It takes two days for the storm to subside enough to continue her journey. It is hard to not be discouraged, barely any headway made in four(?) days.

Celestia’s wings are pinned to her sides, the freezing winds winding between the feathers. Her mane stiff and speckled with white flurries. It's hard to tell the lay of the land, snow drifts rising and falling, concealing sheer drops into nothing. More than once a hoof has dipped down to find no ground beneath. Her legs begin to tire, Luna...perhaps this was foolish…Her thoughts fade back into a constant static as the wind whips past her ears.

Celestia falls forward into the snow “Cold! So cold! Can't wwarm..Oh Luna!”

Crunch….crunch...gurgle…

“What?” She looks up through blurry eyes to see three Feeders crunching through the snow towards her. “Oh no.” She can't move let alone muster the magic needed to shatter them. Their frozen dead features contorted and their mouths stretched wide to devour what little magic she has left. She casts her thoughts to Luna, Moonstone,...Twilight. Celestia of Equestria refuses to close her eyes, to shy away from her death.

A deafening roar cuts through the landscape as the ground begins to tremble. The Feeders stop, heads swiveling, necks popping and crunching with the movement in a grotesque mockery of fright. From beyond the wind and snow comes the light of green fire, it coils around the Feeders melting them into a viscous slag. The snow around them made into a heated clearing of stone.

“Celestia, I have been waiting a long time to see you again. “ A deep growling voice bellows from somewhere above. But she is too weak to look towards it, her vision fading, the static getting louder. “Don't worry, you are safe and soon you will warm, old friend.” She feels herself being lifted as conscience leaves her.

“Spike…”

First she is aware of sound, crackling and popping, the sound of fire. With that her senses begin to return, starting at the very tips of her hooves to end with her muzzle, ears, and wings. Celestia groans softly, her whole body feeling painfully tingly. The feeling one gets if their hoof has been asleep, all over. Pinpricks.

She tries very hard not to move. Even the smallest twitch is agony.

Slowly oh so very slowly it recedes, and she cautiously pries open her eyes.

Warm and roaring green flames lick in a stone hearth not three feet away. The glow casting deep and mystical looking shadows over the rooms many bookcases and shining trinkets.
In front of her lies a simple wooden table but sitting upon it is, she sniffs cautiously, ….coffee. A perfect cup of warm coffee. The cup isn't very large, pink with simple purple stripes…

“It was her favorite cup. She would be either honored or halfway to the ceiling to see you use it.” Spike's voice rumbles out from her left. Full of good humor.

She echoes it with a wry smile and a chuckle. Sipping at the coffee with a deep sigh of gratitude.

Once the coffee is done and her bones are warm Celestia looks to Spike. He is much older, his purple scales darkened and his once poison green underbelly a deep emerald. Sharp features with long wings folded tightly to his side. Her chest aches fiercely at all the time she has missed. He is hardly a baby dragon anymore.

“Spike...I-Thank you. For saving me. It seems that you expected to find me?’’ Gratitude and curiosity war within her. Questions burning like the sun itself within her mind.

“I have expected you for a long time Princess. There is much ahead of you, much you must do. The Dark, The Nowhere is eating our world.” Spike gives her a somber look. So far removed from the face she used to know that it brings tears to her eyes.

“Oh Spike. I feel at a loss, I came looking for Twilight only to find cold and darkness! How selfish must I be? She herself told me of the dangers but I...I just want her back!” Celestia's chest heaves with hard body shaking sobs.

“Princess, perhaps it is selfish but love is hardly an entirely selfless thing. I want her back too. I would choose her over everything else. But it would disappoint Twilight if I did that. It's hard, isn't it? We can save Equestria or we can have Twilight. Both seem impossible to have at the same time.” Spike leans forward to wrap one huge wing around Celestia's sob wrecked form.

She breathes slowly in and out. As the sobs cool to slow trickles of tears she asks, “Twilight said I would wake you from slumber and yet here you are, very much awake without my help. How?”

He gives her a sharp grin,” I awoke the moment you set foot in the North. But a dragon never truly sleeps, we just...drift. Like getting lost in a painting or the stars. I have been waiting since I closed my eyes. Counting the years with every exhale of breath.”

Celestia gives Spike a watery smile. “So tell me Sir Spike, where do I go from here? Twilight said you would guide me?”

The somber look returns to his face. “You must keep going Princess, until you reach the Olde Capitol of the Unicorns. It is the highest point still left. There you will find The Source. I can feel it Princess, it is not...pleasant. I believe that there is a clash of force there, the Darkness eating at the world.”

For the first time she pauses, to wonder if this is something she can do. Despite Twilight's belief in her, where does one even begin to combat such a thing?

But she must. For all of her dear little ponies and all of the wonderful friends they have made over the years. She must.

“I wish you could come with me, my friend. But I understand that I must make my way alone. Though it pains me so.” Celestia hangs her head in sorrow.

Spike is not without his own sadness. To see his Princess this way, it is clearly written upon his face. “Princess remember, friendship never truly dies, so long as the love remains within your heart.”

Celestia smiles, to see the baby dragon grow into a wise adult. A memory she will carry with her as her journey north continues.

Author's Note

The end of the previous chapter has been edited, so if you are confused please go glance at itb.