had heard stories of the Pegasi Legions. She was more familiar with the ones that lived in Prance, but she knew that their loyalty was unquestionable no matter the Legion. According to the reports on the Elements of Harmony, Rainbow belonged to the Stormbreakers. She was even second in line to become their Commander, after her older half-sister.

Twisting around the Janus, Rainbow struck it on the chin with a quick thrust of her hind legs. The Janus' head snapped completely around as if it was barely attached.

"Whoa, that is gross," Rainbow said as she tucked her wings to gather some speed before putting some distance between herself and the towering guardian.

Ignoring Rainbow, the Janus cast its gaze across the assorted ponies until it settled on Fleur. Never wavering, the Janus strode forward, the ruins trembling at its passage. Opening its mouth a low terrible howl, filled with the despair of a thousand wives lamenting the loss of their husbands, erupted across the ponies.

Fleur's legs began to tremble as the Janus crossed the courtyard.

Around them came the chorus of snapping vines as the smaller statues awoke. The temple ruins were filled with the staccato sounds of stone hooves striking the ground and immediately surging into a sprint, chasing after the fleeing ponies.

"Fleur, next step it takes, grab its left hind leg and pull as hard as you can," Twilight ordered, not looking towards the smaller Janus as they ran past and ignored the quartet.

Nodding weakly and gulping down a spike of fear, Fleur lowered her horn and began to gather her magic. As the Janus began the step that would carry it the last few yards to the group, Fleur and Twilight reached out together to grab the monster's legs. At once Fleur knew something was wrong. It was like trying to grab an oiled rubber ball with her hooves, her magic slipping off the Janus and finding no purchase.

"Oh, Celestia," Twilight growled half in shock and half in fear, "they are magic resistant."

Insides twisting as she released the simple spell, Fleur leapt aside at the last moment. A single massive hoof crashed down on the spot she had occupied, splintered shards of stone pattering off her coat. Gathering her hooves beneath her, and with no other thoughts besides escape, Fleur ran. Watching her with the curiosity one watches an ant looking for food, the Janus' gaze followed the fleeing unicorn, ignoring Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow.

Picking herself and Pinkie up from where they'd landed after leaping out of the guardian's path, Twilight began to issue new orders. "Dash, grab Fleur and—," the remainder of Twilight's words were lost as the ground beneath her exploded upwards, two arms black as night and filled sparkling lights and twisting purple and blue splotches, reached up, grabbing the princess and Pinkie and dragging both below.

"Twilight! Pinkie" Rainbow yelled, twisting her head between the hole and the fleeing Fleur. Suppressing a groan and following her heart, she tucked her wings and dove through the hole, leaving Fleur alone with the Janus.

Fleur had no time to wonder about what had happened to the princess or her friends before the Janus jumped forward, one massive hoof swinging sidelong towards her. Unable to avoid it, Fleur twisted and rolled with the blow, drawing on every lesson her fencing instructor had given her as a filly. Her chest and side exploded with pain as she was sent tumbling and bouncing. Gasping and choking back a cry, she slowly regained her feet.

Dispassionate in its every action, the Janus continued towards Fleur.

Scrambling backwards, she fired off a telekinetic blast that did little more than irritate the Janus, before turning and running as fast as she could deeper into the ruins.

She needed to change tactics quickly. Running was pointless and her repertoire of spells, like most unicorns, were designed for everyday living, not for combat. Worse, the magic resistant nature of the Janus made the very few that could have been used to defend herself worthless.

'You are not alone,' whispered Athena's voice. 'I will deal with this,' the dead goddess said, smoke beginning to pour from Fleur.

"I didn't agree to this," Fleur choked out ducking and weaving through a series of narrow passages.

'You cannot stop this, Mortal,' Athena said with a tone of total finality.

Staggering as walls both before and behind her were shattered underneath the Janus' hooves, Fleur felt herself fall into darkness and dreams as a cloud of dust settled on her. Snorting, the Janus cleared away the obscuring cloud, revealing Fleur, but not Fleur.

Standing tall, Athena raised herself on translucent wings, sparks arcing along her horn as a smile touched her stolen lips. A thin sheen of smoky magic clung to her like a winter cloak, wispy tendrils leaking into the air from the tip of her tail and hooves.

"Janus, you face your slayer," Athena crowed, magic sparking along Fleur's horn.

"You do not belong," the Janus responded, speaking with a thousand voices as one. "Your mere existence warps and twists the Tapestry of Fate. You must be destroyed and Fate restored to Harmony."

"Perhaps," Athena said, the whisper of laughter on the tip of her tongue. "But you lack the power to kill that which is already dead. Destroy this vessel and I will find another. Not that you'll be able to do that much."

Face impassive, the Janus lunged towards the fallen goddess.

Horn glowing brighter and brighter, Athena ducked beneath the blow and put a little distance between her and the guardian. At the ruins edge she saw the marines and sailors in a fighting retreat against the other, smaller, Janus. Like Fleur, the marines had abandoned using spells against the creatures, instead drawing their swords. At their head stood Prism Flux, the captain of Twilight's personal guard, shouting orders to the professional soldiers and sailors as he directed his blade into the neck of a Janus. The blade struck, black sand bursting from the wound as the creature fell. Two more took its place driving the desperately pressed ponies back to the very edge of the jungle.

Athena's smile grew wicked and twisted as she continued to duck and weave her way around the Janus' attacks.

From Fleur's horn thrust a spear of blinding light. Instead of launching it at the Janus, Athena grabbed the magic in an aura of telekinesis. A second spell conjured brilliant steel armour even as the spear of light began to solidify, warping and changing until a long blade of silver with a golden hilt sat in her magical grasp. The claymore hovered beside its dead mistress, an eye of ruby red glaring down upon the Janus.

With a yell, the dead goddess descended —Tartarus following in her wake— her sword screaming with all the lives it had cut down.

A blinding light flashed across the island, laying low all who gazed upon its glory. Ponies as far away as the Marelantians would claim to see the flash and hear the crack of thunder accompanying it.

Panting through her mortal shell, Athena alighted and turned to watch with grim satisfaction as the elder Janus fell, the ruins trembling and walls crumbling beneath its headless body. Smile growing wider, Athena looked upon where the ponies from the Bellerophon had been battling the other Janus, both groups staggering back to their hooves.

Flicking her translucent wings, Athena launched herself towards the renewing fray.

"Regroup, regroup," Prism Flux order, blinking his eyes to clear the spots caused by Athena's attack. The blindness passed just in time for him to see three Janus leaping forward, baring mouths filled with teeth of jagged stone.

Leaping over the Janus, Athena brought her sword down with a simple flick of magic, blade cleaving through stone as it would through water, cutting the three into halves. Landing before the surprised ponies, Athena spread her wings wide.

"Look upon me and know Death," Athena boomed to the Janus.

Standing between the two groups, the dead goddess waited with the patience of the ageless for one side to make a move. The Janus stared at her, and beyond her, and what they saw frightened them. Wordlessly they began to retreat back into the depths of the ruins.

Athena gave a smug smile.

"Lady Fleur?" Prism Flux stepped forward, his still spotty vision trying to peer through the magic clinging to Fleur.

Athena began to speak, but faltered, her features falling as her eyes rolled into the back of her head, their glow fading. Prism Flux jumped foreword to catch Fleur as she collapsed, her sword clattering onto the stone beside her.

"Mister Crown!" the lieutenant called, the surgeon making his way through the weary and wounded ponies.

Timely barely gave Fleur a cursory look before he stood back up with a snort.

"She's just suffering magical exhaustion. A good night's rest and she'll be fine," he said as he turned to tend to other ponies.

Prism nodded stiffly, a deep worried look on his face as he glanced to the ruins, and the dark forms moving about.

"We need to get back to the ship and gather reinforcements," he said at length, a note of defeat in his voice.

Placing the wounded who couldn't walk on the backs of other ponies, they began the slow trek back through the jungle and towards the beach.

* * *

Coughing, Twilight raised herself slowly to her hooves. A small circle of light splashed down upon her and Pinkie from the hole high above. Summoning a little portion of her magic, Twilight created a ball of light that lit the area revealing a truly cavernous chamber. The room was comprised of smooth stones unblemished by time. Only the hole above her head gave any change to the uniformity of the walls.

Behind her, Twilight saw in the center of the chamber a slightly raised dais, and on it a bed. Beyond the dais and bed the remainder of the chamber was cloaked in thick shadows, the light from Twilight's spell unable to penetrate.

Curiosity prickling along the back of her mane, Twilight picked herself up and began to cross the space to the bed. As she approached, Twilight could feel something was wrong. The base of her horn thrumming, each step intensifying the sensation. The other alicorn was extremely close. But Twilight and Pinkie were alone in the chamber, Twilight's friend slowly picking herself up and brushing away the dirt and debris clinging to her coat. Slowing down, Twilight frowned and narrowed her eyes on the bed, and a lump in its center.

Her stars were close, extremely close, but she wasn't sure where they were.

"Twi'! Pinkie!" Rainbow called, diving through the hole and speeding down towards her friends.

"Over here, Dash," Twilight called, waving before she jumped up onto the dais.

"Whoa, who's that," Rainbow asked, performing a running landing that brought her to a stop at the edge of the bed.

Twilight, chewing on her lower lip, found herself warring between curiosity and her desire to find the stars. Her only clue being the bed, Twilight leaned forward to see who, if anyone, was in it.

"Oh, Sweet, Merciful Celestia," Twilight cried out at once, jaw falling open. "It's Faust!"

The alicorn laid in a deep slumber, her coat the pristine white of fresh snow while her rust-red mane splayed across her pillows. Twilight sensed ancient magic, an enchantment more powerful than anything she'd encountered before, emanating from little motes of light floating about the alicorn and bed. A few of the motes clung to the alicorn's mane and wings like dust balls.

"Faust?" Rainbow frowned. "Wait, as in—."

"As in Celestia and Luna's mother... and my aunt!"

"And my prisoner," rumbled a new voice from within the shadows. "As soon you will be, Alicorn of the Stars."

From the shadow's stepped a dragon as dark as night. His black scales seemed to slough off the darkness like a snake shedding its skin, revealing thousands of bejeweled lights, each glimmering like a star as it caught and reflected the shimmer of Twilight's spell. The shadows covering the far side of the chamber fell, and Twilight saw that the shadow was itself the dragon as her light shone onto the wall beyond the beast. Raising his horn rimmed head, the dragon gave the four ponies a toothy grin.

Lifting a paw, he opened his claws to reveal the missing stars, their lights dim and fluttering.

Mistress, Ankaa choked, Run, it's a trap.

"Your little star is correct, princess; this has all been a trap, and now I will have both you and Fate."

Chuckling, the dragon lifted the stars, and before Twilight's horrified eyes he swallowed them.

"No," Twilight screamed, charging forward with Rainbow at her side.

Moving with sinewy grace, the dragon lifted himself up, wings slamming the air and sending Rainbow tumbling backwards in the sudden maelstrom. The pegasus struck the bed, grabbing covers and the bed's occupant before both were sent rolling away in a ball of sheets and kicking hooves. Gritting her teeth, Twilight fought against the wind for a moment longer than Rainbow before she too was sent tumbling, smashing into the far wall. Laughing in triumph, the dragon landed back onto all four paws and stalked towards Pinkie.

"I have no need for the so-called Elements of Harmony," the dragon mused, purple trimmed flames licking at the corners of his mouth.

"You're a big Meanie-Mc-Meanerstien!" Pinkie declared, standing her ground. "And do you know what I do to really big Meanie-Mc-Meanerstieneses?"

"You talk like a foal to them while they contemplate eating you, or just stepping on you and being done with it?" the dragon chortled darkly.

"Nope!" Pinkie bounced once, and then reached behind herself, and in a smooth motion, pulled out a cannon painted a baby blue that matched her twinkling eyes. "I give them this!" she declared tugging on the cannon's cord.

The dragon barely had time to look shocked at the cannon's appearance before flames belched and a ball of iron shot from the cannon’s mouth. The dragon roared in anger more than pain as the cannonball struck him on the shoulder and chipped a scale. Cracking like a whip, the dragon's tail lashed out at Pinkie, the earth pony barely getting out a laugh in fear before she was sent tumbling across the floor, a thin trail of crimson droplets left in her wake.

"Pinkie!" Twilight yelled, lifting a hoof towards her fallen friend.

Gritting her teeth tight, Twilight turned to glare at the laughing dragon as he clutched his claws to his belly.

"It is futile, little alicorn! Submit, and the eons will pass for you in blissful dreams."

"Never," Twilight said as she called on her magic.

Chains burst from the floor and wall, each as thick as those used for Bellerophon's anchors. Twilight grinned in grim satisfaction as the chains wrapped themselves around the dragon's neck and limbs, dragging it over backwards with a resounding  and bone numbing crash. Twilight expected the dragon to struggle and try to break the chains, but instead he laid on his back, tongue hanging from his mouth and eyes rolling into the back of his head, all sense knocked from him.

Sighing in relief, Twilight began to head towards Pinkie, but was stopped by a sharp intake of breath and moan from the pile of sheets and pony. Pinkie, already getting back onto her hooves, seemed unharmed, though her movements were wobbly and uncertain. Twilight changed direction, using her magic to pull the sheets away and revealing a groaning Rainbow and very awake alicorn.

Faust looked up, her breaths coming in short shivering gasps. Small motes of magic continued to cling to her wings and rust coloured mane. Lifting a hoof, she covered her eyes, squinting up at the hole in the chamber's roof before lowering her gaze down to chained dragon. Trying to raise herself onto her hooves, she staggered to the side only to be caught by Rainbow before she could fall.

"Careful, Princess," Rainbow said, jumping up and doing her best to support the much larger pony.

"'Princess'?" Faust repeated with a slight quirk of her brow and a hoarse laugh. "I've been called many things over the long eons, but not 'Princess'."

"You're Faust, right?" Twilight asked before Rainbow could respond, the pegasus huffing a bit but clamping her mouth shut.

"I am," she replied, still leaning against Rainbow, "And you are my niece, Twilight Sparkle. This is a surprise, I have to admit. I thought we would meet when I was brought to Canterlot to see my daughters. This is wrong, but a good kind of wrong. Something has long muddied the Tapestry and it will be interesting to see it finally resolved."

"Aren't you happy to be out of the glowie-whooshy lights?" Pinkie asked as she stumbled towards the trio and cocked her head to one side, making a flap of loose skin above her eye flop down. Twilight almost blanched as she saw the ghastly wound and the red flowing down the side of her friend's face.

"Pinkie!" Twilight exclaimed rushing over, all thoughts and questions about why her Aunt was in the temple replaced by concern for her friend. "Pinkie, are you alright?"

The question was stupid, Pinkie was far from alright. For a few moments she stood on wobbling hooves, a sloppy grin on her face, then she fell to her side like a sack of apples. Her breaths were short and shallow, a bubble of blood growing and shrinking from a nostril with the rise and fall of her chest.

"Twilight, I don't feel so good," Pinkie continued to grin as Twilight scooped up her head and rested it against her shoulder. "I think I'm going to take a little nappy-nap. Wake me in the morning, Twi..."

"Pinkie?" Twilight's voice was sharp and hoarse with panic, growing higher as Pinkie's leg went limp and her head rolled to the side. "Pinkie! No..."

"This is wrong," Faust said as she and Rainbow approached, the pegasus' face white as Faust's coat. "She's supposed to die a great-grand-mare. Everything is wrong. This isn't in the Tapestry."

"Then do something!" Twilight tried to scream the words, but all that came out was a short sob.

"I don't have the strength," Faust gave her head a slow shake, "but you do."

Twilight's eyes brightened imperceptibly. "Tell me what to do."

"You need to use four Runes; Samekh, Sewels, Berkana, and Wynnko. Samekh is the base, use it to create the matrix. Lace through it Sewels and Berkana, like bone and sinew inside a body. Can you see it?"

The moment Faust began mentioning the runes' names, Twilight had clamped her eyes shut and began to draw on her magic, all of it. She didn't care if she exhausted herself or not, she had to succeed in this spell, and there wouldn't be time to attempt a second casting. Through their touch, Twilight could feel Pinkie's heart beat, slow and so dismally faint. Fear, for Pinkie and that she wouldn't be able to cast the spell, thrummed through Twilight, making sweat prickle atop her brow.

Trying to still her own heart, Twilight concentrated on the runes and Faust's voice. The first three were easy, almost every unicorn encountered them and their teaching was common. Creating the shell of the matrix Twilight began building atop the middle rune. She felt like she recognised the created matrix, like she'd seen it in her books before. That just left the fourth rune; a rune she'd never heard about before.

Before Twilight could start to panic or question the directions, Faust continued, "Wynnko is a Lost Rune, you won't have heard of it. Picture a vertical line, the top has a short cross structure, while the bottom rests in the middle of a base twice as long. In the middle are two legs. The upper one is on the left and curve downward, the lower is on the right and turns up, together the two create an impression of a square with two corners missing."

"I got it," Twilight said, trying to project confidence she didn't feel into her voice.

"Good, Wynnko is a Life and Joy type rune and the weave’s cap. It needs to be placed at the weave’s heart, with Fire spread around the weave unevenly."

           Twilight gulped. She wanted to ask why the energy needed to be uneven. She wanted to ask far more than that one question, but it leapt up as she began to do something everypony, even Celestia, had warned her not to do; cast a spell with unharmonious energy inside the weave. Twilight could feel the wildness of the spell, the hunger, violent twisting it exhibited as it tried to wrench itself free of her horn.

She'd done something wrong, Twilight realised. She had to have done the rune wrong. No spell should have been reacting so strongly.

"You're doing it," Faust said calmly, her voice breaking through the rising tide of panic gripping Twilight. "Good, now direct it towards your friend like you would any other spell."

Trusting Faust, Twilight did as she was told, the magic hissing and bubbling from her horn like a stream of ethereal acid. Twilight grunted and ground her teeth together as the spell ate away at her remaining magic, the unfamiliar rune greedily consuming all it could reach. Panting, Twilight watched the lavender glow of her magic darken and turn a sickly green as it touched Pinkie, wrapping itself around the unconscious pony. The glow continued for a brief few seconds, before fading away.

Nothing more happened.

"It... didn't work?" Rainbow choked out the words, looking between her two friends and the alicorn leaning against her. "P-Pinkie...?"

Tears gathered in Twilight's eyes as she looked down at her friend's still form. 'It wasn't fair,' Twilight miserably thought to herself. Pinkie did everything for other ponies, dedicated her life to bringing joy and laughter wherever she went. It wasn't right or fair that Pinkie should die in such a place.

Twilight shook her head trying to deny what had happened. Pinkie wasn't gone, she couldn't be gone. At any moment she was going to leap up, a song on her lips and tell Twilight not to be such a glum-chum, or something. Between her ears, just behind the base of her horn, Twilight felt something crack and give out. Everything had gone so wrong so quickly.

'No, it isn't fair, is it? Then again, Life is not fair. It takes ponies too young, or ponies that lead good, honest lives. Just snatches them away from you. Except, this wasn't Life, it was him,' whispered a voice into Twilight's ear.

An eye twitched, an ear flicked, and Twilight turned to gaze at where the defeated dragon lay.

"You!" she roared, rising into the air with steady beats of her wings and letting Pinkie's body slip from her hooves. "You did this!"

In a flash of magic Twilight crossed the room to hover above the dragon. He stared up at her, and through her, a slight grin on his long muzzle. Letting out a scream, Twilight dove, slamming into the dragon's chest with a crack like thunder.

She didn't say anything. There were no words to convey the pain and emptiness Twilight felt, to assuage the anger that began to fill the place in her heart Pinkie had occupied. Roaring her agony to the heavens above, Twilight gathered what scraps of magic she retained. Filling her hooves with her power, she slammed down on the dragon's chest, again and again.

The chamber was filled with the repeated peels of thunder as Twilight continued to strike the dragon. A crack formed in his scales. With a burst of magic, Twilight wrenched it away to reveal a soft swirling nebula beneath. Placing a hoof on the wound Twilight could feel them, her missing stars. All three were so close to fading away entirely, to becoming naught but memory.

"Do it, show me your conviction," the dragon rumbled, a weary laugh making his star-studded form tremble.

Growling, Twilight raised herself again, ready to deliver the blow.

She was stopped by Rainbow, the pegasus holding Pinkie as she stroked her friend's mane.

"Don't do it, Twilight, you're better than him."

Hesitating and hooves trembling, Twilight stared at the wounds she had created. Beneath them she sensed the missing stars give one last trembling flicker, and then felt them no more.

For a moment more Twilight stared down at the dragon. In a wordless scream Twilight shouted all her hate and agony. Had she been a sword, her heart would have been her blade and she would have driven herself deep into his chest. But she wavered, lowering herself back to the dragon's chest as defeat and despair overcame her. She had failed. Failed her friend, failed her stars.

As much as she hated the beast beneath her, she hated herself more. Twilight hated the guilt twisting and churning inside her gut. Her cousin, her stars, Pinkie; she'd failed all of them. Maybe if she'd been stronger, or faster, or knew more magic, she could have saved them.

Tears threatening to spill from her eyes, Twilight whispered, "No, Pinkie would not want this."

"I wouldn't want what?" Pinkie's chipper voice cut through the haze of sadness clutching Twilight.

Snapping her eyes to her friends, Twilight was dumbfounded to see Pinkie's clear blue eyes gazing up at her. Rainbow looked absolutely shocked, her mouth hanging open as Pinkie squirmed into a sitting posture.

"Ook, my little head feels like Pappy Pie just used it to break open a rock," Pinkie groaned, rubbing her temples.

She didn't get a chance to say anything else as she was engulfed in a set of purple wings, Twilight clutching Pinkie tight to her chest.

"I—I thought we'd lost you," Twilight said, face buried in Pinkie's bouncy mane.

Twilight felt Rainbow join the hug, the pegasus' wet face burying into Pinkie's other side.

"Lost me? But I didn't go anywhere!" Pinkie protested, trying to tilt her head but unable to as her friends pressed in tighter.

After a few moments, Twilight pushed Pinkie back and looked her friend over. Pinkie looked fine, the only sign she'd ever been hurt a long scar running across Pinkie's brow and down to her jaw.

"Wow, nice scar, Pinks," Rainbow said through a wet chuckle as she rubbed furiously at her eyes to clear away her tears.

"Scar? I got a scar?" Pinkie blinked a few times in shock, then her wide grin grew to cover her face. "Ooo, is it big and nasty? A real spoocktacular one? Ooo, I'm going to have to come up with some really good stories about how I got it!" Pinkie clapped her hooves together as she laughed.

Twilight and Rainbow joined in on her infectious humour, the later saying, "Pinkie, I think the truth is at least ten times cooler than any story you could come up with! As soon as you say, 'I got it fighting a dragon made up shadows' ponies will know how awesome you are."

"As awesome as you, Dashie?"

Rainbow hesitated, then said, "Yeah, at least as awesome as me."

A polite cough behind them made the three jubilant mares turn to regard Faust. The alicorn sat gazing up at the bound form of the dragon, a polite mask of indifference on her face. It shouldn't have surprised Twilight how much the look reminded her of Celestia.

"What do you plan to do with him?" Faust asked, gesturing to the dragon.

Twilight considered for a moment, then said, "Nothing, I guess."

"What?" Rainbow almost exploded, her features darkening. "He almost killed Pinkie! He ate your stars! And you're just going to let him get away with it?"

"No," Twilight said at length. "But I can't kill him. We'll leave him here, trapped as Aunt Faust was trapped. What else can I do?"

The dragon chuckled, lifting his head until the chains over his neck began to strain. With a sound like shattering crystal, the chains snapped one by one, the dragon rolling onto his stomach before standing and stretching.

"Your judgement would be fair, if you could contain me here, Twilight Sparkle, Alicorn of the Stars and Wishes," the dragon chortled as he gave his wings a short flap.

Twilight just glared.

"You could have done that the entire time, couldn't you?" She accused.

"Yes, but I was curious to see if you would try to destroy me or not. Or if worse would happen. Congratulations, you passed this test."

"Test? Test!" Twilight's eye began to twitch frantically and she had to take a very slow breath to prevent herself from launching herself at the dragon again. "You call all this a test?"

"Yes," the dragon dipped his head down so he was eye level with Twilight. "As was the serpent. You did so poorly against that test that I felt certain you would fail here as well."

Grinding her teeth together, Twilight had to bite her tongue, hard, to hold back the litany of curses she wanted to level at the dragon. Chuckling, the dragon opened his mouth, three faint motes of light spilling out onto the floor.

Twilight's anger vanished in a flash, her wings swooshing open as she jumped forward, three names laughing from her tongue.  "Ankaa, Phad, Antares!" she cried, scooping the three stars up into her hooves. The energy coming from the three was weak, almost non-existent. Cooing softly to the three, Twilight closed her eyes, sending some of her own magic down into the stars until their light began to grow. Draping her mane over the stars, Twilight opened the conduit up to the heavens, sending the three up to their beds high above. The sun didn't even protest or attempt to bar the passage of the stars.

"You never intended to destroy them, did you?" Twilight asked, relief for Pinkie and her stars making her body sag.

"No. That they had to be harmed at all was a necessary evil. I had to be certain that you would not succumb to madness and despair as so many other alicorns have done. The nightmares and terrors your kind can unleash when you fall is terrible indeed. There was a moment where I thought you were going to surrender to your despair and anger."

"What would you have done if I had fallen or given in?" Twilight narrowed her eyes up at the dragon.

"I would have attempted to contain you here in this prison with the aid of the Alicorn of Fate," the dragon admitted sheepishly.

Faust gave a mirthless laugh. "You would have failed, spectacularly, Draco," she said. "When my niece falls you will find yourself completely under her power. You would have been her first and mightiest ally."

"Draco? As in the constellation Draco?" Twilight pinched her brows together before realization hit her. "You're a Stellar Beast, not a dragon!"

Draco dipped his muzzle in a slight nod.

"I never said I was a dragon," he rumbled, clutching his star studded belly.

Slapping a hoof to her face, Twilight let out a groan. "I should have known! You look a lot like the Ursas."

Draco's face fell flat. "Please, don't put me in the same lot as those bears." Huffing a little, he extended a single claw, holding it before Twilight. "You have my apologies for putting you through these trials, Princess."

Twilight said nothing. She  just turned away from the Stellar Beast and approached her aunt. Faust's expression was utterly unreadable. It could give Celestia's Serenity a run for its bits. The older alicorn, much older Twilight realised, just sat staring off into space. Every few moments her eyes would twitch as if she was reading a missive and her lips would move as though she were speaking before returning to stony neutrality.

"So, what happens now?"

Blinking away the daze, Faust quirked a brow and said, "we leave. For one and a half thousand years I have been prisoner in this place. It will be good to stretch my wings and legs."

"No, I meant right now!" Twilight gave an exasperated grunt, gesturing towards the Stellar Beast. "What do we do with him!"

Blinking like she'd just stepped out into the sun, Faust looked between the two, and frowned.

"Do we have to do anything?"

"He hurt ponies, he can't just get away with that!" Rainbow shouted, fluttering up on her wings while glowering up at Draco. "Pinkie almost died! And... others did," Rainbow finished, her voice and wings dropping until she stood, sagging, on the ground.

"Ah," Faust said, sitting straighter as comprehension dawned. She grew quiet again afterwards, her sight growing distant. "Eight ponies have, or will, die from today's events. I cannot see whom, precisely, the eight are. The Weave of Fate is too muddied right now."

"That is not my fault," Draco rumbled, his wings bristling at the accusations. "The Janus killed those ponies, not I."

"But you lured us here!" Twilight snarled, her wings flaring. Unbidden, the last image of Polished Armour danced before her eyes, making her heart race and blood boil. "You are responsible."

"Responsible? For the death of a few ponies? What does it matter? They live such short lives regardless. Today or in fifty years, it doesn't matter. Death is death, and it comes for all of them far too swiftly." Snorting a puff of black smoke, Draco began to slink back into the shadows, his star studded form slowly dissolving away. "Besides, there is nothing you can do to me with your present knowledge. Perhaps, in time, you'd be able to do something, but not now, not today. We will meet again, Alicorn of the Stars."

Draco laughed as the last of his form vanished, his deep rumbling voice lingering for a few moments before fading.

"So, he just gets away with all of it?" Twilight grumbled, her shoulders sagging a little. "With keeping you a prisoner. With getting ponies killed. With stealing my stars. He just, gets away with it?"

"For today," Faust said as she continued to gaze up at the sky through the hole. "Perhaps for a long time. I cannot see the weave so well where monsters and spirits are concerned. Also, he wasn't my jailor. The Stellar Beasts hadn't been created when I was locked away in here. My little Lulu sure made a mess of things when she fell, didn't she?"

Twilight felt like Faust's words had plunged her into icy water. Slowly working her mouth until words came out, Twilight said, "Luna? She created the Stellar Beasts?"

"Oh, yes." Faust nodded emphatically, licking her lips a little as her wings began to tease and test the air. "Didn't she tell you? Why do you think the stars hate her so much? All the Stellar Beasts were once stars. Stars she tore down from the night to use as weapons against her sister. The stars turned on her because of it. Draco was once Dsiban. Lulu ripped her from the sky and reformed her as Draco, stealing away everything about her."

"Um, what?" Rainbow's eyes took on a decidedly glazed look as she tried to understand what she was hearing. "But, Twilight said the stars are mares..."

"Technically the stars have no gender, actually," Faust replied, cantering around the patch of light cast by the hole above. "We just refer and think to them as mares because we are a mare dominated society. To the griffons, stars are masculine." Stopping her pacing, her wings almost jittering with anticipation, Faust added, "Are you three coming?"

Without waiting for a response, the Goddess of Fate leapt straight up, her majestic wings stroking the air tenderly, like it was the face of a lover. A laugh, pure and sweet, tickled her throat as she tucked her wings moments before bursting through the hole.

Sighing, Twilight looked to Rainbow, the pegasus smirking as she kicked up into the air and gave chase.

"Come on, Pinkie," Twilight said, fluttering her own wings and waiting for Pinkie to jump onto her back. Still not very comfortable flying, Twilight began to gather herself to follow, then realised it was a rather silly idea. Instead, she used a little of her remaining magic to teleport back to the surface.

* * *

The Bellerophon sat comfortably under trimmed sails, the Lost Island far astern and nothing more than a dull shape against the setting sun.

Captain Hardy stood at the starboard rail. Before him was a short lectern, and upon the lectern a book bound in black leather. A red marker lay across the open pages of the book.

To the captains left stood Princess Twilight and Faust. Both looked a combination of exhausted and bruised, dark welts showing underneath Twilight's coat where Draco had hurled her against the caverns wall. They'd heal quickly she knew, and for the time being she carried the reminders of the battle with something akin to pride. She wasn't truly proud, Twilight didn't revel in battle like some, but she was glad that ponies could see she was capable of protecting herself.

Clearing his throat, Captain Hardy spoke in his strong voice, "It is the duty of a Captain to perform the Rites of Passage. As the sun must set, so too must life end. We gather here this evening to commit our dead to the sea, so that their bodies may rejoin the world even as their souls journey ahead to the fields of Elysium. There they shall wait until we too join them. May they know not care nor worry as they bask in Celestia's light, and may they be sheltered beneath her wings in death as they were in life. May we remember them as they were and strive to live up to those memories.

"Let their names be recorded, so that none will forget the sacrifice they made so that all ponies may know peace.

"Precious Smile, Marine.

"Little Seaweed, Able Seamare.

"Big Seaweed, Able Seamare.

"Sounding Trumpet, Marine.

"Wayward Star, Boson's Mate.

"Stalwart Wall, Private of the Royal Guard.

"Fleeting Swirl, Marine.

"Polished Armour, Captain of the Marines.

"Forgive them, Celestia, for their transgressions in life, as we forgive those who transgress against us, and ask those that we have transgressed against forgive us in turn. Bring the sun and the day, and let us eat our bread in peace and harmony. Amen."

"Amen," chorused five hundred voices, Twilight's among them. Only Faust remained silent, staring intently at Fleur with narrowed eyes.