The Other Side of Nirn

Chapter 5: Awakening

Bonde’s eyes fluttered open, protesting at the sudden movement. ‘Where…’ she thought before she remembered. She was in a strange room, on some sort of bed. The first sense she got while she was looking around was a chapel, where she was healed once to keep her from dying. When she looked around…

No. she couldn’t let her mind drift. There’s no telling where they were. She knew that there was a chance that nopony here would hurt them, but...

“Are they going to be alright?” asked a familiar voice.

“Yes, don’t you worry. You were just exhausted. What amazes me is what you all did,” said another voice. She had interpreted the first to be Auron, so she was no doubt safe, but who was the other?

“It was Mace’s idea, she deserves the credit. The rest of us just went with her plan,” said Auron. She realized they were coming to the door and quickly got back down to seem like she was asleep.

“Hard Mace! Your awake!” said Auron, who she had just noticed had not made a name. ‘Oh no, what if he already made one and-‘

Her thoughts were cut when the one next to Auron said his name. “She needs to get rest Mr. Surecut. You have five minutes.”

“Thank you Nurse Redheart,” he said with a slight bow.

“So who else is awake?” Bonde asked as Nurse Redheart left the room.

“Just us two right now,” he said as he got close to her ear to whisper to her, “I have Dylan’s name listed as Quick Slice, a small favor I figured I owed him for back at the Imperial Invasion,” whispered Auron.

The Imperial Invasion was an assault on the Imperial City led primarily by Jordan. Auron would have died at Jordan’s blade tip had Dylan not intervened and stabbed Jordan. What Dylan used was a poison that neutralized his dagger’s enchantments and paralyzed Jordan. When the war was won, Jordan was placed in prison, alive only because he was Sadie’s brother.

“When can I get out?” Bonde asked, eager to look around.

“In about three days. 'Til then, just hang tight.”

“Very well,” said Bonde. She disliked needing to wait but as a brilliant strategist in battles, she knew that patience was required in everything, even in… wherever she was. It looked similar to a chapel but seemed more advanced then what those in Tamriel used. 'Could this be the other side of our world? Could this be…'

“So is that filly yours?” she heard someone ask. She had often been asked a question like that when she took care of Dylan, and she had no doubt the question was directed towards her. What should she say? That Dylan’s parents were killed and he was an orphan? Yes and she was with a pegasus? The first sounded far better and more likely, plus not as much suspicion would be raised from it. Unless they asked what happened to his parents, and it wasn’t likely werewolves and vampires resided in this place’s caves.

That’s it! “His parents died in a cave and I found him hiding in the woods. I’ve taken care of him and found some friends along the way and we formed a little group,” she said. It wasn’t a full lie. It wasn’t a full truth either but it wasn’t a full lie.

“Oh why that poor filly. How’d he survive?” asked the nurse.

‘You’d be surprised,’ thought Bonde as she looked to where she could hear Dylan’s frightened noises.

Sadie woke up about an hour later and was in another room. It took the full town of where they were (which was known as Ponyville) about 2 hours to catch him, due to the fact he kept teleporting and turning invisible, plus add the fact he was one of the most brilliant spell makers of Tamriel. He had even made a spell to increase his speed three-fold and to allow him to jump four times higher than normal. When they finely caught him, a Purple unicorn had neutralized his magic (which took a lot of effort on her part) while Bonde explained to Sadie that there was no reason to panic. After about 5 minutes of explaining and 15 minutes of convincing, Sadie calmed down and introduced himself as Fire Sword.

They were given the opportunity to leave the hospital and stay at the inn, but Bonde and Auron explained they had no money.

“That shouldn’t be a problem, there’s plenty of jobs in Ponyville,” said the purple mare. Bonde looked her up and down, taking note of distinguishing features. She had a darker violet mane and tail with a pink stripe going through both, and a cutie mark of a six-pointed star with smaller stars surrounding it. Bonde thought she recognized the purple unicorn from somewhere but couldn’t quite place it.

“Thank you, but we don’t like to stay anywhere too long. Gets a tad boring when you do the same thing over and over,” said Bonde, hoping she had not upset the mare.

“I understand. A great way to get money for you might be to help my friend Applejack.” Great, now she HAD to accept or upset, and in her past, it’s better to accept a quick job. Course, they needed the money, and it could help them with getting a place to rest once everyone else finely woke up.

“I accept the offer for now,” Bonde answered politely as she bowed. She motioned for Auron and Sadie to do the same, and they too accepted. “However for now, I would like to check on Quick Slice,” she said.

“I’ll look around and see if I can find any unique plants,” Sadie said quietly to Bonde as he walked away.

Dylan looked around him but couldn’t figure out where he was. Then it hit him, Bloodcrest Cavern, the place where his parents had been killed, or at least his father. His mother he knew was still alive due to one of his dagger’s enchantments. He then heard a laugh all too familiar.

“The great child who can kill victims,” said Jordan’s voice.

“Where are you?!” Dylan shouted.

“Why? So you can kill another victim?”

“Your no victim, you’re a murderer!” shouted Dylan. Jordan was the full reason he was separated from his mother and his father being dead. Jordan should have died in the war.

“And you’re the avenger? The justifier? What are you if I’m a killer?”

Dylan remained silent. It was partly true; no one chose to become a vampire. But it was them who give in to their instincts.

Suddenly, his eyes opened, and before he could even move, a vision enveloped him.

He was in a cell as a pony, hearing screams from somewhere. He couldn’t get out no matter what he tried. His magic was cut off and his wings were useless because of the walls and roof. He could smell death from around him, and he knew where ONE single, unique scent came from. The scent of Nightshade and Deathbell mixed together. The scent of poison. He then saw an Imperial with golden eyes, red hair like his. He saw her in pain… and he could do nothing to help her. Could that be his… his mother?

Suddenly, his vision released him, and he saw somepony watching him. They looked at him with a look of worry and pity. They had eyes the color of the sun, a golden mane and tail, and a coat with the same color as a sunflower. The pony watching him was… ‘Mom? Does she recognize me?’ he thought to himself. The last time he saw her as a pony was when he was only 7, and they had both changed no doubt. He blinked and she disappeared. “Was I imagining her?” he asked himself out loud.

“Imagining who?” asked a pink pony that appeared out of nowhere.

“Nopony,” Dylan quickly lied. He thought he heard something in the back of his head, but put it aside. He looked away so that the strange pony wouldn’t see his face.

Suddenly he heard the door open. When he looked, he saw Bonde in the doorway. “Thanks for watching him for me Pinkie. You can go plan a party now.”

“What?” Dylan asked when it became clear that his friend was trying to decide whether or not to ask a question.

“Who were you imagining?”

Knowing it was pointless to hide it from her, he told what he could understand. “My mother. It’s more then imagining, I know it. I think… I think she’s near.”

Bonde searched for the right words, but came up with nothing that could help the boy. ‘Is it that?’ she thought to herself. ‘Or do I want to find her too?’

“All right, but before you do go, you need to find Fire Sword.” Dylan could easily understand the meaning behind her quick statement. She wanted to keep him near.

“Before I do go, where’s everyone else?”

“The rest of them are looking around. You were asleep for a long while Quick Slice,” she said, hinting him to the name. He nodded in understanding, and went off.

Jordan watched as Bonde and Dylan left the strange building, taking note of all the possible outcomes if he attacked now. He looked behind him to the Dark Brotherhood initiate who had come with him. He shook his head, telling him to lower the bow. He looked back out to the town and looked toward his younger brother Naranel, the largest reason why the war was lost. His time for revenge was near, and his brothers’ time of living were coming to a close.

“For the Dread Father,” Jordan wispered to himself. And indeed, death was near. And chaos would follow.

In one form, or another…