Pohjolaby Pohjolan PoikaChaptersI: AwakeningII: WanderingIII: BreathingV: MeetingVI: FlyingVII: FleeingVIII: HopingIX: BurningX: NegotiatingXI: ReturningIV: DreamingI: AwakeningNothing. No, not blackness, for it would've been something. There was nothing. No vision, no smell, no feelings, nothing. Then, a sound. A growl. A wave of feeling, of thought, of consciousness. Slowly, nothingness receded away, revealing life. Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes. She was lying down and could feel the moist, spongy ground beneath her body. The cold air around her had an unfamiliar smell, faintly similar to the pervasive, alien odour of the Everfree forest. The growl! She gasped, rolled around and pushed herself up with her hooves. Standing up felt like raising a heavy boulder with your back. She shuddered, mist twirling from her mouth and nostrils. "Ohh, the prrreyy has awoken. How unforrrtunate." She looked at her surroundings, trying to find the owner of the voice. Tall, reddish-brown and black trees stood around her, silent and faceless. Strange, smaller trees with branches covered with dark green prickles sat beneath their taller cousins. The ground was covered with a greyish green carpet of moss. A stick snapped behind her. She turned around and saw a strange, yet vaguely familiar creature. It was a feline beast with yellowish fur and fluffy tufts on the tips of its alert ears. It walked around her with slow and deliberate steps, its green eyes focused on her. Vicious claws jutted out of its paws. The mouth opened, revealing a fearsome maw of a predator filled with sharp teeth. "If you werrre an injured elk, you'd be dead alrrready... but you arrre strrrange. Purrrple. With wings and a horrrn. Neverrr beforrre have I seen such a crrreature. Can it speak?" Twilight swallowed and realized how dry her throat was. But it was unimportant now. She mustered up her confidence and said "Yes, yes she can." Her voice was hoary and shaky. The creature purred and continued pacing around her. Twilight had to keep turning, keep looking at its eyes, remain alert. It could leap at her at any moment, drowning her in an avalanche of fur, teeth and claws. "Hmm. Then the crrreature can tell what she is." "I am a uni- an alicorn. And I am not your prey." It chuckled. "Oh, is that so? Such admirrrable courrrage." "Can you tell me where I am?" "This is the forrrest. Above is the sky. Therrre is nothing else in the worrrld." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Does this land... have a name?" "Such a strrrange question. Why does a land need a name? This is the forrrest. It needs no name." Twilight frowned. "Where's the nearest town?" The beast chuckled. "The strrranger speaks strrrange words. How fitting. Oh, how my stomach grrrowls..." "Sorry, but I will not satiate your hunger. Leave me alone. I have nothing else to ask." "Oh, rrreally?" It chuckled again. "The 'alicorn' is tired and weak. I doubt she can fight back. Neitherrr can she flutter with her wings and fly away." Twilight closed her eyes and focused. Her horn was set aflame, white sparks spewing out of bright purple flames. Her eyes opened, and they weren't friendly. "Maybe, but her horn can certainly fry your fur. So leave her alone." The creature's eyes widened and its mouth flung open. It backed away from her. "Trrruly a strrrange crrreature. Frrry me with a glowing horn? How will she do that?" Twilight winced as a bolt of pure magical energy leaped at the nearby tree, blowing apart its bark. "Like that. Now run away and find something else to eat." The creature's hair stood on end as it stared at the scorched tree. It glanced at Twilight, turned around and ran away, disappearing into the living but motionless labyrinth of trees. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, wiped her forehead and collapsed on the ground. She closed her eyes and collected her thoughts. She was alone in the wilderness, in an unknown land with no sign of civilization. Just her luck. She looked at the sky above. On the right side it was dark blue, but on her left it was light blue and orange. Was the sun setting or rising? She frowned and examined the darker part of the sky. The stars were unfamiliar. Where was Draco? Virgo? Cancer? She couldn't recognize any constellations. "Just how far away from home am I?" she mumbled. Twilight stood up again and spread her wings, wanting to fly as high as she could and examine the strange world around her from above. She took off into the air, but soon ungracefully fell on the ground, accompanied by a thud. She panted heavily and winced in pain, despite having landed on a soft cushion of moss, and regretted ignoring what the beast had said about her ability to fly. She lied there for a moment and waited for the pain to end. A yellow and grey bird sat on one of the branches of a nearby tree, its head tilted as it stared at her. "That spell wasn't the best of my ideas," she mumbled to it. "But perhaps this is a fitting punishment for me." The bird chirped in response and flew away. She did her best to stand up, but now the boulder on her back had grown even larger. With weary steps she began to wander, hoping to find something to eat. Her stomach growled, and she felt pity for the beast she had met, knowing now how hunger tormented it. II: WanderingThe colours of the forest muted as light left the world. Far away, the goddess of the sun lowered the ardent sphere of flame and put it to sleep. Its last yawn painted the sky pink and orange, but spectacle was hidden under the canopy of the cold forest by the countless needles and branches. Nevertheless, one could still see that night was coming. In this bleak world of shadows, shades of brown and green had always ruled supreme, but were challenged when a lavender creature with a purple mane appeared in the forest. The tall pillars around her bobbed as a gust of wind blew on them and whispered You do not belong here. The only other sounds in the forest came from the rustling undergrowth beneath her wandering hooves. Every now and then she stopped, frowned and rubbed her forehead before continuing. Eventually she stopped before a clearing. Below the shade of leaves of small plants lied countless tiny berries, but they were rotten and old. "Winter must be coming, then," she mumbled. "Unless the plants work differently here than they do in the Everfree forest." Her stomach grumbled and demanded food. A while passed. "Oh Twilight," she muttered to herself, having no one else to speak with. "Why did you postpone reading the Camper's guide to Camping and read The History of Barnoque Art instead? Why did you never go camping with your friends? Why did you let her go? Why did you cast that spell? Why did you believe her? Why? Why?" Her frustrated questions received no answers, and the trees remained silent. The ground below her began to slope upwards. Her weary body revolted against walking onwards, so she sighed and sat on a nearby flat boulder covered with a few patches of moss. "Think, Twilight, what would Yearling do in this situation?" She closed her eyes, plunged into the murky and deep pool of memories with nostalgia as her guiding light, and realized that 'Daring Do' certainly wouldn't wander aimlessly looking for food. In Daring Do and the Forsaken Sentinels she had been stranded in the wilderness, and the first thing she had done was look for a source of water and afterwards build a shelter for the night. Twilight opened her eyes and chuckled. "Even fiction books can teach you a useful thing or two." She stood up and hopped off the rock. "I should mark this place so I can find my way back," she mumbled, looked at the top of a nearby tree, winced and turned it bright purple with a spell cast from her horn. "That should do the trick," she said with a smile that then disappeared. She frowned and rubbed her forehead again. Twilight headed east. There was still some time before nightfall and she would use it to explore her surroundings. If she got lucky, she could find food or water, but at the very least she would learn what the forest around her was like so she wouldn't get lost. Then she'd come back, start a roaring flame for the night on top of that rock and build a shelter if she still had time and energy. She winced as she stepped on something more solid than moss and undergrowth. Looking down, she saw a seedless cone. "I hope I don't have to resort to eating that," she muttered. "But it would still be better than having to hunt and eat the body of someone who once breathed and lived." The sky darkened and the first stars were brought to life. A full moon rose above, and Twilight recognized the pores on its round face. She smiled. At least one familiar face in this foreign land. After a while she arrived at a clearing and raised her eyebrows. A large pool of water shimmered on the ground, the trees warily staying some distance away from it. "Looks like I'm lucky, and not a moment too late," she said as the last rays of the sun ran across the sky above. Her dry throat begged her to go to the pool and quench the searing flames of thirst, and she happily complied, trotting to the edge of the pool. Tall reeds stood silently and watched her lower her head near the pool's surface. She stopped when she saw that the light of the moon had turned the pool into a mirror. She saw her tired visage, her unkempt hair and the bags under her eyes. For a brief, disturbing moment it had been an unfamiliar stranger staring back at her. Patches of grime still hung from her face, having grasped it when her head had lied on moss. "I should probably wash my face first," she muttered and lowered her hoof near the surface of the water so she could splash some of it on herself. A pale hand shattered her mirror image and wrapped its lanky fingers around her hoof. She yelped as the hand pulled her into the water, and before she could cast any spells the liquid maw of the pool swallowed her whole. Wind blew once again, and the sentinels of bark let out a sigh of relief. The stranger was finally gone. III: BreathingTwilight was pulled deeper into the cold alien womb. She had swallowed some water and had only managed to store some air within her body. Already, her lungs were begging for her to breathe in, but she knew it would end badly. The stale and mushy water in her mouth was certainly not drinkable, like typical pond water. What had she been thinking? Had thirst and fatigue pushed away all sense and reason? "It is so lonely in here..." Did the whispering come from the beast that wished for her death? "...but no longer. At last I have a friend in the darkness." She could feel more and more water pushing her body together as she was pulled deeper. The lanky hand firmly held her hoof, refusing to let her go. "I am not your friend," she wanted to say. If only she could. Besides, wasn't it her task to help those who were alone? Those who hadn't embraced the magic of friendship? Was it? Her body stopped moving downward. Now the creature pulled her sideways. Her lungs were screaming, begging her to open her mouth. She mustered her willpower and kept it shut, just for a little longer. Maybe she could cast some spell to save herself, like she had so many times before. It's always a spell that saves her, isn't it? Always a convenient spell. "I will show you my home and my toys! Come, I have prepared food for a visitor such as yourself!" Her body dragged on the bottom of the pond, slimy weed licking her underbelly. Every part of her body wanted to swim, to escape, but the water crushed her and pushed her together while her lungs did everything they could to open her mouth. Struggling against these forces was exhausting. "Watch out, a former friend of mine is sleeping here. He hasn't awakened in ages. How rude of him, isn't it?" Her body stopped as it hit something solid lying on the bottom of the pond. Was it a body? "Oh dear, didn't you hear my warning? Let me help you." The creature swam upward and pulled her away from the body. Her hoof touched a leathery and rectangular object lying on top of the body in the cold grasp of the being sleeping there. A book! She struggled again in the beast's grasp and her mouth opened in excitement. Before she could close it, she swallowed a handful of water and let out the last remaining air from he lungs. She gasped, letting more water in. The rapid beats of her heart echoed in her ears filled with water. "Woah, friend, what are you doing?" Her horn glowed, and she disappeared. "No! Where did you go? Please don't leave!" "I am still here," said the book. The creature remained silent. "Come closer. See this brown thing lying on your friend? Take it and open it." A moment of stillness. Reluctantly, the beast swam closer, grabbed the book and opened it. Its pages were faded, covered in algae and mushy, but they were sufficient. A small moving image of Twilight had appeared inside. "Can you see me?" she asked. The beast gasped and almost dropped the book. "What is this sorcery?" "A spell I learned a long time ago. Calm down, I want to talk." "I don't want a picture to be my friend. I want a real one, like Jakko here," it said and patted the head of the body with its hand. "Just less sleepy, hehe." "He's not sleeping," Twilight said. "He can't breathe water, I'm afraid." If there had been something resembling a smile on the creature's malformed face, it would've disappeared. "What do you mean?" it asked like a child who had been told that no one would come to their birthday party. "He's dead, and you have killed him," she sternly said. "Do you realize what you've done?" "I..." it said before remaining silent. Twilight saw an image of young Spike admitting he had eaten ice cream. "I'm sorry," she said, her tone no longer stern. "But he can't live here with you. No one can." "No!" it screamed. "You're lying! No one wants to be friends with me because no one likes Kallervo!" "No, listen," Twilight said, "it's not because of that! I am telling you the truth!" She could hear it sobbing. For a moment, she wanted to leave the book and comfort the monster. But instead she waited for a while, the only sound in the deep pond coming from the crying creature. "Jakko is gone, Kallervo," she said. "Can you hear him breathing? Can you feel his heart beating?" The creature sniffed and touched the body lying on the bottom of the pond. It didn't say a thing. "See? You can't bring friends here. I'm so sorry." "But will you be my friend?" it asked. As princess, I believe I have the power to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. That is the role I am meant to have in our world! The role I choose to have! Was it the role she wanted to have? "Sorry," she said. ""But this spell is temporary and I can't breathe water. I'll have to leave." Kallervo cried again. She saw an image of Celestia glaring at her in disapproval. "No, please don't cry, we can sort things out!" "How?" it said and sniffed. "Uh... I can come up with something! Wait a moment..." And a moment it waited. You are now Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship. But what is the princess of friendship without her friends? What indeed? "Can you breathe air?" Twilight asked, fairly certain of what the answer would be. "No," it said. "Not since I fell into this pond. But I don't breathe water either." "Are you... dead?" There was a moment of silence. Was it checking its own pulse for the first time? "I... am." "Oh," Twilight said. "I, uh, think that... I think your soul is cursed to be alone in this pond for the rest of eternity. This must be a magical pond." "Alone? I don't want to be alone! I want to see mother again!" "I... maybe I can take you to her." It was silent for a moment. "What do you mean?" "Put your soul to rest. You're stuck between the realm of the living and the dead." "And what can you do about it? Do you know some spell?" "Yes. I have an offer: Take me to the surface, and I'll take you to your mother. Alright?" "...Alright." Twilight appeared as an alicorn again and winced as cold water greeted her. There was no air or water in her lungs, but she held her mouth and nose shut. She could feel Kallervo grasping her front hoof and pulling her up. Slowly, her consciousness began to fade as her body received no air... The trees above sighed as the stranger burst out of the water and swam to the edge of the pond. She lied on the ground and panted heavily. Moonlight illuminated a pale head peeking out of the surface, black eyes staring at her. She had used spell she wanted to cast before: She had banished the ghost of the Castle of the Two Sisters with it. She sighed, stood up and closed her eyes. "I have no idea if this will hurt. Brace yourself." Her horn was engulfed in a purple haze and purple mist flowed from her eyes. A blast of darkness was unleashed and it hit the water. A scream could be heard. Twilight opened her eyes, and the head had disappeared. Thank you, she could hear in her mind. A thought that was not her own. "You're... welcome," she said. She shivered as cold wind howled. "Now only I remain stuck between the realm of the living and the dead." V: MeetingTwilight's eyes opened slowly. The gloomy forest had been replaced by bright woodland. She felt a warm woolen blanket on top of her body. Her throat was bone-dry and her stomach emptier than her heart. The air smelled of mushrooms. "Good morning, stranger." Twilight gasped and stood up. Her horn glowed as the blanket dropped onto the ground. She saw a small, robed creature standing next to a crackling campfire and two wooden cups. A ceramic pot lied on top of the burning logs, and the creature stirred its contents with a wooden spoon. His white beard almost reached his toes and a wooden staff leaned on his shoulder. His skin was like bark: Dry, wrinkly and brown. Twilight raised an eyebrow and the glow of her horn dissipated. "What are you doing?" "Making breakfast," he said, his voice high-pithced, elderly and raspy. "Delicious soup, with mushrooms and various root vegetables. An Equestrian such as yourself will surely enjoy it." Twilight's eyes widened and she said "You know I am from Equestria?" He nodded. "Of course." "But how?" "Oh, let's just say I've travelled far and wide," he said and covered the top of the pot with a lid. He turned to look at Twilight, his small eyes gleaming under his hood like bottomless lakes. "But Equestrians rarely do. Why are you trespassing in my domain?" Twilight saw his stern eyes and looked down at her hooves. "Uh, sorry, I'm just... passing through." He glared at her. "I didn't even intend to come here!" Twilight explained. "I'll leave as soon as I can. I apologize!" His serious expression melted away to reveal a warm smile beneath. "Haha, worry not, Equestrian! For I am a friendly and welcoming isäntä! Why else would've I covered a stranger with a blanket and prepared a hearty meal for her?" Twilight blinked a few times. "Oh, I thought..." He chuckled. "You're welcome, stranger. My name is Taapio." "You have my gratitude," Twilight said and faintly smiled. "Pleasant to meet you. I am Twilight Sparkle. And may I ask, what's an 'isente'?" He raised a shaggy eyebrow. "Do you not know the word?" Twilight shook her head slightly. "No, it's not about that. I've cast a translation spell on myself. Why didn't it..." Taapio shrugged. "The word must have no equivalent in your fair language, I assume. And I already wondered, since when have Equestrians spoken Cold-tongue? Heheheh. That's a very useful spell, I must say." Twilight rubbed her chin. Her hunger for knowledge had been awakened. "I'm curious, what does the word mean?" "Hmm..." he said and stroked his beard in thought. "I suppose it's a combination of the words 'master', 'host' and 'father'." "So this entire forest... is your domain?" Twilight asked. He nodded and spread his arms. "Yes! Every tree is my friend, every animal my pet. I watch over them and guard this forest." "How did you know I was here? Did you just stumble upon my sleeping body?" Taapio chuckled. "Oh, no, my little helpers told me of your sudden appearance," he said and a bird above chirped. "And even before that, I heard troubled whisper coming from the trees. They said 'you do not belong here', and I knew not what they meant by that. Not until I was told of you." Twilight snorted. "Trees don't talk." "Ahhh, so you come from a city? Or a village, perhaps? Have Equestrians learned to build houses since I was last there?" Twilight frowned. "Erm... we've known how to build houses for many millenia." "Oh, you have? Good! I should visit more often, but I am growing weary and old... no longer can I go on lengthy journeys to distant lands," he said and sighed. "You're how old?" she asked in disbelief. He chuckled. "I don't keep count. I am as old as this forest," he said and frowned. "Could you tell me... how do Equestrians build anything?" "Well, earth ponies and pegasi can somewhat clumsily use their mouths like you use hands. Then there are unicorns, who use magic to levitate objects." "And how numerous are the unicorns these days?" "Eh, I guess they make up the third of the population." Taapio nodded. "Ah, so you are telling me that most of your people are born without hands. And you-" he pointed at her horn "-are one of those who have them." "...Yes?" "Interesting. Nothing else," he said and looked at the pot. His eyes shone with excitement. "Ah, soup must be ready!" He grabbed the cups from the ground and opened the lid of the pot. Twilight's mouth watered when the scent of the soup touched her nose. Her stomach growled. He chuckled. "Sounds like you are hungry as well. Come closer, let us sit down on those rocks nearby. We have much to discuss." They did so and soon Twilight eagerly poured soup into her mouth while Taapio slowly moved a spoonful near his lips and slurped it. "Ahhh," Twilight sounded and wiped her mouth. "I cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you, Taapio." He swallowed some soup and smiled. "Like I said before, you are welcome. Guests must always be treated well." "May I ask one thing?" He nodded and put another spoonful into his mouth. "Does this land have a name?" "Why does a land need a name, I've always wondered..." Twilight sighed. "I've heard that answer before." "...for this land is called 'Pohjola'." "Oh? Pohjola?" she asked and smiled widely. "The spell worked after all! This is just where I wanted to be!" Taapio frowned but continued to eat the soup without saying anything. "Have you, by any chance, heard of Kalmo?" Twilight asked in excitement. Taapio coughed and almost choked on his soup. "Do not say that cursed name out loud!" he said with a scowl. "Oh no, I'm really sorry!" she said. "I didn't expect you to react like that. So you have heard of it?" "Yes," he muttered. "Do you know where it resides?" Taapio squinted. "As much as I hate answering a question with a question, I must ask: Why do you desire to know?" "I wish to meet it." He raised an eyebrow. "You came to this land to talk to the Lord of Death itself?" She nodded slowly. "I read about it back in Equestria. I believe it is the only one that can help me." "Do not trust the Despoiler," he said and shook his finger at her. "It is imprisoned deep beneath the ice of the southern wastelands for a very good reason." "I know, but I have no other option, I'm afraid." He sighed. "Very well. If you truly desire to meet it, go south, to the cold lands of bare hills and nightless days. Once there, find a witch named Louhe and ask her to take you to it. The journey is long, but a bird could fly there in a week or two." "Only a week? Good, the spell wasn't a bad idea at all!" He looked at her wings. "It would be unwise to fly, for you are a powerful being. I can feel it. I can feel the great powers within you... know that there are creatures out there that hunger that magic. Be very careful, if you indeed plan to fly south." She nodded. "I will, and I do," she said and stood up. "Can I have that pot? I'll need it for boiling water and cooking." He looked at it. "It's the only one I have... but you can have it." "The only one? Okay, you can keep it then." He chuckled. "No no, just take it. I offer it to you." Twilight raised her hoof. "No thank you. You don't have any other pots, and I-" He frowned. "Please, just take it." "I can't!" "Take it! I ask you!" "No!" He sighed. "Very well." She smiled. "Good to see that we've reached an agreement. And, uhh... could you tell me one more thing?" Taapio didn't nod for a while. "Perhaps. You have already asked troubling things." "What peoples inhabit these lands, if any? And this isn't just for me, the tome about this region needs to be updated." "Many peoples inhabit the land of Pohjola. But some are hidden from sight. Others are wandering nomads. And the rest are monsters. Be wary when you meet strangers, for they are unlikely to be as friendly as me. This land has a cold heart, and so do its people." And so do I, Twilight thought. "I guess that'll suffice," she said and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Taapio. Thank you for everything. I will be in debt." "Will you leave now?" Twilight spread her wings. "Yes. The sooner I meet it, the better." "Hmm. My helpers will follow you, and tell me if you need assistance. But know that once you leave the woodlands, I can no longer help you." She nodded. "I understand. Good bye, friend! You have done so much for me." "Farewell, Twilight Sparkle of Equestria. May our paths cross again." She smiled. Her body was rested and reinvigorated. She felt like she could fly faster than Rainbow... Rainbow... Rain... Why? She shook her head and beat her wings, taking off into the air. Taapio waved as she ascended above the trees. "Farewell," he mumbled. "And good luck, for you will need it more than you know." VI: FlyingTwilight breathed in the brisk air of the cloudless sky as she soared. The musty smell of the forest was gone and above the strange trees the air was no different from that of Equestria. Wind dragged her mane and messed it even further. While she had never cared much about her looks, she had still wanted to stay clean and have her hair brushed neatly straight. Now, she didn't care. Do I care about anything anymore? Above the seemingly endless forest, she felt like a small bug flying over the rough green fur of a creature whose size was unfathomable for such a tiny little insect. The air around her was cold, but her fur kept her warm and the sun above the eastern horizon sent out warming rays of light. But if winter was coming, it would get much worse. Yet another reason to fly as fast as possible. But she was not like the cyan pegasus friend of hers and didn't simply rush south. She examined the lands below her and looked for rivers and streams that glittered like silver under the sun. Unfortunately, they were rare in this land and difficult to spot beneath the trees. She frowned. Finding sources of water would be difficult and she had no flasks for containing it. Perhaps Taapio would help her find water if she so wanted. Another problem was food. There were no berries or fruits to be found in the cold forest, but Taapio had given her an idea: She could eat roots and mushrooms. Maybe even moss if she was desperate. And she hoped to find some of those nomads he had mentioned, for they could feed her if she did something in return. With her magic powers, it wouldn't be difficult to strike some deal. She beat her wings and picked up speed. One or two weeks, nothing more. Then she could return home and- A screech came from above. Her heart skipped a beat and she raised her head to look at the source of the chilling sound. A small dot floated above her. It was on fire. And it grew in size. Twilight gasped. Whatever it was, it approached her fast. She dodged to the side and glanced above, but the creature still dove straight at her. Taapio had warned her, and she had ignored him. Maybe she was like the cyan pegasus friend of hers? No. She would've flown straight at the beast and tried kicking it in the head. She smiled faintly at the memories that resurfaced. The monster screeched. She closed her eyes and waited. Just as the creature was about to hit her she vanished in a flash of magic and reappeared further away. The beast had dived like an eagle hunting for a little bird, and like an eagle it looked. But it was gigantic, its skin was made of iron, its feathers were made of fire and its eyes were made of hatred. It spread its wide wings and ascended, staring at Twilight with its glowing eyes as it approached. Her own eyes widened and she could feel her body dragging her away. Flee, it said. She turned around and flapped her wings as hard as she could. The fiery monstrosity screeched behind her. She tried zigzagging and thus using her smaller size to her advantage, but the beast turned with ease, and it was Twilight who struggled with it. Why did I never go flying with her? The monster slowly catched up to her. She desperately turned to look at it and unleashed a violent blast of magic from her horn. It opened íts flaming mouth and swallowed the ray of purple flame. "Oh no," she said to herself. "This can't be happening!" The beast screeched as it got closer and closer. She cast a spell. teleported behind it and flew away from it. It turned around and relentlessly followed. No matter how hard she tried, the beast flew faster than her. Twilight looked at the trees below and descended. If she stayed in the air, the iron eagle would catch her, but below the canopy she would be safer. She could find some place to hide in and Taapio could help her. Somehow. Maybe not, for he was just a small old creature. She touched down on a cushion of moss and galloped away. The monster screeched above, its shadow covering her and growing in size. A large moss-covered boulder was nearby. She teleported to it as the beast landed on the ground, ripping apart the moss with its long claws of iron. The monster raised its head and saw her looking at it. "You cannot flee forever," it said. Its crackling voice was hight-pitched and metallic. Twilight panted and said "What do you want from me? Leave me alone!" It clumsily walked towards her, the flames from its wings igniting the saplings nearby. "My creator desires magical power, and I sense much within you." Twilight frowned. Her horn glowed faintly. "Why does he or she-" "He was once a god of smithing and air, but now he is little more than a meagre crafter of trinkets!" it shouted. "I want to help my father. Make him great again. And for that, I need your soul!" It screeched, beat its wings and leaped at her. Twilight's horn glowed brightly and the boulder was surrounded by a cloud of magical energy. She flung the rock at it and it hit the monster's head. The two crashed onto the ground. Twilight galloped away. She spotted a black and white bird with long tail feathers sitting on a branch nearby. "Go to Taapio!" she said to it. "Tell him to go south, and that a friend of his needs help!" The bird croaked and flew away. VII: FleeingShe kept galloping. Not too fast, for it would've tired her out. The orange leaves falling, the autumn sun shining, my friends competing... She shook her head and focused. She wasn't certain if the monster was even able to tire. She hoped that was the case. If it wasn't, she couldn't run away from it. So why run? She disappeared in a flash of magic. The giant bird leaped into a clearing, its metal head dented and its eyes filled with raw fury. "Where are you?" it screeched and looked around itself. The forest was quiet and still. "You can't hide from me, little creature!" it shouted. "I can sense magic, feel it, see it..." It slowly turned to look at the trunk of a rotten tree lying on the ground nearby. It opened its mouth and spewed out a torrent of fire that engulfed the dead tree. A yelp could be heard as it was bathed in bright flames. What remained aside from charred wood and billowing smoke was a shimmering sphere of magic. Twilight stood inside of it. "Can't you ask someone to help your father," she shouted, "insted of hunting down innocent beings?" The beast approached her, black clouds rising from its glowing nostrils. "No one will ever help Ilmari, not after he forged the Sampo many millenia ago! Not after he started the Great War! No one will forgive him for it. But he will have his revenge. I will make sure of it! He will have his powers back! He will be a god once more!" It screeched, leaped at her and sunk its claws into the magical shield. It shattered into a thousand glowing pieces. Twilight yelped, beat her wings and flew away from the beast's flaming maw. "Magic won't help you fight against me!" the monster shouted. "It will only make me stronger! Give up and die!" Twilight flapped her wings. Before her stood the labyrinth of trees, with many gaps in between them. "Time to see if I still remember any of her lessons," she mumbled. She spotted two trees standing close next to each other. The gap in between was large enough for her if she did Rainbow's old trick, but not for the bird of flame. It would have to stop and go around them. She turned sideways and wrapped her wings around herself. She flew straight through the gap as the bird gave chase. However, it spread its iron wings and sliced the trees in half. Her eyes widened when she saw that happen. "So, that didn't work, hiding did't work, zigzagging didn't work, even magic didn't work..." she mumbled nervously. The beast screeched. "No worries, I just have to stall it for as long as possible... and not fly too fast..." She glanced behind her and screamed just when the monster was about to bite off her leg. She beat her wings harder and got away from it. "Where are you, Taapio?" she said. She desperately formed a cloud of magic around a tree ahead of them. After she flew past it, she pulled it downwards. She winced, for the tree had long roots, but managed to do it just it time. The tree's trunk cracked and fell, and the beast crashed into it and screeched. "That should buy some time," she said and wiped her forehead. "You cannot run away forever!" the monster screamed. I know. She disappeared into the brown and green maze. If the beast were to chase it, it would have to find a way through all the trees. Unless... A shadow soon appeared on the ground nearby. "Of course it isn't that stupid," she muttered and looked above. She could see the monster through the canopy. She landed and panted. Her muscles were burning. As the shadow around her grew in size, she closed her eyes and teleported away. However, as the beast landed it spun and covered the trees around it with flame. Twilight was almost caught in the flames, and she was certain her tail had burned a little. But she didn't check. Now was not the time. And I still don't care. She thought about running away, but her body revolted. Too many years spent in conferences and meetings. Too many... She sat down and sighed. The monster emerged from the crackling flames before her. It glared at her with lifeless eyes. "Did you give up? Good! Now come and-" "Kokko!" someone shouted. The bird quickly turned to see the speaker. Its eyes widened. "You said-" "Did I not tell you that you are not allowed to enter my lands?" the sound boomed. It came from a small bearded creature standing on a moss-covered boulder. "Taapio!" Twilight said with a smile. "Yes, you did, but-" the bird muttered. "Do you think Ilmari will be proud of you? He wouldn't hurt a fly, yet here you are, hunting the innocent, eager to kill! And look at the damage you have caused!" he shouted and pointed at the burning plants around it. "If you ever dare to enter my forest again, you will feel my wrath! May your foul name be thrice cursed! Now go, and never come back!" The bird glared at him for a moment, and Twilight looked at it in anticipation. "Fine, old man." It beat its wings, further spreading flame, and flew away. Twilight sighed and galloped to Taapio, who still stood on the rock, leaning on his staff. "That was amazing! Thank you once again, Taapio!" "You're welcome, stranger," he muttered. "How did you do it? Why did it fear you so much?" He smiled faintly. "Kokko knows not to underestimate me. Neither should you." Twilight's smile disappeared as she looked at the flames behind her. "But what about the fire? Will the whole forest burn down?" He chuckled. "Oh, no, I can always ask an old friend for help," he said, looked at the sky and closed his eyes. "Ukko ylijumala, Siunaa meitä sateella." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What was that?" "A request," he said and looked at Twilight. "For rain." "What? But the sky above is clear!" He smiled. "Not for long. You should seek shelter." "...Okay, I will. Then, I'll continue on my journey-" He raised an eyebrow. "You're not planning to fly south, are you?" She blinked a few times. "Why wouldn't I?" He sighed. "The Kokko has found you, like I had feared. It will now relentlessly hunt you, always loom above your head... always ready to snatch you if you ever show up in the sky. You'll have to travel by foot." Twiligh frowned. "By what?" "By foot." "...Oh, you mean 'by hoof'?" He rolled his eyes and nodded. She gasped. "But I can't travel that way! It'll take many moons to get where I want to go!" "Yes, and winter is coming. Your journey will be long and arduous, I'm afraid. Tell me, why did you come here in autumn?" "It was spring in Equestria when I cast the spell! I didn't know the season would be different here! And I thought the spell would take me exactly there, so I didn't even pack any supplies whatsoever! And worst of all, I'm going to be without books for moons!" "Calm down," he said. "Do you at least have a map?" "A what?" "A map." "Haha, now there's a word I don't know." She sighed and lied down on the ground. Taapio looked at her and frowned. "Don't be sad, Equestrian... I think it's time to go home." She raised her head. "What? No, I can't go home yet!" He scowled. "You must. Give up on your foolish quest. You will not talk to the Despoiler." She frowned. The cogs of her mind spun. "Wait... did you... tell the Kokko that I was here? So I would be discouraged from going south?" His eyes widened, and then he sighed. "Yes," he said quietly and lowered his head. Twilight's mouth opened and she stared at him. "I am... deeply sorry. I didn't think it would cause this much damage. I didn't even think it would dare to enter my domain again." "It almost killed me!" she shouted. "Oh, that too." "What? Don't you care?" "Listen, stranger, I told you that this is a land with a cold heart. I wasn't lying when I said that. You will regret coming here. This land has been forsaken by Harmony for thousands of years, ever since the Great War. You will find nothing but misery and suffering here." She remained silent for a while and pondered. "No," she said. "What?" "I've made my decision. I have no other option. I will meet Kalmo. I am sorry if this upsets you." Taapio's bottomless eyes gleamed like daggers of silver. "Very well. Do what you desire. As long as you act like a good guest and don't cause any trouble in my home, you can pass through the forest. But know that you will regret meeting It. I have warned you. Now go." She stood up. "I... I am so sorry. We were friends for a moment, and now-" "The word 'friend' is worthless in this land. Go, fly away like that beast," he muttered and turned around. A droplet of rain fell from the sky and landed on Twilight's horn. She looked up. The sky was covered by a thick blanket of grey clouds. "Or don't," Taapio said and jumped down from the rock. "I don't care anymore." As rainfall began, Twilight looked at the short elder walk away. A tear ran down her cheek, landed on the ground and met new friends that had just fallen from the sky. VIII: HopingSomething moved behind the grey curtain of rain. Twilight lied below the branches of a tree that she assumed was a spruce. She raised her head and looked arond her. The bark pillars stood still. No bird or insect had braved the rain. Then what had just moved? She stood up, her horn glowing faintly. "Hello? Anyone there?" No sound besides the ceaseless patter of rain. A dark phantom moved amongst the trees. "Who are you? Reveal yourself!" Twilight said, the shimmer of her horn becoming increasingly bright. Silence. "Boo!" someone behind her shouted and shook the tree. She yelped as the spruce rustled and jumped away from it. She turned aroud, ready to blast the ambusher with magic. Discord stood behind the tree and laughed. "Ohohoho! You should see your grimy, shocked face right now!" Twilight scowled. "Discord! What are you doing here?" An umbrella appeared in his hand as he approached her. He was protected from the rain by a large shower drain floating above him, apparently absorbing all the water. "Fluttershy asked me to find you and ask you to come back home," he said and moved the umbrella above Twilights head to protect her from the rain. His colourful body seemed out of place in the rainy forest of shadows. Her scowl vanished. "Fluttershy? Has she... forgiven me?" "Erm... no, not really. But she still asked me to bring you home! Isn't she kind?" She sighed. "Oh. You got my hopes up for a moment." "I'm sorry, Twilight. But there's no reason to be so sad! It is time to go back to your friends and family!" She stared at her hooves for a while. "No, I'm not coming yet." He raised a shaggy eyebrow. "Why?" "I need to... think about things. Ponder what I'm doing with my life." Discord placed his lion paw on on her back. "Twilight, you're as depressed as back when I almost defeated you and your friends! Cheer up! This is nowhere near as bad!" "It is," she mumbled. "No. Twilight, listen," he said and created a chart on a stand. His raincoat was replaced with a lab coat, glasses appeared in front of his eyes and a pole appeared in his hand. He pointed at the diagram. "There are five stages of grief, and you are currently on the fouth one: Depression. But good news! Soon, you should progress to the last stage: Acceptance! Then everything is going to be just dandy!" "I know, I first studied that model when I was seven years old," she mumbled. "Oh, you did?" he said and the items disappeared. "Very well. But you understand what I'm trying to say: Chin up! Do you know what Rainbow Dash would do if you two switched places? I know she certainly wouldn't wallow in misery. Make her proud! Show her that just because you like books doesn't mean you're weak!" She looked at him, pouting. "I..." "Come on, Twilight! Don't lose hope! You overcame every obstacle with it, even me, Discord! Only few can claim to have done such an impressive feat!" "I overcame every obstacle with my friends. They gave me hope." "Did they, Twilight? Didn't hope come from here?" he said and lightly prodded her in the chest. She said nothing for a while. He sighed. "I suppose you want to be by yourself while you are on this stage, then. I understand. But surely you'll need some help from good old Discord?" She nodded. "Yes, actually. I have no tools, food or anything." He smiled. "Hah! Worry not!" he said and snapped his fingers. Three stands appeared nearby, each with a heavy backpack filled with items. "Here we have some impressive camping kits! Now, which one will you go for? I'd recommend the 'Grylls' model. It has the best quality-price ratio!" Twilight smiled faintly. "I'll take it, then." Discord clapped his hands. The stands and the other two camping kits disappeared. "Wonderful! I'm sure you made the best choice!" She raised an eyebrow when she saw the umbrella floating above her. "Oh, you can have that as well. I don't need it!" "Thank you, Discord," she said. "And by the way... how's Cordie doing?" Discord smiled warmly. "Ah, she truly is the joy of my life. Thank you for asking!" "I'm glad you're getting along. And what about... ah, nevermind." "Your friends, I assume? They're doing fine, don't worry." "No, what about the citizens? How are they doing without me?" "Oh, they're fine as well! Shining Armour acts as a regent until you return." She raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He nodded. "Don't worry about it. Everything is fine in Equestria, dear! The sun is shining and the sky is clear!" She glanced at the grey sky above. "Speaking of the weather, can you end this rain?" "No, sorry. I can't control the weather here. I'd just anger beings who are far more powerful than me!" he said and chuckled. "Last time that happened wasn't fun in the slightest." She raised an eyebrow. "Okay. I don't think I have anything else to ask. Thank you for everything." "You're welcome, Your Grace!" he said in an excessively posh accent and bowed. "Proud to serve the Princess! May Her glorious reign last for a truly long time!" She smiled and chuckled. "There we go! That's what I want to see!" he said and patted her head. "And it wasn't so hard, was it?" "No," she said and sighed. "But still, I... it'll take a while before I can be happy again." "Ah, it's alright. We'll be waiting for you. All of us. But now, I think it's time for me to go home. The little princess must be waking up by now! Fare thee well, noble ruler!" He vanished in a flash of light like a soul banished from a body. The black umbrella followed Twilight as she walked to the bag Discord had created. She opened it and checked what was inside it. "Hmm... a kettle, pans, knives, bandages... and..." Cheese quesadillas. "Aaaaah!" she yelped, backed away, stumbled and landed on her bottom, accompanied by a loud thump. She sat there for a moment, staring at the backpack. Then she laughed for the first time in several moons. And she savoured it, refused to let it go, enjoying every last moment of it. She laughed and laughed, tears flowing from her eyes. Quesadillas. Of course. Somepony must've told him about her phobia. She kept laughing until the laughter had transformed into weary giggles. She wiped her eyes and sighed. The rainfall had stopped. Above, cracks appeared in the grey ceiling of clouds above her, sunlight shining through and returning colour into the forest. She breathed in the air that had the refreshing scent of petrichor. Hope. A precious thing that is easily lost. IX: BurningThe backpack on Twilight's back grew heavier as she walked and the sky above grew darker. She had been trekking south for hours and her legs ached. It was time to rest. She sighed and went through the checklist in her mind. She'd need firewood and a good location for sleep. She had water and food for a week, so worrying about those was unnecessary. Wood was plentiful and the ground around her was fairly uneven. It wouldn't be too difficult to find some shelter for the night. She stopped to look around her. The sun floated above the horizon, the branches above her shattering its light into a thousand bright rays. The vivid colours of the forest, awakened by sunlight, proudly decorated the trees. The air was filled with the stuffy smell of moss, but she barely even noticed it anymore. Instead, the odour of pine needles entered her nostrils and reminded her of Hearth's Warming Eve. "This forest... is actually quite beautiful," she mumbled as she continued walking. "It looked so gloomy and strange before." Discord had opened her eyes and helped her see again. The world often seems bleak when you're feeling down... She noticed a furry creature lying still on the ground nearby. Several flies flew around it and a grey crow dug the belly of the motionless animal. The smell of needles was replaced with the stench of death. She winced and covered her nose. Her eyes had widened, for no one could see anything like that in Equestria. Maybe in the Evergreen forest, but not in the land of harmony. She received a grim reminder of the true nature of Pohjola. Twilight approached the dead critter, and the crow flew away, croaking as it went, a red tendon hanging from its beak. She looked at the brown creature but didn't recognize what species it was, although it vaguely looked like a weasel. "I can't leave you lying there, little buddy," she mumbled to it. Night was approaching and she still had no firewood or shelter, but she couldn't just ignore the remains and walk away. Never again. She closed her eyes and her horn glowed. The corpse was engulfed in cold variegated flames. Ponies didn't bury their dead. They burned them instead so they wouldn't rot and wither. The three races had different traditions for burning the dead: The unicorns used a special spell that would leave behind nothing, the earth ponies buried the ashes so those who had passed away could give birth to new, greener life while the pegasi scattered the ashes to the sky so their souls could fly forever... She stared at the bright flames, her eyes reflecting their colourful dance. "Why didn't I go there?" she mumbled quietly. Soon nothing was left of the perished animal, no ash or smoke, the moss beneath it covered with some blood but unburned by the magical fire. Twilight sighed and continued her search for shelter. Eventually she found a dead tree spanning a small dry basin on the ground. She put down her pack in the hollow and approached a living tree nearby. It wasn't old and thus not very thick. It was, however, wide enough to provide good firewood. "I should leave it alone," she mumbled. "I don't want to anger Taapio again." So instead she walked to the roots of the dead tree and tore off some of them with her magic. For an alicorn, it wasn't much effort. The roots were covered with moisture from the rain earlier that day, but were otherwise dry. "Let's see... I can get about two cubic trots of wood, which should produce about... well, if it's like Equestrian spruce or Yakyakistan pines, about 15 gigagallops of energy. That should suffice for a while, if I can carry it all." As she mumbled, she cleared out a spot for a campfire near the fallen tree. She knew little about campfires, but assumed that stacking some wood in the middle of a dry spot surrounded by rocks would suffice. So after placing the wood on the ground, she searched the nearby area for pebbles and stones. She found several, picking the ones that were the most symmetrical and even. Not much later a campfire roared, ignited by a spell. She looked at it and smiled. "Heh, camping isn't too bad," she mumbled. The light of the flames illuminated her surroundings. It was dark, for night had fallen. Twilight looked at the moon above and raised an eyebrow. A small sliver of the moon was missing. "Huh, that's odd. Must be an optical illusion," she murmured and chuckled. "Or maybe I'm just really tired." After eating a meal consisting of bread and biscuits, she took out a sleeping bag from her backpack and yawned. As she tucked herself into the bag, she prayed no nightmares would haunt her tonight. X: NegotiatingThere was a flapping sound. Twilight mumbled in her sleep and burrowed deeper into her warm bag. Shouts and rumbling. The flapping became more intense. "Mum, the sun hasn't even risen yet... I can do my homework later..." Something poked her. She opened her eyes and saw a floating umbrella bouncing on her, opening and closing and thus making a flapping sound. The sun hadn't risen yet, but the sky above was bright, stars hidden from sight by twilight. She felt the earth below her tremble a little. She gasped and sat up, staring at the umbrella. It had been in her backpack yesterday, unmoving like a regular one. It floated away from her and tilted itself, pointing at the direction of the shouts and the rumbling. "What is it?" Twilight asked before remembering that umbrellas couldn't talk. She crawled out of her bag and followed the umbrella as it floated away from the sparkling remains of the campfire. She climbed atop a ridge and looked down, raising an eyebrow when she saw a peculiar sight: A group of three moose retreating from something. The moose were unlike the ones she had read about in books and the ones she had seen in the Evergreen forest, for they carried crude spears, wore trinkets made of bone and flint, carried satchels and spoke to each other. She looked at the direction they were coming from, and her eyes widened. Two trees creaked as a huge two-legged giant composed of rock pushed them with its hands so it could fit through the gapbetween them. Its body was covered with moss and a few saplings sprouted from seams in its rocky skin. A section of its head was missing, seemingly chiseled away. It bellowed in anger and chased after the moose. One of the moose tripped and fell. Her two companions stopped, hesitant. The giant quickly approached, and one of them leaped forward to save his fallen friend. The giant raised its rocky fist and brought it down. It stopped mid-air, just before it hit the moose. A glowing cloud of purple magic surrounded it. Twilight appeared in between the giant and the moose in a flash of light. "Stop!" she shouted in a voice Luna had taught her to use some years ago. Everybody stared at her in confusion. "There is no need to fight!" she said. "Just calm down, and I can help you sort out your disagreement!" The moose backed away from her. "What is it?" one of them asked. "It's not a Kalevalan!" "And why do you think that?" another moose asked. "She has wings," he replied. "Kalevalans don't have wings." The rock giant frowned. "He has no need to fight? Only when the moose apologize!" "Go to hiisi, monster!" the taller male moose said. "You ate my brother!" "He did not!" the giant bellowed and pointed an accusatory finger at them. "The moose ruined to my head!" "Calm down!" Twilight shouted again, saplings nearby wavering from her voice. Everyone stared at her in silence. She turned to look at the tallest moose who towered above her. "First, you tell me what happened." "My brother was playing in the forest with his friend, climbing on rocks, when the beast, lying on the ground and looking like a mere pile of boulders, ate him!" Twilight turned to look at the giant who was as tall as the pines around it. "Is this true?" It pouted. "Yes, but-" "He admits it!" the other male moose shouted. "May his name be thrice cursed!" "Silence," Twilight said to him before asking "Why did you do it?" from the giant. "He slumbered peacefully, when something climbed to his mouth! He woke up and accidentally swallowed whatever creature had climbed inside. Then he saw a moose calf running away!" "That was his friend!" the tallest one shouted before turning to look at Twilight. "Do not trust his words! Antero is known for being a devious trickster!" "Did you chisel away a section of his head?" Twilight asked sternly. The tallest moose glared at her while the female one nodded. Twilight sighed. "And what, exactly, were you trying to achieve? Revenge achieves nothing but revenge!" "We taught him a lesson," the shorter male moose said, "so he would never slay a proud Hirvenling again!" "It was an accident!" the giant shouted. "I swear by Ukko and Äe!" "Now he insults the gods themselves with his lies," the tallest moose muttered. "You made him angry," Twilight said to the moose. "And if I had not interfered, he would've squished two of you. Then you would've avenged their deaths as well, which would've made the giant even more angry. See? You've started a vicious cycle of revenge." "Then what, oh wise horse, should we do?" the tallest one asked. His male companion nudged him with his palmate antlers. "Don't insult her! She might be a mighty spirit! Only that would explain her wings and ability to speak Cold-tongue!" "A Kalevalan spirit, for certain" he muttered. "I do not fear them, nor do I care about their twisted words." "Listen," Twilight said to him. "This cycle must stop right now. Nothing can bring your brother back, and I'm sorry for your loss. But the giant can apologize and do something in return to repay his death. It doesn't matter whether it was an accident or not." The tallest moose snorted in contempt. "The giant cannot pay wergild, for he has nothing to pay with. And what could he do for us?" "Help you," she said. "Help you build houses, protect you from predators, help you gather food... you can come up with something." "That sounds good," the female moose said. "What do you say, Peka?" The tallest moose said nothing. "Sounds good to me as well," the other male moose said. "But what about his head?" the giant shouted and pointed at the notch. "What can the moose do to redeem this?" "In the case you're lying and intentionally ate the calf, then that should be a fitting punishment for your deed. And in the case you're not, the moose will agree to give or do anything you want, am I right?" Twilight said. The tallest moose scowled, but the others nodded. She knew the drill nowadays, but remembered the time when she had needed the help of a book while solving a feud between two bickering families. What were their names again? Many years had passed since then, since her youth. She formed a faint smile and said "Then we have an agreement! No more fighting, alright?" "Why do you care?" Peka asked. She blinked and said nothing for a while. "Erm... I just... that's irrelevant. What matters is that you've stopped fighting." "Of course," he said and nodded. But he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at two moose hiding behind a tree, out of the sight of the giant. When they saw his nod, they leaped forward, long ropes hanging from their antlers. They galloped around the giant's legs, loosening rope as they went. "What is this?" the giant asked. The pair pulled the ropes with all their strength, and moose are nothing but weak creatures. The ropes tightened around the rocky legs of the giant, who soon lost balance and fell. Twilight yelped and teleported out of the way. The giant crashed on the ground, flattening several saplings. "Finish him off!" Peka shouted. "Gods will it!" The moose took out chisels and hammers from their satchels and jumped on the giant's head. The fall had concussed him, so he didn't resist. "No!" Twilight shouted. "What are you doing?" "When a wergild cannot be paid," Peka, who grimly stood near, said, "the punishment for death is death. Such is the sacred law of the Hirvenlings." "But he could've helped you!" "'Help' is no payment. And we must respect the laws of our ancestors, lest their spirits abandon us." "But that is pure nonsense! He doesn't deserve this!" He glared at her. "You are a stranger, a foreigner. You can't understand our customs, so do not even try." Soon nothing but rubble remained of the giant's head. Twilight lowered her head, closed her eyes and sighed. The moose gathered around her and stared at her, some with fear in their black eyes, others with distrust. "Now it is time for you to tell who - and what - you are," Peka asked. "I am Twilight Sparkle. Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am an alicorn from Equestria," she said quietly. He raised an eyebrow. "Equestria? The legendary land across the Great Sea?" "Yes," she said and raised her head. "Have you heard of it?" "The elders have mentioned it before. What are you doing here, 'alicorn'?" "I am on a personal quest. Can you take me to your leader? I would like to speak with them." The moose glanced at each other. "We have no leader," Peka said, "but I can take you to our elders. I am certain they desire to speak with you." "Aren't you some kind of leader?" Twilight asked and pointed at him. "Yes, the leader of this party. Our mission was to avenge the death of my brother, and we have succeeded. We will hold a great feast in honour of our victory. But I do not know if you are welcome to it. That is for the elders to decide. I hope they forbid you from coming." She ignored the insult and said "I'll go to my camp and get my things. Can you wait here?" He glanced at her wings. "I have a feeling that it will not take long. Very well, stranger." She turned around and flew back to her camp. The umbrella, that had waited on the ridge, followed her. She landed and packed her sleeping bag and as much firewood as she could. The umbrella jumped into her backpack. Twilight looked at it and smiled. "So, little fellow, I think you deserve a name." The umbrella swirled around in excitement. She chukcled. "I think I'll call you Umbra. Umbra the umbrella. Glad to have you with me, for it's good to travel with someone else." Good to travel with a friend... XI: ReturningTwilight flew over the ridge and landed near the unmoving body of the rock giant. But nobody was there. Twilight frowned. "Where are you? Peka? Anyone?" she called. Silence. She let out a frustrated grunt, spread her wings and looked up. She would go above the trees and find the group— A black and orange bird soared overhead, far away, appearing to be little larger than a pine cone. She shuddered, retracted her wings and looked down at the ground. The group hadn't even tried to cover their trails, so she followed the crumpled moss and the twisted saplings, briskly trotting forward. Not much time had passed when she spotted the group. They saw her and stopped, and as she approached she asked "Where did you go?" "Home," Peka said. "You can now come with us." "Huh?" she said in confusion. "I mean why did you leave? You said you'd wait for me!" "Yes, yet you still trust us enough to come with us. That proves you are trusting and determined. We may not trust you, but at least you trust us." "What? You don't trust me? Even after I saved you from that giant? And lying and just leaving like that was rude!" Peka took a step forward and lowered his head, bringing it closer to her eye-level. "Like I said, don't try to understand our customs, stranger. Now come with us or continue with your 'quest' if you so desire." Her eyes shifted away from his gaze. "Fine, I'm coming with you." Peka said nothing, turned around and continued walking forward. The rest of the group followed him, trying to stay some distance away from Twilight. They all remained silent. After spending a while deep in thought, Twilight looked around, trying to find interesting things to entertain her. The endless, invariable labyrinth of trees surrounded her, its colours dulled by the cloudy sky, so she examined the moose instead. The male ones had various trinkets dangling from their large antlers, and the few females seemed to have bright paint under their black eyes. Their spears rested in brown sheaths hanging from their sides and had wooden shafts and flint spearheads. No ropes attached the sharp heads, for they had been skillfully carved to perfectly fit the tip of the shaft. Hold on, wooden shafts? "Erm, sorry to bother you," she said to the nearest moose, "but how did you get wood for those spears?" The male moose stared at her for a moment before turning away and quickening his pace. "Um... bye, I guess," she mumbled and trotted next to another moose. "Hey, can I... ask you something?" He turned to look at her, glaring at her for a moment. "What is it, stranger?" "Where did you get that wood from?" she asked and nodded towards the spear hanging on his side. "Doesn't Taapio protect these trees?" "Taapio?" he said, impressed. "Ah, of course you know him. You see, every time we fell a tree, we present him a sacrifice." She gasped. "A sacrifice?" "Yes," he said with a raised eyebrow. "Why are you shocked? It is merely a single clay pot containing soup. Taapio seems to enjoy our gifts and lets us use wood for our crafts." She let out a sigh of relief. "Phew, I was already thinking about something else. Thanks for explaining that." So he doesn't even make his own food... The moose nodded and she slowed down her pace. The taller moose didn't move at a faster pace than she did, but their lanky legs allowed them to cover a greater distance with each step. A while passed and the moose begun chatting with each other. Peka remained silent, however, and no one dared to approach Twilight. Boredom crawled back into her mind, and she once again looked around her in curiosity. One of the female moose, the one who had almost been crushed by the giant's fist, had two furry bags strapped to her back. She had ignored them before, but as she looked at them she noticed the small, unmoving limbs and the glitter of black eyes under the still eyelids. The moose had two dead hares on her back. Twilight quickly looked away, frowning. Why did the moose hunt? Curiosity overwhelmed her, so she approached the moose and said "Hi there. Can we talk for a moment?" She turned to look at her and smiled. "Sure, strange spirit. You may call me Aneli." "I'm not a spirit," she said in frustration. "Just a regular pony." "Regular? I've never seen a winged one before. Only horned ones, and even them a long time ago, when our tribe was closer to Kalevala." Twilight wanted to ask many questions, but she focused and asked "Why did you kill two innocent hares, Aneli? Aren't moose herbivores?" She furrowed her brow. "Herbi- what?" Twilight rolled her eyes. "Plant eaters." "Oh, we are! And can you please call us Hirvenlings? We are more than mindless animals, you know. Quite insulting when you compare us to our distant cousins!" Twilight's eyes widened. "Sorry! I didn't know-" Aneli waved dismissively with her hoof. "It's fine, no need to apologize. We hunt because there are many useful things you can get from a dead animal! You can make tools, trinkets, healing paste and even fertilizer out of bones, strings from tendons, waterskins and bags from skin and organs—" Twilight stopped to retch and covered her mouth with her hoof. Aneli stopped as well and gasped. "Oh dear! Are you alright?" "Urgh... sorry, that was just so..." she mumbled in response. The group had stopped and fallen silent. Peka approached them. "The stranger is weak," he said to the others before focusing his gaze on Twilight. "And in this land, the weak perish. The strong must do what they can to survive. I do not know how things are in your 'civilized' land, but here survival is the highest priority. Perhaps that is why you do not understand us, stranger." Twilight looked at distant trees. "Yes," she said silently. Peka sighed. "I think you should abandon your quest and go home, whether it is in Kalevala or not. You will only find misery here." "I'm not doing this for myself," Twilight said and looked at him. "I'm doing this for a friend. That is why I must endure. I'll adapt, don't worry." "I doubt you will, but may gods guide you" he said and turned away. "Come on, everyone! I want us to be back at home before noon, and the sun peeking from behind the clouds is almost at its highest point!" The group continued, but Twilight stood, unmoving. I'm doing this for a friend. She followed after them. IV: DreamingTwilight's hooves were heavier than mountains, and so were her eyelids. She illumitated her surroundings with a light spell and shambled forward. She could see the brightly coloured treetop in the distance. Soon she'd make a campfire, prepare a place to sleep in, and... ... Ponies surrounded her. Happy, smiling ponies. "Praise the savior of the world!" one of them shouted. "Long live the Princess of Equestria!" Tears flowed from Twilight's eyes. "No," she mumbled. "Leave me alone. I don't want to celebrate!" "Huzzah!" the ponies cried, their smiles growing too large and their pupils fading. "Be quiet!" she shouted. "Go away!" "Huzzah!" they shouted, their voices distorted. She galloped away, but ponies were all around her. Smiling, colourful ponies. Her subjects. Their smiles had twisted into macabre grins and their eyes were blank. "Huzzah!" they screeched. Twilight crumpled up and lied on the ground, sobbing. The moon above shined brightly. The ponies around her were turned to dust. She sniffed and looked above. "...Luna?" The dark blue alicorn descended. She had grown as tall and wise as her sister had once been. "Rise, friend," she said with a smile and landed near her. Twilight wiped her tears and stood up. "I thought you-" "My duty never ends, Twilight, for I will not abandon it. Why did you abandon yours?" "I don't want it to be my duty," she said. "Not anymore." "Then what do you want?" Twilight was silent for a moment. "I want my old life back, Luna." She sighed. "I'm afraid that life only remains in your memories." "I know. And it's all my fault," Twilight said and stared at her hooves. Luna approached her and placed a hoof on her back. "Twilight, you're always rough on yourself. That's something we've always had in common. Remember how you helped me forgive myself all those years ago? I am in debt, and now I wish to repay it." "You forgave yourself with the help of your friends. I don't have them any longer." "You have me, Twilight. Am I not your friend?" "Sure, but you've always been so... distant." "Twilight, you have to return. Your subjects need you. They look up to you. They love you. You must forgive yourself for what you did and once again embrace your destiny." "I will not go back. Not yet, at least. I need to repent in this wilderness, and I need to discover my true destiny, because this isn't it." "Friend, my sister once told me that the very day you were born, the stars themselves whispered 'Twilight Sparkle'. This has always been your destiny." "I don't want it to be. Not without them. Not after what I did to them." Luna sighed. "Very well then. Ponder your life if you so desire. But eventually, you'll have to make the decision. Princess Twilight Sparkle, your subjects await your return." "Wake up."
I: AwakeningNothing. No, not blackness, for it would've been something. There was nothing. No vision, no smell, no feelings, nothing. Then, a sound. A growl. A wave of feeling, of thought, of consciousness. Slowly, nothingness receded away, revealing life. Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes. She was lying down and could feel the moist, spongy ground beneath her body. The cold air around her had an unfamiliar smell, faintly similar to the pervasive, alien odour of the Everfree forest. The growl! She gasped, rolled around and pushed herself up with her hooves. Standing up felt like raising a heavy boulder with your back. She shuddered, mist twirling from her mouth and nostrils. "Ohh, the prrreyy has awoken. How unforrrtunate." She looked at her surroundings, trying to find the owner of the voice. Tall, reddish-brown and black trees stood around her, silent and faceless. Strange, smaller trees with branches covered with dark green prickles sat beneath their taller cousins. The ground was covered with a greyish green carpet of moss. A stick snapped behind her. She turned around and saw a strange, yet vaguely familiar creature. It was a feline beast with yellowish fur and fluffy tufts on the tips of its alert ears. It walked around her with slow and deliberate steps, its green eyes focused on her. Vicious claws jutted out of its paws. The mouth opened, revealing a fearsome maw of a predator filled with sharp teeth. "If you werrre an injured elk, you'd be dead alrrready... but you arrre strrrange. Purrrple. With wings and a horrrn. Neverrr beforrre have I seen such a crrreature. Can it speak?" Twilight swallowed and realized how dry her throat was. But it was unimportant now. She mustered up her confidence and said "Yes, yes she can." Her voice was hoary and shaky. The creature purred and continued pacing around her. Twilight had to keep turning, keep looking at its eyes, remain alert. It could leap at her at any moment, drowning her in an avalanche of fur, teeth and claws. "Hmm. Then the crrreature can tell what she is." "I am a uni- an alicorn. And I am not your prey." It chuckled. "Oh, is that so? Such admirrrable courrrage." "Can you tell me where I am?" "This is the forrrest. Above is the sky. Therrre is nothing else in the worrrld." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Does this land... have a name?" "Such a strrrange question. Why does a land need a name? This is the forrrest. It needs no name." Twilight frowned. "Where's the nearest town?" The beast chuckled. "The strrranger speaks strrrange words. How fitting. Oh, how my stomach grrrowls..." "Sorry, but I will not satiate your hunger. Leave me alone. I have nothing else to ask." "Oh, rrreally?" It chuckled again. "The 'alicorn' is tired and weak. I doubt she can fight back. Neitherrr can she flutter with her wings and fly away." Twilight closed her eyes and focused. Her horn was set aflame, white sparks spewing out of bright purple flames. Her eyes opened, and they weren't friendly. "Maybe, but her horn can certainly fry your fur. So leave her alone." The creature's eyes widened and its mouth flung open. It backed away from her. "Trrruly a strrrange crrreature. Frrry me with a glowing horn? How will she do that?" Twilight winced as a bolt of pure magical energy leaped at the nearby tree, blowing apart its bark. "Like that. Now run away and find something else to eat." The creature's hair stood on end as it stared at the scorched tree. It glanced at Twilight, turned around and ran away, disappearing into the living but motionless labyrinth of trees. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, wiped her forehead and collapsed on the ground. She closed her eyes and collected her thoughts. She was alone in the wilderness, in an unknown land with no sign of civilization. Just her luck. She looked at the sky above. On the right side it was dark blue, but on her left it was light blue and orange. Was the sun setting or rising? She frowned and examined the darker part of the sky. The stars were unfamiliar. Where was Draco? Virgo? Cancer? She couldn't recognize any constellations. "Just how far away from home am I?" she mumbled. Twilight stood up again and spread her wings, wanting to fly as high as she could and examine the strange world around her from above. She took off into the air, but soon ungracefully fell on the ground, accompanied by a thud. She panted heavily and winced in pain, despite having landed on a soft cushion of moss, and regretted ignoring what the beast had said about her ability to fly. She lied there for a moment and waited for the pain to end. A yellow and grey bird sat on one of the branches of a nearby tree, its head tilted as it stared at her. "That spell wasn't the best of my ideas," she mumbled to it. "But perhaps this is a fitting punishment for me." The bird chirped in response and flew away. She did her best to stand up, but now the boulder on her back had grown even larger. With weary steps she began to wander, hoping to find something to eat. Her stomach growled, and she felt pity for the beast she had met, knowing now how hunger tormented it.
II: WanderingThe colours of the forest muted as light left the world. Far away, the goddess of the sun lowered the ardent sphere of flame and put it to sleep. Its last yawn painted the sky pink and orange, but spectacle was hidden under the canopy of the cold forest by the countless needles and branches. Nevertheless, one could still see that night was coming. In this bleak world of shadows, shades of brown and green had always ruled supreme, but were challenged when a lavender creature with a purple mane appeared in the forest. The tall pillars around her bobbed as a gust of wind blew on them and whispered You do not belong here. The only other sounds in the forest came from the rustling undergrowth beneath her wandering hooves. Every now and then she stopped, frowned and rubbed her forehead before continuing. Eventually she stopped before a clearing. Below the shade of leaves of small plants lied countless tiny berries, but they were rotten and old. "Winter must be coming, then," she mumbled. "Unless the plants work differently here than they do in the Everfree forest." Her stomach grumbled and demanded food. A while passed. "Oh Twilight," she muttered to herself, having no one else to speak with. "Why did you postpone reading the Camper's guide to Camping and read The History of Barnoque Art instead? Why did you never go camping with your friends? Why did you let her go? Why did you cast that spell? Why did you believe her? Why? Why?" Her frustrated questions received no answers, and the trees remained silent. The ground below her began to slope upwards. Her weary body revolted against walking onwards, so she sighed and sat on a nearby flat boulder covered with a few patches of moss. "Think, Twilight, what would Yearling do in this situation?" She closed her eyes, plunged into the murky and deep pool of memories with nostalgia as her guiding light, and realized that 'Daring Do' certainly wouldn't wander aimlessly looking for food. In Daring Do and the Forsaken Sentinels she had been stranded in the wilderness, and the first thing she had done was look for a source of water and afterwards build a shelter for the night. Twilight opened her eyes and chuckled. "Even fiction books can teach you a useful thing or two." She stood up and hopped off the rock. "I should mark this place so I can find my way back," she mumbled, looked at the top of a nearby tree, winced and turned it bright purple with a spell cast from her horn. "That should do the trick," she said with a smile that then disappeared. She frowned and rubbed her forehead again. Twilight headed east. There was still some time before nightfall and she would use it to explore her surroundings. If she got lucky, she could find food or water, but at the very least she would learn what the forest around her was like so she wouldn't get lost. Then she'd come back, start a roaring flame for the night on top of that rock and build a shelter if she still had time and energy. She winced as she stepped on something more solid than moss and undergrowth. Looking down, she saw a seedless cone. "I hope I don't have to resort to eating that," she muttered. "But it would still be better than having to hunt and eat the body of someone who once breathed and lived." The sky darkened and the first stars were brought to life. A full moon rose above, and Twilight recognized the pores on its round face. She smiled. At least one familiar face in this foreign land. After a while she arrived at a clearing and raised her eyebrows. A large pool of water shimmered on the ground, the trees warily staying some distance away from it. "Looks like I'm lucky, and not a moment too late," she said as the last rays of the sun ran across the sky above. Her dry throat begged her to go to the pool and quench the searing flames of thirst, and she happily complied, trotting to the edge of the pool. Tall reeds stood silently and watched her lower her head near the pool's surface. She stopped when she saw that the light of the moon had turned the pool into a mirror. She saw her tired visage, her unkempt hair and the bags under her eyes. For a brief, disturbing moment it had been an unfamiliar stranger staring back at her. Patches of grime still hung from her face, having grasped it when her head had lied on moss. "I should probably wash my face first," she muttered and lowered her hoof near the surface of the water so she could splash some of it on herself. A pale hand shattered her mirror image and wrapped its lanky fingers around her hoof. She yelped as the hand pulled her into the water, and before she could cast any spells the liquid maw of the pool swallowed her whole. Wind blew once again, and the sentinels of bark let out a sigh of relief. The stranger was finally gone.
III: BreathingTwilight was pulled deeper into the cold alien womb. She had swallowed some water and had only managed to store some air within her body. Already, her lungs were begging for her to breathe in, but she knew it would end badly. The stale and mushy water in her mouth was certainly not drinkable, like typical pond water. What had she been thinking? Had thirst and fatigue pushed away all sense and reason? "It is so lonely in here..." Did the whispering come from the beast that wished for her death? "...but no longer. At last I have a friend in the darkness." She could feel more and more water pushing her body together as she was pulled deeper. The lanky hand firmly held her hoof, refusing to let her go. "I am not your friend," she wanted to say. If only she could. Besides, wasn't it her task to help those who were alone? Those who hadn't embraced the magic of friendship? Was it? Her body stopped moving downward. Now the creature pulled her sideways. Her lungs were screaming, begging her to open her mouth. She mustered her willpower and kept it shut, just for a little longer. Maybe she could cast some spell to save herself, like she had so many times before. It's always a spell that saves her, isn't it? Always a convenient spell. "I will show you my home and my toys! Come, I have prepared food for a visitor such as yourself!" Her body dragged on the bottom of the pond, slimy weed licking her underbelly. Every part of her body wanted to swim, to escape, but the water crushed her and pushed her together while her lungs did everything they could to open her mouth. Struggling against these forces was exhausting. "Watch out, a former friend of mine is sleeping here. He hasn't awakened in ages. How rude of him, isn't it?" Her body stopped as it hit something solid lying on the bottom of the pond. Was it a body? "Oh dear, didn't you hear my warning? Let me help you." The creature swam upward and pulled her away from the body. Her hoof touched a leathery and rectangular object lying on top of the body in the cold grasp of the being sleeping there. A book! She struggled again in the beast's grasp and her mouth opened in excitement. Before she could close it, she swallowed a handful of water and let out the last remaining air from he lungs. She gasped, letting more water in. The rapid beats of her heart echoed in her ears filled with water. "Woah, friend, what are you doing?" Her horn glowed, and she disappeared. "No! Where did you go? Please don't leave!" "I am still here," said the book. The creature remained silent. "Come closer. See this brown thing lying on your friend? Take it and open it." A moment of stillness. Reluctantly, the beast swam closer, grabbed the book and opened it. Its pages were faded, covered in algae and mushy, but they were sufficient. A small moving image of Twilight had appeared inside. "Can you see me?" she asked. The beast gasped and almost dropped the book. "What is this sorcery?" "A spell I learned a long time ago. Calm down, I want to talk." "I don't want a picture to be my friend. I want a real one, like Jakko here," it said and patted the head of the body with its hand. "Just less sleepy, hehe." "He's not sleeping," Twilight said. "He can't breathe water, I'm afraid." If there had been something resembling a smile on the creature's malformed face, it would've disappeared. "What do you mean?" it asked like a child who had been told that no one would come to their birthday party. "He's dead, and you have killed him," she sternly said. "Do you realize what you've done?" "I..." it said before remaining silent. Twilight saw an image of young Spike admitting he had eaten ice cream. "I'm sorry," she said, her tone no longer stern. "But he can't live here with you. No one can." "No!" it screamed. "You're lying! No one wants to be friends with me because no one likes Kallervo!" "No, listen," Twilight said, "it's not because of that! I am telling you the truth!" She could hear it sobbing. For a moment, she wanted to leave the book and comfort the monster. But instead she waited for a while, the only sound in the deep pond coming from the crying creature. "Jakko is gone, Kallervo," she said. "Can you hear him breathing? Can you feel his heart beating?" The creature sniffed and touched the body lying on the bottom of the pond. It didn't say a thing. "See? You can't bring friends here. I'm so sorry." "But will you be my friend?" it asked. As princess, I believe I have the power to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. That is the role I am meant to have in our world! The role I choose to have! Was it the role she wanted to have? "Sorry," she said. ""But this spell is temporary and I can't breathe water. I'll have to leave." Kallervo cried again. She saw an image of Celestia glaring at her in disapproval. "No, please don't cry, we can sort things out!" "How?" it said and sniffed. "Uh... I can come up with something! Wait a moment..." And a moment it waited. You are now Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship. But what is the princess of friendship without her friends? What indeed? "Can you breathe air?" Twilight asked, fairly certain of what the answer would be. "No," it said. "Not since I fell into this pond. But I don't breathe water either." "Are you... dead?" There was a moment of silence. Was it checking its own pulse for the first time? "I... am." "Oh," Twilight said. "I, uh, think that... I think your soul is cursed to be alone in this pond for the rest of eternity. This must be a magical pond." "Alone? I don't want to be alone! I want to see mother again!" "I... maybe I can take you to her." It was silent for a moment. "What do you mean?" "Put your soul to rest. You're stuck between the realm of the living and the dead." "And what can you do about it? Do you know some spell?" "Yes. I have an offer: Take me to the surface, and I'll take you to your mother. Alright?" "...Alright." Twilight appeared as an alicorn again and winced as cold water greeted her. There was no air or water in her lungs, but she held her mouth and nose shut. She could feel Kallervo grasping her front hoof and pulling her up. Slowly, her consciousness began to fade as her body received no air... The trees above sighed as the stranger burst out of the water and swam to the edge of the pond. She lied on the ground and panted heavily. Moonlight illuminated a pale head peeking out of the surface, black eyes staring at her. She had used spell she wanted to cast before: She had banished the ghost of the Castle of the Two Sisters with it. She sighed, stood up and closed her eyes. "I have no idea if this will hurt. Brace yourself." Her horn was engulfed in a purple haze and purple mist flowed from her eyes. A blast of darkness was unleashed and it hit the water. A scream could be heard. Twilight opened her eyes, and the head had disappeared. Thank you, she could hear in her mind. A thought that was not her own. "You're... welcome," she said. She shivered as cold wind howled. "Now only I remain stuck between the realm of the living and the dead."
V: MeetingTwilight's eyes opened slowly. The gloomy forest had been replaced by bright woodland. She felt a warm woolen blanket on top of her body. Her throat was bone-dry and her stomach emptier than her heart. The air smelled of mushrooms. "Good morning, stranger." Twilight gasped and stood up. Her horn glowed as the blanket dropped onto the ground. She saw a small, robed creature standing next to a crackling campfire and two wooden cups. A ceramic pot lied on top of the burning logs, and the creature stirred its contents with a wooden spoon. His white beard almost reached his toes and a wooden staff leaned on his shoulder. His skin was like bark: Dry, wrinkly and brown. Twilight raised an eyebrow and the glow of her horn dissipated. "What are you doing?" "Making breakfast," he said, his voice high-pithced, elderly and raspy. "Delicious soup, with mushrooms and various root vegetables. An Equestrian such as yourself will surely enjoy it." Twilight's eyes widened and she said "You know I am from Equestria?" He nodded. "Of course." "But how?" "Oh, let's just say I've travelled far and wide," he said and covered the top of the pot with a lid. He turned to look at Twilight, his small eyes gleaming under his hood like bottomless lakes. "But Equestrians rarely do. Why are you trespassing in my domain?" Twilight saw his stern eyes and looked down at her hooves. "Uh, sorry, I'm just... passing through." He glared at her. "I didn't even intend to come here!" Twilight explained. "I'll leave as soon as I can. I apologize!" His serious expression melted away to reveal a warm smile beneath. "Haha, worry not, Equestrian! For I am a friendly and welcoming isäntä! Why else would've I covered a stranger with a blanket and prepared a hearty meal for her?" Twilight blinked a few times. "Oh, I thought..." He chuckled. "You're welcome, stranger. My name is Taapio." "You have my gratitude," Twilight said and faintly smiled. "Pleasant to meet you. I am Twilight Sparkle. And may I ask, what's an 'isente'?" He raised a shaggy eyebrow. "Do you not know the word?" Twilight shook her head slightly. "No, it's not about that. I've cast a translation spell on myself. Why didn't it..." Taapio shrugged. "The word must have no equivalent in your fair language, I assume. And I already wondered, since when have Equestrians spoken Cold-tongue? Heheheh. That's a very useful spell, I must say." Twilight rubbed her chin. Her hunger for knowledge had been awakened. "I'm curious, what does the word mean?" "Hmm..." he said and stroked his beard in thought. "I suppose it's a combination of the words 'master', 'host' and 'father'." "So this entire forest... is your domain?" Twilight asked. He nodded and spread his arms. "Yes! Every tree is my friend, every animal my pet. I watch over them and guard this forest." "How did you know I was here? Did you just stumble upon my sleeping body?" Taapio chuckled. "Oh, no, my little helpers told me of your sudden appearance," he said and a bird above chirped. "And even before that, I heard troubled whisper coming from the trees. They said 'you do not belong here', and I knew not what they meant by that. Not until I was told of you." Twilight snorted. "Trees don't talk." "Ahhh, so you come from a city? Or a village, perhaps? Have Equestrians learned to build houses since I was last there?" Twilight frowned. "Erm... we've known how to build houses for many millenia." "Oh, you have? Good! I should visit more often, but I am growing weary and old... no longer can I go on lengthy journeys to distant lands," he said and sighed. "You're how old?" she asked in disbelief. He chuckled. "I don't keep count. I am as old as this forest," he said and frowned. "Could you tell me... how do Equestrians build anything?" "Well, earth ponies and pegasi can somewhat clumsily use their mouths like you use hands. Then there are unicorns, who use magic to levitate objects." "And how numerous are the unicorns these days?" "Eh, I guess they make up the third of the population." Taapio nodded. "Ah, so you are telling me that most of your people are born without hands. And you-" he pointed at her horn "-are one of those who have them." "...Yes?" "Interesting. Nothing else," he said and looked at the pot. His eyes shone with excitement. "Ah, soup must be ready!" He grabbed the cups from the ground and opened the lid of the pot. Twilight's mouth watered when the scent of the soup touched her nose. Her stomach growled. He chuckled. "Sounds like you are hungry as well. Come closer, let us sit down on those rocks nearby. We have much to discuss." They did so and soon Twilight eagerly poured soup into her mouth while Taapio slowly moved a spoonful near his lips and slurped it. "Ahhh," Twilight sounded and wiped her mouth. "I cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you, Taapio." He swallowed some soup and smiled. "Like I said before, you are welcome. Guests must always be treated well." "May I ask one thing?" He nodded and put another spoonful into his mouth. "Does this land have a name?" "Why does a land need a name, I've always wondered..." Twilight sighed. "I've heard that answer before." "...for this land is called 'Pohjola'." "Oh? Pohjola?" she asked and smiled widely. "The spell worked after all! This is just where I wanted to be!" Taapio frowned but continued to eat the soup without saying anything. "Have you, by any chance, heard of Kalmo?" Twilight asked in excitement. Taapio coughed and almost choked on his soup. "Do not say that cursed name out loud!" he said with a scowl. "Oh no, I'm really sorry!" she said. "I didn't expect you to react like that. So you have heard of it?" "Yes," he muttered. "Do you know where it resides?" Taapio squinted. "As much as I hate answering a question with a question, I must ask: Why do you desire to know?" "I wish to meet it." He raised an eyebrow. "You came to this land to talk to the Lord of Death itself?" She nodded slowly. "I read about it back in Equestria. I believe it is the only one that can help me." "Do not trust the Despoiler," he said and shook his finger at her. "It is imprisoned deep beneath the ice of the southern wastelands for a very good reason." "I know, but I have no other option, I'm afraid." He sighed. "Very well. If you truly desire to meet it, go south, to the cold lands of bare hills and nightless days. Once there, find a witch named Louhe and ask her to take you to it. The journey is long, but a bird could fly there in a week or two." "Only a week? Good, the spell wasn't a bad idea at all!" He looked at her wings. "It would be unwise to fly, for you are a powerful being. I can feel it. I can feel the great powers within you... know that there are creatures out there that hunger that magic. Be very careful, if you indeed plan to fly south." She nodded. "I will, and I do," she said and stood up. "Can I have that pot? I'll need it for boiling water and cooking." He looked at it. "It's the only one I have... but you can have it." "The only one? Okay, you can keep it then." He chuckled. "No no, just take it. I offer it to you." Twilight raised her hoof. "No thank you. You don't have any other pots, and I-" He frowned. "Please, just take it." "I can't!" "Take it! I ask you!" "No!" He sighed. "Very well." She smiled. "Good to see that we've reached an agreement. And, uhh... could you tell me one more thing?" Taapio didn't nod for a while. "Perhaps. You have already asked troubling things." "What peoples inhabit these lands, if any? And this isn't just for me, the tome about this region needs to be updated." "Many peoples inhabit the land of Pohjola. But some are hidden from sight. Others are wandering nomads. And the rest are monsters. Be wary when you meet strangers, for they are unlikely to be as friendly as me. This land has a cold heart, and so do its people." And so do I, Twilight thought. "I guess that'll suffice," she said and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Taapio. Thank you for everything. I will be in debt." "Will you leave now?" Twilight spread her wings. "Yes. The sooner I meet it, the better." "Hmm. My helpers will follow you, and tell me if you need assistance. But know that once you leave the woodlands, I can no longer help you." She nodded. "I understand. Good bye, friend! You have done so much for me." "Farewell, Twilight Sparkle of Equestria. May our paths cross again." She smiled. Her body was rested and reinvigorated. She felt like she could fly faster than Rainbow... Rainbow... Rain... Why? She shook her head and beat her wings, taking off into the air. Taapio waved as she ascended above the trees. "Farewell," he mumbled. "And good luck, for you will need it more than you know."
VI: FlyingTwilight breathed in the brisk air of the cloudless sky as she soared. The musty smell of the forest was gone and above the strange trees the air was no different from that of Equestria. Wind dragged her mane and messed it even further. While she had never cared much about her looks, she had still wanted to stay clean and have her hair brushed neatly straight. Now, she didn't care. Do I care about anything anymore? Above the seemingly endless forest, she felt like a small bug flying over the rough green fur of a creature whose size was unfathomable for such a tiny little insect. The air around her was cold, but her fur kept her warm and the sun above the eastern horizon sent out warming rays of light. But if winter was coming, it would get much worse. Yet another reason to fly as fast as possible. But she was not like the cyan pegasus friend of hers and didn't simply rush south. She examined the lands below her and looked for rivers and streams that glittered like silver under the sun. Unfortunately, they were rare in this land and difficult to spot beneath the trees. She frowned. Finding sources of water would be difficult and she had no flasks for containing it. Perhaps Taapio would help her find water if she so wanted. Another problem was food. There were no berries or fruits to be found in the cold forest, but Taapio had given her an idea: She could eat roots and mushrooms. Maybe even moss if she was desperate. And she hoped to find some of those nomads he had mentioned, for they could feed her if she did something in return. With her magic powers, it wouldn't be difficult to strike some deal. She beat her wings and picked up speed. One or two weeks, nothing more. Then she could return home and- A screech came from above. Her heart skipped a beat and she raised her head to look at the source of the chilling sound. A small dot floated above her. It was on fire. And it grew in size. Twilight gasped. Whatever it was, it approached her fast. She dodged to the side and glanced above, but the creature still dove straight at her. Taapio had warned her, and she had ignored him. Maybe she was like the cyan pegasus friend of hers? No. She would've flown straight at the beast and tried kicking it in the head. She smiled faintly at the memories that resurfaced. The monster screeched. She closed her eyes and waited. Just as the creature was about to hit her she vanished in a flash of magic and reappeared further away. The beast had dived like an eagle hunting for a little bird, and like an eagle it looked. But it was gigantic, its skin was made of iron, its feathers were made of fire and its eyes were made of hatred. It spread its wide wings and ascended, staring at Twilight with its glowing eyes as it approached. Her own eyes widened and she could feel her body dragging her away. Flee, it said. She turned around and flapped her wings as hard as she could. The fiery monstrosity screeched behind her. She tried zigzagging and thus using her smaller size to her advantage, but the beast turned with ease, and it was Twilight who struggled with it. Why did I never go flying with her? The monster slowly catched up to her. She desperately turned to look at it and unleashed a violent blast of magic from her horn. It opened íts flaming mouth and swallowed the ray of purple flame. "Oh no," she said to herself. "This can't be happening!" The beast screeched as it got closer and closer. She cast a spell. teleported behind it and flew away from it. It turned around and relentlessly followed. No matter how hard she tried, the beast flew faster than her. Twilight looked at the trees below and descended. If she stayed in the air, the iron eagle would catch her, but below the canopy she would be safer. She could find some place to hide in and Taapio could help her. Somehow. Maybe not, for he was just a small old creature. She touched down on a cushion of moss and galloped away. The monster screeched above, its shadow covering her and growing in size. A large moss-covered boulder was nearby. She teleported to it as the beast landed on the ground, ripping apart the moss with its long claws of iron. The monster raised its head and saw her looking at it. "You cannot flee forever," it said. Its crackling voice was hight-pitched and metallic. Twilight panted and said "What do you want from me? Leave me alone!" It clumsily walked towards her, the flames from its wings igniting the saplings nearby. "My creator desires magical power, and I sense much within you." Twilight frowned. Her horn glowed faintly. "Why does he or she-" "He was once a god of smithing and air, but now he is little more than a meagre crafter of trinkets!" it shouted. "I want to help my father. Make him great again. And for that, I need your soul!" It screeched, beat its wings and leaped at her. Twilight's horn glowed brightly and the boulder was surrounded by a cloud of magical energy. She flung the rock at it and it hit the monster's head. The two crashed onto the ground. Twilight galloped away. She spotted a black and white bird with long tail feathers sitting on a branch nearby. "Go to Taapio!" she said to it. "Tell him to go south, and that a friend of his needs help!" The bird croaked and flew away.
VII: FleeingShe kept galloping. Not too fast, for it would've tired her out. The orange leaves falling, the autumn sun shining, my friends competing... She shook her head and focused. She wasn't certain if the monster was even able to tire. She hoped that was the case. If it wasn't, she couldn't run away from it. So why run? She disappeared in a flash of magic. The giant bird leaped into a clearing, its metal head dented and its eyes filled with raw fury. "Where are you?" it screeched and looked around itself. The forest was quiet and still. "You can't hide from me, little creature!" it shouted. "I can sense magic, feel it, see it..." It slowly turned to look at the trunk of a rotten tree lying on the ground nearby. It opened its mouth and spewed out a torrent of fire that engulfed the dead tree. A yelp could be heard as it was bathed in bright flames. What remained aside from charred wood and billowing smoke was a shimmering sphere of magic. Twilight stood inside of it. "Can't you ask someone to help your father," she shouted, "insted of hunting down innocent beings?" The beast approached her, black clouds rising from its glowing nostrils. "No one will ever help Ilmari, not after he forged the Sampo many millenia ago! Not after he started the Great War! No one will forgive him for it. But he will have his revenge. I will make sure of it! He will have his powers back! He will be a god once more!" It screeched, leaped at her and sunk its claws into the magical shield. It shattered into a thousand glowing pieces. Twilight yelped, beat her wings and flew away from the beast's flaming maw. "Magic won't help you fight against me!" the monster shouted. "It will only make me stronger! Give up and die!" Twilight flapped her wings. Before her stood the labyrinth of trees, with many gaps in between them. "Time to see if I still remember any of her lessons," she mumbled. She spotted two trees standing close next to each other. The gap in between was large enough for her if she did Rainbow's old trick, but not for the bird of flame. It would have to stop and go around them. She turned sideways and wrapped her wings around herself. She flew straight through the gap as the bird gave chase. However, it spread its iron wings and sliced the trees in half. Her eyes widened when she saw that happen. "So, that didn't work, hiding did't work, zigzagging didn't work, even magic didn't work..." she mumbled nervously. The beast screeched. "No worries, I just have to stall it for as long as possible... and not fly too fast..." She glanced behind her and screamed just when the monster was about to bite off her leg. She beat her wings harder and got away from it. "Where are you, Taapio?" she said. She desperately formed a cloud of magic around a tree ahead of them. After she flew past it, she pulled it downwards. She winced, for the tree had long roots, but managed to do it just it time. The tree's trunk cracked and fell, and the beast crashed into it and screeched. "That should buy some time," she said and wiped her forehead. "You cannot run away forever!" the monster screamed. I know. She disappeared into the brown and green maze. If the beast were to chase it, it would have to find a way through all the trees. Unless... A shadow soon appeared on the ground nearby. "Of course it isn't that stupid," she muttered and looked above. She could see the monster through the canopy. She landed and panted. Her muscles were burning. As the shadow around her grew in size, she closed her eyes and teleported away. However, as the beast landed it spun and covered the trees around it with flame. Twilight was almost caught in the flames, and she was certain her tail had burned a little. But she didn't check. Now was not the time. And I still don't care. She thought about running away, but her body revolted. Too many years spent in conferences and meetings. Too many... She sat down and sighed. The monster emerged from the crackling flames before her. It glared at her with lifeless eyes. "Did you give up? Good! Now come and-" "Kokko!" someone shouted. The bird quickly turned to see the speaker. Its eyes widened. "You said-" "Did I not tell you that you are not allowed to enter my lands?" the sound boomed. It came from a small bearded creature standing on a moss-covered boulder. "Taapio!" Twilight said with a smile. "Yes, you did, but-" the bird muttered. "Do you think Ilmari will be proud of you? He wouldn't hurt a fly, yet here you are, hunting the innocent, eager to kill! And look at the damage you have caused!" he shouted and pointed at the burning plants around it. "If you ever dare to enter my forest again, you will feel my wrath! May your foul name be thrice cursed! Now go, and never come back!" The bird glared at him for a moment, and Twilight looked at it in anticipation. "Fine, old man." It beat its wings, further spreading flame, and flew away. Twilight sighed and galloped to Taapio, who still stood on the rock, leaning on his staff. "That was amazing! Thank you once again, Taapio!" "You're welcome, stranger," he muttered. "How did you do it? Why did it fear you so much?" He smiled faintly. "Kokko knows not to underestimate me. Neither should you." Twilight's smile disappeared as she looked at the flames behind her. "But what about the fire? Will the whole forest burn down?" He chuckled. "Oh, no, I can always ask an old friend for help," he said, looked at the sky and closed his eyes. "Ukko ylijumala, Siunaa meitä sateella." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "What was that?" "A request," he said and looked at Twilight. "For rain." "What? But the sky above is clear!" He smiled. "Not for long. You should seek shelter." "...Okay, I will. Then, I'll continue on my journey-" He raised an eyebrow. "You're not planning to fly south, are you?" She blinked a few times. "Why wouldn't I?" He sighed. "The Kokko has found you, like I had feared. It will now relentlessly hunt you, always loom above your head... always ready to snatch you if you ever show up in the sky. You'll have to travel by foot." Twiligh frowned. "By what?" "By foot." "...Oh, you mean 'by hoof'?" He rolled his eyes and nodded. She gasped. "But I can't travel that way! It'll take many moons to get where I want to go!" "Yes, and winter is coming. Your journey will be long and arduous, I'm afraid. Tell me, why did you come here in autumn?" "It was spring in Equestria when I cast the spell! I didn't know the season would be different here! And I thought the spell would take me exactly there, so I didn't even pack any supplies whatsoever! And worst of all, I'm going to be without books for moons!" "Calm down," he said. "Do you at least have a map?" "A what?" "A map." "Haha, now there's a word I don't know." She sighed and lied down on the ground. Taapio looked at her and frowned. "Don't be sad, Equestrian... I think it's time to go home." She raised her head. "What? No, I can't go home yet!" He scowled. "You must. Give up on your foolish quest. You will not talk to the Despoiler." She frowned. The cogs of her mind spun. "Wait... did you... tell the Kokko that I was here? So I would be discouraged from going south?" His eyes widened, and then he sighed. "Yes," he said quietly and lowered his head. Twilight's mouth opened and she stared at him. "I am... deeply sorry. I didn't think it would cause this much damage. I didn't even think it would dare to enter my domain again." "It almost killed me!" she shouted. "Oh, that too." "What? Don't you care?" "Listen, stranger, I told you that this is a land with a cold heart. I wasn't lying when I said that. You will regret coming here. This land has been forsaken by Harmony for thousands of years, ever since the Great War. You will find nothing but misery and suffering here." She remained silent for a while and pondered. "No," she said. "What?" "I've made my decision. I have no other option. I will meet Kalmo. I am sorry if this upsets you." Taapio's bottomless eyes gleamed like daggers of silver. "Very well. Do what you desire. As long as you act like a good guest and don't cause any trouble in my home, you can pass through the forest. But know that you will regret meeting It. I have warned you. Now go." She stood up. "I... I am so sorry. We were friends for a moment, and now-" "The word 'friend' is worthless in this land. Go, fly away like that beast," he muttered and turned around. A droplet of rain fell from the sky and landed on Twilight's horn. She looked up. The sky was covered by a thick blanket of grey clouds. "Or don't," Taapio said and jumped down from the rock. "I don't care anymore." As rainfall began, Twilight looked at the short elder walk away. A tear ran down her cheek, landed on the ground and met new friends that had just fallen from the sky.
VIII: HopingSomething moved behind the grey curtain of rain. Twilight lied below the branches of a tree that she assumed was a spruce. She raised her head and looked arond her. The bark pillars stood still. No bird or insect had braved the rain. Then what had just moved? She stood up, her horn glowing faintly. "Hello? Anyone there?" No sound besides the ceaseless patter of rain. A dark phantom moved amongst the trees. "Who are you? Reveal yourself!" Twilight said, the shimmer of her horn becoming increasingly bright. Silence. "Boo!" someone behind her shouted and shook the tree. She yelped as the spruce rustled and jumped away from it. She turned aroud, ready to blast the ambusher with magic. Discord stood behind the tree and laughed. "Ohohoho! You should see your grimy, shocked face right now!" Twilight scowled. "Discord! What are you doing here?" An umbrella appeared in his hand as he approached her. He was protected from the rain by a large shower drain floating above him, apparently absorbing all the water. "Fluttershy asked me to find you and ask you to come back home," he said and moved the umbrella above Twilights head to protect her from the rain. His colourful body seemed out of place in the rainy forest of shadows. Her scowl vanished. "Fluttershy? Has she... forgiven me?" "Erm... no, not really. But she still asked me to bring you home! Isn't she kind?" She sighed. "Oh. You got my hopes up for a moment." "I'm sorry, Twilight. But there's no reason to be so sad! It is time to go back to your friends and family!" She stared at her hooves for a while. "No, I'm not coming yet." He raised a shaggy eyebrow. "Why?" "I need to... think about things. Ponder what I'm doing with my life." Discord placed his lion paw on on her back. "Twilight, you're as depressed as back when I almost defeated you and your friends! Cheer up! This is nowhere near as bad!" "It is," she mumbled. "No. Twilight, listen," he said and created a chart on a stand. His raincoat was replaced with a lab coat, glasses appeared in front of his eyes and a pole appeared in his hand. He pointed at the diagram. "There are five stages of grief, and you are currently on the fouth one: Depression. But good news! Soon, you should progress to the last stage: Acceptance! Then everything is going to be just dandy!" "I know, I first studied that model when I was seven years old," she mumbled. "Oh, you did?" he said and the items disappeared. "Very well. But you understand what I'm trying to say: Chin up! Do you know what Rainbow Dash would do if you two switched places? I know she certainly wouldn't wallow in misery. Make her proud! Show her that just because you like books doesn't mean you're weak!" She looked at him, pouting. "I..." "Come on, Twilight! Don't lose hope! You overcame every obstacle with it, even me, Discord! Only few can claim to have done such an impressive feat!" "I overcame every obstacle with my friends. They gave me hope." "Did they, Twilight? Didn't hope come from here?" he said and lightly prodded her in the chest. She said nothing for a while. He sighed. "I suppose you want to be by yourself while you are on this stage, then. I understand. But surely you'll need some help from good old Discord?" She nodded. "Yes, actually. I have no tools, food or anything." He smiled. "Hah! Worry not!" he said and snapped his fingers. Three stands appeared nearby, each with a heavy backpack filled with items. "Here we have some impressive camping kits! Now, which one will you go for? I'd recommend the 'Grylls' model. It has the best quality-price ratio!" Twilight smiled faintly. "I'll take it, then." Discord clapped his hands. The stands and the other two camping kits disappeared. "Wonderful! I'm sure you made the best choice!" She raised an eyebrow when she saw the umbrella floating above her. "Oh, you can have that as well. I don't need it!" "Thank you, Discord," she said. "And by the way... how's Cordie doing?" Discord smiled warmly. "Ah, she truly is the joy of my life. Thank you for asking!" "I'm glad you're getting along. And what about... ah, nevermind." "Your friends, I assume? They're doing fine, don't worry." "No, what about the citizens? How are they doing without me?" "Oh, they're fine as well! Shining Armour acts as a regent until you return." She raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He nodded. "Don't worry about it. Everything is fine in Equestria, dear! The sun is shining and the sky is clear!" She glanced at the grey sky above. "Speaking of the weather, can you end this rain?" "No, sorry. I can't control the weather here. I'd just anger beings who are far more powerful than me!" he said and chuckled. "Last time that happened wasn't fun in the slightest." She raised an eyebrow. "Okay. I don't think I have anything else to ask. Thank you for everything." "You're welcome, Your Grace!" he said in an excessively posh accent and bowed. "Proud to serve the Princess! May Her glorious reign last for a truly long time!" She smiled and chuckled. "There we go! That's what I want to see!" he said and patted her head. "And it wasn't so hard, was it?" "No," she said and sighed. "But still, I... it'll take a while before I can be happy again." "Ah, it's alright. We'll be waiting for you. All of us. But now, I think it's time for me to go home. The little princess must be waking up by now! Fare thee well, noble ruler!" He vanished in a flash of light like a soul banished from a body. The black umbrella followed Twilight as she walked to the bag Discord had created. She opened it and checked what was inside it. "Hmm... a kettle, pans, knives, bandages... and..." Cheese quesadillas. "Aaaaah!" she yelped, backed away, stumbled and landed on her bottom, accompanied by a loud thump. She sat there for a moment, staring at the backpack. Then she laughed for the first time in several moons. And she savoured it, refused to let it go, enjoying every last moment of it. She laughed and laughed, tears flowing from her eyes. Quesadillas. Of course. Somepony must've told him about her phobia. She kept laughing until the laughter had transformed into weary giggles. She wiped her eyes and sighed. The rainfall had stopped. Above, cracks appeared in the grey ceiling of clouds above her, sunlight shining through and returning colour into the forest. She breathed in the air that had the refreshing scent of petrichor. Hope. A precious thing that is easily lost.
IX: BurningThe backpack on Twilight's back grew heavier as she walked and the sky above grew darker. She had been trekking south for hours and her legs ached. It was time to rest. She sighed and went through the checklist in her mind. She'd need firewood and a good location for sleep. She had water and food for a week, so worrying about those was unnecessary. Wood was plentiful and the ground around her was fairly uneven. It wouldn't be too difficult to find some shelter for the night. She stopped to look around her. The sun floated above the horizon, the branches above her shattering its light into a thousand bright rays. The vivid colours of the forest, awakened by sunlight, proudly decorated the trees. The air was filled with the stuffy smell of moss, but she barely even noticed it anymore. Instead, the odour of pine needles entered her nostrils and reminded her of Hearth's Warming Eve. "This forest... is actually quite beautiful," she mumbled as she continued walking. "It looked so gloomy and strange before." Discord had opened her eyes and helped her see again. The world often seems bleak when you're feeling down... She noticed a furry creature lying still on the ground nearby. Several flies flew around it and a grey crow dug the belly of the motionless animal. The smell of needles was replaced with the stench of death. She winced and covered her nose. Her eyes had widened, for no one could see anything like that in Equestria. Maybe in the Evergreen forest, but not in the land of harmony. She received a grim reminder of the true nature of Pohjola. Twilight approached the dead critter, and the crow flew away, croaking as it went, a red tendon hanging from its beak. She looked at the brown creature but didn't recognize what species it was, although it vaguely looked like a weasel. "I can't leave you lying there, little buddy," she mumbled to it. Night was approaching and she still had no firewood or shelter, but she couldn't just ignore the remains and walk away. Never again. She closed her eyes and her horn glowed. The corpse was engulfed in cold variegated flames. Ponies didn't bury their dead. They burned them instead so they wouldn't rot and wither. The three races had different traditions for burning the dead: The unicorns used a special spell that would leave behind nothing, the earth ponies buried the ashes so those who had passed away could give birth to new, greener life while the pegasi scattered the ashes to the sky so their souls could fly forever... She stared at the bright flames, her eyes reflecting their colourful dance. "Why didn't I go there?" she mumbled quietly. Soon nothing was left of the perished animal, no ash or smoke, the moss beneath it covered with some blood but unburned by the magical fire. Twilight sighed and continued her search for shelter. Eventually she found a dead tree spanning a small dry basin on the ground. She put down her pack in the hollow and approached a living tree nearby. It wasn't old and thus not very thick. It was, however, wide enough to provide good firewood. "I should leave it alone," she mumbled. "I don't want to anger Taapio again." So instead she walked to the roots of the dead tree and tore off some of them with her magic. For an alicorn, it wasn't much effort. The roots were covered with moisture from the rain earlier that day, but were otherwise dry. "Let's see... I can get about two cubic trots of wood, which should produce about... well, if it's like Equestrian spruce or Yakyakistan pines, about 15 gigagallops of energy. That should suffice for a while, if I can carry it all." As she mumbled, she cleared out a spot for a campfire near the fallen tree. She knew little about campfires, but assumed that stacking some wood in the middle of a dry spot surrounded by rocks would suffice. So after placing the wood on the ground, she searched the nearby area for pebbles and stones. She found several, picking the ones that were the most symmetrical and even. Not much later a campfire roared, ignited by a spell. She looked at it and smiled. "Heh, camping isn't too bad," she mumbled. The light of the flames illuminated her surroundings. It was dark, for night had fallen. Twilight looked at the moon above and raised an eyebrow. A small sliver of the moon was missing. "Huh, that's odd. Must be an optical illusion," she murmured and chuckled. "Or maybe I'm just really tired." After eating a meal consisting of bread and biscuits, she took out a sleeping bag from her backpack and yawned. As she tucked herself into the bag, she prayed no nightmares would haunt her tonight.
X: NegotiatingThere was a flapping sound. Twilight mumbled in her sleep and burrowed deeper into her warm bag. Shouts and rumbling. The flapping became more intense. "Mum, the sun hasn't even risen yet... I can do my homework later..." Something poked her. She opened her eyes and saw a floating umbrella bouncing on her, opening and closing and thus making a flapping sound. The sun hadn't risen yet, but the sky above was bright, stars hidden from sight by twilight. She felt the earth below her tremble a little. She gasped and sat up, staring at the umbrella. It had been in her backpack yesterday, unmoving like a regular one. It floated away from her and tilted itself, pointing at the direction of the shouts and the rumbling. "What is it?" Twilight asked before remembering that umbrellas couldn't talk. She crawled out of her bag and followed the umbrella as it floated away from the sparkling remains of the campfire. She climbed atop a ridge and looked down, raising an eyebrow when she saw a peculiar sight: A group of three moose retreating from something. The moose were unlike the ones she had read about in books and the ones she had seen in the Evergreen forest, for they carried crude spears, wore trinkets made of bone and flint, carried satchels and spoke to each other. She looked at the direction they were coming from, and her eyes widened. Two trees creaked as a huge two-legged giant composed of rock pushed them with its hands so it could fit through the gapbetween them. Its body was covered with moss and a few saplings sprouted from seams in its rocky skin. A section of its head was missing, seemingly chiseled away. It bellowed in anger and chased after the moose. One of the moose tripped and fell. Her two companions stopped, hesitant. The giant quickly approached, and one of them leaped forward to save his fallen friend. The giant raised its rocky fist and brought it down. It stopped mid-air, just before it hit the moose. A glowing cloud of purple magic surrounded it. Twilight appeared in between the giant and the moose in a flash of light. "Stop!" she shouted in a voice Luna had taught her to use some years ago. Everybody stared at her in confusion. "There is no need to fight!" she said. "Just calm down, and I can help you sort out your disagreement!" The moose backed away from her. "What is it?" one of them asked. "It's not a Kalevalan!" "And why do you think that?" another moose asked. "She has wings," he replied. "Kalevalans don't have wings." The rock giant frowned. "He has no need to fight? Only when the moose apologize!" "Go to hiisi, monster!" the taller male moose said. "You ate my brother!" "He did not!" the giant bellowed and pointed an accusatory finger at them. "The moose ruined to my head!" "Calm down!" Twilight shouted again, saplings nearby wavering from her voice. Everyone stared at her in silence. She turned to look at the tallest moose who towered above her. "First, you tell me what happened." "My brother was playing in the forest with his friend, climbing on rocks, when the beast, lying on the ground and looking like a mere pile of boulders, ate him!" Twilight turned to look at the giant who was as tall as the pines around it. "Is this true?" It pouted. "Yes, but-" "He admits it!" the other male moose shouted. "May his name be thrice cursed!" "Silence," Twilight said to him before asking "Why did you do it?" from the giant. "He slumbered peacefully, when something climbed to his mouth! He woke up and accidentally swallowed whatever creature had climbed inside. Then he saw a moose calf running away!" "That was his friend!" the tallest one shouted before turning to look at Twilight. "Do not trust his words! Antero is known for being a devious trickster!" "Did you chisel away a section of his head?" Twilight asked sternly. The tallest moose glared at her while the female one nodded. Twilight sighed. "And what, exactly, were you trying to achieve? Revenge achieves nothing but revenge!" "We taught him a lesson," the shorter male moose said, "so he would never slay a proud Hirvenling again!" "It was an accident!" the giant shouted. "I swear by Ukko and Äe!" "Now he insults the gods themselves with his lies," the tallest moose muttered. "You made him angry," Twilight said to the moose. "And if I had not interfered, he would've squished two of you. Then you would've avenged their deaths as well, which would've made the giant even more angry. See? You've started a vicious cycle of revenge." "Then what, oh wise horse, should we do?" the tallest one asked. His male companion nudged him with his palmate antlers. "Don't insult her! She might be a mighty spirit! Only that would explain her wings and ability to speak Cold-tongue!" "A Kalevalan spirit, for certain" he muttered. "I do not fear them, nor do I care about their twisted words." "Listen," Twilight said to him. "This cycle must stop right now. Nothing can bring your brother back, and I'm sorry for your loss. But the giant can apologize and do something in return to repay his death. It doesn't matter whether it was an accident or not." The tallest moose snorted in contempt. "The giant cannot pay wergild, for he has nothing to pay with. And what could he do for us?" "Help you," she said. "Help you build houses, protect you from predators, help you gather food... you can come up with something." "That sounds good," the female moose said. "What do you say, Peka?" The tallest moose said nothing. "Sounds good to me as well," the other male moose said. "But what about his head?" the giant shouted and pointed at the notch. "What can the moose do to redeem this?" "In the case you're lying and intentionally ate the calf, then that should be a fitting punishment for your deed. And in the case you're not, the moose will agree to give or do anything you want, am I right?" Twilight said. The tallest moose scowled, but the others nodded. She knew the drill nowadays, but remembered the time when she had needed the help of a book while solving a feud between two bickering families. What were their names again? Many years had passed since then, since her youth. She formed a faint smile and said "Then we have an agreement! No more fighting, alright?" "Why do you care?" Peka asked. She blinked and said nothing for a while. "Erm... I just... that's irrelevant. What matters is that you've stopped fighting." "Of course," he said and nodded. But he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at two moose hiding behind a tree, out of the sight of the giant. When they saw his nod, they leaped forward, long ropes hanging from their antlers. They galloped around the giant's legs, loosening rope as they went. "What is this?" the giant asked. The pair pulled the ropes with all their strength, and moose are nothing but weak creatures. The ropes tightened around the rocky legs of the giant, who soon lost balance and fell. Twilight yelped and teleported out of the way. The giant crashed on the ground, flattening several saplings. "Finish him off!" Peka shouted. "Gods will it!" The moose took out chisels and hammers from their satchels and jumped on the giant's head. The fall had concussed him, so he didn't resist. "No!" Twilight shouted. "What are you doing?" "When a wergild cannot be paid," Peka, who grimly stood near, said, "the punishment for death is death. Such is the sacred law of the Hirvenlings." "But he could've helped you!" "'Help' is no payment. And we must respect the laws of our ancestors, lest their spirits abandon us." "But that is pure nonsense! He doesn't deserve this!" He glared at her. "You are a stranger, a foreigner. You can't understand our customs, so do not even try." Soon nothing but rubble remained of the giant's head. Twilight lowered her head, closed her eyes and sighed. The moose gathered around her and stared at her, some with fear in their black eyes, others with distrust. "Now it is time for you to tell who - and what - you are," Peka asked. "I am Twilight Sparkle. Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am an alicorn from Equestria," she said quietly. He raised an eyebrow. "Equestria? The legendary land across the Great Sea?" "Yes," she said and raised her head. "Have you heard of it?" "The elders have mentioned it before. What are you doing here, 'alicorn'?" "I am on a personal quest. Can you take me to your leader? I would like to speak with them." The moose glanced at each other. "We have no leader," Peka said, "but I can take you to our elders. I am certain they desire to speak with you." "Aren't you some kind of leader?" Twilight asked and pointed at him. "Yes, the leader of this party. Our mission was to avenge the death of my brother, and we have succeeded. We will hold a great feast in honour of our victory. But I do not know if you are welcome to it. That is for the elders to decide. I hope they forbid you from coming." She ignored the insult and said "I'll go to my camp and get my things. Can you wait here?" He glanced at her wings. "I have a feeling that it will not take long. Very well, stranger." She turned around and flew back to her camp. The umbrella, that had waited on the ridge, followed her. She landed and packed her sleeping bag and as much firewood as she could. The umbrella jumped into her backpack. Twilight looked at it and smiled. "So, little fellow, I think you deserve a name." The umbrella swirled around in excitement. She chukcled. "I think I'll call you Umbra. Umbra the umbrella. Glad to have you with me, for it's good to travel with someone else." Good to travel with a friend...
XI: ReturningTwilight flew over the ridge and landed near the unmoving body of the rock giant. But nobody was there. Twilight frowned. "Where are you? Peka? Anyone?" she called. Silence. She let out a frustrated grunt, spread her wings and looked up. She would go above the trees and find the group— A black and orange bird soared overhead, far away, appearing to be little larger than a pine cone. She shuddered, retracted her wings and looked down at the ground. The group hadn't even tried to cover their trails, so she followed the crumpled moss and the twisted saplings, briskly trotting forward. Not much time had passed when she spotted the group. They saw her and stopped, and as she approached she asked "Where did you go?" "Home," Peka said. "You can now come with us." "Huh?" she said in confusion. "I mean why did you leave? You said you'd wait for me!" "Yes, yet you still trust us enough to come with us. That proves you are trusting and determined. We may not trust you, but at least you trust us." "What? You don't trust me? Even after I saved you from that giant? And lying and just leaving like that was rude!" Peka took a step forward and lowered his head, bringing it closer to her eye-level. "Like I said, don't try to understand our customs, stranger. Now come with us or continue with your 'quest' if you so desire." Her eyes shifted away from his gaze. "Fine, I'm coming with you." Peka said nothing, turned around and continued walking forward. The rest of the group followed him, trying to stay some distance away from Twilight. They all remained silent. After spending a while deep in thought, Twilight looked around, trying to find interesting things to entertain her. The endless, invariable labyrinth of trees surrounded her, its colours dulled by the cloudy sky, so she examined the moose instead. The male ones had various trinkets dangling from their large antlers, and the few females seemed to have bright paint under their black eyes. Their spears rested in brown sheaths hanging from their sides and had wooden shafts and flint spearheads. No ropes attached the sharp heads, for they had been skillfully carved to perfectly fit the tip of the shaft. Hold on, wooden shafts? "Erm, sorry to bother you," she said to the nearest moose, "but how did you get wood for those spears?" The male moose stared at her for a moment before turning away and quickening his pace. "Um... bye, I guess," she mumbled and trotted next to another moose. "Hey, can I... ask you something?" He turned to look at her, glaring at her for a moment. "What is it, stranger?" "Where did you get that wood from?" she asked and nodded towards the spear hanging on his side. "Doesn't Taapio protect these trees?" "Taapio?" he said, impressed. "Ah, of course you know him. You see, every time we fell a tree, we present him a sacrifice." She gasped. "A sacrifice?" "Yes," he said with a raised eyebrow. "Why are you shocked? It is merely a single clay pot containing soup. Taapio seems to enjoy our gifts and lets us use wood for our crafts." She let out a sigh of relief. "Phew, I was already thinking about something else. Thanks for explaining that." So he doesn't even make his own food... The moose nodded and she slowed down her pace. The taller moose didn't move at a faster pace than she did, but their lanky legs allowed them to cover a greater distance with each step. A while passed and the moose begun chatting with each other. Peka remained silent, however, and no one dared to approach Twilight. Boredom crawled back into her mind, and she once again looked around her in curiosity. One of the female moose, the one who had almost been crushed by the giant's fist, had two furry bags strapped to her back. She had ignored them before, but as she looked at them she noticed the small, unmoving limbs and the glitter of black eyes under the still eyelids. The moose had two dead hares on her back. Twilight quickly looked away, frowning. Why did the moose hunt? Curiosity overwhelmed her, so she approached the moose and said "Hi there. Can we talk for a moment?" She turned to look at her and smiled. "Sure, strange spirit. You may call me Aneli." "I'm not a spirit," she said in frustration. "Just a regular pony." "Regular? I've never seen a winged one before. Only horned ones, and even them a long time ago, when our tribe was closer to Kalevala." Twilight wanted to ask many questions, but she focused and asked "Why did you kill two innocent hares, Aneli? Aren't moose herbivores?" She furrowed her brow. "Herbi- what?" Twilight rolled her eyes. "Plant eaters." "Oh, we are! And can you please call us Hirvenlings? We are more than mindless animals, you know. Quite insulting when you compare us to our distant cousins!" Twilight's eyes widened. "Sorry! I didn't know-" Aneli waved dismissively with her hoof. "It's fine, no need to apologize. We hunt because there are many useful things you can get from a dead animal! You can make tools, trinkets, healing paste and even fertilizer out of bones, strings from tendons, waterskins and bags from skin and organs—" Twilight stopped to retch and covered her mouth with her hoof. Aneli stopped as well and gasped. "Oh dear! Are you alright?" "Urgh... sorry, that was just so..." she mumbled in response. The group had stopped and fallen silent. Peka approached them. "The stranger is weak," he said to the others before focusing his gaze on Twilight. "And in this land, the weak perish. The strong must do what they can to survive. I do not know how things are in your 'civilized' land, but here survival is the highest priority. Perhaps that is why you do not understand us, stranger." Twilight looked at distant trees. "Yes," she said silently. Peka sighed. "I think you should abandon your quest and go home, whether it is in Kalevala or not. You will only find misery here." "I'm not doing this for myself," Twilight said and looked at him. "I'm doing this for a friend. That is why I must endure. I'll adapt, don't worry." "I doubt you will, but may gods guide you" he said and turned away. "Come on, everyone! I want us to be back at home before noon, and the sun peeking from behind the clouds is almost at its highest point!" The group continued, but Twilight stood, unmoving. I'm doing this for a friend. She followed after them.
IV: DreamingTwilight's hooves were heavier than mountains, and so were her eyelids. She illumitated her surroundings with a light spell and shambled forward. She could see the brightly coloured treetop in the distance. Soon she'd make a campfire, prepare a place to sleep in, and... ... Ponies surrounded her. Happy, smiling ponies. "Praise the savior of the world!" one of them shouted. "Long live the Princess of Equestria!" Tears flowed from Twilight's eyes. "No," she mumbled. "Leave me alone. I don't want to celebrate!" "Huzzah!" the ponies cried, their smiles growing too large and their pupils fading. "Be quiet!" she shouted. "Go away!" "Huzzah!" they shouted, their voices distorted. She galloped away, but ponies were all around her. Smiling, colourful ponies. Her subjects. Their smiles had twisted into macabre grins and their eyes were blank. "Huzzah!" they screeched. Twilight crumpled up and lied on the ground, sobbing. The moon above shined brightly. The ponies around her were turned to dust. She sniffed and looked above. "...Luna?" The dark blue alicorn descended. She had grown as tall and wise as her sister had once been. "Rise, friend," she said with a smile and landed near her. Twilight wiped her tears and stood up. "I thought you-" "My duty never ends, Twilight, for I will not abandon it. Why did you abandon yours?" "I don't want it to be my duty," she said. "Not anymore." "Then what do you want?" Twilight was silent for a moment. "I want my old life back, Luna." She sighed. "I'm afraid that life only remains in your memories." "I know. And it's all my fault," Twilight said and stared at her hooves. Luna approached her and placed a hoof on her back. "Twilight, you're always rough on yourself. That's something we've always had in common. Remember how you helped me forgive myself all those years ago? I am in debt, and now I wish to repay it." "You forgave yourself with the help of your friends. I don't have them any longer." "You have me, Twilight. Am I not your friend?" "Sure, but you've always been so... distant." "Twilight, you have to return. Your subjects need you. They look up to you. They love you. You must forgive yourself for what you did and once again embrace your destiny." "I will not go back. Not yet, at least. I need to repent in this wilderness, and I need to discover my true destiny, because this isn't it." "Friend, my sister once told me that the very day you were born, the stars themselves whispered 'Twilight Sparkle'. This has always been your destiny." "I don't want it to be. Not without them. Not after what I did to them." Luna sighed. "Very well then. Ponder your life if you so desire. But eventually, you'll have to make the decision. Princess Twilight Sparkle, your subjects await your return." "Wake up."
