Infinity's End: Times Gone By

Chapters

II: Knights End
III: Beginnings of Madness
IV: New Moon
V: The Star Order
VII: Oculus
VIII: Jigane Ga Deru: The Steel Appears
IX: A Mere Taste of Our Strength
X: Celerity
XI: Iridescent
XII: Insidious
XIII: A Haven Among the Stars
XIV: Solidarity
XV: The Eternal Heartbeat of Infinity
XVI: A Lost Hope
I: All Ends Have a Beginning
VI: Infinitum Nihil

II: Knights End

Chapter Two

Knights End

With great zeal I pulled back the walls of this cage in which time had sought to bind me, for this would be the day of reckoning. The meddler’s barrier that had vexed me for so long was failing, withering away while we Dragons had remained patient. All that would be needed now, was a few loyal pawns.

~ Valkris

/ / / The Citadel / / /

“So be it,” Amethyst whispered as the others around him rushed forward.

With that single act, the room exploded into chaos. Daggers, bolts of magic, and arrows filled the air, striking shields or dashing against walls as bodies charged one another. Blades sang, shields rang, and armor clanged out in protest as its steel was tested.

Charging quickly the Griffons closed the distance, blades flashing in the light of discharged spells. The chamber filled with the uproar of swords as they met each other for the first time, howling for the taste of visceral fluid.

Phalyndil roared as he smashed into the line of defenders, the sound unreserved and primal as he swung for an exposed neck. His blade permanently grounded the unfortunate Pegasus in a single stroke, the spray of blood still in the air as he spun to face the next creature luckless enough to bar his path.

The next Knight his eyes spied was a Donkey, battling with nothing but its hooves and, to Phalyndil’s great pleasure, completely distracted. Before another thought could slow him the Griffon’s blade flashed forward, hungry, eager for the kill.

Too eager, Phalyndil realized as he caught motion to his side, changing the angle of his swing just in time to save his own skin. Switching his stance he lept back as his blade met with another, the weapons screaming off each other in a spray of sparks. The vibrations rattling through his wrist an intimate and painful reminder to Phalyndil of just how much force a telekinetic could exude.

“You!” Phalyndil growled dangerously as he was forced to take another step away from his would be victim. The smaller donkey continued his own fight as Sombra moved between them, his blade floating in his magical aura as it twirled through the air a few times, beckoning the Griffon to a duel.

Phalyndil was all too happy to oblige him, darting forward and slamming his blade against his opponent’s. With his free hand he took a vicious swipe at the stallion’s face, hoping to blind him and end this farce as quickly as possible.

The pony had other plans it seemed, as the talons came down he merely stepped from behind his floating blade, throwing the burly Griffon off balance as the attack met nothing but air. Sensing his chance the stallion added force behind his weapon, pushing the stumbling bird over as he went by.

Phalyndil was no fool however; he knew the motions that often followed such attacks. Instead of resisting the fall he pushed into it, going down into a dive and rolling under the horizontal cut that would have cleaved his skull. Jumping up from his roll Phalyndil spun to face his enemy once more, and immediately wished he had not…

Instead of charging in with his blade drawn, the Unicorn stood with his hooves firmly planted in a solid stance. His weapon floated by his side as he chanted something quietly under his breath. More worrisome, however, was the sphere of glowing red energy crackling just above the tip of his horn…

Phalyndil’s life flashed before his eyes, right before the ball of light slammed into his chest. The boiling mass of red hot energy splashed over his body, burning away at his cloak and feathers as it hurled him across the room. It smashed him against a pillar where the Griffon crumpled to a burning heap on the floor, unconscious…

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Shindrah snarled as she thrust forward once more with her halberd. The deadly pike at the end again met nothing but air as her opponent simply spun out of the way in a seemingly lazy manner, his hooves always two steps ahead of her paws.

As if missing her mark was not insult enough, as she pulled her weapon back the elderly stallion leaned forward inside her reach again. His hoof followed mere inches above the instrument of death, to teasingly bop her on the beak, again.

Deciding instead on a change of tactics Shindrah reversed her grip on the weapon in her talons, pulling it sideways as she leaned her shoulder into the attack. This extended her range in an effort to sweep the stallion’s legs out from under him. It worked, to an extent…

Amethyst Song, in a moment of agility that left the young Griffoness astounded, considering the bloodied bandage covering one shoulder, allowed his legs to buckle, before simply falling over her weapon. As the shaft of the spear traveled under his body a foreleg reached out and pushed off the ground, flipping his light elderly frame over and landing him beside his dance partner.

Bop…

With a squawk of surprise, Shindrah flared her wings. She fluttered backwards away from her opponent to gain some spacing. It was impossible, how could such an old pony be so nimble, especially considering such wounds. Her first few challengers had gone down nearly disappointingly easily. This one though, he was different, cunning and skilled, the challenge excited her.

It was in that moment that an explosion echoed around the room, drawing Shindrah’s attention just in time to witness Phalyndil sail over her head and crash into one of the pillars. His smoldering body crumpling to the ground in a heap, what remained of his cloak burning away at his feathers.

Shindrah knew that Phalyndil needed help, though seeing their leader hurt had spurred the others on to fight harder, she was still the closest one. Shindrah also knew that there was still at least one obstacle standing in her way, the maddening old stallion whom had stood by patiently waiting for her to make the next move.

She was about to attempt a different stratagem when the pony frowned, his form seemed to shimmer and swim like a mirage for a moment before simply vanishing into thin air, leaving not a trace of himself to be found. Convenient, if not maddeningly confusing.

The apparating stallion would have to wait, their leader needed her! Master’s plans could not be left to fall into jeopardy, not when they were so close. Steeling her resolve, Shindrah charged back into the fray, making all haste to her gallant leader’s aid, prepared to slay any in her path…

/ / / / / /

It did not hurt, he was on fire and it did not hurt. His cloak, the very leather belting of his scabbards, they were aflame, yet he did not burn. What fresh madness was this that he could be consumed by fire, and not be condemned to an agonizing death? These were Phalyndil’s only coherent thoughts before the darkness took him once more…

/ / / / / /

Shindrah skewered the troublesome Caribou before kicking the weakling’s corpse aside, she had no time to grant such bold prey an honorable death. Every second she wasted was another Phalyndil did not have!

Flaring her wings the Griffon soared over the heads of two more would be challengers, piercing the neck of one with the deadly pike and swinging the body into its colleague. The pair had barely hit the ground before Shindrah landed beside her own fallen comrade.

Skidding to a halt and dropping her weapon Shindrah tore off her own cloak. The tattered old garment soaked with the blood of her kills sizzled and smoked as she thrust it over her commander, vigorously dragging it over the flames to smother them.

As the last of the fire fell to her assault Shindrah quickly tore the remnants of Phalyndil’s cloak from his body. She was shocked to find that, aside from a few charred feathers, he was mostly unharmed…

/ / / / / /

Phalyndil choked on a lung full of smoke as someone rudely began shaking him, didn’t they know who he was? What could possibly be so important as to merit such treatment?

Then he remembered where he was, and how he had come to be here. Then he heard the voice, a familiar voice trying to rouse him. Next he heard the sounds of battle and his heart began to beat a few ticks faster.

In a sudden coughing fit Phalyndil rose to a seated position. He was secretly grateful of the hand supporting his back as he spat the last of the ash filled air from his throat, his chest heaving from the exertion. His throat burned from the effort of hacking up the dry irritants that were intent on sticking to him.

Master’s creations had saved him yet again, Phalyndil realized as he examined himself. The revelation brought great shame upon him, in truth, he had his doubts when Master had told them of the things his armor would save them from. Now it seemed, not even the power of these sages could harm him so easily.

Having been concealed away beneath his cloak the silvery armor was now open to the world, daring any to test its strength. He could not help but marvel for a moment at the runes carefully carved into every plate, the way the pale light of the chamber danced across the surface. It was perfection in his eyes and reminded him why he was here.

It was at this moment of self reflection a third Griffon arrived to provide aid. A young male to which Phalyndil noticed bore a worried expression, something he found ill suited to one under his command.

“We have successfully pushed through the Knights and have re-gained control of the exit. Although the path to our goal remains hidden from sight,” the newcomer reported grimly. His constitution was clearly being tested by the circumstances.

“We must keep fighting,” Phalyndil said stoically. He retrieved his sword from where it had landed before forcing himself to stand and take charge of the situation. “We must be ready for Master’s arrival! Slay them all!” He bellowed.

That is when the hammer came down.

A literal ton of stone wrapped in glowing bands of golden metal crushed the life from the younger Griffon right before Phalyndil’s eyes. It pulped the hapless creature against the cold floor in a burst of translucent blue energy that exploded outwards from the head of the great bludgeoning instrument, spraying gore in a wide arc. Phalyndil had just enough time to close his eyes before the force of the energy hurled him back, rag-dolling him across the floor.

The two surviving Griffons smashed into the wall and slid to the ground, dazed and bruised, but alive. Wiping his face free of his subordinate Phalyndil glared up at the one responsible for ending the life of such a promising flock mate, the feathers around his neck fluffing in alarm at what he saw...

/ / / / / /

Shindrah groggily opened her eyes, the room spinning as she took in the sight that greeted her only to find something completely unexpected. A Minotaur! A large, angry, Minotaur. To make things worse, the towering brute was already charging back towards them, hammer held high and still dripping with the remains of their fallen brethren.

Not wanting to be next Shindrah instinctively reached for her halberd, only to find it missing. Thrown clear by the blast no doubt and nowhere to be seen. She could go for her crossbow, the weapon was still firmly secured on her back with two shots left. Too bad she would be dead before she could bring it to bear.

That is when Phalyndil leaned forward from where he lay against the wall, hurling his trusty blade for all he was worth, sinking its length into one of the rushing bull’s bulging pectorals. The beast howled as it missed a step, slowed but kept on charging. The damage having about as much effect as stabbing a bear in the ass with a dagger.

Shindrah knew that Phalyndil’s actions would not have saved them, but she also knew that he would have known that as well. It was up to her now, his actions had bought her the precious seconds she needed. The bow was in her talons, primed and ready. The brute was upon them, the hammer speeding towards them both. She pulled the trigger…

/ / / / / /

Phalyndil ducked as the hammer came down, remembering vividly the sounds of his own ward's bones shattering. All he could hear in that moment however was the pained howl of the Minotaur as its head snapped back, Shindrah’s crossbow bolt lodged clean through its muscled neck.

The towering beast continued its howl as the hammer swung wide and impacted the wall just over the Griffon’s heads, shattering through the reflective material with ease and a heartbeat later the stumbling Minotaur followed suit. It may have seemed like an act of providence, if the creature’s bulk had not driven the pair of his unfortunate opponents through the hole as well…

/ / / / / /

Amethyst ducked under the swing of yet another Griffon as the avian attempted to stab him. To little effect, as the impossibly nimble pony weaved around the expertly driven blow that surely should have been his end.

Undaunted by the Griffons swordsmanship, Amethyst darted in once more. This time casually catching the Griffon’s cloak and dragging it up over the hawk's face and snagging the end over his beak. Satisfied that this would hold the unruly creature long enough Amethyst glanced about before quickly spotting another of his family in trouble and, with a blink through the ether, he was gone again…

/ / / / / /

Phalyndil was getting very tired of waking up this way, having to chase the cobwebs from his senses as he awoke on the floor yet again, only to find the hulking figure of the Minotaur doing the same. The handle of its giant hammer was still loosely grasped in its left hand. In mere seconds it would be on them again, and he held no weapons save for a small hunting knife.

Quick as a flash his eyes scanned the darkened chamber into which they had been thrown, though hurled may have been the more appropriate word, but here they lay nonetheless. As Phalyndil rolled over to see behind him he finally caught sight of their salvation. Stairs, and at their base, Shindrah’s crossbow! If he could get there, they had a chance.

Getting his legs under him Phalyndil spread his sore wings, whispering a thanks to Master they weren’t broken after such rough treatment. He leapt into the air but was unceremoniously yanked back down by the tail for his troubles. The tug on him sending an unpleasant shock up his spine as his ligaments were tested.

With his limb firmly held in one hand, and its hammer now firmly grasped in the other the Minotaur leered down at the trapped Griffin. In its moment of triumph the monster leaned down and roared, spattering bits of spittle and blood over the soon to be loser of their fight.

Phalyndil pulled his face back as far as he could, the smell nearly making him gag as the beast above him continued to postulate in victory. The blow from hitting the ground had knocked the breath from him and pain still lanced up his tail and as if to prove how bad things were for him, the hammer began to rise for the death blow.

Realizing his feeble struggling would get him nowhere, Phalyndil knew he needed to find some other way out of his situation. His eyes traveled again to Shindrah’s crossbow, the Griffoness lying a short distance beyond it. Whether she was unconscious or dead, he could not tell.

Her weapon, that was the key, if he could just get to it he could finish this. An idea formed in his head as Phalyndil braced himself for the pain. Flexing the traumatized muscles in his tail he curled himself up. A taloned hand swiped his father’s hunting knife from its place at his side in a single sweep and plunged it into the hand keeping him trapped. The family heirloom did its job well, slicing deep into the gray skin of the Minotaur.

The creature howled again, dropping its victim and stepping back, the damaged hand oozing blood, two of the fingers limp. Drawing a shaky breath and gurgling on the blood in its throat, the weakening creature turned its fiery gaze back to its opponent with the intent of delivering a final blow. Only to find him already across the room, scooping up his fallen comrade’s weapon.

Phalyndil knew he had no time to lose, the Minotaur recovered fast and was sure to be on him in moments, any mistake now would cost him dearly. Hefting Shindrah’s weapon from where it had fallen he spun, one of his paws already in the coking stirrup as he watched his opponent charge. Seconds away, hammer held so high it nearly brushed the ceiling.

His ears had not even heard the bow string lock into place before the weapon was lifting to his shoulder, talons reaching into a pouch in his armor, where something special resided. A thing passed from Master’s own claws to his, was something truly special, entrusted to him and now would provide the salvation he needed.

With the speed of a practiced marksman Phalyndil laid his last treasure on the bow and slid it into place. The long shard of translucent crystal glowing a soft pink as the energy within it reacted with the crossbow, sensing a target and shimmering with a foreboding gleam.

The Rosea Caligo, Master’s deadliest creation. Phalyndil hoped it lived up to his expectations as he exhaled, steadying his aim. His target was close, so close the light from his own weapon illuminated the beast in an unnervingly hellish glow. The darkness surrounding them only served to deepen the effect, his eyes finding it difficult to track the nearly mirage like movements.

His aim was off, there simply wasn’t time, it was too fast, the hammer was swinging. Death was upon him. He pulled the trigger, hoping against all hope that Master’s claims held true.

His hopes were in vain, the shot was wild. He knew it even as he pulled the trigger, knew it as the shard shot away, its trajectory carrying it on a path that would travel well off to the left, high and wide. He would die here, now, and all would be lost. It was over, despair taking him as he watched his last hope sail along, as the hammer started down.

What transpired next, Phalyndil could not rightly say, it happened so quickly he had trouble seeing it, let alone believing it. As the glowing shard passed by the swinging head of the hammer its glow intensified, flaring like a fire in the night.

Like a thing possessed the shard veered over, diving at the Minotaur. The bolt speared into the creature’s arm, just below the shoulder, piercing deep into the muscle and bone. No sooner had the poor creature realized it had been struck the shard then detonated in a burst of energy that lit up the room, spraying his blood along with chunks of savaged meat and bone. What remained of the Minotaur’s arm flew through the air, landing somewhere far off in the darkness, the dreaded hammer going with it.

Phalyndil remained still, huddling under a wing as he listened to the bloodcurdling howls of pain that echoed off the walls of the dark room. Droplets of hot crimson continued to rain down as the beast fell to its knees, the remaining hand clamped around the smoking hole in its side, bursts of blood squirting between its fingers with every beat of his heart…

/ / / / / /

Sombra smashed his hoof into the side of yet another Griffon’s skull, dazing him long enough to shove him aside. He knew that howl and what it likely meant. If his friend was in trouble, then the Heart was in danger as well, he had to go. Giving the Griffon one last kick for good measure Sombra turned and raced into another corridor…

/ / / / / /

Amethyst watched from across the room as his student charged off alone to secure that which he had protected all of his own life. He knew of Sombra’s skills, but if these warriors were of a caliber capable of taking down Steel Resolve, then perhaps it was time that he stopped wasting his…

/ / / / / /

Leaving the still screaming Minotaur behind Phalyndil quickly ascended the stairs, Shindrah’s crossbow cradled in his arms as he neared the top, his last bolt loaded and ready. He hoped that the Griffoness was alive, but the only way to help any of them now was to accomplish their goal. And the only thing left to do now, was climb to the top of these stairs. Or at least, that is what his exhausted mind had hoped…

Cresting the last step Phalyndil could only grumble out a curse at what he saw, it was the same haggard old sage from earlier; the one Master had warned him to kill first. Of course it was. On instinct he leveled his weapon at the old pony, only stopping himself from pulling the trigger at the memory of how ineffective this tactic had been the first time. And now, he had only one bolt.

“You get around rather quickly, for such an old grazer,” Phalyndil remarked sourly. His patience thinning as he edged closer, hoping words might buy him time to find an angle of attack. “I swear you to be the last one I saw Shindrah battle down below.”

“And you move too quickly,” Amethyst replied from where he sat. His back turned to the Griffon as he watched a large crystal artifact slowly rotating in the air at the room’s center, a thin line of energy shooting up and out through the roof of the spire. “Always in such a hustling bustle, you Griffons. A proud race once.”

He stood then, turning to watch the gradually circling warrior with a surprisingly sad expression. “But now, fallen, pawns to those who cannot let go the wrongs done upon them in the past. Can you not see where this road leads? I beg of you, do not plunge this world back into the darkness that so many generations fought and bled to be rid of, this course of action will bring only ruin to us all.”

“I care not to hear your empty words of warning old one, my life holds only what meaning the Master bestows upon it. If his will should bring about my end, then I welcome it,” Phalyndil snarled back. His pace quickened as he realized what his eyes spotted just behind the pony in his way. It was indeed the Timeless Heart, it must be. Master's instructions flashed across his mind once more,

'Knock the heart from its pulpit, then I shall come.'

“You truly are of the lost flocks then,” Amethyst said sadly, knowing what was to be. He knew that sooner or later, the balance of their world would once again be broken. Though perhaps, not this night…

Phalyndil knew he was running out of time, knew he had to make a move, had to do something! The Heart was the key, Master could not enter this place so long as it remained under the artifact’s protection. He was about to cut his losses and simply make a rush for his prize, it would likely never work, but what choice did he have? Swallowing his doubts he leveled his weapon, aiming for the old pony's chest, then he stopped.

Amethyst stood there, the last thing standing between the world and its damnation, and he was wavering. Small ripples traveled up the length of his body, distorting his image and blurring the air around him. Lifting a leg up the aging stallions stance relaxed, the limb fading before his very eyes.

“I suppose then, that is that, I am out of time.”

The flickering pony staggered slightly, stubbornly taking another step, trying to keep himself between the Griffon and his prize. A stronger jolt of flickering and he sunk to the floor, gasping as he hit the stone. “Too old, used up too many years... Congratulate your master for me, won’t you? Seems he had the patience to outlast me, after all.”

Continuing on past the stricken unicorn Phalyndil approached his goal, the Crystal Heart nearly in his grasp, so close now. It radiated with power, static crawled around the bases of his feathers, the smell of ozone tickled the inside of his nose.

“Tell him yourself,” Phalyndil said with a smile as he reached out, talons nearly touching his prize.

“Stand off heathen!” Sombra shouted as he tackled the Griffon to the side, the pair rolling across the floor in a heap of thrashing limbs. As they continued to flail across the floor Phalyndil’s crossbow was knocked away, skittering over the crystal and out of reach.

As the pair finally came to a stop Sombra managed to get behind the larger Griffon, thrusting a foreleg under the warrior’s throat and pulling his head back. Sombra's floating blade poised at the bird’s neck. “Yield,” he demanded, allowing the tip of his weapon to pierce the Griffon’s skin to emphasize his point.

“Never will I yield to the likes of you!” Was Phalyndil’s immediate retort. He refused to fail after coming so far, his own life be damned! He continued with his struggles, hoping the younger warrior would be intelligent enough to realize what he was doing for her…

She was. Shindrah leapt through the air, her wings giving a single powerful thrust that propelled her past the distracted equines and right into the side of the floating heart. The impact jarred it free of the energy that had held it in place. Most importantly of all, ceasing the beam that fueled the magical barrier that had kept the citadel secure since time immemorial. In that single instant, just like that, it was over. The ancient tower shook as the energy that had cascaded into the sky like a flare disintegrated, the barrier dispersing into the night. A signal to all the world of what had happened.

Shindrah landed in a crumpled heap, screaming as magic coursed over her body, the boundless energy now suddenly with no outlet. Still she would not let go, holding on until at last the artifact grew still, its lustrous color becoming like stone. With one last flicker the Heart's power grew silent, leaving the Knights with naught but horrified stares.

Before either pony could react they were hurled from their hooves as the entire length of the spire jolted beneath them, shuddering under the force of a tremendous impact that scattered the remaining combatants like the toys of a child. Knights and Griffons alike were dashed upon the walls and pillars, a few being forced to flee for their lives as chunks of the crystal ceiling rained down from above.

Sombra shakily began to rise from where he had landed by the stairs, coughing as he attempted to wipe the dust from his eyes. Clouds of dusted crystal fouled the air as the shaking continued, the sounds of cracking crystal vibrated through the entire spire, the tower conducting the sound throughout. Without warning the stairs and wall splintered like so much glass, shattering as something tore its way through.

Summoning what strength he had left Sombra pushed himself up and scrambled back as quickly as his tired legs would carry him, closing his eyes and turning away as the crumbling wall exploded inwards. A claw twice his size pierced the meter of enchanted crystal and pony made wards with the difficulty of peeling an orange.

The claw continued with its incursion, followed immediately by a scaled finger. The offending limb continued until the entire face of the wall met with a similar fate as three more intruders joined the first. The quartet obliterated the stairs, their song the deafening chorus of shattering quartz and confused shouting.

In another violent burst of motion Sombra was nearly thrown to the floor again as the claws suddenly curled in on themselves, gripping at the wall above them, their tips crushing the material that had been sturdy enough to have survived the tests of time. With a monumental heave the clawed hand began to pull upwards, the entire room splintering with cracks. In one fluid motion, the very roof over their heads was torn away. The inky black of the raging night looking down upon them, its gaze filled with fury.

Sombra could only stare in fascinated horror as the top of the great monolith was tossed aside, its undeniable weight made insignificant by the clearly enormous creature that had torn the top from their tower. He stared into the clouds that stormed overhead, watching them move in unnatural ways. He stared into that blackness, this gate to oblivion. He stared, until it deemed him worthy of a glance of its own. Then he knew, that he was already dead.

A single eye, glowing like the fires of Tartarus itself and just as lifeless leered down at the broken stallion. The weight of its gaze told of something ancient, a soul bearing knowledge beyond the comprehension of the squabbling masses it now surveyed. The weight fell over Sombra, feeling as physical as being struck, pushing him down to the still cracking floor. He found himself obeying, having neither the strength left to fight, nor the will to oppose his own weakness. Sombra could merely lie there, and bleed.

In a motion as silent as the creeping twilight, the single arm that had torn apart their sanctuary ventured down once more. Swirling eddies of cloud and snow followed after the limb, as if to guard against prying eyes. The clawed hand descended, the action fluid and graceful as nothing was wasted in its motions. Coming to a stop near the fallen Griffon, the claws unfurled and, gently as a mother lifting her baby from a crib, plucked the injured creature from the floor. The warrior still clutching the stone heart to her chest.

It took nearly everything Sombra had, his reserves waning as he lifted his head to better view the approaching end. He knew what power they faced, what kind of creature had come for them this night. He knew, even as the blackened ash-filled clouds pulled apart, answering to the will of the great eye, parting as the beast moved closer to its trophy. Sombra knew, that a Dragon had destroyed the Knights.

Thunder rolled over what remained of the spire as the head of the leviathan gradually revealed itself, its blackened scales slid from the clouds like oil over water, silent under the winds that had long masked the approaching tempest. Teeth flashed in the light of a distant discharge, the lightning illuminating the immense form from behind, defining its hidden bulk within the clouds. It had to be hundreds of hooves high, maybe a thousand! It was impossible to tell through the squall.

Then, as if answering to a sovereign’s decree, all was silent. The winds abated their new assault upon the citadel’s interior, instead seeking a route which allowed them to flow out and around their Master until such time as their return was beckoned. Neither a flake of snow, nor wisp of cloud dared move within this space; it was calm, almost peaceful in its tranquility.

Sombra lifted a leg, some last vestige of strength compelling him to reach out for the thing that had been entrusted to his care. He reached until a voice echoed across his perceptions, felt as much as heard. Though the dragon’s mouth never moved, the words fell upon every ear. It rolled over his consciousness, unstoppable as the tide, rumbling over every thought.

“Take heed my children, and listen well. The victory you have claimed this day ensures tomorrow's future, a future unhindered by the Fates who set their wills against ours so long ago,” the voice boomed, the crystal structure resonating with every word.

At these words, the face of the dragon drew closer, staring down the fallen ponies as one might an unwelcome insect. “You, live. Take all those you find able, and run. Run to your Alicorn gods, and tell them. Tell them, that the end of Infinity, has come for them all…”

III: Beginnings of Madness

Chapter Three

Beginings of Madness

I have tried to do as you asked of me all of those ages ago, I have given him every chance, allowed him to make every free choice that I dared offer him. He will not change, not for you and most certainly not for me. I am sorry my friend, truly I am. But the kind hearted soul you knew is gone from this world, leaving only madness behind.

~Malithion

/ / / The deepest pits of Tartarus / / /

“You think the only truth that matters, is that truth can be measured. That good intentions no longer hold light, that what dwells now within your heart lies bereft of purity. You believe there is no longer a purpose, even the lives you once saved you readily dismiss...”

This was eventually followed by a bout of shrill laughter, the sound originating from a dense bundle of chains hanging from the rocky ceiling, their anchor points lost high above in the inky gloom of the crypt. “Her own words, Doc, every one of them,” the enchanted steel clinked as their occupant shifted position. His movements elicited dull pings as the tension on the links shifted with him, groans of protest echoing into the dark.

“I actually followed your advice. I admitted that I was miserable and how now I am angrier than ever and, and how it is tearing me apart.” The stress on the chains eased as the obscured creature within their grasp relaxed, a pair of beady little eyes were all that could be seen as they scanned along the walls. The orbs cast a dull amber glow that easily pierced the gloom. The chamber was meager in size when compared to most of Tartarus, having the containment of a single individual in mind, versus mass imprisonment as with the remainder of the great labyrinth.

“But then, it hit me, the real reason. It was so obvious, Doc. We have been staring at each other for so long and I have been either too blind or too distracted by pure ambition.”

A torrent of gleeful giggling spilled from the mass of chains, shaking the half ton of dead weight despite the diminutive stature their captive sported, groaning and straining as if a tremendous load stressed every link nearly to its limit. “Truth,” another mirthful chuckle. “Deny it all I want, the hag was right,” an exasperated groan filled the chamber, its tone irritated but resigned. “The truth is, I feel nothing. I am, empty. Betrayed, I suppose, but nothing else. There is no anger, no sorrow, not even any fear left. There is only cold, an empty void where a soul used to be. That is all that I have left, nothing, not even contempt for those who made me this way. Time and Fate have taken even that.”

The glow faded away with those words, plunging the sealed cell back into its typical chilled blackness, a thick unnatural dark that consumed any source of light to be found. That is, until the prisoner spoke once more, eyes searching out the farthest reaches of the gloom and illuminating what lay within.

“That is why I like being alone, or, at least I convinced myself I am better off that way. It would be pure satire to claim anything else.”

Not bothering with a response the other being in the room simply opted to wait for the patient to continue, be it he was overcome with empathy or merely wished to hear more of the story before making suggestions, remained unclear.

“I think, I think that I may finally have reached a point where I can at least begin to comprehend why things happened the way they did. Not that it matters, none of that matters now,” the prisoner shifted again. The motion earned a series of pings that traveled up the mass of chains and into the darkness above. “Soon, this will all be over. It will all end,” he fell silent then. An occasional muttering the only sound to come from the hanging ball of magical metal for several minutes.

“I suppose that is why I agreed to this meeting, I just thought you deserved some kind of recognition for all you have done. Even if it does not show, you have helped me, Doc. So, thank-,” another small series of quiet chuckles erupted from the captive creature. The noise echoed off the walls, followed swiftly by the sounds of a few links surpassing their limits, stretched until they snapped like rotten twine.

“Still can’t say that one with a straight face,” the prisoner gasped out as his laughter died away. He watched closely as the damaged chains knit themselves back together, the enchantments placed upon the metal repairing the damage in mere moments. “Cheeky underworld swill, what could possibly have possessed them to construct soul chains of such quality for this place?” With a slight tug the chains drew themselves ever tighter, increasing the already crushing pressure upon their charge. “Bugger, not as if the old goat was ever that dangerous,” he glanced again to the far corner, eyes landing on the still form of his only companion. “Well, not recently, at least.”

An awkward silence fell over the room, minutes turning into hours as two sets of dead eyes simply stared back at one another. Eventually, with a heavy sigh, the prisoner hung his head. “Cripes this is boring! I can’t just hang here for another,” the prisoner paused for but a moment, as a mind more ancient than the very walls considered the numbers. “Two more years! How do you do it you old goat?!” His gaze once more traveled over the bleached skeleton strewn across the floor beside him. The cell’s original occupant…

As expected the decaying remains offered no reply, not that it mattered to the mad little captive. “Wow, that’s rough buddy, hang in there,” another fit of laughter passed between a set of thin pressed lips. A subtle glimmer of light flashed off rows of sharp dagger like teeth. “Oh, heh, dead, that’s right. Almost forgot why I came down here in the first place.” With a quick flex of his neck a loud crack split the air as another few links of chain snapped like string, the fragments breaking away and embedding themselves into the walls of solid stone. “Well, it would seem mission accomplished, then. Too bad, I could use some vacation time, getting tired of being history’s janitor.”

The sound of wrenching metal filled the room as the creature casually freed an arm, the tiny limb reaching up to the owner’s face and promptly scratching at an itch. “Shame, haven’t been here for awhile, was beginning to enjoy myself. Not running off on some damned fool errand every half decade. Depressing, that’s what that is,” the arm fell limp, its job handled.

A distant rumble echoed down from the massive chambers above, the ancient rock vibrating as minute tremors found their way through the structure. Cold chills ran down the creature’s spine, tingling every fiber of his being with a power most familiar, a power, that had rivaled his own on a good day. A presence not felt for a very long time.

His little game instantly forgotten the inmate jolted bolt upright on instinct, accidentally wrenching a few of his bonds from the rock securing them in place. The severed lengths of magically conjured chain shattered instantly as the magic sustaining them was forced from existence, the pulverized remains blowing away like dust in a breeze as they fell. “That cold blooded fire breathing son of a bitch! He actually did it!” The clinking of the chains grew louder in the still air as he squirmed with excitement. “Hot damn!”

A buzzing electrical thrum filled the darkness as magical power began to surround the seemingly shackled being, what little exposed skin that could be seen beginning to glow red with heat. Steam rose from both himself and the chains as the temperature grew rapidly, the air shimmering with energy. At first the magic infusing the bonds resisted, ancient wards and spells of old reacted to the destruction wrought upon them, their power flaring brightly in the dark. Only to be blasted to ash seconds later by a terrible will, a force that moved with vicious efficiency. Cold and calculating as it burned away anything that stood against it, overbearing complex systems designed to drain a captive of all magic.

Within seconds the chains that once held Grogar, necromancer of Tambelon, were reduced to little more than molten slag that simply faded from existence moments later. When the destruction was over all that remained was a charred circle etched into the stone floor, and at its center, stood the most unlikely of creatures, a newt. Standing at little more than ankle height one would hardly credit this minuscule being with the shadowy sense of foreboding that seemed to consume the room. How could they?

Taking a moment to wipe away a stray clump of still glowing metal clinging stubbornly to his shoulder the newt took up his preferred stance; upright with a haughty expression filling his features. A stubby fingered hand searched out an itch somewhere along his lower back, the skin covering the whole of the area black as midnight in winter, a stark contrast to the pure white underbelly at his front.

Allowing himself to indulge in a stretch the newt took the opportunity to glance around the confined space, though the room remained massive by comparison he had grown rather weary over his centuries-long stay, having lost interest in the little game some decades ago. Really, he had just kept up the charade for Doc’s sake.

“Well it’s been a real, blast. Especially you, Grogar. However, there has apparently been a rather sudden change in plans,” the newt said. He pointed a thin finger at the pile of crusty bones, the decayed husk staring back with the same look of fearful finality. “I hope you will not mind terribly if I make free with this,” he continued, hefting a silver bell off the cave floor, just out of the reach of a skeletal hoof.

Receiving no complaint the little fiend turned to leave, a hard mask settling over his face, his demeanor completely changed. “Good, because there is a lot to do and now,” there was a brief pause before, with a sigh, he glanced back with a serious expression. “There is even less time within which to do it. With the Heart no longer in place, all manner of terrors will come, Grogar. And whether you find it of recompense or not, this was never personal. You were just another loose end that Fate sent me to tie up.”

Having said his piece the newt turned away once more with every intent to leave, his own agenda dictating a hasty departure. He was immediately interrupted however, jarred from his thoughts after only a few steps as a searing burn gripped at his wrists, charring the flesh with the sizzling pop of burning skin. Crying out and nearly stumbling as his teeth grit in silent pain the creature glanced down, and was once again rudely reminded of the ethereal bands clasped firmly around each wrist. More importantly however, he was reminded to whose will they forced him to succumb.

Grunting in annoyance he watched as the bands of ethereal light shifted hues, the colors dancing across the surfaces to form endlessly complex patterns. A power far beyond mere magic flowed within these relics, serving as a constant limiter upon the one they contained, and a means of endless torment for the wearer. More importantly, a means of control to which he must abide.

“Well, that was faster than I would have liked,” he grumbled, mentally acknowledging a series of new commands whispering across the back of his mind that ordered an immediate return. With an eager grin the damage inflicted upon his body was banished without a trace, one of the few rebellious acts still permitted to him in his incarcerated state.

“Best go see what the old hag wants now; things are about to get real busy and you know how she can get...”

His sense of purpose renewed the newt once again strode forward, another burst of the creature’s will tearing a hole in reality before his feet. A presence felt on the other side beckoned the prisoner forward with an unusual urgency that would normally have made him uneasy. Today, however, it only fueled his own ambitions. “Heh, who am I kidding? It’s about damn time…”

IV: New Moon

Chapter Four

New Moon

Late was the hour in which my king did summon me to his side, I remember the sorry state of that poor messenger, nearly dead on his hooves as he gasped out the words of our sovereign.

With all haste I answered the call, finding sorrow and ill moods on what I had expected to be a time of joyous exultations. Words fail me here, for how does one describe the tormented cries of a goddess, grieving for a new moon that will not shine.

It was a sign from the heavens, an utterance of Fate warning against the things to come. I wish now, that I had paid it more heed. Perhaps then the fires of our judgment would not burn quite so fiercely. Alas, I did not see.

~ Luminescent Star: The Way of the Wizard.

/ / / Highlands of the Frozen North, 11,930 A. C. / / /

The frigid air was bitingly cold as snow fell freely all around. It was late winter in the Crystal Mountains and a blizzard was in full swing. Every surface was white and thoroughly covered in a beautifully reflective blanket of wonder. If one paid close attention they would hear a joyful melody on the wind created by the sheer majesty of the peaks around them. A choir summoned through pure perfection.

All of this and more went unnoticed however, by the young pony that was negotiating his way down the slopes of a particularly grandiose peak, running for his very life. He ducked and weaved through a jumble of great boulders the size of cottages, frozen breath heavy in his lungs as he attempted to will more speed from exhausted muscles. From somewhere lost in the swirling snow behind him a terrible racket of sounds echoed above the wind. A reminder of his pursuers as they rampaged after him, and with each passing second, they were gaining…

Just as doom seemed upon him the pony caught sight of his salvation. There just ahead, nestled between two large pieces of fractured granite lay the path of an extinct glacier, now little more than a thin sheet of ice encrusting the ground. The frozen water had formed into the perfect retreat for him, a slide that he had scouted the previous evening. Its path flowed directly underneath a massive pile of boulders and other debris, and then dropped down the side of the mountain to a sheltered place that would serve as a meeting point for the group. With any luck, he would find the others there to assist him.

His destination was close, perhaps a dozen yards now. Calling on the last vestiges of his strength the stallion poured on the speed, solely focused on the goal ahead. Many things rode on the success of his journey, including the fate of a young life. He would not let them down, despite the monsters that sought to devour him.

A blood curdling howl somewhere overhead announced the intentions from one of the pony’s pursuers, granting him a single precious second to react. In a blur of motion nearly too quick to see in the blinding snow a giant pair of hairy white feet slammed into the ground just ahead of his face. On instinct the pony threw himself to the right mid gallop, tucked into a roll and came up without missing a stride. He then ducked under an outstretched arm, the claws of which nearly cleaving his head off at the shoulders.

Doing his best to ignore the claws now raking at his tail the pony went into a flying leap towards the safety that waited so close at hoof, just as a second would-be attacker appeared from behind an outcrop of ice covered stone. Catching the first real glimpse of his attackers he took in the beast for what it was, a highland Yeti. Even at the zenith of his leap the creature towered over him, rippling muscles poised and ready to pounce, hunger filling its gaze.

Powerful though the Yeti may have been, its movements were predictable, easily read and accounted for by those who knew the beasts of the wilds. The unicorn closed his eyes, horn sparking faintly as his trajectory carried him straight towards the waiting arms of the snarling predator…

The Yeti lunged, giant hairy hands outstretched and ready to snatch its prey from the air, claws set to tear the life from its victim the second they found purchase. The pony almost wished he could see the brute’s doubtlessly surprised face as his whole body suddenly blazed with colors, undergoing a moment of molecular instability. The confused Yeti barely had time to register what transpired before its breakfast simply passed through the creature’s chest.

Gasping in a lungful of the crisp mountain air as he landed the young stallion took little time making all haste towards his goal, deciding to berate himself later for such a foalish waste of his magical reserves. The dazed Yeti behind him would not remain so for long, despite the rather, intimate, experience of having another living being occupying the same space as yourself.

Conscious of the first Yeti still thundering along behind him the pony darted for his cover. It would be close; the hot breath lapping at the nape of his neck was proof enough of that. Another swipe of the beasts’ claws snagged the fluttering edge of his cloak, shredding the meager garment to ribbons. The Yeti’s angered howl at having retrieved nothing but torn fabric echoed across the mountainside.

Not requiring any further incentive the young pony fixed his gaze upon his destination and continued at a full out gallop, horn charging once more as a tiny point of light gathered at the tip. Just as he felt the claws coming for him yet again he dropped, narrowly avoiding the grasping death and landed on his belly. The ice was thick and smooth here, the momentum of the run allowing him to slide down under the boulders and out of sight to relative safety.

As he passed along the underside of the first set of boulders his eyes snapped up, catching sight of the runes carved into the natural ceiling. A small piece of insurance placed there the night before, in the event of unfavorable circumstances. It was a simple enough mark of three intricate hieroglyphs, one representing the Caribou word for fire, the next was pressure. The third, was force…

With a flick of his horn the light at the tip shot fourth and speared into the runes, filling the etchings with a warm glow that shone brighter with every second. Closing his eyes to protect them from the radiance that quickly consumed the subterranean passage the young stallion hunkered down, coaxing as much speed as he could glean from his descent.

A final flash of light and the tunnel entrance was consumed in a maelstrom of fire and smoke. Pulverized bits of stone and ice shot out the opening, pelting the yetis as the pressure slammed them back, hurling the beasts away in a cloud of debris. With an echoing crack the huge pair of boulders hanging over the tunnels mouth fell, their shattered masses burying the entrance and preventing pursuit.

Yetis are hardy and stubborn things; undaunted by the explosion the pair of hunters were on their feet again in moments, howling for blood as they called out to more of their own. In an act of surprising agility for such a large beast the first creature leapt into the air and soared to the top of the crumbled rocks, pausing only a moment before leaping down the other side, followed in short order by the second.

As the pony slid along in relative safety under the rock he gingerly checked the contents of a small saddle bag strapped securely under his cloak. The bottle was there, safe and undamaged. With a smile he buckled the saddle bag and prepared himself. Thanks to his horn and a basic spell of life detection, he knew full well that the yetis would be there waiting for him by the time he reached the bottom. So, naturally a distraction was in order…

Crouching patiently to await their prey the yetis were completely dumbfounded as one can imagine, when not one pony but two dozen of the small equines came sliding out from under the rocks and then proceeded to run in every direction conceivable. Some ran or slid straight ahead as if to continue on their way while others simply charged back the way they came. One of the doubles more comically sprinted straight up the rock pile and hopped right over the lead yeti’s head.

With a surprised growl another of the beasts brought its fists down atop the pony as it tried to run under him, only to have the equine poof away in a cloud of magical smoke. Completely puzzled the hunters began to charge around, smashing as many of the pony doubles as they could catch. With no success at finding the real reason for the chase in the first place.
Then one of them caught a whiff of their prey’s scent, and the chase was on once again.

At the sound of a monstrous roar from behind and above, the young stallion once again lit his horn with magic, the energy surging into his muscles, granting unnatural speed to his tired legs. The sprinting pony couldn’t help but wonder where everything had gone wrong, he had only made it about two thousand meters down the mountain when the first of the beasts had made its rather sudden appearance. How had they discovered him so easily?

In a massive eruption of shattered ice and snow one of the yetis crashed down right where he had been not a moment before, ending that particular train of thought as the chase suddenly became much more dire. Howling angrily the beast lunged forward and tackled the pony, sending the both of them tumbling out of control down the icy slope and over the edge of a high precipice. There was nothing but the billowing snow to provide bearing as they fell, plummeting through the air together into the abyss.

The pony grabbed the beast’s arm in his magical grip as it tried to claw open his chest. Undeterred the yeti moved to bite down on the hapless pony’s face as they sailed downwards, only to receive a well placed hoof to the eye for the trouble.

Howling with rage the hungry Yeti brought its other paw to bear and swiped at the diminutive little creature it fought. The strike was hasty and poorly timed, only managing to leave several deep scratches as the pony leaned away from what would otherwise have been a deadly blow.

Grimacing with pain the stallion stole a glance at the fresh wounds on his side as they wept crimson. Looking back at his attacker he smiled as he quickly used his magic to spin the pair around so the yeti was now between him and the rapidly approaching ground.

The yeti’s next howl was that of pain as it smashed into the ice at the base of the drop-off, the sounds of breaking bone filled the air. The equine was thrown aside like a ragdoll as the giant beast tumbled away and slammed into a snow drift. It lay there, unmoving as the snow beneath its prone form was slowly stained with red.

Gritting his teeth at the stinging pain the young stallion rose to sit on his haunches, giving the fallen beast a weary glance before turning his attention to himself. He had left quite the trail as well; a ribbon of crimson through the snow traced a clear path to where he currently sat. He would need to do something about that if he expected to be of use much longer.

With a slight grimace he once more checked on the glass bottle he carried. The delicate container was remarkably intact, its contents still sloshing around inside. He lowered his cloak back down and tightened the strap around his withers to ensure its security. It was then that he detected the faint sounds of crunching of snow, and began to fear the worst…

“Took you long enough, Swirly,” called a voice from within the dark, its owner sounding rather amused as he rounded a nearby outcropping of rock. The newcomer chuckled quietly to himself as he slowly materialized out of the snow and approached.

Seeing who had arrived the wounded pony almost wished that it had been another Yeti, almost. “I was unavoidably detained,” the resting stallion said as he stood, moving toward his fellow apprentice. “Good morning, Silver. Did you get yours?” He asked, still fiddling with his cloak.

“Was there ever truly a doubt, Star Swirl,” the obnoxiously shiny silver pony queried rhetorically, a streak of unabashed pride underlining his words. “How poorly you must think of me! Why, to even ask such a thing causes me pain,” if the words had not been dripping with sarcasm, he may have sounded truly hurt.

“Come now, Silver Spark, I would never say such things. To your face,” Star Swirl replied with a strained laugh as he finally managed to get the tattered cloak to sit comfortably. “I have at least four more followers,” he added, looking over his shoulder. “You?”

Silver Spark shrugged his shoulders, a sheepish grin curling his lips. “I would have to say at least one,” he mumbled quietly with an innocent look in his eye, his slowly widening grin saying otherwise.

“Silver?” the other pony questioned in agitation, pulling out a wad of dressing for his wounds, unrolling the fabric as he quickly scanned the surrounding darkness, a distant howl hastening his hooves.

“Two or, three, perhaps,” Silver Spark answered calmly, a forehoof casually drawing a circle in the snow. Though he seemed complacent to the situation his swiveling ears told a different tale all together, on the inside, he was tensing.

Tossing away what remained of the bandages Star Swirl went instead for his weapon, a large blade hidden beneath his coverings. His own ears pointed straight ahead, honing in on something moving out in the night. “Silver!?”

Silver Spark bobbed his head a few times, eyes glancing to the side as if deep in thought. “Five or six at the most,” a series of not so distant growls sent a visible shiver down the Unicorns spine, his hoof rising from the snow in a defensive gesture.

“Silver!”

“Alright, alright, perhaps we call it an even dozen. Why the stare? We both know this is not the first time that this has happened, so why are you always surprised?” Silver Spark questioned defensively, calmly running his raised hoof over the bulge along his side that denoted the blade of his own weapon.

Star Swirl grimaced; the thought of defending against such a number of the beasts did not fill him with confidence. Perhaps if the third member of their party were here they could manage a less, violent outcome to this. Alas, as it would just be the two of them, it may prove necessary to kill in order to preserve their own lives. The thought was not at all pleasant to say the least.

Silver Spark noticed his friend growing lost in his thoughts and grinned. “You of all ponies should remember, like last time as an example. Let me think, yes, it was that group of evil camel guys in Saddle Arabia, at least ten of them as I recall. Oh yes, and who could forget those peculiar lizard things before that, remember, the ones with the fire? Oh, and then it was-”

“For the love of the king, Silver, just pull your blade already,” Star Swirl said, peering into the swirling snow. “We have visitors,” he said as he lit his horn and worked a buckle under his coverings. The blinding snow did not relent, visibility only being marginally improved by the slowly rising sun beyond the farthest peaks, yet he knew they were out there just the same. Star Swirl squinted into the dark, his eyes catching momentary movements at the edge of his magical light, flashes of white fur and fang…

The two stallions drew close, facing away from each other as they slowly spun in place, watching with dread in their hearts as the swirling shadows gradually gave way to one hulking form after another. It was impossible to keep track of their number; the smaller more juvenile of the pack were in constant motion, dashing excitedly to and fro. The larger more experienced hunters among them held back in small groups, hungry but remaining wary of the magic users, they could smell it in the air along with the blood of their kin.

By Star Swirls count there could have been as many as twenty. Each of the hulking beasts seemed larger than the last, and all looked exceptionally hungry, for pony. Concentrating inwardly Star Swirl pushed the faintest trace of magic through his horn, running a mental hoof over his blade to ensure that it would be ready if called upon. There would be no running from this; teleportation in these ravines was extremely limited and even if they could flee, the destination that would mean their salvation would prove vulnerable to such a sizable number of the beasts.

“Though, I suppose I could be wrong about it being an even dozen,” Silver Spark mumbled as he watched more of the yetis start to circle them. “More like a baker’s dozen, plus a few that fell in the box when the baker wasn't looking,” he continued, more of his usual bravado returning.

“Silver,” Star Swirl grumbled as he ran through multiple plans in his head, none of them having particularly promising outcomes. He could feel his magic threatening to fizzle out as still more of the creatures made themselves known, their cumulative numbers having a dampening effect upon his already limited reserves.

“And then a rat climbed in the box and died for some reason,” Silver Spark continued, still caressing the length of his hidden weapon. Not once even glancing at the prowling yeti as they tightened their circle, moving ever closer for the kill. If he was feeling the effects of the yeti’s mana draining nature, it did not show.

Taking his eyes off of the closest yeti to chance a sidelong glance, Star Swirl frowned at one of the only ponies to ever earn the rank of ‘friend’ in his life. “I really hate you sometimes, Silver, truly I do.”

Finally showing that he was about to take the situation seriously Silver Spark unfastened the small clasp across his chest. “Then my work here is truly complete,” he said, grinning madly as his cloak slipped to the ground. The fallen garment revealing the telekinesis blade he carried, its rune covered steel glinting in the faint light.

Sensing the quickly approaching end to the peace Star Swirl released the final clasp of his own cloak. “When these beasts have finished ripping us limb from limb, I am going to kill you, Slowly,” the other pony grunted as his tattered garment fell away in a similar manner, revealing a similar weapon that ran down his side. The handle-less blade came alight in Star Swirl’s magic as it floated from its scabbard, the energy like flames as it flickered over the metal.

They were left with very few options as the ponies found themselves with several disadvantages in this fight. Firstly, this far into the Frozen North ones magical abilities were often hampered severely by deposits of magic disrupting ores that riddled these lands, effectively reducing ones magical potential by as much as half at times. Secondly, the yetis of this particular region are naturally resistant to magics that attack the flesh. Let us also not forget the aforementioned cumulative dampening effect that large groups can have as well.

Silver Spark’s eyes locked on the beast nearest him as its pace quickened, its massive hands flexing in anticipation. “Well, I certainly hope that you are quick about it,” he replied with a halfhearted laugh as his horn lit and freed the strap holding the weapon against his body, clearly thinking the same way.

In a flash both ponies drew their blades as a yeti on both sides lunged for each of them, a single fluid motion that propelled the mighty predators a surprising distance given their bulk, an action that would have been the end of less prepared prey…

True as it was that the stallions powers may have been severely weakened, the yeti had made one serious tactical mistake. In a gleaming flash of sunlight the telekinetically levitated blades lunged forward, intercepting the leaping Yetis and effortlessly bisecting the surprised brutes.

With a quick turn of his blade Star Swirl drew the weapon edge first back the way it had gone, effectively halving the already dead yeti as it fell to the snow, hoping the others would understand the message to stay away. He scowled at his fellow’s typical disregard for their situation. “What would be your hurry, Silver?” He asked as another pair of the furry monsters rushed forward from the side, ignoring his warning and meeting with a similar fate. “You have a date I should know about?” He finished with a chuckle, ducking under a massive clawed paw that managed to get in close.

“Well, as a matter of fact,” Silver Spark grinned as his blade flashed forward again, followed by a spray of viscous crimson and a howl of pained rage. He released his grip on his weapon as he tossed it skyward, setting his stance before producing a massive wave of telekinetic force, lifting the very snow from under the feet of a group that charged him all at once. With beads of sweat seeping from his brow Silver swept his head to the side, hurling the huge pile of frozen water and his attackers further down the hill, yelps of surprise and fear fading after them.

“Believe it or not,” Silver continued seamlessly, his mind already elsewhere. “Star Shine finally agreed to go to the ball with me!” He sighed dreamily, not missing a beat as he caught his falling blade just above the snow, and angled it into the belly of the yeti that had nearly been upon him, the beast's claws swinging inches from his face.

Star Swirl rolled his eyes as he listened to the beast behind him scream away its dying breath. “She is merely taking pity on a lost soul,” he said, dislodging another new corpse from his blade, hurling it away to intercept another would be attacker as it leapt through the air. As the creatures crashed to the ground he hurled his blade into the face of his next target, dispatching it as humanely as the situation allowed. “I hope you do not think it will lead to anything,” he scoffed, spinning his weapon like a flail before sending the blade forward again.

“Of course I realize that there must be pity involved. By Tartarus, she is way out of my league,” he said wistfully while a yeti chewed on the blade now lodged in its throat. “Though, who am I to complain?” He questioned aloud, twisting the blade and forcing it through his attacker, silencing it instantly. “Oh that flank!” He shouted to the sky above.

In the last possible second Star Swirl swung his weapon around his body and brought it up under the chin of another yeti as it landed next to him, severing its head from the shoulders. He glanced up the hill to his left and smiled at Silver’s approaching doom. “I really think you should not have said that,” he muttered under a smile.

A blinding flash of light slowed the combatants as a loud crackle of static energy filled the air, causing many of the yeti to howl and the ponies ears to flatten. Moments later a large dome of azure energy appeared over the two stallions. For a few moments the transparent shield merely sat there, crackling with an ominous glow.

A few of the closer yetis, though momentarily dazed and confused, quickly recovered and charged the barrier that separated them from their prey. With animalistic fury they hammered away at the shield with fist and forehead, their strikes gaining ferocity as frustration mounted.

With each bone crushing impact the barrier shifted, its surface rippling like disturbed water, its color flashing with distortion. Then, under the force of a particularly mighty blow the walls buckled, cracks spread over the dome’s surface as it began to collapse inwards, its strength waning quickly in the face of the barrage.

The two ponies however paid their rapidly deteriorating shelter little attention, choosing instead to hunker down beside each other with their heads buried under their legs and weapons close to their sides. Ears flat against their heads, they focused on becoming as small as possible as the shield’s walls closed in around them, the frequency of the damaged flashing growing into a constant glow…

With one last devastating impact the barrier collapsed down to the point the arming sequence would activate, inverting all of the captured incoming force and weaving it into the spell’s own strength.

Star Swirl did his best to bury his head deeper into the snow, wishing there had been time to wrap his ears properly before they could be exposed to what came next. It was true enough that this would save them, yet he could not shake the feeling that Star Shine was a bit cross with them. In any case, this would not be pleasant…

With all the noise of a thunderclap the barrier’s walls exploded outwards, the dome expanding upwards of a hundred times its original size. The movement was nearly faster than the eye could track as the air split around it, the sheer force hurling away the remaining Yetis and snow alike. Anything that found itself in the path of the blast was hurled away out into the surrounding dark.

As the growing shield finally reached its limit, having burned up its collected kinetic energy, it popped with a deceptively quiet snap, leaving behind nothing but transparent shards that faded away as they fell. As the last of the glittering magic dissolved the wind returned, bringing with it fresh powder that settled on the now barren stone.

It was over this freshly exposed rock that the third member of the endeavor now found herself, striding with a purpose towards two of the most thick headed ponies she knew. In all honesty, Star Shine almost wondered why she even bothered. Almost…

Sitting in the middle of a small circle of undisturbed snow Star Shine could see two very disoriented stallions, both muttering angrily at each other. Star Swirl was pointing accusingly at Silver and from what she could hear was saying some rather, uncouth, things. Silver on the other hoof was struggling to rise on quivering limbs, shaking his head as if something were attacking his ear.

The grumbling pair grew quiet as they finally took notice of the newcomer, Star Swirl lowering his head in shame as Silver Spark managed to get his legs under himself and stand properly. Before tipping forward and pitching into the ice.

Resolving from the swirling snow, with a very annoyed look on her face, was a unicorn mare. She bore an apprentice cloak as they did, though hers was adorned with a mark of attachment as she had been chosen by a specific master of the order. Under said cloak was a gorgeous golden yellow coat that grew brighter as it reached her hooves. Her mane was a vivid orange giving her the equivocal look of a sunrise. Completing her beauty were a pair of deep pink eyes that had a sense of absolute intelligence behind them. If looks could kill, both stallions would have dropped from her mere presence.

“Mawp, Mawp!” Silver Spark muttered loudly, working his jaw as he held his ears. His snout was buried under the snow. “Oh… Hey there, Star Shine,” he sputtered, rolling over from his toppled position. He shook away the snow from his body as he stood. “We, we were just about to finish up and join y-” He froze as she swished her tail in annoyance, her ears slowly splaying.

“A royal life is at stake, and I find you idiots frolicking about with the local fauna,” Star Shine stated in that deadpan way she always used when purposefully making ponies uncomfortable. Something she was very good at in fact.

“Now hurry along, the both of you. It is nearly dawn and I want to be ready when the portal opens,” Star Shine said with a scowl. She looked over Star Swirl quickly and nodded, then turned to scrutinize Silver Spark. “I hope that I am safe in assuming you retrieved your ingredient, Silver Spark,” the mare added, more as a statement than anything.

“Why do ponies keep asking me that?” Silver grumbled. “Of course I have it,” he said, rummaging around inside a bag to produce a small glittering stone. “One Crystal Mountain amethyst from the Summit of Sapphire, as promised,” the item was displayed for her inspection. “Now why aren’t you asking Swirly over there for his? For all we know he just stopped at some mud puddle for his item.”

“Because I know Star Swirl would not have come back without his, you on the other hoof,” she said gracefully, turning away from them. “You have yet to earn my respect,” Star Shine giggled quietly to herself. She swished her tail into Silver’s face before trotting down the hill.

“Wow…” Star Swirl gulped as he watched her leave, the lithe mare making short work of the jumbled rocks and ice as she negotiated the path back to their final destination.

“Tell me about it…” Silver Spark replied with half lidded eyes, a faint trace of drool escaping the side of his mouth. His head swayed in time with the mares’ movements as she half trotted half hopped down the rocky incline.

After a few seconds spent regaining their wits the hapless apprentices gathered up their weapons and, once again, checked the cargo they carried. Satisfied that all was secure both stallions moved to follow the third member of their group, though, their prowess may have been somewhat lacking after such rough treatment, they eventually made up the distance.

The ponies headed for the shelter of a large outcropping of rock, the gold filled base of which served as a suitable anchoring point for a travel conduit, an advanced form of teleportation that would see them back home in seconds. It was also the only way to get back in time, and would be opening at any minute.

The three ponies gathered together near a scorched spot on the rocks just in time to see sparks of electricity arc over the ground. A moment later a mass of blue energy emerged from thin air, gyrating and flattening on the ground until it became a swirling vortex, much like a whirlpool on a lake.

Nodding at one another the trio stepped forward, jumping one at a time head first into the portal, vanishing from the bitter chill of the mountain-

-To reappear a heartbeat later in the bedchambers of the royal family. In the blink of an eye the small group of travelers had crossed more than three thousand miles, leaving behind the wild rocky frozen wastes of the north for a tasteful marble room with a warm hearth. The room was lit with torches along its walls that bathed everything in a soft glow.

One by one the apprentices flew up through the portal, appearing out of the floor and landing as gracefully as though they had simply hopped up a single step. It was a somewhat disorienting way to travel, as down suddenly became up, but the young apprentices were well experienced with the effects, and almost never became ill afterwards, almost…

Star Swirl wished that he had a few extra seconds to look around, seeing as this chamber was typically very much off limits to his like. The room however, had different ideas and would not stop spinning. He somewhat envied Star Shine, he managed an upwards glance as she materialized next to him and trotted forward without so much as a missed step. Always the best student that one.

“Quickly now,” called the tired voice of master Luminescent from where he stood beside the portal, sustaining it with his magic. “We have not a single moment to waste,” he added hurriedly, beckoning them through with a hoof.

“Master Luminescent,” the trio chorused as they stepped away from the portal. The apprentices took in their surroundings with understandable curiosity, seeing as none of the three had ever been in the room before. “It is very good to see you again, master,” Star Shine added quickly, striding forward to greet the age worn stallion as he closed the portal.

Luminescent returned his students greeting with a gracious bow, the bell atop his blue wizards hat jingling softly as it lulled forward. “And your safe return does my heart good; you did well, all of you,” he replied softly with a hint of pride. Turning away he headed for a large round bed that dominated the center of the room, its sleeping area veiled by silk curtains, through which could be seen the soft glows of differing magical hues.

The four ponies crossed the deceptively large room in a hush, dwarfed by furnishings clearly meant for significantly larger beings. Nearing the side of the bed Luminescent Star came to a stop and bowed low to the floor, the others doing the same. “My King, Terra. My Queen, Aeterna. The apprentices have returned.”

“Then come forward all of you, so that we may begin,” came the reply. A firm, yet kind and fatherly voice that sounded strained as though from a continuous effort. Seeing as the bed was too high to easily jump upon from the floor, the horns of the gathered ponies lit and together they teleported up to the edge before slowly making their way forward, passing through the veil into a place filled with magic.

Star Swirl held back a gasp as he fought the urge to bow again at what he found before him. The young apprentice had only ever lay eye on his king and Queen a rare few times before, and never had he witnessed anything like this in his life.

Laying together in a half circle was a pair of Alicorns. A gleaming white mare of such majesty she nearly hurt to look upon, opposite her was her husband, a massive stallion as dark as midnight possessing a feeling of infinite depth and power. Each of them radiated sheer energy and magic beyond anything the unicorn could describe. Both lay quiet, eyes closed in deep concentration. Power flowed from their bodies into the tiny thing laying atop a small cushion between them, a tiny, dark, unmoving body. A foal.

Getting a better look as he moved forward, Star Swirl could finally see. It was their foal, he realized with a bit of shock, having never even been told of the pregnancy. Scrutinizing what he now saw to be a filly Star Swirl noted the barely discernible wings tucked firmly to her side, and the little stub of a horn poking through a dull blue mane that lay flat across her face. What he came to realize however, was the worrying lack of breathing. As far as he could see, the little filly was lifeless.

“What is the matter with her?” Silver Spark asked bluntly, protocol seemingly forgotten as they approached the foal. He twitched slightly as Star Shine elbowed his ribs, the mare giving him a disapproving look. The three of them collectively winced however at the sound of a familiar, and somewhat demented feminine voice behind them.

Quiet as a whisper the ancient master Stardust Jade appeared behind the apprentices, passing between them with only a momentary appraising glance. “She was dark born, like her father before her,” she said softly, setting herself down next to the child in question. Lighting her horn the mares’ magic momentarily joined that of the parents. “For once the timing of you three is perfect, her soul is near enough to be bound,” the alchemist motioned them forward. “Silver Spark, the amethyst, if you please.”

With surprising seriousness the silvery pony complied, stepping forward and removing his cloak. With reverent hooves he pulled a tightly wrapped bundle from his side, carefully unrolling the portion of cloth to reveal his precious cargo. With almost reluctant hesitation he reached out and laid the stone in her outstretched hoof, its violet surfaces glittering in the changing light.

Offering a curt nod Stardust accepted his offering, studying it intently for a moment before turning away, her horn coming alight with a warm white glow, a soft chant escaping her lips that passed unheard by the ears of the apprentices. With each word the amethyst’s surface slowly turned glossy and smooth, a green glow flickering from within causing its inner facets to sparkle and shine.

With all the tenderness of a mother Stardust placed the now faintly illuminated stone atop the foals’ chest, her own magic entwining with that of the parents, and carefully guiding the Alicorn’s magic. Their combined energy slowed, flowing in gentle wisps around the amethyst before entering the foal’s body.

After a moment of silent observation Stardust nodded in approval. “Star Swirl, the spring water,” she said, not once taking her eyes off the filly. “Pour it over the stone until the light has faded,” she instructed steadily.

Star Swirl immediately stepped forward to do as instructed, opening the small Crystal bottle he carried and pouring the liquid over the stone. He watched in awe as the filly’s colors began to brighten. Her hair lifted and seemed to liven to a more lustrous shade, and her body began to shudder violently as if gasping for air that would not come.

In a quick motion of her hoof the mage ushered Star Shine around to the foal’s face as the child continued to thrash sickeningly. “Place your item near her mouth, so that she may breathe in the wind of the north, as passed through Noble Dragon’s Rest,” Stardust said calmly, still locked in concentration.

Shine complied and pulled the lid off the small jar she had been given for the task. A burst of chilled mountain air flowed out into the child’s face, still whistling with the winds of the peaks from whence it came. The draft of air whirled about the tiny filly for a moment, blending with the parent’s magic before being drawn into her nose and mouth. In a simultaneous action the amethyst was absorbed into the skin of the foal, disappearing from view.

In the same moment Star Swirl became aware of another magical signature that flared to life in the room. It was weak, but quickly expanded to overshadow his own in a matter of moments. He had just realized that It belonged to the tiny filly when she began crying out for her mother, which was possibly the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. The apprentices all backed away as the two parents came together to caress their newborn, calming her cries as the last of the magic vanished through her coat.

Stardust stepped forward, her eyes scanning the foal closely for a moment. “She will stay with us now, her soul no longer wanders. However,” she said, turning to address the king. “She will still become as you, Terra. A dream walker of the night,” Stardust added with seriousness, turning away with the intent to depart. “I leave it to you to instruct her as such.”

“Thank you, thank you all so much,” Aeterna offered quietly, the emotion plain in her voice as tears streamed freely from her closed eyes. Though the fur of her cheeks was stained from the crying, the smile she held against the squirming filly told all of the turmoil that had been lifted from her heart.

Terra said nothing as the assembled ponies gave one final bow; yet, the faint trace of a smile could be seen playing across the edge of his normally stony features. His only response to Stardust’s words took the form of a measured nod, the king’s eyes not leaving his daughter for a single moment.

As the group of unicorns headed towards the door to leave, Star Swirl sensed another immensely powerful magical signature moving towards them from outside the room. This one however, was very much familiar to him.

Before they could reach the door to which they sought to exit, it opened to reveal another tiny filly, perhaps five years of age with a soft white coat and a lovely pink mane. She stood covered in a flowing nightgown, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she wandered into the room. “Mama,” she cooed shyly, watching the passing unicorns as they left. “What is happening? I heard crying.”

Aeterna smiled softly at her elder daughter. She pulled herself up into a more comfortable position on the bed and motioned her forward. “Come forth, Celestia, my dear. Come and meet your new sister. Come and meet, Luna.”

V: The Star Order

Chapter Five
The Star Order

Of all the ones who came before, we are the few who believe that nothing is truly impossible to a willing heart, so long as we stand strong, together at the end.

~ Excerpt translated from The Star Order Chronicles: The Founders Proverb

/ / / High above the Crystal Mountains / / /

Shindrah groaned weakly as she forced an eye open, the pain torturing her body only just bearable, subdued by the reassuring breeze and undulations of flight. Instinctively she squeezed the item clutched close to her chest, drawing it further into her embrace. The cold stone heart was still there, its reflective surface mirroring her pained expression as her gaze found it even in the near pitch black.

Despite its seemingly powered down state the artifact was pleasing to look at, its shape perfectly cut, and the texture smooth to the touch. It may have just been the magpie on her mother’s side, but a small part of her mind wished for her to keep it. She crushed that idea without a second thought; the heart was an integral part of Master’s plan.

Master. That word sent a shiver down her spine, a shiver of glee as she finally took notice of her surroundings, of the inky black scales and leathery skin that surrounded her in an impenetrable cocoon.

Shindrah felt herself tense, though not out of fear, more in the realization of just how small she really was in this world. For all her skills as a warrior, all she had accomplished during her admittedly short life, she could still be held within Master’s closed fist.

Finally allowing herself to relax in the knowledge that she was safe Shindrah took note of how warm she was, despite remembering being nearly frozen to the bone when the fighting had begun. Shifting her body to the side quickly revealed the source of her welcomed comfort, for the scales underneath her held the faintest traces of light within them, flickering and red like firelight.

Master was truly generous, sharing some of his inner fire with her, the very thing that perpetuated his existence was warming her chilled body and soothing her wounds. The act humbled her, made her hate the part of herself that had been weak enough to allow herself to be damaged in such a way. She was but a mere trinket in Master’s hoard, for him to expend a part of himself on her behalf made her sick. She was unworthy of his kindness.

Shindrah wanted to weep, Master had chosen her for this task himself, one of his most prized possessions, and she had allowed a mistake to bring him harm. With a quiet sob a single tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the warm scales. Truly, she was undeserving.

Just as her self indictment threatened to break her down further Shindrah felt the flesh around her flex, the scaled fingers slowly closing in around her as the fist tightened. She lowered her head as the little chamber shrank down to nearly nothing, convinced that perhaps Master had changed his mind, that perhaps he had come to a similar conclusion and that it would now be best to simply be rid of a broken trinket than waste time mending it.

The very moment when Shindrah convinced herself the fingers she had witnessed crush diamonds were about to do the same to her they stopped, holding her close before the gentlest hint of a squeeze wrapped her body in a pleasant warmth.

He truly did care, she realized after a moment, nuzzling her cheek into the embrace as she finally got herself under control. With a contented sigh she laid back down as the fingers loosened their grip to give her some space to move about again, the gentle warmth of the scales a welcome reassurance. She could be angry with herself if she wished, but ultimately she belonged to Master, and as such was his to do with as he pleased. If he saw fit to restore that which was his, then it was his decision alone.

With exhaustion edging her back towards sleep the young Griffon tucked her head under her wing, her eyes taking one last look at the heart with thoughts of the wonderful world Master would build for them floating through her mind as she drifted off.

/ / / Canterlot royal castle / / /

As the door slowly closed behind him with a soft click Star Swirl wanted nothing more than to blurt his questions out to the world, there were so many the number that filled his conscious nearly drowned him in their cacophony for attention. The colt’s mind raced as he attempted to analyze and process each one in turn.

The more Star Swirl thought about the past day’s events the more perplexed he became. Why, for instance, had the royal pregnancy been kept secret from the Order? True enough they were not directly involved with the protection of the Sovereign family, nor did they hold a place amongst the nobles. Still, since even before King Terra’s coronation the Star Order had served the throne existing as keepers of the peace, and disciples of Harmonies Light.

Perhaps it was foalish of him to dwell on such things, surely there had to be a sensible reason. Though if that were the case, what reason would be compelling enough to hide such a rarity as the birth of a new Princess? With a soft snort of irritation Star Swirl lowered his head, eyes scanning the floor absentmindedly as he walked. Seemingly no matter which avenue the young apprentice’s mind explored he found the likely possibilities rather troubling.

A chilling thought occurred to him then, something most troubling indeed. War. The thought was discarded almost immediately upon its submission, the very idea of such a thing. The practice of war had long since been cast aside by nearly all races, shunned and buried under countless amounts of time. True enough there were small skirmishes every now and again between disgruntled neighbors. Even the enigmatic Alicorns had, on occasion, sullied their hooves with the essence of others.

Though he was loath to admit it, the possibility remained, nibbling at the back of his mind like a parasite and growing from a mere shadow of doubt into unignorable paranoia. He recalled recent letters received from brothers of the Order far abroad, telling of strange and worrying behaviors displayed by other races across the lands. Long isolated Minotaur tribes coming together and roaming the wilds, entire Griffon flocks simply up and vanishing over night, and Dragons not seen for millennia suddenly appearing in the skies.

It brought shame to Star Swirl’s heart as he found himself further questioning the recent actions of his rulers. If they had so readily hidden this from their eyes, then what else had been kept from them? Was something so terrible as war truly creeping up on pony kind? The thought sounded so accusatory to him, surely to have put it to words would have left a bitter sting on his lips.

Still though, logic reminded him that if every other option had been explored and ruled out then whichever one remained, regardless of how implausible, must be the correct choice. No, there had to be something else there that he was not seeing. Star Swirl sucked in a deep breath as he counted the soft hoof falls around him, the sounds echoing rhythmically off the marble floor calming his frayed nerves. He just needed to remember what master Luminescent always said in trying times, that there was always a reason.

Star Swirl blew the air out through his nostrils in one long gust, reinstating order and control over his mental domain, fear and mistrust served no purpose here save to bring solidity unto fact. He trusted his King and Queen, that was a fact, a fact that he reached out and grasped firmly. If they saw fit to hide something so monumental as the birth of their child, then a reason there most certainly was. If only he could see it.

So engrossed was Star Swirl in his own thoughts that he nearly ran snout into flank as the group stopped ahead of him, a nose full of tail jarring him from his ponderings and beckoning the young mage back into reality. He snorted as Silver Spark swished him in the face with a knowing smile before gesturing towards master Luminescent, the elderly stallion having taken pause to speak with a passerby.

“Ah, Rush my boy, it has been quite some time has it not?” Luminescent greeted, his tone jovial and genuine as ever in spite of his noticeable exhaustion. “Running about burning that midnight oil I see,” he added with a warm smile, gesturing at the loaded down state of the newcomer.

“Yes, well it has been rather busy around here as of late,” the reddish orange Pegasus replied crisply, a wing moving to stabilize the load of assorted items nestled upon his back. Everything a new foal might have need of, or want, be it fresh linens, milk, toys, or even her birth certificate paperwork, was all neatly arranged and ready for use. “Did all go as hoped?” Rush asked, his other wing unfurling to reveal a list for his eyes to inspect. “When I heard that the apprentices had finally returned I made all haste bearing additional necessities.”

“Indeed it did,” Luminescent reassured, offering a tired yet certain smile. “The little highness has been retrieved from her travels beyond the veil, and secured by the love that bore her. You will find the family in restful acquainting within.” He added with a sweeping gesture to the rear, indicating the bedchambers from whence he had come.

Rush couldn’t help a small smile of his own as a wave of relief washed over the visibly disheveled Pegasus, the tension flooding away as he allowed the good news to sink in. “Sunny skies above,” he whispered under a relaxing breath, massaging his temple with a wingtip. “This truly is wonderful news, thank you good sir. Thank you all!”

Having already lost himself to his own thoughts yet again Star Swirl only managed the slightest of nods in acknowledgment as the others exchanged their parting words and polite gestures. His mind was elsewhere, hard at work and with little time to spare on such things.

The more pressing matter on his mind currently fell along the lines of, ‘how had she done it?’ He knew Stardust Jade to be a potent alchemist, possibly unrivaled in the art from what he had seen. Even so, how? Short of forbidden necromancy he was at a loss to explain what he had witnessed. At first it had made for a rather cathartic mental exercise, until it was realized his, admittedly limited, knowledge on the subject at hoof was insufficient to replicate her results.

Sneaking a calculating glance across the hall Star Swirl was gratified to catch a rather irritated expression occasionally flash over Star Shine’s face, her wavy bangs doing little to hide her scowl and clenched jaw. It was refreshing to see the favored student of high master Luminescent Star undoubtedly struggling with the same problem, and apparently finding as little in the way of answers as himself. If that were the case, he would need to do some research, as there would almost certainly be a test on the matter.

As much as Star Swirl loved taking tests, he loved the unearthing of fresh knowledge and unraveling the mysteries of the world even more. It was nearly an obsession in his youth, and had led to his discovery by the order. After all, it was not very often an eight year old Unicorn foal came along with the raw power and talent to hatch a Dragon’s egg, now was it.

The slightest of smiles graced Star Swirl’s muzzle for one brief moment, his task oriented mind allowing the preserved memories to flow through in place of his work, brief flashes of those early days. He was quite fond of them, those times spent practicing his first spells of levitation and illumination. By Terra, his poor mother when he had perfected voice amplification and shattered every window in the hamlet…

That was the first time he had realized the dangers hidden within magic, the first time he had felt regret through its use and learned just how wild it could be if not treated with respect. As a result he had sworn himself to learning everything there was to know about the force of nature pony kind had named as magic and learn it he had. Well, after he had immediately attempted to amend his mistake by fixing the windows, and caused the shards of glass to explode like fireworks. The town had not been happy with him…

However, just as the town had rebuilt, so to had his hunger for understanding magic. He had sought it out, observing its processes everywhere he found it at work. He marvelled as he began to understand just how completely its presence filled the world around him, surrounding all things and binding them together.

It was during this revelation that Star Swirl made a discovery that would forever change him. It was the way magic worked, that on its most fundamental level, was completely unbiased. It spread out evenly despite what that entailed, granting the demure Breezies the gift of flight, only to then power the winds that swept the unwary from their homes. How grass could grow from soil otherwise unfit for life, to reach for the sky yet be set aflame by lightning filled clouds.

Magic simply was, it was fact, as much a governing law as gravity or the sun, it was a cornerstone of their world. A stone that knew nothing of friend or foe; magic held no ties to ally nor stranger. Which is what had frightened him the most. If a force of such power could be bent to his own childish will, then who was to say it could not be harnessed by those who sought ill will towards others.

That is what drove him, the knowledge that others would inevitably seek the same strength that he himself had only seen mere glimpses of, and do far worse with it than break a few panes of glass. Star Swirl had vowed to himself to be one of the few who would stand between those who fought only for themselves, and those who could not fight for themselves. Then one day Master Luminescent came to his school with a test, a test which he had passed, granting him a chance to honor his vow.

Now, nearly ten years later, Star Swirl felt he truly could make a difference when the time came. He had studied hard under the instruction of the Order, gleaning more knowledge than many acquired over a lifetime. Yet there was always more, just when he thought the last secrets of magic had been laid bare before him, his world would be shattered by the next he found. Always more to learn, to comprehend, to drive him forward. Always a reason.

Star Swirl gave a heartfelt sigh under his breath as he allowed the glimmer of another faint smile to grace his lips, the final piece of that particular memory reminding him once again of Luminescent’s most favored proverb. It always helped, he thought, to think back on the words of those that earned your trust.

This brought him back to the dilemma surrounding his beloved King and Queen. Had they truly earned his trust, not simply bought it with their titles or birthright? Star Swirl tasked his mind with pouring over every instance of having interactions with the royals, regardless of perceived relevance, every bland court summons, ball, and chance encounter in the castle halls. Every meeting from first to last, each weighed and evaluated.

The more Star Swirl thought, the faster he allowed his mind to race, the more at ease he began to feel. The slight smile adorning his muzzle grew as he remembered all the words of advice and genuine concern over the years, words that came from ponies who cared about him on a personal level, ponies who had grown to trust him. Ponies who had just trusted him with the life of their own daughter, their own flesh and blood. To think, that he stood here now with even the slightest doubt in his heart.

Star Swirl’s thoughts earlier had betrayed him, finding fault where he knew there to be none. Still, he found the path to his renewed trust both edifying and cathartic. It was difficult for him to admit, but this was not the first time such thoughts had showed themselves. Though it was certainly the first time he had shown them any significant attention. Perhaps it was merely paranoia, suspicion harbored by a tired mind.

The rich earthy scent of fresh cut mountain pine tickled Star Swirl’s nose as the little group left the corridor for one of the castle’s grand gathering rooms. Their hoof falls echoed faintly in the otherwise quiet chamber. They passed by several large fireplaces crackling away with pops and snaps, doing their level best to fight back the cold creeping in from the outside. A left here would lead one further into the castle to the lavish ballrooms, and eventually the throne room beyond.

The group of Unicorns turned instead to the right, making for a scarcely used set of doors midway down the far wall, the threshold leading them out into the crisp morning air. A flagstone patio greeted them there, its stones arranged in a checkered pattern of marble and onyx, light and dark. Beyond this the flagstones gave way to a short flight of stairs leading down into the gardens surrounding the east side of the castle. Then the mountain peak surrounded with the glow of Aeterna’s sun behind.

Star Swirl blinked up at the orange sky as his eyes adjusted to the new light, the snow laden clouds gathered overhead catching the radiance with a look of being set aflame. Doing his best to ignore the hulking forms of the Paladin guards watching from the shadows behind he drew in a deep breath, shivering slightly as the frigid air filled him. For a moment, he was back in the Crystal Mountains, a yeti howling from somewhere just out of view…

Dismissing the haunting memory to be dealt with at a later date and having had quite enough trials and peril for one night, Star Swirl decided it was high time to focus on the happier events of the past day. A new princess for instance! He could scarcely believe it, the birth of a new Alicorn was a true rarity! In truth, Celestia had been the only one thus far in his lifetime.

He was just beginning to ponder on the possible effects Luna’s birth could have amongst the Alicorn society politically, when he was prodded from thought by a rather rude jab of a hoof. Turning his head with a grunt Star Swirl was not surprised in the slightest at who had interrupted him.

“What do you want, Silver?” Star Swirl grumbled, his tone more irritable than intended but served to advertise what he thought of the silver pony’s earlier actions. It was fair to say he was slightly het up about the whole encounter. Star Swirl was not particularly fond of Yetis…

“Oh not you too,” Silver Spark muttered with a sigh, his ears drooping. “I was just given the verbal lashing of my life from Shine; I thought maybe it would be safer over here with you.” He added, voice turning into a childish whimper at the end.

Star Swirl experienced a moment of genuine confusion at that statement, surprised at how seemingly little thought his companion had placed on the post evaluation of his actions. Actions that had placed their task, neigh, Luna’s very life into jeopardy. Which was not something Star Swirl was willing to forgive lightly.

“Then your logic remains as flawed as ever, Silver,” Star Swirl stated sternly. He swished his tail for emphasis, wishing to highlight his words in the hope that they might stick this time. “Have you really no conscious thought inside that thick cranium of yours? That perhaps there is good reason for us to be cross with you?”

Silver Spark bit his lower lip, his eyes flicking to the side, lost in thought. “Um, because there is always a reason?” He eventually replied quietly, a sheepish grin creeping over his muzzle. Though he still flinched slightly when the other pony released a sharp sigh.

Star Swirl pressed a hoof to his temple for a moment before fixing Silver Spark with a halfhearted glare. “Do not misquote ancient proverbs at me, Silver. It is unbecoming to hide your own mistakes behind their wisdom,” he stated flatly, though his ire had cooled considerably. Even still, he had one last thing to add. “You are no fool, Silver Spark. I simply wish you would act as such…”

“I meant no disrespect to the proverbs,” Silver Spark retorted softly, his tone honest and firm. “I only meant that there is always a reason for you to be cross with me,” he continued sweetly, any sense of seriousness vanishing with the retreating shadows. “A reason that I provide!”

Star Swirl stopped, his hooves scraping at the ground in time with the grinding between his ears as he stared blankly at his fellow. “Do you even hear yourself?” He balked disbelievingly as the other pony continued after the others. “I do not know what Star Shine might have had to say to you, but clearly it was far too kind! Do you honestly not understand the amount of danger your rash actions and poor planning brought down on us? And do not try to make me believe that they simply spotted you, others may have come to doubt your ability, but I know better.”

Silver offered no reply, choosing merely to pause and wait for Star Swirl to catch up with him. He barely seemed to notice as the fuming Unicorn walked up beside him, a gaze more curious than angry burning for answers as their eyes met for a brief moment.

“So what was it then?” Star Swirl eventually demanded after what felt like an eternity of awkward silence, the question hanging in the air, neither pony really wanting to touch it. “Fine then, I shall entertain a guess and say that you have grown so arrogant in your abilities as to believe yourself incapable of fault or failure, is that right? Or perhaps you saw a chance to finally prove your superiority, by drawing attention to yourself yet coming through victorious you hoped to catch favor with Luminescent.”

Silver Spark stiffened with every word as though he were being struck, yet not a sound left him as they walked. His silence only seemed to push Star Swirl on however, something poisonous trailing along underneath his tenor.

With an aggressive step Star Swirl placed himself in Silver’s path, stopping him with a look that said they weren’t going anywhere. “Or did you just get bored, hmm, is that it? You just happened to spot a group of the most vicious predators in the entire Frozen North and think, ‘well that looks like fun,’ is that about right, Silver Spark?!”

For a moment Star Swirl almost regretted his words, thinking that he had gone too far as he watched Silver slump, his usual cocky grin nowhere to be seen. It was then that Star Swirl realized the trap that he, as likely also Star Shine, had just walked right into. Silver was quietly chuckling under his breath, a mischievous glint in his eye…

Relaxing his stance Silver met Star Swirl’s gaze for a moment, offering a weak smile. “Correct on all accounts,” he confessed. “You are right; I did come across a group of Yeti, a hunting pack, to be precise. After keeping an eye on them for a few minutes I soon realized that they had the scent of something tasty,” Silver paused for a moment, waggling his eyebrows. “You…”

Star Swirl allowed an annoyed groan to escape his lips as they curled back into a grimace, he wanted to interrupt that smug look before it could completely cover the other pony’s face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Silver beat him to the draw.

“See, I knew that retrieving my item would not be enough if anything happened to you,” Silver continued, pressing his point with a dramatic flourish of his hooves. “That and Luminescent would never forgive me. So I valiantly drew off as many as I could, collected my ingredient, and then avoided those nasty brutes all the way back to where I also knew I could count on running into you again. As good as I am Swirly, even I wouldn’t last long against that many without at least a decent distraction,” Silver said, stalking around his friend in a close circle as he continued.

“So yes, technically I did attract the yeti with intentions of fighting them. Yes I drew you into it and yes, I held high hopes that master Luminescent would notice me,” Silver added, bumping his shoulder into Star Swirl's ribs as he passed by and headed off to catch the others.

“As far as my faults and failures are concerned, well... We are here are we not?” Silver Spark called back over his shoulder with the biggest shit eating grin Star Swirl had ever seen in his life. The laughter that followed only further crumbling away his attempts at processing what had just been said.

Star Swirl was left conflicted to say the least, able to do little more than sputter half formed words as he vacantly watched Silver Spark strut away. The lightness in his gait suggested that Silver knew full well the effectiveness of his reveal. So complete was Star Swirl’s defeat that it was nearly a full minute before he could muster the will to follow. His brain found the act of motion beyond its grasp, only having the strength available for one thought.

“I hate him,” Star Swirl finally managed with a deep groan, forcing his hooves to move despite his brains objections. The logic giving organ wished only to curl up into a ball and wait for his mother to come and tell him he was still her little shining star. Maybe then the world would be alright…

/ / / / / /

Passing one final hedgerow the group of equines left the castle grounds proper, trading the manicured lawns and flowering bushes for wild soil and rocks and making their way along a bordering row of trees until they reached a path that led further up the mountain side and out of the city. It was an easily missed thing, little more than a dirt trail one might suspect lead to nothing at all.

After having had a few minutes alone with her thoughts, Star Shine quickened her pace. She pushed forward to walk beside her master, a single question seeking an answer that eluded her. She took pause however, finding herself uncertain as how to ask about such things as she caught Luminescent’s eye.

Seeing his student’s hesitation however, Luminescent took the initiative as he often did, motioning for Stardust to carry on while he slowed to speak with his student. Once they had gained some privacy he fixed his gaze with Star Shines’, his eyes searching hers for a moment before he spoke.

“What brings your heart trouble, Star Shine?” He asked, though something told the young mare he already knew the answer. “You and the others did well, all the land has reason to praise your names this day. So why the long face?”

Star Shine grimaced, she had several reasons for initiating this dialogue, with the most important weighing heavily upon her mind. “Forgive me master, but I find myself, conflicted,’ she said after a moment. Her eyes scanned the ground as they walked, avoiding eye contact.

“Conflicted?” Luminescent asked, drawing the word out as he said it, almost as though it were unfamiliar to him. “On what matter my student?”

Star Shine finally raised her head, looking to the trail further ahead, her resolve strengthening. “It has to do with this latest task, the objectives you gave us were simple enough. However, as with every quest in the past I had assumed there to be some test involved,” she said simply, though with some amount of hesitation. “I, feel as though I may have failed that test in some way. If I have, then I am sorry if that has resulted in me letting you down.”

“My dear Star Shine,” Luminescent replied kindly, his eyes sparkling with praise despite their dull unfocused nature. “As with all things in life there was indeed a test meant for all of you, one that many must take.”

“Then, did I pass this test master?” star Shine asked, her voice growing distressed. “Please, I must know.”

“That is a question only you can answer, Star Shine. Because only once you find your answer can the test ever truly be completed,” Luminescent riddled, giving her a reassuring smile as he began to walk faster. He left her once he saw her mind working over his words. “But remember this, all life has value, and that it should never be taken lightly.”

Offering her mentor a nod as he continued on, Star Shine stood alone with her thoughts a moment longer. She tried to decide for herself whether the yetis that had lost their lives that night could match the little princess in value and whether or not she had indeed passed her test…

/ / / / / /

From his far off perch in the branches of an aged iron wood tree, a wise old owl watched with unblinking eyes as the group of ponies began their trek up the mountain side. He had watched these creatures for a very long time now, several of the little group since the day they were born.

It was most gratifying to see they had all made it this far, at least one was of great importance in concern to the events ahead. Another carried a secret so profound that it could very well change everything. Should it ever come to light…

With a satisfied nod of his head the owl spread his wings and soared silently away, time was running short, and there was somewhere he soon needed to be. Always he watched, yet never interfered.

/ / / / / /

Rounding a final bend in the trail the group of equines came upon the hidden entrance to a small cave. The opening little more than a crevice between two shadow covered boulders, only just large enough to allow a pony to enter. It was a rather unassuming place, one out of hundreds of other caves hidden amongst the crags of the mountain, nothing more than a hole to those ignorant to its true nature. Which was the point really.

Waiting for the masters to enter before the apprentices followed Silver Spark held back, glancing back down the mountainside at the distant castle far below. His eyes squinted in the morning sun. “Not that I would complain about the matter, but why do we always walk up that perilous trek?” He muttered with a groan, stretching his withers before stepping into the gloom of the cave. “I am just saying, perhaps next time we teleport instead, just to say we tried it.”

Star Shine gave Silver a look that said she wished to berate him some more but her jaw clicked shut as Master Luminescent began to chuckle from his place at the front of the line. His mirth was surprising given his outward exhaustion.

“The hike helps build character,” Luminescent finally offered once his good natured laughter had subsided. Then fixing his student with an odd smile that the apprentice couldn’t quite place. “Now hurry along, all of you,” he added, motioning further into the cave. “The apprentices need a hot meal, and I think we could all do with some rest.”

“Speak for yourself,” Stardust grumbled as she pushed up next to Luminescent. “All these old bones want right now is a hot bath,” she added as they came to the end of the passage. The wall ahead was a rather convincing slab of stone that held a completely natural appearance.

The illusion was perfect, completely undetectable to any who didn’t know what to look for and even then, could prove difficult to expose. From this side…

Star Swirl watched as the pair of masters disappeared through the concealment barrier, their very blood acting as a key to allow them entry into the passage beyond. The complexities behind the magical barrier had long since fallen into the mundane for him. Yet as Star Swirl watched Star Shine disappear without a trace a part of his mind still marvelled at the craftsmanship of the spell. According to master Luminescent the illusion had been in place since the very first high master of the order had created it, more than a thousand years ago…

Even knowing full well the barrier was there Star Swirl could feel it working its illusions upon him, his mind wishing to focus on anything but the wall of ‘stone’ ahead of him. It was as if he knew it was there but remained incapable of acknowledging its existence; the simple act of walking towards it without turning away required a great deal of mental effort.

As he stepped closer however, the effect dissipated. It vanished completely as his body made contact with the magic making up the illusion, the enchantments recognizing his right to be there. Without even the slightest of detectable sensations Star Swirl stepped through. The only noticeable difference to the other side was the air in this part of the cave was a scant few degrees warmer, that and the faint glow of sunlight coming from just around a slight bend ahead.

“Blasted thing, makes me dizzy,” Silver muttered as he trotted up alongside. He shook his head with an annoyed look on his face. With a scowl he looked back at the passage behind them no sign of the barrier in sight, just the empty cave. “Someday, I am going to fix that.”

“Silver,” Star Swirl muttered flatly, a hoof rubbing at his temple. “The last time I heard you say that, you nearly burned down the training room.”

Silver Spark rolled his eyes, “allegedly,” he retorted, making a face when Star Swirl looked away.

Letting out a small snort Star Swirl shook his head, hiding a small smile as he moved towards the exit. “Just hurry along you fool, I am tired of being cold.”

The pair of apprentices emerged from the cavern, stepping from the dank tunnel into a hidden mountain sanctuary. Sheer walls of stone shielded the ravine before them from the worst of the elements. Moss and vines covered the rocks, growing down towards the laughing little stream that flowed along the middle, bringing life and song to what would have otherwise been no more than a rocky ditch.

At the far end of this little eden stood an ancient tree, its tallest branches nearly the height of the surrounding walls and only just catching the first rays of the morning sun. The bare branches shone a burnt gold as the light filtered down, glittering off of the nights remaining frost. The sounds of dripping were only just discernible against the stream playing over the stones of its bed.

A fair distance ahead the masters and Star Shine had reached the base of the great tree, the trunk of which had been hollowed out in the traditional Earth Pony style in order to make a living home. Star Swirl watched with mild envy as they entered the doubtlessly warmer interior, Shine likely already regaling the others with his less than admirable performance.

Choosing to ignore that likelihood, and having noticed that once again Silver Spark had lagged behind. Star Swirl turned back, the barest trace of interest in his voice. “Are you coming, Silver? Or have you actually decided to ruminate on your actions for once?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes. Never you mind, Swirly. I shall be along in a moment,” Silver Spark replied absentmindedly, his attention clearly elsewhere. His eyes seemed locked at the stream that flowed along near their path, searching amongst the rocks as the water ambled past.

After a few moments of silence Silver heard Star Swirl turn and continue on up the hill to the house, muttering as he often did when lost deep in his thoughts. When he was certain that he was alone Silver leaned down towards the water, listening intently, clearing his mind so as to better hear the world around him.

There was the louder more obvious trickling of the stream, the slight whispers of the wind overhead, and the occasional creaking of the old tree house. Otherwise, all was silent and peaceful, not so much as a hint of birdsong or even the rustling of leaves, it was quiet.

Then, just as he had decided that it was nothing, that he had simply imagined the noise that had drawn his attention and could turn away, he heard it. It was small, barely significant above the other sounds of the nature around him, faint and timid, but eerily out of place. The sound that perked his ears was like cracking ice, or glass that had been tested too far, like if you pushed too hard until it simply-

Snap!

VII: Oculus

Chapter Seven

Oculus

The terms of his punishment are indeed unfortunate; I would never wish them upon any other. It pains me further however that these drastic measures have been made necessary by his own actions, actions that our own collective strength was powerless to overcome.

Perhaps in time, he will come to accept these shackles and find a new understanding as to why they became his inevitable prison. I will hold onto this hope, and the hope that someday he might find it within him to forgive me for this betrayal, of which I have been an integral part.

~The Fate of Wisdom

/ / / The Oculus / / /

It was a cave like most any other, a natural hollow within a mountain much like any mountain one may have seen out there in the world. There were walls of craggy rock, and the occasional stone tooth hanging ominously from the ceiling, or rudely jutting upwards from the floor.

This is where the similarities ended however, for there was no musty smell, nor the dripping of mineral laden water to provide it. This cave in fact was quite different indeed, made so by a few obvious differences. Things like the vaporous silver fog that wafted along the ground, or the dim flicker of candlelight that danced over old desks and piles of faded tomes.

There was also the faint scraping of a quill over aged parchment echoing quietly around the cavern walls, bouncing and reflecting off stone columns and wooden shelves. It never ceased, tireless as the one whose will bade it on. There was much work that needed done here, always something of the greatest importance, always requiring attention, always tedious.

It was always tedious, never ending monotony, cataloging the predictable, the plain. Ensuring that the world continued on as intended, never straying too far from the plan, the expected. Was the wind blowing, or the forest growing, burning, growing anew. Would he find love, would she? Would those fillies finally find their cutie marks? It was all asked here, all told here, and often all repeated here. Tedious indeed.

With the faintest trace of a sigh the one responsible for the only sounds to be heard within this place shifted, willing her consciousness across the space. The task left behind continued unperturbed as though her presence had become unnecessary. Perhaps it had, only time could tell. So it was unfortunate then, that time had nearly run its course…

The presence approached a worn set of wooden shelves, the faintest hints of decay tarnishing the otherwise immaculate carving. In the time it took a fly’s wings to beat the air, names of the displayed volumes and what they contained flashed through her being. These volumes were nothing special to an outsider, just simple little things really; mere moments of laughter, kindness, and the like. Things to remind her why she had spent half of eternity in this place, preserving every little detail. Her favorite moments.

Reaching out she gently caressed the spine of the nearest tome, her energy feeling out every crease, every fiber, the very atoms and the forces binding them together. Yet she would have given anything to truly touch the pages, to feel the parchment crinkle and slide against skin. She stared without eyes at the part of herself that had reached out, and at the same time, looked back at the part that had not.

How long had it been now? How many ages of the world had been spent here, watching, never interacting out of fear of irreparably disrupting the way things were intended? How long had she been alone?

This was all rhetorical of course; she knew the answers to these questions better than any! She had spent time out of each day considering them on every level. The isolation was a price well worth paying; she could stand the loneliness if it meant her work payed off. Perhaps the dividends would offset the weight of their sins. If only a little.

Reluctantly, she withdrew from the book, knowing that ultimately it held no real importance in the great scheme of things. Still though, she could not help but be reminded how it was often the little things that made the biggest difference. That reminder would become a great source of comfort in the times ahead…

It was then she felt it, a disturbance, a ripple through the world. It was a shuddering gasp that ran up through the rock, the soil, the air, from the depths of the world’s soul. It was a mournful wail to the ears of those who could hear it, the cry of nature itself as a delicate balance that had held since the very beginning suddenly shifted, and began to die.

For hundreds of thousands of millennia she had been here, waiting for this moment. She knew that it would inevitably arrive, knowing that it would signal the end of her work. Now that it was here, she was afraid. Afraid of the unknown, what came after, when the dust settled and the plan had run its path. She had always known that this would be the day, had known ever since Infinity had been entrusted to her care.

They had entered the final act, a last resounding crescendo before the silence swallowed what remained. Yet the world around her small sanctuary had not crumbled, its strength holding firm even as she sensed the light held within begin to dim. Magic, it seemed, was more stubborn than she had given credit.

This simply would not do; there was a determined order to these things and any deviation now could sway the plan from the correct path. That was something she could not allow, not if it jeopardized her work…

With hardly a thought she was once again seated at her place of labor, eyeing the book splayed before her. The gilded runes covering the pages glistened in the flickering candlelight. She plucked the still flicking quill from its scribing and turned to a new page, apprehension surrounding the coming action.

Twirling the elegant piece of plumage absentmindedly she silently lamented the necessity of crafting this summons, the individual in question was someone rather left avoided. Which is why there had been little protest on her part when he had elected to remain within the bowls of Tartarus, after the completion of his last assignment.

After a moment spent collecting herself she pressed the tip of the quill into the parchment, gently dragging it across the page to create the simple shapes she desired. With each completed rune the reality around her shifted, time and space rippling within their confines as they parted for but a moment, conforming to the adjustment as the message was relayed.

She did not have long to wait, true to his punctual nature she had barely laid the quill upon the desk when the air behind her ripped open. A vortex, black as midnight gyrated silently as the vacuum of the ether pulled at the room. Then just as abruptly as it had appeared the aperture ceased to exist, settling the flickering candles and bits of loose parchment that had taken flight.

Had she been any other, it would be quite likely that she would have missed the little demon that now shared her personal space. Any other would have perished before taking note of his presence. Luckily for her, she was as close to impervious as any had ever come.

“I suppose you think yourself rather clever then?” She asked, her voice like silk in spite of the annoying theatrics. She waited motionlessly, denying him the pleasure of turning around and seeing that arrogant smirk. If not for her ability to watch light travel, she would have missed the tiny creature move to stand in front of her, his speed impressive even while fully bound by her will.

“Clever?” The tiny newt asked with a tilt of his head, his skin shifting from violet to a lighter hue. “My dear Malithion,” he chortled merrily. “If I were clever, do you really think I would still be running all of these little… Errands, for you?”

Malithion watched as the little creature clambered up onto her desk, manifesting a small satchel within which he began to rummage. She knew better than to be fooled by his casual mannerisms however. He was cold, calculating, and always vigilant for new ways of manipulating others.

“Save your breath, Tillook, I shall not be pulled into another of your twisted mind games. You claim to be lacking in wit, yet despite all our best efforts in the past, here you stand. You will not claim your freedom with words, not from me.”

The newts’ searching slowed as he looked up from what he was doing, his gaze lingering on the giant tome beside him. “Words are all I have,” he said quietly before his rummaging continued, his arm reaching impossibly deep into the sack. “You lot made damned sure of that. Didn’t you?” Whilst pulling his prize from the depths of the bag the little newt glared up at his warden. “And that is NOT my name…”

The room grew quiet and still, nothing dared to move. Not even the tiny flames of the candles flickered as Malithion tensed, her entire consciousness converging on one single point. The stone walls of the chamber creaked and groaned as she moved to bear down on him, her mere presence building strength enough to have crushed the minds of lesser beings. If any of this concerned the newt however, he did not show it.

After a moment of staring each other down Malithion broke the unspoken stalemate between them. She realized that once again, he had gotten what he wanted. “No, and yet, that is what you are, and so that is what we call you. It is what you have made of yourself, Tillook.”

Tillook’s eyes narrowed as his fingers absentmindedly fiddled with the object he had retrieved from the sack. “The scraps I managed to pull together you mean,” he muttered darkly to himself as he tossed a small silver bell in Malithions’ general direction.

It was more out of curiosity than anything that Malithion deemed to catch the bauble of precious metal from the air, her senses scouring over its surface in a heartbeat. Finding very little of interest she sent the little bell floating gently back the way it had come. “Another trinket for the collection?” She asked, sensing that for the moment at least, his challenge to her authority had abated.

“Grogar sends his regards,” Tillook replied, a hint of credible sophistication entering his tone as he too took to examining the bell. “The old goat was nearly back to his full strength when I arrived, probably would have broken out of his cell in another millennia or so,” he added pointedly. He tossed the bell over his shoulder and began bouncing it into the air repeatedly with his tail, giving a very demanding look.

“Were there any complications with your task?” Malithion asked, her tone level as she reached passed him to close the massive book. She had spotted the microsecond glances he had been sneaking at the texts involving his summons.

“Only this,” he said, catching the bell and holding it out again. “You know, it’s funny, but I seem to recall watching this little doodad melt as Grogar was defeated. Now if I am not very much mistaken, Harmony’s Light tends to be very thorough when subduing one of these discordant types. So how is it then, I cannot help but wonder, that I would come across it once again after all this time?”

Malithion bristled at these words, the rather pointed question sounding much more like an accusation or demand than a simple inquiry. The verbal jousting aside however, the mad little being raised a fair enough point. The artifact was no mere bell of cast silver and bronze, it had been forged from the essence of pure evil. It should have been destroyed.

“Now as the, lowly appointed Fate of Mischief. It hardly falls within my limited knowledge of Infinity’s inner workings as to understand how such a minor little detail could have been overlooked,” he said boldly. He casually spun the bell atop a single finger and glancing meaningfully at the closed tome beside him. “I mean really, a focus that passively and infinitely bolsters your own natural stores of magic? Seems worthy of mention in that little record of yours…”

Malithion hesitated, uncertain just how much Tillook actually knew of what lay before them. He was always like this, always asking the right questions and leading her in the direction that he wanted their talks to go. If she could, she would bury him under Tartarus and be done with the mad tyrant. She hesitated because her answers required great care; care to ensure he never learned the truth…

“Infinity holds within it all that pertains to our past, and future. Anything with relevant or worthwhile effect is cataloged and saved, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to us. The fact that neither Grogar, nor his execrable kingdom have been mentioned again stands as proof to me that his part in the world had come to an end. Which is why I sent you.” She stated cooly.

“How convenient of you,” Tillook said flatly, sending the bell away to join a growing collection of oddities with a snap of his spindly fingers. “Just,” he snapped his fingers again. “And have your little butlers take care of the leftovers. Why wait to see what unnecessarily over complicated or time consuming solutions Infinity comes up with for dealing the final blow?”

“As opposed to how you did things so long ago?” Malithion asked in retort, her own tone growing icy as she moved away, wanting to get things back under her control. “I have read the Forger’s journals in my time spent here, of how things once were between you and he.”

Tillook stiffened, barely visible but to Malithion’s eye he may as well have screamed. “A, jaundice, account I am sure,” he said dangerously. The venom behind the words deadly as a serpent in sight of its prey, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Somewhere near her core Malithion shivered, it had been so long now. So much time spent holding the noose around the old villain’s neck and yet, she was still afraid of him. On some level that voice would forever haunt her soul; it was an eerie reminder of their shared history. A violent and bloody conflict that never truly saw victory, on either side. It served also as a warning, nay, a promise that he would turn on her someday. When the opportunity presented itself…

He had his schemes and plans, Malithion knew, but what worried her the most was just how much information Tillook had managed to conceal away within that fractured mind of his. Still fretting about it served no purpose, he had no means of escaping the bonds of her will, and there was work to be done.

Malithion took a moment to calm herself, allowing the ebb and flow of her energy to settle. It was rather irksome, just how easily this little pest could cause her to become so flustered. This was a battle of control, her will against his. He may have managed to survive the old conflict, but she, had endured it.

Reaching again for the quill, still twirling away mid air, Malithion plucked the utensil from its work and again opened the great tome. “Of that I have no doubt,” she stated dismissively whilst scratching out another set of ornate runes upon the parchment. “However, any bias you may attempt to point out was made quite irrelevant by your own actions. To think, that you would ask sympathy despite the destruction of so many.”

Tillook was standing on the page nearly before she had even sensed the motion, his restraints crackling with the power they had bled from him. “I will not cower from such accusations, my dear. I embrace them, just as I admitted to them all those ages ago before a tribunal of my fellows, the Forger and yourself included. I remember well, every face that fell at my feet near the end of the conflict. All those lives ended by what little mercy I retained,” he growled up at her, placing himself in the way of the quill. “A mercy that spared them of the fate you chose for them. A curse, implemented by desperate minds seeking to hide from their own doings.”

Malithion felt her disciplined mind strain, even after an epoch of time spent in battle against this Demon and having found no means to his permanent end, she once again felt the desire to try. She needed an outlet for her frustrations lest this get out of hand. Somewhere out in the world, a mountain shattered into dust. “What we did, Tillook, we did in the name of sanity. In the name of putting an end to your madness.”

“Madness?” Tillook asked incredulously, his color flashing through reds and yellows as he shook his head in disbelief. “Is that what you call it? Tell me, Malithion, would that be your conclusion, or his? You see I may not have read those journals the same as you, never the less I was there, and if that is all you have to say then perhaps you should read them again dearie. Because before what comes next is over, we may both need to redefine what we consider, madness.”

“What comes next,” Malithion said firmly, roughly brushing him aside with a mere thought. “Is a means to an end, for all of us.” At these words the quill resumed its path over the parchment, the inscriptions it left behind taking on a glow of their own as if lit from within. “Now, if you are quite done attempting to glean information. I have a task for you.”

“I had gathered as much,” Tillook grumbled from the floor where he had fallen. The diminutive newt not yet having bothered to rise as he halfheartedly waved a hand through the air. The colorful band wrapped around his wrist still illuminated with a persistent glow. “These little bracelets might keep me in check, but my senses are not so dull as to have been blinded to such things. I felt the balance tip, same as the rest of you.”

“Then you know what you must do, Tillook,” Malithion stated firmly as she finished the new line of runes. “The heart is the key and now rests in its most vulnerable position. The King must not claim it, not yet. I trust you to do as you see fit to ensure this does not occur, but you are not to kill the Dragon. Are these commands clear?”

“Transparently,” Tillook said as he floated into an upright position, a wicked little grin showing far too many teeth for a creature of his appearance. “And I will trust you to allow me the freedom to carry them out as I see fit,” he finished, glancing up and catching her gaze. His grin only widened as the light cast by the bands around his wrists began to dim considerably, allowing for his energy to flare with strength.

Malithion scratched out one final rune, confirming the commands and sending the little Demon on his way, regrettably only temporarily. With an inward sigh of relief she took another moment to calm herself, the dialog had been cause for stress on its own, but the mental assault had been unending. He had learned much about attacking her over the millennia, and this last bout had left her feeling somewhat drained.

Releasing the quill back to its work Malithion turned to finally acknowledge the third presence she had been concealing away, deconstructing the pocket dimension within which he had hidden. Now, more so than ever she would have need of her allies, and this one she trusted more than any other. As the remains of the refuge fell away a small owl hopped forward, saying nothing as it studied her with an unblinking gaze.

Malithion returned the stare for a moment, her mind still unsettled by what she knew was soon to be. The oncoming storm, gathering on the horizon. Steeling her resolve, she gave the avian vessel the first order he had received in a very long while. “Follow him, and observe.”

VIII: Jigane Ga Deru: The Steel Appears

Chapter Eight

Jigane Ga Deru: The Steel Appears

These pitiful creatures that you have chosen to replace us, lifting them so that they might sit atop your mantle, what makes them so righteous in your eyes? We have watched their virtues of harmony and found them lacking.

If it has passed beyond your diminishing sight to see these shortcomings, then allow us the chance to be redeemed. For soon there shall come a storm of retribution and when the steel appears, their true character will be revealed.

~Kamarag

/ / / Canterlot Castle, Royal Bed Chambers / / /

With practiced care Rush pushed open a small servant’s entry without a sound, the little doorway blending away perfectly with the wall after his passing. Taking a moment to straighten his burdens, as well as quadruple check his mental lists, the Pegasus practically floated towards the humongous bed that dominated the center of the room. His graceful hoof falls inaudible over the sounds of sleep.

Reaching the edge he took a deep bow, breath catching in his throat as his heart hammered away. It was too much, the events of the last week weighed heavily upon his shoulders.

Rush had known there was something amiss even before the birth, the way Aeterna had carried herself, quiet and aloof. It had been so unlike her. When the time had finally come and little Luna arrived, he closed his eyes tightly at the memory. There was no crying, no wails of displeasure at being thrust into the world. Try as they might the healers could not rouse her.

Then atop all of these things, casting them in its shadow, was the King’s dark secret. It was a terrible truth that Terra had confided in him just hours before the labor had begun. Rush could not condone his King’s actions, but he did understand them.

A soft rustle of the linens above drew Rush from his thoughts, shifting his gaze upwards as best his bowed position would allow. The sight that greeted him filled his heart with a tranquil sense of ease that had run rather short of late.

Aeterna, Queen of their nation and Alicorn of the sun, was smiling down on him from above. Her rose petal eyes were puffy from the tears, but the warmth and kindness she was known for had returned. With a silent dip of her head she bade him forward, the sheets hanging over the edge coming alight in her magic and rising into a set of stairs for the encumbered pony to ascend.

A lesser stallion may have dropped his burdens when faced with the sight that awaited them beyond the top step. Rush however, was well accustomed to such things, his exploding heart barely noticeable in his outward appearance. He was made of sterner stuff after all.

Aeterna was resting comfortably on her side, sparing an exhausted but contented smile for Rush as he approached. Nestled close to the Queen’s side and sound asleep were her daughters, Celestia holding her new sister tight as the two slumbered peacefully.

Rush found himself clenching his jaw, lest a dopey smile take over his mask of professionalism. Still though, he could not stop his roaming eyes as they took in their first glimpse of the new princess. Her fur was strikingly blue under the soft torch light. Mothers’ Love she was tiny…

Each step forward required a great amount of his will and effort, the desire to stay still and quiet lest he wake them a nearly overwhelming force. His hooves moved with a well practiced grace, silently gliding over the bedding as he negotiated each fold and lump. Though the journey only required a few paces it felt like years to Rush as he drew close, the breath hitching in his throat as the foal cooed in her sleep.

“Your majesty,” Rush whispered in greeting. Once again he attempted to bow despite his burdens, the pony’s wings showing their remarkable dexterity as they rebalanced the items on his back. Though he had heard it nearly every day for most of his life, the sound of his Queen’s tittering laughter still made him smile.

“Rush.” Aeterna said with faux annoyance, quieting herself with a hoof as she cast her sleeping foals a nervous glance. “How many times must I tell you to address me by my name?” She asked, her voice much softer now that her giggles were under control.

“At least once more, your highness, same as always.” Rush replied somewhat cheekily, peeking up at her from the sheets. His wings were still holding up the leaning pile of assorted necessities, keeping them from toppling over.

“You are one of our most trusted attendants, Rush. I do wish you would realize that earns you a certain amount of familiarity here.” Aeterna said, the faintest trace of a smirk on her face as she reached out with her magic for the bowl of fruit teetering at the top of the Pegasus’s pile. “And do stand up, you look positively ridiculous.”

“Apologies, but her little highness there demanded recently that I make things more, fun.” Rush said in a much more serious tone, though the playful glint in his eye gave him away as he pointed towards the slumbering Celestia. “As such I fear that I may have taken it to heart.” He added, carefully placing the various other items he had brought upon the bed before him.

“Did she now?” Aeterna queried, flashing her daughter a smile before turning her attention towards the bowl of fruit as it floated over for her inspection. “That would most definitely have been entertaining; it is good to know that there is at least one in the royal family whose orders you will follow.” She added, wiggling her brow playfully at spotting his momentary look of alarm.

“Of course my lady, which bears my only excuse for the earlier insubordination.” Rush explained as he busied his hooves with arranging the stack of items. “Surely my dilemma is apparent when faced with conflicting orders?”

“Quite so.” Aeterna agreed, selecting a mango from the bowl and giving it an appraising look. “In fact it was rather unfair of me to put you in such a position. I hope you will accept a much deserved apology?”

“Think nothing of it my Queen.” Rush said, holding up his wings in a placating gesture, his smile threatening to return. “My only desire after all is to serve to the best of my abilities. Alas, I must still confess the nuances of the court continue to elude me. Forgive this simpleton, but I must be the one to apologize.”

“Hardly.” Aeterna said with a calm tone, though her sides shook with stifled laughter. “I can not fault you for carrying out an order issued by one whom someday may very well surpass myself.” The Queen leaned down and gave her daughter a quick peck on the cheek, the pink maned filly humming softly as she stirred gently before closer.

Rush couldn’t help but watch the tender display of affection with a smile on his face, his heart melting just a bit more as Celestia squeezed Luna in her sleep. “She would need to move the heavens themselves.” Rush stated softly, offering his Queen a second smaller bowl as she peeled the mango, her absolute favorite.

“She will do that, and so much more.” Aeterna whispered, more to herself than to Rush. “The both of them.”

“Verily, my Queen.” Rush agreed, finally having finished with his organization, every requested item in its place for the royals’ convenience. “And forever more they shall know the love of their eternal mother.”

Rush may not have noticed, but Aeternas’ eyes grew distant at his words. Her gaze lost in ancient memory even as she watched him gather up his tray under a wing. The sight was identical to a thousand other attendants, and her smile waned for a moment.

“Nothing lasts forever, Rush.” Aeterna said in a hushed tone, her eyes drifting back to her slumbering children. The two fillies were sleeping peacefully, completely oblivious.

“This will.” Rush replied as he caught her gaze, knowing enough about her past to understand her feelings on the matter. “Love is eternal between those who share it.”

It was rare that one of her subjects surprised her, yet despite Rush’s background he had a touch of the philosopher about him and that was something she had much needed to hear. “Rush.” Aeterna queried, her tone filled with uncertainty as her brow furrowed. “I enjoy our little talks, thank you,” she said, her smile returning. Her eyes continued to search over him as if convinced they had missed something until now.

“It is my pleasure, Aeterna.” Rush answered with a smile of his own before taking a respectful bow. “By your word, I shall take my leave.”

“Of course, you must be exhausted.” Aeterna acknowledged in an understanding tone, giving him an affirmative nod when he peeked up at her. “Go now and rest, Rush. You have my blessing.”

“By your word, majesty.” Rush replied in a hushed manner, returning the nod as he finally stood and turned to leave.

Aeterna watched him leave, the Pegasus reminding her of so many others. Yet he stood apart from all the others who came before. Terra was right to chose him for this task; he was strong, dedicated, and loyal. The Queen glanced down at her daughters again, her uncertainties about their futures returning. “I love you my daughters, remember this always.”

/ / / / / /

This mysterious force, moving within the shadows of our world, though it remains unseen by most it cannot escape my sight. A good king remains ever vigilant for any threat to his people, a great king defeats a calamity before it ever arrives at his gates.

So to you who would do this world harm, know this. I have seen your movements in the dark of the night and I am watching. I swear by my precious daughter and by what strength remains within my blood, you will not come away from this unscathed.

~King Terra

/ / / Canterlot Castle, Tower of Vigilance / / /

Though the morning sun was well set on its path over the kingdom for the time being, Terra found himself reluctant to release the blazing orb from his awareness. It felt, wrong somehow. As with many things the past few days the morning had simply felt different somehow, the winds grew colder, the air drier, even the magic around him quivered as if afraid.

There was something else there as well, just beyond the veil of normalcy and order that was synonymous to their existence. It toyed with him, the way it would nearly be revealed one moment, only to squirm away and be lost to him the next. It was infuriating.

Venturing forth from where he loitered within the shadows Terra manifested himself on the balcony of the castle’s tallest tower, the west side still darkened enough for his favored method of transit. The King’s mind raced as his physical form solidified, unusually bare hooves touching the cold stone as he seemed to simply walk out from the gloomy wall.

His gaze drifted slowly over the lands below the mountain as he searched for anything out of place, any subtle detail that might show the way to what he sought. Terra narrowed his eyes; there was nothing, no sign of what he was certain to be an ominous presence. It was something he could never have explained, but out there somewhere, hidden away nearly perfectly, was something that should not be.

Terra began to pace, back and forth in agitation at first, but then around the full circle of the balcony as other thoughts pushed their way in. Chief amongst them was sweet little Luna, his heart soaring at the mere image that came with the name, so perfect and innocent. Damn this threatening menace to the darkest pits for daring to rear its head now! Somewhere overhead a dull rumble of thunder echoed across the sky.

Terra sucked in a breath and held it, lifting a foreleg and watching it shake with his fury. Terra hated this diplomacy game, he needed to act! But today’s world required niceties and tact. The King could wipe away an army in a single moment if needed, yet as the world had grown and healed around him the necessity for violence had fallen by the wayside. He would need to do things properly, which meant waiting for the official methods to run their course.

It was all the fault of his wife really. When the old ways fell Aeterna had been the one to finally convince him to align with the surviving races, to join the world in one harmonious blunder after another. It brought a smile to his normally stony face; he loved her unconditionally. But there were times that mare made him think that a night that lasted forever would be the way to go…

With no conscious action of his own the King’s hooves stopped moving and his gaze drifted north, to the distant Crystal mountain range just visible to his eye on the edge of the horizon. What drew his senses to that region he could not say; but he knew that there must be a reason.

Just when he felt certain that he had something Terra was distracted by the approach of one whom he had been expecting, the nearly silent wing beats drawing closer signaling the soon arrival. Reluctantly turning away from his suspicions Terra waited as the new arrival flared his wings and fluttered gracefully to the balcony floor, not missing a beat as he immediately took a knee and bowed low.

“His Majesty’s servant, Tiberius, reporting as ordered sire.” The comparatively tiny Pegasus stated smartly from the floor.

“Rise, Rustwing, and report.” Terra commanded, his tone a touch harsher than intended, but there was not time to be concerned with such things now.

“Our forces have mustered below the city.” Tiberius said quickly, rising to meet his Kings’ eye as he spoke. “I have two thousand blades at the ready, with messengers en route to recall all nearby paladin watchers.” The pony paused for a moment, his next words bothering him. “Still no word on the Ambassadorial convoy bound for the Griffon homeland, it may be possible that the ocean storms have slowed them.”

Terra felt his eyes narrow; a storm was of little concern to those he had sent. “Perhaps, but relations with the other nations have grown strained as of late, and Fate favors the prepared.”

Tiberius seemed unsettled by this, his wings fluttering in agitation at his armored sides. “If it is not speaking out of turn, my king. To what matter of conflict are we making these preparations?”

Stepping past his soldier Terra wandered back to the west side of the tower, his vision searching out the gathering troops far below, watching as the distant figures moved into formations. With a calming sigh he looked back at Tiberius. “That remains to be seen. For now, we wait…”

/ / / / / /

I understand my King’s desire to seek peace with the Griffons, and in fact I share it. Diplomacy will always deserve its day in court. However, they are stubborn and opinionated creatures and I find it doubtful that they hold such beliefs in high esteem.

Still, all ill thoughts aside I have never known their kind to be fools, certainly they will see reason. The ancient threat must remain buried within the past, and by Terra, if it should come down to such a thing as war; the grand army of the King is close at our backs.

Alicorn Paladin Mars

/ / / Far to the East, Over the Celestial sea / / /

The winds out of the north were bitingly cold for this time of year, whipping the sea below into a frothy frenzy of mountainous waves and frigid spray. Any sea going vessels were certainly in for a spot of bother, the morning sun bringing only fiercer gusts to feed the squall. Far above however, gliding in peace over top the highest clouds with a grace expected of their positions was a pair of Paladins.

Remnants of the Grand Cromithian Royal Army, the purpose of the Paladins now was mainly to serve as keepers of the peace and guardians of the people. Though they had not been called upon to fulfill their original roll in nearly a millennium, the Paladins remained a ready and capable force. Ever waiting, ever prepared to answer whatever need their King and Queen might have of them.

It was in answer to this need that saw two of their finest winging with all haste towards the Griffon home land. With diplomatic relations having been already strained near the breaking point between the two races in recent years, it would be prudent now not to seem threatening. Which is why only these two would set hoof upon Griffon soil.

Paladin Mars, many times distinguished in his duties and steward to the throne, traveled with confidence in the knowledge that one hundred of his hoof picked fellows were not far behind. The other, Paladin Scipio, was highly regarded among his peers as a tactical genius in battle. He had led many successful ambassadorial endeavors as well.

Together they were a formidable pair, the two of them more than a match for the Hyperion Guards that would be accompanying the Griffon dignitaries. Not that such a meeting should ever come to blows, it certainly was well worth being prepared and both Alicorns knew to expect similar posturing from their avian neighbors.

As the Griffon shoreline came into view, the late morning sun high above the coastal hills. The two ambassadors drew closer together as they approached the shore. “I do not see the Griffon delegation.” Scipio called out, a touch of suspicious concern adding an edge to his voice. “Perhaps they have been held up and are late?”

“That would be very unlike them indeed.” Mars agreed, his horn sparking momentarily. “They are there, seeking shelter within that structure from the weather no doubt.” He said, pointing at a speck nestled between a pair of hills further inland.

“I have never known them to shy away from bad weather.” Scipio replied heatedly, having to raise his voice as a distant crack of thunder rolled over them from the north. “Even a day as foul as this.”

“Indeed, changing the meeting place is certainly irregular but I will not fault them if it means dry feathers and unfettered dialogue.” Mars narrowed his eyes as they started their descent, squinting at the new destination as the rain began anew, pelting them with large cold drops.

Scipio wanted to protest such an unexpected turn of events but had to agree that it would make for a much more tolerable experience if they did not have to endure the brutish birds on top of their stormy climate. “Very well, let us simply be done with it then.” Scipio muttered half heartedly as he angled to follow his fellow through the rain.

The distance required only a minute or so before the pair of Alicorns were flaring their wings for the landing, touching down on ancient flagstones that were half lost to nature. The stone building was in little better shape, covered in bramble and moss. One wall partially collapsed where a tree had fallen against it.

The little gully in which all this was located seemed to at least be blocking the worst of the wind, for which Mars was grateful. His senses scanned around every inch of the surrounding cliffs. The rain was picking up now, streams of water were running down the rocks or falling off edges, soaking the ground as well as the newcomers.

“What a pleasantly cheerful place, reminds me of those who live here.” Scipio mused to himself as he looked towards the dilapidated structure, the dancing light of a fire flickering out from the doorway. “Shall we?” He asked casually, indicating the way with a hoof.

“Be nice.” Mars chastised as he folded his wings and walked past, giving the satchel full of parchment at his side a gentle squeeze. “The hills have eyes, and ears. So do try to at least appear chivalrous,” he added. With a nod he glanced up at one of several Griffon guards expertly concealed in the rocks around them.

“I can do chivalrous.” Scipio scoffed indignantly, catching up as they neared the entrance to what could best be described as a stone cottage in the middle of nowhere. It was far from a glamorous place to discuss business, but if it kept the rain at bay then it would do.

As they approached the stone doorway a pair of well equipped Griffon soldiers appeared from the shadows. Their polished spears level and ready for a moment as they confirmed the identities of those whom had arrived. After a few seconds of staring the towering equines down the Griffons wordlessly lifted their weapons and motioned inside.

“Many thanks,” Mars offered as he stooped to enter. His massive withers barely clearing the threshold. The guards said nothing, their eyes only following him for a moment from within their helmets before snapping back to peer into the rain.

A moment later and Scipio joined Mars within the single room structure, the pair taking up nearly half the space on their own with a small fire pit in the center. Seated against the far wall speaking in hushed urgent sounding whispers was the Griffon ambassador and a few of his advisors, none of them looking particularly confident as they noticed the new arrivals.

What put the Alicorns on edge however, was that they did not recognize any member of the delegation. Every face was young and unfamiliar. Mars was rather unimpressed with the situation, finding this turn of events quite unacceptable considering how accommodating they had been in the past.

“What is the meaning of this?” Scipio demanded, taking a step forward as he scrutinized the new faces arrayed before him. A few of the Griffons cowering under his gaze. “Where is ambassador Chras?”

The seemingly newly appointed Griffon ambassador straightened up, his nerves suddenly under control. “He was a weakness!” He cried, standing up as the winds outside began to howl. “Master says that our time is now, and that our weaknesses must be shed!”

In nearly that same instant the roof over the Alicorns’ heads was crushed in, the stones exploding into rubble under the tremendous force of what struck them. Right before the Griffon’s very eyes two of the most powerful beings he had ever seen were crushed into the ground, the earth beneath his paws shaking from the impact.

“And yours, vanity. Is the greatest weakness of all,” the Griffon said as he wiped bits of rock and dust from his chest. He looked up to see the giant scaled fist that had delivered the blow. “And so, he has come to cast you aside…”

IX: A Mere Taste of Our Strength

Chapter Nine

A Mere Taste of Our Strength

No simple book of parchment, ink, and leather can truly capture the magnitude of what our brave ancestors bore witness to that fateful morning. The day the first of the tyrants fell, and our kind glimpsed victory, a victory born from battle between the mightiest of foes.

It is said the ground shook so violently that it was felt as far away as the shattered city, and the sky came ablaze with lights brighter than even the angriest of storms. Truly, it was as had been promised; the first battle of Gods had begun…

Taken from the Griffon historical text ~Our Treasured Past

/ / / Griffon Kingdome, Fringes of the Fallen City. / / /

Daring to take a step forward the Griffon posing as the ambassador couldn’t help but smirk as he watched the giant scaly fist twist and force itself further down into the pile of rubble. He could barely believe his eyes as the stone cracked and crushed, sinking through what had been the floor and into the muddy soil beneath.

Master’s disciple must be a powerful being indeed, to have destroyed creatures of such strength as those Alicorns in a single blow! The very thought left his mind spinning. It hardly seemed possible, even for a Dragon and yet the irrefutable proof was right before his eyes.

Perhaps this whole endeavor was not such a fool’s errand after all. With creatures of such clear divinity as these Dragons leading them, victory over the self-righteous ponies was guaranteed, if the display of power before him was of any indication. His smirk twisted into a devilish grin as another ancient block of stone shattered violently under the pressure.

The imposter was just beginning to fantasize about how the Master might reward them for this flawless victory when one of the other Griffons beside him inhaled sharply in surprise and he suddenly became aware that the ground was trembling. With beaks dropping open in disbelief the pair quickly joined the others in backing against the far wall. They were unable to accept what their eyes were seeing as, slowly but surely, the Dragon’s fist was pushed back…

Releasing a growl of anger the massive sky leviathan pushed back with all of its might, causing the ground around the decaying structure to sink and fill with cracks and fissures. For a moment, as the beast let loose a mighty roar of challenge to the skies above, its fist shakily came to a halt. The bellow was long and loud, a sound that had surely sealed the fate of many a challenger in the past. It was deafening, it filled the air, shook the walls, rattled their very bones.

Indisputable as it seemed, as the Griffons held their ears under the power of the roar another sound soon made itself known. The sound of a pair of voices shouting a challenge of their own. In an act even harder to believe, the nearly panicked Griffons could only stare on as the Dragon was again slowly pushed back. Its muscles bulged in effort as they were overpowered.

Unbelievably the two Alicorns began to rise out of what should have been their grave, hooves pushing back against the Dragon’s scaled fingers. With a monumental heave they stood to their proper height, hind legs shaking as they bore the full might of their foe with the ground buckling beneath them.

With a growl of surprise the Dragon’s clawed feet slid backwards just a bit, the water logged soil squelching out from under him as the pressure between them grew. The great beast flared out its wings in a desperate bid for stability, adding their considerable force into the effort and once again bringing the struggle to a standstill.

The Dragon’s beating wings whipped the already gusty winds of the gorge into a frenzied squall, driving the rains in sideways sheets and knocking a few of the more precariously leaning trees to the ground. The Griffons could only watch as the test of strength went on, the shaking ground rattling their bones, some of the weakened stones falling from what remained of the walls around them.

Though the false ambassador couldn’t dare to look away he was vaguely aware of his cohorts scrambling over each other in a vain attempt to get away. The poor fools would find no exit he knew; the only way out was directly ahead of him, beyond the dueling titans…

Knowing he would likely be annihilated if he tried, the Griffon simply leaned against the vibrating wall at his back. He decided to trust in Master’s word that he would survive if he followed in the Disciple’s plan without question. As the crumbling structure slowly shook itself to pieces around him though, he began to have his doubts.

The storm outside continued to grow worse, seemingly fueled by the power of the combatants as they strained against each other, blocking out the morning sun as if to signal the inevitable battle to come. Far above, the clouds began to circle ominously, an occasional flash of lightning in the distance.

Straining with all his might Scipio looked beside him, grunting as the ground beneath his hooves sank just a little further. They needed a new tactic and soon, before the Dragon decided it had had enough of this posturing and got serious.

It seemed as though Mars was having an easier time of things, though his face was contorted in concentration his limbs were still and his breath controlled. Scipio would likely never have said it aloud, but he held a certain amount of admiration for the far older Alicorn and was reminded again of why he deserved his position.

Mars noticed Scipio looking at him from the side and met his eye. “We need a plan before this becomes worse!” He called out, clenching his teeth as their footing sank yet again.

Scipio turned his gaze to the Dragon looming over them. “I have one, but will need a moment to implement it. Can you?” He asked, nodding at the fist attempting to crush them as it inched closer.

Furrowing his brow and widening his stance Mars gave a nod of his own to indicate that he was ready. “Be swift,” he said with a growl as his fellow Alicorn pulled back, leaving him to resist the Dragon’s strength alone.

Dropping back to all fours Scipio lowered his head to the ground, his horn lighting up in an aura of green flames. Magical fire gathered along the length of the appendage, rushing to the tip where it condensed into a growing ball of emerald light. Sparks of static energy crackled and snapped as they fell to the ground, the wet soil hissing as the moisture was boiled away by the energy.

Closing his eyes Scipio released his senses upon the lands around him, gathering every scrap of information he needed about his target. Size, distance, the composition of the scaled skin, this and more flowed into his mind with perfect clarity.

The process took mere seconds, an eternity as he felt the Dragon shift overhead, the titanic beast growing irritable and sending its other clawed fist down towards them. Time seemed to crawl as his mind went into a magically induced overdrive, burning through the calculations necessary to perform one of his most dangerous spells. The Piercing Lance was both explosively powerful, as well as exceptionally accurate. However its use required great care as it could easily overwhelm a careless user.

The Griffons, having finally given up on trying to escape, could only look on in horror as the lone Alicorn holding back their master’s trusted follower shifted his stance and bellowed to the heavens. The equine’s body shone with light from within as he gripped the fist above him, his wings flaring out as he twisted around, shoving the Dragon’s hand to the side.

“Now, Scipio!” Mars shouted as he pulled the limb down beside him, causing the Dragon to stumble. Jerked off balance as the resistance suddenly turned into a pulling force.

A heartbeat later the ground around the Alicorns exploded in a hell storm of energy. The iridescent magic that had condensed at the end of Scipio’s horn shot forward in a spiraling beam, sizzling as it burned the very air.

The attack screamed through the rain, driving into the Dragon’s chest and ripping the beast clean off his clawed feet. It launched him back, hundreds of feet into the air before detonating in a flash of brilliant emerald light, the sound like thunder as it rumbled over the valley.

The force of the blast blew away what little remained of the stone structure, scattering its pieces and occupants a fair distance out into the mud. The ground underneath where the Dragon had been was scorched clean, the shrubbery and little gnarled trees completely obliterated. Further off in the distance the Dragon landed hard, crashing into the ground and skidding off through the foliage and rain, disappearing from sight.

Mars stood on shaking legs, panting lightly as he watched the Dragon tumble away, feeling the ground shake with every rolling impact. He hated to admit it, but he had not been tested like that in a very long time. His heart thundered away in his chest, an old part of him realizing just how much he had missed this kind of thing.

“Perhaps,” he said dryly, glancing over at Scipio. “Next time you lead with that.”

“Yes,” Scipio agreed, gratefully accepting the offered hoof that pulled him up from the mud. “And perhaps next time you will see that coming,” he added, looking around at the destruction his spell had caused. “How in the Forger’s name did he sneak up on us…?”

Mars turned to look behind them, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “An apt question, Scipio.” He said, moving towards the sounds of groaning and screaming Griffons. “I believe that I know exactly who to ask…”

“Indeed, it would appear as though there may be some form of an alliance between this lot and that Dragon,” Scipio observed, settling his wings before following. “I think it may be wise to err on the side of caution. I shall call upon our support.”

“Nay,” Mars called back, stepping over a small pile of rubble. “The King’s wishes were for us to work alone unless our situation became dire. No, we can contend with the lone Dragon, he is young and seems inexperienced.”

“True enough,” Scipio agreed, catching up as Mars stopped to prod a dazed Griffon. “A more knowledgeable Dragon would have known better than to attempt to finish us with a physical attack such as that. What has my interest is how neither you nor I could sense his approach; even now his presence is, fleeting, erratic.”

Garnering no response from the half buried Griffon, Mars moved on to the next, his ears swiveling at every sound around them. “Yes, a truly frightening gift for one of such size and not a common trait among Dragons, we must be cautious.”

Scipio snorted, suddenly seeming to be greatly bemused. “And to think, you were chary of boredom at the mere thought of this assignment. Not every day anymore one of your age meets with such excitement.”

“Hardly,” Mars replied stoically, though the corner of his mouth quirked up in a hidden smile. “I perform any task my king requires of me. Regardless of how, engaging, it may or may not be,” he said, pausing to inspect another body.

Getting a better look for himself Scipio noticed that the battered Griffon splayed out in the mud before him was the ambassador’s imposter, bruised and bloody but still very much alive. He waited for the groaning bird as he struggled to sit upright, holding his tongue until their eyes met and the Griffon shrank back in fear.

“I say again,” Scipio growled angrily, his horn crackling as a glimmer of his power flared along the length. “What is the meaning of this…?”

The poor Griffon could hardly believe his eyes, despite all that had been done to them the Alicorns seemed untouched, apart from some ruffled feathers and the mud staining their coats. How was it possible? Master had warned him of the power they wielded but this did not seem possible! He could not believe it, he would not believe it!

“Listen, wretch,” Scipio demanded, lifting the Griffon from the ground in a cloud of his magic to look him in the eye. “There are only a finite number of reasons that a Dragon would align with those of any other lineage, and none bring comfort to my heart. So I will ask you only once more, what is your purpose here?”

Mars stepped in closer, his own eyes suggesting the Griffon had best chose his next words carefully. “Speak, before we run out of time to be so civilized…”

Seeming to regain some of his resolve the Griffon steeled his gaze, turning to glare at Mars as he spoke. “I am here, tyrants, because a deal was struck, and these were the terms…”

/ / / / / /

Roh grunted as he coughed up smoke, rolling over as he held his spinning head. It had been many millennia since anything had hit him that hard and though he was loath to admit it, the strength behind it had been impressive.

Taking notice of the charred smell that had begun to fill his nostrils the Dragon inspected his chest, finding the scales where the magic had struck scorched and smoking, but they had held. Gingerly he placed a claw over the damage and pushed, surprised to find the natural armor there tender and raw.

It would seem his glorious leader had been right to send him; his exceptional resistance to the Alicorn’s form of magic would be a great advantage indeed. His other advantage, now that he had experienced their individual magics, would ensure that this mark upon him would be the last.

Getting back to his feet Roh stretched his wings, flaring them until he felt his ligaments pop. This would be quite enthralling, he had barely been out of his egg the last time a Dragon had done battle with an Alicorn. His veins burned with excitement as his mana rushed through them, fueling his need for the coming fight.

Rearing up he stood tall, looking over the trees at where his targets waited, his eyes having little trouble finding them through the rain. Raising an arm he pointed an open palm at his prey, power surging along the limb, illuminating the iridescent scales.

It was high time these Alicorn’s were reminded of just how fragile their ‘divinity’ really was…

X: Celerity

Chapter Ten

Celerity

If the Timeless Heart is to be your final plan, Darkest one. The Fulcrum shall be ours. To wit, it seems that Fate has left us both behind, but introduce a bit of chaos and watch how quickly it all comes tumbling down. Then, we shall see one another at the end of this long journey, each of us holding our own noose.

~ The Lonely Sentinel.

/ / / Novus Techne, the Glittering Gate / / /

Zipping along as fast as it could the little mote of light traversed the vast network, turning frantically down one ancient pathway after another. Desperately it searched for an intact route that would lead to its destination.

Coming to yet another damaged intersection the light veered left, then right, then left again. The pathways here were dangerously corroded, their conductive runes and junctions in a severe state of disrepair.

This would be a dangerous journey; the network was countless centuries past the end of its life expectancy and just one of several reasons the light had not left its home for so long. To see this once glorious and vast accomplishment in such abysmal condition and to think of what it had once been and of those it had carried, was a depressing thought indeed.

Coming to a split in the conduit the light darted back and forth for a moment in indecision, sensing out a more direct path in one direction and far fewer obstacles in the other. Choosing the potential for a safer path the light hurried on its way, time may have been of the essence but haste was pointless if it begot failure. The energy that sustained it was very nearly spent, merely a glimmer in the surrounding dark and there were tasks yet to complete.

The memories needed to be saved, their stories preserved. That was the reason for traveling such a carefully selected path; to become lost now would be such a waste and leave a key piece of a complex plan out of place.

The light at last came upon a pathway that lead further south, down out of the mountains and to the frozen plains beyond. Faster and faster it went, covering miles with greater speed than a lightning bolt. It jumped from one conductive filament to another, barely avoiding several that snapped with its passing, gaining momentum as the conduits became larger and more numerous. There were hundreds here, thousands of them, like tiny little veins all coming together to reach an artery of magic.

At last the light found what it had sought, a proverbial highway of magical energy that flowed seemingly without limit, magic in its purest most basic form. This was a ley line, one of a near infinite number that were interwoven throughout the world.

It was through this life-sustaining passage that the light could truly stretch its proverbial legs, taking advantage of the straight road before it. Testing the very limits of its being the light blurred forward, flashing under thousands of miles of landscape in mere moments. In short order the plains gave way to the rolling hills of the coast and eventually, the Celestial sea beyond.

Faster than most could see the light flickered along the seafloor, its illumination lighting up the depths where the conduit rose above the surface in search of natural cooling. It passed between giant underwater peaks and crossed over the deepest of chasms, miles below the surface, the crushing pressures of little consequence.

Reaching the far shore and leaving the sea behind the light traveled inland, passing along unseen beneath the very valley where the titans did their battling, feeling the intense draw as they called upon their power. Not stopping to observe even for a second the light continued on, the path under the nearby mountains its destination. There could be no turning back, even though the ground shook from above, this was more important than the outcome of their struggle.

Passing underneath the ring of mountains above the light searched out the best route to where it needed to go, finding a tiny thread unbroken and ready. It was not much, the smallest of filaments that stretched up through the shattered lands above, but it would suffice.

Slowing down the light left the relative safety of the ley line, its glimmering light tentatively testing the strength of this thread, checking that its tether was secure before proceeding. Satisfied, the light shot upwards, twisting and turning as its path wound up through the rocks. Reaching the surface the light traveled higher, making its way up into the walls of a massive structure, the rocklike material weathered and ancient.

Like most of the other constructs that had been a part of this once grand city the building lay broken, fractured nearly beyond recognition, more of an orderly pile than a proper structure. Another similarity that it shared with the others however, was that it had been built to survive nearly anything. So even though its walls lay slanted and broken, its core still functioned, still pulsing with magic.

It was to this core the light sought passage, dodging this way and that as it searched through the wreckage, sensing a single remaining point of entry. As it went long dormant systems began to wake up, reacting to a presence that had not been detected for untold ages.

Finally the light found what it had sought, the portal to the core opening as the light reached out with its influence. Though the city may have been left where it had fallen, its heart still beat and it was time for Cromithia to stir…

Author's Note

Just a little side chapter to make up for that short bit last week, don’t worry though you still get another one tomorrow. Until then, have a good weekend and if there’s anything you would like to comment on feel free we answer them all. ~Dollars

XI: Iridescent

Chapter Eleven

Iridescent

There was a time when our kind were viewed as Gods, a time when it was believed that we held true divinity. I remember a time when this was true…

~Paladin Mars

/ / / Griffon Kingdom, Fringes of the Fallen City. / / /

Scipio was growing frustrated as he dropped the Griffon to the ground, the blasted creature simply refused to speak. No matter, there were plenty of ways to pry what they needed from him if that is the way it was going to be. The mind was a complex and fickle thing, but the Alicorn was well versed in traversing its intricacies.

The cowering imposter had mentioned a deal that had been made; this was something that captured Scipio’s interest. Dragons making deals with mortals had rarely worked out well, for the mortals…

He was just about to see how resistant this Griffon would be to his mental probing when a rather peculiar sensation overtook him. It was as if a large clawed hand had grasped around his body and began to squeeze him, like he were a mere toy in a massive child’s grip.

Hardly a second later and Scipio felt the pressure upon him increase as the mysterious force began to drag him backwards, his hooves sliding in the mud. With a snort of annoyance he began to resist, his magic crackling with power as his horn lit anew, only to immediately fizzle out.

With a muttered curse of his own Mars went sliding past, his horn sparking and blinking as well. “Judging by how hard you hit him I had expected to have more time!” He called out, looking over his shoulder at where they were heading.

“Indeed,” Scipio acknowledged, turning to look as well. “Perhaps I should not have been so restrained.”

At these words both Alicorns were ripped off their hooves and sent sailing through the air. They tumbled end over end in a rather undignified manner, passing right over the Dragon pulling at them as it yanked its arm toward the ground. In the same moment the energy surrounding the equines shifted directions, whipping them downwards, slamming them into the rocky ground at the base of a cliff face.

Before either pony could react the Dragon shifted his stance, lifting them into the air again and swinging his arm in a wide arc. The magical grip of the Dragon sent the pair of Alicorns hurtling through the trees, smashing them against the trunks, large rocks, anything he could find.

Finally, after having used their bodies to devastate the immediately surrounding foliage the Dragon’s magic lifted them skyward, shooting them up above the clouds before hurtling them back down. With thunderous force the Alicorns screamed into the ground, their bodies shattering the soil into a huge crater, toppling several of the few surviving trees in a spray of mud and bits of shattered stone.

Releasing his hold Roh approached his prey, knowing full well this fight was far from over but well within his control. “That may not have done much damage,” his thunderous voice boomed over the rain. “But it would taste a lie to say that it was anything other than cathartic.”

Coming to a stop just shy of the new crater the Dragon leered down into the hole, his teeth glinting in the light of a distant bolt of lightning as he smiled. “Come now, surely you can do better…?” His voice trailed off as he inspected the empty interior of the crater.

“It would be a pleasure,” Scipio called from behind, his magic snaking its way around the Dragon’s tail and yanking him backwards.

Roh had only a moment to show surprise before he was flipped over the Paladin’s head and whipped into the ground, his body creating a rather sizable impression of its own. Only momentarily dazed he rolled back to his feet, pushing up on all fours and glaring dangerously back at the now smirking Alicorn.

That is when Mars dove out of the sky, the Alicorn breaking the sound barrier just before striking the top of the Dragon’s skull. The blow hit with such force that the Dragon’s entire upper body was driven into the ground, shaking the whole valley as soil, rocks and foliage exploded away in a wide shower of pulverized bits.

As the area finally stopped shuddering a slightly battered Mars climbed up from the smoking crater, walking along the Dragon’s still form before hopping down and rejoining his companion. Together the pair flopped down on their haunches, staring at the downed reptile with skeptical looks, their chests heaving for breath.

“I, am getting too old for this,” Mars eventually muttered, massaging a sore spot under a wing.

Scipio meanwhile occupied himself with pulling a persistent vine of brambles from his mane, tossing them away as his attention returned to the downed Dragon before them. “Really? I had just begun to enjoy myself,” his expression hardened as the beast groaned and began to move. “Terra will not like this, we should summon the others to pacify our new friend here so that we may learn more of their, ‘deal’.”

Mars watched his fellow Paladin rise back to his hooves, the other Alicorn flexing his wings with the clear intent to take flight. Reaching out Mars caught Scipio’s foreleg as he passed, stopping him and, ignoring the smirk of the young upstart, gratefully accepted the now offered hoof.

“Why so quick to dismiss the King’s decree?” Mars asked, his tone growing playful as Scipio pulled him up. “Have you lost confidence in our ability to contend with this foe?” He snorted, looking past Scipio. “Tis only the one Dragon.”

“Fate favors the cautious, Mars. As you have always been so fond of lecturing me,” Scipio reminded his elder, meeting his gaze. “This beast bears far too many secrets for my liking, true enough his kind have always thought little of our magics, but this resistance of his, is something else…”

Mars returned his eyes to the Dragon as it pushed itself up with a foreleg, shaking the dirt from its head. “How do you mean?” He asked, lighting his horn again to prepare another spell.

“A simple process of elimination, Mars.” Scipio answered succinctly, his own horn coming alight as well. “Considering how little effect our blows have yielded thus far, and his apparent ability to disrupt directed energy based spells, or the fact I cannot seem to translocate.” He said, a serious tone thickening his voice as the light around his horn dimmed. “There is but one logical conclusion to draw. I fear this may very well be an Iridescent.”

Mars scoffed, though his stance shifted subtly into a more defensive posture. “Impossible.” He growled, his muscles tensing. “Their kind have been extinct for nearly twelve millennia, not since the great city fell have they soared the skies!”

“Quite so!” Roh’s voice boomed over the new clearing as he turned to face them, his prey, his first real test. “You have indeed seen through my ruse, Scipio, your sight is impressive. And you, Mars, Lord of armies. I am grateful that our paths should cross this night, I have looked forward to this moment since I was but a wee drake, crawling about in the dirt before I earned my wings.”

The massive creature reared up, swiping an arm at the sky with a roar so loud the air shook. High above the clouds tore away, long gashes slicing apart as though ripped by giant claws, the new holes allowing in beams of sunlight that landed upon the Dragon’s scales.

For a moment the two Alicorns had to look away, nearly blinded as brilliant light filled the vale, flashing with every color of the spectrum. It was intense, easily one of the brightest things either of them had ever seen, so bright it burned their eyes.

It was nothing but a distraction, Scipio knew this even before he had turned away in pain, he knew it even before he felt the claws of a hand larger than himself close around his body. He also knew to brace against the coming impact as he was lifted high into the air, he knew there would be more pain, and he knew that there was very little he could do as the ground suddenly rushed up to meet him.

Fighting to keep his focus Scipio concentrated on his energy, guiding it into his bones as his body shattered earth and rock. Again and again the Dragon slammed him down, chipping away at his defenses with every strike.

Scipio could not last, not like this. He needed to change tactics if he wished to prevail against a creature that had been designed with the very purpose of killing his kind. As another thunderous impact crushed the breath from him his magic flared to life, latching onto a nearby chunk of granite and launching it into the Dragon’s face as hard as he could manage.

The chariot-sized piece of stone found its mark, striking Roh just below his eye and shattering over his hide like cheap pottery. Though the blow barely left a scratch it served its purpose, staggering the beast just enough to loosen his iron grip.

Sensing his brief chance Scipio broke the hold the Dragon had on his body, kicking out of his grasp and rocketing into the sky above. His wings ached and his muscles burned, the damage had been done, but he dared not stop now. Flipping around he charged back the way he had come, pouring his power into his own body, magic reinforcing flesh until it was nearly indestructible.

Scipio pushed himself harder than he had in many centuries, the energy in his wings flaring, pushing his speed to propel him faster than most mortals ever dared dream. The air around his speeding form boomed like thunder as he broke through the speed barrier, his form nothing but a blur as he accelerated further.

The Dragon had seen him coming, and would have reacted if not for Mars choosing that exact moment to blast him in the face as well, before using his insane strength to ram the beast’s own fist straight up into his jaw. Again the Dragon was staggered, knocked back on his hind legs and off balance, perfectly open for the next attack.

In the next instant Scipio rammed himself into the Dragon’s gut, slamming his front hooves into the circle of already charred scales. With a roar of surprise and pain the Dragon sailed backwards, his entire body leaving the ground from the force of the attack.

Freed from the Dragon’s grasp Mars was flung to the side, falling into the trees and rolling across the mud. With a groan he slumped to the dirt, deciding that perhaps things were indeed getting a bit carried away.

Holding his throbbing hooves to his chest Scipio watched as his opponent sailed across a full half mile to the far side of the valley, crashing into the rocky cliffs and disappearing in a cloud of shattered stone. Even as he waited there, wings flapping numbly from the damage they sustained, Scipio knew that would not be enough.

Spotting Mars struggling back to his hooves far below Scipio waited until their gazes met, a nod being shared between them before both Alicorns shot forward. Taking the offensive the pair of Paladins charged, streaking through the air in a blur towards their downed target.

Roh had just begun his attempts to extricate himself from the rocks around him when he heard them coming, the Alicorns shouting over the storm as they flew at him, preparing to deliver heavy blows. He smiled to himself as he watched them come, his heart swelling as he studied their faces. They were growing desperate.

Scipio roared with all his might as he dove at the Dragon’s chest, the great beast lodged back first in the cracked stone of the hillside. A physical assault would be risky with just the two of them, what with their magic being largely ineffective and the Dragon matching them blow for blow. Complicating matters further was Mars and his insistence on conforming to the peace treaty with the Griffon kingdoms, and their rule of two.

An Iridescent was of a far higher breed than the average Dragon, boasting magic and durability that greatly exceeded that of their brethren. Their scales were among the hardest of natural substances known, and laced with disruptive fibers that unraveled even the strongest of spells. Which was why it was most often necessary to charge them head on, and charge the Paladins did.

With enough force to shake the entire mountain the Alicorns drove themselves into the Dragon’s gut, pulverizing hundreds of tons of stone and sinking him further into the cliff face. Not letting up for even a second they lashed out with their hooves, limbs moving with barely visible motions as they rained blows down upon his scaled hide.

They were efficient and precise, both sets of hooves perfectly in sink with one another as they struck, left then right. Scipio grit his teeth as his forelegs grew numb, the bones within shuddering with every impact they imparted. But they could not stop now, they held the advantage and the Dragon’s defences were beginning to weaken.

Scipio’s determination only grew as his next attack broke through the scale it struck, shattering it like glass and bruising the hide beneath. With renewed vigor he put everything he could muster into his next punch, driving his hoof straight into the exposed flesh, grinning like a fool when he heard a roar of pain.

Until now it had seemed as though Mars had been pulling his own punches, if just a bit, but his next landed with enough power to completely bury the Dragon within the mountain, pushing him back until the shattered rocks collapsed over him. As the mountainside continued to crumble and roll down over their opponent the Alicorns slowly backed off, nursing their aching legs and giving the avalanche of boulders a weary look.

“Any chance that will have killed him and we can go home?” Scipio asked half heartedly as he inspected his cracked and bleeding hooves.

“Not on your life, Scipio.” Mars replied with a face like stone, his eyes watching a few last boulders tumble past. “This, is far from over…”

XII: Insidious

Chapter Twelve

Insidious

"I named him friend once, my respected leader and ally. I helped name him King, helped him build the paradise he so desperately wished for us all and for a time, that was enough."

~The newly appointed Fate of Wisdom

/ / / Canterlot Castle / / /

With barely a noticeable whisper of sound a tiny blur of motion dashed across one of the castle's many private courtyards, rustling a few dead leaves as it passed before ducking into another shadow. From here it skirted along the wall, taking refuge behind raised planters and other decorative features.

It moved with an unnatural swiftness, each momentary dash across the open perfectly calculated, nothing wasted. A shadow that moved within the shadows, evading the advancing rays of the morning sun that filtered in through the trees. It was more akin to a phantom, there one second and gone the next, blink and you would miss it.

Beady little eyes watched from under a bush, giving away nothing as the little intruder waited for the oblivious guard to walk past, the Paladin’s armor clinking softly as she continued on. More quietly than even a mouse the pair of eyes crept forward, spindly little amphibious arms gripping at the ground in perfect silence, observing as the guard dutifully scanned the path ahead of her.

Darting forwards the newt scurried along, under another bush and behind a fountain before anyone could see him. Stopping for a brief moment to watch the guard turn and disappear around a corner Tillook waited until his sensitive ears told him that she would no longer be a problem, not so much as twitching a muscle until she was gone.

After nearly a minute of this lingering Tillook slowly advanced to his next objective, leaving the cover of the fountain for the stems of a few scattered flowers, he made his way to the far end of the courtyard. Once there he eyed the obstacles that barred his path, another Paladin flanked either side by a pair of unicorn guards, all adorned in the ceremonial armor of the royal Honor Guard.

Tillook clicked his tongue quietly, one set of his fingers drumming the ground as he studied the equines. He did not have the time for this lot, the unicorns posed him no threat, but even a useless moron can still sound an alarm. He focused his attention on the Alicorn, noting how little the Paladins had changed since he had last bothered with this place. Good, that meant that all of the old tricks still applied…

Allowing himself just a moment to reminisce on an old insult about how gauche all of that gold armor was Tillook turned from the doorway the ponies were guarding, it was far too obvious an entrance anyway. Instead he slunk back towards the bubbling little fountain, still somewhat hidden by the deep shadows cast by a large tree that stood across the courtyard.

Once behind the fountain and relatively safe from prying eyes Tillook leaned his back against the decorative little water feature, craning his neck up to look at a window a few stories above. Conveniently enough, it was open, just waiting for him.

It was not an ideal route, though the speed of it made for a tempting offer. Rolling his shoulders Tillook stepped towards the wall, having made up his mind. The rewards outweighed the potential risk of being spotted. There simply was not time for him to properly dupe every pony he came across.

Studying the wall for a moment Tillook widened his stance, memorizing every little detail about the magically carved marble. Taking a deep breath he kicked off the ground, leaping over half the distance before reaching out and gripping a meager hold.

Not wasting a second he thrust himself upwards, tiny fingers digging into the slightest imperfections in the rock. Quick as a flash Tillook was up the wall, climbing the vertical surface with no trouble at all. Reaching the top he heaved himself over the edge, flipping gracefully into the air and landing on his feet without a sound.

Hearing nothing to indicate that his presence had been detected Tillook dropped back to all fours, scurrying along the floor until he came upon a set of stairs. Climbing to nearly the top of one of the many towers he finally found what he was looking for.

Set into the wall at the end of a long hallway was a door, a heavy looking thing with thick iron banding holding it together. The door itself looked as though it could have withstood a hefty blow from a battering ram, and that was before one took into account the layers upon layers of enchantments cast upon it.

None of that was of any concern however, not as Tillook’s gaze scoured the otherwise empty approach. He was nobody’s fool, as his eyes continued their search he quickly spotted the additional pair of Paladins, the Alicorn guards thinking themselves hidden beneath their energies of concealment. Such pitiful spellcraft might swindle the senses of mortals, but he had long since grown beyond such things.

With an irritated huff Tillook rose to stand upright, flexing his hands as he decided on a more, direct approach. Stepping out where he could be seen he strolled casually down the hall, the faintest trace of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he walked. He watched as the Paladins suddenly stiffened upon spotting him.

Their weapons and spells meant nothing; it was their silence that he required, and getting past them unseen would require time and energy that he simply could not spare. As he approached and they in turn advanced, the distance between them shrank rapidly as the towering Paladins moved to more effectively cover the door, their senses undoubtedly picking up on his unusual nature.

With a motion so fast it went unseen even by the Alicorns themselves Tillook raised his hands, palms out and fingers curling inwards in a grabbing gesture. Instantly the advancing guards stopped, their once intent gazes suddenly vacant and distant. Without a word they returned to their posts, dutifully watching down the hall as though nothing had occurred.

Satisfied with his work Tillook pushed on, striding right between the guards without further incident. They would remain like that for only a few minutes, and once freed from his will would have no memory of the occurrence, only a slight feeling of boredom.

It was a cheap trick to be sure, but one that had proven useful in many situations that denied him the time to work out more interesting solutions. Very much like his quick fix for dealing with magical doors that could survive for more than a minute on the sun itself.

“Silly ponies,” Tillook muttered under his breath. “You really should learn to construct a proper door.” With that said he dropped back to all fours and flattened himself to the floor, scurrying right under the massive obstruction like a roach.

Reaching the other side he peered out from underneath the last sentinel between himself and his goal, beady little eyes sweeping back and forth over the darkened bedroom. Eventually his gaze came to firmly rest over the large rounded bed, his senses cutting through the dark as though it were daylight. With barely a thought he was beside the bed, a dangling piece of the linens clutched in his bony hand, a twisted little smile contorting his features.

Leaping like a cat Tillook sailed up to the top, landing just as gracefully, his toothy smile glinting in what little light there was. He could see the three of them lying there, sharing in the peaceful bliss of sleep, oblivious to his presence. With all the patience of a predator he slithered forwards, negotiating his way between the folds of fabric, moving around the protective embrace the queen had wrapped over her foals.

For nearly a minute he stood there, not so much as blinking as he listened to the sounds of breathing around him, of Aeterna and her children. Then, agonizingly slowly, he crept closer. Reaching out he gently grasped at a lock of Luna’s brilliant blue mane, easing it aside to reveal the short stub of her horn, the Alicorn’s young energy crackling for a moment as it interacted with his own.

Releasing her curly bangs Tillook held his hand up to inspect the miniscule amount of energy he had collected, impressed by its unexpected strength. She would indeed grow to be formidable! He glanced at her tightly folded wings, the feathers little more than fluffy down, he would return to see her fly if all went well in the coming weeks.

Tillook then turned his attention to Celestia, somewhat disappointed that he had not had the opportunity to observe her sooner. He had of course sensed her birth as well, but was otherwise engaged at the time, his ruse with Grogar in Tartarus far too important to drop.

He watched the sleeping filly's face for a while, her contented smile threatening to worm its way into the few slightly less frozen places within his heart, at least if he still had a heart. He scowled, once again reminded of why he was here. Reaching carefully Tillook placed a hand to her forehead, just below her horn. The sickeningly childish dream nearly broke his hold, but he endured, delving deeper until the Princess's subconscious unraveled before him.

This was where a pony truly resided; this was where he could truly see Celestia for what she was. This was her hopes and dreams, memories and fantasies, her experiences and desires in life. Although only having just begun, her existence already whispered of great potential, showing a knack for wisdom and leadership. Things that would prove quite useful to him if properly encouraged, and nurtured. That, combined with her power, oh how her strength would grow. The prospect of it excited him.

Just as carefully as he had entered Tillook withdrew from the little princesses’ mind, diligent to ensure that there would be no lasting traces of his intrusion. “The two of you are certainly going to keep things interesting,” he whispered quietly under his breath as his eyes flicked up to look at the queen.

He watched Aterna shift in her slumber, a restless look slowly spreading over her features. This was the closest he had been to the mare in well over a thousand years; an adult Alicorn was never in a more vulnerable state, and he could scarcely ask for a better chance. It would be easy, made even less of a challenge what with Malithion granting him access to a fraction more of his strength.

Tillook took a step closer, his gaze focused on the barely visible vein running down the side of the mare’s neck, watching the pulses of life giving blood. He stopped short, fists balled at his sides, tiny jolts of purple electricity sparking between his fingers. It would be easy, but foolish and would destroy everything that he had yet to accomplish. Tillook glanced again at the sleeping fillies as Celestia twitched in her sleep and Luna cooed. He knew that for now at least, Aeterna was still a necessary cog in the machine. For today, this was as far as things went, but tomorrow was anyone’s guess.

He had waited this long, held as a prisoner within his own mind, what was so bad about waiting for Fate to place the last of the stones for him. There were only so many actions he could take without drawing too much attention from the others; they thought of him as broken and weak, and he very much wanted to keep it that way.

Still, he thought for a moment as he surveyed the children, if he destroyed them all here and now then perhaps Malithion would finally find the motivation to end him and his suffering. It was just an intrusive thought, a loose tangent really, not something to be taken too seriously. He had far too many resources invested into these fillies to even consider the notion and besides, he liked children.

Speaking of errant thoughts, where in the hell had that come from? They meant nothing to him and in the long run, they would be cast aside when no longer needed. He peered down at Luna, his body going still as she squirmed closer to her mother and sister, something somewhere in his ancient mind sparking for but a moment out in the endless darkness. It was a dull dingy damaged thing, a fragment of a memory not thought of since-.

-With a shake of his head it was gone, banished beyond reach with anything else that might distract him from his goals. Children were just as exploitable as when they grew up, he had committed to this long ago and would do anything to see his plan succeed.

Tillook spared the queen one last look, his gaze going dark with a rage few possessed and fewer still could hope to match. When the time came, which was inevitable to happen, he would release it upon this world and watch with indifference as it burned. He had survived too much, lost too much and given too much. All of that and more, for what, so that these creatures might know life?

He stared at Aeterna, for how long was a mystery, though he was certain that it was longer than he had to give. A part of him wanted to wake her, to tell her of the things to come so that he might see her face, to watch the turmoil spread. It was little more than a dark fantasy of his, having given up on a happy ending long ago, his only motivation now was to see his plan through. To whatever end it brought him.

Tillook had nothing else; he was reminded of that every time he so much as looked at a pony. His fists clenched tight, the knuckles going white as he stood there, staring at one of the keystones to his downfall. He wished he could still truly feel his hate, the pure essence of his emotions locked away with everything else that had made him unstoppable in the past.

The air grew colder around him as he tried to remember what it had felt like, small whispers of things floated around his consciousness. Traces of anger, sadness, regret, and for the briefest of moments, joy. He focused on these little snippets of his old self, remembering why he started down this path, and why they would pay.

Tillook knew his time was coming, had felt it in the very bonds of reality around him as they strained to continue this doomed cycle. He knew even as he watched Aeterna stir and begin to rouse that the Alicorn would meet her undoing soon enough and that all he would need to do, was wait. So as Aeterna’s head rose and her lids began to flutter, Tillook decided that patience would continue to steer his course and with a final glance at the foals he was gone…

Aeterna opened her eyes, her heart thudding in her chest as she awoke suddenly, unaware of what had roused her. Her blood was cold with fear, her hide quivering as she quickly glanced about the room. She could sense nothing and yet her heart told her that death had been upon them just now.

With a deep breath she set her magic about the room, scouring every nook and crevice, yet finding nothing amiss. Her children still slept peacefully and the guards remained at their posts. The only thing that seemed odd was one of the far windows had come open slightly, its heavy shutter swinging ever so slowly in the gentle mountain breeze. They were unquestionably alone.

She watched the thin rays of light leaking into the room, the beams landing just shy of little Luna’s face, causing the filly to squirm and whimper in her sleep. Aeterna reached out with her magic and shut the window, turning the latch before leaning down to kiss both of her daughter’s foreheads. Perhaps it was just a mother’s worries getting the better of her, this was the safest room in the palace after all. If she and her foals were not safe here surrounded by their protectors then neither would they be anywhere else…

/ / / / / /

Their Majestie’s royal Guardspony and officer of the Elite Valkyrian Pegasi Flying Blades, Ardarius, found himself momentarily confused. The warrior had trained intensively, pushed himself in the art of mental discipline to ensure that this very thing could never happen and yet it had. He was bored…

Ardarius had done much for his King and Queen, accepted any task without question. He had risked life and limb over far off lands and done the very same right here within their own Kingdom. Yet never once in all his military years, no matter the dismal thankless posts he had stood, had he ever once allowed something as trivial as boredom cloud the edges of his thoughts.

So why then, as he found himself quickly checking the airspace around him, did he suddenly feel like he had been guarding these windows for years…?

/ / / / / /

Tillook had very nearly reached the bottom of the mountain, his little legs beating the ground in a blur as he sprinted, thoroughly enjoying the exercise after his time spent in Tartarus. Though it was certainly true that he could have left at any point he wanted, he had needed the absence.

Just as he had begun to think that his little stunt would go unnoticed he once again sensed the Watcher’s eyes upon him. He knew that there would be consequence for his actions, though it did nothing to lessen his annoyance.

Slowing his pace slightly Tillook looked to the sky, his eyes narrowing when he spotted the being that now approached. “Incoming.” He muttered sarcastically, already well aware of what was about to happen.

Barely a second later and a small mass of feathers rocketed out of the sky, a pair of talons crashing down on the newt’s back, driving him into the ground. The impact was strong enough to shake the surrounding trees, not that Tillook cared, he barely felt it.

“Wisdom,” Tillook wheezed, his face buried in the dirt. “To what do I owe the pleasure? A visit from Malithion’s right hand overseer of Fate is always highly unprecedented.”

“Spare me your gifts of soiled pleasantries, Tillook,” Came the reply as the talons slowly removed themselves from Tillook’s spine.

Finally allowed to free himself from the soil and roll over in his tiny crater Tillook took a closer look at another of his jailors, the mighty Fate of Wisdom and a constant thorn in his side. Taking the form of a small horned owl Wisdom blended into the surrounding world with little difficulty just as he did, keeping an eye on things like the others of his kind.

“Very well then, if my polite gestures offend you so, what do you want, Wisdom?” Tillook asked, his tone changing to reflect how he really felt about the situation. "Did Malithion send you to keep an eye on me? Or perhaps you just wanted me to take care of some more of your dirty work behind her back?"

“You think I know so little,” Wisdom replied dangerously, his face like thunder as he stepped down on Tillook’s chest, his eyes burning with warning as he ground the tiny newt back into the dirt. “If you ever make such a threatening display towards them again, I will personally exhaust the Nexus upon you until you are beyond repair!”

“Do not tease me with such thoughts of fancy, Wisdom.” Tillook gasped out, grabbing at the avian leg pinning him down to keep it from crushing him, the ground cracking under his body from the force. “What would dear Malithion think?”

Taking a moment to calm himself Wisdom eventually relented, lifting his talons and turning away, allowing the gasping creature a chance to stand. “If you were still deserving of my apologies,Tillook, I would offer them. But those fillies are far to important to allow you the chance to meddle in their lives. Whether Malithion approves or not, if you come near them again, you will suffer…”

“Oh undoubtedly,” Tillook muttered sarcastically, throwing up his hands defensively when Wisdom turned to glare at him again. “Relax, I could more easily tear off my own head than bring harm to those girls,” He assured, waving the still glowing bands around his wrists for the owl to see.

Though the owl’s eyes narrowed he seemed satisfied with this response, having seen first hand the crippling effects the prisoner’s bonds could inflict upon him. “Then why come at all? If you truly bore them no ill will then what purpose could your presence here serve? Especially when your commands clearly demand your presence elsewhere.”

“That question holds a simple answer really.” Tillook replied, brushing the dust from his body before turning to look back at the castle in the distance. “I came to see them, Wisdom. Even I respect their importance, the birth of a new Alicorn is a rare and treasured occasion. I mean, if most other species went that long without a fresh batch they would go extinct.”

“A crude but, succinct summation.” Wisdom muttered as he spread his wings, preparing to take to the skies once more. “Very well, Tillook, then if we are done here I must insist that you not dawdle. Valkris is on the move and I suspect the Paladins will not last long against the Iridescent known as Roh.”

With those final words the owl took flight, quickly disappearing around the side of the mountain. Tillook watched for a few minutes until he was well and truly alone, that tiny wicked grin just barely visible on his lips. “Oh Wisdom, we are so very nearly done, very nearly indeed…”

Author's Note

All right gang, sorry about the wait we had a slight issue last week but things are back on track now I think. Also just to clarify, I cannot promise you a chapter every Sunday, that is not our official posting day just the one that tends to be the most convenient for all those involved.

That said we are still quite committed to getting chapters out on a regular basis, so don't be too worried if we disappear for a few days, or a couple weeks, this thing ain't going away anytime soon! And if there are delays, you will get a P.S.A. explaining why. Or just one of us standing there jangling keys... :twilightsheepish: Look at it this way, a slight delay usually just means a bigger chapter is coming anyway... :moustache:

So thanks again to everyone giving us their time, we hope you enjoyed this latest installment! As always feel free to leave us feedback, it really helps motivation and moral around here, and helps us improve for the future!

Thanks again. ~Dollars

XIII: A Haven Among the Stars

Chapter Thirteen

A Haven Among the Stars

May this place long serve as a haven for those who share the blood of our convictions. Let kindred hearts enter and rest their weary bones at the end of every journey, so that they might be ready for the next.

~Excerpt translated from The Star Order Chronicles: Words of the Founder

/ / / Haven / / /

With the quiet sound of creaking hinges Silver Spark eased the worn old door to the tree house shut, slumping against it slightly for a moment as he inhaled deeply. He was exhausted, but figured that saving the life of a new princess would do that to a pony. Stepping away from the door he pulled off his slightly tattered apprentice’s cloak and lethargically tossed it at a hook near the others, his gaze sweeping tiredly down the short hallway into the homes interior.

It was a simple dwelling by most standards, constructed in the olden Earth pony tradition of hollowing out a sizable tree and constructing a home within. Though Silver Spark had paid the reasoning behind the choice of structure little mind over his years here, he did seem to recall Master Luminescent saying how it kept them in balance with nature. However that worked…

Silver sighed dramatically, taking his first steps further into the thankfully warm interior. There were days he very much disliked nature, like today for example, when it offered him only cold and yetis. He paused for a moment, taking a long pointed look behind himself at the thick wooden door. It also made whatever, that, had been…

Ever since he was a foal ponies had said that he was different, treated him different. They said that he was sick, or broken in some way. It was because of the things that he was certain that he had seen, or heard, or had simply sensed. Things that other ponies said were impossible, or were only in his mind. Luminescent had said differently.

That was how Silver had come to be here, a simple test as Master Luminescent had put it, the old wizard having showed up at his school late one afternoon. The test of course had been anything but simple, buried in riddles and laced with ulterior motives, as things often were when it came to his tests. To this day Silver Spark found himself questioning the very nature of what had been asked of him.

Leaving the small entry area behind and moving forward Silver absentmindedly acknowledged the door to the high Master’s chambers was cracked open. A small sliver of the relatively meager interior being just visible as he passed by, the room seemingly empty.

Not surprised in the slightest Silver turned his attention to his right, just as he passed a large archway set into the wall. Beyond this was a large commons area that took up most of the ground floor, consisting largely of a cozy looking sitting room, the walls lined with shelves of books and curios from far off lands.

The room was, for the most part, carved out like a crescent moon with its outer edge following the natural curve of the tree. Starting off narrow at the far right with a crackling fireplace the room widened to the left of the archway, another arch bisecting the space at its widest point. Through that one you would find the dining area as well as the kitchen, pantry, and washrooms.

Slowing his pace just a bit as he passed Silver let his eyes wander around the room, spotting Master Luminescent already fast asleep, sprawled over his favored cushion near the fire. It amazed him how one moment the old stallion was keeping pace with even the youngest of his students during training, matching them blow for blow, and the next appear every bit the old pony he seemed to be.

With a smirk of amusement Silver Spark continued on his way, just a few steps further bringing him to the center of the house. The hallway widened here, curving around either side of a spiraling staircase cut from the very heartwood of the tree, the steps rising up to reach the upper two floors. The second level of the house contained the apprentices’ sleeping chambers and above that, a library.

Wishing nothing more than to ascend the stairs and retire for the rest of the week, his front hoof tentatively placed atop the first step, Silver sighed under his breath and instead headed further down the hall. At the far end, just passed a second arch that led into the kitchens, was another door on his right across from more stairs leading down into the basement. He stood there a long moment, just staring at the solid piece of wood hanging on its hinges, trying to think of what he should say in favor of what he wanted to say.

Silver knew this would be one of those times where he should be delicate, employing tact and empathy. He needed to show that he was not completely hopeless in these areas and that given enough time, truly was capable of learning from his mistakes.

With a deep breath to calm his nerves Silver set his shoulders, taking on as calm a façade as he could. Stepping forward he slowly pushed the door open, his thoughts as thick and turbulent as the clouds of steam that rushed out to meet him…

/ / / / / /

Taking pause at the bottom of the basement stairs Star Swirl held himself back, observing the room that served as both a place to train and to study the more advanced forms of magic. More specifically though, he demarcated his observations towards the sole occupant, watching with interest as she ducked and weaved through the air.

This was apprentice Shadow Depth, the youngest and by a fair margin the most recent pony to have been discovered by the Order. Having only just arrived the previous year she seemed hell bent on catching the other students in their studies and had very nearly surpassed Star Swirl’s own level in her short time under the Order’s tutelage. A fact that both impressed, as well as aggravated him.

Still though, it was not proper to become jealous of some pony simply because their ambition and drive pushed them to surpass you, even if it seemed through your eyes as though your road had been the more difficult one. That said, Star Swirl could not help feeling a pang of envy as he watched her glowing body glide between motions, kicks and spells flowing perfectly after one another with fluid grace as she ‘fought.’

Held aloft as she was Shadow Depth continued to pirouette through the air, her nimble frame surrounded by a thin translucent sphere of magical energy that shimmered over her black coat and shone with white light from her eyes. Known to pony kind as a Reality Marble, the technique was highly favored by Master Luminescent and held quite true to its name. In a novice’s terms, the spell worked by feeding the user’s brain magically crafted stimuli, effectively allowing for any number of desired experiences.

So, even though it would appear to an outside observer that nothing of interest was happening, Star Swirl knew that within the spell’s confines Shadow was engaged in what looked to be a brutal brawl. He unconsciously flinched as something caused her to grunt and stagger, the breath leaving her lungs from a heavy impact. There were of course safeties in place to prevent any serious injury, but the spell could still bruise…

Star Swirl watched with concern as Shadow Depth struggled to rise, wondering if she had been in there all night as he noticed the sheen of sweat on her heaving sides. His worry turned to a smirk however as she set her shoulders and took up another steady fighting stance, signaling the waiting aggressors that she was ready for more.

Envious though he might have been Star Swirl had to admit he was definitely impressed by this mare, a year younger and barely half his size, yet here she was standing up to an encounter that had bested him on more than one occasion. He knew this challenge well and had recognized it based off her motions, six opponents wielding basic blunt weapons, hooves and repulsion spells only. Though her opponents could not be seen from this vantage it was quite apparent to him that, even though she was most certainly outnumbered, it mattered very little.

Glancing at the floor Star Swirl took a quick inventory of the projection system, a series of manna crystals set into a polished slab of quartz, a pattern of gold runes etched into the material. The reality spell drew a rather significant amount of energy, requiring more than any one unicorn could provide while still hoping to utilize the effects for more than a brief period.

The manna crystals served as the primary source of energy for the spell, able to sustain the illusion for multiple users over several days on their own if need be. Finding them nearly half drained was cause for shock, leading Star Swirl to shake his head upon confirming his suspicions. His smirk devolved into a smile of disbelief, having concluded that the crazy filly had been running herself ragged all night and now most of the morning as well. She was a stubborn little thing…

Shadow had not taken their Master’s decision for her to remain behind well; she had kept her tongue but had left the room in quite the huff. Star Swirl felt a twinge of empathy for her, remembering well how little trust he had been given in regards to his assignments. She would earn it however, given time and her unrelenting drive would ensure that when the day came to prove herself she could handle anything that was asked of her.

At least Star Swirl hoped she could see it that way, even he had to admit that Luminescent seemed to go out of his way to be tough on her, pushing her through trials that even Star Shine had only recently completed. Come to think of it now that he had a moment, all of their training seemed to have been accelerating over the past months. There had not even been time for him to write his mother a proper letter, just a few quick scribbles of how he was faring.

That had been hard enough to get done, let alone mail the blasted thing; it still sat under a pile of books on his writing desk. Star Swirl wondered how the others were doing under the load, his mind drifting as he continued to watch Shadow Depth combat her opponents, surely she had the least amount of free time out of all of them.

He admired her progress though, to have come so far in such a short time was nigh unheard of. For a Unicorn to gain power through expanding their mana reserves often required years of constant practice and meditation, as this was the only course one could follow. A lucky few like himself had been blessed with a natural talent in the art and as such could climb higher than most. Then, on a whim, a true prodigy the likes of Star Shine would come along and leave them all to feel lacking…

Star Swirl nearly snorted aloud at the mere thought, if he had tried to pull off the same spell as Star Shine had against the Yeti it would likely have killed him. She had been exposed to the same magic withering effects as he had traversing those peaks, yet a spell like that barely left her winded. He slowly scuffed a hoof across the perfectly polished floor, reliving his frenzied escape down the mountain side. How could he compete with that when he had barely the strength left to wield his blade at the end? It was no surprise that Master Luminescent had picked her, not that Shine didn’t deserve it.

Before he had arrived, Star Shine had been the only apprentice currently undergoing training with the Order, her skill and talent for magic already far ahead of Star Swirl’s own. He had learned a lot from his fellow student and not just lessons of spellcraft and alchemy. Star Shine had been one of the first ponies in his life that Star Swirl had come to consider a friend and he knew that she was disappointed with him about the creatures of the mountain.

Having decided to finish scolding himself later Star Swirl was about to announce himself when the light of the projection crystals began to flicker, an indication the illusion was coming to an end. Sure enough, Shadow Depth had ceased her battling and was offering her opponents a courteous bow.

Watching as the spell came to an end Star Swirl moved a few paces closer, wondering exactly how he should begin the discourse between them. Shadow had made it rather clear on several occasions that she did not wish for the friendship of the other students, but that certainly was no reason they could not still be civil with each other.

Shadow Depth made the decision for him, speaking up on her own terms as she was gently returned to the floor. “Star Swirl?” She asked with a flat tone, sounding more like a bored statement than an inquiry. “I suppose if you are present then it is safe to assume the quest was a success, you would not have returned without acquiring what was needed, and would therefore not be here otherwise.”

“Why do ponies always say that?” Star Swirl grumbled, looking to the floor for a moment as he remembered the brief conversation with Star Shine up on the mountain.

“It is your redeeming quality,” Shadow Depth replied simply. Blinking owlishly for a moment as the light shining from her eyes finally faded away, revealing intense green irises that burned with intelligence.

“Oh, well it is nice to know that I have such a thing in your eyes,” Star Swirl muttered with sarcasm, his ears wilting slightly.

“I meant that only as a compliment, Star Swirl,” Shadow replied defensively. Still not having bothered to look at him as she attempted to straighten her mane, wiping beads of sweat from around her eyes as she did. “If you have proven anything to me over my time here, it is that you have the temerity to get done what needs doing, the Princess was in good hooves.”

Star Swirl was surprised to say the least; he hadn’t expected that from the usually stony mannered mare, perhaps she had begun to change her opinions of him after all! “Thank you, Shadow. That means the world right now,” he said, perking up a little at the praise.

Shadow flicked her eyes up at the familiar sound of magic; her expression softening a bit as she graciously accepted the towel that Star Swirl levitated over to the panting mare. “You may thank Master Stardust; it was she who strongly espoused that I... Make an effort to encourage my fellows in their endeavors,” Shadow stated simply, wiping down her face with the towel before using it to tie back her indigo mane. “Do you feel encouraged, Star Swirl?”

“Not the, exact verbiage I would use. No,” Star Swirl replied dryly, his features deflating further as his shoulders sagged. So much for that earlier thought, some opinions never changed. “A commendable effort though,” he quickly added, backpedaling a few steps as her eyes narrowed.

“Yes, but directed at the wrong pony. I think,” Shadow Depth said somewhat absentmindedly, her eyes flicking from side to side as her thoughts went elsewhere. She stalked forward, her strides covering surprising distance for her stature, gaze surveying him as if evaluating a trinket at the market.

Star Swirl hated when she did this, it made him feel like a chunk of meat. There had been a few times in the past when he had become genuinely convinced she was about to hack a piece of him off for study. Perhaps it was merely a harmless chemical imbalance in his brain, but she made him nervous.

“The quest was a success, but I see that it came with a price,” Shadow said as she began a circle around her fellow apprentice, her eyes scanning up and down as she went, identifying every detail. “You are very nearly exhausted, magically as well as physically. Which would indicate something far more taxing than a simple trek to the summit and back.”

It was the eyes, definitely the eyes that Star Swirl found most distressing about her, the way they just burned into you. He could swear he could feel the heat as he turned his head to watch her with a cautious grimace.

Shadow held a hoof up to Star Swirl’s muzzle as she moved around back to his front. “Spare me your explanations; this will be the faster for both of us,” she said, her gaze finally meeting his. “Four shallow slash wounds along the mid of your back, hastily bandaged and bled through,” she droned as she reached up and tugged something loose from his mane. “A single strand of lose hair not your own, but judging by thickness and curl I would have to say from a highland Yeti, a young male juvenile.”

Star Swirl wanted to interject, to defend his position in all of this. In the end however, he knew there would be little point to it, having been put through the process plenty of times before.

“I am disappointed, Star Swirl,” Shadow Depth said with a short sigh, stepping back from him. “It is both an embarrassment and a waste of time to be scented out by a hunting pack of predators. You are aware that there are spells and potions for concealing one’s self yes?”

“Most certainly,” Star Swirl huffed, ready to assert himself in defense of his own academic accomplishments, only to shrink back as her gaze lit anew.

“I see now, the reason for those slumped shoulders and the look of aggravation in your eyes,” Shadow continued on, unimpeded by Star Swirl’s attempt at a rebuttal. “Silver Spark, with his obsessing need to keep an eye on you over his shoulder, likely spotted your peril long before you became aware of it. Undoubtedly his bravado and compulsive need for attention drew you all into a needless and bloody confrontation, which is why Star Shine is now upset and brooding and Silver Spark is off someplace being clueless about his self misguidance, as usual. Does this about sum things up?”

Star Swirl raised a hoof to add something but stopped himself, thinking it better to simply nod and concede for the time being. He remembered the words of an old sage whom he had read about, saying that to win the long war, one must first survive its battles.

“Come along then,” Shadow said with surprising authority, brushing past him with purpose powering every step. “We should go and encourage them to be civil when the time arrives to become involved.”

“Not to worry,” Star Swirl said with a reassuring smile, glancing after her and towards the staircase. “I am certain that Silver has already come up with some clever way of apologizing to her…”

/ / / / / /

Star Shine sighed with contentment as she slowly eased herself lower into the hot water, her sore muscles relaxing as the day’s grit and grime washed from her coat. If there was any kind of divine paradise out there then this had to have been a close second. The steam was doing wonders for her wind battered skin; and lavender oil in the bath water drove the stink of sweat and foul yeti breath from her nostrils.

Rolling onto her back Star Shine slowly let her limbs go limp and sink to the bottom as her head rested against a cushion on the rim of the old wooden tub, letting the drama of the day fade from her thoughts. She would be unlikely to admit it in the face of her peers but she was exhausted, drained not only on a physical level, but on a magical one as well. Even now her horn throbbed and her hooves quivered; the first warning signs of minor magical depletion. She hoped those two morons appreciated the strain a spell like that had entailed under such conditions; it had cost her a great deal to save their scruffy necks…

Though it had barely been more than a night since they had left on their life saving quest it felt more like months had somehow passed, as if they had been frozen while time continued its relentless march. She lifted a foreleg and stared at her hoof as the frog flexed; frozen was most definitely the right word, her blood still felt the mountain’s icy chill.

Hearing that little filly cry had made all the hardship worth it though; her tiny voice working for the first time was something Star Shine could never forget. It reminded her why she pushed herself so hard, why she worked every day to achieve what Master Luminescent expected of her. It was that reminder that ultimately helped put her mind at ease, reassurance she had passed her test.

Star Shine lost herself to the thought for a moment, examining it as she watched the droplets of water run down her leg, collecting along the underside and dripping off her clumped fur. She had passed, hadn’t she? The rules of Luminescent’s tests were often quite vague and this one seemed to be no different. The old Master often spoke of how every life held value, how even the most ferocious beasts were a part of the balance of nature.

Star Shine had taken the lives of wild creatures before, slain monsters and other foul things in the name of the Order, in the name of ponies whom had been unable to defend themselves. This seemed no different on the surface, cut and dried, end a single life to preserve many. Yet, somehow this felt different in a way. Something that tickled the back of her mind would not rest, it just kept picking at her, demanding another look.

Perhaps it was nothing, just remnants of the same old self debate she had dealt with the first time her blade had ever cleaved through flesh. It had been so very fast; a desperate moment of self preservation, her own life hanging on a momentary decision. If she tried Star Shine could still feel the monster’s humid breath at her face, its fangs closing around her throat. In that single moment, she had learned what it was to kill.

Who was she to have taken a life, what gave her that right? These were some of the questions that she had struggled with in the years since that fateful night. The creature had been a monstrous unnatural hybrid, devouring any it found with no remorse. Many had called her a hero that day.

All Star Shine had heard was the creature’s pitiful whimpers as the last of its blood flowed onto the ground, its final death rattle clear in her mind despite the cheers. She had been trembling, not just with fear and adrenaline, but also with shock at herself. She had always sought to best her foes with her skills of magic, defeating them with clever tactics and as little in the way of violence as possible. The very path that Luminescent seemed to guide her towards.

That was the whole point of the Star Order; to gain and preserve knowledge so that it might further harmony throughout the world. Star Shine had learned two very important lessons that night; one being that magic could not solve all of her problems, the other being that violence by its very nature would be inevitable. She had made peace with that.

Violence was inevitable, it happened naturally every day in nature and that was a fact. Facts were named such for a reason; they were things she could not change. If she wished to continue down this path of learning for the sake of protecting then there would be more violence ahead. Some she could avoid with her will and magic, but some, would inevitably require more from her. Inevitably, she would be forced to make that decision again. Inevitably, she would have to kill.

That is what frightened Star Shine the most, why she had chastised Silver so harshly on the walk back and why she hated him for causing such an easily avoidable mess. She wasn’t afraid of the inevitable, of the necessity of that most heinous of acts. No, she was terrified of herself, terrified of one single little aspect of those rare little moments when she had faced down the inevitable. What scared her the most, was that she had begun to enjoy it.

The moment she had seen that first monster’s blood spill, when it splashed over her screaming face and she finally realized that it had not been hers, the sole feeling in her heart at that moment had been elation. Elation not of simply being alive, but that the beast had died, meeting its end at her hooves. She enjoyed the feeling of having just killed, it left her feeling like a predator, and she loathed it.

But it was more than that. After that fateful night she had sought council amongst the Masters of the Order and they had offered a great deal of comfort, yet the feeling persisted. Now it seemed to have returned to fester in her thoughts once more.

With a defeated groan Star Shine finally let her leg drop back into the water, letting it sink with her mood as she shifted deeper into the tub’s warmth. Her eyes threatened to flutter shut as they danced with the flicker of the candles, the calming light soothing her mind just as the warm lavender water soothed her body.

Taking another deep breath of the humid room helped Star Shine to quiet her thoughts, focusing more and more on the smells as she drew in through her nostrils and out her mouth. The damp wood of the room mixed with a hint of candle smoke, hot mineral filled water with lavender and just a hint of lilac.

There was something else as well, now that she was looking for it. Star Shine took another deep lungful of steamy air, catching a further faint trace of something familiar. Shine opened her eyes a crack, peering over the other end of the tub towards the far wall, the door there barely visible through the wafting steam.

Having lost whatever had caught the attention of her nose Star Shine decided it didn’t matter. She was quite content to simply lie here and be done with the world for a while so after settling back into the water’s wondrous embrace, sliding down until her muzzle was all that remained visible over the suds, she closed her eyes with another sigh. Whatever it might have been did not matter right this second, because she had finally managed a moment for herself, and she was not about to let anything else ruin it now…

“Ahem…”

Her eyes flew open at the sound as she instinctively flailed towards the far side of the tub, soapy water splashing wildly as her hooves rose to prepare for a fight. A stray clump of bubbled soap landed square in her eyes, nearly blinding her as it burned, severely hampering her desperate search for what was surely an attacker.

Heart thundering in her ears, it was no less annoying that when at last she could see well enough to identify her aggressor, it was only to find an idiot had invaded her bath time…

“Silver!!”

Author's Note

Hey gang, sorry about the long delay, things have been a bit odd for me lately. There is going to be a move in my very near future so I can’t promise that the next few chapters won’t have delays as well. Fear not though, this story will continue. ~Dollars

XIV: Solidarity

Chapter Fourteen: Solidarity

It has been a rather long while since I have felt the necessity for one of these entries and far too many a year since I have felt a change like this. There have been moments in recent days when I had wondered if perhaps the cycle had been broken and peace was here to stay. Now I see that this is not so.

No, indeed it is not. The darkness stirs amongst the farthest corners of our world, where it has grown strong beyond our sight, hungry yet remaining patient. A storm looms, of that I am sure; you can smell it on the blowing winds. It cries with the howls of war and the louder its baying grows, the further from balance Harmony will fall-

/ / / Haven / / /

-Master Luminescent cracked one of his tired eyes open, a mischievous little smile tugging at his cheek while he listened to the faint sounds of hooves fading away down the hall, a playful gleam flashing in his gaze. After waiting to be sure that Silver Spark had gone Luminescent rolled over on his cushion so as to rest more comfortably on his belly, giving a contented sigh as he settled into the plush fabric. Folding his forelegs nattily in front of his chest for balance he stole one last glance at the hall, a quiet chuckle escaping him as his horn lit with magic.

Not wishing to be disturbed as he wrote Luminescent had feigned sleep, a tactic that had served him well over the years spent living amongst the young. With barely a thought he pushed a flicker of power down the length of his horn, growing thin strands of pale golden light that twirled and danced their way through the air. Under his guiding gaze the magic slowly reached beneath the folds of the pony’s perch, retreating moments later with a thin bundle of parchment in tow.

Sending off another tendril of magic in search of his discarded quill Luminescent regarded the assemblage of pages that floated lazily before him with a solemn look, his latest entry doing little to assuage his worries. Though true enough that the outcome had proven joyous, he remained leery of the darker edges the night had held. Even now his body shivered from an un-felt cold, the hairs of his nape ridged and twitching at ghosts.

Gingerly Luminescent let loose the length of red ribbon holding the journal together, the pages flipping open at the gentle coaxing of the magic that held them. He had not added to this collection for some considerable amount of time, it having been nearly a decade now since last he felt the need.

The old wizard's wrinkled face softened for a moment as he paused, a smile hinting at the corner of his mouth as the previous entry stared back at him. The entry itself was short, a scant few paragraphs pertaining to the success of a journey, a journey to a school. It was of the day that Star Swirl had been taken in by the order.

Luminescent had trained many youths over his many years, and had witnessed them achieve wonders all their own. Young Star Swirl though, he was destined to be special, for that colt held within him a spark that Luminescent had scarcely seen.

Turning the page to where he had left off Luminescent sighed tiredly, pleased nonetheless that his words then rang true now. Star Swirl had continued to exceed all expectations placed upon him, the previous evening being no exception, and further proof of his importance.

With a few smoky puffs and a belch of embers the nearby fireplace crackled to life. The action was a mere afterthought as Luminescent scrunched himself lower into his cushion, the all too real cold outside reaching in a little too far for his liking. The natural orange flames flickered with streaks of blues and greens as traces of the stallions’ magic heated the wooden fuel to ignition, quickly warming the room and filling the air with the inviting cracks and pops common of the mountain’s pitch laden trees.

Having tended to the needs of the fire Luminescent directed his returning quill towards an inkwell at the base of his perch, deftly wetting the tip before bringing it up beside his waiting journal. He spent a moment watching the firelight dance over the page as he collected his thoughts, a few deep breaths serving to steady his senses. The entry was nearly complete, only requiring a few additional words to summarize his earlier musings.

With his brow furrowing in concentration Luminescent placed his quill to the parchment and wrote. Should Harmony be swayed too far from the path set before us all, then I fear we should be doomed to once again repeat this endless cycle; creation and destruction ad infinitum.

After adding his signature and a date for reference Luminescent took a moment to read over his work, making certain the scant few paragraphs were adequate to convey what he felt needed said. It was likely that none would ever see these transcriptions, but he felt compelled all the same.

With a gentle breath across the page to help dry the ink, Luminescent slipped the ribbon around his little treasure and cinched it tight once more. He noted the fact that only a few unused pages remained before the bundle would be full, a sarcastic smirk took hold of his wrinkled face at the thought of having only a few short years left before he would need a new one.

That thought troubled him, his eyes growing somber as they glanced at the faded blue fur that adorned his leg, the once vibrant strands flecked with silver. A part of him wished that whatever was about to be had happened sooner, before time had taken so much of his strength. Only a few short years left, indeed…

Requiring a frustrating amount of effort Luminescent slowly convinced his body to clamber over the edge of his plush cushion and with a self encouraging grunt, eased himself into a standing position. With a spark from his horn the journal was deposited atop his back as he slowly shuffled for the door.

The walk to his room was a short one, though for a mind such as his it still left ample time for pondering and there was much for him to think about. It occurred to him that perhaps he should send word to their cousins in the far north; the eyes of the Citadel saw far. If any could see the beast lurking within the shadows, it would be them.

Terra and his Alicorns liked to think themselves masters over the world, yet as their hubris grew they had slowly lost touch with Harmony, the very thing that had led their kind to ascend. Now they quibbled and fought amongst each other just as any other race, every grievance becoming all the more trivial and it blinded them.

Luminescent left that thought in the hall as he entered his room, pausing just inside as his gaze swept over the deceptively plain space. His was a very simple dwelling when compared to most, a scant few trinkets and keepsakes adorning a single shelf below the one window. A plain wooden writing desk sat straight across from the door, several pieces of parchment and a quill waiting for when they would next be needed.

It was the bed that inevitably drew Luminescent’s dwindling attention though, his fidgeting mind again ignoring the fact that the tiny thing was barely big enough for a grown pony in favor of noting how well it matched the other décor perfectly. The quilts called to him with a promise of resting his weary bones. He could hardly wait.

Climbing into that warm embrace would have to be forestalled just a moment longer however, as there was another matter to which he would first need to attend. With a spark of magic the old journal on his back floated around to be scrutinized one last time, his eyes lingering a moment on a pair of symbols adorning the cover.

Sighing inwardly Luminescent approached a particularly smooth section of wall near the head of his bed, the wood polished and planed nearly to perfection, the life rings of the tree showing in the grain. Coming to a stop another barely discernible flash from the wizard's horn saw the heavy door to his room ease shut, a series of sound dampening wards flashing across the single cut piece of timber. Satisfied that he would have privacy for the moment he placed a hoof to the wall, the wood beneath the raised limb coming alight with a cold sapphire glow.

Lowering his leg Luminescent waited patiently as the light spread out over the wall, slowly resolving into a pair of equal sized panels that then dissolved from view, leaving a shallow space set further back within the wall. The only noteworthy feature of this hideaway being a few additional shelves carved straight into the wood of the tree; a concealed bookcase the likes of which one might expect to find within the home of a wizard.

Expectations would deceive however; absent were the tattered tomes filled with ancient wisdom and spells to dazzle the mind. In fact, these shelves contained little of any monetary value to anyone, just the cogitations of an old stallion. This was merely his journal, kept since he had come to this place. Gingerly Luminescent placed the most recent volume back amongst its brothers, dozens upon dozens of nearly identical booklets, the number denoting symbols marking it as nearly the hundredth in the collection.

Stepping back Luminescent felt his face harden as his mind took note of how little space was left upon the shelves; it was a sobering sight, yet another reminder to the twilight that had crept up on him. He had known it was coming, had felt it in his bones as of late. No pony could outrun time forever.

A familiar tickle near the tip of his horn told Luminescent that his time for self reflections would soon be cut short. Turning away Luminescent strode towards his desk, a quick glimmer of light from his horn and the panels returned to hide the shelves once more, the enchantment over his door deconstructing a moment later. He had just managed to take a natural enough looking seated position at his desk when a politely quiet knock came at his door, the familiar voice of Stardust Jade calling to him a moment later.

“Lumi, are ye still awake?” Stardust called, her inquiry just loud enough to be heard through the door. “Shadow has left out some stew to simmer, come share a quick meal with us, I’ll not have my head master turning in half starved.”

At these words Luminescent bid his door to open, the heavy piece of timber swinging gracefully out of the way in a pale cloud of magic and allowing Stardust to enter, something she did quickly lest he change his mind. Stepping into the room the aging mare gave the unused bed a surprised look, shaking her head as she walked over to stand beside the desk.

“Would not eat, and now will not sleep.” Stardust grumbled tetchily with a chuff. “Terra forgive me, for he passed on while under my watch. What should be next, must I pull you from this work by your scruff?”

Luminescent leaned back in his chair and reached out a hoof to gently embrace her shoulder, a far off look in his eyes as they met hers. “Where have the years gone, Jade?” he asked quietly, motioning to the letter he had just begun to read. “I cannot help but feel as though I have traded and fretted them away.”

“Fretted mayhaps.” Stardust replied softly, leaning into the hug a bit. “You have always been fraught with such concern for every pony, Lumi, but to say that your years grow short would put a grin to the face of any who know you.” She leaned her head close and gave him a caring nuzzle, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “It is said by many that death itself cannot catch you, you tireless old fool, and do not think for a moment that I fail to remember your face on the day I was brought here as a wee lass.”

Luminescent cracked a smile of his own, distant memories playing through his mind as if they had happened yesterday. “You called me old,” he muttered distractedly. Reaching again for the letter that had attracted his attention, the sender being one of his many apprentices to complete their training and venture out into the world.

“You were old, and so driven,” Stardust said merrily, a few fond memories of her own coming to mind as she gave the letter Luminescent pulled closer an understanding nod. “Though, if I know you, you are still just as driven and will likely outlive us all. By Terra, the very thought of the Order carrying on with anypony else wearing the high master’s robes alone is probably enough to keep you going.”

Luminescent took pause at this, his gaze leaving the letter to glance beside him at the pile of neatly folded purple and blue cloth, the matching hat sitting neatly on top. “No, Stardust, you will make a fine high master when the time comes,” he said warmly, watching as her ears twitched. “Then, someday some little foal will call you old.”

“And it will earn them a smart bottom,” Stardust replied after a moment. A humor filled snort escaped her as she pulled away, her magic refolding the letter and pushing it further up the desk. “Now come, have a meal and listen to the exaggerations surly to be spun by young minds, work will always be there.”

Stealing one final glance at the letter Luminescent finally gave in and with a sigh, nodded his compliance. He knew that she was right, was nearly always right, and that some warm food would do him good. So with a smile he rarely offered to any other pony, he accepted the now beckoning hoof that helped him ease back to the floor and together the two friends followed their noses out of the room.

/ / / / / /

Star Shine wiped away a clump of fiery red mane that clung to her face, feeling a growl building in her throat as she tried to grip the now soapy sides of the tub, her back slipping ever further downwards. She wanted to scream and if not for her waterlogged lungs she most certainly would have. That, or used her magic to hurl this fool off the mountain; a proper stallion should know better than to invade a ladies’ bath!

Silver Spark, being Silver Spark, remained oblivious to Star Shine’s new predicament. Having decided that there was something needing said he was now bound and determined to say it and until he had all else was of secondary concern.

“Shine, I know you probably don’t want to hear anything that I have to say right now,” Silver started, striding a few steps closer as his gaze wandered around everywhere except the target of his words. “But I get the feeling that, if it is even possible, I may have disappointed you somehow…?”

Attempting to point an accusatory hoof at him Star Shine unfortunately lost her grip on the side of the tub, the mare’s eyes going wide as her back immediately slipped down the age worn wood. With a quickly muted shriek she slid down under the water, all four hooves flailing about at the surface.

“I know you are upset, Shine, and I had the whole walk up the mountain to do some thinking,” Silver continued as though nothing had happened, his eyes vacantly tracking the erratic motions in front of him. “And I agree with you wholeheartedly. Star Swirl should have put forth the effort to either move with greater haste, or simply taken care not to get spotted in the first place. I am certainly no pony to point hooves, but I can’t help feeling like this is at least partially his fault,” he added, casually dodging a flying clump of suds.

Getting no response Silver simply shrugged, figuring that if there were no interruptions then he could say his peace. “I can certainly understand where your feelings of disappointment are coming from, but keep in mind I only attracted say, half of the Yeti. So, from a certain point of view I really should only get half of the blame at most,” he said, stepping closer to the tub as the still flailing legs slowed their pace.

“I think that sounds fair, what about you, Star Shine?” Silver asked eloquently, his face losing some of its self centered aura as he watched the mare’s legs grow still and sink below the water. “Um, Shine…?” He asked casually, though a touch of concern lined his tone. “Shiny…?”

Silver moved up to the side of the tub and peered over the edge, frowning when he couldn’t see through the thick layer of soapy bubbles. “Shine, I know there are rules about this sort of thing but I will reach in there if I have to!”

As if on cue the burning red face of Star Shine rose out from the water, her fiery red and yellow mane hanging down around her shoulders was plastered over everything but her left eye, its pink iris glaring daggers. She leaned forwards until the end of her muzzle pushed into Silver’s, a very un-pony like growl escaping through her bared teeth.

“Oh, glad to see you’re alright, Shine. Did you have a good bath?” Silver sputtered as he shrank back a little, his own eyes locked on her clearly threatening one. “Because I really think we need to talk about Swirly, and how badly he fu-”

“Silver!!” Star Shine all but screamed at him, bringing her forelegs up to push him back. “Get out!”

Not entirely certain as to how he was now firmly planted on his posterior Silver gave the apparently angry mare a confused look, trying to discern what it was he had said wrong. “Please, Shine,” he managed to say with a bit more seriousness, rubbing at his soon to be bruised shoulder. “We really do need to talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you at the moment, Silver Spark,” Star Shine spat, heat filling her every word as she sat back in the water. Her eye was the only thing still above the edge of the tub. “Nothing kind, at any rate.”

“Come on Shine, is this still about the Yetis dying?” Silver asked with an exasperated tone. “I said I was sorry…”

Star Shine fixed him with a sour look, her horn sparking. “No you did not…”

“Oh,” Silver muttered, one ear leaning off to the side as he thought over their previous conversation, or at least the parts he remembered. “Well, if you promise not to blow my head off I’ll say it now.”

“No, Silver! Just get out and leave me be!” Star Shine hissed, wobbling about as she tried to get her legs organized underneath her in the still sloshing water.

“Please Shine?” Silver all but pleaded as he stood and took a step closer. “I just want a chance to explain some things.”

“I really think you should let him speak, Star Shine.” Shadow Depth called from the doorway as she and a rather embarrassed looking Star Swirl entered the room. “Otherwise he will become a bothersome mess and go around seeking our pity, and I have none to give.”

“I have no need of your pity, or any pony else’s for that matter,” Silver shot back confidently as the newcomers walked up beside him. “Because our dearest most beautiful Star Shine will get over this emotional baggage that is weighing her down and find it within her heart to forgive me.”

“Emotional baggage…?” Star Shine whispered dangerously with narrowing eyes, her words dripping with venom. “Is that what you call this, what I have to live with because of your stupid proclivity for barbarism!?”

“Well if my honesty is what you want then yes, I think it’s silly how worked up every pony is getting over a few Yeti that Star Swirl failed to avoid,” Silver said matter-of-factly, not noticing when the other two students backed away from him.

“Now Star Shine,” Star Swirl stammered from his place off to the side. “Remember our lessons about temperament control and proper breat-”

“In fact, if she can’t see how pointless her worries are over something this trivial then maybe she should get held back for some remedial lessons,” Silver Blurted. He was smiling triumphantly before, with a cringe his brain realized what the mouth had said…

Without a second’s pause Shadow Depth grabbed a gob smacked Star Swirl and the pair vanished as bolts of electricity arced across the wet floor, Star Shine’s mane smoking as her horn grew brighter and brighter…

Silver Spark was just about to take a page from the others’ book and teleport somewhere safe, like under a rock the next continent over, when he felt the pressure of a levitation spell coat his body. Star Shine’s magic squeezed him tight, its usually cool and gentle field responding in kind with her emotions was hot to the touch and writhed nearly out of control.

“Get! Out!” Star Shine screamed in a completely irate tone as she focused her magic, nearly strangling Silver before hurling him out the door. His body took a ninety degree turn in the hall and launched right out the front door.

Slamming the washroom door closed with a final burst of magic Star Shine cast nearly every securing spell she could think of, hardening a simple wooden door into a structure an Alicorn would need time to break through.

Burying her face in her hooves Star Shine let out a muffled scream before letting herself fall back against the end of the tub, pulling at her ears before dropping her limbs in exhaustion. She should have thrown him further; a mile was not far enough as she could still sense Silver’s magic forming some form of barrier to protect himself from what was sure to be a long fall…

Shine smirked to herself as she slowly got more comfortable. Silver could enjoy another nice cold walk up the mountain while she enjoyed the rest of her bath, a satisfying victory in her eyes. She would have words with that idiot to be sure, but for now it was all about her, just like she had wanted from the start.

After a few more moments of sliding around and fiddling with her legs Shine’s victorious smile faded with a low grumble. “Damn you Silver Spark…” She growled, realizing that her bath water had gone cold…

/ / / / / /

Star Swirl sat down heavily at his writing desk, a weary groan escaping him as he buried his face in his hooves. With a momentary flash of magic his tattered and dirty cloak left him, appearing on the floor across the room to be dealt with when his dwindling supply of effort allowed.

Massaging around his eyes he leaned forward to rest against the desk, sucking in as much air as his tired lungs could hold. Star Swirl held that breath for a good while, keeping it in until he could feel it burn.

“Damn you Silver…” Star Swirl finally whispered as he let the breath go free, willing his negative emotions to follow it. The technique was somewhat of a novelty in his collection of cultural wisdoms, something most other learned ponies would say should not be taken too seriously. Yet, with that said it had proven time and again to be the most effective anesthetic for the way he felt now.

Letting up on his temples Star Swirl leaned back in his chair, eyes flicking between the shadows cast by the candles over the natural curves and twists of the wooden ceiling. He had tried, by Terra he had tried to keep his dealings with that pony amicable over the years but this situation felt, unsalvageable.

Star Swirl had never cared much for making friends; he had them certainly but never more than a scant few who shared his greater interests. This thought caused him to pause as his mind wondered, his eyes stalling over a particularly deep shadow. Had he at some point began to consider Silver Spark as a friend?

As doubtful a prospect he found that to be Star Swirl could not shake the fact that despite his emotional control, which more often than not was considerable, he found the thought of distancing himself from Silver to be unfortunate. Aggravating though he may very well be at times, Silver Spark still held some good qualities, right?

The question was rhetorical of course; Silver would not be here otherwise. Silver Spark held within him a reason, even if Star Swirl could not see it at times. The logic spoke for itself in this matter. He sighed with an inward grumble as his head fell back limply. There were days when Star Swirl wished that his logical side would remain silent, and allow him to simply distress over a problem without end like a normal pony, a little wallowing might do him some good…

He would still need to say something, Star Swirl knew. She hid it well but he had seen the hurt on Star Shine’s face as they had left. How anypony could be so thick headed was beyond him and Star Swirl found himself pondering on just what it would take to make Silver truly see his own errors.

Such matters of social interaction were not his strong suit and in a momentary burst of frustration Star Swirl slammed a hoof down on his desk, racking his fatigued mind for some profound thought that might encourage Silver to see reason. Unfortunately, Silver Spark and profound thoughts didn’t seem to be very well acquainted…

The crinkle of dry parchment caught the pony’s ear, bringing Star Swirls’ focus back to more present things. Moving his hoof revealed yet another awkward feeling social obligation he often found tedious; though for this particular pony he willingly made exceptions.

With the faintest of smiles Star Swirl picked up the letter to his mother, having only just finished it minutes before they had been summoned to the castle he had not been able to send it. Now that he had the chance to read over his words again Star Swirl found himself wondering if it was a bit, lacking.

Looking over the regrettably short piece of parchment he read his letter once more…

Dearest mother

I regret that such an amount of time has passed since last you received any correspondence bearing my name and affections. I must be truthful, as of late my mind has found little time for thoughts of home and family, filled instead with advancements in study both scholarly and physical.

Star Swirl glanced down at part of the harness still wrapped firmly about his barrel, the straps that held his saddle bags and blade in place.

Master Luminescent has greatly increased the intensity of our lessons in recent months, granting little in the way of time for personal thought and reflection. I do not wish to cause you worry, but I cannot escape this feeling that he hides something from us.

He thought of Luna at that, having heard the name from the Queen’s own mouth. Perhaps a new Princess was a credible cause for secrecy. Even amongst her own kind Luna would be a point of political dispute.

I know not what awaits me here in the coming days, but I do know that together my fellow students and I shall weather it together, and that when time allows I will return home to you.

Love always~ your shining star

An impish smirk crossed Star Swirl’s muzzle as he read the last few lines, finding it odd just how easily he opened up for these more personal letters.

“That is so very sweet…” A voice cooed from just over his shoulder.

“Silver!” Star Swirl cried with an irate growl as he jumped, his hooves slamming down over his letter. “Have you no respect for the requested privacy implied by closed doors?! As with any pony I have moments that I would very much prefer others not see.”

Silver’s eyes shot a momentary glance at the parchment under his friend’s hooves. “What, writing a letter to your dear mother?” He asked knowingly, a mischievous look growing on his face. “Please, Star Swirl, I have walked in on you getting up to far more secretive things…”

The candles on Star Swirls’ desk flickered with the speed at which he turned in his seat to glare at Silver. The two ponies fell into an awkward silence for a few moments, the only sound being the occasional scrape and creak of the wind blown branches outside.

“So, I need your help Swirls,” Silver blurted out just as Star Swirl opened his mouth to say something else. Likely something very unpleasant…

Silver hopped up on Star Swirl’s bed and flopped over on his back dramatically, waiving his hooves about for emphasis. “Apparently, all of the thinking I did on the walk up was not the right kind of thinking!” He said with a shrill almost pleading tone, dropping his hooves to his sides in a defeated manner. “So now I need your help thinking of whatever thoughts I should have thought of.”

For a moment Star Swirl was stunned into silence, simply leaning back into his chair for a moment before his face slowly twisted into a scowl.

“What, Silver? What makes you think that I would help you after all that?” Star Swirl asked with a cold growl, his forelegs crossing over his chest as his ears flattened. “Why come to me…?”

Silver rolled over slightly to better look at his fellow student, a surprising look of hopefulness in his eyes. “Because I think I may have messed up with Shine, Swirly. And because you are the smartest pony I know,” Silver Spark said slowly, his own ears wilting. “And because you’re my best friend…”

Again Star Swirl found himself stunned, able to do little more than simply stare at his intruder. The possibility that Silver would actually find his own mistake was a conclusion that he had considered, just not found it probable.

After nearly a minute star Swirl finally found his voice, his face hardening. “We are not friends, Silver Spark,” he stated firmly, watching the impact of his every word carefully. “Not if you intend on treating every situation like some kind of joke! Are you even aware of how you make other ponies feel, or how you made Star Shine feel? How you made me feel?”

“I will not deny that mistakes were made by the both of us. I am far from perfect,” Star swirl continued, watching Silver’s eyes for signs that anything was getting through. “But your reckless egotistical showboating has got to stop Silver! Lives were ended last night in an engagement that could have been avoided if you had not been so blinded by the desire to show us up! Admit it, Silver! You could have easily outmaneuvered beasts as simple minded as those Yeti!

Silver lifted his head as if to interject but Star Swirl was having none of it; he wanted to drive in the final nail to the coffin for Silver’s ego and he knew exactly where to place it.

“And did you stop to consider why Star Shine is so furious with you, Silver?” Star Swirl asked somewhat more calmly as he cooled the anger in his voice, leaning in with hard eyes. “You hurt her, Silver. True enough the two of us may have been capable of rectifying the situation ourselves, but having just arrived she could not have known that. And so, she was forced to choose. In her eyes it was us, or them.”

Star Swirl leaned in just a bit closer, his own emotions bubbling under the surface, but he maintained control. “She chose you, Silver. In a matter of life and death she chose you and did what it took to save your sorry flank, by killing most of our attackers, or did you already forget how many of them were hurled off the mountain…?”

Leaning away Star Swirl glanced back at the letter to his mother, the situation reminding him of how she would scold him and how she always seemed to sneak in a lesson no matter the height of her anger.

“Killing has always been an emotionally scarring thing for her, Silver. As somepony claiming to be her friend and aspiring to be more I would have expected you to be aware of that. But to force it upon her only to then make light of the whole situation goes well beyond hurtful, it is selfish and a grievous breach of trust. Trust between friends is a valuable thing, Silver. Or is that another of Luminescent’s lessons that you have forgotten?”

“Star Swirl I…?” Silver Spark began to mutter, looking away as if trying desperately to avoid saying whatever it was he had to say.

“No, Silver. I don’t want to hear it! If admitting that just for once you were wrong is too much for you then we are done here. I’m sorry but I have run out of hope for you, I am done. I appreciate what you did for me up on that mountain but until you realize the cost you placed on others and what you could have done to avoid it, I wash my hooves of you.”

“Star Swirl, I’m sorry.” Silver blurted out, sitting up with a look that showed focus for the first time since the conversation began. “Everything you’ve said, everything Shine said, it’s all true alright!” He admitted, his shoulders slumping. “But how is it fair for you to expect so much from me? How is it fit for you to sit there and point hooves and say where I could have done things differently?! What makes you so certain that I could have?”

“Because you’re better than me dammit!” Star Swirl growled as he spun back to face his fellow student, eyes darting around as if searching the other pony for something hidden. “You’re better than me, Silver, I know you are. You’re better than Star Shine for Aeterna’s sake! You could have been the one Luminescent chose; you could have been so many things that Shadow and I never will, but you hold yourself back with this idiotic attitude. A lust for conflict and a general lack of empathy; you do not want to know who I overheard say that about you.”

“Master Luminescent,” Silver Spark said lamely, rubbing at his bruised shoulder. “I heard him too…”

“Then why, Silver, hmm?” Star Swirl asked quietly, his tone taking on a more gentle aspect. “Why can’t you just be a little less of an ass…?”

For an answer Silver simply hung his head, offering the slightest of shrugs before falling to his side again and curling his legs to his chest.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” Star Swirl asked after nearly a minute of silence spent watching Silver’s eyes dart around, clearly thinking hard about something. After seeing him nod Star Swirl reached out with a hoof and patted his friend gently. “Good, then perhaps the next time one of us is about to die you will consider every option, not only those of a self serving nature.”

Silver’s ears perked up at this as he glanced back at Star Swirl, a questioning look in his eyes. “The next time, what happened to having washed your hooves of me?”

“General semantics, Silver Spark,” Star Swirl said with a somewhat mean spirited looking smile, crossing his forelegs over his chest in a smug manner. “Coming to me for help in of itself is proof that you are at least aware of your misdoings. If you are genuine in this admission and are willing to work at better presenting yourself in the future then I will help you, and I may even apologize for pushing so hard. And someday, when I feel you have earned it, I may even forgive you.”

“Does this mean we’re friends again?” Silver asked carefully, shying back when Star Swirl’s eyes narrowed.

“Earn your forgiveness first, Silver. Then we shall talk,” Star Swirl replied firmly, though his face softened a bit.

“That is fair enough I suppose,” Silver said as he made to get up, a smile touching his muzzle as a thought occurred to him. “You know, it’s funny, but this reminds me strangely enough of a fight we had not long after we met. Do you recall?”

Star Swirl let his legs drop as he thought back, his own mind having brought up the same conversation. “How could I forget, it was the first time I ever struck another pony out of anger.”

“And yet you wound up thanking me afterwards for shining a light on the weaknesses in your self control,” Silver Said with a weak chuckle. “I still remember how we patched that up, I must have given the sappiest apology ever, and what was it you told me at the end of it?”

Star Swirl rolled his eyes as he thought about it, about something that now sounded so much more childish that it had then. “Yes, I put you on the, not completely hopeless list,” He said after a few moments of reflection, remembering how completely serious he had sounded.

After a few minutes spent in contemplative silence, neither pony seeming to have much left to say Silver Spark was eventually the one to break the silence.

“For whatever it may be worth, Star Swirl,” he said, getting up off the bed to leave. “I am glad to have known a pony who thought I was worthy of such a list, and friend or not, it has been an honor to know you.”

Star Swirl just watched him go for a moment, holding his tongue until Silver was nearly out the door. “Wait, Silver,” he called, climbing off his chair to approach his fellow student. “I may not like you most of the time; in fact I know that I do not, but I also know something else. No pony is ever hopeless,” he said, reaching out and patting Silver’s bruised shoulder vigorously.

Silver just blinked a few times, though he smiled through clenched teeth as his demeanor brightened. It was an awkward moment but eventually they both shared a more genuine smile that seemed to melt the last of the bitterness.

Silver cleared his throat with a sheepish sidelong look as Star Swirl slowly lowered his leg from his shoulder. “So, I hear there’s food, would you care to…?” Silver asked halfheartedly, letting the question hang in the air.

“Absolutely,” Star Swirl said with an awkward cough into the back of his hoof before motioning for Silver to lead the way. As one the pair made their way out of the room and headed down the hall, a newfound understanding of one another that would ultimately help them grow into better ponies.

“So, what was that bit about me being better than you…?” Silver asked suddenly, completely shattering the moment.

“Don’t push it Spark...”

/ / / Canterlot Castle / / /

With a sound he barely heard Rush pushed open the door to his own personal quarters, his exhausted mind scraping together just enough wherewithal to form a thought of thanks to the royals for their generosity, however unnecessary the gesture. His was not a lofty rank; the appointment could easily be described as a ‘groom of the chamber’, if one wished to be specific. In truth Rush would have been perfectly happy being housed within the servants’ quarters further below in the castle; this little nicety had come at Aeterna’s insistence, though admittedly it had grown on him.

Leaving the door to slowly drift shut on its own Rush plodded into the room, casting the bed a longing look as he set about putting away the few effects he still carried, having not seen the satin sheets of his dear friend in nearly three days now. There had been several times when the healers had attempted to dismiss him, saying that an Alicorns’ labor could take days. It made him smile for he surely must have looked the fool, a lone Pegasus stubbornly planting his hooves with wings flared, a tiny sparrow refusing the order to move in a room full of ancient eagles.

His resolve had been solidified however when a voice filled with strain had risen above all the indignant shouts of protest, a voice that asked him to stay, the voice of his Queen. Even Terra's normally stony face had seemed to lose some of its confidence, searching for reassurance when he found so little in his squabbling advisors.

Nearly walking muzzle first into the wall beside his window Rush slowly left his thoughts for a brief moment, setting his focus on the single shelf running along the sill. Stretching out a wing he unfurled his checklist one last time, scanning over it with a diligent gaze. Finding no error nor incomplete tasks that would require his attention the exhausted Pegasus set about removing the other effects he carried.

From differing places nestled within his feathers Rush pulled a few quills, a tiny stopper filled with ink, as well as a booklet containing a copy of his majesties’ schedules. There was also his backup checklist, naturally. An assortment of other items would have followed had Rush not forgone his usual tunic, having been in a similar state of undress when the urgent summons had arrived.

The outfit was really just a formality, being that you would be hard pressed to find a palace regular that did not recognize him on sight. Still though, it was of supremely fine quality and in Rush’s own opinion, made him look rather dapper.

Having placed the last of his items neatly in a perfect row right where they belonged Rush moved back over to the bed, hooves practically dragging as he walked. Plopping down on his haunches Rush pulled an old trunk out from where it was hidden below the mattress. He just sat there a moment, a forehoof resting gently atop the age worn wood, finally allowing his jumbled thoughts to run wild.

It was nothing but paranoia that eventually caused his hoof to slide down the face of the chest, stopping above a stone carved with runes that would recognize him as the owner. With a brief flash of light Rush could hear the thick brass latches moving aside, the lid unlocking in order for him to lift it away.

Just inside the lid was another of his tunics, pressed and folded, ready for when he had need of it. A good servant was always prepared. With great care not to wrinkle the fine fabric he pulled the spare item of clothing from its place at the top of a pile of other belongings.

A sparse collection of differing dress garments followed the first, being deposited neatly beside each other on the bed. Beneath these were a few letters, correspondence from family living too far abroad to contact easily, years worth of life confined to a few sheets of parchment.

Pulling free the last letter caused something near the bottom of the trunk to shift, a dull metallic clunk filling the normally quiet room. Hesitantly Rush set the letter aside and peered into the chests dim interior, knowing full well what he should expect to see. Yet, a part of him remained at odds with the sight that greeted him.

About a third of the way down a thin piece of silk cloth lay atop the rest of the contents, concealing them from view. A few obvious lumps and edges protruded through the fabric, giving only a vague clue as to what lay beneath. Rush knew all too well the secrets this chest held and now that his King had revealed one in kind, Rush found himself wondering how much longer his would remain buried.

Reaching into the depths Rush gently brushed the side of a familiar shape hidden beneath the fabric, feeling the strength of the finely crafted steel, the sensation offering a semblance of reassurance. A moment of nostalgia took over his thoughts as Rush let his eyes search over the rune covered silk, the ceremonial crest of his family banner emblazoned across the center. The sight was a comfort; the days ahead were sure to be rife with troubles and it did his heart good to know that if the time came he could honor his oath. A good servant was always prepared.

He was about to pull the family’s banner aside when a knock came at the door, causing Rush to pull his hoof away on instinct and place himself between the door and his chest. He stood there for a moment in an exhausted stupor, until his brain caught up and recognized the pattern with which his visitor had struck the door.

Settling out his ruffled wings and assuming a more composed stance Rush set his gaze upon the door. “Enter,” he said loudly, knowing whoever waited would not do so until called.

After a brief pause the door slowly swung inward, a faint creak followed close by the clop of hooves. Rush easily recognized the teal coat of the pony that entered his room. The stallions had seen a lot of each other over the last few years; the royals had moved Rush ever nearer to their sides and this fellow Pegasus always seemed close by.

“Ardarius,” Rush welcomed with a familiar nod, allowing his tensed muscles to relax a bit. The Horizon Legion were among the finest warriors the race of Pegasi had to offer, unparalleled in the art of mid flight combat and endurance soaring and among their number the name Ardarius was renowned.

“Rush,” the newcomer replied with a similar greeting, though his nod was somewhat more rigid, a forced façade. His entire demeanor seemed off somehow, rattled even.

In Rush’s eyes the stallion was clearly troubled by something, though he was clearly making an admirable attempt at hiding it. Thanks to his years spent around dignitaries and politicians Rush had developed a talent for spotting those trying to hide things from him; those grit teeth and slowly twisting back hoof might as well have been waiving illuminated flags.

“My apologies for the interruption, Rush,” Ardarius said quietly, glancing out at the hall as he eased the door shut behind him. “I come seeking what I hope to be a simple favor.”

“Think nothing of it,” Rush replied simply, waiving away the concern with a hoof. “There were no goings on which to interrupt. How might I be of help?”

Ardarius let his gaze drift past Rush, a knowing look flashing in his eyes when they landed on the open trunk. “As you say, still I should not keep you. There is importance to be found in a well organized coffer,” he said respectfully, nodding towards the orderly row of items sitting atop the bed. “I had merely wished to borrow your, aid, for improving one’s concentration.”

“My aid? The Serpent’s Tail?” Rush asked with a hint of surprise, his brow furrowing. “Tis little more than a simple toy, what need have you for that?” He finished, turning to retrieve the requested item regardless.

“I…” Ardarius fell silent for a moment, his face hardening as he searched his thoughts. “I became, distracted today whilst on post,” he finally managed, sounding almost as if confessing to a crime.

“I, see…” Rush muttered, rearing up to reach a higher shelf. It seemed a rather small thing to him, the very act of breathing could prove a distraction for some. Still though, Ardarius was very much a pony of focus and well known for his attention to detail. “What then might I ask drew you from your task; perchance you caught sight of that Snipe?”

With an indignant snort Ardarius did his best to ignore the other stallion and his little rapscallion grin. “Nay, I was not befouled by any such mythical creature,” he grumbled, a bit of irritation entering his tone. “In truth I am at a loss. I was at a hover just below the easternmost window of the Royal sleeping chamber when, suddenly I realized that I could scarcely recollect the previous few moments. They were not gone as such, but I found that I had lost my place in visually scanning the airspace around me.”

That gave Rush pause, the wing retrieving the item he sought only partially retracting as he returned to all fours. Losing focus was one thing, but for a well trained Pegasus to lose track of their surroundings was often cause for concern. Ardarius may have been well traveled, but he was far from being old and any of the typical health concerns that came with advanced age.

“Tell me,” Ardarius spoke up after a moment, a touch of uncharacteristic concern at the edge of his voice. “Have you seen or heard or, felt, anything strange about recently?”

Rush opened his mouth to respond but hesitated, the King’s words flickering through his mind as he closed it again. Strange things were indeed afoot, things which Rush did not yet know with whom he could trust…

Snap...

Author's Note

First off I would like to apologize for this ridiculously long delay. Things have been really odd for me the last few months involving a move and some family related matters. That said though I hope to get back to more regular updates now, which should be easier since the next few chapters are already partly completed.

I would also like to thank everyone who is still here, this story is mostly for you and will continue for as long as there is at least one pony fan left to enjoy it! So, sorry again and I hope you all enjoy the ride, we’ve done our best to make it a good one!

Hope you all enjoyed! Next chapter coming real soon! Ish…

This story will continue!

Love ~Dollars

XV: The Eternal Heartbeat of Infinity

Chapter XV

The Eternal Heartbeat of Infinity

"Without this life-giving jewel Cromithia shall forever sleep, resting atop the graves of all who came before, but should its heart ever return then so too shall the fallen King."

~Terra

/ / / Cromithia, Fringes of the Fallen City / / /

The sun's warming light was in retreat, fading quickly as if on the run from the wall of black clouds, thick and boiling like smoke as they rolled over the sky. The darkness closed in rapidly, blotting out the light until it nearly looked as though night had come once again. The darkness brought with it a chill, like the cold breath off a glacier and it smelled of brimstone.

The winds slowly picked up as they blew dust and bits of debris around the cracked and broken landscape, ancient trees bent and twisted as their shed branches scraped across the rocky ground. Just as the first rumbles of distant thunder rolled off the jagged mountains and echoed down through the valleys a few heavy drops of rain struck the collapsed side of a once grandiose structure, heralds of the oncoming monsoon. As if wishing to relive its former glory the now slumped over husk would occasionally offer a gleam in the flashes of light from the angry storm now blowing in from the nearby sea.

As the rain began to fall in earnest it blew in ever thickening sheets against the monolithic pile of rubble, little rivulets of water joining together to rush their way down the uneven sides of what was once a mausoleum of sorts. The brief but intense flashes of lightning in the distance illuminated hundreds of time eroded runes carved into the surface of what had been finely polished marble, the corners and cracks all lined with moss and vines. Broken columns and obelisks lay where they had fallen oh so long ago, the sporadic light telling a little more of the story with every roar of the heavens.

Though the sun was well on its journey into the sky its light mostly failed to reach this place, blocked out by the quickly growing wall of unnaturally thick clouds. Spears of lightning arced across the underside of the swirling tempest, reaching inland as if grasping at this very construct, as if desperate to pluck it from the ground for its own…

From deep within this pile of ruin came a light, its wispy greenish blue glow dancing between the carved runes as it traced along their flowing edges, the very presence of it strikingly out of place amongst the dreary backdrop. Like an electric spark it flickered back and forth between the cottage sized blocks of hewn rock, ascending its way through the rubble on a path to the top.

Within moments the light found itself at the crest of the towering remnant, some hundreds of feet above the ground. For a time it simply floated there, hissing occasionally whenever a drop of rain passed through it and was turned to vapor. It waited, as if watching the storm, not so much as a flicker passing over its form as another bolt of lightning split the sky.

Hovering forward slightly the light settled over a spiraling pattern of runes, their surfaces barely visible amongst the moss and lichens. After one final moment of hesitation the light slammed itself downward into a form fitting indentation, burning away the offending plant matter as the runes lit from within.

At first nothing of interest seemed to occur, the light from the runes dimming briefly, or at least until the entire structure began to vibrate. With renewed vigor the runes shone brightly, their carved grooves filling with the same frothy glow that soon spread from one to the next, quickly illuminating the top of the building as the spiral grew and spilled over the edges.

The trail of runes quickly split up into dozens of paths, each one coiling around different blocks and bits of broken column on its way to the ground. Faster and faster the energy spread, seeking out every path still intact enough to carry it, a hundred different trails of light that snaked their way across the broken ground and out through the gathering darkness.

Atop the structure the light began to burn brighter, its shape swelling upwards as it grew, empowered with strength it had not expected to find here. Its energy strobed and pulsed as it took on a form that had become a familiar comfort in these waning years; the feeling of rough stone beneath his hooves bringing with it a sense of stability, and the tug of his mane whipping about in the wind made him feel so very nearly alive.

“If the gears had not continued their turning then this would have been a gross squandering of precious energies,” the pony said softly as he looked back over his shoulder. He watched the faded green fur of his coat form over his body, the new skin twitching under the cold rain. “But it would seem as though there remain a few surprises yet for the both of us, would you not agree?” His old cloak draped itself across its owner’s back, still stained around the shoulder with his blood from the recent battle. “Even still, I would not have denied myself the opportunity to have tripped you up one last time.”

From someplace still far out over the ocean the towering thunderheads roared as they split with enough lightning to light up the horizon, waves of it rushing towards the shore like the foamy ocean swells. With a crack of sound that shook the valley and rocked the ruins a single streak of lightning lanced its way inland, burning an angry blue as it scared the sky. Nearing the edge of the ruins it suddenly dove at the glowing pony, standing smug atop his precious pile of moldy rocks, only to burst apart into sparks and flashes as it struck some unseen barrier. Denied again by this feeble fool.

“You thought because you smote our ruin upon the ground we would fall silent, you thought us dead and gone,” he heard his voice call out over the wind even as it picked up. His smile grew as he felt the runes traveling along in the distance behind him begin to reach their destinations. “But this place still holds strength enough to repel one last foe.”

By then miles of dimly lit runes crisscrossed the backdrop behind the crumbled monument, defining edges belonging to hundreds of other structures, some nearly as large as the surrounding mountains themselves. For every half crumbled derelict that was revealed through the pouring sheets of rain the runes grew brighter, fueled by the scraps of energy found within.

The skies roared with righteous fury, the wind howling with the threats and curses that it carried and the very ground seemed to tremble with fear. None of this troubled the lone pony standing atop his own mausoleum however, for this day had been a part of his destiny for a very long time and so Amethyst Song simply smiled as he watched the storm rage on.

/ / / / / /

Deep in the rocks beneath the mausoleum and the pounding rain a single determined drop of water managed to find a crevice in the ancient stone and seeped lower still, eventually entering into a chamber unseen by any since well before the war above had begun.

Slowly sliding down the side of a stalactite larger than a grown pine the droplet hung off the tip for a moment before plummeting into the gloomy abyss below, falling nearly a mile before splashing into the gritty sand that covered the entirety of the expansive floor. The sand, radiating an eerie orange luminescence from within, slowly shifted and blew about like the towering dunes of a desert without so much as a whisper of wind to disturb it.

The glow rippled with the movements of the sand, flashing and flickering along the smoothed walls like moonlight off a disturbed pond, barely reaching the ceiling to illuminate a pair of titanic structures that hung there. Each spinning mass of stone sprawled the width of a city with a thickness to match the tallest buildings; settled on their sides the two massive gears spun with slow silent precision, some unseen force the only thing keeping them aloft.

As the teeth of the gears went about this eternal dance a faint trace of the sand's warm glow would flash from where the cogs met each other, growing brighter with every pass until, after each full revolution, a single tiny grain of new sand would fall…

XVI: A Lost Hope

A Lost Hope

“I know this feeling that drives you, to feel without a reason to draw in your next breath. It comes from a lost purpose, one born from a promise made between two souls. A promise that can no longer be kept.”

“A promise broken by means beyond our power breeds uncertainty within a soul; uncertainty can make victims of us all.”

“This place was built upon a promise, one that has given many others a sense of purpose and a reason to go on when they could find none within themselves. We were all called here to take up that promise, Sombra. If you should decide to stay with us I can offer you only two certainties, the first being that you will always have family among our number. The second, is that if you follow me up those stairs; you will never be the same…”

~Amethyst Song

/ / / The Crystal Empire, 11,925 A.C. / / /

“I thought you said that you knew where you were going…”

“I said that I knew where I wanted to go,” Sombra corrected defensively as he pulled himself up onto the next ledge, his words leaving a foggy trail in the glow of his horn as they entered the chilly night air. “If the path I travel should differ from the one that was expected then so much the better. Or, if you prefer, we can return to the keep and listen in rapture to the berations this little venture is sure to glean for us.”

“Oh would that not be just like the captain,” replied the young mare below with another of her dazzling smiles, graciously accepting the offered hoof that pulled her up to Sombra’s little perch. “I can hear him now, ‘how could you be so reckless Sombra? What would your father say if he were here Sombra?’”

“A flawless impersonation,” Sombra nodded with a grin, suppressing a chuckle as he looked past her to the castle nestled in the snowy valley far below, knowing full well the recompense that was sure to be waiting when they returned. “I think the only thing missing would be the diatribe directed at my accomplice.”

“Accomplice?” she snorted in retort, a mischievous gleam flashing in her vibrant arctic blue eyes as she waited for Sombra to negotiate the next part of their climb. “I intend to imply this was all to your design…”

“I would expect nothing less from you,” Sombra groaned dramatically, testing the next set of holds carefully before continuing upwards.

“Ah, but that would hardly be the end of it,” the shimmering crystalline mare continued with a confident smirk, pulling the collar of her ornate cloak further up her withers before following. “If I can manage to be sufficiently distraught over the whole matter I may even shirk any punishments directed my way.”

“And leave all the blame square upon my shoulders a day before my birthday?” Sombra breathed with the deepest of wounded sarcasms, only slightly flinching as she smacked at his posterior with a playful giggle.

“Oh my poor prince, how ever wilt thou survive?” she asked woefully, cocking a sarcastic eyebrow of her own. “Although, after tomorrow I suppose it will no longer be a problem, you could even order the captain to undergo the punishments for you.”

“Brought some salt for the wound as well I see,” Sombra couldn’t help but grumble, a slight chill in his tone that he had not intended. Securing himself atop the next ledge he turned and again reached down to help the filly behind him. “Though, I concede your point; I just do not know if I am ready for such responsibilities. That is the whole reason behind why I asked you on this venture; for one last night of freedom before my father’s mantle is thrust upon me.”

“Truly, the only reason?” she asked coyly, waggling her eyebrows as they both sat down to rest a moment, nestling into each other’s warmth behind a rock that curtailed the worst of the wind. “Whisking me away into the mountains in the middle of the night? Ponies might start talking if they were to see us…”

Sombra stiffened slightly as she leaned in closer and nuzzled his shoulder, his heart hammering away at his ribs in a vain attempt to escape. The faint scent of wild flowers wafted into his nostrils from her mane as it passed under his chin, driving a feeling greater than any intoxication to jolt along his nerves.

“Yes, well, that and the surprise I offered to entice you from your quilts,” Sombra replied sheepishly, a hint of red brightening his cheeks.

“And what of this surprise?” she asked with a curious tone, pressing ever so slightly closer. “You cannot keep it from me for long; I have known you my whole life, Sombra. Whatever this mystery is it must be quite brilliant if you offer it behind such a veil of obscurity. So, what say you Prince?” the mare urged, her curious tone turning mischievous. “What scheme of yours awaits us atop this peak?”

Sombra dared only glance down at her for a moment lest he be lost in the one big brilliant blue eye peeking up at him from behind her bangs, glinting in the glow of his own magic. He couldn’t look, he did not trust himself.

“For that answer you will have to wait until we have finished our climb,” Sombra said firmly, swatting away the hoof that had been slowly sliding down his back towards the large bag he carried.

With a huff the mare’s shoulders slumped. “You flustering thing, you have been saying that for over an hour!” She whined woefully.

“Good things come to those who wait; you mustn’t lose hope,” Sombra quipped teasingly, shrinking down a bit as her gaze narrowed. “Otherwise we may never reach the top.”

Leaning away from him the mare’s ears splayed back as she gave her friend a bedeviled sidelong glance, her gaze heavily implying upon what thin ice he trod. The display had little of the effect she so clearly desired, serving only to make her appear ever more adorable in Sombra’s eyes.

“I seem to have misheard you, what with all the wind from being up so high, could you repeat that…?” she asked through gritted teeth, a hoof pawing the snow in a manner that suggested it would not remain there for long…

“Well… What I said was, that good things come to those who wait and that you just need to have a little faith, is all,” Sombra backpedalled, realizing that his usual jesting towards her name might cause a scuffle, not that he would have minded as such. It’s just that she tended to fight dirty and it was a long walk yet to be moving stiffly in the hind end…

Her narrowed eyes gave him a quick once over before softening into their usually agreeable nature, a smile tugging at her lips. “Well that is much better, for a moment there I was worried I might have to explain to the court why Trench and his soldiers found the Prince buried up to the tail head first in the snow on the side of a mountain. Which would only have been after an exhaustive search that had taken days because no pony knew where you had gone to in the first place…”

Synching his own cloak a bit tighter as a shiver ran up his spine Sombra cleared his throat, buying time as he searched for words that would not further deepen the hole into which he had fallen. Scratching at his chin in as nonchalant a manner as he could manage he looked down at his friend, his heart warming when he spied the look she immediately attempted to hide from him.

“Apologies if my jest was in poor taste, Hope. I suppose I just, I have felt as though our positions have grown a divide between us in recent years and then some days ago I realized that what comes tomorrow would likely drive a wedge within it, irreparably separating our destinies,” Sombra grumbled out begrudgingly, leaning his head back to rest against their stone protector, his eyes closed in thought. “Do you ever miss those days? When we used to play in the gardens with nary a care, before circumstance and duty had to come along and ruin it all.”

“Oh buck up Prince,” Hope replied with a not so gentle elbow to the ribs. “Fate can throw anything it likes at us; you should know by now that I am not going anywhere,” her tail flicked in emphasis. “Manny thanks for the hint by the way and for the record, I never lost faith in any of this, or my hope…”

A heavy moment of awkwardness settled over the cliff side as the two friends pretended to watch the snow fly past, occasionally one would catch the other glancing their way but failed to salvage the conversation.

“Oh good,” Sombra eventually managed to stammer out pitifully, shrinking back a bit. “See just there, that waterfall means our destination lies right ahead!” he added, the words stumbling along in a pitiably high pitched manner as he quickly rolled away from her and onto his hooves.

Giving his retreating form a predatory grin the filly in tow stood as well and made to follow, rolling her eyes at his momentary lapse in demeanor. “You are sure this time, yes?”

“Within reason,” Sombra answered somewhat awkwardly over his shoulder, adjusting the small saddlebag before jumping up to the next craggy outcropping of rock that looked ready to support his weight.

The next few minutes were spent in relative silence as the pair made their way further up the side of the mountain, the stars covering the night sky and an occasional swirl of snowflakes drifting by on the breeze being the only witnesses to the trek.

As they neared the falls the dull roar of endlessly plummeting water filled the air, accompanied by clouds of swirling vapor that coated the rocks in glittering ice, so pure the lights of the night shone within it. The wind grew stronger as they neared the top, ruffling their garments and manes, all while decorating them with freshly minted crystals of white.

Grasping the edge of one final ledge Sombra eagerly pulled himself up, taking a moment to quickly look around before leaning down and once again taking hold of the expectant hoof that waited for him. Before pulling however he made sure to catch the mare’s gaze with a sheepish grin.

“Close your eyes,” he told her with a hint of mystery, his grin only growing when she rolled her eyes up at him instead.

“What are you, twelve?” Hope replied with a laugh that may as well have been from the heavens above, though she quickly complied with the request, an adorable whinny escaping her as she was unceremoniously hoisted into the air in a cloud of Sombra’s magic.

“Says the filly that used to tell me to speak more softly so as to not scare the fairies,” Sombra retorted, setting his friend down and steadying her while she found her footing in the deep snow.

“You were scaring them!” she said playfully, her face scrunching up in a grin. “Your constant overzealous attempts at my attention were always so boisterous you would hurt their tiny ears!”

“For which I would always apologize,” Sombra attempted to counter, releasing her from his magic and nudging her forward. “Though, I must say I found it difficult; making apologies to creatures I could never see was always so awkward.”

“Yes…” the mare muttered under her breath with a sigh. “You always did have trouble spotting things that were right in front of you…”

“I…” Sombra hesitated a moment, his heart hammering faster than he thought even possible. “I like to think that I spot the important things, eventually,’ he replied softly, making sure to guide her carefully up an abrupt incline.

The dull roar of the falls surrounded them as they both set hooves on the fresh powder which crunched pleasantly with each step. The fresh scents of mountain pines hurried past on the calming breeze, the chill of the wind lessening the further they walked.

Growing restless the mare began to squirm as she walked, her shoulder purposefully bumping into her guide. “We are nearly there, yes? Or is tonight going to resemble the last time I gave my trust to such shenanigans, only to open my eyes atop the battlements right as you pushed me off the edge into the castle moat…?”

“Now, in my defense,” Sombra interjected quickly, taking his friend’s hoof to guide her around a large rock. “That was immediately after you gifted me a book containing an open portal hidden within its pages, which if you recall, led to the bottom of the glittering sea…”

Unable to suppress a mirthful giggle as she smirked in remembrance of the victorious prank Hope bumped him again. “Yes, I suppose the retribution was well worth the moment I heard your maiden like screams. It was a week before your chambers had dried.”

“If not for that open window I would surely have drowned! And I still find sand in a corner from time to time…” Sombra grumbled with an overly dramatic growl, bumping her hip back with his own. “And no, I’ll not be knocking you from any great heights, I’ve learned my lesson.”

“That is a shame,” Hope sang through another soft fit of giggles, swatting at him with her tail. “I do so love a challenge, was already pondering on what I should inflict upon you next…”

“I have no doubt it will live up to your usual nefarious standards,” Sombra replied, trying to disguise the tremble in his voice with humor, his hide twitching involuntarily as a few strands from her swishing tail graced his leg. “Though, hopefully whatever it is can wait for another day…?”

“Perhaps,” she replied in an unnervingly serious tone. “Provided your next utterance should herald something along the subject of our arrival…”

“Then I can breathe with relief,” Sombra said with a grin as he led her up one final rise, quickly glancing around to see if all was truly in order as he had left it. “Stand here; now open your eyes.”

When the mare did so she was greeted to a truly wondrous sight. The river had cut a wide ravine deep into the side of the mountain, snaking its way through a copse of lonely pines where it widened into a large pond at the base of another fall, this one looming and frozen.

The wind was at their backs here, rushing up the mountain and billowing the spray from the falls as the water rushed over them, the sound like unending thunder. Everything further back from the edge was quiet and still, a calming contrast to the power of the river, the snow covering everything in a blanket of white finer than the finest wool.

With a flick of his head Sombra sent a spark of magic flying towards a torch set into the snow further along their path; a simple ignition spell that set ablaze with a flickering violet pink hue before quickly streaking off to ignite the next torch. In short order there was a subtly lit path that snaked its way through the sparse trees to the pond not far away, a welcoming flicker dancing with the shadows all around.

Another line of torches sprang to life a moment later, encircling the pond with their warm glow, their reflections playing over the towering ice falls. The light scattered through the ponds mirror smooth surface, mixing its moving colors with the deep blue hues of the frozen waters.

Sombra could not help but feel a bit pleased with himself, everything about the scene was perfect, from the torches to the pine scented air and the cloudless night above. It was all here and it was all as he had hoped it would be. Almost as if Fate had gifted him perfection.

“Oh, it is beautiful!” Hope exclaimed, nearly squealing with excitement as she looked around.

“Yes, it most certainly is,” Sombra agreed, no longer paying their surroundings any mind as he watched her spin in place, the filly’s eyes wide with wonder and glee.

After a few moments of her frenzied antics Hope remembered herself and managed to calm down enough to once agin resemble a sophisticated mare of the court, at least until she caught Sombra staring at her with an endearing grin.

“What?” she asked with a somewhat embarrassed smile, a hoof absentmindedly reaching up to stroke at her dangling mane.

“Nothing,” Sombra said with a warm smile of his own. “It has just been a long time since I have seen that.”

“Well, it has been a long while since our last adventure,” Hope replied softly after a moment, a hint of pink warming her cheeks as she looked away. “And I have been looking forward to the next one…”

“Well, you needn’t wait any longer,” Sombra said warmly, holding out a hoof which was readily accepted.

The pair gingerly made their way along the short path towards the frozen pond, walking close to one another and happy to just listen to the snow crunch under hoof. The roar of the falls behind them slowly faded into the backdrop of the breeze and creaking trees, the patter of spiraling snowflakes landing where they pleased tying it all together.

Somewhere out in the darkened trees an owl made its presence known, the call haunting and mournful, a stark contrast to the pleasant liveliness provided by the light. Sombra would have grumbled a complaint about the interruption if not for the mare beside him pressing just a bit closer.

The walk came to an end all too soon though as they reached the edge of the pond, a welcoming clearing of level ground their destination as Sombra shrugged the heavy sack from his shoulders. As he undid the bindings he offered only a mysterious smirk when Hope gave him a curious look, the mare’s keen eyes locked on every motion.

She did not have to wait long as Sombra set the bag down and pulled out a thick blanket which he quickly unrolled across the ground, revealing two sets of old ice skates and another small sack.

“Oh Sombry, wherever did you find these?” Hope asked with a hint of astonishment, a hoof covering her chest as she gazed at the familiar hoofwear.

“Out in the old fort, that place up in the east tower where we used to hide,” Sombra said as he tenderly arranged the skates into their respective sets. “I had the smithy adjust them, I hope they fit.”

“Is that why I caught him with my gala shoe?” Hope asked with a hoof on her chin, a thought clearly forming. “That was months ago, how long have you been planning this?”

“Long enough,” Sombra admitted with a somewhat embarrassed smile, removing his cloak and folding it neatly beside the blanket. “As I said before, things have just felt, at odds for a while. Honestly, I was not even certain this was a good idea until recent-“

Sombra was abruptly cut off by a pair of crystalline legs that wrapped themselves around his neck as Hope tugged him in close for a hug, burying her face in his shoulder. She just stood that way for a long moment, occasionally nuzzling at his mane and breathing deeply.

Eventually and to Sombra’s less than expertly concealed dismay, she released him, a hoof brushing a few errant strands of blue mane from her face as she looked away. Everything grew still around them, silent for that one moment as if Fate itself did not dare to interrupt.

“I uh…” Hope began with a whisper before clearing her throat and looking back up at her friend. “Thank you for this,” she said, glancing around again, her eyes trying to go anywhere but his. “I have been wishing for something different to happen for a long while.”

“It is my privilege,” Sombra said tidily as he stepped aside, offering a slight bow as she summoned one of the skates in her magic to inspect it.

“What has it been, five years?” Hope muttered absently as she turned the hoofwear over and over. “I suppose I owe the smithy an apology; this is fine work.”

“Almost six,” Sombra replied with a wry grin, recalling the time with a fond sigh. “I could not think of a better way to spend my last night of freedom, with you.”

“And this was the activity you settled on was it?” Hope asked under her breath with a saucy undertone, simply returning his confused stare with an amused smile as she stepped past him towards the blanket, her magic loosening the clasp of her own cloak.

“I had, considered others,” Sombra admitted as he joined her on the blanket and retrived one of his own skates, his magic fumbling and fizzling, unfocused. “But as I said I have been uncertain about, us, as of late. This seemed the safer gambit.”

“There is no need to feel so uncertain and certainly no need to hide your worries,” Hope said confidently, already tightening the straps on her second skate. “You can talk to me about anything; I will always be here to help you.”

“Promise?” Sombra asked after a moment, still struggling to lash his first skate in place, the unruly thing seeming so much more difficult than it had in the past.

“I promise,” Hope said reassuringly as she bumped her shoulder into his. “As I said, I’m not going anywhere. You big dummy.”

“You may never know just how much I needed to hear that,” Sombra said with a grateful smile, his voice just above a whisper.

“I can speculate,” Hope replied teasingly, her own smile hidden away behind her mane as she finished her second skate and moved on to the third. “You are so delicate, Sombry…”

“Now who is reaching back, I had nearly forgotten about that nettling name,” Sombra commented with a chuff of disapproval.

“It seemed appropriate if this is to be a night of reliving old merriments,” Hope jested jovially, her face twisting in concentration as she fiddled with one of the straps before releasing it and starting over.

“A little nostalgia is all well and good, Hope, but I would like to find some time for a few new memories,” Sombra said with a strained grunt, falling to his side as he struggled with the fitment on one of his back hooves. Such was his focus the stallion hardly noticed as his friend rose beside him and moved off the blanket. He very nearly had it, if he could just get a bit more slack on this belt he could-

“Well, how do I look?”

Click!

If Sombra had died in that moment he would have turned away from the gates of whatever afterlife he found himself, for what stood before him then surely had no equal here nor there.

The mare before him stood with head held high, one foreleg crossed over the other as she looked back at him expectantly, perfectly balanced. A thick red scarf that ended in gold tassels was wrapped twice around her neck with the end draped over her withers; the light of the torches danced with her pale blue coat and twinkled in her eyes.

For just that moment the breeze picked up and played with her mane, draping it perfectly about her shoulders and decorating it with a few extra flakes of snow. For that instant, in Sombra’s eyes, angels from the old tales could not compare.

The cogs in his head churned in a frenzy as he desperately searched for the perfect words he knew she wanted to hear. Unfortunately, he was still very much the young obnoxious prince…

“Absolutely radiant,” Sombra said cheekily, ducking under the glob of snow she tossed his way with a giggle that quickly devolved into a snort of laughter, nearly falling over as her sides heaved.

Sombra shook off a bit of snow that had found its target while his ears twitched at the pleasant sounds, always wishing to hear more of them. She was happy and that was all he had ever really wanted.

Cinching down the last strap Sombra rose with what little grace he could manage, his uncertain legs just able to keep from making a fool of himself as he hobbled down the shore to join Hope on the ice. It mystified him how she pranced about on the freshly sharpened blades while he remained hard pressed to do more than blunder about like a foal. It was almost as if something were distracting him…

“I know what your fathers steel means to you, but is there no place you will go without it?” Hope asked with mild amusement, stepping closer and gesturing to his side with a shake of her head.

Sombra took pause for a moment before reaching to his chest. In his rush to ensure that he had gathered everything for the nights activities he had managed to dawn his father’s sword without intent. The old piece of metal had long since become a part of him and it was truly a rare thing for the Prince to part with it, even going so far as to leave it strapped to his side as he slept.

Sombra had never liked change. He had hated it ever since that fateful day the patrol had returned late, battered and bloody, his father not counted among their number. But as he glanced back up at his friend he knew in his heart that this would be a night of change.

With a well practiced flash of magic the brass buckle that held the scabbard to his side opened and the weapon fell into his waiting hoof. Turning back to the blanket the prince gingerly placed it next to the bag and their discarded cloaks, giving it a tentative tap before turning away to rejoin the mare that waited for him.

“And the bag?” Hope asked, tilting her head inquisitively as he sidled up next to her.

“Strawberries and a bottle of your favorite huckleberry wine,” the Prince replied somewhat bashfully, trying to remind his hooves how to work with the skates now stuck to them. “Just in case…”

“In case of what, exactly?” Hope asked with an innocent yet knowing smile as she stepped out onto the ice and pushed away a few strides before turning to look back over her shoulder, a tantalizing flick of her tail emphasizing the expectant look in her eyes.

“In case anything should change,” Sombra whispered out, more to himself than anything as he too stepped onto the ice, all the while trying to maintain his composure. It had indeed been quite some time…

“Sorry,” Hope said as she kicked herself further away from him in a lazy arc, flipping her mane as she went. “A bit of wind out tonight, you will need to come closer so that I can hear.”

Sombra’s hooves very nearly escaped from beneath him as he attempted to push off, eliciting a fit of nearby giggles which he only partially ignored. He knew exactly what she was trying to achive by goading him on so after gathering himself, he obliged her and gave chase.

It was not the largest of ponds by any means but after only a few laps their limbs began to remember lessons they had learned in years passed, muscles burning from the unfamiliar exertions as they raced after each other. An occasional shout of glee or a laugh at the other’s misstep were the only sounds to join the soft scrapping of the skates as they bit into the ice or the occasional dull creaking of the pond itself.

Around and around in ever wandering circuits they chased, chests heaving and hearts pounding. With every completed trek around their little sanctuary of freedom their smiles grew and one would goad the other on with more speed.

The cold was seemingly forgotten as they went, growing bolder in their newly revived skills. It was not long before their dance became more intricate, employing more and more graceful spins and jumps. The minutes quickly turned into hours as they both became lost in eachother.

“Complain if you must about the climb,” Sombra eventually piped up, skidding to a stop with his sides heaving for breath as he looked around. “But surely this must be worth it?”

“It certainly has more appeal than sitting in the courts all day listening to the latest trade disputes with Commander Hurricane’s forces,” Hope affirmed with a nod as she coasted by. “Or the Yaks with all their boasting about, well, everything…”

“You are certainly one to speak of boasting little miss, ‘I can do a triple axel!” Sombra joked as he pushed off after her, his grin only growing as she scoffed dramatically.

“It is hardly boasting when what one claims is true,” Hope chided back, flicking her tail as she gracefully angled back around to slide past Sombra again, giggling as she spotted his mocking yet accurate facial mimicry. He truly was still the same endearing colt at heart through and through.

“Is that so?” Sombra asked with a challenging grin as Hope went by, his own hooves maneuvering to follow once more. “Because by my recollection there were many attempts, yet rarely were the results anything graceful.”

“Then your memory is as filled with cobwebs as your skills on the ice,” Hope called back, pushing herself further ahead.

“You accomplished such a stunt?” Sombra balked, an ear twitching involuntarily as he tried to envision such an occurrence.

“Indeed,” Hope affirmed, turning abruptly to evade the Prince as he attempted to sneak in close for a friendly shove. “Not that you would remember of course, you were off playing with your sword at the time.”

“Swordsmanship, Hope, I was learning to help defend the relm,” Sombra grunted out as he again reached for his goal only to have her spin gracefully away. “I knew you used to go without me…”

“Yes well, practice makes perfect as they say,” Hope stated confidently before launching herself forward into a perfect layback spin, a single hind leg holding her majestic form aloft as she twirled faster and faster.

Sombra could not have looked away to have saved his life as his eyes drunkenly followed the flow of her mane, the way her crystalline coat glittered in time with the light reflecting off the ice. Outshining all of it though, was her smile, gleaming just the way it had all those times gone by.

It was a warm contented smile of genuine happiness; the value of which Sombra could never have compared to any number of something so common as coin nor jewels. Though, he would have happily emptied the keep’s coffers of such things if he thought the act could grant him even just one.

The mare quickly finished her spin and used the momentum to skillfully throw herself into a practiced figure eight that Sombra knew all too well, angling back around before pouring on the speed into the final turn, the Prince square in her sights.

Rearing up Hope tucked her forelegs to her chest and lept, bringing her back hooves together as she twisted her body into a graceful spin, practically floating through the air.

It was almost perfect…

Sombra noticed the flaw in her technique only a moment too late as he attempted to backpedal with the intent of granting Hope more room but the time for that had passed. His own hooves faltering for purchase Sombra instead rose to meet her, reaching out wide with his forelegs and grabbing the mare as she flailed out of her stunt and flew straight into his grasp.

Grunting under the impact Sombra held her tight as they skidded backwards across the ice, trying not to laugh as she protested childishly, struggling halfheartedly for a moment before joining in the embrace.

“Practice makes perfect, hmm?” Sombra quipped with a chuckle, smilling as her ears flicked at his voice.

“You got in my way,” Hope whined, her chest heaving against his as she gulped in the frozen air, a giggle of her own escaping as she snuggled a bit closer.

Their momentum slowed as they neared the point the lake narrowed back into a river before heading down to the falls, the dull thunder just audible from somewhere through the trees. Sombra angled the rear of his blades inward, slowing them further as the mare he held shifted against him.

“You got carried away, just like every time I’ve watched you try that,” Sombra pointed out, emphasizing his words with a gentle squeeze, looking down to find that single pool of light peeking back at him from behind her mane. “Are you okay?”

“I think I will be,” Hope replied with a faint smile, standing up just a little straighter as she eyed him. “What about you though? Will you be alright?” She asked, eyes searching his face for something.

“I think, I will be too,” Sombra assured with a nod, leaning down ever so slightly closer, his own eyes asking a silent question, seeking a permission that had long since been given.

Gazes burning into one another’s they crept closer, nothing else needing said as they held each other tightly. Their hearts beating as one.

Closer, she closed her eyes, he did the same. Nothing left of the world but them and this moment…

Bliss.

Sombra could not have articulated his thoughts in any other way that would have been comprehendible in any sensible manner. The gentle warmth of the shared action nearly overwhelmed him, his brain exploding as years of secretive pining suddenly found vindication.

It was soft, wet and full of passion as they drew each other in closer. Sombra found himself desperate for air yet unwilling to let her go. From the feel of it, Hope had reached a similar impasse, her grip suddenly tightening even as she began to tremble.

He was so lost in the moment that at first the Prince failed to notice that she had began to pull away from him, his lips following doggedly after hers as Hope started to push against his chest. Had he done something wrong? Oh Goddess, had she changed her mind?

Sombra opened his eyes only to find that Hope had done the same, a terrified expression growing on her face as her muffled voice cried out at something. He was struck with horror; what could he have done?

Then it hit him…

Something with all the force of a battering ram slammed into Sombra’s back, hurling the pair of equines across the ice. One with a scream of pain, the other, of terror.

Sombra landed hard, bouncing off the ice and tumbling another several yards before coming to rest in a moaning heap. His world was spinning as he blinked back stars and tears of pain, trying simply to figure out what had just occurred.

Struggling to sit up straight Sombra froze, his heart going cold as he spotted Hope in a similar state not far away. But it wasn’t the blood trickling down her cheek that stole the breath from him though, nor was it the way she seemed to be cradling her foreleg. No, it was the hulking beast that was stalking its way towards her.

It was a monster straight from myth, something spoken of around a campfire that would have made most laugh in disbelief. A creature with the appearance of a great wolf chiseled from the crystals of the north, shining like demonic diamonds in the violet torchlight.

The very creature spoken of by the survivors the day Sombra’s father had been killed…

The hound moved with a graceful beauty, its shimmering body difficult to track against the snow and ice like a miasma, strikingly bright blue eyes glowing and locked on its prey. There was something else about it to, something that just wormed its way into the mind and gripped at your heart like a primal fear.

Sombra only allowed this fear to hold him still for a moment, his thunderous heartbeat drowned out by the feral shriek of anguish that rocked his mind, demanding that he move. Demanding that he rend the earth if that is what it required to stop what was coming.

Without even realizing it the Prince had forced his way up, planting his hooves with teeth grit, his horn flaring to life on instinct even as he recalled something about this monstrousity. A boiling bolt of blistering energy lept from Sombra’s horn, burning the air with desperate fury as it flashed over the ice and painted his target in a sickly orange glow.

The attack which could have burned its way through the stonework of a guard tower popped and fizzled away into nothing as it splashed harmlessly over the creatures faceted hide, the spell’s structure unraveling upon contact. Unfazed, the beast continued on without so much as turning its head to acknowledge the Prince was even there.

It leapt, jaws wide open as it bore down on its prey. Hope was struggling to retreat, her skate clad hooves scraping at the ice in an attempt to push herself away. The fangs aimed at her throat glistened in Hope’s eyes as the end drew near.

At some point Sombra had begun to scream, not in fear or sorrow, but in rage. Pure unabated rage as instinct took hold of his magic. He wanted this thing gone, to see it smashed and broken. His magic reached out, grasping for something, anything that could make that happen.

A boulder slammed into the side of the wolf with incredible force, the multi-ton piece of rock alight with magic as it crumbled like clay against the impossible creature. Sombra let loose a bellow as the wolf was spun around by the impact, its claws leaving deep gashes in the ice as it landed with an annoyed bark of its own, Sombra now square within its sights.

The Prince only had a moment to congratulate himself though as the great hound pulled back a massive paw and swatted a chunk of the broken boulder straight at his face, the rock whistling with enough speed to crack a pony skull.

Throwing himself to the ground Sombra felt the stone scrape across his ear as it sailed past, impacting the frozen falls some distance behind him. The sound echoed around them, bouncing through the trees and filling the air with the chilling noise of cracking ice.

Without giving the downed stallion another thought the diamond clad hound turned its malice back toward Hope and charged at her again, its agile form reaching the mare in mere moments. There was fire in the monster’s eyes as it once again made to lunge at her, jaws opening wide enough to crush her between an insane number of wickedly sharp teeth. It lept, only for it to be yanked down where it smashed into the ice face first with a startled yelp.

Horn glowing brightly Sombra poured more magic into the appendage, having shifted his focus from the wolf itself into the environment around it. Hundreds of hours of asking and searching and learning about this fiend poured through his mind and though he had only ever found very little he had learned one thing. Pony magic had held no power over it, spells and enchantments doing nothing but annoy the beast. So he had studied hard on the ways of nature, learning the elemental magics so that he might bend those to his will instead.

That is why the wolf now struggled and howled as it bit at the ice that crawled up one of its forelegs, slowly freezing the limb and securing it to the lake’s surface. The wolf gnawed and thrashed violently as its other paw scratched at the frozen water that continued to build up in a bid to entomb it.

As the monster struggled to pull its claws from the ice Hope backed away, her eyes turning to Sombra as her horn sparked to life, gathering energy. Just as the creature tore itself free and began to round on her again the mare blinked out of existence, a blinding flash of tell tale light the only evidence she had been there.

Snarling at the light the hound’s teeth bared, its gaze turned, almost as if it was following something-

-The beast swung its head and lunged in an impossible blur of agility, the fire in its eyes flashing as its massive jaws slammed shut with a snarl. Hope appeared out of thin air, one of her hind legs ensnared within the dagger like teeth, screaming as it thrashed her from side to side in a violent rage.

Sombra charged, his heart going wild as his mind clouded over with rage and anguish. Looking back he never remembered when he summoned it but his father’s blade was suddenly with him, flashing forward as he lept at the nightmarish thing, plunging the old piece of steel deep into the wolf’s side with a cry of livid fortitude.

The wolf howled in pain as it rounded on its attacker, flinging the mare within its teeth across the pond as it tried instead to snap at the pony now hanging onto the offending sliver of metal that protruded from its ribs.

Sombra just managed to flinch away from tha nashing maw as it came at him again, swinging himself back before launching his rear hooves straight into the wolf’s muzzle, the impact snapping its head to the side. Sombra’s hooves exploded with pain from the strike but he pressed on, even through the skates it felt like kicking solid rock. He released his hold on the sword and lept to the ground, only just narrowly avoiding the swip of a giant paw that nearly took his legs out from under him.

The diamond hound howled at him as it reared up and brought its weight down in a powerful front legged pounce, missing by mere inches as the Prince threw himself out of the way. The beast’s paws smashed into the ice, shattering it in a wide arc as it tumbled forwards into the water, its considerable bulk carrying it down deep into the bowls of the lake with a mighty splash.

Sombra scrambled backwards the best he could on his mangled skates, the blades on his back hooves destroyed from the impact with the beasts hide. Some part of his mind finally caught up with the moment and his horn lit again, the frothing water inside the hole in the ice quickly stilled and refroze in a cloud of his magic.

He sat there for a moment, chest heaving wildly as he watched the disturbed patch of ice for any signs of movement, anything that might indicate they were still in danger. Nothing happened; everything was quiet save for the sound of his bursting heart.

With another brief flash of his horn Sombra tore off his skates and headed for where he could see Hope laying near the end of the lake. She didn’t seem to be moving much, but he could hear her.

“Hope!” Sombra called out as he rushed to her side, dropping to his knees as he nearly slid into her. “Hope, are you…” His voice trailed off; she was not okay.

There was a lot of blood. It pooled around her savegly torn leg and dripped from several deep wounds around her head. Her horn was chipped badly and one of her forelegs was visibly broken. Her whole form shuddered with pain as she tried to turn and look up at him, a weak smile touching her lips as she reached out a trembling hoof.

“Did you see?” Hope asked quietly, her gaze a bit unfocused. “I finally nailed that triple axel.” She finished with a cough that speckled the ice with even more blood.

“I…” Sombra tried, taking her outstretched hoof in his, her skate nowhere to be seen. “I was busy, I did not see.”

“Figures,” Hope muttered with another cough. “I finally get you all to myself, and you still can’t see me.”

“I see you, Hope,” Sombra whispered back, giving her hoof a little squeeze.

Pulling his hooves a little closer to herself Hope leaned her cheek against them and let out a contented sigh, her breath slowing as her body relaxed.

“That is all I ever wanted to hear you say, Sombra,” she cooed with a glassey far off look in her eyes. “But, do you think we could go home now? I. I’m so cold.”

“Hope, please,” Sombra almost begged as he stared down at her, willing himself to stay strong as he spoke. “I cannot lose you too…”

“What?” Hope asked, suddenly sitting up as if nothing were seriously wrong. “I’m not dying you mook, just hurt, really bad.”

“You, but all the blood, and you said you were cold!” Sombra nearly wailed as he gestured to her gore slickened leg.

“I have been cold for hours! We are at the top of a mountain you fool!” She chuckled merrily before wincing and leaning back against the ground. “I just couldn’t bear the thought of saying anything and ruining the fun, now I am all wet and sprawled out like a rug on this cursed ice.”

“You do look a mess,” Sombra confirmed, giving her hemoraging leg a concerned look as blood continued to ooze from it.

“I can fix that,” Hope said with a reassuring pat on Sombra’s shoulder. “Looks worse than it is actually, by some miracle the beast seems to have missed all the arteries.”

“Wish that I had such luck,” Sombra grumbled with a sour look as he rubbed at his side, his spine piping up in protest as his adrenaline began to fade. “Are you sure that you can, your horn…”

“One way to find out,” Hope finished with a slow nod, her horn sparking to life with an unfamiliar snap of static before blinking out. “Cursed thing,” She hissed with pain as her good leg put a hoof to her forehead.

“Can’t concentrate?” Sombra asked, his suspicions confirmed a moment later when she tried again only to whimper and fall back against the ice with a grunt.

“Where are you going?” Hope asked through grit teeth as Sombra rose to his hooves and headed back towards where they had left their belongings.

“To fetch the blanket,” He called back, taking care to keep his hooves planted on the slippery ice. “We need to dress that wound and get you wrapped up, and if you don’t give me too much fuss you can have some of this wine for the pain.”

“Does this mean the Prince of the land is going to carry me back to my bed?” Hope asked coyly, her voice sounding almost hopeful.

“Even in this state you are hardly the picture of a damsel in distress, Hope,” Sombra comented as he returned and sat down beside her, his horn flashed as a corner of the blanket tore free and began to fold itself around her leg. “We will get your legs under you and gate back, I can get us there with a few jumps and have you to the healers soon enough.”

Rolling her eyes Hope gladly accepted the offered bottle that floated up to her and took a greedy swig, the decadent liquid warming her frozen core with a soothing tingle.

“And they say chivalry is alive and well,” She said with a delighted hum before taking another appreciative sip, “Ah well, a girl can dream I suppose.”

“Dream all you want, just keep some moderation in mind,” Sombra muttered with a serious face as he worked the cloth into a tight bandage around her blood slicked limb, though a faint smile was touching the corners of his mouth. “I need you sober enough to corroborate the story when we get back, otherwise I’ll never live this down.”

“Still telling them this was all your idea,” Hope said sweetly, eyeing the bottle before her gaze wandered back to where the wolf had disappeared through the ice and she took another drink. “Still though, not like they will belive us anyway; I am not entirely sure I belive us,” She glanced back at her broken leg. “The evidence notwithstanding, ouch, Do you think it’s dead?”

“Sorry,” Sombra said as he finished synching the knot holding the bandage together before giving the hole behind them a wary look of his own. “Probably, but right now my concern is for you,” he said warmly, his smile only growing as Hope snorted into her bottle.

Satisfied with his handiwork Sombra gingerly wrapped the remains of the blanket around Hope’s barrel, folding an end around her shoulders before tucking it into itself to secure the blanket in place.

“How is that?” Sombra asked, eyeing the way the fabric shifted as she moved.

“Warmest I have been all night,” Hope sighed, sitting back up and snuggling a bit closer, the bottle making another trip to her mouth a moment latter.

“Hey now,” Sombra muttered as he noticed the half empty bottle tilting ever higher, her throat flexing with every ravenous swallow. “Save me a draft of that; you aren’t the only one who’s gotten cold up here,” he added, grabbing for the bottle.

“Mmm mm!” Hope mumbled with a mouthful of her favorite wine, doing her level best to hold the bottle just out of Sombra’s reach. The effects the liquid was having on her aching body were heavenly.

“Fine then,” the Prince said with a scoff as he rose, shaking his head at the mare’s antics. “But if you should become sick while in the gate I will be leaving you up here.”

“Finally,” Hope whispered seductively to the bottle held protectively to her chest. “We would be alone at last.”

Glancing at the decidedly less than half full bottle of liquor Sombra just shook his head, happy that her pain would at least be quelled for the time being. Miracle or no though the blood loss would soon catch up to her which ment they needed to move.

“I only, Hope, the two of you will be happy together,” Sombra quipped, offering her a hoof and an apologetic grimace.

“Nah,” Hope replied with a giggle as she accepted the offered assistance and allowed herself to be pulled up onto her shaking limbs, her eyes screwing shut in a silent curse of discomfort. “It would never last; this guy is great for a quick night of fun,” she said with a lick of her lips before glancing back at Sombra. “But, under pressure he shatters, and his wit is just so dry. I want a stallion who can catch me when I need him, and still not be afraid to make jokes about it.”

“Well, I Hope, that we can find you sompony who checks all those boxes,” Sombra said pointedly, his serious expression returning as he gauged her reactions.

“Well…” Hope muttered thoughtfully as she gave Sombra an appraising glance, her eyes roving over him a bit longer than what one might consider necessary. “You might do, with some more work.”

“And that’s how we know you’ve had enough of that,” Sombra said with a slightly reddened face as he gently swiped the wine from her in a flash of magic, his victory shortlived though as he brought it up only to find the bottle empty. “Clever girl…” He muttered as he set it aside.

Hope just smiled one of those dazzling smiles of hers as the pair leand in closer to each other, the cold and the pain forgotten for just that one moment. A final reprieve before Fate stepped off the reins…

The distant sounds of ice cracking filled the air and echoed across the pond, drawing the equines’ attention towards the falls. A spiderweb of cracks had spread across nearly the entire tower of glittering hoarfrost, tiny rivulets of water spewing from deep within them.

A thunderous bang rang in the ponies ears as a rather sizable chunk of ice shot out of the wall, skipping past them across the lake before bouncing off someplace into the trees. More water poured from the new hole left behind, gushing now as the larger cracks widened, telling of the great disaster about to unfold upon those hapless enough to be in the way.

“Figures,” Sombra muttered as they pressed closer together, becoming distinctly aware of the thin layer of ice cold water now rushing around their hooves. “I, hope, you’re ready, I’m going to port us out of here.”

“Not the time, Sombra!” Hope chided, glancing down at the water now deep enough to wet her fetlocks.

“I know, just, being facetious out of habit,” Sombra growled as he pressed against her, his horn flickering to life in a shower of unexpected sparks before, in a similar manner to how Hope’s horn had done, simply fizzled out completely.

Dumbfounded, the Prince tried again, certain that he retained more than enough energy for at least several long teleports. He couldn’t have exhausted himself in that brief scuffle, even if he had allowed his magic to run wild. Try as he might however, he simply could not form a stable gate around them. It was as if something were happening to destabilize the energy as he organized it.

Almost as if something nearby were sucking it away…

In a violent surge of shattering ice and strobing light the Diamond Hound burst up through the ice directly beneath them, its massive jaws ensnaring Hope once again as it lunged. The ice around the beast disintegrated as it thrashed about wildly, a single great paw crashed down on the Prince as well, driving him down into the chilled water with the wolf as it sank.

The three of them plunged into the frigid dark, tumbling along in the current, the turbulent water pushing them onward with no concept of mercy or care. Sombra tumbled head over hooves across the bottom, buffeted by rocks as he struggled to keep his eyes on the wolf, the creature practically a ghost in the darkness.

The wolf’s claws seemed to be faring little better at clinging onto the boulder covered riverbed, the beast thrashed as its limbs struggled to find purchase. Finally though it caught itself, a back paw finding a place to lodge in and act as an anchor. It stood there then, nearly invisible in the all encompassing darkness, nothing but a pair of blazing blue orbs giving the creature’s outline any context.

Eyes wide and ears pricked another shot of adrenalin surged through Sombra’s veins as he smashed straight into the face of the monster, his ready hoof driving forward straight and true right into the wolf’s eye. Latching on as best he could Sombra pulled his hoof back again and again, striking home as hard as he could despite the water’s efforts to drag him away.

Clearly agitated at the actions of this puny pony the wolf swiped at Sombra with its free front paw, the claws slashing at his side leaving deep gashes that immediately tinged the water red with his blood.

What was meant to be a scream came out a muted croak as Sombra jolted upright, his sides heaving and slicked with sweat. His eyes flicked back and forth, still searching frantically for something he knew wasn’t there as he struggled to rise. Try as he might though something held him back, keeping him down while his blurry vision swam in and out of the dark.

“Settle.”

It had him pinned, unyielding to the efforts of his spent muscles as they strained against its seemingly endless strength. Teeth like knives dug at his flesh while claws as big as swords held him against the bottom, the sounds of thundering waters rushing by all around deafened him.

“Return.”

The voice was calm and familiar, a shard of warming tranquility that pushed aside the anxiety and fatigue that gripped him. For another brief moment Sombra instinctively continued to struggle against what held him, his limbs barely responding to his commands in their efforts as fear turned to desperation. Air came to him in ragged gasps that would not satisfy; the sensation of drowning surrounded by the frigid burn of glacial runoff overwhelmed his senses.

“Have peace and be still.”

The voice came again, spoken in the mystical tones of the ancient Caribou tribes that roamed the furthest realms of the frozen north. The words were like a strong embrace reaching down to drag Sombra from the waters, pulling him free and up into a place of safety and warmth.

With a final defeated whimper Sombra collapsed back against the cold crystal floor, the dazzling faceted ceiling above him spinning in a dizzying blend of colors and subdued lights. His skull felt as though it had been shattered and the heavy taste of copper covered his tongue where he had bitten it.

As he lay there blinking away the last of the spots swimming through his vision and wishing the world would hold still even if only for a moment a few final visions flashed across his mind. Sombra would have gladly accepted the most grisly of physical tortures than to see Hope’s terrified face again, her eyes begging for him to reach just a little further even as the distance between them grew.

The thought had barely echoed through Sombra’s mind before something grabbed his shoulder and shook him gently, trying to rouse him from whatever state of being this was. He really did not care; it was as if his very being did not have the energy left to care, yet something told him he should.

Sombra’s eyes fluttered open again, the glittering ceiling assaulting them with a light that was somehow far too bright, though it had mercifully ceased its spinning. Blinking a few more times seemed to appease this as well though they still stung and refused to clear fully. It was the throbbing of his skull that irked Sombra the most, pulsing and aching worse than any magical migraine he could recall.

All these things considered; it was a far greater place than where he had just been.

“Ah, as I have long suspected, Sombra. Your skull is much too thick to be troubled by such things,” a familiar voice spoke as Andvari leaned over him, an intolerable smirk adorning the ancient caribou’s face. “After so much time ignoring my words; I was beginning to think you still were refusing to listen.”

“I heard you elder,” Sombra replied groggily as he pushed himself up to have a look around. “And thank you for, whatever it was you conjured to repel that monstrous drake. I do not suppose the rest of it was merely a dream?”

“I wish I could say that it was,” Andvari replied sadly, her antlers coming alight in a deep emerald glow as her eyes scanned over him. “You and two others were fortunate enough to be collected quickly. Unfortunately, by the time we found poor little foxglove her mind was already gone; there is nothing further that I can do for her.”

Sombra glanced around the room, eyes blinking tightly as he tried to make out the few faces he spotted in the darkened interior. “How many are here?” he eventually managed to ask.

“About ten, that I know of,” Andvari said quietly as she straightened up some fresh bandages around the wound on Sombra’s neck. “I had hoped we would find more before the situation forced us to flee but the tower is-“

A dull rumble echoed up from somewhere deep within the Citadel’s base which caused dust and tiny bits of crystal to rain down from the ceiling. Another crack appeared along the far wall, joining dozens of others that Sombra was only just becoming aware of.

“With the Heart gone the Citadel withers; like ours the great sentinels time has come,” Andvari said with a somber hint of finality. “We must make haste and leave this place.”

“What of the Reliquary?” someone called out, their voice urgent, almost pleading. “Surely we cannot leave the Citadel’s artifacts behind!?”

“The Reliquary is no longer of importance.”

Turning towards the voice the best he could Sombra spotted Gelek limping into the room, the Donkey’s grim expression mirroring the others. It came as a great relief to see that following close behind him was Steel Resolve, the hulking Minotaur moving confidently despite his gruesome injuries.

“The only items not destroyed or missing are here,” Gelek added as he made his way to stand before the elderly Caribou, placing a bag down between them. “All we found worth recovering was the amulet and the scepter.”

Blinking through the haze that held stubbornly to the edges of his vision Sombra could just make out the latter of the two items as Andvari levitated it infront of her, the golden cane sparkling in the twilight.

“Did you find any of the others?” the Caribou mystic asked after a moment, carefully placing the item back within the bag.

Steel released a heavy sigh as Gelek looked away, head low as he spoke. “None that could be helped.”

Another distant vibration ran through the floor, stronger and more lingering than before, drawing concerned glances from around the room. Sombra’s ears flattened as he watched a new crack slowly snake its way across the floor right underneath him.

“Then we have done all we can here,” Andvari said with finality in her tone as she set the surviving relics back across Gelek’s shoulders. “Take these and guard them well. Any of you that are still able go with Gelek and get out any way you can; we will meet at the source gate below Steel Resolve’s village. Gather there as quickly as you can and may the Heart guide you.”

“What of the rest of you?” Gelek asked hesitantly as he helped Resolve pass out what meager clothing and food they had gathered along their search of the tower. “The injured ca-“

The room suddenly shifted as something supporting it collapsed, leaving a lasting tilt as the cracks along the floor and walls continued to creep along. A dull creaking and groaning began to build from below that refused to fade, sounds that signaled the end for this place.

Andvari used her magic to shove Sombra and Gelek back as the floor near the center of the room began to crumble from underneath, dropping away until a large chasm had appeared between them. The entire length of the tower shuddered as more and more of the interior began to give way.

“I will take Trillium, Foxglove and these two and gate as far as I can,” Andvari called out over a particularly loud shriek of splintering crystal, her magic slowly coalescing over the Knights laying on the floor behind her. “Sombra, can you?”

Sombra, already struggling to his hooves shook his head, breathing heavily with the effort. “I do not think I could move myself beyond these walls much less take any with me,” he admitted tiredly, pawing the floor once before looking around at the others.

“Take them and go, Andvari,” Gelek called back with an upward nod, helping another knight to their paws. “We shall find our way.”

“Then, until we meet again,” she replied with as reassuring of a smile as she could muster, the glow of her magic intensifying until with a final flash, her little group was gone.

Taking a stumbling step forward Sombra nearly yelped as a single massive gray skinned arm wrapped its way under his barrel and unceremoniously hoisted him into the air, pinning him to the rippling chest of a Minotaur. The weathered stony face of Steele Resolve gazed down at him, offering Sombra a determined nod before glancing at the few others that remained.

“Right then,” Gelek said with a sigh, the aging jack taking a grim look around, his gaze lingereing where Andvari and the others had been. “We should make for the port gate down in the reflecting hall, it is the most likely to have remained functional.”

A few mutters of agreement went up around the room as the remaining Knights filed out, their weary gazes vigilant of the fading colors that bled from the walls around them, the lights fading quickly. The trembling was ever present now, steadily growing into a shaking that stumbled and unnerved them.

They picked up their pace, most doing their best to ignor injuries as they pressed on, the sickening sounds urging them forwards. Great fissures began to appear in the walls and floor as they went, the entire structure twisting and warping as its damaged magical lattice disintegrated.

Rooms and quiet nooks of meditation flashed by as they ran, stretches of hallway unrecognizable as they were forced to negotiate around and over collapsed sections of what had been millennia old living spaces. It all went past in a blur as Sombra fought just to keep his eyelids open, struggling not only against his own creeping exhaustion but the crystalline dust in the air. Steel was clearly doing his best but the jostling ride was doing him no favors either, the stallion’s wounds ached and the rough treatment was sure to make him bleed again. If only they could reach-

-The floor gave way beneath the hulking Minotaur, collapsing as he vaulted over a particularly obtrusive obstacle in their path. The pair of them plummeted into the dark, crashing straight through what should have been the next level as well before landing hard on the floor below.

Somehow Steel managed to catch himself, stumbling forwards into a wall and slamming his wounded shoulder against the cold stone, a gargled whimper of pain escaping the Minotaur’s mangled throat as moisture formed around his tightly clenched eyes. How the battered bull was still on his hooves Sombra didn’t know, but he was certainly thankful for it.

Muffled shouts could be heard coming from the others above, no doubt calling out for their fallen comrads but another series of violent tremors brought more dust and debris raining down, silencing the cries.

Amazingly, Steel Resolve pushed himself back up, his shaking legs quivering as something audibly snapped. Fresh blood oozed from the stab wounds on his hand and neck, but his eyes were like fire, burning with inextinguishable determination. With a staggering breath he slid one hoof forward, then the other. Then, he took a step.

A long dark hall was laid out before them, a set of stairs that whould have been their salvation by means of reaching the reflecting hall above lay broken beside them. That heart numbing sight left the two with no other alternative, any remaining possible exits were far removed from their location and they were down to moments at best.

Steel’s gaze hardened, an ancient chant of strength running through his mind as he stepped forward again, the Citadel groaning around them as small bits of the ceiling bounced from his shoulders. He took another step, then another, faster and faster until he was running. His body screamed in protest; he ignored it. A plan was forming within his thick skull, a desperate plan but it was the only one he had left.

The floor shifted under him, no longer level as Steel Resolve felt himself lean to the side in order to compensate. He snorted loudly as his speed continued to build, prepairing himself for what came next. Sombra was not going to like this but it was their only way out now.

Having finally surrendered to gravity’s call the great monolith began to tilt, its base crumbling, the outer walls slowly shattering under the shifting weight. Like an old dead tree in a windstorm the Citadel shifted, lurching in a sickening fashion, the final reserves of its magic drained away and it began to fall.

Steel Resolve charged forward for all he was worth, shielding the pony he carried as best he could as larger and larger chunks of the ceiling collapsed down around them. A shard of the wickedly sharp material cut deep into his hide as it crashed over the back of his head and tumbled down the Minotaur’s shoulders, stumbling the determined bull yet he did not falter even as his hooves struggled to retain their purchase on the increasingly slanted floor.

The wall ahead was his target, spider-webbed with ever growing cracks and its light visibly fading as he drew nearer. Lowering his horns Resolve slammed into the puny structure with all the force of a rockslide, crashing straight through the wall and out into the cold beyond.

Sombra, only dimly aware of their surroundings by this point, felt his stomach drop out as the pony realized he was falling. The chill northern air ripped at his coat as the pair plummeted towards their certain demise. Desperately trying to think of anything he could do, horn sparking feebly, Sombra forced himself through the haze of his fractured thoughts and found the faintest scraps of energy.

Where they came from the pony did not know but he wasted no time weaving them together into a meager field of telekinetic force, wrapping it around the Minotaur which carried him and pushed. The energy flickered and sparked against the weight it attempted to move, slowing them down by the tiniest degree as they banked away from the leaning tower.

Sombra’s teeth were grit so tightly he could hear them crack, blood began to trickle from his nose when finally, there was simply nothing left. They fell freely, Sombra’s eyes looking up blearily as Steel Resolve rolled them over to place himself between him and the rapidly approaching ground.

The last thing Sombra saw was the crumbling tower still coming straight at them before his vision was shrouded by white and a sudden impact took him away into the cold dark once more…

Thousands of tons of falling crystal sang out in a thunderous crash as the glittering structure that had stood guard over their world for eons untold shattered across the frozen plains like so much glass. The pieces slid and tumbled outwards in a grim mosaic across the snow, greens and blues and purples fading away as they came to rest where they may.

In mere seconds it was over, the violent end leaving behind only silence as the driving snow quickly began to pile up against the rubble and cover any trace the tower had ever been at all…

Author's Note

Yes, it has been a long time...

Yes I'm sorry...

No, I can't promise that it won't happen again...

Yes I will be taking steps to prevent it from happening again...

And yes, this story will continue...

Occasionally...

As life permits...

I: All Ends Have a Beginning

Infinity’s End: Times Gone By
Written by JakeAndDollars
Chapter One
All Ends Have a Beginning

“Stories have to be told; stories, need words. Without words, they grow pale, sicken, and die. When they die, we cannot remember who they were about, or why they were so important as to merit becoming stories at all. They become lost and we are the lesser for it. Stories are where memories go when they are forgotten, and anyone worthy of remembrance deserves to have their stories told. For we are all naught but stories, in the end.”

~Book of Eternity: Author unknown.

/ / / The Frozen North, 11,930 A.C. / / /

Cold. A fitting word to describe the ancient and unyielding spire that arose from the darkened gale-swept plains that surrounded it. Sturdy and as unbreaking as the rock upon which it was constructed, built to be a lasting sentry in a land that offered so little to those few that remained. The few who still held true to a duty long since forgotten by most through the ages. A duty, a solemn promise made at the side of a fading light, that all it held dear would forever be.

So it had been and so it remained. For countless generations, more years than many deities cared even remember, the guardians stood firm. Forever vigilant, forever waiting. They lingered here in this monolith of crystal, awaiting the day the Timeless Heart would thaw, bringing about fulfillment to all things.

Under the eye of this stormy night however, their wait would come to a sudden end…

/ / / / / /

Blackened. Shapeless. Concealed away in the darkness brought by the raging storm a dozen cloaked figures continued a perilous climb. They scaled the mighty frozen jewel with not aid of rope nor tackle, their mere physical prowess and mental fortitude being all that was required.

These twelve, masters of combat and the finest warriors their lands had left to offer pushed ever higher, a thousand strides they had ascended, yet not even one dared falter. A misstep from here, would surely spell doom to any unfortunate enough to take it. Still they persisted, their final goal within sight, a single glowing orifice carved into the side of the grand structure.

At such length by then was the group's exposure to the elements, fur clumped together in solid lumps under cloak and armor, hampering motion and adding to the ever growing risk. Feathers lay flat along their wings and chests, frozen into unmoving layers that bound already useless wings. Wings that would have been helpless against the torrent of icy winds howling around the spire.

It was of no avail, even as the world itself seemed against their presence here. For these twelve were Griffons, proud warriors of the mountain realms in the far distant east. An entire lifetime spent training through trial and experience had hardened each of them against the harshest punishments nature could hurl their way. The cold little more than a mild discomfort, serving only to further motivate the mind in its efforts to will the flesh.

Steadily they climbed, claw and talon digging into any hold no matter how miniscule. They would not be denied this, not on the lives of their flocks would this honor be kept from them. The call had sounded, they had answered. The great lords of old had stirred, waking, clawing back the shroud time had draped over them, ready to take up the task unfinished.

Drawing nearer the group slowed their pace, a dim glow penetrating the howling blizzard to reveal a shallow balcony, the only discernible feature to be found along the icy exterior. At this height, or otherwise.

With a near imperceptible motion the leader signaled a stop, a subtle flick from his tail was all the information the warriors needed. In a silent flurry they took up a readying formation, six Griffons to a side and with bated breath, they waited. They waited, for the order to attack…

/ / / / / /

Steadfast and agitated, words that well befit the stallion peering out upon the lands from his perch. The lone balcony serving its purpose once more, providing the tower’s occupants a singular portal through which to observe their surroundings, a window upon the world’s soul.

For hours now the pony had stood there, never once moving in his vigil over the land. Either failing to notice or simply uncaring as strands of black mane froze in place while the wind battered him. His cloak meanwhile, hardened into a shell that clung to his body. Though the gaze of the stallion was steady, his mind was consumed in worrisome thoughts as a deep feeling of dread festered within his core. There were no words for this feeling; something was simply, wrong…

/ / / / / /

With deliberate, almost painfully slow movements, blades were drawn and final positions were assumed. The howls of the wind drowned out any sound as the Griffons tensed, all their patience and toil, was about to see fruition…

/ / / / / /

“Here I find you yet again, young Sombra.”

Upon hearing his name the stallion in question glanced back over his shoulder, nodding in respect as his elder approached, joining in his watch over the outside.

“How many nights now has it been, keeping up this solemn watch?” the older stallion queried cheerfully. "Finding you here has become, predictable."

Sombra turned his eyes back to the swirling clouds of snow beyond the threshold, the thickness of them obscuring the world below in white. “Admittedly, I seem to have lost the count. Though rest assured my vigilance shall not waver,” Sombra replied, his brow furrowing as he leaned into the rail slightly, peering into the dark void. “There is malice on the wind these nights. Cold, a darkness, something unfamiliar to me and yet, I almost recognize it.”

The newcomer gave a sigh as an acknowledgment, the sound poignant and regretful. “War, young one, is often of that nature. Foreign concepts to those whom do not seek them,” there was a lingering pause to the pony’s somber words as he moved to join the other in gazing out over the abyss. Sombra hardly seemed to notice, his focus elsewhere. “There will, however, forever be those that seek it. Regretfully I foresee that in time, you too will come to understand them.”

Sombra managed to tear his gaze from the nothing at these words, eyes narrowing slightly as they found the pale green crystalline form of his teacher. “I do not fear this, war, Amethyst,” he said, chest puffing out as he bristled in youthful ignorance. “It is merely that, even now the Alicorns march their armies to meet the Griffons. Worse still, we received word that the Dragons grow restless within their mountain hoards,” he shook his head, not comprehending the reason of the situation. “After so many millennia of peace, why? Why, Amethyst do they choose to once again bring about such bloodshed?”

Amethyst Song simply looked away, his own thoughts taking him to places he tried so hard to avoid, but the evidence spoke for itself. “That, Sombra, is a question to which I have no answer,” he said, finding the truth leaving a tinge of doubt within his thoughts. “My only hope is that they be able to find one for themselves, before too much damage can be done.”

“Then why do we not intervene? Surely the Knights could turn the tides if properly placed?” Sombra asked, his tone seeking more from the older pony, the burning impatience of youth betraying him. “We could bring about a swift end to this conflict.”

“Perhaps many generations past, my pupil,” Amethyst said, cinching tighter the heavy cloak resting over his own shoulders. The ice gathering in his mane causing the old stallion some discomfort. “Presently, there are simply too few of us Knights left standing. To involve ourselves now would be to seek naught but death and ruin. No, our place is here, at the side of the Heart. To keep it and the secrets it carries safe.”

“I grow weary of this waiting,” Sombra complained with an annoyed huff as he found himself gazing out into the angry night once more, a scowl set firmly upon his face. “It makes me feel so, useless.”

Amethyst worked his jaw a few times, his ear flicking in the wind as he thought. He wished to say something more to this promising new heir to their cause, perhaps something inspiring forged through his own experiences managing this task which had been bequeathed to him. It would seem the right thing to do, after all, his own time here was soon drawing to a close. Perhaps a metaphor? A cautionary tale of how this never ending cycle within which they were all trapped was doomed to repeat itself?

Or perhaps it did not matter either way Amethyst decided after a moment of mulling it over, his gaze peering through the mess of snow and wind, occasionally catching a glimpse of the distant dome of translucent energy that surrounded the citadel. So long as it helped to keep Sombra centered on his path.

Some number of minutes passed, the silence interrupted by nothing but the howling wind, or the ruffling of their robes as the fabric rippled violently with the gusts. It hung in the air, thick and palpable as a stone wall, neither pony having found the right words to continue.

Amethyst after a time was first to break the spell, humming a faint tune before turning to his charge. “Do you remember, when you first came to the Knights?” he asked slowly, waiting for Sombra to nod before he continued, nostalgia clear in his tone. “You had wandered the wastes for weeks, lost, cold, and alone,” the elder edged closer, gaining the Unicorn’s full attention. “You were searching for some form of higher purpose to your life, direction where there had been none. Then, on the twentieth day, when the strength had finally left your body and you knew that you could go no further, you made a request of Fate.”

Sombra nodded again, though he hated being reminded of his past. There were nearly always lessons hidden within the old stallion’s lectures. “I asked for direction, to show me a meaning for my life,” Sombra said somberly. He steeled himself against his own arrogance, forcing himself to listen, taking any amount of wisdom he could glean from the words. “For, no matter where my travels took me, I never truly felt complete. Not after...”

“Indeed, though it was not Fate that answered you, was it?” Amethyst queried, a gleam in his eye that went unnoticed by the other pony, even as he glanced back at his teacher. “No, you were assisted by another force. One which sought to show you your true path,” he stated as he turned from the balcony. The warm illumination from the hallway within highlighted the frosty breath swirling from his nostrils as he motioned back inside. “The Heart, Sombra. It sought you out, sensed your incredible potential for good, your compassion, your will to protect those that cannot protect themselves.”

Casting one last glance at the storm beyond the threshold Sombra turned to follow his elder into the warm confines of the tower. The enchanted air within returned the heat to his flesh, his cloak crunching faintly as he moved. “I fail to see such qualities, true enough I have fought in the name of others. Though if only to fill my own purse with coin and my belly with bread,” he said, an ashamed look hinting in his eyes.

Amethyst smiled, traces of faint memories playing through his mind. Times when others had come, drawn by the same longing sense of needing more, to find that which they were meant to be. “And yet no innocent ever fell by your blade. Only the tyrants and the thugs of your realm met with its judgment,” Amethyst said, assurance adding to the weight of his words as they continued down the corridor. The passage opened up into a vast inner chamber lined with glittering pillars that pulsed with a gentle pattern of light, reaching to the vaulted ceiling overhead. “What better proof is there to be found of your character, Sombra?”

Sombra merely grunted in acknowledgment, the words having as little effect now as they did in the past. He hated this talk, had heard it so often that his mind had grown numb to the words. Words that had once haunted his dreams. He was no protector. With a scowl he looked away from the image staring back at him from the crystalline wall, the face distorted and unreadable. Yet the eyes still seared into him with disappointment and disdain.

“I know that you doubt yourself, Sombra,” Amethyst said gently, turning to look his companion in the eye as he placed a hoof over the pony’s chest. “But know that the Heart sees through us all, it knows our deepest emotions, sees our greatest transgressions, and brings our truest colors to light. That, is how I know you belong, that you have found your true path. For it looked within you and saw a stallion of quality, a pony with a good heart,” he finished, pressing down to indicate the life-giving organ beneath. “I also know that your story, has just begun.”

“My story?” Sombra breathed out quietly, a touch of confusion lining the edge of his words. The Unicorn found himself slowly becoming more and more confused, face scrunching in thought as he processed what his ears had told him.

/ / / / / /

Silent as an owl gliding towards its dinner, the Griffon leader Phalyndil made his way over the railing’s edge, his second close behind. The pair moved as one, each drawing a small crossbow from beneath their cloaks and choosing a target. His was to be the elderly stallion, Master had granted the honor of killing the sage to him alone.

The hen to Phalyndils’ side, Shindrah, brought her own weapon to bear. Her sharp eyes settled over her prey. The Griffoness was eager to prove herself in the coming battle, not only so that she might grow the worth of her flock as a part of Masters’ hoard, but perhaps catch favor with Phalyndil as well.

Despite the terrible toll the last few hours had dealt his body Phalyndil found energy for a brief smile, his beak curling along one edge as he caught a glance of his fellow warrior. She was coiled like a bear trap and twice as deadly, needing but the slightest touch to send death into whatever stumbled upon her.

Had it been any other under his wing, Phalyndil might have shown concern, such open displays of eagerness and excitement often stemmed from a deeper lack of self discipline. Control however, was not something he deemed the young Griffoness to be lacking. She had flown with the best of them and survived when many of her betters had not.

Placing his first bolt into the slot on his crossbow, Phalyndil held his breath as he lifted the weapon with deliberate care. He knew full well that each projectile was precious and irreplaceable once fired. These were not just any simple steel arrows, he knew. A grand smith would have toiled nearly a week to forge even one, containing such exceptional materials as they did.

He eyed the back of his target’s head, aligning the shaft with the perfect path to send the polished onyx tip through near the top of the pony's neck. Phalyndil marveled at how light Master’s creations were, how the glow of the crystal around him seemed to slide off the gold runes laid into the stone head, or how the silver fletching shimmered like firelight from within.

Shindrah suppressed her breath, a talon caressing her weapon’s trigger as she lined up her own anti-source bolt, ensuring that its path would be true when the time came to send death into the younger Unicorn. Their attacks needed to be simultaneous, Shindrah had done battle against wielders of magic before and knew the consequences a mistake would bring.

Chancing a final glance over his shoulder, Phalyndil took heart at seeing the last of his kin slide silently over the rail and take positions at his back. Their own weapons were drawn and ready for the coming battle. Heart pounding at the inevitable plunge before him the Griffon eased into a more stable stance, inhaling deeply before slowly exhaling, calming his aim as his talon began to take up pressure. Halfway across the large chamber before him his prey took pause, hushed words drifting past his ears as they spoke. Motionless…

In that single moment, Phalyndil was home. His father's crossbow was cradled in his talons as he lay prone in a field, watching the grass sway and dance in the breeze, a straw target off in the distance…

He pulled the trigger…

/ / / / / /

It was nothing but a feeling, some little voice that Sombra had learned to trust very early on in his life and it had saved him many times. Which is why he reacted without question when it told him to move, why he interrupted Amethyst with a burst of telekinetic energy that erupted between them, pushing both ponies away from the death that passed so close it severed hairs from hide.

The pair of crossbow bolts that missed their marks had not even embedded themselves within the far wall when the next pair of Griffons stepped forward, moving into the room past Phalyndil and taking aim. Not wishing to lose the element of surprise they too let loose with Master’s fury.

With the sound of bolts striking crystal echoing in his ears Sombra rolled to his hooves, nearly losing an eye as the next projectile sped towards his face, instinct alone saving him for the second time. Throwing his weight to one side, the crossbow bolt missed its mark, sailing past his head and joining the others in the wall a heartbeat later.

Judging by the pained cry, Amethyst had not been so lucky. Chancing a sidelong glance Sombra spotted the elderly stallion, crumpled and bleeding where he fell. But still moving, cradling a pierced shoulder.

Satisfied that his mentor was at least alive Sombra turned instead to the threat that had, until a moment ago, approached completely undetected. Practiced eyes scanned his would be assassins in an instant, past experiences warning of the situation he now faced. They were far too close, Sombra realized as his horn began to glow despite the mounting futility of the act.

There were perhaps a dozen, difficult to see with the ones in the middle purposefully splaying their wings, hiding their fellows from view. He needed more time, Sombra realized, his heart growing heavy in his chest. He would not be able to react quickly enough if-

The Griffons’ tactics paid off, a third pair of the warriors wheeled into place, weapons leveled, shoulders set. The voice in the back of Sombra’s head whispered from the dark, telling him to place down his shield and survive, that he could live if he just saved himself. The glow from his horn grew bright, the spell nearing completion. The Griffons pulled their triggers again.

In a cloud of Sombras’ magic the crystalline floor beneath Amethyst sprang to life, lighting up in brilliant colors as its surface began to boil like heated water. In the time it took the bolt to reach its target the liquefied crystal surged into the air and wrapped around the wounded pony, hardening into a protective dome.

Deciding to berate himself later Sombra instead chose to focus solely on the Griffon directly ahead of him and turned to face his enemy and, immediately wished he had not. Another bolt was already streaking towards his face, with but a heartbeat to react, there was little he could do. There was but one chance for his survival, with all the speed he could will from his muscles Sombra continued his turn, hoping to twist out of the way.

It was too late. The wickedly sharp stone head sliced along the side of his neck, delving deep into the soft flesh with ease as it passed. The bolt continued on, nicking his shoulder, its trajectory carrying the bolt towards his partially exposed side. Though the hit may not have proven fatal it would still likely have pierced his ribs, had it not immediately ricocheted off something hard hidden beneath the pony’s cloak and lodged in the torn fabric. Something, metal.

Pain burned across Sombras’ neck, the sound of his own blood spattering the crystal floor reaching his ears as he staggered backwards onto his haunches. One hoof struggling to find purchase and push him back, the other pressing firmly over the wound. Thinking quickly Sombra fell to his side before using his magic to propel himself across the floor and out of sight, seeking shelter behind the dome still covering Amethyst.

His momentary safety secured Sombra took the moment to retrieve the arrow that had very nearly claimed his life, the chill in his heart only growing colder when it was discovered that the magic from his horn held no effect upon it. Pull as he might, the bolt remained snagged in his cloak’s thick canvas.

With a pained grunt of frustration his free hoof firmly grasped the shaft and tore it from within the folds of fabric. Sombra knew the weapon he faced even before his eyes lay sight upon it, not many a weapon could so easily slip through magic, nor so readily dismiss its commands.

Held within Sombra’s hoof was an anti-source bolt, of an impressively high quality, he begrudgingly admitted. He turned the bolt over under his eye’s scrutiny, noting the gold carefully set into the onyx head, the stone’s own natural magic resistant properties being multiplied tenfold by the conductive metal. Though a true rarity in the world, Sombra had indeed faced such a weapon before and had only just survived to tell about it.

The sound of another bolt striking the crystal shield jarred Sombra from his observations, the protective structure splintering with jagged cracks. A second shot shattered the front portion of the dome. Revealing the empty interior…

/ / / / / /

Phalyndil was furious, not that he would ever allow such an emotion to influence his presence on the battlefield, he felt it just the same. This travesty however, would not go unpunished. No he would see to it, Master’s will would be done! That bastard of a Unicorn would die, his seeming precognitions aside. The worm would meet his end, at Phalyndil’s own claws if possible.

Nocking his next arrow into place, Phalyndil stepped into the room proper. His eyes scanned the space as his flock mates did the same, the group moving towards the center of the chamber. Towards their prey, towards victory infinitum.

/ / / / / /

Sombra huddled closer to the backside of his cover, the meager protection offered by the crumbling structure dwindling away with every step of the approaching Griffons. Working quickly despite the blood soaking his hooves, Sombra finished tying the strip of cloth torn from the cloak around his neck and cinched the knot tight. The wound was deep, but nothing that would kill him before the approaching enemy could.

The pony eyed the far wall as he worked, not once taking his gaze off the blurred reflections showing the intruders advance. He snorted, angry with himself for how complacent he had become during his time here, thinking this place safe from those who would intend harm. He hated how easily they had eluded his detection, sneaking about like a band of thieves in the night. Most of all, he hated how much Amethyst had been right. That he would be needed here more than anywhere else.

Sombra watched them; he watched them move on carefully determined paths, always in pairs, and always within the peripherals of their leader. He noted the subtle shifts in behavior, actions dictated by the slightest movements, the briefest bob of a head, an elbow dipping imperceptibly, or the subtle twitch of a tail. More importantly, he watched them begin to flank him, separating, dividing…

/ / / / / /

Phalyndil freed his breath, calming his quickening pace as he neared the hiding place of the cowering pony, the scent of blood that tinged the air called to the predator within. He was nearly there now; the side passages to his right hardly an afterthought even as his senses declared them to be empty. One final pace was all that remained, surely they would all be remembered in the songs of their flocks for generations to come.

His talons tensed, cradling the crossbow ever so marginally tighter, the deadly bolt poised to take the life from whomsoever it struck. He eyed this small piece of Master’s will, the moment of realization that it had been entrusted to him fresh in his mind from the days before. It would remain one of the proudest times of his life for as long as he lived.

Confident that the Magicus Suntar would make short work of the magic caster Phalyndil took a moment to ensure the positions the rest of the group had taken. His fellows moving along the far wall with the intent to encircle their prey, tightening the noose around the stallion before the enemy could make its escape. To Phalyndil’s shame they had already lost their element of surprise, only the overwhelming speed of a blitz flight would save the Master’s plan now.

At the last moment before rounding the crumbled remains of the crystal barricade Phalyndil tensed the powerful muscles in his legs, leaping high into the air and sailing beyond its edge. His wings flicked, deftly spinning him around for a clear shot. His talon tensed over the trigger, slowly taking up the twelve pounds it would require to send death into his target…

/ / / / / /

Sombra flinched, the twang of the bow being released signaling his end. His life flashed across his eyes as a blinding flare of white light filled his sight, the warrior’s victorious cry fading away as though through water. Just like that, it was over.

Then just as quickly, the light faded and Sombra felt the cool stone beneath his side once more. From somewhere far across the room, the sound of the fired crossbow bolt striking the bare floor reached his ears, and he smiled…

/ / / / / /

Phalyndil’s prideful smile faded from his beak as he landed, confused as he stared at the spot from whence his prey had vanished. He stood there dumbly for several seconds, blinking away the spots from his eyes as he worked out exactly what had transpired. The crossbow in Phalyndil’s talons fell to the floor as he stared at his last shot, buried to the fletching in the crystal floor, wasted.

It was then the warrior understood, as his senses calmed and he took note of where they all stood. Backs to the wall, and their sole means of retreat firmly blocked by the sage whom had escaped Master’s wrath, and those who had come to his aid…

/ / / / / /

Sombra groaned as he rose to his haunches, his eyes meeting those of his mentor. “Took you long enough,” he grumbled, accepting an offered hoof that pulled him up. He glanced behind Amethyst, scrutinizing the assembly of creatures that had gathered in the narrow hall. The other Knights of the Heart.

“Apologies, Sombra,” Amethyst Song offered appeasingly as he gestured over his shoulder at the others. “It required more time than I would have liked to prepare everyone,” he said, taking note of Sombras’ wound. “What of you, can you fight?”

“I can,” Sombra confirmed, his magic releasing the clasp holding the cloak about his shoulders. The folds of fabric fell away, revealing the large scabbard hidden beneath. With a confident nod Sombra set his shoulders and took his place beside his elder, the blade at his side slowly floating out to join them.

They had a chance now, Sombra thought as he glanced around at the small group of creatures that had slowly grown to be his friends. If they fought together and held true to each other, they could win. Though the Knights came from many walks of life from around the world, just like him their paths had led them here, to this moment.

“Then let us not be rude, I think we have left our guests waiting long enough,” Amethyst stated simply. He stepped forward as the others followed suit, drawing weapons and readying spells of their own preferences.

With a surprising strength in his voice, the elderly stallion addressed the intruders. His tone firm, yet respectful. “There is no need for further violence; your plans have been thwarted. Lay down your arms with a promise never to return and you may leave…”

/ / / / / /

Phalyndil could hardly believe his ears, did the doddering old fool truly think that any member of his kind would surrender to prey? It nearly made him laugh! The very idea was ludicrous, if anything it made him desire the pony’s blood all the more, driving his determination to inflict Master’s will upon them all.

He stepped forward, drawing his sword with the mounting hunger for a fight boiling in his veins. His determination soaring as he felt every Griffin move forward to join him in the trek back across the room. This would be their hour! “For Infinity’s end!” He bellowed, and as one, they charged…

Author's Note

Well here it is, the epic has begun, again...

Thank you to all those who have been waiting patiently for this, and to all you new comers, we hope to make it worth your while.

As always any and all comments will be appreciated, and replied to. Not begging mind you but we do enjoy them and they will help us improve in the future, so come on and be heard.

Thanks for the interest! ~Dollars

VI: Infinitum Nihil

Chapter Six

Infinitum Nihil

This may very well be the night we have waited for, my brothers. Even now I feel myself fading, something Valkris will not have missed. We were fools to think our kind could outlast the patience of Dragons and their willingness to destroy harmony in the name of the old ways.

Should it come to pass that I meet my end and our presence fades from the world, I hope that the rest of you can at least find solace in the knowledge that our time was not spent in vain. For through your sacrifices, the plan is safe, we have made it so.

~ Recovered from the journal of Amethyst Song: Final entry

/ / / Citadel of the Crystal Knights / / /

Pain, there was only pain here. It was a pain that consumed everything else, devoured every sense of the outside world, every nerve impulse that defined hot or cold, hard or soft, light and dark. Dead or alive. There was nothing, nothing but an endless void that stretched on forever, promising naught but this continued torment from which you would never wake…

Wake, the very idea seemed impossible, the amount of effort required inconceivable, and yet. An idea? From whence had that come? Ideas came from minds, did they not? More to the point, what was a mind, truly? Logic, awareness, questions of a self defining nature? There could be no doubt, buried beneath this never ending sea of pain and darkness, was a mind. Not just any mind either, it was his own mind!

Yes, he was certain now, certain that he possessed such mental faculties. There had been other things too, a body, strength, magic, laughter and life, and his love of stairs! There was something else as well, a memory, yes he had those as well it seemed, a memory of a name. He had a name? What had it been? It was faded and tattered, but there, hanging just out of reach, slipping away every time he moved towards it.

The word was so close; he could almost taste it, like the coppery tinge of blood in his mouth. He reached for it, muscle fibers tensing, going taut for what felt like the first time. His ears listened for it, straining to hear the whispered words over a chilled wind. A wind that bit at his flesh as fiercely as the voices that shouted over it, calling to him, telling him to fight on.

Sombra opened his eyes, peering blankly through the swirling white mass before him, the meager effort nearly enough to plunge him back into that place of oblivion. He refused; the void was a cruel nonexistence, a place of pain and without purpose. But here, laying on this cold frozen crystal, he welcomed the pain. It meant he was alive, and that a reason would find him.

Sombra, yes that was his name, Sombra dared not close his eyes, lest he forget again. His limbs were numb from the cold, and the icy air burned his lungs, but he did not care so long as he could continue to stare at the brilliant orange light fighting its way over the edge of the world. He squinted, trying to force his blurred vision to see through the wind whipped snow, fighting just to catch any glimpse he could of the burnt reds, or of the little sliver of familiar yellows. Almost as if it had been waiting beyond the horizon for him to wake, the sun rose.

There was something different about that sunrise, perhaps it was a mere figment of his shattered mind, but, it almost looked sad. Like the face of a perpetually joyful companion, to see them in distress simply felt wrong. That is how this sunrise felt, wrong. It was all wrong, as if the sun had peeked over the edge and seen what had happened here, taken aback by what was left to be witnessed. The balance lost.

The sunrise was not the only thing that seemed different either; everything just felt, off somehow. Whether this was a moment of deluded perspicacity or divine clarity, Sombra could not say. Perhaps it could all be equated to the pint of his own blood staining the snow covered crystal, but for one brief moment, it was all too clear to his damaged self. The balance of magic itself, was wrong…

He could see it, he realized as comprehension slowly took hold. Thousands upon thousands of little strands like fine spider silk, crisscrossing and weaving over everything, a glow not unlike starlight shimmered from within. And they were breaking. The number was barely noticeable, just a few here and there. But each one felt as though it shook the ground under his body when it snapped, the sound like thunder.

It was funny, in some ironic cosmic sort of way. Here he was lying on death’s doorstep, his life draining away, yet Sombra had never felt more connected to the world. It was as if he were seeing it all again for the first time, every wonder was new, fresh and crisp. If only it were so. His muscles spasmed as another thread snapped nearby, the force of it tearing through him without mercy.

There was a rhythm to it, he realized at last, ears ringing as yet another thread snapped somewhere in the hazy distance. It was a familiar sound, bold and percussive, yet steady and somehow comforting, like a heartbeat. It thrummed around him, beating in time with the clouds of powdered snow that drifted past on the gusting wind. Everything moving as one, moving in time with each other, to the sound of the drumming heartbeat. His heartbeat.

There was no way to tell just how long he had lain like this, ‘Snap!’ Time seemed to have passed him by in its endless trek. It could have been minutes, it could have been years, it was all the same in his mind’s eye. ‘Snap!’ He was so tired, haggard and weary with age. ‘Snap!’ He was on the floor playing with his toys, his mother calling him for supper. ‘Snap! Snap!’ He was looking down upon himself, reaching out, calling for himself to rise up. ‘Snap!’

For the first time since he had awoken, fear took him. It was a primal fear, something that had been buried deep within his conscious self, something that resided within all life. Sombra felt it, heard it. He knew it more than he knew himself. The rhythm had changed, had slowed with every deafening crack that consumed him. He felt it shift the ground as surely as he had felt the Dragon land.

The Dragon that had stolen the heart…

A fire lit somewhere deep within Sombra, igniting his soul and urging him to take action, promising strength where he had thought there to be none remaining. Not comprehending the means behind it but feeling an undeniable urge to heed the voice calling for him Sombra began to move. With great effort he pushed off from the blood slicked stone, and stood.

The place Sombra found himself however, was most definitely not the place he had fallen, he was certain of that. He stood at the summit of a colossal mountain, its height greater than any he had ever witnessed.

As he took in the view Sombra slowly spun in place, observing the broken and jagged appearance of the lands far below. The landscape appeared almost as though it had fallen from the skies above, jumbled together with the scattered remains of ancient structures that could have once been a majestic city. What madness was this, another delusion as he breathed his last?

It was rather convincing as illusions go, the Unicorn thought, taking in a deep breath of the earthy scents on the air, noting just a hint of salty sea spray in the mix. Had he merely been unconscious, then been carried off by the Dragon as well? If so, to what end, why was he here?

As if in answer a crescendo of snaps and all consuming booms forced Sombra to the ground once more, tears of pain blurring his eyes as the world seemed to end around him. The mountain shook like a thing possessed as the sky cracked with noise and hellish red light. Something was about to happen, something that he needed to see. It was all instinct, just the little voice telling him he had to move forward.

A sudden wind battered Sombra as he found himself crawling towards the crumbled edge of the summit, an urge to peer over the side taking his hooves from his bleeding ears. There was something that he had to see, to understand and to one day, help prevent. With a final grunt of effort Sombra reached the edge, and immediately wished he had not…

Far below on the shoulders of the mountain raged a war to end all wars, a conflict belonging in tales of old that would decide the fate of all. Sombra could only stare in stupefied awe as the ground continued to shake under him, trembling under the power of the combatants.

Dragons, Alicorns and creatures the likes of which Sombra had never seen before clashed together, battling across miles of the devastated lands. They were obliterating what little remained of the natural order. Magic more powerful than anything he had imagined surged from one side to the other, devastating entire lines, tearing through metal, flesh and scales. Yet scores more came, replacing those who fell, perpetuating a cycle that ended thousands in the blink of an eye.

In the thick of it all Sombra soon spotted two beings he knew by name, the Alicorn king Terra and his Queen, Aterna. Never before had he witnessed such fierce commitment in battle, where dozens of their kin lay slain the pair of royals stood firm, refusing to give ground as they were beset upon on from all sides. Where they stepped the ground shattered, enemies that drew their ire were put down by displays of power that boggled his mind.

Through the flashes of light and billowing clouds of dragon smoke Sombra could see other creatures in the mix of combatants. Smaller forms darted between the dueling titans, striking alone where least expected, or overwhelming singled out targets with sheer numbers. Ponies of all races adorned with armor that shone with magical fire from within. Changelings in a never ceasing dance from one form to another in a bid to stay ahead of their foes. Griffons moving in coordinated flocks that swarmed over their prey, overcoming impossible foes, always in a state of fluid motion.

It was impossible for him to look away, this was a spectacle for the ages, a fight for the fate of all. Sombra could not say how he knew these things, it was as if he had been there before, like he had seen this all a thousand times on a thousand other battlefields. Yet, something was different, just as with that sunrise this to somehow felt, wrong. It felt, as if it would be the very last...

With his focus fixated firmly on the battle below Sombra’s heart nearly burst from his chest as a noise reminiscent of thunder split the air high over his head, the sound echoing across the combatants below for miles around. Many in the skirmish halted their attacks at the disturbance, turning to the skies in search of the source, many wearing growing looks of dread.

Craning his head up to look Sombra nearly fell from his perch as the mighty wing beat of a positively monstrous Dragon sent him sprawling, the displaced air landing like a physical blow as it struck the mountaintop. Soaring overhead before diving on the scene below was the same beast that had attacked the Citadel, the Dragon that had stolen the Heart.

No longer concealed by the storms of the north Sombra could see just what had stricken his fellows down. The Dragon was indeed massive, perhaps even more so than he had first perceived! Though the way its glossy black hide blended into the darkened sky made it difficult to say with certainty. The smoke left trailing in its wake certainly did the eye no favors…

In a frightening moment of agility the wings of the great beast flared for but a second, before snapping back and propelling him towards the ground at ludicrous speed. The Dragon continued onwards, an obvious destination in sight. He did not falter as the forces below now turned their sights upon him, even when their numbers began to include many of his own kin. Onwards he flew, ignoring blasts that would surely have claimed him as other Dragons intercepted the attacks, giving their lives for his.

Sombra squinted, his eyes struggling as the distance became too great, the Dragon already miles away. Flashes of colored light illuminated the plains, explosions chained together along the length of the Dragon’s body, but he would not fall. Sombra could see him nearing the ground, the defending forces throwing themselves into his path, yet he did not slow.

A heartbeat later the Dragon augured into the side of one of the crumbled structures, the mass of ancient masonry exploding in a spray of pulverized rock as the thousand ton leviathan crashed further inside. A cloud of smoke and dust quickly covered the new entrance from view. Scores of creatures from all walks of life poured towards the building, most no longer taking the time to fight as they ran, crawled, or climbed over each other in a maddened rush. The din became so loud it reached the top of the mountain.

Then for a moment, it was silent. The howls of the wind hushed as the air grew worryingly still, the million voices below eerily absent. There was something else missing as well, a deepening sense of unease filled Sombra as he realized it. The rhythm had ceased, no further snaps of the threads split the air, no more heartbeat thundering in his ears.

It was all gone…

The hazy air over the scene below rippled like disturbed water, warping and billowing away from the ground, propelled upwards by an unseen force. The mountain began to tremble violently, its rocky faces crumbling apart like old clay. Then, Sombra heard it, a single noise that grew to smother all others, a single unending roar like that of a waterfall. It was like the deep creaking of an ancient glacier, or the loudest of infernos. It was as if the world were rending itself asunder.

An explosion of light erupted from within the depths of the crumbled structure, obliterating its dilapidated walls in an instantaneous release of energy. Sombra screwed his eyes shut in pain as the radiance blinded him, the light too intense to behold. Even through closed lids all he could see was its all consuming glow, turning his back did nothing either as it only seemed to increase in its intensity.

Then he was falling, falling as though the mountain had simply ceased to exist from under his hooves. Instinctively Sombra reached out for a hold, something, anything that might bring him salvation. Faster and faster he fell, almost as if something were drawing him downwards, the same faint voice from before calling his name, distant and frantic. Sombra! Sombra! Sombra!

With a spasming twitch of his muscles Sombra found himself once again laying on the snow covered crystal, his world spinning as he blinked away the all too real vision. The voice called out his name again and he became vaguely aware of upward motion, a single muscled arm hoisting him from the bitter cold of the floor. Sombra blinked again, realizing finally that the strands were nowhere to be seen, and the sounds of them breaking no longer filled his ears. He found it an unwelcome silence.

Hearing his name called over the wind yet again Sombra forced his head up to see his would be rescuer, and was surprised to say the least when met with the grim face of a Minotaur looking down upon him. As unsettling as that would have been for most, it granted Sombra a brief moment of relief to know that at least one other Knight had survived.

Steele Resolve stood tall, holding Sombra to his chest in the crook of his arm like one might hold a newborn. Concern made itself apparent on the massive bull’s features as he took note of the still freely weeping wound to the pony’s neck. With a grunt he took one last look at where the heart had been before turning and making his way to the edge of what remained of the relic’s chamber.

As they neared the place the stairs had been Sombra peered over the arm that held him, the sight that greeted his eyes was something out of a nightmare. From his vantage Sombra could see down into the heart of the once mighty structure, its walls shattered and crumbling. He absentmindedly wondered what had become of the roof as he peered through the blowing snow, the morning sun highlighting what little it touched in a hellish orange glow.

Squinting into the depths Sombra finally saw them, the bodies. Fallen Knights littered the floors of every level he could see, their broken and bloody silhouettes already being covered by the snow as it ventured further into the structure.

Steele Resolve paused for a moment, shifting Sombra’s weight slightly before he leaned over the edge and jumped. The thirty plus hoof high drop to the level below did little to phase the hulking Minotaur, his muscular legs absorbing the force of the landing with minimal effort. Turning with a sense of urgency in his steps he strode towards a somewhat sheltered place under the landing above, hoping that he was not too late.

Still only partially aware of his surroundings Sombra found himself focusing more on his fellow Knight, or more specifically, the way he carried himself. In his still partially delusional state Sombra could not quite place his hoof on why, but Steele seemed to be moving in an unusual manner, leaning harshly to one side, unbalanced and uneven in his motions. He was also clearly in pain…

That is when Sombra finally noticed it, the horrific damage done to his comrade’s right side, mainly his arm. The limb had been nearly completely removed; only a savaged stub remained stubbornly inserted in the shoulder joint, which itself had been ripped apart in places. Then Sombra’s nose detected the odor of charred flesh, and he realized what the mortally wounded bull had done to save himself.

Now that Sombra was aware of the smell, it made him want to retch, if only he had the energy. His body felt shattered, his pulse hammered away unsteadily in his ears, and a dark rim had grown around the edges of his vision.

Sombra struggled to raise his head to meet Steele’s gaze, he wanted to say something, to hear the minotaur’s voice. To know he wasn’t another illusion, or whatever that had been. He tried to speak, managing only a strangled rasp before a fit of coughing overtook his efforts, the worrying taste of blood lining his mouth when he finally managed to regain control of himself.

Letting his head lull back to a more comfortable position Sombra lifted a hoof to examine the wound to his throat, the returning pain reminding him of its presence. His worry quickly turned to alarm at finding the tattered piece of robe he had used as a bandage completely soaked through with blood, the liquid oozing out and matting down his fur. If only his mind would clear, perhaps he could mend himself.

These thoughts were pushed aside however as he became aware of the others standing around him as Steele Resolve came to a stop, the massive bull showing great care as he gently lowered Sombra to the floor. Waiting a moment to make sure that the equine could stand Steele kept a hand on his friend’s shoulder until he found his balance.

Though his body screamed for rest Sombra remained standing, his stance becoming rigid as he caught sight of something laying on the crystal floor just beyond a gathered circle of the others. Forcing his limbs to move Sombra managed to take a few tentative steps forward, pushing his way between a pair of bystanders, their whispers of worry and finality brushing past his ears.

As Sombra stepped beyond the inner row of his fellow Knights what blood remained in his veins went cold, his eyes finally landing on what held their attention. He knew who it was even before he saw the body, his worst fears taking hold until he saw his master’s head move, struggling to look in his direction.

Amethyst, after great effort, managed to raise his gaze to watch Sombra approach. The faintest trace of a warm smile brought some life back to his face. With a gentle push of a hoof he waved away the healer attempting to infuse his body with fresh magic, the normally life saving spell having no effect.

“Sombra,” he choked out weakly, his outstretched limb falling to the floor. He was nearly transparent as he continued to fade away. “With you alive, the plan is safe, forgive, me.”

Sombra shuffled closer, nearly collapsing as he sank down onto his knees, catching Amethyst’s hoof in his own. Some of the pieces fell into place as he looked his friend in the eye. “You knew, all of this. You knew?”

Amethyst offered a single solemn nod, a few tears gathering in the corners of his eyes as he looked around at the others, the few survivors. “It became necessary, if we had not failed, then Fate would have intervened.”

“I do not understand, that Dragon, how could this be better?” Sombra asked, leaning closer as Amethyst sank further down against the floor, his body barely visible now as life seemed to leave him with every breath. “Please, Amethyst, what are we to do? This can not be the end you intended, there must be something, some instruction, name it and it will be followed!”

The dying stallion’s eyes flashed with pride, his barely visible smile growing as he found the strength to raise a foreleg one last time. He wished he could have had more time with Sombra; he had grown so much in his five short years here and would continue to do so in the days ahead. If only he could see it.

“Follow your heart my friend, if you listen carefully to what it promises in that gelid dark, you will find hope. Let it guide you home,” Amethyst whispered, pressing down firmly against Sombra's chest, directly over his heart. "Infinity still abstains from its final strokes, blind the Oculus to keep it in nihility."

Sombra reached for his mentor’s leg, wishing to ask what that could mean, but his hoof passed straight through Amethysts’ own. “Master? Amethyst?!”

Amethyst slowly fell back against the floor, his body dissolving into glittering motes of violet light. Motes that swirled about on the ground for a moment before coming together and sinking into the crystal floor.

Sombra watched with confusion as the light dispersed throughout the room, shooting off towards the far walls before diving down through the structure towards the foundations far below. For a long moment he just stared at where Amethyst had been, his mind racing as he tried to piece together what had happened.

Finding no answers Sombra turned to look back at the others assembled behind him, noticing for the first time just how few Knights remained. He still did not understand, how could this have been better? If Amethyst had known of the Dragons coming, why had he not taken steps to prevent this?

Sombra struggled back to his hooves, his eyes going over every knight that was still standing. Many were nursing their own wounds and they in turn were watching him. Sombra wanted to say something, to do something that would prove they were not beaten yet, but what could he say?

He took a step forward, searching for the right words. Unfortunately, his body chose that moment to finally speak for itself. As Sombra took one last struggling step forward, the loss of blood took its toll. His vision swam away into the blackness and he collapsed. The last thing he heard were hooves hitting the floor near his head, then he knew no more…