When Technical Support is Too Helpful

A loud crash alerted her awake. Light flooded the dark room from the door where two silhouettes stood. She did not have time to think when the silhouettes advanced towards her with axes in hand.

"Quick, tie her hands! I heard they can't cast spells with their hands bound!" the smaller of the shadows spoke.

The larger one spiked the handle into the side of Rarity's head.

"Witch! Witch! Witch!"

She awoke again those words echoed in her ears. Pain wracked the temple of her head. Smoke rang alarms in her brain. Darkness filled her vision and she felt a blind wrapped around her head.

"What is going on?!" she cried out.

"Burn the witch! Burn the witch!" she heard people chant.

"I am not a witch!" she pleaded. Pain sounded from her toes and she felt flames lick at them. She struggled in vain to escape.

Suddenly, a torrent of water washed over her and she heard the crowd begin to scream. She heard the sounds of battle all around her. The taught ropes went slack and a pair of strong arms picked her up.

She wrapped her arms around her rescuer's neck, "Thank you! Oh, thank you!"

Her rescuer laughed, "No worries, ma'am," a familiar voice spoke.

Once he set her down she quickly removed the blind and looked up at the man in black armour, "Grey?"

"The one and only, ma'am," he bowed with a grin, "I am glad we found you in time, Master Vallenoit."

"I'm not Master Vallenoit," Rarity dismissed.

"You aren't? Well," he scratched his black, scruffy beard, "I guess I'll have to put you back on that stake."

"I'm Master Vallenoit," Rarity claimed and shook his hand, "A pleasure to see you again, Grey."

Grey laughed, "I was only joking, ma'am. And to the best of my knowledge, this is our first meeting." He raised her hand to his lips to kiss, "I would remember a woman as beautiful as yourself," his golden eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

Rarity blushed, "Oh, you know, me being a 'witch' and all comes with perks," she chuckled.

A woman with light minty hair and vibrant green eyes, in similar black plate armour as Grey, walked up to Grey and saluted with a right fist over her heart, "Commander, the rest of the humans have dispersed. We have a few detained. We await further instructions, sir."

"We are returning to camp, Adjutant. Let these damnable parasites rot," Grey spat on the ground.

"Sir, yes, sir," she saluted again, bowed to Grey and then to Rarity before she left.

"So, 'Master Vallenoit'," he brought a dagger to her throat, "Who are you really?"

His fierce eyes pierced her soul, "M-My name is Rarity! I come from a magical land of ponies! I was teleported to this land against my will  by you!" She took a breath, "You brought along my friends and the diarchs of my world. We were on a quest to save your world, just as you and your friends saved ours, from the evil clutches of Mystin. Before ending up here, we were in one of your vaults, and you gave us crystals that would help us discover our new abilities and I passed out!"

He rose a curious black eyebrow and cracked a smile, "Yeah, that sounds like me," he sheathed the dagger.

"You believe me?" she asked dumbfound.

"I can tell when people lie. You are not lying. And this not my first time meeting an alien," he smirked. He chuckled and motioned her to follow him, "Camp is quite a distance away," he passed her a canteen of water, "mind telling me what happened back on your world?"

Grey blinked at her, his stoic expression hid his thoughts. Rarity sat across from him around a small square wooden table. The tent she was in was much more spacious than she had given it credit upon the first inspection. A lush red carpet covered the dirt ground, a fire crackled beside them, the black fabric of the tent flapped gently in the wind, a large bed claimed a significant portion of the space to her right.

"So..." he slowly broke the silence, "Darqlon  in the other me's world  is the God of the Shadows?"

"Yes... who is the God of Shadow in this world?" Suddenly she rose to her feet, "Am I in a different world again?!"

"Relax," he placed a cup of steaming tea before her, " Kūàdoi is the God of the Shadows here."

"Oh, so you don't know," Rarity concluded.

"Know what?" Grey's brow furrowed.

"Wh-what year is this?" Rarity inquired.

Grey leant back in his chair, "The year sixty-three of the First Age."

Her eyes shot wide, "This is the start of the First Demon War!"

He chuckled, "I would hardly call this a 'war'," he stopped himself. "What do you mean by 'demon' and 'first'?"

Luckily, she did not have to answer right away as the Adjutant walked in with a red letter, a grim expression on her face, "For you, Commander," she saluted, "directly from the Queen of the Dragons, sir."

He snatched the envelope from her hands and ripped it open the read the letter.

Dearest Grey,

I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive your Auntie for disturbing your current affairs. Things are dire. My husb  King Elderlon has forsaken the Gods and his people to side with the rebuked Gods. They are calling themselves: Demons. I do not expect you to get here in time. This letter is merely a warning for your troops. With a heavy heart, I must prepare for battle against some of my former friends and subjects.

With much love, your Aunt,

Iridescence

Grey folded the letter and stared at Rarity. He turned to the Adjutant, "Get the troops ready in full gear. Now!"

"Sir!" She saluted and ran out the tent.

"I need you to cast a mass teleportation spell," he demanded.

"Wha-? I-I don't know how!" Rarity admitted.

Grey roared and threw the table out the tent, "I will not sit idly by while another part of my family is taken from me!"

"I-I..." Rarity thought rapidly, "M-maybe if I had a scroll to study I could do it?"

Grey snapped his fingers and began to rummage through his drawers. After a few seconds, he found what he was looking for, "This is the only book of spells I have since I'm not a mage." He flipped through the book to find teleportation spells and pointed one to her.

"I can't read that!" Rarity complained.

"I'll read it for you!" He quickly got behind her and held the book in front of them.

"Troops are ready, sir!" Adjutant announced.

"Are you ready?" he asked Rarity with a slight smile.

"Not entirely, no,"  she replied hesitantly.

"Please..."

"Start reading then!" she ordered.

"Wait!" He smacked his head, "There is a lexicon spell on the first page. That way we don't have to stay in this awkward position." He winked at her, "Unless, you do not mind  "

She cut him off with a scarlet face, "I would like to know that spell first, please and thank you."

"It is a good thing I studied magical theory," Grey chuckled, "Otherwise, we would have ended up in," he began to choke. Everyone around him fell to their knees, their eyes and lungs burning from the thick, hot ash.

The most important part of a spell is to picture it and to feel it. Grey had told her. She pictured a blast of air exploding around her and felt the heat dissipate from around her. A small circle of ash cleared from them. She then placed a light blue shield around them.

"You're a fast learner," Grey commented.

Rarity chuckled, "It feels weird. I have all this power surging through my body."

A war horn blared through the air over them. Rarity scanned through the book. Force Magic. That sounds like a promising chapter. Everyone watched her silently as she read.

"Please, on your own time, Master Vallenoit," the Adjutant chided.

"Silence, Ptetra," Grey snapped.

"Sir, a battle is going on and we could help!"

Grey towered over her, his hand on the hilt of his sword, "Do not think I will not cut you down. Be. Quiet."

Ptetra's eyes widened and she hung her head in silence.

"Do I have to remind you all about what happened to Phlor'hilda?" Grey challenged. When nobody answered he returned his attention to Rarity.

"What happened to Phlor'hilda?" she inquired.

A wicked grin appeared on his face, "Nothing good. Now, please tell me you have a spell that can clear this ash?"

"Yes, but it will take some time to cast. In the meantime," she waved her hand and blue collars appeared on everyone's neck and blue energy covered their eyes, "This should allow you all to breathe more easily and not get stung by the ash," she smiled confidently.

"Great! Work on that spell. I will take my men to the fight," he turned to the minty haired woman, "Adjutant, you stay and guard her."

"Sir, yes, sir," she answered dryly with her head still down.

Grey drew the sword from his hip, "Onward!"

Rarity began to perform the ritual for the Clear Skies spell she had read about. Ptetra watched in silent awe as she saw the dark blue haired Master weave her spell. A light blue magic circle slowly formed beneath the Master's feet and Ptetra felt the hairs on her neck stand, energy started to swirl around them. A bright light flashed.