As luck would have it I am forced into speech. Forced to recreate and withhold visions of past times and dreams of which were obliterated by a certain inambition that seems to be exceedingly prominent at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, such is the ways of often many followers of knowledge. Seekers of such accommodations must seem as such more than mere ponies and souls of great horrowing. Nigh, hitherto they are nothing more than crushers of such awe inspiring and well thought of dreams. Dreams for them to crush beneath their cold iron hoof.
As it would seem that though I am forced to speak, my words are fallen on no ears. Fallen on deafening and blistering winds, sent forth from the goddess herself to come and test my will and conviction of seeing mine own dreams come true. Cold bitter screeches of such nightmarish thoughts. For my throat is dry and gripped with astonishing fear. Though my soul remained clear and my mind at alert for anything to stop our path from being reached. Again, I might glanced over some minuscule detail but a rather thick curtain of snow and hail flows forth from the anxious breaths of the gods.
For what I receive on this most cold night is hitherto nothing more than dark whispers. Oblivion's most rendered rumors and most loved hatreds. I can feel the demons and their cold hands bracing hard against my own skin. Cracking and sundering my mortal flesh with their icy embrace. A deed most certainly few tend to follow, and so few wish to seek out. I do this not for the betterment of my own knowledge, but for the betterment of my most faithful friends and mentor. For their love still burns ever brighter in my heart, dreams of their past conquests remain fresh in my mind so that I might not grow mad over the bitter winter.
It must be said that we are not, in the strictest sense, that any more professional than the last pony. All here not of their own accord or of their most present merriment, but for the betterment of Equestria. I would think them fools had I not been apart of it myself. All stirring with theories and calculations of our quarry. As the student of the goddess of the sun, I must remain to myself my own theories and lead this band of fool hearted ponies. CSGU students and professors alike accompanied me on the grand expedition of most present concern to the alabaster monarch. Of whose objective, most presently, is to find and protect the Eight Relics of Meadowbrook.
These eight relics came up in hopes that we might secure them and guard them from sinful hooves. More over, since we bring our expedition to the far north of civilization we as well must be accompanied by members of Geode University, from the Crystal Empire. For they most recently banded with our own expedition, granting us numbers of an army. And I left to lead them.
We had planned that about one or two northern seasons should be sufficient enough to bring the relics back to Canterlot. Operating and setting up mostly in the mountain ranges of the Blue Spire Ridge. A giant wall of mountains painted blue with eons of frozen grandeur. To dig the ageless ice we have brought Harvest Crystals. Harvest Crystals are giant magical gems with apparatus' to carry. These crystals gather the energy of nearby unicorns or from various Weypoints that connects magical energy and concentrates it into a thin beam that is capable of slicing through diamond itself. I look to see these towering spectacles, thin and lithe spires of magical energy bleeding out of them. It was raw and uncontrollable by any mere mortal unicorn. Ponies risk madness if they alone try to harvest the raw energies of a Harvest Crystal.
We find ourselves here because the great enchanter Meadowbrook secluded himself to this remote location so that he might conduct his experiments in peace. Though he kept close ties with Starswirl, he saw no other pony worthy of his company. He created these eight relics so that in case the Elements of Harmony should fail, Equestria has some back up line of defense. Unlike the Elements, these eight relics do not read the scripted energies of a pony to determine whether or not the pony is able to wield its power, they are still mighty tools to use in defense of Equestria. Either from foreign or domestic evils.
It took time to dig, even with the Harvest Crystals at work they still had to break through one to two miles of glaciation which would take time.
Meadowbrooks stowed away his relics as he believed them to be too obsolete to even consider them able to be used in case the Elements failed, so he buried them deep into the heart of Blue Spire Ridge, deep into the arctic shelf so that they might be buried and forgotten forever. But with further study a few centuries later, it was discovered that Meadowbrooks created artifacts that matched the power of the elements. Much of the research I conducted myself.
Our team consisted of twenty ponies in total. Four from Canterlot -including myself- and the other sixteen tasked with using the Harvest Crystals to mine through the deep shelf of Blue Spire Ridge.
My gaze moved over to the CSGU members were off and set up their own little encampment. The students to offer their services were Oxymoron, Juniper Soul, and Novella Stormquill. I kept an especially close eye on Novella, mostly because he was very mysterious and hid behind a hood most of the time. Nose deep into a tome, his bright emerald eyes fixed into the mystical book. For his coat was a bright silver color and his mane and tail a frost white, though his age was a few years younger than my own. He carried a secret power beneath his muscular but lithe frame. Oxymoron and Juniper both were fresh acolytes, while Novella was a graduate student that worked the library if my memory suited me to remember. I had no particular emotions glued to this odd unicorn but I had known him in my younger years of being a student attending that school. To my knowledge he had shown quite the output for magic.
I magically tightened the scarf wrapped around my neck and flicked my mane out from under it as I tore my gaze away and focused back at the Harvesting Crystals. They would be at that for hours on end, about a few weeks and they would be close to the resting grave of two of the relics. I could sense the residual magical output of them, they were nearby. Deep under the glaciation shelf locked in a sustained and seemingly endless slumber. I know not on whether we will even be able to break through the couple miles of ice that layered itself onto the blue mountains. But one thing was certain, they definitely won't be able to if the blizzard killed them before they made it to the mountains. Though the princesses went ahead and postponed the winter clouds to be pushed over the sky for the next few weeks, it would seem that winter set it quicker than expected. Making it that much harder to navigate the cold north.
Miles upon miles of sprawling snow driven flatlands extended out for miles as we made our way into the unknown and fearful curtain of blizzard winds. My throat became dry and my mind cleared of thought, focusing only on what the future might unfold for us in the coming future. We had a good few days before we laid down our first encampment and about a week until we reach the Blue Spire Ridge. I could not help but not shake the feeling of unease and unsettlement. Something tells me that things will not go as exactly as we planned.
Author's Note
Respectful comments are most appreciated. And preferably written with post haste and most fortuitous of respect of the horror written as above. And so the build up begins.
I pulled my scarf tight around my neck, hoping to expel any unwanted and otherwise hitherto cold feelings. Whether they be physical or mental. I must reiterate that though my colleagues on this grand expedition share my same ambition, others do not share the same grand and gratuitous feelings as I do. Nor do they feel it absolutely necessary that we intrude on the archaeologists of the Crystal Empire. These feelings to not waver upon the minds of Oxymoron or Juniper, but moreover fell upon the Harvest team. Aurora Gleam, the overmare of the Harvesters, stayed relatively close by to the edge of the large expedition, carrying on her back in the metallic apparatus which held one of the Harvest Crystals. Resting in a slumber of peacefulness, a rarity amongst Harvest Crystals as most manipulators of Harvest Crystals they can often spur violently. Claiming that no mere mortal is capable of wielding such a powerful crystal.
Our initial trudge through the arctic winter gales was long and perhaps more laborious than we had expected. For hours we spent stopping to recheck the readings of the crystals to make sure that they do not go haywire. Aurora never once checked her crystal, for it subjected itself to her and allowed her unwitting control over it's subconscious mind. Her stern and wide gaze shifted across her compatriots as they stopped once more to keep the magical energy in check. I decided to join my comrades in a hearty conversation by a warm fire, though the cold had no effect on my otherwise immortal body. Over the course of the few weeks I had grown slightly taller and more slender, growing into my graceful and godlike build. My magic as well growing with it, my magical output seems to be taking on more strenuous tasks then before. For nothing was more taxing than holding so much immortal power than before.
My breaths long and hanging in the air as my slender muzzle breathed out cooling and soothing air. It had fallen to darkness very quickly, the sun making way for night, now resting fully beneath the horizon. Dropping the temperature below zero, and causing all of my ponies to wrap themselves in tight fur clothing. They were natural fibers that came from silkworms and sheered from goats, sheeps, and oxen. Any animal willing to give their fur to further the comfort of their pony masters. Imbued with magical properties of specifically guarding the wearer's from the cold. The Canterlot scholars wore thin silkworm overcoats that appeared too thin to block the cold but did just that, as they huddled close around the beacon like fire. Lighting away shadows to reveal their strainful faces. Oxymoron had quiet features, very soft and yet holding back many secrets, his light cool grey coat and his bright icy blue eyes. He could not have been more than a year or two older than me. Juniper held a solemn and sustained enthused look, bright wide pink eyes buried deep in the magical scroll that she had brought along with her. Her coat a gentle strawberry red, her mane and tail a deep scarlet that made every part of her pop. She held many parallels to my friend Rarity whom as most likely resting at this hour. Oxymoron was more like Big Macintosh, a stallion of very few words but when he spoke, he spoke numerous volumes. Greatly intelligent and a force to be reckoned with if a scuffle had started. Both had long wormsilk cloaks pulled tight over their frames. Both a jet black color to hide them and conceal them during the night. Their cutie marks emblazoned on the crest of the coat. Juniper's was a swirl of magic wrapping around a rose. Oxymoron's was an open book that radiated a bright light. The shoulders of their tight coats were pointed and well ironed from the looks. Hoods pulled up to expel the cold from their faces.
I had one of my own, specially tailored and designed by my friend Rarity. Since the harsh winters of last year, Rarity had found some notes on enchanting clothing and decided to take a crack at it. Her enchanted clothes were some of the most powerful that Equestria had ever seen. Rarity enchanted mine to be specially tailored to my magical capabilities. The thin fabric strafing my lithe frame was very comfy and offered ease when I moved. The sleeves loose but kept the heat in and the cold out. A deep purple color that seemed to shimmer in the light of the fire. Pink embroidered swirling designs that snaked along the violet surface of my silken cloak glowed a magic that soothed my muscles. My coat allowed me to cast easy spells on myself with ease, either to subside my peckish hunger, quench my own thirst, and if my hood was pulled up I could obscure my own voice and even send silent messages to others who wore Silkworm coats. On the back of the cloak was my cutie mark that engulfed the entirety of it, holes in the cloak that allowed my large wings room to breath and free for movement. Much like the others of my company, the shoulder of my cloak were pointed and the inlays were very expertly done. The best part about it was that it could not tear or rip, unless it is magically cut from something that can deactivate the aura around her.
I sat on the far side of the little gathering of ponies, the small encampment specifically for the Canterlot scholars of the expedition. As I sat the gaze of Juniper and Oxymoron met my own. Juniper flashed a smile and closed her large beautiful eyes and in a voice as silken as the coat that she wore she greeted, "Good evening princess! What brings you over to our encampment?"
I nodded to her as I sat my haunches on a makeshift chair from a log that was taken with them, carved to make it comfortable for sitting. The soft wood responding well to my weight as I rested my muscles down. I offered my warm gaze to Juniper as I responded, "It can get rather lonely in the royal tent and the guards are very quiet."
That had been ever present since her ascension, usually she would be met with warm smiles from the guard ponies but now just met with clod stares and a brief greeting. I suppose that came with becoming a princess and having your brother as captain of the guard. Say one wrong thing and your life could be ruined. I chuckled inwardly at that thought and continued to stare at the small tongues of flame that spewed up from the small campfire, illuminating a small area of about ten yards around. I kept my back straight and in a regal pose, remembering the constant orders given to her about how a princess should sit amongst her loyal ponies. Perhaps something that I never came to grips with, these were MY ponies that I had to look after. Their caretaker and watcher. A heavy weight that I had not since embraced. I pulled my scarf tighter around my neck to keep it from running loose in the cold breeze.
I looked to Oxymoron who had bore an expressionless face and just simply bowed his head and said in a deep and monotoned voice, "Princess."
His emotionless stare as he lifted his head up was not reassuring. His horn was very short and held well his hood back. From my understanding Oxymoron was a member of the same family as King Sombra, since the initial disappearance of the Crystal Empire they migrated to Canterlot to beg for forgiveness of their heir's sins and asked for refuge in Canterlot. The Princesses saw pity in them and allowed them to blossom in peace in their city. Which caused quite the havoc amongst the blueblood of Canterlot. That same vagabond sort of feeling radiated off of him, keeping all forms of emotion stricken from his face. Juniper obviously saw this and said, "Lighten up Oxy! You are in the presence of a princess, be more poise-"
"I prefer not to be given any special treatment," I interrupted, "I do not deserve to be treated above anypony else."
Juniper waved a hoof and said, "Do not be so modest my liege, you are royalty now. Be expected to be treated like it now."
Twilight blushed slightly and looked past the beacon fire and saw that sitting on the edge of their caravan facing away from them was Novella. His hood pulled up, a white Silkworm coat pulled tight around him and his hood pulled up. His gaze glued to the mystical tome he had always read. The mighty gales having no effect on the pages of the libram. I lifted my head up at Novella and I asked in a lowered tone to Juniper and Oxymoron, "So what's the story behind that one?"
Juniper glanced over her shoulder and put away her scroll, her face becoming very cold and serious as she answered, "Novella is...not himself...he has never been the same since his parents died a few years back..."
My gaze fell to Novella as he flipped another page, I listened intently to Juniper, "His parents were apart of the resistence force agains the second invasion of the Griffons. His parents died valiantly when they tried to take Canterlot-"
"I remember that," Twilight added looking back at Juniper, "It was their final push before they felt the true might of the Equestrian military. I never saw so many dead before."
Juniper nodded continued, "He was content with living alone with his sister for so many months until she died of consumption. So he decided to join in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, so he could try and make a difference. He's smart but he usually only talks to Oxymoron and I, but recently ever since he found that book he has not stopped reading it."
I moved my gaze back to him, he had a small frame and was no taller than a teenage colt. But there was no doubt about the amount of power that swelled beneath him, just waiting to be used. I was in awe at the amount of magic that welled within him. Power beyond comprehension, and it sat well with me that he was more than capable of defending himself in a fight. I said in my mind, 'After all of that and he is stronger than before.'
Finally I brought my gaze back to the campfire that burned in front of me and stared into it. They crackled and spurted with no sentience behind them, deep in the recesses of my mind I could feel the scratching of something. I felt it ever since I tasted the power of all the alicorns, it was not a thought of my own. No, it was of something far greater mind and of far greater intelligence than I could ever even imagine. Sleeping for so long until I had grown strong enough that it felt threatened, and oh how it fought back. Slowly but surely it would creep through the prison I made for it, but it would retreat back after I pushed it away. It burns every time it demands to be released. A demon waiting inside. I coughed and looked up to find Juniper standing up and her hoof outstretched with a thermast in her hoof. Thin wisps of steam rolled up into the endless void filled night. I looked at her and she said with a warm expression, "Take it."
I slowly grabbed the thermast with both of my hooves and said, "You do not need to do that."
Juniper smiled, "Yes but I feel it's the least I could do. I mean you have only saved Equestria four times."
I gave her a look and her smile only grew brighter as she scratched the back of her head as she responded to the curious look that I bore, "I read everything about you. All of your research notes, your books, your mother's books, the reports that you gave to Celestia-"
"Wait, you have access to those reports?"
"Yes," Juniper reached into her satchel and pulled out a small gold pendant that bore Celestia's seal, "I am a Scholar of the Horn. We are a secret band of students at the univeristy that are given special assignments. More often then not, we are back up ambassadors and diplomats. But...I'm just glad that I get to be closer to you...I mean, not like that, you are very pretty and...you...oh dear..."
She seemed very nervous and I was not helping the fact that I was chuckling. I gathered myself quickly and kept a slight smile, "It is quite alright Juniper, I know what it is like to be in front of the person that draws your inspiration. Just breathe."
Juniper nodded quickly and sat down next to me, sitting hard into the cold snow. But she obviously did not care. She gathered herself and regained her former regal composure she had that entire evening. She finished, "I became a Scholar so that I could get a chance to see you and ask if you could...teach me."
"What?"
I stopped sipping the very well brewed tea she had brought me. It was chai and brewed exactly the way I like it, with a little bit of cinnamon and honey. It was scary how much Juniper knew about me. Scary even when she had said she read every book that she had written, of which there were quite a few, and all of the works by my mother. But there was an underlying feeling of both nervousness and anxiety that could barely be masked by one such as myself. She wore it on her shoulders unknowingly. I could feel it running off of her. There was also the faintest feeling of fear of rejection. I looked down to see her muzzle deep in the snow, back hunch bowing on the ground. She said slightly muffled into the ground, "I just want to be taught by you."
I leaned up and brought a hoof to her shoulder and said, "Juniper it is okay, stand up. I told you before, do not treat me like a princess. I am above no one."
She quickly stood back up and kept her back straight. She coughed and said, "Yes...I know...prin...Twilight...I just..."
I stood up, standing a bout a foot taller than her in height. I set the thermast down and rested a hoof on her shoulder and said, "Juniper it is alright. I can see that you went through a lot to try and come here. Not many see that their dreams come true, only those with conviction strong enough and will to set aside all negativity to tell you that you can't. You have already proven yourself more than worthy to be by my side."
Juniper lifted her head up and her face lit up with absolute jubilation. A large toothy smile had crossed her face and before she could scream in happiness I stopped her and said, "But, it will be hard and more than enough bookwork to make you sick to your stomach. I will push you to your limits, but I can promise you that if you do this and in order to make this work you have to believe in me and my teachings."
Juniper bowed her head quickly and said, "Yes. Yes I do, thank you. Thank you so much!"
I gave her a quick smile and looked over my shoulder and saw that the others had finished checking the Harvesting Crystals and looked back at Oxymoron and Novella. Both still filled with mystery, it was clear that at least only one of the three was open and talked for both of them. It was no wonder they talked to each other, neither of them talked to other ponies. And I had a small feeling that Oxymoron did not like me that much. I said to them all, "Pack everything up, we're heading out again."
I unscrewed the lid to my tea and cringed as I watched it fall into the fire, watching the flames slowly die and the thing in the back of my head reach out to try and comfort the dying flames. My face went hard and my soul shivered as I heard a feminine and hard sounding voice in my head declare, We have work to do.
Author's Note
Know what, originally I was going to write this in Lovecraft style. But hell, I decided to give it my own flavor. Hope you liked it!
It was the nights that were the worst. Cold and bitter beyond comprehension. I could feel the chilling air trying to break through her magically enhanced cloak. I trudged along sluggishly and a little helplessly though I was keeping the same pace as the Scholar's Caravan. The night blocking all sight and any hopes of communication. It had been six days twelve hours fourteen minutes and forty seconds since that night that Juniper had asked me to be her teacher and I had said yes. She had learned a lot from what I have taught her and our sparring had taken up most of the day, the times when we walked I would teach her the proper ways of casting a spell. Keeping the neck straight and firm was key, do not clench the muscles otherwise the spell will have adverse effects on the body, do not force it out just let it flow out. She had learned much and was not afraid of sharing the information with Novella and Oxymoron. I smiled as I saw many parallels between me and her. I was lucky that I had brought my own stolen version of Interworking's of Magic: A Reference Guide. A copy that I stolen from the Canterlot Royal Library.
I had brought it in hopes of finding insight into the mysterious entity that lied deep inside of me. Sleeping and resting for so long, waiting to be awakened by some sort of magical event or biding its time to take over when I least expected it. It's true intentions were somewhat unclear to me but moreover it was a relief to know that it was there and I was able to keep it at bay. At least for now.
Juniper had showed great promise over the days of travelling, and I learned quite a bit on Oxymoron. I even learned his special talent, he is apparently very good at manipulating light however he so chose. Molding it and forming it to something physical. Juniper was able to read the thoughts and minds of ponies, know their true intentions and even slightly manipulate them depending on the strength of their will. Absorbing them and using them to strengthen her capabilities. I taught her as much as I could without making a formal lesson plan. I had decided to teach her the old ways. Self defense, casting spells that pertained to combat and the likes. I had wished that Celestia had taught me such spells when they could have come in handy. Numerous occasions where they would have come in handy and only until recently did I realize that not all situations could have been handled with talking nicely. Tirek taught me that, despite being a power hungry maniac.
Juniper flicked her horn as we continued on our way and stayed close to me, 'er leaving my side only to relieve herself and for food. Other than that she was constantly near me. Normal ponies would have shoved her away, but I kind of liked it. Reminded me of the good old days when I was still under Celestia's wing. Juniper and I had our hoods pulled up over our faces and our sights dead set on the paths ahead of us.
The blizzard had died down, letting us somewhat of a clear view ahead of us. The snow that went up to their knees was almost too much to trudge. Luckily, there were some nearby weather ponies and with some diplomatic skills and empathy from Juniper we were able to convince them to clear away some of the snow to offer us a clear path to the Blue Spire Ridge. I gazed over the long single file line of our expedition and breathed out a sighing breath as I distantly saw the Blue Ridge Mountains. I said to my apprentice, "Heh...we are close now."
After no response from Juniper I looked out of curiosity and raising an eyebrow I inquired, "What's wrong?"
She looked up at the fuzzy image of the mountains a few miles ahead and she spoke back, "What exactly are we doing? I was not very well informed...the only thing that I cared or paid attention to was the fact that you were apart of it."
I smiled as I continued my gaze on the mountains, "Well, do you remember me returning to Ponyville from that strange village in the northern slopes?"
"Just assume that I know next to everything about you...and yes I remember."
"Well," Twilight returned, "In there Starlight Glimmer mentioned the Nine Relics of Meadowbrooks and I knew that he had only made eight. So, ever since I tried to find any book that I could on the relics. They were created as a plan B in case the Elements of Harmony did not work. It took him years to finally make them and when he did, they did not meet expected results."
Juniper looked at me and asked, "Were they faulty? Were they not powerful enough to be back up plans?"
I smiled and glanced over at Juniper, "Quite the opposite actually, they were too strong. Every relic was cut from the Tree of Harmony before it fell victim to the Chaos Vines. The Spear of Martyrdom. The Sword of Truth. The Staff of Benevolence. The Shield of Honesty. The Crown of Purity. The Axe of Honor. The Armor of Protection. And the Vambraces of Nobility. Each one was supposed to equal in power to the Elements but allow anypony to pick them up rather than having specific ponies wield them. It took him years to perfect the enchantments for each of them. Using only the most exquisite of materials. Over the years he had grown mad and fearful, fearful that they would not be proper substitutes so he shut them away and locked them into a place where only he could protect them. His own tomb. Burying himself alive in a large cavernous deep beneath the Blue Spire mountains. Starswirl tried everything he could to rescue his colleague and closest friend, but realized that the only thing he could do was to keep him locked up and left to rot in his madness."
Juniper shivered, and not from the cold, she seemed horrified by the information that I offered her. She shook her head slowly and said, "How could somepony do this? Go insane like that?"
I looked back ahead of me, peering over the caravans and the marching ponies. Oh how the obscure winds blocked my view to only a few paces ahead of me, but I could hear. I could hear over the rough winds the sounds of the trudging ponies. Long and deep strides in the seemingly endless blizzard, hard snow crunching under the various weights of the ponies and caravans. I answered my young apprentice, "We cannot stop the path we were chosen for. Destiny and Fate intertwine together, though they are not directly related. You must understand, someponies are just born to become dreamers."
"Yes my master." She answered in a nonchalant tone. And shot her head around as she gasped at the sudden sight of something. I saw it as well, leaping across her field of vision in a jet black flash. I stopped and ordered everypony to do so. The caravans and ponies stopped to a screeching halt, rust clearly audible by the hinges of the caravans. My heart began to race, something was near us and it was not pleasant to say the least. I listen closely to the roaring northern winds, the only thing that dared make a sound lest trying to disturb the bitter cold.
I squinted hard and looked around, trying to find the source of the quick streak across my vision. The silence alone was loud enough that it was almost deafening. Loud enough that even mere thoughts were a chore. My movements suddenly sluggish and slow. And my heart stopped as I heard the sound of a bloodcurdling scream. My attention snapped to somewhere ahead of me. I broke into a full blown gallop and at breakneck speed I found myself staring at nothing but stone faces of surprise and horror. I looked about, a few paces away from my colleagues and saw nothing. Each pony around me mortified and too traumatized to answer my presence. Their pupils like pinpricks. I looked down at what they were staring at and felt something snap inside of me. A pluck against something most precious to me, my innocence.
Lying in a steaming rotting heap was what used to resemble a pony, torn apart meat and the mutilated form of a pony. It's head caved in and pieces of the skull now camouflage in the pure driven snow. It's brain was missing, it's jaw unhinged and broken in the appropriate places that were not healthy for a well sustainable jaw. It's chest ripped and bleeding profusely, meat ripped apart and slowly freezing in the blizzard winds. His intestines on display for all the world to see, half his lower digestive track was missing and seemed to be forcefully ripped by sharp teeth. It was not the smell nor the horrified look on the victim's face that frightened me.
It was the utter brutality of the victim. No clean cuts or gashes all of them seemed to be ripped open either through claws or teeth. I knelt down to offer a few final words as I offered a blessing upon the dead soul so that he might find a place in the Holy Pastures. I looked up and a crooked lantern billowed restlessly in the wind, making the message splattered on the side of the caravan glow and then dim with the swaying of the lantern. I swallowed hard in fear as I read, "They come."
