Chapter 2 – Outward Bound

A great hulking mass of material unknown, ever shifting and morphing into shapes and forms most foreign. Within the great emptiness this eldritch being grew to dwarf all the stars and shrank to the smallest particle. It reached out to a thousand minds and hearts, all beautifully united in a great cosmic collective-- a chorus of voices that sang, victory everlasting.

“I see you, I am you..”

Red Star gasped as she awoke suddenly, a sheen of sweat dampening her face. For a moment, she was in a state of panic, it was dark, where was she? She couldn't breathe, the collar was too tight, she screamed out in terror. There was the sound of hoofbeats and suddenly light spilled into the darkness, framing a familiar figure in the doorway, his face full of worry.

“What's wrong? Are you alright?” Golden Dawn asked, the light making him glow in the dimness of the room. Red Star stared wide eyed at him, trying to calm her heart and not panic again.

“I had… A nightmare,” Red Star said, she thought she sounded childish, she put her head in her hooves. “This room is too small, feels like a…” Red Star caught herself, it sounded childish again.

“A cage?” Golden Dawn asked, smiling gently. Red Star wouldn't meet his gaze.

“C’mon, it's almost dawn anyway,” Golden Dawn said.

Shatt al-Iblis, Saddle Arabia, Tuesday, 8th of March, 5:39am, 2202 AC

Red Star stepped outside of the little inn, breathing in the cool moist air of the morning. A light mist spilled into the narrow street that was lined with sandstone buildings of great heights. The Free City of Shatt al-Iblis was a place of thin streets, bustling marketplaces, ancient temples risen in the name of ancient kings, and a stinking harbour which filled every corner with its terrible stench. Red Star had been to the Free Cities before, briefly. Khans weren't seldom welcome in these places, and slavery was illegal. Red only recalled brief stops to replenish water and other provisions, the Khans in deep hoods and the slaves caged and covered with a tarp.

T'was a strange thing to breathe air marked by something other than the dry heat. There was moisture, a fact which made Red Star’s nose run like a waterfall. Salt, she could smell salt, once a thing only in the foods of her masters, now it danced in the air, the calling card of the sea. Red Star swallowed, another simple task that was suddenly so much easier without the tight collar restricting her. These new sights and smells were almost too overwhelming.

The sound of hoofsteps, and once again, Golden Dawn emerged from the inn, two steaming mugs in his magical grasp. He smiled gently at Red Star.

“I brought you coffee,” he said. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better,” Red Star said, she peered at the mug of steaming black liquid which was offered to her. It smelt appealing enough. “What is coffee?”

“…You’ve never had coffee before?” Golden Dawn asked, almost in disbelief.

“No, is it good?” Red Star asked curiously.

“…Y-yeah! I mean, it's a bit of an acquired taste,” Golden Dawn said awkwardly. “Go ahead try it.”

Red Star leaned forward and put her lips to the mug while it hung still suspended in Golden Dawn’s magical light and awaited from him to tip it into her mouth, not thinking about her action. It was only when she saw Golden’s look that she realized the abnormality of what she was doing and pulled away.

“S-sorry!” Red Star said, feeling embarrassed. “The Khans used to feed us and pour water down our throats to keep us alive… I guess I'm just used to it…”

“…Hey, it's okay, just… Take it in your magic, can you do that?” Golden Dawn said gently.

Red Star put a hoof to her horn, it had been so long since she had used magic. Had she ever used magic? Red Star couldn't recall a time where the magic-dampening collar wasn't there, before now that is. It was so strange being reconnected to the magical fields, it's was subtle, especially amongst all the new sensations that Red Star had been experiencing. She tried to recall a simple levitation spell, concentrating for a moment, trying to do anything, manifest her magic. Nothing.

“I don't think I can…” Red Star said, sitting down so she could use her front hooves to grip the mug.

“It'll come back, just takes some time and practice,” Golden said encouragingly.

“Maybe…” Red Star said, putting the mug to her lips, the liquid was smooth yet bitter and while the warmth of it did feel pleasant, the bitterness was not and Red Star made her disgust known. “Acquired taste indeed.”

“Yeah, people just drink it to keep awake,” Golden Dawn chuckled.

The two lapsed into silence, enjoying the cool air of the morning together. Golden Dawn sipped away at his coffee and Red Star simply enjoyed the pleasant warmth and smell of hers. T'was such a peaceful time that Red Star revelled in its comfort, was this what freedom was like? She looked at Golden Dawn whom watched the sky, her saviour. She owed this stallion, Red Star realized, owed him more than she could possibly repay... She frowned at the thought.

“Red Star?” Golden Dawn said casually.

“Oh! Uh, yes?” Red Star said, realizing that she had been staring at him. She looked away in embarrassment.

“I don't want you to panic,” Golden Dawn said, still casual.. “But we’re being watched.”

“W-what?” Red Star hissed in fear, she looked up and down the street, there was no one there but them!

“I said not to panic,” Golden Dawn reminded her. “Act as if nothing has changed, okay? Good, now, the others left before you woke up, they'll be at the docks getting the ship ready, there's no point in trying to loose them, so we’re going to run.”

“But…” Red Star stuttered.

“There's no time to discuss, keep close to me and don't stop for anything,” Golden Dawn said with authority, it's was apparent that he was accustomed to giving orders. “Are you ready?”

“I… I suppose I have to be…” Red Star said, her heart thumping.

“It's okay, it's not far, and I've dealt with people like this before,” Golden Dawn said gently. “On three, one… Two… Three.”

Two coffee mugs shattered upon the ground as the two broke out into a sudden sprint down the narrow street, their hoofbeats echoing off the buildings. At first it seemed like none would give chase but then there was the sound of flapping wings close behind them. Red Star detected magic and there was a flash of light, a unicorn brandishing a halbert stood in their path. Golden Dawn drew his longsword and deflected the unicorn's thrust to the side before opening his way through with a vicious sideways slash.

They ran past him, Red Star resisting the urge to vomit at the sight of the unicorn choking on his own blood. Golden Dawn shot a blast a nearby wall, with a forceful explosion the side of the building collapsed. A cascade of sandstone blocked the street behind them, and for a moment it appeared they were safe. They exited out to the docks, a long open dock dotted with ships of varying sizes and styles lined up one after the other. The vast Celestial Sea stretched out before them, glittering an azure mass, a sight Red Star had never seen but had no time to appreciate.

The flapping of wings was heard once again, the shadow of a Pegasus blocked the sun. Golden Dawn didn't even look at him before he hit their pursuer with a blast sending him toppling into the sea. Golden pointed at a rather small galleon which lay waiting in the dock, Red Star could see the rest of the company upon the deck. She looked behind them and saw no less that twenty people giving chase, all Equestrian in appearance, mostly unicorns but with a fair few Pegasi with them.

“Astroseus!” Golden Dawn called.

“I DEFEND FRIENDS!” Astroseus bellowed, his voice booming through the air. The Minotaur hefted his axe which began to glow with a red light. With a roar Astroseus swung the axe in a sideways arc, an ethereal red shockwave shot out and flew over Golden Dawn and Red Star’s heads. Red Star looked back again to see their pursuers whom lay sprawled on the ground, knocked down by the force of a Minotaur’s axe. The ship was already pulling away by virtue of the crew taking the initiative. Red Star felt Golden Dawn place a hoof in her back before there was a loud crack, the rush of colours and sound, and then suddenly they were on the deck of the ship.

“Well,” Golden Dawn said breathlessly. “That was fun.”

“Who were they?” Red Star asked, trying to keep from panicking.

“Could be Alicornists, Church of the Two,” Golden Dawn shrugged, as if nothing. “Everyone seems to hate us these days.”

Author's Note

Expect updates to be less consistent.