Far off on the unknown path
One thousand miles to the forgotten throne
Each step I take leads me one step closer
To that place the one had set in stone
Gods did tred upon it's ancient soils
For no man or alf dare dig up a bone
The days have marched, the world re written
The sins of the past they must atone

Twilight sat still a cold shiver had run up her spine, she could not tell if it was the rather intimidating nature of the man in front of her, the context to the tale, or the cold night air of the desert that had caused the feeling. The one in question had shown up right after the three of them had taken down the snake like monster Najarala. He introduced himself as Vaga, he was on his way from the north heading toward Shana. The route to the main capital happened to pass right through Titan Lake and the girls could not be in better luck. He had already agreed to lead them there and as they set up camp for the night they had told him of their predicament. Twilight was going to leave out the part about their otherworldly nature but it turned out the meeting was not completely fates encounter.

He was a Kai hunter that had been contacted by Mogas Elder, it would seem he was still looking out for us. Vaga was asked to meet with us as Titan Lake on his way to a hunters meeting regarding the Dragon of Night. His knowledge of kai and hunting would be a great asset for the group to learn from. When night had settled and the fire began he had started regaling them with legends. The first of which they had just heard which was called 'A Path to Tread' and with what Twilight had known already about the 'Legend of The Black Dragon' she could already make out most of the meaning and something told her that one day she would wind up at that destroyed kingdom. It had seemed that this world had a knack for casting them into the fire.

"I have a question." Twilight had spoke. Vaga was across from her on the other side of the fire. His full body cloak, which was a dark tan color covered everything and even his face was bandaged up. The only thing she could see was his dark red eyes. He gave a brief nod for her to continue. "' The one' that had set the place in stone is referring to Fatalis correct?" He gave a brief nod once more. "Then who are the other Gods?"

A moment of silence was held at the question the fire crackling silently in the night, Sweetie and Silver sat to Twilight's left both leaning on one another and sharing a blanket underneath to keep the sand away. They looked from Twilight to Vaga wondering what the man could be taking so long to think about.

Clearing his throat first he then sighed. "It is sad and based on that letter you found you probably already know. The alfs had thought themselves as better then the monsters sure, but by the end they had began to believe they were even more. The Wyvern Machine Soldier you had come across, what they did to achieve such a disgusting feet. There are lines that no one should cross, researches have gone to where you found the one and have determined it should not be able to escape under its own means. The frightening thing is they believe we cannot destroy it if we uncover it from the ruble. That is the power those ancient people were capable of and the reason the Fatalis destroyed them. They may have been Gods but only in their own image."

He looked to Twilight she was strong and had a tough journey ahead of her, he was hesitant to help her though. Natural talent can be easily led astray, they have seen the darkness monsters can bring but not what other people were capable of. Knowing better then to shun her he instead decided to guide her.

"The power you have wielded is a taste of kai that all duel blade users feel, it's a bond that some say is the spirits coming back to lend a hand in battle. Your own strength has yet to take shape and I need you to understand that as you grow in body you must also grow in mind and soul."

"I understand." Twilight putting her hand on the handle of her blade. "I want to use my strength to explore and help my friends but first I need to train so that I can stop this dragon."

"That goes for you two as well, any can wield power but they also need to choose how to use it."

"I want to be useful to my friends." Said Sweetie a smirk on her face.

"Me two, we need to get stronger." Silver chimed in.

"Then let me tell you all something, kai is very special." He paused for a moment and let his inner power build and flow. "It is not only something for combat but instead an expression of your very soul." Silence fell once again but only for a moment, power slowly crept from him and seemed to merge with the fire. Images began to appear in the flames and a melody began to flow from it with it in a soft and slow harmony he sang. With each line a new image.

Dark clouds on the horizon
Thunder as the rain falls
Breaking the silence
Roads ever weaving
Soul ever seeking
The hunter's mark

Face the wind's bitter fingers
Shadows as the night falls
Fear in the darkness
Roads ever weaving
Soul ever seeking
The hunter's mark

Wilderness wild and perilous be
Deep in the heart of danger
Wilderness wild and perilous be
Filling your heart with fire

Mountains rise in the distance
Stalwart as the stars fall
Fading forever
Roads ever weaving
Soul ever seeking
The hunter's mark

Face the world as the hero
Fearless as your blade falls
Striking the heart
Roads ever weaving
Soul ever seeking
The hunter's mark

As the music came to an end his power returned to him, the girls sat in awe. "You can do many things with what I can teach, do not only think of violence but also prosperity."

After his song he returned to his seat and the night carried on. The stars shone bright over the desert and the calm wind barely made a sound. Twilight had shared some stories from her own world and Sweetie and Silver had chimed in their own misadventures from Ponyville. Her duel blades at her hip she could hardly believe at this point that her main goal had just been to visit Equestria. Now her in the wilds hunting to survive and adventuring with unlikely friends her mind was made up. She would beat this dragon and make a new life for herself. Twilight would be a name that would go down in history just like these tales of old that Vaga told them.

"I have one more and then we should all get some sleep." Vaga said stocking the fire as he waited for their attention. "There are many monsters in this world, some more powerful then others. New species appear all the time and with each one our understanding of nature grows. One such creature is very famous and soon you'll know why."

The girls leaned in ears eager to hear another story. "There was once a fisherman who live alone on the coast, the village he called home further inland was precious to him despite his solitary nature. Many of his younger years he spent there but now he had a new ambition. Through his fishing he helped the village grow and stay prosperous and for it they adored him. It was like this for many years until one day the fish disappeared."

"Where could they have gone?" Sweetie asked confusion on her face.

"The man wondered the same thing. So with his small boat he set out to deeper waters in hopes of finding the fish and for miles he sailed until he spotted a strange island. Its jagged shores and dark peaks winded high into the air and almost seemed to wind into themselves. He was puzzled for he could not recall and island anywhere near his home and in his confusion he pressed fourth to explore. Pulling along his boat he found a jagged rock to anchor at and headed ashore. He walked for what seamed like hours to reach the top and his curiosity only grew as he climbed. The path was almost like a road, sometimes it would cut off and he would have to climb but it would only lead to another road. Sides lined with jagged rocks leading him higher and higher. It was not until he reached the top that he had realized his mistake. The last road ended and was blocked by a gigantic boulder. Getting closer the boulder started to take on features and with growing horror he made out what it was. The head of what he assumed was the worlds largest snake sat along the road, but that is when he realized it was not a road but the body of the creature. Covered in rock and sentiment the snake had taken on the appearance of and island."

"Did he make it out alive?" Silver questioned her childlike worry very precedent.

"Oh he did, as quietly as he could he returned to his boat and set sail for home. He warned he village and hunters were brought in, that is how the people learned a Dalamadur one of the most powerful known Elder Dragons has set up home off shore. With the help of one of the largest fleets of hunters and anti Elder ships they were able to drive off the snake and the man learned that even in a world of monsters you can still be surprised."

With plenty new stories and information to mule over the group retired to bed. Taking turns at watch Twilight was the first to stand guard. She decided to spend her time training as she waited for the moon to reach its peak. Her only lesson so far on hot to channel her kai had been a brief explanation that Vaga had given her on how despite being similar in nature all kai was different and that by reaching a certain physical state and mental state one could bring it forth. The actual strengthening and refining of the power was achieved through more physical training and using the power as if it were its own muscle. Reaching in Twilight grabbed hold of her inner strength and pulled it fourth unsheathing it in her mind like a sword. In her minds eye she was surprised that she saw two more auras shining next to her. The duel blades seemed to have a soul of there own, their calm power radiating outward and reaching for each other. Two partners in an eternal dance, she had heard that all weapons had a soul but never knew that it was true.

Focusing back onto her own soul she looked at the sword in her hand and she tried to think of how to make it stronger, thinking of the qualities she looked for in a sword. She tried to work on those first and apply them to her soul. Balance, the key to any good weapon. She had to find its center. Flexible but strong like a great tree in a storm. Well built and made of the right materials, she had to forge herself. Finally she had to be sharp, able to cut her way forward on her path. But a sword cannot just become sharp through forging, it took meticulous grinding and patience to get that way.

As the others slept she trained her blade, the moon rose and she turned in Vaga swapping with her his only comment being a slight nod in her direction before taking his position. As she went to sleep she couldn't help but smile at the progress she had made.

As morning came the group made breakfast, Silver and Sweetie having already been awake after taking third watch. They had gathered almost everything from the cart. With a little engineering they made a make shift sled out of the broken parts and tethered a rope long enough for two to comfortably pull. This would allow the other two to guard the group from the sides. Their morning meal was a soup made with pieces of the Najarala they had slain the previous day, stock cubes with a bit of water a few herbs and a couple large mountain potatoes.

After eating he went over the basics of kai with the girls once more before they set out. There plan was to exit the desert and while they made their way there Silver and Sweetie were to try and get an image of there power and an idea of what they wanted from it. Once they arrived it would be time for practical training.

Or so they thought, not long after they set out a large bird swooped down. It almost looked like a cross between a vulture and an eagle. The strange creature got closer and closer coming right at Vaga. Sweetie was going to call out but Vaga held out his arm in the ready and before anyone could react the large bird landed on his extended limb. He reached onto its leg and opened what seemed to be a tube. From it he pulled a scroll, closing the tube once more the bird took off almost immediately. The three waited for him to read the parchment, once he had finished it he tucked it away under his robe and sighed.

"It looks like I'm needed in the east. It seems they cannot decide what they want to do with me." He turned to them bowed. "I am sorry but it seems you must take the next step on your own. Be confident in yourself's and trust in your journey." They said there goodbyes and away he left. Leaving the three to continue on through the desert, alone again but now with a direction.

They had been walking for awhile, Sweetie pulled the supplies alone now but didn't seem to mind. Here unusual stamina and strength seemed to come from nowhere. Silver thought to herself that it might have been a compensation for her lack of magical talent back in Equestria. Her mind turned away from Sweetie and back onto her kai training. Painting a picture of what she wanted was easy, the issue lay in her confidence. She didn't believe she could do it. As an earth pony through and through she had always dreamed of what it would be like to wield magic. Dreamed so much in fact that a dream was all she believed it to be.

Sombra's words broke through to her. "As for me saving you you can thank me by working hard so I don't have to do it again." She paused for a moment before shaking her head. This was something she had to do. Sombra had probably already passed them. If he was really the fearsome King that all of Equestria feared then he would take this world by storm to. Monster Vs King, the ultimate showdown. She would be there by his side no matter what it took. With new resolve she took aim in her mind. A target painted on her goal not in sight but not out of reach and next to her, floating in her soul was an arrow. She planted her feet and the arrow fired. Taking off she ran at its side, to the far off target. Who would make it there first.

Sweetie pulled the sled. Step after step she built up energy. From within and around her, from the very beginning she sensed it. There was something she could do! She was not useless, her own magic was this. A shield tall and proud took shape to her right. Her friends smiling faces reflected from it. She would do anything to protect those smiles. To her left a fearsome lance. It's deadly gleam reflected a part of her she didn't want to except but she needed it. This world was dangerous, this was no game and she new it. Her happy exterior wasn't a facade but that wasn't all she was. She had desires. Sombra was one of those, what she did back in the cave was not only a challenge but something to draw them all together. A single point, Twilight may be the leader but he was on everyone's mind. Here in a new world her heart had chosen someone. Glances taken hastily led to fluttering butterflies in her stomach. So with everyone on her mind she took another step. Strong, Powerful, Building, Forward, Forward!, Forward!!, Forward!!! With every step she would build her power until nothing could stop her in her tracks!

Twilight's mind was calm, her thoughts organized. So why couldn't she stop thinking about him? After everything had calmed down she had started to remember the cave. Everyone chose to fight over Sombra, he was definitely important to her but did she think of him that way? If she had to describe her feeling she would say they were similar to how she felt about Sunset... A blush graced her cheeks but soon was washed over by a smile. All that could wait for later. She was the leader, the commander and captain of a new group of hunters. They needed to make it back to one another, tomorrow they would start training. Waiting till they were out of the desert would take to long. Once they were out they would reconstruct the wagon for land travel and train on the way. She had an idea on how to do that but it would require some work tomorrow to get going. It was time to put her role to work.

Night had fallen once more, the calm wind rolling across the desert dunes. Camp was simple with the back of the sled acting as seats for the girls. A fire in front of them for warmth. Twilight was in the middle Silver to her right and Sweetie to her left. It was the later that broke the silence.

"So Twilight I've been meaning to ask, your from a parallel world right?" She looked to the studious girl turned monster slayer the tilt of her head reminding Twilight of a cute kitten.

"Yeah I guess you could say that. Supposedly everyone at my school and around the city had a counterpart in your world. From Sunset's research it seems the further you go away from the portal the lesser the similarities get." She replied in her teacher like manner.

"Wouldn't that mean the portals making copies or something?" Silver asked confusion on her face.

"Not rely, at least I don't think so. I think its more like since things there are so close together or even overlapping in a weird sort of way the chances of things happening similarly are much higher." She looked to her companions both seemed to be deep in thought.

Almost simultaneously they replied. "What's my other self like?" Glancing at one another they blushed and then started to laugh. Twilight admiring the scene let them settle before replying thinking about how to answer as she did.

"Well I don't rely know you both very well in my old world. Silver I see in the cafeteria with Diamond all the time, they both are popular in there grade and seem to draw a lot of attention. They don't really do much though almost like just average teenage girls. Then there's the other Sweetie, I know her a bit more because of Rarity. The girls quite air headed and tends to say the wrong things all the time. Bumping into stuff and running around with her friends. Quite honestly its hard to believe their anything like the two of you outside of names. Even your human forms are different, that might be from coming to this world first though. Not completely but just enough to throw me off, not that that's a bad thing though! I think your both much cute and attractiv......." Her ramble came to an end with the realization of what she had said. Turning her head back and forth she quickly took in their smug grins.

"So Twilight..." Sweetie said leaning in closely. Pushing her chest against the nerdy girls arm.

Silver did the same following Sweetie's lead before continuing for her. ".... you think were attractive huh."

The blush on the girls face could probably have been a beacon for any nearby monsters with how bright she turned. Her embarrassment got only worse when Silver put her hand on her thigh. The feeling was like a sugar rush and a work out all at once making her quiver. Sweeties arm quickly made its way around her waste and at this point there was no part of her that wasn't being immersed in her friends grasp. "G-girls! P-p-please..!" She gasped out all of her former composer gone.

"You here that Silver? She wants us to stop. Or was that a plead to continue?" Her evil grin grew wider as she grasped Twilight's rear. She let out an audible gasp and a slight moan came with it.

"That sounded pretty convincing to me Sweetie it would be cruel to stop now." Silver brought her hand up Twilight's leg making the girl squirm, this was beginning to be to much fun for the pair. There leader was giving them to many opening but nodding to one another they let up.

Twilight collapsed back onto the sled panting and gasping for air, her face red as an apples. When she caught her breath she looked at them with teary eyes. "Y-you two are cruel..." Both of there smiles fell.

"Twilight I'm so sorry!" Sweetie started.

"Yeah I've never done anything like that before I got carried away!" Silver said panic in her voice.

"Me either I was just caught up in the moment I swear I didn't mean to make you feel bad." Sweetie was almost on the verge of tears and Silver wasn't far behind.

Twilight pulled herself together and sat up. Rubbing her eyes she reached out and pulled them into a hug. "L-look.... i'm not mad... I j-just was surprised okay. I actually kinda sorta.... liked it." She froze up for a second but continued anyway trying to get control of her shaky voice. "I never though I would do anything like that in my life......."

"Y-yeah me to..." Silver said a light sniffle from making Twilight sad. "I'm sorry Twi..... can you forgive me?"

The girl in question only hugged them tighter. "I said I'm not made okay. I.... well I like you both......" They both leaned back to look at her, all three of them had become wrecks at this point. "I thought we were all fighting for Sombra though?" She looked to Sweetie. "To be honest I was having feelings for Sunset before.... please don't tell her I said that! but I wasn't going to lie to myself and say I wasn't interested in Sombra to so I joined in. Honestly I've been really confused about the whole thing."

Sweetie wiped her eyes before smiling. "I started liking him after I noticed Silver's crush on him." The bow user blushed and tried to look away but Twilights arm brought her back. "The idea was put in my head and I started looking at him differently, but I was also worried about everyone else. The more I thought about it the more our group of misfits couldn't handle a couple in the middle of it. So I got an idea..."

"Truth or dare..." Twilight whispered.

"Exactly! If I could get everyone's feeling's out in the open or get everyone to start having those sorts of feeling's then maybe it could drive us all girls together for a common goal!"

"Sombra's that goal?" Silver asked.

"Well yes and no." She stood up proudly before them. "He is the object of everyone's affection but it seems to me like all of us had similar feeling for one another as our friendships grew stronger!" Silver quickly thought about her thoughts on Diamond as Twilight did the same for Sunset. "So if we can merge all these feelings together toward's the one all of us are looking at the most then we could grow even closer as a group!"

"But how do you know hes the one everyone's looking at Sombra more?" Twilight was confused as to how Sweetie had come to such a conclusion even if she wasn't really wrong in the case of the ones present.

"Are you kidding me Twilight?" She merely cocked her head unsure how to respond to that. "Sombra's fucking hot as shit! Have you seen him? and on top of that every one of you is constantly ogling him when you think no ones looking! The guys caring as hell and so amazingly cool, I cannot believe no ones tried to jump him yet. For fucks sake he saved Tiara and Spoons lives! They have like no judgment from anyone if they tried to go for him!"

Silver and Twilight only blushed at being called out like this. Silver tried to speak up but couldn't think of anything to say.

"So are you to on board or not?"

The two paused and looked to one another, Twilight shrugged and Silver did the same. Neither could deny anything she was saying so why not. "I'm in, but are you sure this won't just lead to everyone fighting over attention?" Silver said unsure of herself. She wasn't the jealous type and she did plan on following Diamond if she could anyway.

Sweetie put her hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it I don't think any of us cares about one person more then another, besides I had always wanted a heard relationship! A big family to call my own hehe."

"A heard?" Twilight asked.

"It's a big group of lovers with usually a stallion at the center! Since male population is low in Equestria there pretty common, although it's becoming less so because the new generation has a lot more lesbians." Sweetie stated as a matter of fact before sitting back down.

"Huh interesting...." she thought to herself a moment before stealing her nerves. "I care about all of you so much, I wanted us to all to be together long after this battle is over anyway. How could I say no?"

Sweetie let out a loud Squee before tackling the two of them onto the sled. With that the three of them had decided to turn into bed, the long day of walking and the emotional events that had just transpired taking a toll on them. They took turns at watch as usual except the person keeping watch now also being used as a lap pillow for the others. Twilight was up first and as she looked down at the two of them she couldn't help but feel that she could get use to this.

They made there way out the desert, a strong sense of kinship now with them and a few new goals to meet when they returned. As they made there way threw the desert Twilight had hatched her new plan for training. With one pulling the sled and one taking watch the third would train atop the sled. Taking turned using different methods of training including meditation, combat forms, and none stop sit ups squats and push ups. Twilight was determined to get the two of them and herself ready for the up and coming battles. Finally having mad it to grassland once more they took some nearby trees and with a bit of Twilight's ever growing random knowledge of things managed to construct new wheels for their transport.

With there goal ever closer they decided to rest for the day, having fixed the cart and the combination of none stop training and walking the needed to take a break and recharge their batteries so to speak. Having come across a river not to far away the trio set up camp near the shore.

"Hey Twi?" Silver called out, she was knee deep in the water wearing a pair of white shorts and a brown tee. She stood still above the water with her hands at the ready.

"Yeah Spoon?" Twilight called over from a small cloth on the shore, she was still getting use to saying her name more casually. She wasn't use to being this close to others on an emotional level yet but the two insisted she was still being to stiff with them.

"What kind of fish would even be in this river? Would they be safe to eat?" She wiped her forehead an resumed her hunting position. Sweetie from further down steam who was in a similar stance called back.

"I hope whatever we catch is tasty!"

Twilight thought for a moment trying to piece together here mental map. "Hmm this should be the central region of this continent so it could be a lot of things, but from what I know there aren't any poisonous fresh water fish native to this area."

"Leave it to you to know something like that, you really study up." Silver chuckled at the somewhat downcast look on Twilight's face, the ever studious one that she was she had always been made fun of or outcasted for her love of reading and studying. Noticing her friends discomfort she added. "It's one of the things I admire about you."

Twilight blushed at the comment letting out a quite "thanks" before going back to a book about moss she was reading. The exact title was 'Moss, and other moist things' but she wouldn't tell them that in fear of the teasing it would get her.

As she lay there enjoying the nice day she couldn't help but wonder what the others were up to.

Author's Note

I'm releasing three new chapters today including this one, hope everyone is staying safe and happy.