Of Magic and Machinery

Chapter III, Part II: She Used What?!

Trotting alongside two stallions clad in brown armor was a copper-colored unicorn that had grey spots here and there, including a section of horn that didn’t match up with the others. He had a blond mane tied back, and an ostentatious feather jutting from the side of his head. He wore colorful, abstract robes, and his concealed mark was a smiling theater mask.

“Hrumph! Emperor Gestahl’s stupid orders! These recon jobs are the pits!” He complained before rising up onto his hind hooves and flailing his front ones at the bright skies above. “Edgar, YOU PINHEAD! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE?!” The stallion then reverted to all fours and looked at his forelegs. “Erhem, there’s SAND on my hooves!”

The two soldiers accompanying him stopped in their tracks, eyes wide as dinner plates as they then turned around and hastily scrubbed the unicorn’s legs with cloth rags. Once finished, they held one hoof in salute and shouted “Yes, sir! All set, sir!” in unison.

The stallion cackled maniacally before mumbling “Idiots” to himself. He then trotted towards the doors, and the guard stopped him without drawing his blade.

“Sir Kefka?! What on earth do--” The stallion started.

“Outta my way!” Kefka cried, kicking the guard aside before barging into the double doors. He then exited out, and the soldiers stood before him as Edgar exited out from the other side and made his way to them.

Edgar turned to the first armored stallion and said, “I thought we were allies! What’re you doing in my domain?” The stallion didn’t answer, and he turned to the second. “You’ve been busy down south! Looking for more cities to destroy?”

“That’s for us to know.” Hissed the second armored pony quickly as Edgar turned his attention to the unicorn stallion.

“What brings Kefka, humble servant of Emperor Gestahl, into our lowly presence?” Edgar asked, trying not to show any signs of shock.

“A mare of no importance recently escaped from us. We heard she found refuge here…” Kefka answered, glaring at Edgar as though he were a foe.

Edgar turned around and stepped away, then stopped to look to his right at nothing in particular. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with this ‘witch’ everyone’s been whispering about, would it?” He asked, sounding worried.

“Lies!” Kefka shrieked as if surprised, “She merely...stole something of minor value. Is she here?”

Edgar turned to him and sighed. “That’s a tough one.” He then trotted towards Kefka again before continuing, “You see, there’s more mares here than the grains of desert sand out there. I can’t keep track of ‘em all!”

“I’d hate to be you if we found out you were lying…” Kefka mumbled before letting a laugh escape his throat. He then turned around and began trotting away, but stopped before glancing at Edgar. “I hope nothing happens to your precious Figaro…” He mumbled before going about on his merry way, the stallions in brown armor following suit.

Edgar turned around and began making his way back to the throne, but then stopped when he noticed Locke sitting on his rump before the doors.

“That colt’s missing quite a few buttons…” The pegasus sighed.

Edgar was silent for a moment before he spoke, “Where’s Terra?”

The doors behind Locke opened, and standing behind the pegasus was the pink mare who looked as confused as ever.

Edgar turned around, and Locke rose up to follow him. They exchanged glances. “Take her to her room.”

Locke nodded as Edgar trotted up to Terra.

“I’d love to stay and chat with you, but the chancellor and I must plan our strategy. Sometimes, I hate being a king! If you’ll excuse me.” Edgar sighed, trotting past Terra as if in some sort of hurry.

“Follow me.” Locke commented, motioning for the unicorn to do as told with a hoof before bounding off into the left compartment. Terra followed, finding herself in a small library with another flight of stairs. She soon found herself in the other tower, where Locke was waiting for her.

“Don’t worry about a thing! I’ll-” Locke started.

“You’re Locke, right? Edgar told me all about you.” Terra cut him off, “Is it true you’re a thief?”

“That’s TREASURE HUNTER!” Locke snapped before trotting around Terra and sighing. “Edgar may seem to support the Empire on the outside, but the truth is he’s actually collaborating with the Returners, an underground resistance movement opposed to the Empire. I’m his contact with that group…” He paused, glancing at the unicorn, “that old stallion you met in Narshe is one of us.”

Terra now looked worried as her ears fell flat and eyes went wide. “Empire...but I’m a soldier of the Empire…!” She almost shrieked, stomping a hoof in a pouting manner.

“That’s not true! They were using you! Things are different now.” Locke replied, anger and anguish lingering in his voice, but Terra could not tell which one of the two was taking precedence.

Terra turned away and shook her head. “I don’t understand...what should I do?” She asked, ears still flat on her head.

Locke trotted to her and patted her back with a hoof. “I can’t tell you what to do. You don’t have to decide right now. You’ll soon find your way…” He answered before trotting down the stairs and out the tower.

Terra looked at the floor rather pitifully. “But how will I know which way is right…?” She mumbled to herself.

Edgar slowly rose from his bed, his senses still numb from sleep. He yawned and shambled out of the bedchambers before an odd smell hit his nose. Then, the sounds of panicking ponies hit his ears.

“...What the…?” He mumbled before rushing out of the tower to find that much of the castle was ablaze. He ran up to the top of the castle and bumped into a guard who was commencing with total freak-out mode. “What’s happening?!”

“It’s the Empire! It’s Kefka!” Cried the guard, who ran past Edgar right as the copper unicorn appeared with a twisted grin on his muzzle.

“What are you doing?!” Edgar cried, trotting right up to Kefka.

“Bring me the mare NOW!” Kefka demanded, stomping his hoof in fury.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about!” Edgar replied, ears flat on his head.

“Then welcome to my barbeque!” Kefka taunted before laughing like a maniac.

Edgar turned around and trotted towards the throne room, seeing a guard stand before the doors. “Get ready.” He said.

“Yes, sir!” Replied the guard as he turned tail and ran inside.

Kefka trotted up behind Edgar. “Changed your mind?” He asked, still grinning.

“Looks like I don’t have a choice…” Edgar mumbled as he trotted to the edge of the castle wall and whistled loudly. Next to the burning castle came three great yellow birds, each pulling a gladiator’s carriage. Edgar jumped down and landed into one on his hooves. “Or maybe I do!” The bird he now controlled circled the castle, followed closely behind the other two.

“Aaack! Shameful that a king should leave his people to burn! How utterly delightful!” Kefka chimed, the sick grin never once leaving his muzzle.

The birds ran under a bridge. “Jump!” Edgar cried, and two more ponies--a pegasus and unicorn--did as told, landing into their carriages as well. As his bird ran around to the entrance of the castle, he yelled out “Dive now!” as Kefka left the building.

“Yahooo!” Locke cried eagerly as his bird fled the burning building, which soon began to shake as the towers pulled themselves closer and closer to the main compartment.

“Figaro submerge mode activate!” Called a guard as he fled inside.

“Nopony can defeat the people of Figaro!” Cried the chancellor as he too stowed himself away. The castle then began to sink under the sand, and all entrances within were sealed shut.

Kefka lay on his backside in the sand. He soon rose, shook his head, and pointed at the three ponies who fled from him using birds. “GO! GET THEM!” He cried with a scowl on his face.

Two stallions piloting Horntek Armor quickly rushed past him, and they quickly caught up with the ponies using birds. One opened its maw and fired a blue laser at Terra, who ducked for cover in the safety of her carriage. Her bird circled the Armor, and she rose up with her horn crackling to life with embers. Then, she flung a bolt of fire at the Armor right as it opened its maw, causing it to explode into a million pieces.

The second Horntek Armor fired another laser at Edgar, who ducked and then emerged with a crossbow loaded into his hooves. It fired arrow-shaped bolts of metal at the behemoth, and all it did was agitate the pilot who then became nothing but burning flesh for some reason. The Armor then exploded, and the king of Figaro laid his eyes on Terra, whose horn was still glowing with fire.

Edgar’s jaw dropped and his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets at the sight. Locke’s carriage ran next to his, keeping up in perfect tempo as the trio circled Kefka. “What’s wrong, Edgar? You look positively spooked!”

“D-d-d-d-d-d-did you j-just see w-what I s-saw?” Edgar asked, pointing at Terra.

Locke glanced at the unicorn. “Yeah, this filly seems loaded for real…”

“She’s amazing! That was magic! M-A-G-I-C!” Edgar cried, flailing his hooves about.

Locke’s eyes went wide. “M-M-M-M-M-M-MAGIC!? She used magic?!”

Both stallions then whispered to each other frantically before their carriages caught up with Terra’s.

“Terra, where on earth did you learn that?” Edgar asked.

“Sorry...I...um…” Terra stuttered, looking away from them as she spoke.

Edgar’s hooves slipped, and he fell to the floor of his carriage rather clumsily.

“Sorry, Terra. I didn’t mean to make such a big deal out of this…” Locke said awkwardly.

“Me either.” Edgar chimed as he repositioned himself on all fours. “It’s just that I’ve never SEEN magic before. Where did you…?”

“Look, Edgar. She can use magic, and we can’t--that’s the only difference between us. Right now, we could use her help!” Locke said, smiling faintly.

Terra looked at them. “Thank you, Locke and Edgar!” She said, smiling.

Edgar then turned to where his castle once stood. “Bravo, Figaro!” He cried, smiling wide.

Kefka started jumping in place. “Son of a submariner! They’ll pay for this…!” He cursed as the bird-piloting trio dashed off into the distance.

“Whoo! This is great!” Locke chimed happily, wings spread wide in a proud manner.

“W...was that a bad pony? I’m...s-scared…” Terra muttered, ears flat on her head.

Edgar’s carriage moved next to hers. “Terra, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.” He said.

Locke’s carriage proceeded to mimic Edgar’s. “We’re members of the Returners.” He chimed, smiling.

“Our mentor, Banon, would certainly like to meet you.” Edgar added, flashing Terra another grin. “Magic is going to be the key to winning this war.”

“Magic…” Terra murmured.

Edgar looked at Locke. “Terra has magical powers. That esper seemed to react to her...can there be some connection?” He asked worriedly.

Terra snapped, “I haven’t the foggiest! It just seems natural to me that I have use of this power…”

“But no PONY is born with the powers you seem to have, and…” Edgar started, only to stop as Terra’s bird and carriage came to a sudden halt. He grabbed the harness of his bird and forced it to turn back to the unicorn. “I apologize…”

“What should I do…?” Terra asked, head hanging in shame.

“I’m sure the Empire is going to come after you...if they get their hooves on you again, the world’s finished…Terra, you want to understand your own powers, right?” Edgar asked, frowning.

Locke’s bird also re-directed him to the unicorn. Terra remained silent.

“Then, I think we need to consult with Banon…” Edgar sighed, blinking a few times.

“Please…” Locke pleaded, only to frown as well when Terra failed to answer.

“Okay, to the south of here, there’s a cave that leads to South Figaro…” Edgar sighed again, his ears now flat on his head. He grabbed the harnesses again, and his bird took off. Locke and Terra followed suit, and none exchanged words with the others.

After a few moments, they found a cavern at the foot of a mountain that sat on the very edge of the desert. In front of it stood a guard from Figaro.

“King Edgar! Where are you headed?” Asked the guard.

“Through this cave, and eastward to South Figaro. Get to the castle and tell everypony we’re safe.” Edgar replied, smiling as he got out of his carriage. Locke and Terra dismounted as well with haste.

“Yes, sir! Take care!” Said the guard, getting into his own carriage and driving the bird away. The other three followed close behind. In a few moments, the whole lot was but a speck of black in the distance.

The trio went inside the cave, dismal darkness greeting them as soon as they set hoof within. As they left the light radiating from outside, Terra’s horn started to glow once more in soft embers. All took a right, but not before drinking some water from a nearby spring. They found a set of stairs that led them deeper in the cave, this time with an area that already had torches present.

They took another right, then a left down a rocky corridor which led them to another flight of stairs. They found another set of stairs going down soon afterwards and took it before finding another entrance in the caves. Terra’s horn had ceased glowing as they stepped into the outside world once again, this time with a town in the distance.