The Wastelands Sacrifice to be

Fire burned my sides as I felt the armor crack. Heat tinged my flank and hooves as the pieces fell off. The phoenix I trapped in it breaking free as it burned me and the wood and books around me to get us out. The books burned easily as the only one under me was saved, ‘Potions and Medicines of the Jungle.’ As everything burned around me, I felt weak and hurt. The structures that held me now gone as the now red phoenix glared me down as it readied a blast of fire.

A voice called out that I heard before but couldn’t place. It was exotic yet confident as it yelled out, “Do not harm her! She is my friend and guest. Leave this place now or else I will use my own phoenix to destroy you.” Sapphire sat on his haunches as she flew up to challenge it, he irradiated flames glowing stronger then before as she flew between me and the red phoenix.

As it moved away, Sapphire chasing it off, Azenoth quickly threw his canteen of water over me as it hurt the burns I sustained from the fire. He pulled me out as my armor crumbled to the ground. All that remained of it was the sleek, thin pipbuck I had on covered in metal before. Now it sat bare on my left front hoof. Without my armor, I felt naked and cold yet burning in pain.

Azenoth spoke slowly as he helped me to the side to rest, “I saw the fire and heard the cry. Knight is on his way slowly to avoid bad flooring but I got here as soon as I could. Let me see these burns.” He pulled a small jar from his bag as he opened it to reveal nasty smelling lotion, “It smells but it will heal in no time.”

He put the lotion on the burns that littered my flank, hooves and side. Mainly on my chest as it seeped into the burn as I didn’t feel any pain anymore. He helped me to my hooves as I looked towards the hole, “Miles… I have to save him! A vine grabbed him and-“

“You need to rest. He is strong. I know he’ll be fine. Lets go back to the cabin. That phoenix will want you dead and without barding you will… Hold on,” he moved to see Miles bag. He put it on his flanks and stared at the root. He put the root in his own bag as he looked to the door.

Knight finally arrived as he sighed, “Your safe… But you armor. I’ll carry the gun until your well enough to use it again.” He picked up the magical energy cannon onto his flanks. I sighed and focused my magic on mending my wounds as I at least could do that. The lotion must have helped because I felt better, not on par, but better.

Azenoth helped me walk towards the door as I stopped and stared at the hole, “Miles… I… I can’t! Azenoth, I may be hurt but he could be too. I can get us down there. Please let me help him. Those vines took him and I want to know why and if he’s safe.”

Azenoth gave me a long sigh with a smile. He handed me a book of spells as he smiled, “It’s from Princess Twilight’s vault. Hold onto it. The spells in it are from Twilight herself. Ones she used or even fixed. Now how about that magic bubble?”

I flipped through the book as I saw the spell he meant. I nodded as Knight stood by us, “Don’t strain yourself filly. You might hurt yourself further.” He watched as I summoned a bubble around us that levitated in the air and brought us down the hole slowly. It was a slow ride but I could still feel the tension between Azenoth and Knight. Not between each other but with me. Neither of them liked this decision but I wasn’t leaving Miles.

The walls looked like it was tunneled. Seeing the bottom, the dirt floor was tough and hard. Azenoth during out descent had been digging Miles bags until he found a leather coat with armored barding in it. I smiled as he gave me a simple smile back. The bubble popped as we landed in the cavern. I could hear writhing or was it pained pony cries. Wait a second…

Knight walked forward as he stared at the roots present in the tree, “This isn’t right… These roots. I saw them before. It’s the tree of harmony…”

“The rumored tree that held the elements… But why here? Or rather why him? If anything, it could have taken her seeing as she is the embodiment of magic,” he said smiling as he hoofed the air towards Knight, “You are loyalty… Both of you, good targets. He has-“

“Laughter… Always caring and saying anything to make me smile or others… Anyhow lets go,” I stepped forward as I shivered. I pulled the trench coat around me and put my front hooves in it properly as I sighed. I walked over to Azenoth and took goggles out and put them on as I smiled, “If the enemy thinks my magic is none existence, they will be surprised when it happens.”

Knight nodded at what I thought could be approval at my plan. Azenoth smiled and waved a hoof ahead, “Mares first, please.”

With a shake of my head, I walked ahead only minorly reading the small book of spells he gave me as it levitated below my nose. As I got closer, I stuck the book in a side pocket of the coat. I stepped forward into the larger cavern that shown a tree of wondrous white hues as it held six elements with a star at its center.

I stared at the tree as I saw beside it was a moving mound of white roots, muffling pony cries coming from it. With fear I moved forward until Azenoth tackled me to the ground. A root swung over our heads as I realized my own reflexes were heavily based off my armor’s specialized EFS. I looked up as it put a cage around my grandfather, if Knight shot he would hurt himself. Azenoth was pulled into the same cage.

Only leaving me, staring at the tree like a lost filly as I remembered a spell Twilight had in her book. It was a spell that teleported things. I used one before but hers was slightly different. As I began to cast, the tree focused several sharp roots near my caged friends. I stopped casting as I watched it, “What do you want from them or him? Miles did nothing wrong! Who are you to judge a pony’s heart?!”

My lashing out did something as it revealed an illusion of the same blue ghost-like forms I saw in the castle entry way as the pair was my parents with Mech beside them. I heard my father’s deep commanding voice, almost echoing, “This farse has gone on long enough. The land has changed, so have its ponies. You can’t save this now. It killed us and your little sister. Luna is baiting you to die. To charge the elements, it may kill you. It’s why you saw that vision, just the not all of it.”

“How dare you use my parents to do this! Also, Luna wouldn’t lie to me. If you are connected to this land, then you know how corrupted it has become. It cannot stay this way. We can save it. I would believe her over the corrupted roots you won’t acknowledge yourself. Now release my friends!” I surged with magic as I was increasingly upset at this situation.

I felt myself surge with energies similar to when I lost my temper over the changeling in my vault. The world skewed into a darker rendition then before as I glared at the tree. I looked to a puddle beneath me to see that I had grown a foot or so as my wings had grown larger and glowed with flame. My mane flowed longer than before as did my tail with blue fire flowing from them. As if I could care less at the moment, my anger was towards the tree using phantoms of my parents.

My voice boomed across the cavern that now echoed my twisted, evil tone, “Release them or feel the wrath of which you could not bear. I do not need you alive now to save you. I can use the elements later to bring your rotted, burned corpse back. Now… Let them go or we will see who moves faster…” I waited patiently as things twirled around my mind of how to hurt this tree, make every second count for pain as it had used my parents to cause me pain.

The phantoms of my parents wavered as my mother’s phantom form spoke, “F… F… Fine… You are no better than Nightmare Moon. Losing yourself to your anger and hate…. Your attempts will fail and Halter will end you. Our changeling has been assigned to stop you. Even that lightning that killed your beloved sist-“

With that, my fury had no boundaries as I flew faster than I ever had before and cut the roots with a slice of my fiery wings. The pony inside, Miles to my relief, had looked like his life was being drained as he slumped to the ground. I put him on my back as summoned a barrier to stop the root from piercing the cage. I summoned all my magic as it laced the ground in runes. Each rune burning the roots as they shatter seconds after. There was an unholy cry of pain from the tree.

The cage broke as did the bubble. Knight stepped out with Azenoth as Knight looked to me, “Cryo…. Calm… This isn’t you and to save him you need to be yourself…” He had weapons ready but he was trying to resolve this peacefully. The cave above us broke open into the light of the sky as the clouds part just enough to let a ray of moonlight shine in onto me. Miles fell to the side as I tried to escape the light, for some reason I was afraid of it. As if I was afraid I would be locked away but I could not place it.

The moonlight shown as it wrapped around me and began drawing me up to the sky. I cried out as I fought the pull with all I had but suddenly felt a familiar presence, “Rest now.” Luna’s voice called to me as I felt sluggish. With all the fight in me, I lost the ability to perceive anything around me.

+++++ Luna’s Perspective

The rest of them watched as this happened, even the tree has stopped its futile efforts to fight. Knight had given a small smile as he stepped forward into the light, “She’s helping you from her place as well… I may not be able to turn you back but she knows you. Cryo Knight… You have to reclaim yourself or the moonlight will take you. Remember why you came down here?”

Azenoth watched as the light stopped pulling Cryo Knight into the sky. It stopped as the tree’s phantom ponies vanished. Instead, I had formed a protective shell around Cryo Knight and myself. I found myself lost in the revelation that she had fallen to her darkness as I landed softly. Setting her down beside Miles, I watched her slowly change back to her natural bat pony self as the neon energy in her mane remained. The suit’s power must have permanently done that.

With a look to Knight, my special somepony stared at me as I knew that gaze from behind that helmet, “Its been awhile… But I cannot stay. You will forget this and think it is a dream. You cannot know yet.” My determined gaze told him as I took a few strides over to hug Knight one last time. I left a necklace made of stars and a moon pendant around Cryo’s neck. My voice echoed to the tree, “She will stop you. And your pet changeling. I hope you forgive her after all this is done.”

Beginning to ascend to the moon, I heard one cry out my name. Cryo Knight cried out once more as she saw me in my full form. I turned aside, “Filly, please forgive me for this. I will always care for you like you were my own filly. Know that much.”

Cryo Knight had tears rolling down her cheeks as I thought I saw her mouth I’m sorry. With that, I cast a spell that made them all forget as I levitated from the hole, all unconscious. Only one stayed awake, Miles staring weakly at me. My voice was low and filled with sorrow, “I cannot save you… Nor can Azenoth save you… You are the only one I will not make forget. You saw her as she truly was if she gave in to her darkness. Tell her otherwise before you pass… It’s the best you can wish for… Tell them the forest attacked and you saved them. I don’t want my name in it.”

Miles nodded as he smiled, “You were going to fight her even if it meant you might die… You are a truly good mare. I want to thank you for being there for her. I’m sorry I couldn’t have been more helpful to her and only wish I could spend more time with her.”

I smiled sorrowfully knowing his time is almost up, “You will… In the right Equestria when it heals. You will be there waiting for her. I promise. Be patient in your wait for her. She will come…”

Laying him down, I set the others nearby after creating a decent amount of false destruction that would fool them all. I gave Miles one last goodbye as I ascended back to the moon filled with regret I could not save him for her sake.

++++++ Back to Cryo Knight’s Perspective

Wearily and weak, I blinked to see Miles laying on the ground near me. I felt the damaged earth around me as I stumbled to get up. I remembered Azenoth finding me burning… Then we left, all of us together but… I reeled in place as I cantered to Miles side and slid beside him, “Miles! Please no… Not you too. Tell me you’re okay…”

“Firefly… You burned just like one trying to stop the roots… But I took the hit for you. Make sure you take care of the rest of the journey for me. Save them all and maybe I’ll be there when you fix Equestria,” he spoke with a wheezing cough at the end as tears couldn’t stop rolling down my face. He wiped a few away smiling, “No falling for that Shine okay? Your mine… Just remember to save us all.”

I laid my head on his neck and hugged him as I felt his breath slowing. I cried knowing what was to come as I felt him return the hug. He sacrificed himself for me and it was all my fault that I couldn’t beat the roots to do so. They took him. And he was here saving me from them…. My body wretched in sadness and frustration as I looked at him, “I’m sorry… It’s my fault. I… I should of-“

“Nothing… I saved you. We’re even. You’re never going to blame yourself ya got it? I chose this… Just promise me you will be strong for the others and get better barding,” He cracked a grin in his half out of it state of mind. I chuckled a bit between tears as he took his pistol engraved with all the symbols of the previous elements of harmony on it and set it beside me, “Use it to stay safe. It’s a tough little gun… You’re the only thing I’m glad I get to see before I die…” He coughed as he began to have a bout of labored breathing until it died down into nothing.

Knight had touched my shoulder as I hugged him tightly, tears not finding an end point as it all sunk in. Miles was gone because of… Because he wanted to save everyone. It was what he told me. I have to believe him. Even though I knew all of this, I still cried for a long time into Knight’s shoulder. Azenoth assured me that the timber wolves would dig him a grave.

We walked silently back to Ponyville. I went to watch over Silver Shine, too afraid he might pass away too. I slept nearby on a set of moldy hay as I only half slept listening to Knight and Azenoth.

“She will not recover well… With her power, she may divulge into darkness like her grandmother. This may be the time to stop searching for these elements. Its dangerous work and honestly will get you killed. All of you,” he said worried as I could plainly hear the fear in his voice.

Knight sighed with a heavy heart as I knew he would, “She won’t stop now. Not now that he sacrificed himself for this. She’ll finish his quest. You want to help; we could use a skilled medical officer in our group. You seem qualified and could help her master the techniques to calm that part of her magic. Besides I think your value has been proven to her.”

Azenoth could be heard tapping a hoof in thought as he seemed at odds with the idea. I stopped paying attention when I heard a familiar groan. I saw Silver Shine coming too slowly as he was looking around the room until he saw me. He must have seen my still red eyes from crying as he spoke up, voice like gravel, “Cryo…. What happened? Your eyes are red… And your covered in slowly healing burns….”

I just hugged him tightly sobbing silently as he just let it happen. He was like my brother all my life and now he only tried to keep me from breaking down any further. My words came out between sobs, “He’s… Gone… Miles died…. I couldn’t save him. All this magic and I couldn’t save him… Celestia damn me to tartarus.”

Silver Shine patted my back lightly as not to agitate the burns that magic and ointment were slowly healing, “Easy… He knew the risks… If you want to go back to Applelossa we can… Or… We can continue and finish what he started. He said you were okay with this and wanted to help. Well you have my full support. Lets find the other elements and help others along the way. He would want that.”

In time, my tears slowed down long enough to nod in agreement. I got up and dug around my saddlebag for food as I got out a bottle water and cast a purification spell on it, “Here… Its fresh and cold.” He took it as I sat in the hay feeling exhausted and looked out the window to the sky, “I’m going to find Sapphire. I’m worried about her. You rest.”

Silver Shine nodded as Azenoth nodded and came in. I left as Knight followed me out, “Those roots are out there…”

“Don’t care… I want to find Sapphire. She has kept me company and defended me. I think I deserve the ability to see if she’s okay,” I said angrily at him as I called out, “Sapphire! Girl come on!”

Knight decided to forgo the speech and called out as well, “Sapphire. Where are you?”

After a few blocks of walking, she flew down as brightly blue and radiant as ever as she nuzzled my mane. I smiled glad she was okay as I brushed off some ash from her, “At least you’re okay… I’m glad the phoenix didn’t hurt you. I deserve what it could have done to me though… I said it was would be a few months… Not a year…”

Sapphire screeched as she blew a wave of flame into the air as she stopped. She flew through it and it fell to nothing. She must be saying she beat it for now… That’s good enough. I need to get to work on this barding though. Silver Shine would know his way around a bit-operated pistol too. A good idea would be to rework this Pipbuck like my suit was wired and wire it to me, I thought.

“Not that look. You’re not remaking that suit. That phoenix will never stop trying to kill you. You captured a perfectly healthy phoenix and locked it in armor…” Knight began.

I intervened, “Not that… Just make my Pipbuck sync to my eyes as a display like before but… My magic makes that hard. I’ll leave it as is but we need to find a place to buy armor. Or find it… I need better barding.” I smiled to Knight, “No more armor for me… I’m a bat pony and damn proud too. I won’t use powered pony armor like that again.”

“Good to hear… That cannon will stay with me then. Until you can fly and use it,” he motioned his head to my magical energy twin cannon saddle guns. I smiled with a wicked thought. I cast a feather weight spell like before as I levitated it onto my flanks as I felt no weight to it anymore, “I can make that permanent… Which I did. Thanks to the book Azenoth gave me. I’ll be keeping those. I got them so their mine. Besides, you don’t know how to use this thing. Tiger Shade made a particularly nasty trait to it. Only the designers know how to set the magical blasts via strength in multiple settings. Hundreds of years old or not, I know this technology better than an old stallion who thinks he knows it all… Oh…. Sorry Knight…”

Knight laughed as I watched him enjoy the idea of me standing up to him then I laughed too. We both enjoyed the laugh for a while and he even helped me get the stable barding in Mile’s bag. We worked on enforcing the leather trench coat and even working in a metal plating in the seams of the jacket. Now I wore a black leather trench coat, gray stable barding from my stable and a set of goggles to hide my eyes if I use magic. The energy cannons hid well under the coat and one good buck to get it out of the way.

The day came for us all to go as Azenoth looked to Silver Shine and gave a long, exasperated sigh, “I’ve thought on it. I’ll go with you. Consider this place your home. We can come back anytime and besides, Silver Shine is still my patient as are you, Cryo. So I must go to watch over you. Besides, you’ll find my weapons interesting if it comes down to it.”

I gave a gleeful whiny as I nodded, “Let us not waste time then… I think we should wonder towards Tenpony Tower and Manehatten. That way we can rest at the tower but also because those winged ones here… We can check out the clouds above. Bat ponies have always had rights to bask in the moonlight. I think we can use that to ask a few pegasi some questions about the goings on as of late.”

Azenoth gave a hoarse snort as he laughed, “Just ask DJ Pon3… Bring something interesting and he’ll definitely see you. Best way to figure out what and who might be noteworthy. Most of the elements of old were hidden in one place. With Equestria like this, they have spread to the wind… I did hear that some gryphons run a base though. Not far from Tenpony Tower. We should go there too.”

“Gryphons?! Pfftt…” Knight snorted loudly as he stepped away. I waved a hoof at him as Silver Shine noted, “We have loyalty, honesty and magic… And you…..” He stopped thinking.

Snorting unhappily he sighed and lifted a hoof to this head, “I feel faintly hurt if not for your gleaming oversight. Its fine. I’ll discover mine. For now, I’m going back to picking at Knight till I hear him laugh. It has to be from me that laughs though.”

Silver Shine and myself gave a small chuckle as we both cracked up laughing, “Knight, laughing at a joke you give. I’ll bet to see that day.”

I nodded with Silver Shine, “I think Azenoth has a chance.”

Azenoth grinned, “Here’s the deal, if I make him laugh… Silver Shine, you fulfill one request of Cryo without fail. And if I should not and give up, Cryo you do him one favor without fail. This favor can be anything. Me, I win by traveling with you too.”

Silver Shine and myself once more gave a small chuckle and in unison, “Deal…”

“Let’s sleep one more night here and we’ll head out to TenPony Tower. I can gather supplies and count our rations as well as canteens. Azenoth if you could make a particularly rad based potion for Knight that would be helpful. His kind heal from rads,” I gave out his assignment as I stopped as Silver Shine. I looked to him with a smile, “You are helping me count.”

So we set on our jobs for the day until it was night. Then we all rested by a warm fire Sapphire made for us as I slept by Sapphire. She kept me warm and kept me from being alone while I slept. Sleep was peaceful. In my dreams, I slept in a grove of beautiful flowers that all glowed four colors mainly; red, orange, blue and pink. That was enough for me for that night.