Princess of Infinity

by Echo 27

Rating: teen
Tags: King Sombra, Royal Guard, Adventure, Violence, Princess Celestia, Death, Human, Twilight Sparkle, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Princess Luna
Length: 123362

The search for immortality leads into the most dangerous place in the world- another universe.

The search for the Sombra and the Philosopher's Stone has failed. Years have passed since Celestia and Saber Ford departed from Equestria's shores, with nothing to show of their relentless hunting- and facing the haunting truth that their foe may have already found the long-elusive prize.

Desperate to preserve her people, Celestia is given a key to an ancient, timeless place- the Palace of Infinity, a gateway to another universe. Countless worlds span the horizon, and within its great depths lies the treasure they seek. But deep within the Palace lie strange new worlds, and incredible dangers.

And none who enter have ever returned.

My swan song and farewell to this place.

Published 2019-06-17 19:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2019-10-12 18:56:34 UTC

II: Istana

“Let me know when we’re coming up on the shallows, I don’t want to ground us!”

Celestia took her place on the bow of their young vessel, her exquisite balance keeping her positioned neatly along the edge as she stared down at the waters below her that grew ever shallower with every passing moment. The sun had come to beat down upon them ever since their exit from the fog, but every passing moment indicated the sun was soon going to fall beyond the horizon. If she was to see clearly below them, the natural light was crucial.

“What do you see?” Ford called out.

“It’s still deep. Keep pressing on!” Celestia replied.

“Keep looking ahead, I’ll have to drop anchor before we reach the breakers!”

“I am looking ahead, just be ready!” she snapped.

“I’m not looking for a fight, but if we get grounded on a sandbar we’re going to be stuck for good!”

Celestia knew that quite well, and he knew she knew it. Why he was so intent on simply acting as though all but he knew nothing was beyond her-

The darker blue of the waters below suddenly became crystalline-

“Drop anchor!”

The sound of chains rushing forward crackled in the air as the heavy weight fell fast and hard into the shoreline, crashing down through the surf and quickly catching on the sea floor. Celestia braced herself but could not prepare herself in time for the sudden lurch of motion that came from their sudden halt and she stumbled into the side, nearly falling overboard.

“Hey! Are you alright?” Ford was there beside her in an instant, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back from the precarious position.

“Yes, I am fine,” she said. “I can never seem to prepare for it, that is all.”

Ford laughed. “You are not a creature of the sea, that is for sure,” he said. “Come on, I need your help lowering the skiff. I want to perform some reconnaissance before we head inland together.”

Celestia found herself bristling at the suggestion. “I believe I can take care of myself,” she reminded him coldly.

“Of that I have no doubt,” Ford said brightly, taking the ropes in hand and lowering the small craft. “However, you are still my Princess and I am responsible for your safety. I would be dishonored if harm came to you when I could’ve prevented it.”

“Ford, I have not ruled a kingdom in ten years-”

“And you are still my Princess, even after ten years,” he replied, her words quickly dissolving into nothing as she caught sight of the burning intensity of his gaze. “I will do my best to not be long. Keep watch for my return and only allow me aboard if I give the signal.”

Celestia found herself silenced by his chivalry and helped him lower the boat into the water, watching as he hurriedly paddled towards the nearby coastline, pushing through the breaking waves and eventually making his way onshore. The land they had found hardly seemed fruitful; a spattering of rocks across a vast covering of arid desert that was pock-marked by thin, dry bushes of mesquite. It was hardly a paradise.

He still sees me as a Princess, even after all these years, she thought. Blast him, all that honor and pride of his. I wish he would not be that way. Well… no, I don’t believe I do. She knew better than to allow her negative emotions to dominate her so. Ford’s steadfast loyalty and dedication had been one of primary factors in her willingness to marry him in the first place. She had hoped it would translate well from the life of a soldier to one of a fellow ruler. However, Sombra had seen to the end of that dream, at least for now. Sighing, Celestia turned away from the scenery and set to light the lamps that hung across the ship and await his return.

Sunset came and night fell upon her like a cloak, the ocean now shimmering under the endless starlight that flickered and gleamed above her head. The moon was absent as the waning had come to is fullness, and all around darkness was prevalent. Celestia listened intently for any sounds of chop over the movement of the waves. The light could not aid her tonight; her senses would have to make do.

He’s been gone for hours now, she thought. He could be hurt, or imprisoned. We have no idea what we are facing in this place. Sombra himself may rule here- if he has taken Ford- the thought was too horrible for her to dwell upon. Celestia took to checking the oil in the lamps, trying to busy herself and keep her mind occupied. Try as she might, all her attempts at settling her nerves failed.

Finally, as the darkness of the night reached its peak, she heard the sound of wooden paddles splashing against the light evening surf, and a sudden Pop! as a flare was cast into the night. Celestia peered up into the sky and saw the golden light floating gently back down to earth and she responded with a prism of colors that were flung into the air, showering down upon the seas and illuminating the figure of Ford rowing on the skiff and coming ever closer.

“Are you alright?” she called as he came nearer.

“Yes, I’m fine,” he replied, though his voice spoke to exhaustion. “Throw me the rope and help me in… I am more tired than I expected to be.”

As soon as the skiff was tied to he was up the side and into his wife’s arms, his body heavy from the weight of his own weakness. Celestia was kissing him gently, the two of them settling down on the deck as Ford’s weariness allowed him no ability to stand.

“What have you done that exhausted you so?” she asked him.

“I have earned us passage into the city. Murih, it is called,” he said, a smile speaking to adventures she had yet to know of. “It is a trade city, but a very exclusive one. If we are looking for a resupply, and any information, this shall be the place to find it.”

“My brave warrior,” she whispered, caressing his cheek with a gentle trace of her fingers. “What did you do out there to keep us safe?”

“I would not have been put to death, calm your fears,” he said. “But I bought us rights of entry, and that was challenge enough- as well as clothing. It will be as though we are one of their own.”

“Clothing?”

“Yes. It seems both men and women must be adorned in a certain manner,” Ford grunted, rising up to toss his rucksack off his shoulders. “You’ll find proper garments for you in there. I suggest we wear it when we go ashore in the morning, it should give us protection against the sun.”

“Any sign of Sombra, beloved?”

“Not a one,” Ford replied. “And just the way I like it.”

They sat on the shoreline patiently, watching as the first of the flames began to eat and tear away at the boards that made up their ship. The mast, their sole piece of cargo that would go with them, now sat nestled in the depths of Ford’s old rucksack, covered by the remaining food and water they still possessed. Neither of them spoke a word as the flames burned away, waiting for the moment when the mast would break and splinter, ensuring their once-splendid vessel could not be traced. As soon as the heaviest item broke, the utter destruction of the ship would be assured.

“I sincerely hope we are heading the right way,” Celestia murmured as they made their way into the desert towards the city. “If we just disposed of our ship for nothing, we could be stuck here a very long time.”

“Most of the stalls and shops were already closed by the time I arrived last night. One of our first aims when we arrive should be to find a cartographer,” Ford replied. “The more we know of the region, the easier it will be to navigate.”

“What did you say this place was called, again?”

“Murih. A trade city, and it seems as though every conceivable thing was available for purchase. Food, clothing, maps, weapons, animals- even people are available for purchase, including us if we were so inclined.”

“What would be the purpose of such a thing? Celestia asked, horrified at the thought.

“Desperation. If you were starving and needed food, servitude in the house of a rich man would be like heaven.”

Celestia said nothing, considering her husband’s garments and wondering if they were all that different from her own. The fabric was similar to silk, but felt rougher to the touch as though the sand had already marred its softness. The colors were all light, bright colors designed to reflect the harsh sunlight of the environment, and around his head was a thick scarf that only allowed exposure of his eyes and nose. “I would think one would wish to leave their face uncovered,” she remarked.

“It appeared to be a cultural tradition there. All faces are hidden so no one can be accused of prejudice against a customer, I guess,” Ford replied.

“Will we be in danger?”

“If we will be, then I could not tell. I’m sorry, Princess.”

Celestia felt that she was heading towards a potential threat, but shook off her concerns as best she could. If Sombra was nearby, she would be able to sense him and know for certain.

As the sun continued to rise in the morning sky, the heat began to grow the further inland they went, the cool air of the shoreline disappearing until they were beginning to broil in the harsh sunlight. The two shared a single container of water, doing their best to lengthen its lifespan and keep their rations untouched.

“After the cartographer, we need to acquire more water,” Celestia said. “And see what we can trade for more food. Our rationed items won’t last forever.”

“Particularly if this desert is vast. We will burn our energy far faster.”

Before the sun had reached midday, the sight of the vast city of Murih came into view, the towering citadels that guarded its entrances shining like bright beacons as sunlight reflected off the glass. Just beyond the were a mishmash of marble palaces, thatched huts of straw and mud, and worn buildings of tan brick that spoke plainly of their owner’s social class.

“This place is vast- and so many different cultures,” Celestia said. “What do you know of the dialects spoken here?”

“It seems the Griffons made their way out here in its formative years,” Ford replied. “It is how I spoke to them last night, they recognized the language over our own.

“The Griffons were once here… and I have yet to hear of this place until now.”

“The world travels. Who knows what brought them here all those years ago.”

As they made their way into the city, the guards of the citadels dropped down from their perches to inspect them, checking all of their equipment and items the two carried. Celestia felt a shiver of discomfort as the man’s hardened fingers felt along her body –few had so roughly dealt with her in her lifetime, and so aggressively- but she felt him begin to relent as he caught sight of her eyes. Muttering to himself in a tongue she didn’t recognize, he backed away and spoke to his counterpart. When the two were done whispering to one another, the leader turned to Ford and said, “You are welcome in the city of Miruh, Spear-Breaker. Your Lady, if she is for sale, will fetch a high price.”

“I am sold to none, and nor shall I ever be,” Celestia said proudly, disgusted by their casualness. “I belong to no one but myself.”

The two guards seemed unfazed. “And who would even be able to pay such a price that you would fetch?” he remarked. “You are as beautiful as any jewel I have ever seen.”

The sudden switch from harsh words to lavish praise unnerved her, and Celestia was more than grateful that Ford hurried them along into the city and they were soon lost in the throng of people that made up the city of Miruh. As Ford had previously mentioned to her, every possible item was up for auction in this city-wide marketplace. A pair of old maids haggled over the price of fresh dates while just nearby a trio of young girls danced for a crowd of men, the lovely women adorned in fine garments and chains made of gold to aid in their tempting the hearts of the men who watched, hoping to acquire themselves a husband rather than a new master. Just beyond a dog sat on the side of the road nursing a litter of puppies while young children cooed and played with the young creatures as their parents inspected the freshly caught fish that lay upon rows of shelves.

“This places makes the Canterlot marketplace look positively quaint in comparison,” she whispered.

“I did not exaggerate. Everything can be bought here, even information. And that is exactly what we are seeking. Keep your eyes open for a cartography booth,” Ford replied.

Before too long the couple were busy in trades of their own, Celestia’s cache of jewels and treasures coming in handy for hefty bargains of fruit, vegetables, and dried meats that would help them survive the harsh environment. Water came soon after, and before too long a cartographer was seen; Celestia took charge in the transaction, displaying a show of dominance that left her husband wide-eyed.

“I did not know you could be so shrewd, Tia,” he remarked, eating slowly from a bag of dried fruit. “And where did you learn to haggle like that?”

“Since I was able to read the emotions of people,” she answered. “He does not know it, but what I gave him was priceless. It will feed his family for weeks.”

“Well, we have our own supplies. My lance is still in fighting condition, and we have no need for new clothing. What is our next objective?”

“A place to stay,” Celestia said. “Until we find our next destination we should remain here. If this is a valued trade city then what we are looking for should eventually make its way here.”

“I agree. But where do you think we should start?”

“Off the beaten path. The folk who were born here likely do not leave since the money comes to them. What we want are the outsiders, people who have traveled.”

“So people like us,” Ford said. “Keep your eyes peeled.”

The city’s endless marketplaces began to peter out the further away from the center they went, plunging into its depths as stalls and shops turned into homes and mansions, and eventually slums and shanties that were packed to the brim with people to the point of overcrowding. Mangy dogs paraded through the roads as though the very streets were their lord and master while the poor folk that inhabited these crude dwellings worked diligently to care for their own; homes lay covered in patchwork repairs that stood out like sore thumbs, laundry lay on racks under the scorching sun to dry and denizens walked by with jugs of water to be filled and returned home. Celestia guessed that if she was to peer inside any of these dwellings, the entirety of what she would see would have been smaller than her old bedroom back in Canterlot.

“They have so little, yet seem so happy,” she said softly. “Just one trinket we carry would be enough to change their lives forever.”

“They have clothing, food, shelter, and one another. The rest are simply luxuries that we have come to find commonplace,” Ford replied. “It is hard to miss what you have never known.”

As they roamed through the winding streets, the afternoon sun became the early evening warmth and the shopkeepers of the marketplace began to return to their homes, the dingy streets suddenly coming alive with light and activities as lamps were lit outside patchwork homes and families reunited. Celestia breathed it all in as dozens of exquisite scents filled her nostrils and she watched as families began their evening meals. She felt a grumbling below and knew they would have to eat soon.

“Struggling at the sight, are we?” Ford was looking over at her with a smile on his face.

His voice was teasing, but her hunger had turned her grumpy and she responded with little kindness to spare. “I am perfectly fine, thank you. Your remarks are unnecessary, as you well know.”

“Oh, do please lighten up,” he said, his voice suddenly falling flat. “I am only teasing you out of love. Can you not tell the difference any longer?”

Celestia knew the difference, but her sullen turn would not afford her to admit it. “Perhaps we should just find our evening dwellings and rest for the night. This city is too vast for us to explore in one day-”

“You there!” The voice was so shrill, so raspy that the two of them nearly leapt out of their skin in fright. Celestia turned to her right and saw, kneeling beneath a threadbare covering that had once been a tent, an ancient-looking woman covered in a thick, muddied cloak that hid her eyes from view. “Yes, you!” she said, somehow taking note of her subject’s hesitancy. “I see your heart in the mist, do not be afraid.”

“Your heart..?” Ford’s hand was at his side where a dagger lay ready to be unsheathed.

“Not yet,” she cautioned him, coming towards the old woman and settling down before her.

“There we are… an ancient thing, aren’t you?” The woman regarded her with bleary eyes that hardly seemed worthy of granting clarity, yet somehow had pierced through Celestia like an arrow. “Yes… an Alicorn. I once thought your kind had all but left this mortal world.”

“And how do you know what I am?” Celestia asked.

“I am a descendant of your kind. A long, forgotten marriage bore my family many thousands of years ago. Even my old eyes can still recognize one of my distant kin.” The woman’s voice was humorous as though she was delighted to say such things.

“Who are you?” Ford asked bluntly.

“I am called Eiraf, though that is not my name. I am a speaker of hidden things. And today, dear Alicorn, I am bidden to speak to you.”

Ford stole a quick glance at his wife before reverting his attention back to the old woman, still seemingly uncertain of her trustworthiness.

“Stay your hand, man! I seek no ill will against your beloved,” she said with disdain. “I know your cause, and what you seek. Perhaps I could guide you on your way?”

Sombra. “What have you seen, old soothsayer?” Celestia asked quietly.

“Hmm…” the old woman plucked a scraggly gray hair from her scalp, twisting it in her fingers as she seemingly examined it before them. “A single thread from my own head, it seems. One of many countless thousands, all kept upon a single, fixed point. An infinite amount, one might say. Do you understand infinity, young Alicorn? It certainly understands you.”

“I am confused.”

“You seek something ancient. More ancient than even you or I could possibly hope to understand. Immortality in the palm of your hand. Yes, I know your intent,” Eiraf said quickly, somehow taking note of Celestia’s shock. “And there may yet be a place that holds it. Something beyond time and light and life of this world. And she is called the Palace of Infinity.”

“The Palace of Infinity..?”

“A most ancient place. A vast gateway to an unseen realm, guarded by a mighty gatekeeper that offers wrath or mercy to those who seek its treasures. In it are said to lie countless worlds- a vast web of kingdoms and places and peoples that are beyond even our understanding. Some dismiss it as myth, mere rumor- for who has entered the Palace and returned to tell of its tales? But there on that lonely island does the Palace wait, sleeping until one can seal it shut forever and fulfill its weary destiny.”

“And you say this place is real?” Ford asked.

“Of course it is, man. Travelers fear the sight of it, and all maps speak to its danger. On a lonely mountaintop does it sit, waiting for you,” Eiraf said. “There you may find what you so deeply long for, if you can survive the trial that awaits you- and if the Gatekeeper deems you worthy of the challenge.”

“There… Ford, the Philosopher’s Stone is there. This is what we’re looking for, after all these years!” Celestia said triumphantly, reaching inside Ford’s rucksack for their freshly purchased map. “We need to head there first thing in the morning, make our way to it-”

“The choice will bring you suffering. No matter what step ye take next,” Eiraf warned. “Seek it not, and yet another treasure you may find- but that path has not been shown to me. But if the Palace is your true intent, be warned: something… bleeds from within its heart. Infinity has been torn asunder by a darkness, and the blackness now festers like a creeping poison. Even if you enter… none can guarantee you would ever return.”

The moonlight shone bright upon the desert city, the fine marble of the grander buildings reflecting its pale whiteness until the whole city dazzled like a priceless diamond before all who gazed upon it. Deep in the city center, its lamps still burning, lay a small, comfortably furnished hotel that housed some of its many travelers, one of whom now stood atop the building and pondered his thoughts.

“Ford! Please, I need you here!” Celestia lay on a luxurious bed that lay adorned with fine silk, its colors seemingly royal. To Ford, this was the closest thing that had felt like home since their departure, and he found its soft warmth comforting.

“Do you ever look up at the moon and wonder if your sister is out there watching?” he asked her.

“Every time I see it, I know she is,” Celestia replied. Her voice had suddenly become low. “Please, Ford, do not mention it.”

“I didn’t mean to cause harm-”

“I know you didn’t. But these surroundings, even just thinking of her…” she felt a lump in her throat suddenly grow strong. “It is not an easy thing to endure.”

“So you miss home as well,” he said, settling in beside her.

“Of course I miss it,” she said sharply, looking at him as though she found his words foolish to behold. “Do you think I left because I wish to be gone? Think of what we had in our grasp, Ford! The life you and I had been hoping for was almost in reach- if Sombra had not shown himself, we would still be there, we would be at peace, and- and none of this… Ford, please just help me do my best to decipher these charts. If we’re to make our way to the Palace, then we need to have a well-defined course before we depart tomorrow.”

“Right, right…” Ford’s voice had quieted, and he hardly dared to look his wife in the eye. “I’m no mariner, but the waters here surrounding the peninsula seem to be marked as being potentially dangerous to traverse. So I suggest we head towards this port town here, and try to make landfall right about… here, a third of the way up the peninsula and just simply make the rest of it by foot.”

“The map of the region gives little detail to the surrounding terrain, also,” Celestia added, “though the soothsayer we spoke to said that the Palace is atop a mountain, which means we’ll need to be able to survive the temperature change- and be capable of traversing unfriendly terrain. How far a distance is it to the Easifa Sea?”

Ford set to work at the map’s legend, measuring the lengths before returning his focus back to the map. “About sixty miles. If we maintain pace steadily enough, we should make it in a little more than three days. After that, a straight path from the coastline to the Agios Peninsula should be about a hundred miles, with a day’s journey until we reach the Palace. Beyond that… it’s going to be about the terrain and making our way up there. We simply won’t know until we get there.”

“And we will get there. We’ll find our way to the Palace, and find what’s inside,” Celestia said.

“You speak of it like it’s so easy,” Ford said. “But when we’re heading towards something called the Palace of Infinity, I find myself somewhat intimidated. We’re facing against something we don’t really have any understanding of. Yes, a Philosopher’s Stone may be inside, but on the word of an ancient soothsayer? Not to mention her words speaking of a ‘bleeding heart’ inside it. We may be heading into something intentionally hostile towards us.”

“What do we have to fear? Am I not capable of leading us into the dark?”

“The last time you faced off against Sombra, it took you, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight combined to simply drive him away- not kill him, Celestia. Drive him off. We haven’t seen him for ten years, what if he took refuge in the Palace and he’s found a way to accelerate his powers? Or, what if something worse is in there? Sombra was a servant of something you and I can’t really imagine, what if it is in there waiting for us? There’s not a chance we’d make it out alive.”

“And what do you suggest we do, then? Nothing? Let Sombra delve into a whole host of worlds and strip it bare for his own purposes?” Celestia challenged. “If he has a Philosopher’s Stone in possession then he is capable of creating an endless army, and that would be more than enough to blight out an entire universe-”

“I’m not saying we do nothing! I’m saying we need to be ready for the worst!” Ford replied hotly. “Can you please stop believing I think so little of you? I am not going to depart from your side, not for a heartbeat- but you need to think of this threat like I do. Like someone who knows what it’s like to fear death, because we may not make it out of there alive. I… I simply want you to be ready for that possibility.”

Celestia let the thought sink in, and felt an image sear its way across her brain; Ford’s body broken and torn beyond repair, his deep eyes and their light left empty and void, his spirit having gone to a place far beyond where sound nor sight, nor anything of this world could reach him. It was enough to chill her bones- but soon the thought shifted and whirled about like mist until she saw herself beside him, bloodied and beaten beyond anything she had ever known, her soul long having left a forsaken land behind for greener shores, where no pain nor sorrow could ever reach.

“As long as we accomplish our task, nothing else matters,” she said calmly. “If it means my life, then so be it. The world can live without me.”

“Can I?”

Celestia smiled softly. “You would not have to for long.”

The journey across the empty desert began before the morning sun had even risen on the eastern horizon. Their packs now heavier than when they had first arrived, their hopes for a speedy march across the forbidding terrain were soon extinguished. Their loads were more than enough to slow them down, and the weight combined with the heat was intolerable. Even Celestia, who drew strength from the sun, found herself struggling underneath the unrelenting presence of the scorching heat.

“Isn’t there any sort of magic you can summon to bring some relief for this?” Ford inquired of her. “I hate to complain, but if we want to make good time we’re going to need some luck on our side.”

“I might have a few ideas. But they won’t last long, not in this weather,” Celestia replied, shuffling her hands together as vapor escaped from her palms and took form as small rainclouds, hovering over their heads and providing small shade and relief. “I’m sorry, but I can only have it last for so long. The more magic I use-”

“The more energy you spend. We’ll take what we can get,” Ford said bracingly. “Come on, let’s not stop here, lest the sun broil us.”

The trip across the desert was unpleasant, but soon came to an end as all things do, and the fishing village of Alsaimak eventually came into view alongside the gleaming waters of the Easifa Sea, the clear-blue waters appearing tantalizing fresh and inviting to the sand-covered travelers. However tempting it appeared, the two knew better than to be distracted. Fresh water was purchased, as well as charter to the Peninsula onboard a fishing vessel set to depart early the next morning.

“Do you trust them?” Celestia asked.

“I know too little of these people to consider them trustworthy,” Ford replied. “However, no soul in a village this small would dare sell me their livelihood, no matter what jewelry we toss their way. We will simply have to be on our guard until the journey is complete.”

“And what does our charter predict the length of our journey will be?”

“Two days, and he believes he can get us close to the mountain. Which means a little less travel time on foot.”

“We’ll need it.”

The two sat in anxious silence as the ambient sounds of the nearby waves and gulls soaring overhead filled their ears. The mere sounds of life were enough to fill one’s heart with peace and calm, but the anticipation of their intended destination was enough to unsettle their thoughts. For better or worse, the final destination was soon to arrive.

“I mean no discord by my words, Princess,” Ford said hesitantly, “but are you certain we will find what we seek in this Palace? We could be walking headfirst into a trap. I do not wish to see you come to harm.”

“I am certain as I can be. And what gives you hesitancy? Surely I am not unpleasant to talk you.”

Ford seemed to struggle to find his voice again. “No, Princess. You and I are simply not what we once were. This journey has cost us something already. I do not wish for it to cost more.”

Celestia felt her heart twist for him. Ford’s life had been fraught with peril already, and more than once had caused his blood to spill. He had begun to finally grow old, and his desire for a peaceful life grew stronger with every passing year. The warrior within him was starting to fade. She leaned in and kissed his cheek gently, her lips eventually finding their way to his as she tried to soothe his tired nerves.

“We’ll have a life together someday, beloved,” she whispered. “Keep believing, keep hoping. You and I will find happiness again.”

The morning came swift and early, and the two soon found themselves back on the ocean surface and moving swiftly along as the current carried them out to sea, aided by a strong western wind. As though the very elements had decided to urge them along, the vessel began to make excellent time, and the sailors aboard presented gifts and thanks to Celestia, whom they declared to be their lady of fortune. The captain even requested that the two delay their departure until their voyage had been completed, wishing for Celestia’s presence when their fishing run began. As politely as she could manage, Celestia declined.

Soon, the calm waters of the open ocean disappeared and became turbulent, the Agios Peninsula looming before them in a formidable trail of pale-white rock that looked more akin to the spine of a long-dead behemoth than natural earth, pock-marked by pinpricks of dark green and grey that they assumed to be vegetation.

“I’ll have the ship brought in as close as I can manage, my friend,” the captain said to them. “Though I would as you reconsider. That mountain is cursed. It’s said to be guarded by a monster.”

“Monster and a curse? That sounds like myth created to keep people afraid,” Ford remarked. “The both of them together is too much to be real.”

“Please, I beg you both to go another way. You’ve brought us so much fair fortune already, your presence alone would turn the village into a true city. If you go up that mountain you’ll never come back.”

“We will not be swayed, captain,” Celestia said calmly. “Please bring the ship into the shallows so my husband and I can depart. We still have a formidable journey ahead of us.”

The captain appeared unwilling to acquiesce to her request but relented nonetheless, ordering his helmsman to bring the ship into shallower waters, the crew working alongside Celestia and Ford to begin lowering the skiff. The two soon departed and made their way inland, Ford commandeering the oars to begin their last push over the breakers and onto the beach. Already half a day’s journey from the foot of the mountain, the great spire of stone stood formidable and imposing, its peak hidden behind the low clouds as though a ring of white kept its contents from view. Perhaps it was their imagination, but a slow, vengeful grumble could be heard in the air as they approached, as though the land knew an outsider had come with the intent to trespass.

“Heaven help you both. That mountain may lead into the skies, but it’s the road to Hell,” said the crew, already pushing back into the water and returning to the awaiting ship.

“They’re genuinely terrified. Myth or not, whatever that mountain holds scares them half to death,” Ford said.

“And that makes me wonder just how much we heard is truly rumor,” Celestia replied. “Listen to this place, Ford! There is no birdsong, hardly a whisper of wind. Just that grumbling that seems to echo endlessly.”

“The ground is dry here, and the vegetation looks almost rotted. Like something came along this place and just… made it all fall apart.” Ford reached down to a nearby bush and took a small stem in his hands, snipping it off and watching the wood and leaves crumble into dust at his fingers. “It’s like a disease…”

“Don’t touch it again. This whole place is ill at ease.”

Ford was perturbed. “So what is making that rumble, then? You’re not saying it’s something alive, are you?”

“I don’t know what it is, Ford. But something already knows we are here.”

Their journey toward the foot of the mountain began in earnest, the low grumbling that reverberated through the air the only ambience that met their ears beyond the hushed sound of their own footsteps. Each breath was laborious. The weight of their equipment hung upon them all the more heavily and seemed intent on bringing them to their knees. Even Ford, the ever-stalwart soldier, struggled to keep his pace as they marched towards the mountain.

“This place is not natural,” he breathed, wiping off a thick layer of sweat from his brow. “The air feels like sulfur against my throat. No wonder no living creature wishes to dwell in this place.”

“Something ill awaits us at that mountain. Look at this trail we walk upon.”

Ford examined the bare dirt beneath his feet. “What am I supposed to be seeing?”

“If no one ventures here, why is this pathway so defined and clean? Surely grass would be growing in the cracks of the soil,” Celestia said. “This is not a path, Ford. Something cut through the earth and poisoned it.”

“Sombra.”

“We will make camp at the foot of the mountain tonight and rest. In the morning, we make our climb.”

“Does any part of it look favorable to you?” Ford asked, staring up at the mountain with distaste. “The vile thing looks as treacherous as any monster I’ve ever seen- and still we cannot see its peak!” Indeed they could not, for though the clouds had parted and allowed the thin rays of the sun to come down upon them, a thick layer of fog yet remained to obscure the mountain’s jagged peak, something Ford found to be of little comfort. “Something is hidden up there, I’m certain of it.”

“And what deserved to be hidden from the view of corrupted men more than a gateway to infinity?” Celestia replied. “Come, we are almost at the mountain base.”

The darkness had already fallen by the time they arrived at the foot of the peak, the low rumbling that had echoed across the peninsula now a steady growl like that of a furious beast. Too tired to properly set up the camp or even keep watch, the two simply unfolded their sleeping mats and immediately fell into a restless sleep, their dreams mired in images of teeth, claws, and shadows.

“Before we make our climb, we need to have something to eat. No, I will not budge,” Ford said, taking note of Celestia ready to protest. “It has been nearly a day since we ate, Princess. If we are to traverse a mountain we’ll need all the energy we can get. So let us be done with it.”

A quick breakfast of dried fruit and beef was all their anxious stomachs could handle and they soon departed, both eager to have it done. Celestia’s mind was racing as she considered possibilities of just what was awaiting them. What was the Palace really? Had Sombra already come here? If he had a Philosopher’s Stone in hand, why had he not simply begun his march of conquest? And if he was indeed here, were they walking into a trap?

“Look- the path leads up as though it was carved,” Ford said. “Perhaps this place was once inhabited.”

“Or perhaps a place of worship. Either way, it means our journey up may be less difficult than we imagined,” Celestia said, feeling heartened by the fact.

Their climb began steadily, the path indeed winding around the mountain in a trail that seemed to go ever on. Little change in the path could be seen, beyond a few noted clumps of rock that may have once been ancient markers for travelers. Indeed it was so simple a journey that Celestia would not have noticed any change at all if the peninsula had not begun to diminish far below them. For one who had ruled in a city on a mountain, the view to the great depths below made her feel lightheaded. One wrong move, and the fall would be her last.

“We’re coming up on the ring of fog,” Ford said bracingly. “How are you managing so far?”

“Well, all things considered,” she replied. “I am surprised. I figured the lack of oxygen would have hindered us well before now.”

“I agree. Instead, the air feels fresher, richer here than it did at the mountain base. It is strange… Do you have any explanation for it?”

“None at all,” she answered.

The path continued on until the fog lay like a thick sheet just above their heads, their gaze unable to penetrate through it and see what lies beyond. Ford reached out and brushed through it with his fingers, his hand moving slowly against the layer.

“It feels more like the ocean than fog,” he murmured. “I’ve never felt anything like it.”

“Are you alright?”

Ford hesitated. “Princess… something- I do not know how to say it. Something is not natural about all this. This fog acts like a doorway- a threshold to something. I fear that the moment we pass through our presence will be made known to… to whatever waits for us in this place.”

“I can take the lead if you are afraid,” Celestia offered.

“No. No, I can still manage,” Ford said. “I am still responsible for your safety, so… simply be ready.” With one long, slow breath that shuddered as he drew it, Ford marched steadily forward and plunged into the fog.

His ears popped and a shrieking roar made them burst, the very air shuddering with the bellowing sound and it was all he could do to not fall to his knees in agony. The roar continued on and on until it finally fell into a weak sigh and disappeared, its effect still evident on Ford’s now taught features. It was as he had feared: their hopes of a discreet journey were to be dashed.

All around he saw as though through a haze. The rock shifted and contorted into shapes and figures seemed to dance at the edge of his vision. Further up the path he saw an obscured shape lying against the rock, and he squinted. Surely that was not a person he saw? His dagger drawn, Ford approached the shape until it came into view at last-

His heart turned inside his chest. Before him knelt a corpse, assuredly dead though its flesh had yet to rot. It had been left in a kneeling position, head bowed and hands pressed down against the stone beneath it as though it had been in prayer. Hardly daring to believe himself, Ford reached out and gently tapped the body, feeling skin dried and leathery beneath his fingers. How long had it been here? A day? A week? A century? He looked beyond it and saw more lying along the path upwards, all dead yet having fallen in a posture of reverence before they had passed. What could have done this to them?

“Ford? Are you alright?” The call was enough to make him nearly leap out of his skin and Ford jerked around to see Celestia standing behind him, staring at the holy line of corpses that silently guarded their path onwards. “What in heaven…”

“Do you know what could have done this?” Ford asked, his voice unnaturally high.

“I don’t know. It’s strange… these people appear ancient, yet their bodies are still perfectly preserved. Not a scratch upon them, nor signs of decay. It is as though time holds them in place.”

“So we’re on the right track,” Ford said, trying to sound confident and failing spectacularly.

Celestia took his hand in hers and together they continued up the path. “Let us continue on. Together, I think.”

The two continued their march upwards, past the statuesque corpses that seemed poised to reach out and grab them from beyond the ether, a silent parade of the dead that heralded their arrival to the mountain’s peak.

“They must have come to worship here once,” Celestia murmured. “But what could have done this to them?”

“I feel we are about to discover for ourselves. The clouds are beginning to break.”

The world contorted and twisted before their very eyes, the impenetrable cover of fog slowly melting away as light poured through and broke it into a thousand scattered pieces. The blinding beams of sunlight flashed and took away their sight before relenting, revealing a smooth pathway of snow-white marble, with rows upon rows of exquisite columns of flawless stone erected along the sides. Onward the marble road went until it came to a glorious building that seemed to gleam with the very colors of the sky itself.

“The Palace of Infinity,” Celestia said. “We have arrived.”

It was a thing more beautiful than anything ever crafted by the hands of mortal men, its walls of stone white as the clouds on a summer’s day, with flecks of gold shimmering under the sunlight. Its gates, heavy and wrought by the most skilled of hands, shone with the light of sapphires and its iron guardians that stood by its side held blades of fine crystal, pure and unblemished to the eye. Its doors were of finest silver, with a carpet of deep red draped across its stairs. Never before since the early days of the world had such a thing been seen by the eyes of the created ones, when the Rìgh-Nasach roamed the earth and reveled in the mighty works of their hands.

“We are trespassers here, Celestia,” Ford said, his voice thin and eager for flight. “We should go before we are discovered.”

“We cannot go back now. Not when the goal lies before us.” She took the lead, her hands beginning to glow with the radiance of the sun as her powers manifested themselves. “Whoever is here will have already seen our entrance. If they wished us dead, we would already be so.”

“Then I will follow… Heaven preserve us, my very bones tremble at the sight of this place!” Ford hissed. “My eyes are unworthy of this sight.”

Even Celestia, a far greater being than her husband, could sense the holiness of this place, and her heart threatened to quail at the mere sight of the Palace. What she now looked upon was forged by mightier beings than she had ever known, and perhaps mighty things still guarded it. Though she wished otherwise, she proceeded onwards with Ford close behind, past the iron guardians and arriving at the doors.

“Do we knock?” Ford asked.

“I suppose we must,” she replied, taking the handle in her grasp and slamming it hard, the powerful sound echoing across the plateau a thousand times before disappearing into the clouds. Slowly, as though bidden by an unseen force, the doors opened for the pair of travelers and revealed nothing but darkness within, beckoning them to their fate.

“Something lies in wait for us here.” Ford’s hand was already armed, his spear drawn and ready for combat.

“I believe you are right. Stay at the ready,” Celestia whispered, and the two entered-

The doors shut with such force that the gust of air expelled by it nearly toppled them from their feet. The weak light that had graced their first footfalls disappeared immediately and all around them was an impenetrable darkness that offered no mercy or respite from the inky blackness-

“I cannot find the door!” Ford cried. “Light! Give me light!”

“Then light you shall have!” A voice crashed like thunder and suddenly a great burst of light shined forth and dazzled them, the deep shadows transformed into a great whiteness that burned their eyes. Ford cried out and shielded himself from the sudden blast, Celestia covering her eyes as she tried to find the source of it all.

“Who are you? What do you want of us?” she called out.

“And who art thou that trespasses upon my domain, the charge given to me by my masters?” The voice continued to thunder, the light still bearing down harsh against the trespassers.

“I am an Alicorn. Celestia, Keeper of the Sun, Princess of Equestria. This is my husband, Lord Saber Ford who guards me from harm, of the mortal men. I beg of you, cease your light and have mercy on us!”

“An Alicorn? The divided people, charged with the welfare and guidance of this world? What has driven thee from your realm?”

“I seek an ancient evil. A foe who seeks to destroy my people and burn the world to ash. He seeks a power here within these walls!”

“And shall ye be enough to quench his fire? Or shall darkness smite thee, as it has so many before you?”

“I will not let it be so!” Celestia heard a cry and knew Ford was nearing the point of collapse. “Now please, relent this light lest my husband fall before it!”

The voice considered the plea for a time before finally relenting, the unrelenting gleam finally fading until a gentle brightness pervaded across the great hall. Celestia turned to Ford, finding him on his knees and trembling from the sight. “Are you hurt?” she asked.

“I am doomed. I am man and yet have seen glory beyond all. I am a man who will die!” he cried.

“Take heart. Your death is not to be upon my hands. Rise to thy feet, Guardian.”

Celestia turned to see a great figure walking towards them, adorned in the very light of the heavens in all their splendor. His shape was that of man, his garments of finery that seemed clothed with every star and shape that could be seen in the sky and all aglow. Upon his head was a magnificent crown of soft fire, its many tongues flickering white hot yet no scent of burning flesh could be found in the air.

“So ye have come at last. The Alicorns have come to fulfill their promise,” he said.

“Who are you?”

“I am the Sanctelior. The keeper of this Palace and its gate. The one who dwells upon the very edge of infinity.”

“That is why we have come,” Ford grunted, rising to his feet. “Master of the Palace of Infinity, we seek to enter the domain which you guard.”

“Ye shall not enter. The road is shut to your kind, and she alone may enter,” the Sanctelior replied.

“She is my wife, my Princess. She is my charge, and her safety concerns me above all other matters,” Ford protested. “Do not relieve me of my duties now, here at the end of all things.”

“And you believe this to be the end of your journey? Your beginnings have only just been written. The first page has been turned, and now the true story must be found. But what lies beyond this place is not meant for the eyes of fallen Man. It is a right revoked of you.”

“By who? Who has the right to separate what has been joined together?” Celestia asked. “We are one in flesh, Great Keeper of the Palace. Do not take my greatest strength from me now when it will be of uttermost need.”

“The right to give and revoke such titles is an ancient things, Alicorn,” the Sanctelior said. “This journey you wish to undertake is to a once-holy place, marred by your kinfolk who rejected your Maker. Within the world beyond runs a rampant darkness, its servants now great and powerful. The will of Man is easily swayed; if he travels with you, your doom is as certain as his own.”

“You say I will kill her, then?” Ford said. “Yet you speak of an evil within this place. You are its guardian, are you not? How could you allow such a thing as an Umbra to enter within it?”

“My will is not my own. As your Makers commands you, so I have been commanded. I do not seek to question but merely obey as I have been made.”

“And I am Man, and it is our right to question and choose!” Ford replied. “I have already seen great evil, and I know what awaits us. Do not force my beloved to enter into the domain you safeguard without me, and thus separate us forever.”

“And what answer shall ye give, Alicorn? If he enters alongside thee, your doom shall be found alongside his own and never shall it leave you.” The Sanctelior’s words were a challenge and she knew it, his ironshod gaze boring into her like a sharpened blade. Her mind flickered- should she leave Ford behind? She hardly dared to consider the thought. “He is to me and me alone. I shall share in the doom of Man!”

The Sanctelior appeared pleased by the strength of her response, throwing aside his cloak and revealing the rest of the great hall to them, an endless space dotted by columns of black stone that stood beside a flowing path of crimson carpet towards a flickering threshold. “So shall it be, then!” the Sanctelior cried out, his voice yet again thundering across the halls. “The Alicorn shall go forth with the Doom of Man, and to them I bequeath my gifts and power to aid them in their task! Till the Shadow is cleansed from within this world, Time shall have no grasp upon thee, nor shall its mark be made upon thy face! Thou art immortal in the likes of the greatest of all things, and great will be your journey! Now go, and fulfill the ancient promise of your people, and bring justice to this lost world.”

The Sanctelior stepped aside and granted them egress, Ford and Celestia walking forward towards the flickering threshold, the sight of it causing their hairs to stand on end.

“Such a sight I have never seen in all my years,” Celestia whispered. “The life that must thrive within it!”

“A world marred by Sombra. He will be waiting for us, you must know that,” Ford said.

“Of that I have no doubt.” The two of them stood at the very edge of the threshold, watching its soft tendrils of white vapor flicker outward as though it felt the presence of life before it. It was a strange thing, a gateway of metal and iron the likes of which they had never seen before, and voices seemed to whisper from within it.

“We could be in here for a very long time,” Ford said.

“I know.”

“So we shall go nevertheless?”

“We shall.”

Ford nodded, taking her hand in his and clutching tightly. “Then we go together, once more into the breach.”

Celestia took one last breath and plunged forth into the ether, her vision disappearing in the cloud of white.

Author's Note

And the journey begins in earnest. Are you ready to explore infinity?

If you are not aware yet, new tracks have been added to the soundtrack here:Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Enjoy.

III: Xechasménos

All around them was a tremendous pressure, forcing itself down upon them until Celestia wondered if they were to be crushed underneath the unseen weight. A great roaring of movement rushed past her and she wondered if the sound would be enough to deafen her forever. She found herself blind, moving forward by sheer will alone against what felt to be an unrelenting rush of water that poured down upon her and threatened to sweep her away, but nevertheless she pushed on, forcing her feet forward even though she feared the moment when she was pushed aside and thrown into the nothingness that surrounded her. A squeeze of her hand and she knew Ford to still be beside her, likely struggling even more than she. Together they moved onwards inch by merest inch, reaching out for the moment when the unforgiving torrent would finally cease-

There came a flash of light and she cried out in alarm, suddenly falling to her knees as the chaos reached its crescendo and suddenly fell flat, the noise and the pressure ceasing as though it was a spigot that had been twisted shut. She fell to the ground and gasped for air, her lungs begging for fresh air that would continue to grant her life. Her head pulsed, her body ached, yet still she lived.

“What just happened?” Ford panted, his breathing heavy and ragged. “Were we attacked by something?”

“The threshold granted us entry into its realm. It must have debated whether or not we were worthy of it.”

“You speak as if it were a living thing.”

“I could not speak of it any other way. Would you?” she asked.

“I… am not so certain any longer,” Ford grunted, trying to rise to his feet and struggling mightily. “Where are we?”

Celestia’s eyes adjusted to the world around her and she found herself uncertain of where exactly she now stood. Above her appeared as neither stone, wood, nor sky, and below her was neither earth nor rock, or even water. The world was dimly lit by a white light far beneath her feet, reaching through the miasma and glistening upon her face as though clouded by water. She felt out and found the ground beneath her solid like glass, though gentle and soft against the skin. All around her were formless vapors and mist that twisted about and moved as though by an unseen puppeteer, manipulating and bringing motion into the emptiness. She gazed out to the horizon and yet could not find it, the expanse of soft blue and middling light seeming to go on endlessly into the world in a long, flat plain that was of nothing she could find words for.

“What is this place?” Ford asked aloud, helping his wife to her feet whilst his eyes continued to survey their surroundings and finding it none to his liking. “I have never seen such a place, even in my dreams. There is nothing here, just an endless plateau.”

“It feels old. Like it was once something, but has been pushed aside. Like all its use and meaning has been taken from it,” she remarked. “Perhaps its meaning is simply for us.”

“Perhaps- the gateway!” Ford rushed back and found the gateway behind them, its door closed and darkened with no tendrils reaching out alongside the whispers that had now ceased. He reached forward and tried to grasp it, tugging at the hinges and found it immovable. “We are stuck! It cannot open!”

“Then all we can do is continue forward,” Celestia surmised. “Calm your fears, Ford. We have not been deceived or thrown into danger. If this gateway is shut, then the other one that dwells within this place must have opened in kind.”

“But where even is it? We need to find it, immediately!”

“I do not…” Celestia watched the vapors contort and twist themselves as though beckoning her forward, and her eyes pierced through the cloud to find wrought iron and metal just beyond. “It is right before us, I believe.”

“Really? Are you certain?”

“Look. Just to my right, you can see the thing flickering again. I would say it is only a mile’s distance away.”

Ford scrutinized it, his gaze peering out and finding their next goal. “It is strange… why so close? Surely it cannot be that easy.”

“Perhaps not. But how else are we to find out if unless by going forward?”

“Before we continue, let us pause a moment,” Ford said, stepping before her and appearing pensive. “Sit with me for a time.”

“I am not tired. If you need rest, then I can certainly accommodate.” Celestia felt rankled, but did not wish to wear him out this soon into their journey.

“I do not need rest, but rather answers. I want to ask you what we just saw. I know you know, Celestia.”

She should have thought of that. Walking among gods and greater beings was a thing she had done time and time again, though to Ford it would be a moment of great importance. She should not have assumed it would seem so commonplace to him. “I will try as best as I can,” she said gently, “but be aware what I say may not fully be revealed to you. The difference between us is greater than you may understand.”

“Is that derision?” Ford felt slighted and she bit her lip to avoid anger. What else would he feel? No person wishes to be talked down to.

“It is honesty. There are some things that have been hidden to Man, and no words of mine would be enough to reveal them to you. Even I have limitations put upon me,” she replied.

“Then tell me what you can. Firstly, the Guardian of that Palace, the Sanctelior. Just what was he? When I looked upon him I was grieved and terrified merely by the sight of him! If he had not called out to me, I wouldn’t have dared even speak to him.”

“He is an Amrionara. A greater being than you or even I, but a servant nonetheless. I knew two of them long ago when I was still a young girl.”

“A greater being?” Ford’s face exposed his puzzlement. “I know the Alicorns are immortal, but you speak of that thing as though it were above you.”

“He is. An Amrionara is something mighty, and much mightier than I. The Alicorns fell and were divided long before even I was born, but the Amrionara retained their glory and continued their service. If he had wished to do so, he could have killed both of us before we even knew we were dead.”

Ford seemed to understand some of it, but much of her words remained yet beyond him. “So how I spoke to him was likely dangerous,” he guessed.

“Yes. Thankfully, he found us worthy. Rest assured, though: if I had not defended you, your life would have ended in that very moment.” Celestia was glad to see his fire lessen at her words.

“Well, then. Perhaps I should keep my tongue to myself for now,” he said.

“The moment is over now. And now you know.”

“Something about that encounter bothers me, though. Sombra is assuredly within this universe somewhere, but the Sanctelior certainly seems more than capable of fighting him off. Why let Sombra enter?”

“I don’t know.” The problem had confounded Celestia as well, and her best philosophies and arguments were not enough to quell her misgivings. “The Amrionara are strange. They have no will beyond that of their master, and since I do not know whose master the Sanctelior swears allegiance to, I cannot guess their intention. Tavan perhaps, but he is bound away… Adfereadh perhaps, or maybe Golaus. Even then it explains nothing-”

“Celestia, please! You are leaving me in the dark!” Ford pleaded. “You’re speaking of things I know nothing about- have mercy, I do not have the capacity or the lifespan to understand what you do.”

It was not entirely true, and Celestia found herself pondering that instead. “You might. At least now you might. And only for a time.”

“Celestia, I beg you. You’re speaking in riddles and I don’t understand. If you want me to keep up with you I need to be able to understand.”

“The Sanctelior’s blessing. His powers are in relation to time- the ones we saw guarding the way are likely mortal Men like yourself that were found unworthy of entry, so he killed them and used them to keep watch over the Palace. He keeps them in a statis, stuck in time forever.” Celestia tried to temper herself, thinking of ways to make it plain to her husband. “His gift is that you are immortal now just as I am. For as long as it takes for us to find Sombra, you could live on, and on- and on, until the very heart of all worlds gave its final breath.”

Of all her words that she had spoken, those simple ones seemed to truly sink in. “I’m immortal..?” he whispered.

“Not in the sense of what a Philosopher’s Stone would grant you, nor the gift of the Alicorns,” she told him. “It is a blessing from a great being- granted so you can aid me in the completion of our task.”

Ford’s mind was already boggled enough, and now facing his immortality, he found himself rather stunned. “Why? What would cause him to do such a thing? Does he already know how long this journey will take, and so he gives us all the time we would ever need?”

“Perhaps. I do not know, Ford, an Amrionara is beyond even me. What he sees and hears I cannot. All I know is that his blessing is upon you, and that means you have nothing to fear from time and its clutches.”

It was too much for one man to take in all at once, and Celestia could see it would be some time for Ford to truly grasp what had come upon him, and that legends would speak his name for millennia beyond millennia because of this moment. But, for now, he was able to understand the basics, and that was enough to help him continue on.

“We should still hurry on,” he said. “If Sombra is already in here with us, then he has a head start, we don’t know how long it was before we arrived, but somewhere around ten years or less-”

“I fear it could be much worse than that,” she said gently, hardly eager to tell him. “Ford, we are in an entirely different universe, separate from the one you and I were born in. To us, we have only been here for a few moments. But to Sombra? Even if he arrived only a few meager hours before us, there is no reason for us to believe he even stepped foot here. The gateway could have spat him out elsewhere- thousands of years in the future, or generations in the past. He could have already been within this universe since its birth.”

The news somehow sunk in and Ford was left appalled by its presence. “We could have already lost, then!” he breathed. “Sombra could have easily found the Stone and already be wielding it!”

“Yes, that could very well be true,” Celestia replied. “And if he has, then I wonder why he has not yet acted?”

“Or maybe he already has, and we just haven’t seen it yet,” Ford said. “Maybe he’s already destroyed this world and marched on to the next, going wherever the gateway throws him next!”

“He has not been here,” Celestia said comfortingly. “If he had been, you would know. This place is void of- well, everything. If Sombra had desecrated this place, then you would see his foul reek in every corner of it.”

“I would rather never see it spread to anywhere,” Ford resolved. “If the gateway is not far, then we shouldn’t hesitate. Let’s keep after him.”

One thing Celestia admired deeply of her husband was his resolve. When he had made up his mind, far be it from anyone to dissuade him of his intent. She doubted that any thing which walked upon the earth would be enough to sway him once he had made his decision. “Let’s keep going,” she said, and the two journeyed onwards through the mist and towards the gateway that flashed just beyond them.

As they continued forward, Celestia found herself marveling at the strangeness of the place they traveled through. There was no sky, no solid earth, no grass or water or any recognizable element of any kind that she could perceive. The vapor felt dry on her skin, and no matter how deeply she peered, the source of the light far beneath her feet could not be seen. It was a strange place even empty of the void.

“Wait.” Celestia felt a tug on her arm and she stopped, the gateway just a few yards from them now.

“Ford!”

“Answer me this,” he said fiercely, “The Sanctelior said I was doomed. Doomed, Celestia- not a good word to hear when referenced to someone. He said that if I was allowed to come into this place with you, then you’d be doomed just as I was. What did that mean?”

“Ford, I really don’t know. His words are still beyond me.”

“Does he mean that I’m going to kill you?” he challenged.

“Ford, that is a heavy thing to ponder-”

“Answer me!” The distress in his voice startled her, and she looked to see the beginnings of tears starting to form in his hardened eyes.

She took his face in his hands and brought it to hers, holding him until she felt the struggle begin to lessen within his heart. “You would not. Not you, not ever- not even if all the riches and treasures of the world were offered to you, would you ever do such a thing,” she said firmly. “I know you. I know you better than anyone who has dwelled in any realm of any world, and I know that you would not dare.”

“But if something goes wrong,” he said, “If I am to betray you, please just-”

“Don’t say it!” her words cut through the empty air and raked away the mists. “It will not happen, not ever. You will not betray me, and I will not take your life. We will make it through together, and that is how it shall always be.” She looked into his eyes, her strength welling up and seeping into his weakness. “Believe me, my beloved. Such wickedness is far beneath you.”

Ford’s horrors still lingered in his mind but the crisis had passed, and he nodded with all the certainty he could muster. “Then let us be on our way,” he said gruffly.

Together, the two passed through the threshold and felt the tendrils of light bring them forward and beyond.

Author's Note

We're just getting started. I did not call this realm a place of infinity lightly. The journey has only just begun, my friend.

New additions to the soundtrack here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Enjoy.

IIII: Jökull

Her voice was stolen away from her before she even had the chance to take a breath. The vicious bite of deep cold fell upon her exposed skin in a vicegrip, the sudden blast of frigid air so intense that her eyes burned for witnessing it.

“What happened? Where are we?” Ford cried- or tried to as best as his gasping body would allow, the cold spurring the air from his lungs and he struggled to control himself.

“I don’t know- stay close to me!” Celestia grabbed him and pulled him tightly, the body warmth of the two combined enough to sustain them for a few moments as they tried to reorganize.

The two found themselves surrounded by thick ice all around them, the gateway having delivered them into a deep cavern of a frozen land. No sunlight could be seen through the heavy sheet, though its rays dimly penetrated through their cover and gave a blueish light to their surroundings. The ground beneath their feet was a darkened rock that was as frigid to the touch as the ice that covered it, cold and dark and lifeless.

“This is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Not even the northern border of the Empire was this cold,” Ford grimaced. “We need to get some source of heat going or else we’re going to freeze to death.”

“I’m thinking of something- I just need a way to keep it close by.”

“Can’t you conjure something up? We need cold weather gear if we want to stay alive!”

“Magic doesn’t work like that, I can’t create something from nothing! No one can!” Celestia protested.

“Well we need to think of something fast! If we’re here in a sheltered location I don’t want to know what it’s like when we’re exposed to the elements!”

“I’m trying- what do you have in your rucksack?”

“I have flint and some matchworks. Enough to start a fire, but not enough to keep it going!”

“That’ll buy us time- bring it out!”

The pack was dropped like a sack of bricks, Ford’s fumbling fingers struggling to untie that knot that held the top seam shut, the metallic buckle already painful to the touch. After a continued battle against his freezing fingers he succeeded, diving into its contents and extracting his fire equipment. Celestia took to it immediately, working the stone and wood madly beneath her fingers until it began to sizzle and sparks flew forth and fell to the ground, hot and eager for new life.

“What’re you-”

“Not yet,” Celestia chided, concentrating hard upon her work as her powers flowed from her fingertips and into the cold rock that was growing ever hotter, the blackened flint meshing with the small splinters of wood until they ignited as one being, the wood seared into the rock and spitting heat as though it were a burning coal. “Do we have any cloth?”

“Just fragments of gauze from the first aid kit.”

“That’ll be enough. Two pieces, quickly now,” Celestia said, already feeling a warmth flowing through her fingers and into her chest from the heartened piece of coalfire. Taking a strip of gauze into her open hand, she gently placed the burning item within it and wrapped it shut, sealing the cloth with her magic before examining it with satisfaction. “Here, take it,” she said. “Put it in a pocket somewhere across your chest, it will help the heat be absorbed into the rest of your body.”

“Celestia- whoa!” Ford’s expectancy of a burning heat from the makeshift package was enough to very nearly make him drop it, his hands pulling away as the weight fell into his open palms. “What on… earth? What is this?”

“A temporary solution,” Celestia replied. “Not enough to keep us safe, but enough to keep us alive. Quickly now, I need more of it! Flint and matches first!” With the package of coalfire gone from her hands, the biting cold had returned with vengeance in mind and she could feel the numbness slipping into her brain, slowing her thoughts and trying to freeze them shut.

“What is this thing?” Ford pressed again.

“Coalfire. I used Alicorn magic to bind the properties of both items into one and make it safe to use. It will help you stay warm for at least another hour, and it will not burn you. Keep it tight against your chest, Ford!” she urged.

“But you’re already struggling to make another,” he protested.

“No time. I can withstand this longer than you- Ford!”

He had already withdrawn the item from his shirt and placed it gently in her lap. “You’re still my responsibility,” he said, the effect of the heart leaving him instantly evident as his face turned pale yet again. “Make the other one for yourself and give that back to me when you’re done.”

“Ford, do not-”

“No time to argue, Celestia!”

Stubborn as a mule, she thought angrily, trying to hide her gratitude as the warmth reignited her thoughts and loosened the joints in her fingers. He’s risking himself for no reason and he knows it, I could keep going without it.

The work took half the time for the second package, Celestia fusing the coalfire together and allowing it to breathe, the small heart of fire flickering happily against its baleful surroundings. She had to pause to admire her work, grateful that she had even remembered the trick at all.

“Now keep that fresh one and give me the old one,” Ford said.

“Take it, Ford. I can withstand the elements longer than you, I need it less than you,” she replied.

“Princess-”

“I will not argue. Do it.” Her words were forceful and she saw the scowl grow on his face in response. Please, let your chivalry drop for just one moment, Ford. Listen to me.

“Very well, then,” he said, taking the newly wrapped piece of coalfire and placing it in his shirt pocket. “But you say this is only a temporary solution?”

“It will only last for an hour or two. I can make more, but it will take the resources we may need elsewhere. Unlike our world, I don’t know when we can find time to gather new resources, or if we will be able to at all.”

“Then that doesn’t leave us a lot of time to find our way out of here,” Ford surmised. “Is there anything you can think of to counter the cold? Any spell that could –I don’t know, maintain body temperature, is that even possible?”

“I’m trying to think of something as quickly as I can! The coalfire should help us for a little while but it will run out, and not even I can survive indefinitely in temperatures like this.”

“Can you think on the way?” Ford asked.

“What?”

“We can’t just sit here and waste our time. We need to move and see if we can find the next gateway rather than hope you come up with something. If we run out of flint and matches for-”

“I will think of something!” Celestia said hotly. “I can keep us safe, I promise you that!”

“I’m not doubting your skills- Celestia, I am on your side!” he shouted, anger beginning to spill over the brim. “Stop trying to think I’m putting you down, I’m trying to make sure we survive, and that means every second is precious! Now the first thing that’s gonna happen when the cold eventually gets to us is that our body will begin to freeze from the outside. Your joints will stiffen up and it’ll get harder to move. After that your core temperature will plummet, and eventually it can get to a point where it’s not going back up. And when that happens, you’ll get so tired that you won’t be able to move any longer. You’ll fall asleep and then you’ll die. I’m not going to let that happen to you, so you need to drop whatever pride is in you and let me help!”

Celestia’s anger was not so easily abated, but the seriousness in his voice was enough to give her pause. She was fighting him for no reason, pressing her will against his simply because she was so used to him simply allowing her way. She was the ruler, the diplomat; he was the warrior, the survivor, and he had been trained for conditions such as this. She needed to put her pride aside and simply let him do what he had been trained to do.

“Alright,” she said, her voice still tight but acquiescing nevertheless. “Alright. What are you suggesting we do?”

“Just go on thinking of a way of keeping us alive. If you can use some kind of spell that’ll keep us warm and not kill us, do it. I’ll be glad of it, because we don’t know how far the next gateway is,” Ford said, his relief evident as he continued to discuss their plan. “Now on our feet. The more time we spend here chattering, the faster we’re going to die.”

Their movements through the cavern of ice seemed to worm their way on endlessly, the deep dwelling held within a veritable fortress, impregnable save only to the light of the sun far above. Neither dared to reach out and feel the ice beneath their fingers lest they freeze and become part of it, so great was their fear of this frosted place.

“Does it even end?” Celestia whispered aloud.

“Do you think you could break through it if need be?” Ford asked.

“I could,” she said slowly, “but there would be a real chance I bring the whole place down atop of us and we die anyway.”

“Not the worst way to go, but hardly the best.”

“I would prefer we didn’t die at all.”

“I don’t think that’s anyone’s choice- sunlight ahead, come on.” Ford raced forward towards the exit far in the distance, his footsteps echoing across the glacial surroundings.

“What do you see?” Celestia called.

“We’re in a series of glaciers!” he replied, his voice echoing clearly down the tunnel and into her awaiting ears. “Looks like this place is one big maze. Wanna take a guess at what’s in the center?”

The tunnel opened up before her and revealed a twisting walkway through great chasms of ice that towered into the sky, so high that it was a wonder that the sun could even find its way down into the depths of this frozen place. Their path had granted them access into the icy Canyonlands, bereft of water and life as far as they could see, the glaciers offering so many paths forward that one wrong turn would likely doom them to be cast into its depths forever with no hope of escape. Not even the wintry wastes of the Crystal Empire, held in the grips of a cruelest winter by Sombra himself, could have rivaled the magnificence or the vastness of these mighty chasms.

“We may never find it in time,” she breathed.

“Then we climb up and out. See if we can find anything that way instead of just wandering around blindly,” Ford declared. “Get into my rucksack, grab the rope. You can fly out of here, correct?”

“Only for a short time. I don’t know how long the spell will last in these conditions.”

“Go quickly, then. Take the rope and lower it once you reach the top and I’ll climb my way up to you,” Ford said, peering at the intimidating cliff face before him and knowing it would be a daunting task.

“Ford…”

“What?”

“Why would I do that? Take my hand and I’ll fly us both up.”

Ford wondered if his face would even flush in such wintry conditions. “I do not know why I didn’t think of that,” he said, giving an unwilling laugh. “Alright then, do what you do best.”

Celestia summoned the words to mind and felt the wings of fire erupt from her back, many tongues of hot flame working together as though feathers to give her aid. With one strong push she rose forth from the ground and raced out from the depths of the canyon and towards the open air, bursting out from their labyrinthine prison and landing gently atop the massive glacier.

Celestia found herself panting as the spell dissipated, her wings of fire wilting away under the threat of wind that now pressed hard against their faces.

“Are you alright?” Ford asked, watching as she doubled over and struggled to catch her breath.

“That was more difficult than I remember,” she answered. “Perhaps the cold, or carrying you… I don’t know.”

“Or this place was made to sap you of your strength,” he said grimly. “That wind carries something fell. We need to keep moving.”

The many winding pathways within the glacial canyonlands lay before them, the endless labyrinth that would have deftly entombed them no spanned out into the horizon, some paths leading to dead ends that would have spelled despair and death. Others wound together, forming into a single wide passage that led towards a great spire of rock capped by snow and ice.

“I may have an idea,” Celestia said drily.

“That’s a long way. Let’s get to it,” Ford said, resettling the rucksack on his shoulders as the two ramped forward.

Some hours later and still their destination seemed so far to the eye. Pushing across chasms and walkways that threatened their progress, moving up and down the rows of glaciers that had been cast haphazardly across the realm, their movement had been steady, but slowed by the elements. Their coalfire had already been run through a second course, and Celestia found herself worrying about what little remained as she conjured forth a third portion for them both. Enough for one more- but only one more.

“Not enough for both of us,” Ford guessed as she paused in her work.

“No.”

“Then we need to hurry. That mountain is getting closer, but we still have a ways to go. And with the sun starting to set, the temperature’s only gonna drop further. We won’t last the night.”

“We won’t make it before nightfall, Ford.”

“That’s not an option for us!” he said. “We make it or we die, now come on!”

Their path continued on straight towards the mountain, the many details of the peak coming into view the closer they came. Black rock swept clean by wind jutted out like perches for great beasts, the snow turned into fine white spray by the continued gusts that struck out against it. It would have been a magnificent thing to see if their circumstances had not been so dire…

“I’ve got it!” Celestia cried. “Ford, take my hand and hold tight!”

“What’re you- oh for heaven’s sake, teleportation!”

“You and I are the greatest fools who ever lived. Now let me concentrate!” Celestia’s blood was afire as she settled her eyes on the mountain. She could see it clearly, but so little detail! Where did she need to make landfall? She knew nothing of the terrain, if she chose someplace faulty-
A quick Snap! And the two broke through the barrier of blackness and found themselves miles away, the mountaintop now beneath their feet-

Celestia felt her head spin and the world became dim, her footing already slipping-

“Tia!” Ford cried out as he too slipped down the mountainside, the loose snow beneath his feet as slick as deep ice and sending both of them careening down across harsh and unforgiving rock, Celestia barely conscious and unable to rouse herself from the fell air that had enshrouded her-

Ford navigated across the snow and increased his speed, trying to reach her before she crashed into the stone of the mountain and shattered her bones. He reached out for her and missed by the smallest of margins, feeling her skin brushing against his. He cast out again and grabbed hold tightly-

“I’ve got you! I’ve got you!” he cried over and over, now looking for a way to impede their rapid descent-

A small, sharpened outcropping of rock, hardly larger than a tree branch, lie just ahead of them-

Ford threw his hand out wildly and grabbed hold tight, feeling the muscle and bone within his skin groan, pop, and tear underneath the intense pressure-

“Ford… Ford!” Celestia’s voice was dangerously weak but she had regained consciousness again, clutching tight to her husband’s arm. “What happened?”

“You blacked out! Sombra’s been here, he must have cast some sort of curse on this place to try and slow you down,” he replied, feeling flecks of snow pepper his face-

Ford heard the roar above the rushing of wind and knew immediately what he would see above him. Their movements down the mountainside had begun an avalanche, a heavy cascade of snow descending towards them like a white specter of death-

A flash of iron and metal against the dying rays of the sun. The gateway, uncovered by the movements of the avalanche, lay just below the peak of the mountain-

“Tia, you need to teleport again. One last time, right to the mountain’s peak. Can you manage it?” Ford called.

“I need to see it- pull me up!” she cried, and Ford threw all his strength into the motion, his other arm screaming in agony as it held tightly to their sole refuge-

Snap! Ford fell through the dark and found himself atop the mountain, already beginning a second slide down the side, the gateway ignited just below them. He reached out for his unconscious bride and held her close, aiming them straight towards the wrought-iron gate, and disappearing in a flash of light.

Author's Note

It's only just beginning. The cold and ice of an unforgiving place is just one challenge of many.

New additions to the soundtrack can be found here: Boop
As always, comments and corrections below. Enjoy.

V: Vasa

He couldn’t breathe. He could not see, could not think, could barely feel. His injured arm was shrieking its agonies all across his body, the pain coursing across every fiber of his being until it felt as though his whole body had been ravaged by the wound. All around him was a thick, blurry murkiness that he knew to be deep water, and what felt like stone beneath his feet, if he was to guess. The rucksack across his shoulders had become immensely heavy as the water soaked it through, and his unconscious wife draped across his arm only added to the pressure. He kicked out hard for the surface, his lungs already eager for fresh air. He had taken no extra breath going through the gateway and circumstance now punished him for it. Onward he kicked, his mind solely focused on the singular hope of air that lay so far out of reach but growing ever closer. His vision began to dim, the rucksack tore into his grieving arms, his legs kicking madly for the surface that seemed far too far away, his lungs begging, beseeching him for air. He did not have time to cut the rucksack from his shoulders, Celestia still had not awoken and it was still too far, too far! The surface grew texture and detail as he came closer, watching the waves from underneath that seemed eager to seal him beneath their grasp and in the infinite black of the watery abyss. His legs were beginning to atrophy, it all seemed so far away-

The water broke and the gulp of air Ford took next was so great and glorious that he knew nothing would ever feel so fresh or wondrous to his lungs ever again. Immediately he tore his arms free from the rucksack’s clutches, letting it descend back down to the surface. He would need to find a way to recover it, but now was not the moment to do so. He focused all his attentions on Celestia, keeping her afloat until she had regained consciousness once more. A horrible thought shot through him like lightning: what if she has water in her lungs? His brother had been the mariner, not he. He did not know how to perform resuscitation measures in such an environment, if the need became a crisis-

She awoke as though having been slapped, her eyes wide and fearful as natural instinct kicked in, her panic pushing all her movements and emotions into overdrive. Celestia spluttered and choked, spewing water out of her lungs in a desperate bid to recapture air. “What happened? Where are we?”

“You’re alright!” Ford’s mind briefly turned from the pain in his arm as delight took its place.

“We jumped again, didn’t we?” she guessed, taking in her surroundings. “Surely we didn’t just fall from the sky.”

“Below us. I had to drop the rucksack, else I would’ve drowned,” he said.

“Are you alright? Your arm is limp!”

“I tore it up on the mountain, I’ll be fine. Can you swim?”

“Of course I can swim-”

“Not what I mean, Tia! Whatever curse Sombra put on that place sapped you of your strength badly, do you have the strength to keep swimming freely?” he pressed.

“Yes, I do.” Celestia scanned the area, her eyes settling on a point just behind Ford. “There’s a small island about a quarter-mile away, can you swim there with your arm in that condition?”

“I’ll have to try- what about the rucksack?”

“We’ll have to leave it. Neither of us are well enough to carry that much weight that far,” Celestia commanded, the words causing her visible pain even as she spoke them. All their additional clothing, weaponry, food, and supplies were within that rucksack, to abandon it was no light decision.

“We can’t just leave it, we’ll have to find a way to retrieve some of it.”

“And how will we carry it all? Get to the island, Ford, and we’ll deal with it there.”

The decision was painful even to contemplate, but Ford found himself relenting to her will, knowing she at least spoke the truth. As best as he could manage he kicked out and tried to keep a steady course towards the small island of rock ahead, a barren waste of earth that was soaked to the bone by the splashing of the waves.

“You’re struggling,” Celestia said, keeping by his side as they pushed through the current.

“I think I pulled it from the socket,” Ford grunted, feeling a fresh wave of pain run through him. “I’ll need you to put it back in place when we get to shore.”

“Can you make it to shore?”

“I’ll have to, won’t I?” he replied. “Keep an eye out for predators, we’ve been making a lot of noise.”

The thought hadn’t yet occurred to Celestia yet, she having been so preoccupied with simply making it to land before exhaustion set in that the thought of the wild beasts besetting them had yet to kick in. Suddenly the thought became dominant, and she imagined thick, pointed fins cutting through the water to encircle them- or worse, the ones just below them and just out of sight.

In due time, the pair made it to the island safely, crawling up the gentlest slope of rock they could find before crashing with exhaustion and gasping for breath. Ford, trying his best to keep tabs on where he had dropped his rucksack, stared out over the waters and simply shook his head in defeat. “We just lost everything. Clothes, food, anything we could trade with,” he murmured. “And no fresh water out in this place.”

Celestia surveyed the rest of their surroundings in the hopes of laying eyes on some passing vessel or nearby outcropping of true, solid land- disappointment was all she received, her eyes only finding an endless ocean all around her in every direction. The gateway, wherever it had dropped them, had simply been in the middle of nowhere. We could die out here, she thought. No food, no water, no way of moving forward…

The despair was genuine and she shook herself to stave it off. “Let me take a look at that arm,” she said briskly, coming to Ford’s side and taking his injured arm in hand. “I can help accelerate the healing of the muscles within, but I’ll need to push it back into the socket first. And it will hurt.”

“Do it,” Ford said, his face stony as he prepared for the oncoming blow.

Celestia took a breath, steadying herself. If she got this wrong, the damage would be far worse, and would take more of her to heal. She would need to do this correctly if she were to keep him free of any additional harm. Pressing him down as flat as the terrain would allow, she took his arm out above his head and rotated it back, reaching for the opposite arm and pushing hard. With a loud Pop! she heard the shoulder fall back into place-

Ford screamed and immediately rolled away the moment the act was done, cradling his injured arm as he struggled to control his agony-

Celestia hardly let him move before she was upon him again, taking hold of him tightly and whispering just under her breath, her fingers slowly igniting as her power flowed forth, seeping out and into Ford’s injured arm, seeking torn muscle and damaged bone beneath his skin. Ford, still breathing hard, felt the pain immediately lessen, though he still trembled from the sudden shock.

“Stay still and it’ll be done quicker,” she said, trying to ignore the fact that this simple healing spell was draining her quickly. Whatever vileness Sombra had left for her to find on that frostbitten world had done its damage; it would likely be some time before she could fully regenerate all her strength and be in fighting shape again.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Ford whispered. “You have no idea how good this feels.”

“You certainly could say so more often,” Celestia replied coldness. “I’m not useless, or just some puffed-up Princess. I’m more capable than you are and you know it full well.”

Ford was left befuddled by her sudden harshness. “What are you talking about?” he asked. “I’ve said it countless times, there’s no one I’d rather be with in this journey than you.”

“You act as though I’m incapable of keeping us safe,” she said, the bitterness in her voice beginning to grow strong and hard as stone. “You always have to take the lead, have to do the harder task, have to be the one in danger- like you think I’m unable to work and fight right alongside you! And you’ve been doing this for years now!”

“Of course I’m trying to keep you safe, why would I not want that? This is what I’m supposed to do, Celestia. It’s my job.”

“It was your job, Ford. Drop the chivalry and stop trying to do this alone.”

“I am not trying to do this alone, I am simply-” Ford broke off, covering his face with his hands as he tried to keep his temper from rising. “Celestia, I need you to understand this. I am trying to keep you alive because you’re –by far- more important than I am.”

The answer was so strange that Celestia’s anger dissipated simply by her confusion. “What?”

“You’re a Princess. The Princess. An immortal Alicorn, the only person who can stop Sombra, and ruler of the greatest kingdom the world’s ever known. That’s not something insignificant,” Ford said. “I need to keep you alive because you’re the only one who can stop Sombra. You need to get back to your kingdom, alive and whole. And- and if you were to be killed, I don’t know what I’d do. How am I supposed to go on without you? I can’t do this myself, who am I to Sombra? I’m some insignificant speck in the middle of something way out of my league, and the one person I have left in the world is you.” He settled down before her, he staring right into her with an icy intensity. “You’re my wife, and you’re all I’ve got. You’re all I ever wanted, and I- I will die before I would ever let anything happen to you. So please, stop assuming that I think less of you. I just need you to stay alive for me, and for everyone else.”

She could see the sorrow in his eyes and knew it to be the truth. Ford had willingly followed her to this faraway place knowing one wrong move would be the end of him, that he now fought against powers that were far greater than he would ever become. All of it, down to this moment, was motivated by his love for her and the desire to see her return home to the kingdom she had left behind. There was no thought of his own safety or importance in this matter. He was a mere man; mortal, finite, and limited- and he knew it.

“Ford…”

“I want you to see your sister again, Tia,” he said softly, “for you to see your home, to see Twilight and the people who love you. I’ll do whatever it takes to make that come true. I’m not much in this battle, but if I can help make that real, then let me do it… please.”

The two of them sat atop the small island of rock as far from the ocean as they could manage, still occasionally sprayed by the waves that slapped hard against the bare stone. Ford had settled a small distance from Celestia, staring out into the open ocean as they waited for fate to smile upon them once more, or else they perish upon these rocks in the middle of a vast sea.

“You shouldn’t put yourself down like that, you know,” Celestia remarked. “You don’t have the right to deem yourself to be so lacking of value.”

“Excuse me?”

“You act like you’re such a tragic hero, Ford. I am here to say you do not get to grant yourself such a title.”

“I’m not trying to be some sort of hero, I’m trying to make sure you can be-”

“And how do you think I would have made it this far if not for you?” Celestia challenged.

“You don’t need me to do any of this-”

“Wrong!” she shouted, drowning out his attempts at rebuttal. “Stop trying to put me on a pedestal, Ford! I am flawed, failed- we are here because I could not destroy Sombra all those years ago. I am not this great deity, I am merely a servant of something greater- like you.”

“But I don’t have the powers you do, the strength-”

“You have strength of character, Ford. That matters far more than any might could ever mean. Look at Sombra: such power and will, and all of it means nothing because of what he chose to do with it. But you, a mere man, are greater than he could ever dream of being. Loyal, steadfast, loving…. My life is made more joyous because you are in it, and I have made it this far because of you. So stop trying to put me on a pedestal. Neither of us want it.”

“I’m not- I’m just wanting to- oh for heaven’s sake,” Ford growled, coming over to her and standing before her. “Do you have to win this argument? Just let me protect you in peace.”

“You are so determined to keep me alive that you’ve forgotten it is no longer just I, but one. You are my husband, and we are one in flesh. And I will not see it be separated.” She took him in her hands, caressing his salt-stained skin as she felt the strong, vibrant pulse of his heart beneath it. “You are going to make it. We will find the Philosopher’s Stone, and we’re going to win.”

Ford longed to rest within her comfort, but knew the time would not allow him such warmth, and he sighed in his melancholy. “Do not set your heart in the future, beloved,” he whispered, “not all dreams come true.”

“Some do. And they are worth believing in.”

Ford could not stand to meet her steadfast gaze, and instead allowed his eyes to drift back to the seas before settling on a point just at the edge of the horizon. “Oh my- I think that’s a sail!”

Celestia turned towards the seas, the cloudy gray above reflecting so perfectly across the clear waves that it would have been forgiven if she had missed it. But there, just at the edge where the seas met the horizon and growing larger, was the clear outline of a ship’s sail, pale white and sharp against the skies behind it.

“We need a flare. Some sort of fire to get its attention,” Ford said.

“I can remedy that.” Celestia’s hand pointed towards the clouds and a shower of bright, multicolored sparks were thrown high into the air, the streams of colors glowing fiercely against the dull colors of the sea.

Slowly, the sharpened edges of the vessel turned towards them and grew ever larger, the ship having seen their signal of flames and deciding to investigate.

“They’ve seen us, stay your hand,” Ford said. “Be ready in case they mean us harm, I have no weapon to speak of.”

The thought hadn’t occurred to Celestia, and she let her magic cease and rest at the very edge of her fingers, right at the point of call. If these mariners decided to bring ill will against them, they would certainly find her to be more than a match for whatever they threw against her.

“I see movement aboard, but I can’t make it out. Can you tell at all, Celestia?”

She peered out hard at the incoming craft, straining her eyes and letting it come forth. A large portion of the movement was simply the mainsail flowing in the wind, though beneath at the tiller was the silhouette of a man, his head constantly bobbing back and forth between the island ahead and the sea just below.

“It’s just a single person aboard,” she reported. “The craft doesn’t look large enough to hide anyone.”

“Any weapons that you can see?”

“If he has any, there are not in sight. Be courteous, but cautious.”

“As if I have any other choice, being unarmed,” Ford growled, clearly displeased by his lack of armaments.

As the small seacraft came closer to shore, the man aboard came into view, a dark-skinned man that stood a head taller than even Celestia, mountainous in form and an expression to match. She felt Ford tense beside her and hoped he wouldn’t make any sudden moves, for the newcomer gave the impression of vicious capabilities for violence.

“Hail, friends!” he called, his voice deep and thunderous, yet flowing with friendliness and his eyes matched his smile. “What brings you here to this empty part of the Great Ocean?”

His gregariousness, so jarring against his aggressive features, took the two stranded souls aback and left them momentarily speechless. Ford looked at Celestia with an expression that suggested shock. He, apparently, had been prepared for a fight.

The giant man looked about the island as if searching for something. “I see no ship, friend,” he remarked, “have you been sunk by some foul beastie?”

“We’ve had a bit of bad luck. All our supplies and fresh water are lost,” Celestia replied.

“Well, looks like old Brevan came sailing by just in time!” he barked pleasantly. “Smart thinking of deploying your flares, I never would’ve seen this patch of rock otherwise- and then you’d be dead for sure! No one ever ventures this far south anymore.”

“Can you help us, sir? We’re in a bit of a bind,” she said.

“Of course I shall! What sort of man would I be if I left two souls to die here?” Brevan said. “You both look soaked to the bone- not surprised, looking at all this surf. Come, let Brevan help you out- you’ll find no greater master of the waves anywhere on the Great Ocean.”

The two tired travelers were grateful for the help, but remained guarded as they boarded the small vessel, their eyes scanning every nook and cranny for a hidden blade or weapon, something that could be used against them. As the wood beneath their feet creaked, they turned to see Brevan leap back aboard behind them and marveled at the pure muscle that adorned his body from head to toe. A weapon, Ford mused, would only hinder him. His strength would be more than enough to win a fight.

“Now, my friends,” he said, “to where were you headed before your ship fell? What brought you out to this lonely part of the seas?”

Celestia felt Ford’s gaze burn into her and knew he waited for her to answer. The question was a simple one, really, but the problem would be knowing just how much she should say aloud. This could all be a grandiose trap set by Sombra, and this man’s friendliness merely a ruse. She decided upon part of the truth for now, and see what came next.

“We’re looking for a gateway,” she said. “It would stand about ten feet tall, made of wrought-iron and one would hear whispers from it.”

“A gateway?” Brevan’s expression was muddled and she felt her heart sank. “I know this whole Ocean, friend, and I sure don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It would look like doors made of solid metal. Dark-black and almost hot to the touch if you put your hand against it,” Ford added. “Think like something you’d see on the gate of a great castle.”

Brevan laughed to himself. “Well those sure must be some fancy words, cause I don’t understand about half of them,” he remarked. “What’s a castle, for one? Never heard of such a thing, and I know everything there is to know.”

“A building made of stone. Towers parapets, great halls and cellars!”

“Wouldn’t seem all that sensible to me. How’d you expect a thing like that to float, anyhow?”

Celestia saw Ford growing increasingly frustrated, but a dim thought in her mind began to grow as she listened to the two men continue their discussion. Some very simple, commonplace things that anyone would have known by heart were considered nonsense to this man.

“Brevan,” she said slowly, loud enough so she could be heard over their voices. “Have you ever seen a tree before?”

“I’m sorry, a what?”

I was right. “How big is this ocean, Brevan?”

“What do you mean, how big is it?” Brevan asked disdainfully. “It’s the whole bloody planet, friend. You know that, aye?”

“The whole planet?”

“Well, save for a few small patches of rock like that one there,” Brevan said, “but nothing really else. How’d you not know that?” He scrutinized his two new companions, eyeing this with suspicion and curiosity. “Just where’d you two come from? Never heard your accent before, and I’ve been everywhere from Drayton to Castiore.”

“We’ve… come a long way,” Celestia replied. “I’m sorry, I can’t say more.”

Brevan continued his inner musings, perhaps evaluating them both and judging their trustworthiness, and wondering if their strange words spoke to some hidden glory yet to be discovered. However, after a time, he simple gave a sigh. “Tell you what, friends,” he said, “I came way out this way looking for salvage and instead found you- so I’d say that makes you my lucky prize, eh?”

Celestia saw Ford drop into position, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

“So maybe you’ll be a good luck charm for me till I get you to port. Old Jankers is about three weeks away, yeah? Oldest port on the whole bloody ocean, maybe you’ll find what you’re looking for there. And until then, you can help me do some salvage runs on the way there. Sound like a deal to you?”

“And if we refuse?” Ford asked.

“Well… nothing, I suppose. Can’t just let you starve, or throw you overboard and watch the sharks eat ya. S’not right,” Brevan replied. “How’s your seafaring skills?”

“We’re both somewhat experienced,” Ford answered.

“Excellent! Means I can finally sleep and not worry about drifting offcourse. Hope you two soaking sods know how to fish, or else we’ll get real hungry. Rations don’t last forever, aye?”

The voyage was long, each day similar to the next until it seemed all the world they have ever known was salt and spray, ocean and sky in an endless cascade of blue and grey. Every morning they would see the skies grow clearer, only for mid-day clouds to roll through and bring rain down upon them, and the trio would set out cups and buckets to catch the fresh water for their daily nourishment, with fishing rods set to the side of the vessel in the hopes of gathering their meal. As the day would pass on, the clouds would disperse and allow the sunset to bid them farewell, and the night sky would be clear and bright with each star shining like a diamond set against velvet blackness.

Brevan, as they came to discover, could not have been a better friend in their journey. Boisterous and amiable, his hulking figure befitted his larger-than-life personality, a booming man who laughed freely and often with such a shout that Celestia wondered if she would go deaf from the sound of it. He was a fiery soul who loved the sea dearly, desiring nothing but to be upon it and relishing in its wildness until he was one with the very waves he sailed upon. Though she and Ford had been on the high seas for a great deal of their journey, their experience seemed miniscule in comparison to the colossal mariner’s great breadth of knowledge, as though the seas had smiled upon him and gifted him with all their many secrets.

Though their hopes of finding the gateway still remained dim, Brevan was willing to aid them along their way, his spirits soaring as they continued on. A salvager by heart, his many dives below the surface yielded great treasures and he delighted in his bounty. “I’ve been out here on the waves for years, and never have I had such fortune!” he laughed wildly, abounding in his newfound wealth. “I beg you, stay with me as part of my crew- the fortune we would amass, the fleet we would have at our command! Our names would be known in every corner of the Great Ocean!”

“I’m sorry, friend, but we must continue on,” Ford replied, appearing genuinely apologetic. “We have a personal treasure of our own to find. It is the key to our next step, and I don’t think we can rest until we find it.”

“But please, my friends, surely it cannot be that important,” Brevan countered. “You only have one life to spend, why would you waste it away after a single treasure? This wealth we have here- it is real, tangible! You could spend your days in peace with it!”

“We would not have peace if we set our goal aside,” Celestia said gently. “It stirs in our hearts until we think of nothing else.”

Brevan appeared disappointed but decided to let the argument drop for now, the debate a constant wellspring of words for the three seafarers. “Very well then,” he grunted, “tell me of your travels! You promised me more stories of your homeland, where these ‘trees’ and ‘meadows’ thrive.”

“They might have thrived here once, my friend,” Ford said, gazing past him and beyond towards the sunset. “Fifteen minutes till it’s dark- after all, this great sea we travel upon wasn’t always here.”

Brevan laughed. “Children’s stories and myths, you know that! Legends passed down by the wives, nothing real.”

“Have you ever wondered if it might be, Brevan?” Celestia asked. “After all, how would we know what it would be like to see such things? Mountains and forests, lakes, rivers… green things that flourish.”

“You tempt me with your stories yet again,” Brevan remarked. “Tell me more of your tales, even if they are only children’s stories. Never have I heard them said so clearly.”

A month passed and at long last their destination grew close, only a sunrise away before they would soon see the ancient floating port of Old Jankers, the first colony ever to be made upon the waves. Brevan spoke of it with a reverence, calling it a place of awe and holiness.

“Holiness?” Ford asked.

“Aye, it is the heartbeat of this Great Ocean,” Brevan answered. “An old church floats there, which is the epicenter of it all. The Monks of Light, they call themselves. Strange folk, but they do try their damnedest to keep the peace on the waves. Old Glowas is the high priest now, always talking about their greatest relic.”

“And what’s that?”

“No one knows, save those creepy old monks. Not like they let anyone in to that sacred place, they’d kill you for sure! But they always made it sound like they were talking to someone there… I’ve heard them mention ‘whispers’ or something of the like.”

Ford and Celestia stole a glance at one another while Brevan drifted in his own thoughts. Perhaps guided by a greater hand, or simply by accident, Brevan may have taken them right to their destination without even realizing it. A whispering thing was familiar to them both, and their minds turned to the thoughts of an ancient gateway wide and awaiting them, its many tendrils of light beckoning as it called to them in a thousand hushed voices.

Brevan slept comfortably in the cabin, Celestia and Ford promising to main the tiller while he rested. As soon as they were certain he was asleep they turned to one another and spoke in hushed voices, slowly formulating a plan that would find their way onward. Though determined to continue on, they were loath to so casually abandon such a steadfast and warm friend as Brevan who had shown them such kindness these many days upon the sea.

“I know we want to simply move on, but he said it was considered a holy relic. I fear that if we transgress upon the place, we would cause him great trouble for bringing us here,” Celestia said. “I don’t want to be responsible for bringing grief upon him, not after all the help he’s given us.”

“And think of this: what if it isn’t the gateway? We’d be stuck here dealing with the wrath of a bunch of holy men who seem to do good things for this place. I think we’d cause real trouble on a much bigger scale if we’re wrong,” Ford added.

“It has to be. I do not believe we would be thrown here by accident and to be brought here falsely.”

“I want to believe, but I also have to make sure we have a contingency plan if we’re wrong,” Ford replied. “Because if we are wrong, we suddenly have a major problem on our hands- we won’t know where the gateway is. It could be underwater and hidden away by the floods.”

“One problem at a time, then,” Celestia said simply. “Since it is easiest to deal with, let us say the monk’s relic is the gateway. It is their most sacred possession, how do we get to it?”

“Should we reveal ourselves? Play a strength card and request to see it?”

“I don’t want to masquerade as gods- neither of us are worthy of the title,” she said. “And somehow I doubt we would pass as fellow members of their order, we don’t have anywhere near enough knowledge of the thing itself to pretend so greatly.”

Ford gave a harsh, low chuckle. “So we’re going there in the hopes we will have a semblance of a plan to somehow make it all work, is that what I’m understanding?”

“Unless you have any worthwhile suggestions, yes.”

“Then consider me as blank as you are. I’ll follow your lead.”

Celestia sighed, looking up at the stars and finding no comfort in the sight. These were not the stars she knew, the ones that heeded her sister’s call. All it did was make her long for her true home, away from this world within a world and to where she belonged.

“You should get some rest, beloved,” Ford said. “We will have a busy day in the morning. I say we help Brevan unload his freight before we depart.”

“Very well then,” she said, turning to the cabin and finding herself hesitating at the door. “Ford…”

“Mm?”

It felt embarrassing to say aloud, and perhaps disgraceful in lieu of their journey’s seriousness, but she was compelled to speak nevertheless. “I’ve had- I’ve enjoyed this. This month aboard with you.”

“Have you now?” his tone was playful, a call back to their days together in Canterlot.

“I know you and I have not had it easy since we left, but this- I’m glad for it.”

“I am glad to have spent any of my days with you, Princess,” he said. “Now get some rest. I’ll keep us on course.”

The early morning sun glowed red against distant cloud as the still-shimmering beacons of the distant port came into view, the three seafarers baggy-eyed as the morning began.

“Looks like we’ll be racing against the waves for this one,” Brevan remarked. “Definitely something nasty headed towards us. Hopefully it’ll hold off till me get tied down at the shipyard.”

“Hurricane?” Ford asked.

“A squall, at the least. It’s too early for a typhoon of any sorts to be out and about- at least I hope.”

Celestia, however, found herself less concerned with the weather and more their destination, gazing intently at the signal beacons that were coming ever closer. “Is that Jankers up ahead?”

“The perimeter of it, yes,” Brevan answered. “The actual port itself is another two leagues out. Shouldn’t take us long to be settled, Old Jankers isn’t particularly trafficked this time of year.”

“So what brought you so far south? Hopes of riches and glory?”

“And I certainly found them both!” he declared. “I owe it all to you both for it, truly. I would certainly call you my good luck charm, fair lady, for never have I had such fair fortune till you two came upon my ship.”

“We’re glad to have been of aid, friend,” Ford said. “Is there anything else you will need from us once we reach the port?”

“Not at all! Just logistics and unloading, I’ll see to it all myself. You’ve done more than enough to help me this past month.”

A strange sort of grief fell upon the party and the last leg of their journey was completed in silence, content to watch the sun be swallowed by the oncoming storm, its rumbles and grumbling audible even from such a great distance. Celestia knew it would strike almost exactly the moment they departed from one another, and she wondered if indeed she had become some figure of good omens for this place, by intent or none at all; a parallel of Sombra’s curse and blight upon the world.

The floating city soon came into view, and it was not long before they were helping Brevan tie the boat down to the nearby dock and bringing their abundant haul of salvage to the deck for unloading. Ford busied himself with helping Brevan make preparations while Celestia could not help but gaze into the city, fascinated by the place. It would be a magnificent place to explore if they had the opportunity, a veritable multitude of great ships and rafts, tied together or bound by numerous docks and bridges that had become a fused mass of all sorts of things, whether it be barges, or yachts, or simple trawlers. Boathouses lined the outlying areas near the docks, likely traders and docking crews, while more opulent and regal cruisers made up the city center- and surrounded by it all was a massive freighter, painted pure white with a crimson triad symbol painted on what had once been the bridge, various banners hanging across its hull.

“Brevan! That ship there, what is it?” she called.

“That dusty old thing? Tis the House of Light, where the Monks dwell,” the seafarer replied. “It’s the city’s epicenter and reason for existing. It’s been here since before Old Jankers was even known as Jankers.”

“I believe that’s where we will make our start,” Celestia declared. “Ford, are you ready?”

“Always.” The weathered warrior set aside his handful of salvage and gathered himself at Celestia’s side, the two taking their place at the edge of the vessel and bowing as one before their friend.

“It has been an honor to sail with you these past days, Brevan,” Celestia said, her smile as genuine and heartfelt as her sorrow. “May your newfound wealth bring you great happiness so that you know peace the rest of your days.”

“Must you go, then?” Brevan asked. “Please, stay with me as I prepare for a new departure. This salvage here will allow me to build a great fleet, and I would be honored to have you as my partners in the venture.”

“We cannot. Our duty is elsewhere,” Celestia answered. “Though we are sorrowed to leave you, for your kindness is what allowed us to live on. We will be forever grateful.”

“Then please, grant me these requests,” Brevan said, taking to his belt and placing a pouch of gold coins in Ford’s hand. “I ask that you take some of the spoils, as payment for your efforts on the voyage. I never would have amassed such wealth without your aid.”

“Brevan, you do not have to-”

“I wish to, as gratitude. Now please, allow me this last request: who are you, truly? I have seen every kind of mariner, pirate, and salvager this Great Ocean has ever known, yet never have I seen your kind. From where do you truly hail, and what manner of great being do I gaze upon with my eyes?”

Ford looked to Celestia, willing to follow her lead in the matter. Celestia, however, only smiled and shook her head, unwilling to reveal her great secret. “We are only a cherished memory, my friend,” she said. “A shroud of mist in the morning, now devoured by the dawn. You will forget us, in time- and I believe your heart will be the better for it.”

“No, I do not believe I could ever forget a fair folk as you,” Brevan said, giving a deep bow as he bade their last farewell. “It has been an honor to know your face, great lady of light.”

“So much for not being seen as gods,” Ford said, laughing quietly as the two of them made their way towards the House of Light, darting this way and that through corridors and causeways across the darkened waters. “You forget just what kind of impression you make on people- how they see you.”

“I do not try to,” Celestia said unhappily, remembering the reverence in Brevan’s eyes. “Alicorns are different, yes, but we are not counted among the greater things of the world.”

“There is only one other of your kind left in the world, Celestia. You are unique by default.”

“Interestingly enough, he spoke as though he saw you much of the same way,” Celestia remarked. “I wonder, perhaps I have become so accustomed to your presence that I did not notice a change in you.”

“I stand beside the Princess of the Sun,” Ford said simply. “If I radiate because of you, then I am proud to do so.”

Celestia considered him as they moved onwards, regarding his features and comparing it to this darkened world. True, he looked no mightier or more terrible than any other man, and the weariness of life had begun to show upon him in earnest. Beyond the mere surface, however, she gazed all the deeper and saw a fairness in him, a brightness that shone unlike anything she had seen in any mere man, and wondered whether it was her own powers reflected in him or if he had come to harness a greatness beyond the grasp of a mere Man.

As the House of Light came before them, they began to make their way toward the gangplank when a great commotion erupted upon the top deck and gave them pause. A group of men, dressed in fine garments of snow-white robes, appeared at the top of the gangplank and began making their way down the thing board in a great rush, looking back over their shoulder to the bridge with great fear in their eyes.

“You must go! Quickly, while there is time to spare!” one of them called, pushing hard against his fellows and slamming into Ford.

Ford staggered back against the sudden weight and pushed back, throwing the smaller man aside. “What was that for? I’m not your enemy!”

“I know you’re not- and that is why I urge you to leave!” the monk gasped. “Our greatest relic may be about to ignite, and our great priest urges us to flee!”

“What has happened?” Celestia demanded.

The monk gazed at Celestia with an expression of both fear and awe, somewhat dazed by the aura that surrounded her, even greater than that of Ford’s. “Our relic- it seemed to awaken and open by itself!” he cried. “We fear a great power is about to flow forth from its opening, and we shall all perish.”

Celestia suddenly felt a flare of triumph in her, smiling widely. “I believe that is all the confirmation we need,” she said to Ford, whose frustration with the frightened man disappeared instantly at his words. “Shall we continue on?”

“I believe so,” Ford said, and the two began their walk up the gangplank while the frightened monk gaped at them in astonishment.

“Are you mad? Turn back! Whatever offerings you have are of no use- flee before it is too late!”

Celestia and Ford found little resistance as they moved ahead, striding past groups of monks and parishioners that seemed to have accepted their dire fate, some in groups and clutching one another while some sat separate, on their knees and help deep in prayer.

“Interesting that it awakens now, don’t you think?” Ford asked. “Did it somehow know we were nearby and decide to open up? The one in the empty world was already awake, and so was the one on the mountaintop.”

“I have no answer worth saying,” Celestia replied, taking the steps to the bridge and moving along. “You and I are dealing with things we could not fully understand. You recall I spoke as though the gateway itself is alive?”

“Like an arbiter of sorts,” he said. “I still don’t see how a door of wrought-iron could possess that sort of knowledge.”

“Neither do I, hence why I don’t understand it,” Celestia said, pushing the bridge door open to find the gateway sitting before the helm, a royally-garbed man down on his knees beside him, praying aloud as he trembled. For a moment, he did not notice the entrance of the newcomers and continued on, only jolted from his chanting as Ford slammed the door behind him.

“Who- who are you? You must go, lest the Lord of Light slay us all!” the priest said, his fear overcome by indignancy. “Already this great treasure threatens us, do not provoke anger any further!”

“We have no desire to do so. That is why we are here to appease it,” Celestia said pleasantly, as though the conversation was mere lunchtime chatter.

Ford turned to his side and gave a cry of delight, his hands wrapped about an exquisitely crafted trident of brilliant steel and reveling in the feel of it on his fingers. “Finally! I have felt bare without a real weapon on me. It is no spear, but it will do.”

“Please, leave immediately! You should not be here!” the priest barked.

“We quite agree, and so we’ll leave- through that gateway, as you’ll see,” Celestia said. “I hope you won’t be too angered by such a thing, we really mean no harm.”

“Through the- the great Chasm of Whispers is not meant for mortal eyes!”

“Well then, I would say it is good we are not mortal,” Celestia said brightly, taking Ford in hand. “Ready?”

“As always,” he replied.

“Wait- who are you, then? What manner of Lord sent you here?” the priest demanded.

Celestia sighed, shaking her head at the wizened man. “We are just a figment of your imagination,” she answered. “Don’t you think it will be better that way?”

The two couldn’t help but laugh at the priest’s fumbling and simply strode through the gateway, finding themselves enveloped by light.

“And so, I bought those two cruisers there. See them, just beyond the Queen? Aye, such fine vessels they are, too, easily my most profitable of the fleet. The Lady and The Guardian, I called them, after two friends of mine I met a long time ago. How about I tell you the tale? Well, I was salvaging in the southern ocean for a few weeks and wasn’t having much luck, when suddenly I saw a flare in the distance…”

Author's Note

And once more we move on. Enjoying the ride so far? Stay prepared, we've only glimpsed the surface of this place.

New additions to the soundtrack here, if you haven't caught them already: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Enjoy!

VI: Alharara

They could feel the heat before their jump had even come through, an intense, violent wave of warmth that set their skin to broiling. As the light fled and the whispering tendrils faded from view, Celestia fell forward and stumbled onto hard, unforgiving rock and was knocked down as Ford fell just behind her in a heap.

“Ow! Move, you’re digging into my back!”

“Oop! Sorry, didn’t mean to!” Ford was on his feet in an instant, hand outstretched to help up his beloved. “Every time we’ve jumped it’s been uncomfortable. I wonder if the gateway does it all intentionally.”

“It has a mind of its own, but I do not wish to prescribe it malice,” Celestia said, eyeing the now-serene gate of wrought-iron with distaste. “It only obeys the will of its master.”

They took a moment to soak in their surroundings and found themselves surrounded by tanned rock and fine sand, all enveloped by a great boiling heat that sat upon them with an unrelenting force. Already she could feel sweat beginning to form upon her brow and they had only been in this place a few moments.
“We are sheltered from the sun beneath rock and still the heat of this place burns my eyes,” she remarked. “I shudder to think of how fierce it must be outside.”

“We need to get our bearings. It’s the only way we’ll be able to know where we need to head next. Are you alright?” Ford asked.

“We should have brought more water with us,” she said, taking the canteen at her side and giving it a shake. “We have enough to last a little while, but not long enough. Maybe a day at best.”

“I have more than you do. Switch with me,” Ford said bracingly. “Come on, you need it more than I.”

“Ford, I’m not going to let you risk your life like that,” she chided. “I know you mean to do your duty, but this is survival, not a war. I will have both of us make it through.”

“Princess, it may not be something we can debate. No matter what comes, we need to make sure you get to Sombra and stop him, all I am is the one who makes sure that happens.”

A sudden rush of affection welled up within her and she kissed him, the first show of love she had given him since before they had entered the depths of the Palace. Ford turned rigid at her touch, taken aback by the unexpected gesture. “Please, stop selling yourself so short,” she said. “I married you, did I not? It hurts me to hear you say such things.”

“I’m not trying to be negative, I’m trying to say the truth-”

Another disparaging comment earned another kiss, this one forceful and enough to take his breath away. “Do not think so lowly of yourself. Sombra may think nothing of you, but I do not. He should do well to fear those who do not fear him.”

“Uh.”

“Exactly. Now come, you said yourself we need to know where we are. What do you suggest?” she said.

She knew full well what to do in the situation, as it was, but she wanted him to take the lead and try to command again. His confidence had been shaken ever since they had met the Sanctelior, and a once-proud soldier now found himself out of his depth and surrounded by powers far older and greater than he. She, however, believed his presence was not accidental. He would bring good things about before they came to the end.

“There’s light seeping through the ceiling,” Ford said finally. “Do you think you could fit through the gap if I gave you a boost up?”

“No, too small,” she said, taking a look at the hole and finding it unpleasant by sight alone. “Though… I might be able to poke my head through and get a view of the area, can you keep me up for that length?”

“Easily,” he said, taking a knee and offering his hand. “When you’re ready.”

Her balance was not what it once was, but she grasped the rock above her and held herself steady as Ford raised her up. The edges of the stone rubbed against her skin and she feared she would be cut –or worse, stuck- but soon found herself in the open air and nearly blinded by the unrelenting sun. She gave a grunt of displeasure and held her eyes tight until she dared open them again, slowly allowing herself time to adjust until the world was cool enough for her gaze to bear, and she found they were now surrounded by a vast desert, widespread and empty save for the sand, the sun, and the lone cavern of rock in which they now stood. She peered about in search of water or the signs of civilization and found none, with only the winds and the spray of sand against her face that spoke of anything in this waste.

“Come on, come on,” she said, “let anything be revealed to us!” Despite her prayers, the only answer was a sudden rush of roasted air against her face, mingled with granules that raked at her eyes.

“Do you have anything?” Ford called from below her.

“It’s not good. Let me down!” she called, and soon found herself settled on the stone floor while Ford wiped the sand from her face.

“A desert, then,” he said grimly.

“Yes, and a lot of it,” she said, taking the small cloth from his hands and wiping away the last vestiges of her small excursion. “We are in a valley, somewhere near the lowest point. Dunes crest everywhere around us.”

“From one ocean to another. And no sign of water?”

“And no sign of people, either. I was hoping for sight of a caravan and yet nothing,” she answered. “Ford, the heat will kill us if we venture out while it is light.”

“I agree. We venture out the moment sundown arrives, and as fast as we can. It will be miserable, tiring, but we can’t afford to be caught out in the sunlight with what little resources we have.” He felt the canteen at his side and gave a grimace at its lightness. “If we needed to, could you manipulate the weather to bring rain if push came to shove?”

“Maybe, but it might not be enough. Weather is a force all its own, and even the best of our weather-tamers back home can only do so much. It is a science more than it is a magic.”

“For one who could raise the sun, I was hoping magic would be a better solution to our problems than it’s come to be,” he remarked.

“It is a tool, just as much as that trident in your hands is. Useful only when properly applied. I could bring about some relief in the form of cloud cover, but I could also bring about something worse if it ever grew beyond my control. The natural things of the world are as much alive as you and I.”

Ford’s once-strong skepticism was beginning to fade, and he only gave a small nod at her words. “We may as well stay here, further back in the cavern to avoid the worst of the heat,” he said. “Too close to the cave mouth and we may as well broil ourselves.”

“And if someone ventures nearby? We would miss them,” Celestia said, immediately wishing to kick herself. Be encouraging, not critical! He’ll know this!

“It’s a bad risk either way,” he admitted, “but with water so low… I want us conserving as much as we can. We’ll just have to keep our ears open.”

They took seat opposite one another in that dust-filled cavern, letting the rushing wind roar over the rock and the surrounding dunes of infinite sand until the sound became so commonplace that anything beyond it struck their ears like a crash of thunder. Occasionally they would perk up at the sudden arrival of a strange sound, only to discover it was a sudden gust at the cave mouth, or flecks of sand rubbing hard against the rock above.

“Celestia?”

“Mm?”

“Did you- know Sombra?” Ford asked.

Celestia feared the words had made her shudder, the memories she kept so deeply repressed and buried suddenly resurfacing, along with all the shame and fury that came along with them. If she gave hint to such things, even for the briefest second, Ford would be left crushed by the revelation. She forced herself to stay serene, and pushed the darkened memories aside. “What would make you ask?” she said in a voice that she hoped sounded calm.

“He reigned in the Empire while you were ruling in Canterlot, didn’t he?” Ford said. “For all the things he did there… it just seems strange that he was so easily able to get away with it all. Was he always evil, or did he just- I dunno- become that way?”

Does he suspect me? Surely not, he only asks. “Sombra and the Empire were not part of our concern for some time,” Celestia said. “He came to power not long after Discord’s defeat. Luna and I spent a great deal of time restoring the trouble within our own borders and Sombra… as you might have guessed, he simply worked well in secret.”

“Then he attacked you.”

“Yes, and nearly broke us. It was only a portion of his forces, but the kingdom nearly fell. Sombra’s attack was brilliant in strategy.”

“Was that when you knew?”

“No. We heard rumors, stories from escapees of the Empire about what was going on. We knew the Empire was a city of mining and great jewels, but we did not know how deep it all ran. An entire kingdom enslaved… Ford, perhaps it is because you came into a world where it was already known, but back then… no one believed such a thing could be happening.”

“What was he doing with all that wealth? Just hoarding it?” Ford inquired.

“We thought so at first,” Celestia said bitterly. “But once the battle was over, Luna and I began to research his activities, taking stories from the few that had managed to escape for the Empire was sealed away. Sombra wanted to find something deep below the surface, and would not rest until he did.”

“What was he looking for?”

“The Rifalamh. An Abyss that was buried long, long ago.”

“… And what did he want from that Abyss?”

“To open it, and release his master on the world again. To bring the End of All Days.”

Ford appeared perturbed by the discussion, suddenly going quiet and trying to find semblance of order. “How come no one knows of these things any longer?” he demanded. “Sombra is an Umbra, a fallen Alicorn. Yet nobody knows this and only thinks of him as some wicked king. All of what we’re experiencing, your past, the Sanctelior and all these ancient things… how does all of this end up getting lost? Why were none of these stories told?”

“For some, Ford,” she said, “to forget them was the only way healing could be found. I am old in the eyes of the world, but I am not so ancient as to know how deeply the wounds of those days ran. Have pity on your ancestors. They suffered for a world without such darkness- a world you have reveled in.”

“And yet Sombra still lives,” he said. “So we fight to bury that world for good.”

“Yes. We do.”

The absence of conversation fell and in it they found the wind that had so steadily roared across the sands during the day had begun to dissipate, only a gentle whisper now audible to the ear as they sat. Ford leaned out to the crevice above and peered at the sky, finding the once bright blue, cloudless skies had turned a soft pink. “I think our time is coming,” he remarked, rising to his feet and offering his wife his hand. “Any ideas for water or cover if we have to continue beyond the sunrise?”

“Only one of them,” Celestia answered. “I can cast a spell to bring forth water from what little moisture is in the air, but I can do nothing for respite from the sun. No matter how much water we consume, the heat will put us down if we can’t find shelter.”

“Then we’ll have to move quickly. Any shelter we find –and I mean any- we take without hesitation.” He looked up at her. “I’ve yet to have any real dealing with this sort of climate, but I hope you do. Any ideas for which way we should head?”

“The temperature drop will be painful. When the night reaches its deepest, we will feel the bite of the cold like we are in the dead of winter,” she said. “As for our course… truthfully, Ford, we have no real clue. No particular way will be more likely than the other. Just keep your eyes open for tracks in the sand, firelight- anything that hints at signs of civilization.”

“Very well, then. We should move out now. Ready?”

She nodded, and the two took to the entrance of their stone shelter, coming to a halt at the edge of the cave’s mouth to soak in the view. If they had knowledge of their whereabouts and the direction of their quarry, the sight would have been beautiful to behold as the sun was setting over the peaks of the dunes in a fireblaze of reds, pinks, and soft yellows that turned the unforgiving landscape into a tapestry of colors, the harsh winds of the day having cooled into a soft breeze that kissed their skin.

“That’s gonna be murder on our legs,” Ford said, reaching out and feeling the fine grains beneath their feet. “The wind’s been keeping the terrain tumultuous. Ground won’t be firm.”

“We have no choice,” she whispered.

Ford nodded. “Then let’s get moving. Come on!”

Their journey into the fire-scorched desert began as the dying throes of the sun disappeared from view, only a soft pale light in the distance speaking its cries as the last rays faded away. Behind them came a baleful, yellow light that was the moon in full power, beautiful and huge as it loomed over the terrain. They ran across the sands and across the dunes as best as they could manage, the grit loose and unforgiving of any misstep as they plunged ahead through valleys that spanned miles, over dunes that felt as tall as mountains, each unwilling to rest for even a moment lest the strands suck them down and impede their progress further. The sweat on their brows that began hot and damp turned cold as the night took hold in its strength and the world became icy, and now neither dared to stop for fear they would freeze. Their clothes, already battered by the salt and ocean waves of the last leg of their journey, had been soaked by the early beginnings of their trek here and now clung to their skin. Granules of sand were kicked up and stuck to their skin until they were as discolored and tanned as the earth below them. But not once did they cease, even for rest, pressing on into the deep of the night.

“Slow ahead! This dune is massive!” Ford said, coming to a halt at a thin ‘peak’ of their path. “We take a leap down and slide our way into the valley, keep pressing forward, I don’t think the path ahead will support us safely.”

“Keep your balance as you go! We don’t know if the sand conceals any rock beneath,” she advised, she herself struggling to remain balanced as the cascade of sand brought her thundering down the dune slope and into the valley again. As she came to a halt, she paused for Ford to arrive and the two readjusted their course and continued on.

“How long have we been on our feet?” he asked.

“Hours. It won’t be long until the sun is up.”

“How do you know?” he asked.

“I can feel it coming. This star is young and strong, and wishes to burn hot.”

“How fortunate for us,” Ford growled, merely pressing forward.

They could feel the change in the air as they moved ahead, though only the smallest filament of light had begun to appear on the horizon. The temperature, having remained frigid throughout the night, was already beginning to escalate; the once-gentle breeze was steadily churning into strong gusts that spat sand into their eyes. They dared not to look, knowing that the great star overhead was awakening on their part of the world, its fierce rays ready to shine down upon them without mercy. With no shelter in sight, the circumstances were prepared to turn dire, even with their water source still intact.

“Halt- Ford, halt!” Celestia suddenly cried.

He fell to his knees and gasped for air, clearly eager for a small break. “Are you alright?” he asked through his heaving.

“I am fine- but listen! Do you hear that in the air?” she said.

He paused and listened intently, desperate for a sound over the growing howl of the wind. At first he heard nothing beyond it, save for the movement of the sand below him- but there! In the distance, somewhere ahead of them, came a great clatter of movement that mingled with cries of terror, all overwhelmed by a great, shrieking cry that thundered through the air like a roaring of wildfire.

“Someone’s in trouble- come on!” Ford said, the dormant soldier within him revived by the sounds of distress, and forward he raced to the plateau ahead to give aid-

“Ford!” Celestia rushed to rejoin him and leapt to the plateau and found him standing there, staring out across the plateau at a massive caravan of tents, livestock, and people, all under threat and harassed by a great bird whose wings seemed to smolder and burn.

“What is that?” Ford breathed, stunned by the sight of it. “I’ve never seen such a thing even in the deepest wildlands of the world.”

It was a magnificent creature, terrible in size and shape, a dread beast of the depths of this great desert. A Fire Roc was its title, a mythical beast that had touched the sun and came back full of fire and rage that now burned within it like a smoldering furnace, keeping its great body alight and its once-lovely feather smoking at the tips. The breadth of its wings were monstrous, its talons and beak sharper than even the most terrible of blades. In its eyes was a great, wrathful fire and its cry caused shudders in the hearts of men.

“We need to keep it away from them, buy the caravan time to get away- can you do that?” Ford asked.

“Be ready, it will come for us immediately,” Celestia warned, taking aim and steadying her shot. Suddenly her palm alighted and a great burst of energy poured forth from her fingers, spiraling into a great prism of light that raked through the air and struck the beast along its breast, the terrible bird suddenly crying out in pain and reeling from the sudden assault. Its attack on the caravan ceased and it rose into the air, searching for its attacker and its beady eyes saw Ford and Celestia in the distance, and the fire within burned hot with rage.

“I think he’s seen us,” Ford said, steadying his feet as best he could in the loose sand and preparing his weapon. “Be ready to fire again, he’ll come straight for us.”

Celestia raised her hands once again, a ball of energy now resting gently in her palm as she prepared to throw-

The great bird gave a scream that shook the heavens and rushed towards them, leaving the caravan of tents behind as it raced towards its aggressors-

Celestia took aim and threw, the prismatic ball shuddering as the sheer magnitude of energy within began to burst forth, shrieking through the air toward its target-

The Roc gave a shrill cry and flung itself higher into the air, the ball of energy flying harmlessly beneath it and detonating beyond in the dunes-

“Let him get close!” Ford roared-

Celestia steadied her hands again, trying to summon the power forth. Far above her was the now-miniscule silhouette of the great bird, soaring so far above their heads it was now only a mere pinprick of shadow in an ever-brightening sky. “What’s he doing so high up?”

“He’s keeping himself out of range,” Ford snarled. “This thing’s no dumb beast, it’s thinking of how to fight back. Be ready as soon as he drops back down- wait for him to come to you-”

The sudden rush of movement was so fast that it seemed to happen in a heartbeat. The great shadow of the Roc turned downward and streaked towards them, the tips of its feathers igniting as a muffled cry escaped its beak-

“What on earth-”

“Move!” Celestia felt a great weight slam into her and she was sent staggering back-

The flames came down in a pillar of fire that set the very air ablaze, missing the killing blow but enough to bring the scent of singed hair and burnt flesh to their nostrils-

The pillar dissipated as the beast soared through, its magnificent claws outstretched and reaching for its prey-

Instinct kicked in and Celestia fired a small burst, a jet of water flowing from her hands and striking across the beast’s head-

The Roc screeched its displeasure and veered off course, taking itself just out of range as it began to circle the two humans below, its crimson eyes locked onto them-

“He can spew fire- we’re not safe-”

“I can’t get a good shot, it’s moving too fast-”

“We need to lure it in close again. I’ll try to give it something to focus on-”

“What are you doing- Ford!”

Ford separated himself from his wife and charged towards the encircling beast, his grip tight upon his weapon as he moved. He had the beginnings of an idea, and he would need the trident to make it succeed-

The Roc took notice and ceased its circling, diving down towards the desert and racing just above the edge of the ground, claws outstretched as it closed in on its prey-

Ford, move!” Celestia screamed, hands raised as she prepared another lethal burst-

The Roc’s eyes zeroed in on her screams and its beak opened to allow a great billowing of fire from within, the rushing flames cutting through the air and throwing Celestia back-

She flung her attack straight at the flames, the water streaming forth and turning the great rush of fire into smoke and steam that clouded her view-

A roar of pain followed by the great beast’s cry and she knew the bird had claimed Ford Forcing the steam aside, she searched wildly for any sign of them, scanning the skies- there! The beast had returned to its circling around her, while the struggling figure of Ford could be seen in its claws-

The gave another scream and dived towards its last aggressor, claws kept tightly wrapped but its beak just barely agape, ready to fire-

Celestia raised her hands though her mind was frantic. How could she manage to hurt the beast without possibly killing Ford? The power in her hands crackled, eager for expulsion-

Another column of fire and she dodged, swerving to the side as the bird rushed through, its molten feathers missing her head by mere inches and Celestia fell to her knees to avoid the blow, feeling the excruciating heat upon her face-

“Get ready!” Ford’s words, muffled by the rush of air and the spattering of sand on her face, came to her ears and she leapt back to her feet, keeping her hands at the ready. She kept her eyes on Ford, watching him continue to struggle against his captor- he had his arms free!

Ford could feel the heat of this beast burning his flesh as they continued to fly, but he had at least managed to succeed so far. His arms had been freed and his suspicions were confirmed: the bird was igniting the fires from somewhere just below the neck. Celestia wouldn’t be able to fire if she kept having to move, but if he could stop the creature’s attack-

The pressure changed and the bird swooped down again, ready to make another pass with its flames-

Ford locked his eyes onto the bird’s breast, waiting for the sight- yes, there it was! Just below the neck, the flames were growing and burning through the skin, a red-hot spot on the creature’s magma-colored body. He gave a grunt and thrust his trident into the beast’s neck, gouging it through feather and muscle and bone until it found the source, the flames exploding out from the Roc’s neck in a blaze that scorched his hands-

Celestia saw the sudden flare and rushed towards the now staggered Roc, her hands at the ready. She needed one more movement to make sure-

The Roc stumbled through the air and listed to the side, its weakened state loosening its grip and Ford crashed into the sands just below in a plume of tan dust-

The bird gave a cry of displeasure and refocused on its primary target, claws outstretched in the hopes of snaring its prey-

She gave it no time to get close. With a cry of a mighty warrior she flung herself out, a great column of light erupting from her palm and tearing through the air, crashing into her foe and tearing across its until it would seem consumed by the blow-

The Roc screeched as its wing was severed from its body, its blood pouring out in a lurid display of flames and the beast crashed into the earth, tumbling end over end until it at last came to a rest at Celestia’s feet, its ravaged breast still heaving with what few remaining breaths it had left. The flames within were quickly doused by the sand that had been flung across it, the crimson eyes turning brown and dull.

Celestia observed the Roc, kneeling down beside the once-magnificent head of this creature and gazing into its fading eyes, seeing its fear and pain that now consumed it. What a creature it was! She felt no great pride in killing such a thing, a mighty beast now brought low. It had been necessary, yes, but she found no need to revel in her victory. It was simply what had to be done. “I am sorry, my friend,” she whispered, stroking the Roc’s smoldering feathers gently as it panted away its final breaths. “You were beautiful to behold.”

The Roc steadied its gaze for a brief second and looked upon her before fading away forever, that last glimmer of light proud and strong with no fear to tarnish it. It had recognized her as something other, and found its death had come well after all.

A shuffling of feet through sand and Celestia looked up to see Ford moving towards her, his hand held tight against his chest in an attempt to help ease the pain.

“You’re hurt,” she said, rushing forward and taking him to her immediately, ignoring his wincing at the sudden movement. “Sit down, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Are you injured?” he asked her through gritted teeth, his eyes looking everywhere but where her hands worked upon his.

“Shut up. You’re the one who’s hurt now- and more fool you!” she said angrily. “You could have been killed, what if it had decided to crush you?”

“I needed to get you a clear shot,” he said, his displeasure evident as his fresh burns were pelted with sand. “I’d say it worked.”

“And you were nearly killed- don’t do that to me, please! Not again!” she snapped.

“You’re only able to be mad at me now because it worked,” Ford said, flashing a grin that appeared more like a pained grimace.

She could not argue with the logic of his words, instead settling to her work, bringing her hands gently across his wounds as her power flowed forth, sealing away the worst of them and accelerating the healing underneath his skin. “They’ll need to be kept covered from the sun or else the worst of them will linger,” she said, suddenly taking him and kissing him, her anger against him meshing horribly with her pride and relief. “And do not ever attempt such a thing again.”

The sound of a great many footsteps met their ears, and they turned to see a gaggle of robed men rushing towards them, crying out at the sight of the defeated Roc. “Travelers- you have done this feat?” one of them called.

“Do you have any injured?” Celestia replied, ignoring their words as the sight of the beast attacking the caravan flashed in her mind. “We can provide any help you might need.”

The man, a swarthy fellow with a frazzled beard that fell to his chest, was taken aback by the offer and stared at them, perhaps silenced by the outlandishness of their appearance.

“Do you have any wounded?” Celestia pressed again.

“Y-yes. My son and wife are hurt, among others,” he stammered. “If- if you can help, we would be grateful. Come quickly!”

The caravan of traveling folk had been savaged by the Roc’s attacks and Celestia found herself stretched thin, giving what aid she could. The less severe wounds were looked over by Ford, whose medical skills were enough to lessen pain and staunch blood flow while she was occupied with the more critical injuries that threatened further loss of life. Though those who survived were terrified at the sight of Celestia’s powers, they were grateful nonetheless for this sudden rescue from their assailant who had threatened to destroy them. Despite the pleading that came before her, the tears that fell, there was nothing that could be done to save those who had been lost, and Ford helped those strong enough to withstand their grief to bury the dead, from the old to the far too young. All around the camp was the sound of grief and wailing of family and friends who could not be comforted.

Celestia brought her hands gently across a little boy’s forehead, her magic weaving through the still-bleeding cut and watching as the wound healed before her eyes, her powers accelerating the recovery process until only a faded mark above his eye was visible, pale against his darkened skin.

“Thank you, Sahiria,” the boy’s mother said, holding her son tightly as she examined the freshly healed injury. “Thank you. My son is alive because of you today.”

“I wish we could have found you sooner,” Celestia replied, staring out into the distance where Ford and a group of men worked burying the lost, the number of which was painfully large.

Ford returned soon enough and came to his beloved, cleaning his hands of the blood that had fallen upon them before tending to the cleanliness of his wife removing the gore that had dirtied her. “How are they?” he asked.

“The wounded will survive, though some will be shaky for a time,” Celestia answered, beginning to feel somewhat shaky herself. “The more grievously injured will need to rest as best they can.”

“And as for you? You have expended yourself greatly here.”

“I can still stand and walk without fear of failure,” she said, giving his hand a small squeeze to show her strength- it was not much. “Do not worry, I have not expended myself so greatly that I cannot continue on.”

“If that is the case, then their leader wishes to see us. The one who came up to us earlier? His name’s Zareim, the patriarch of this entire group. This is one massive family unit, and he said he wanted to thank us for our help.”

“Did you tell him about us?”

“You used your power openly among them, Celestia. They think of you as some kind of sorceress or angel, I can’t tell what they’re saying exactly,” Ford replied.

Soon after, the two were requested to appear before him, and Zareim greeted them with great joy, though he too bore the mark of injuries upon his visage. “My friends, it is thanks to you I still have my many children here with me today,” he said, bowing deeply before them both. “I know that not one of us would not have lived to see the sun fall if you had not arrived to deliver us. We are forever in your debt.”

Ford’s discomfort at such remarks was easily apparent, his distaste shared by his wife. The two shared a look before returning to Zareim, Ford taking a step back to allow her to speak for them both. “We only did what we could, my friend,” she said, “I am truly sorry we could not have done more to aid you.”

“I, too, wish you could have come sooner,” Zareim replied, his eyes momentarily tinged with grief before returning to gladness. “But you have saved many today, my friends. I will surely be thankful for that instead. Please, Sahiria, allow me to grant you kindness in return for your deeds, for you and your husband are surely mighty beings who come here for some great purpose.”

“We would be glad of shelter, Zareim,” she answered. “And direction. We seek a gateway, a means of passing through this world. It would seem a piece of wrought-iron to you, a whispering thing that allows no entry. Do you know of such an object?”

“Of course! Ataba it is called, and to there is where we travel! Please travel with us to it, and grace us with your presence, for we sought it out to plead its Maker for mercy from the Great Bird and were given freedom by you! So our arrival shall be cause of celebration, and a great feast will be held in your honor.”

“Please, save your celebration for one another, my friend,” Celestia protested. “We seek to enter it and pass on, for our journey leads well beyond it. All we ask if for rest and shelter along the way so that we may find relief from this sun.”

“And it shall be given to you! The Ataba is three day’s and night’s away, and your journey shall be in the finest we have to offer you! My wives and my children, as well as their children, shall be at your side to give you aid.”

“Where did that beast come from, Zareim?” Ford asked, stepping forward and coming to his wife’s side. “Surely such a creature is not commonplace to you, if you had traveled here to ask for rescue from it.”

Zareim’s countenance fell instantly, his joyous expression falling away and promptly replaced by a dismal melancholy. “The Great Bird was once a mighty thing of the skies, my friend,” he said. “Many thousands of years ago, it safeguarded our world and kept it from harm. Our world was green and beautiful, so it is said. But a newcomer came into the world and wounded the Great Bird, and stoked the fires of hate and wrath within it so deeply that all wisdom and justice that it knew was lost. Our world turned bitter and painful, and is now the wasteland you see today. But perhaps, now that it has perished, the world may become green yet again- and it shall be green because of you.”

Celestia and Ford, though disturbed by Zareim’s tale, were grateful for an end to all discussion and were led away to one of the few untarnished tents and given beautifully crafted bedrolls, the two of them crashing down and struggling to remain awake in mere minutes.

“Sombra was here- millennia ago! How can time be so deeply set against us that it allows him to perform such deeds?” Celestia asked aloud.

“You said it yourself,” Ford yawned, “we could be anywhere in this Palace. Before he arrives, after he arrives, right at the same time… it’s all random. You think the gateway is opening up for us at a specific point, right?”

“I do.”

“Then it must see this point in time as where we are needed to be,” Ford replied. “Let’s not bother ourselves with things we can do nothing about. Come, let’s get some rest, we have more traveling to do.”

Ford was fast asleep in minutes, the battle and his subsequent wounds having drained him greatly, and his gentle snoring filled the tent as Celestia tried –and failed- to block it out. She turned and gazed at him, taking in the peaceful expression that set upon his face, so free and serene- so different from the cares and worries he bore for them both when they were awake. She felt a warmth at the sight of him, grateful for his companionship and loyalty.

He’ll need to know the truth- soon, she thought, her mind drifting to Sombra as a cold wave of guilt fell over her. He deserves to know what really happened, even if it may break his heart. He gives so much of himself to me. It is only fair he receives the same in return.

Their journey across the ocean of sands turned out to be a week-long excursion, the massive caravan continuing in a steady but tedious pace due to its size and the number of people within it. Zareim’s family was great in number, with his many sons and daughter possessing large families of their own. The caravan was lively wherever they went, with the cries of children and the sound of laughter as they moved steadily along. Grateful for their rescue from the Roc’s fiery clutches, Ford and Celestia found themselves traveling in relative luxury alongside their host, with nothing but the finest amenities to help shield them from the sun’s unforgiving rays. Simply relieved to be sheltered from the heat, the cool shade was a moving oasis to the weary travelers, allowing them time to speculate on what trials would face them next, or Sombra’s current moves against them.

“So far we’ve seen the environment turned against us- three times now,” Celestia said, riding beside her husband on her steed, “The frozen mountains that sapped me of strength. Then the endless oceans that were meant to isolate us. Now here, with this desert.”

“And then nature’s beasts as well,” Ford added, “he had to have done something to that bird for it to become that way, and causing pain is his nature. But how is he doing this? Sombra was able to match you in strength, yes, but this is beyond mere shadow magic. It’s a strength we haven’t seen before. He’s destroying worlds just to try and slow us down.”

“Time has been his ally in this fight so far,” Celestia mused. “He visited this place thousands of years before our arrival, and bided his time. He’s using the flow of time within the Palace to grow his strength.”

“Then that means, when we find him…”

“Yes, Ford. He will be beyond any normal strength. He will be dangerous.”

“So is that why you’ve been so hesitant to use your magic since we entered this place? You wish to conserve your strength and let it grow.”

“It can replenish itself easily, but the more I use it, the more time it takes to recover,” she replied. “And since life in Equestria often asked me to use it regularly, I have not been at full strength in some time- to allow it to grow and multiply is even more difficult.”

Ford grimaced and said nothing, turning to his own thoughts for a time. “Celestia,” he said slowly, “how long have we been in the Palace?”

“I am not sure. Two months, perhaps?”

“We chased Sombra for ten years, beloved. Yet he was in here –in this particular world- thousands of years ago by their time,” Ford pressed, “you said time flows differently within the Palace, correct? So what if what we’ve seen as two months within its depths is decades back home? Or centuries, millennia even? We’re timeless until Sombra is defeated, but what about home? Are we even going to have a home to go back to, or will the world have changed so greatly that everything we know will have faded into the black?”

Celestia did not have an answer for that, and the sudden anxiety within her in response to his words unsettled her.

The day they had awaited soon came and the Gateway stood on an outcropping of rock before them, its gates open and alive in welcome for its travelers. Zareim and his family gave cries of thanks at the sight of it and a feast was declared, in honor of their saviors.

“Zareim, I am sorry, but we cannot remain. We must go until we have our quarry, and it awaits us through those open doors,” Celestia said.

The entire family seemed to wilt at her words, and Zareim gave a cry of sadness in response. “So our liberators must depart from us? And they refuse the gifts and honor of my people!”

“We are honored, Zareim- truly, we are,” Ford replied, trying to placate the gracious man. “But we simply did what we should have done. There is no need for great honors or gifts. To see you safe and whole is more than enough, and the kindness you have shown us in bringing us to this place is all the gift we need.”

Despite the pleas of Zareim and his kin, the two were determined to depart, and there was weeping as they said their goodbyes, turning to the opened threshold that beckoned them with tantalizing whispers. As they came towards its doors, Ford hesitated and came to a halt just before it.

“Is something wrong?” Celestia inquired.

“We’ve seen threats of nature and beast,” Ford murmured, “but none of Sombra himself. He’s turning worlds against us. So what facet of existence has he yet to throw at us?”

“Man…”

“Perhaps it is nothing,” Ford said, “but something in me hesitates at the thought of what comes next, beyond those doors. I fear it.”

Celestia took his hand in hers and gave her warmth to him, the light that dwelled within her rising to bring relief to his darkness. “It cannot overwhelm us. Not your or I,” she said encouragingly. “For whatever we find next, beloved, will not have seen the likes of us yet.”

Yet even her words rang hollow as they stepped through the tendrils of white and into the beyond, as the weeping of their fellows drifted into the ether and all light and darkness was consumed in its grasp, the heat dissipating as they departed and replaced with an ill wind that rang cold and deep against them.

Beyond the dunes, beyond the horizon, far into the rising of the sun and beyond all thought and hope and handiwork of what men remained, the sand still tossed and turned as the wind roiled and the sun bore down. But against the endless ocean of dust and granules was an untouched pool of water, clear and beautiful as it rested in a basin of rock, and beside its tranquil waters was movement below the sands, and a small tendril of green pushed through to seek light and life from a sun whose rays had finally relented in its fury.

Author's Note

Brace yourselves. We have seen frost and oceans and endless sands, the beasts that wreak havoc upon a tormented world...

But the worst is yet to come.

New additions to the soundtrack found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Enjoy!

VII: Anobaith

A great pressure, hard and unrelenting, fell upon their necks as the gateway relinquished its grip. Light became twisted and shadowed while the tendrils of mist and unseen things were scattered into the ether and became nothing. All around a gaping void that tasted like poison descended upon them and consumed their senses until the very air was vile to the lungs.

Celestia stumbled out of the gateway and steadied herself in the dim twilight as Ford struggled to remain upright, gasping and gagging for a clear, safe breath and collapsing to his knees as his choking continued.

“Ford!” She was beside him in an instant, doing her best to help steady his lungs and forgo panic, keeping an eye on the bright fear that resided in his gaze. “You’re alright, you’re alright. In and out and you’ll be fine, I promise.”

Ford spluttered but his uneven rasps faded and became rhythmic once more, though each breath he took sounded like glass against his throat, and he returned to his feet with a stumble.

“What was that about? Are you alright?”

Ford continued to concentrate on his breathing, his eyes darting back and forth as if seeking a perpetrator, sharp-eyed and cold as the steel instincts of the soldier came into play. “Something foul is in the air,” he said grimly. “There’s a reek of smoke, as if the very air is burning.”

“I feel nothing…”

“Be grateful,” he replied, looking about and taking in the desolate surroundings. “Where are we?”

The two seemed to have arrived in a great plain bereft of life, a vast, empty place without even the sight of grass of water, only an endless expanse of bare earth and rock that lay darkened beneath the twilight, occasionally pock-marked by great holes that still smoldered. Off in the distance was the grumbling of a continuous thunder, its steady rumble ill to the ear and unfamiliar.

“This is strange,” Ford remarked, kneeling down and feeling the burnt earth against his skin. “It’s so hot, unnaturally so. This place feels scorched somehow, just like the air. What could have done this?”

Celestia’s attention, however, was now beyond what lay beneath her feet, casting far upward and into the sky. The source of the twilight, far beyond their reach, was a distant sun that still burnished its flame in the night, a pale and sickening light that was marred by black void that seemed to eat its way across the once-beautiful star like a spreading sickness. “No…”

“What’s wrong?”

“That star- it is dying!” She cried, her heart twisting as she gazed upon it, watching the rays filter down weakly and feeling its pulse against her own. “Something is eating it alive!”

“What are you talking about? Something’s happening to the sun?”

“I can hear it crying out- faintly, with its dying breaths,” she said, closing her eyes and reaching out far beyond self and earth and void until she at last fell upon it: the burning spires and flames that licked across its surface, great tongues of fire and energy that had once given light and life to dozens of planets and moons now called out faintly to one who had known its kind, begging for release and an end to its suffering, as all its power and former majesty was ripped from its heart, and sucked into an endless abyss of black.

“There’s a black hole inside that star!” she said. “The sun is being consumed from within- and it’s pulling everything in range right into its void.”

“Celestia, I don’t understand. Try to explain- the gateway!” Ford’s confusion turned into alarm as he rushed to the side of the wrought-iron gate and watching it fall apart before him, the metal twisting and falling upon itself before turning into dust and floating away in the wind. “What in heaven..?”

“Ford, you have to listen to me- that sun is dying. There’s something consuming it from within its own heart and it has us in its grasp, too!” Celestia said, taking her husband in her grip and forcing him to focus on her words. “If we do not find the gateway soon, we are going to die! This world is doomed, and so are we if we stay here.”

Ford’s fear was palpable, but his will helped him stay steady and hold down his terror. “How much time do we have?” he asked, a slight tremor to his voice.

“Little- a few days at most, and that is a generous guess. Once the sun goes, everything else will be pulled in, and that includes us! We have to hurry!”

“OK- so w- so we move,” Ford declared, forcing himself into action. “Which way do we go?”

“Anywhere we might have a chance- come on, Ford!” Celestia cried, practically dragging her husband along with her as she ran, her mind pushed to the brink of terror as the sun’s fading screams echoed within her. The connection had been brief, momentary, but enough to set her blood to freezing. Their time was limited, and she feared their doom was closer than she had predicted.

Their movement across the plain took considerable time, the empty flatness deceiving them of the actual distance. With no real sign of which way to go, they decided to move towards the sound of thunder, with the hopes that the rain would lead them to civilization and life.

“That thunder isn’t natural,” Ford panted, struggling to keep pace. “It’s- odd. Like it’s not really thunder.”

“This whole place is not natural,” Celestia added, unnerved by the emptiness of the world around them. “Something terrible happened here. I can hear whispers all around me.”

“I don’t think it’s a storm at all, I think it’s an ex-” Ford came to a halt as the plain suddenly fell into a valley that smoldered and burned, where what had once been a great city now sat crumbling, a battered and broken ruin of humanity that spoke of a civilization in its death throes, where the sound of explosions and machine metal were grating and painful to the ear, and spoke of battles, hatred, and death beneath the finite rays of a dying star.

“What is this?” Celestia gasped, appalled at the carnage that lay evident before them. “I’ve never- not in all my years have I seen anything like it.”

“Explosions. Similar to cannonfire, but- worse. Much worse,” Ford said, surveying the area for any signs of nearby activity. “I don’t know what to say, Celestia. I’m trained for war and combat, but this, this is… this is something beyond it all.”

“The city is huge- and looks far more advanced than what we know of,” Celestia surmised. “If this place was any sort of political power before its destruction, then maybe there might be something down there that could lead us to the gateway.”

“I don’t like the looks of it,” Ford said, remaining unconvinced. “You may not yet notice it, but the condition of the air is getting worse, and I doubt it’ll be any better down there. The more I think about it, the more it feels like the ground was scorched by some kind of fire, but- but not like any fire I’ve seen. It’s like magic, how it leaves a mark. Whatever happened here I think may have killed the soil permanently.”

“Any suggestions, then?”

“We remain hidden. Move quietly and out of sight until we know what’s going on,” Ford said. “If you know the sun is dying, then others might know it also. They’ll be as desperate as we are to find a way out.”

They crept along the outer edges of the long plateau, veering far enough back from the cliff face so as not to cast a silhouette down below, afraid that one wrong move would alert a foe even in the dying light. In the distance, an opening that fed into the valley below could be seen and they cast their way forward in the hopes of finding a path down. Though Ford’s misgivings at the sight of the war-torn city remained, Celestia’s insistence continued to be that their hopes remained hidden somewhere within it and so he relented.

“I’ve got eyes on something ahead. Can you make it out? Looks like a seam of silver in the ground,” Ford said.

Celestia squinted, taking note of the object still far in the distance. “It is some kind of train rail, but it has no twin that I can see,” she reported. “Either way, it leads down into the city. It might be an easy path for us to follow.”

“Are you sure of this, Celestia?” Ford asked. “I don’t like this- any of this. Something very, very bad happened in this place. I am hesitant to go forward without some kind of solid plan if we come into contact with whatever’s down there.”

“You are with me. Let that comfort you.”

“I wish I could be,” Ford replied grimly. “But whatever down there… it is worse than what you or I could imagine.”

Celestia could not find it in her to falter, and insisted they move forward. The two continued on until the singular guiderail that led down into the city lay before them, a pristine metal wire the likes of which they had never seen before, circular and smooth to the touch.

“What can you make of it?” Ford asked of her, reaching out and tapping it with the edge of his trident, afraid to lay flesh upon the object. “I’ve never seen such a thing. It looks more akin to rope than metal.”

“I wish I could tell you.”

“Well… you’re the one leading the charge here. Where to next?”

“Down into the city. I do not believe it is the safest course of action, but we need to find some semblance of civilization here and find what we can,” she replied. “We do not have the luxury of time if we wish to pass through- any information we can find will be more than enough.”

“May I at least say that I find that a very bad idea?”

“If you have an alternative, I will gladly hear it-”

“Stay where you are! Hands up!” The call was so furious that the pair of them fell back upon one another out of fright rather than fight. The figures of men appeared from the dust and out of well-concealed tunnels beneath the earth, their faces concealed by strange masks and brandishing weapons and armor the likes of which had never crossed their paths before, all of them clearly filled with a hostility that threatened violence against them. Ford fell into a defensive position, his trident raised and ready for release at the slightest provocation, whilst Celestia’s hands began to glow with the dim light of the energy that resided within as the rhythmic hum of incredible power rose to meet their challengers.

“Hands on your head, down on the ground!” came the cry, one of the hostile figures creeping towards them with some kind of weapon facing towards them. “You’ve got three seconds!”

“We offer no harm against you! We merely seek to pass through your territory!” Ford called, the booming voice of the warrior now wrathful and primed for ferocity.

“Three!”

“Tia, you’ve got to have a way out of this-”

“Two!”

“Stay close to me and hold tight!”

“One!”

The instant the weapons blazed, Celestia raised her hands and set to work, an iron barrier the color and sheen of gold rising from their feet to surround them, their foe’s projectiles bouncing off harmlessly or passing through and promptly dissolving into mist-

A forceful push and the barrier flung itself out into the crowd, forcing through the hostile onlookers and throwing them onto the ground-

She reached out for the leader and, with the strength of a great beast, held him in the air by the might of her magic, dangling him several feet above the air in an unforgiving vicegrip. “We do not wish to harm you!” She called, her voice reverberating and crackling like thunder at the onset of a storm, “but do not take us for fools! If you try to harm us again, not one of you will walk away. Now lay down your arms!”

The leader, who had spent his moments in the air seemingly petrified, suddenly was resuscitated by her words. “For God’s sake, do as she says!” he cried to his men. “Do it or I’ll kill you all myself! Drop your weapons!”

The sound of metal clattering against rock and earth met their ears, and hand after hand was raised into the air, each man laying down his weapon at the sight of such a display of power and force- yet only a small fraction of what she was capable of.

“Tia,” Ford said, his voice calm and soothing as the trickling of a forest spring. “Tia, it’s alright. You succeeded. You can release him. If you want someone to talk to, this might be what we need.”

Her original confidence had disappeared, now filled with dire mistrust. They had been willing to kill them without any hesitation. Was this the kind of person she wished to negotiate with? One wrong move could see the end of this expedition, of Ford. It was a dangerous bargain to be making.

“Please, you’ve won already! Kill me if you must, but spare my men!” the leader cried, still hanging high in the air. Slowly she set him down, letting him land somewhat gracefully on his feet and shake free his terror, though his eyes remained sharp and cold against hers. “Who are you?”

“We’re travelers. We mean no harm, we merely seek a way to pass through this place,” Ford said, taking the role of peacekeeper.

The leader laughed, a harsh grating sound like rocks breaking against one another. “There’s no land left to travel in this world. This is the last region that has yet to fall to the radiation, so either you are immortal, an Adherent’s Acolyte, or a liar.”

“We mean what we say,” Ford pressed. “If we meant harm to you, I promise you that not one of your men would have been left standing. This has no reason to end in violence.”

“Then let me promise you something, warrior,” the leader said, slowly walking towards them, “these men do not take kindly to liars. No mere traveler can do what she does. No mere traveler walks with the air of a king like you. So do not dishonor them and tell them the truth. They deserve that much in these dying days.”

Ford turned to his wife, his every misgiving apparent on his face. “This is your call, beloved,” he said quietly. “I will follow your lead.”

Celestia took a breath, steadying herself in the light of a dying sun. “We are travelers from a world that is not your own,” she said, deliberately toeing the line of truth and falsity. “We arrived not even three hours ago and found ourselves on the plateau. What we seek is a way through this land, a gateway that will lead us to our prize. If you have any idea of what that might be, pray tell us so that we might be on our way.”

“There is no place left to go on this world, Woman,” the leader said- did his voice betray a deep grief? “The radiation has eaten away the world, only this small patch remains, and the Adherent holds tight its grip on the Astrellory. The only way to escape this place is to leave this world behind and venture into the stars.”

“The venture would kill anyone who tries.” Celestia’s words were sharp, cutting through the man’s frail hopes and silencing them. “The black hole that now eats away at your sun has this world in its grasp- and that includes all who would try to escape its pull. Anything that tried to leave this world would be sucked in and destroyed, do not fool yourself.”

There was a sudden deflation that rippled amongst the crowd, the figures of men suddenly weighed down with despair and hopelessness, some falling to their knees while others cried aloud in their futility. Their leader was visibly shaken, though he seemed to possess the fortitude of will to hold himself strong. “So there is no hope for us, then?” he asked. “We truly have doomed ourselves?”

“I do not know,” Celestia said softly, “we seek a way to pass through this place. If the gateway we seek is open to us… perhaps its master would see fit to grant you passage.”

“Do you know where this gateway is? Anything that you know-”

“Colonel! A cry from one of their outlying scouts, suddenly racing towards them as a fell breeze pressed against their faces. “Radiation storm inbound!”

“Everyone into the tunnels!” the leader called. “These two, they travel with me. If any harm comes to them, I will slit the throat of the one responsible- now move!”

Celestia gazed out into the wilderness and saw, in the distance and roaring closer, was a mighty storm that grumbled with the deep thrums of a dread monster, green flashes of lighting in black clouds that ate away at the landscape beneath it, and carrying a sickening stench towards them that seemed eager to weaken her senses and carry her off into the void.

“Hurry! With me, my friends!” the leader of the group called, beckoning them down into the tunnels. “You will not last against that storm, no matter what strength you have in you! Please, the life of my people relies upon what hope you have! In!”

“Go. Into the tunnels, quickly!” Ford said, his voice suddenly thick and wheezing. Whatever foul substance that storm carried had struck him with force, and he staggered towards the burrow with what strength still availed him.

The sudden relief from the oppressive atmosphere of the surface was euphoric, and Celestia found herself marveling at how weakened she had become. The ill effects that Ford had suffered were now apparent, as well as their slow predation upon her. Her head was clear, and the air she breathed no longer musty and bitter on her tongue.

“Come, my friends,” the leader said, taking a metallic torch in hand and beckoning them on. “There are better places for talk than here. I would be glad to hear what you have to say there.”

The trail into the earth was a cramped, winding road down deep beneath the surface, with each step further down allowing the air to become clearer and cleaner. A musty, earthy scent came to meet them, and the sounds of the roaring storm above soon faded into the nothingness. The lights around them soon dimmed, and Celestia wondered if they had been led into this deep place to be killed.

“I must ask that you follow me without light any longer,” the leader said, his gravelly voice thick and thunderous in the confined space. “In case you are not who you say you are, I cannot risk you revealing our hiding place. There are too many lives that would be at risk.”

“Who would be at risk? More of your soldiers?”

“Them, and what families we still have.” The path continued and each member of the group shuffled along in silence and before too long the sound of metal moving and voices began to come into range. A menagerie of sounds that she could not recognize met Celestia, and as the dim shine of lights came into view she was left astounded as the tunnel opened up to reveal their destination.

“Welcome to our home. The last functioning shelter left in the world,” the leader declared, raising his hands as if in proclamation. “All that is left alive and not part of the Adherent dwells here.”

Ford came to Celestia’s side, mouth agape at the sight. Before them spanned a great hall built of metal the likes of which they had never seen, with great machines rumbling and marching far in the distance. All around them were lights and movement, people running to and fro as they attended to various duties. The young and old, the sick and the healthy, men and women all worked together in their tasks as they traipsed in and out of adjacent hallways and doors carrying supplies of all kinds. All wore the same brown, thick-coated uniform that helped to hide what their emaciated faces could not: the desperation for food, hope, and a future.

“They’re dying,” he murmured, affected by the activity before him. “Aren’t they?”

“What little food we have is not being replenished any longer,” the leader said. “The radiation on the surface has killed all the soil and what little animal life that survived the war. What was stored and kept safe is all we had- and it is beginning to run low, even with rationing.”

“What is your name, warrior?”

“My name is Warrior, my friend. Gedeon is my name, and a warrior I am. I am the last leader of the Colonialists, and these people are under my protection for as long as I can manage.” The mask fell from his face, revealing a heavily scarred, foul-looking man whose eyes were as gray and cold as stone, yet a sternness rested upon his visage that spoke of a leader’s courage.

“You do not have much time to protect them,” Celestia said, wishing she had no reason to bring such cruel tidings to an already weary people. “This world is doomed and there is nothing you can do about it.”

“So we know,” Gedeon replied, “but you also say there is no way to escape- save for the one way you seek.”

“It is a longshot. If this radiation you speak of has already consumed most of the planet, then it may not be alive any longer.”

“What does this thing look like? Perhaps we have seen it before.”

“It-” Ford hesitated, remembering their prior struggles to describe the gateway properly. “Paper, I need paper. Something to draw with, quickly!” Before too long a pen and paper was set in his hand and he went to work, creating a quick sketch of the wrought-iron gates. “This is what it looks like. If you got up close to it, it would sound like it was whispering, like thousands of voices were just behind it and they were trying to speak to you… is any of this familiar?”

Gedeon peered at the quickly made picture and sighed, falling back against the wall as he buried his face in his hands. “Please tell me,” he croaked, “why I should bring you to this treasure? The Adherent sacrifices to it. Those of my people who were unfortunate enough to be captured by them have been killed before it, their blood poured out upon its metal.”

Celestia gasped, her face pulled back in disgust. “How dare they!” she breathed. “It is a holy thing, a gift granted by a being far more powerful than they could imagine. And to desecrate it with living blood…”

“Perhaps we have more to say to one another, my friend,” Gedeon remarked, giving himself a shake and gesturing towards a nearby hallway. “My quarters are this way. I believe we have tales to tell to one another.”

Ford made to follow the man but hesitated as he walked before his bride. “I want to believe him,” he said, “I cannot see a lie in his eyes, nor hear it in his voice. But how much of our own story should we tell, and would he even need to hear it?”

“We… tell him enough. Enough that he knows why we are here, and what we plan to do.”

“Tia…”

“You wish for me to be careful.”

“More than that. Tia, if what he says is true, and these people are struggling to stay alive…” Ford gazed out into the crowd, his pitying eyes finding the sick and weary, the hopeless and fearful. The soldier in him was evolving into something more and the fairness of his features began to shine all the more magnificently. “We cannot simply pass through this land. We came here to this place for a reason, and I want to say it is to help them find a way to live. If we find the gateway… they need to pass through alongside us.”

“That may not be possible, Ford. We do not know if it would grant them ingress.”

“I do not believe we would be forced to witness such a thing,” Ford said firmly. “We are here to follow after Sombra and defeat him. I have to believe that we are also healing the damage he’s done in this place, and that includes here. I cannot believe otherwise.”

“We’ll have to find the gateway first, if it yet remains on this earth,” Celestia replied. “And if it does, I will be there right alongside you.”

Ford smiled, his eyes beginning to glow with a light she had not seen since they had first left their homeland many years ago. “We are united in thought once more,” he said. “And to think it only took an apocalypse to bring it about.”

Their meeting with Gedeon went as well as they had hoped, though their story seemed to pale in comparison to their new friend’s troubles over dark years. Revealing what they deemed necessary, Ford and Celestia divulged the story of their journey and whom they sought, speaking little of their home and what gifts the Sanctelior had graced upon them. What little they spoke of, however, seemed to leave Gedeon in shock and he looked upon them both with fearful eyes.

“I am speaking to a living war machine, dressed in the garb of an angel,” he remarked. “A Lady of Light and her beloved defender. Ha! It is like the stories of long ago.”

“It is of no consequence who I am any longer,” Celestia replied brusquely. “Our only goal is to find our foe and bring an end to this long trail of suffering he has wrought- nothing more.”

“Well, he has certainly done his work well here,” Gedeon grumbled, staring up into the ceiling as though he could see the blighted lands that lay above him. “If only we’d been wise enough to… ah, what can I say to fix it all?”
“What did happen here?” Ford pressed. “We only spent a few hours on the surface ourselves and it felt as though the air was poisoned. I’ve never seen the kind of damage that your world has suffered.”

“It is radiation poisoning. The bombs that dropped rained fire and death upon us all, and we fought over the scraps of what survived. When the mission to calm the Sun’s fury failed, desperation set in. Blame was thrown everywhere and the superpowers of the world slaughtered each other. Now, with so little left, all that remains is the last of the Colonialists and the Adherents. And still we claw at each other’s throats, even when the world is dying around us!” Gedeon breathed. “The storms get worse every year, the radiation seeps deeper into the soil where even the shelter walls struggle to keep it at bay. We have no new food store, no fresh water… we have destroyed ourselves in our arrogance, hoping that we would control the flesh of a giant. Instead…”

His misery was so abject that the two could hardly bear to look upon him, and they pitied his state. “How long ago did this begin?” Celestia ventured.

“Oh… perhaps thirty, thirty-five years ago,” Gedeon answered. “When that blasted Sombra first suggested the Sol mission, and then the war that followed-”

“He introduced himself as Sombra?” Celestia was astounded by the boldness of the move.

“Yes. Seemed to have come out of nowhere, and what brilliance he brought with him. The technology and weaponry he helped the world conceive was unlike anything we had ever seen before!” Gedeon scrutinized their looks of shock. “Why is that name so shocking to you?”

“Because Sombra is our prey!” Ford cried. “We’ve been hunting him for years now, and this is the closest we have come- we just missed him! Where did he go once the war began? Did he flee?”

“Not a soul knows. Namaria was one of the first countries to be destroyed, and that is where he dwelled. I can hardly imagine that he survived the initial attacks when the whole world held him culpable.”

Ford and Celestia excused themselves momentarily, taking to a corner to discuss the new development. “He was here- but could the weapons of this place have killed him? It would mean our journey is over.”

“I do not believe so. Even the might of the Crystal Heart was not enough to erase him in entirety,” Celestia replied. “But it is so strange…”

“What is?”

“Sombra is a creature of darkness. It is difficult for him to hide his true nature because of the virulence he bears. To be able to deceive people like that, and so easily… how could he hide himself in such a way? Even at the height of his reign in the Empire, it was difficult for him to withhold completely.”

“Is he getting stronger?”

“I’m almost certain he is. If he is able to deceive people on a mass scale-”

“I am sorry, my friends, but time is short,” Gedeon cut in, trying to reel in his guests. “You will have time to muse upon your prey, but I must ask for your aid. There are nearly three thousand souls that dwell within this shelter, and you bring me news that I have no way of bringing them to safety. Is that true?”

Celestia hesitated. Am I to give him false hope? “There may be one way. But I need to know more of what we stand against.”

Gedeon, his patience seemingly endless, began to show signs of cracking and he stood before her with an expression of both fear and consternation. “What more can you possibly ask for? Have I not been vetted enough? Do I need to tell you the stories of all my people? The Adherent has driven us to the edge of extinction when they aligned with Sombra to cool the Sun, and look at the handiwork they have left for us!”

“And what would the Adherent say of you?” she challenged. “Would they defend themselves, justify their actions? Or have they become so lost that they would do nothing?”

“They would call me monster, and I would have earned that title for the decades of blood that is on my hands. I have killed more than you can imagine, I have slaughtered and bathed in the blood of countless thousands. I have committed massacres, thrown pleading souls into the fires and ashes, but I did everything to try and give my people a fighting chance!” Gedeon fell to his knees as he increased his pleading. “When the High Command fell I began to believe all hope was lost- but the Astrellory remained! We have spent years trying to breach its walls and take to the skies, yet here you come telling me our doom is nigh, and then speak of a last great hope that you now dangle before me just out of reach. If you are to pass through and leave this dead world behind, I beg you to bring my people with you. Kill me if you must, make me pay for my crimes! But save them, for they have done nothing worthy of a death like what awaits them.”

Celestia felt her doubts begin to fade and she pulled back, knowing his emotions and words were no façade. Yet how could she promise him a hope even she had no certainty in? It would be cruelty beyond anything she had ever done to offer him a chance that may yet deny him. As she hesitated, a hand fell upon her shoulder and Ford took the mantle from her.

“The gateway we seek,” he began, “you spoke as if you had seen it before.”

“It dwells in the Astrellory. A device of immeasurable strength that no one can open. It was found long before any of us who still dwell upon this earth were even born, and has been the greatest mystery to all who look upon it.” Gedeon gave a sigh. “How would you know to unlock its doors? What secret do you hold?”

“It will open for us, and us alone. We have passed through its brethren before, it is how we came here. I am certain we would pass through- but for you and your people…”

Gedeon sensed the words left unspoken. “Would it kill us?”

“I do not know what it would do. It obeys the judgements of its master, and it would be upon him to grant you passage. I guarantee you nothing.”

“You have guaranteed either doom or one last fighting chance for a future,” Gedeon said wearily. “Would you offer us aid in our passage? We have a plan to take the Astrellory, but our efforts as of late have been to stockpile supplies and food for the launch. If what you say is true, we would have no need of it.”

“What would you ask of us?” Ford inquired. “To kill your enemies?”

“No, my friend. My men have more than enough skill for such things. Instead I would ask for your protection, to safeguard our journey and keep us from harm,” Gedeon answered. “If we were to pass through and find this place untarnished and whole, it would be more than any of us have dared ask for. All our estimates suggested it would be a pyrrhic victory to take the Astrellory. But with you- with her,” he added, staring straight at Celestia with unwavering intensity, “then we would have a chance to remain unbroken.”

“We will help. But only on one condition,” Celestia anwered.

“Name it and it will be done.”

“Will the Adherent come to face us?”

“With certainty.”

“Then allow me one chance to persuade them to surrender and flee. They are doomed, just as you. I wish to give them a hope- even if they do not deserve it,” she said, taking note of Gedeon’s vehement objections. “You speak of yourself as a man who has done wicked things, Warrior, and here I stand offering you a chance for a new life. Do not deny them a mercy that should be denied unto you.”

“Your mercy is great, fair lady,” Gedeon answered after a pause, “but I fear it will be denied. The Astrellory is where our world once gazed into the stars. They likely know of their doom already, and have chosen not to care.”

“Then I will make them care, and cast aside the spell that blinds them-” Celestia’s breath was taken from her and her gaze fled from the confined, metallic room before her eyes and sped off through the blackened space, across shattered rock and molten cores that were torn across the darkness and towards dying fires and an infinite blackness- where a last, shuddering scream of a dead star burst in her ears like a deafening thunderclap and a great shudder echoed through the void.

“What has happened? Is she alright?” Gedeon cried, leaping back in terror.

Celestia fell to her knees unseeing, a shriek of her own erupting from her mouth-

“Celestia! Return to me, wherever you are out there!” Ford said, taking his beloved in his arms and holding tight as she writhed and shuddered in some great phantom pain, shrieking to split the rocks. “Whatever has you in its grasp, be released from it! Come on, now!”

The return was so sudden and abrupt that for a moment she knew not where she was and stared about wildly, a great fear so deeply settled in her heart that the doom she had seen felt more vivid and real than the hands that held her, the clothes that graced her form, or the metal beneath her feet.
“Calm yourself! The moment has passed!” Ford called, trying to soothe Gedeon and his cohorts from their fear. “Leave her to me.”

“It’s happened. It’s happened,” she gabbled over and over again.

“Tia- it’s alright, you’re not hurt. It’s OK. You’re right here.” Ford’s tone was calm and placid as a lake in the morning, coming to stand before her and taking her face in his hands. “Breathe, you alright. You had some kind of stroke or a seizure-”

“I had no such thing!” Celestia cried, her voice revealing her panic. “The sun’s heart was just consumed, there is nothing left but a husked carcass for the void to feed on! We need to leave, we need to leave now!”

“How much time do we have?” Ford asked, trying to block out the shouts of fear from behind him.

“None at all- hours, a day at best!” she replied, her heart still pounding inside a chest that did not feel as her own. “We cannot wait any longer, we must leave!”

“We cannot wait, then,” Gedeon said, rising to his feet and trying to settle himself before turning to his commanders. “Ready the shelter. Everyone will board the Borealis immediately. Only critical supplies will be taken, and personal belongings will be left behind. All your men will be fully armed and ready for combat.”

The shuffle of feet was heard yet Gedeon remained, waiting for Celestia’s terror to be soothed at the hands of her husband. Her panic was quieted, yet the fear remained as that last lingering scream of a kindred folk still rang in her ears, calling out for aid from the only one left on a broken world that would hear its agony.

“Dear lady,” Gedeon said softly, kneeling before them both, “I see that your fear is great. But please, my people depend on you. Can you protect them on this last journey? All our hopes will lie on your shoulders.”

How could she say otherwise? “I will do what I can,” Celestia said, taking her fear in her hands like a blade and honing its edge. “Ford will be my guard, and I will guard all you in return. Simply grant us passage to the gateway, and- and from there your judgement will come.”

“It is all I can ask for,” Gedeon said. “Come, my friends. One final effort yet remains.”

Their path led them out of the small room, back into the main hall and further on into the man-made shelter, following a widened path that was dimly illuminated by pale pulsing lights far above their heads that flickered in a staccato rhythm and only added to the growing horror. How little light was still even left in the world, beyond these spare few that still clung weakly to life? Celestia forced the dying screams of the now-consumed star from her head and forced herself to focus upon the people that now surrounded her, looking upon her with a terror and reverence that had been all-too-common among her own subjects in a land all too far away.

“Behold, our white horse,” Gedeon declared, coming to a halt as the path opened up into a vast loading station, with a magnificent, gleaming train sitting before them, the unearthly hum of its powerful, streamlined engine adding to the rumble and chaos of the harried soldiers that now shuffled about it. Weapons the likes of which Ford had never seen were being tightened down onto the tops of the compartments, while rows upon rows of ammunition was pushed into the interior for eventual loading, and all around walked great hulking machines that were built like giants, each carrying a weight and firepower capable of unfathomable destruction.

“I’ve never seen a machine like this one,” Ford breathed, feeling the cold, unblemished metal of the locomotive against his skin. “Or those golems, the munitions…”

“The Borealis was originally constructed to be a supply loader for the Astrellory; high-capacity engines and munitions were transported within it. However, its defensive capabilities are lacking, so some of our men will be riding in the Defender Frames to alleviate pressure from the Javelins. All our firepower will be put into this last expedition.”

Ford was trying his best to keep up with the terminology, but found himself lost beneath the myriad technology that far surpassed his knowledge or experience, leaving him and Celestia both rather at a loss. “They make the new cannons along the palace wall look ancient in comparison,” he remarked to her.

“I would say I feel unnecessary, but they ask me to keep them protected. If these things are not enough, what worse arms must the enemy possess?” she replied.

“We need to be boarding. I must coordinate our defenses, and I need you two in position the moment we reach the surface.” Gedeon beckoned for them to join him and they slipped through the doors of the Borealis and into a sleek, pristine compartment that now lay cramped with weapons, rag-tag soldiers and terrified souls that wondered if the end had finally come at last. Gedeon led them through the mass and towards a rough-shod table where a series of maps and images now lay open for his viewing, a surplus of information beyond their reckoning but seemingly a wellspring of information for their cohort, who examined it all with a hardened intensity that spoke of a leader’s bearing.

“So what would you ask of us?” Ford inquired.

“The Astrellory shows no signs of movement. Either they are preparing for a siege or they do not know we’re coming yet,” Gedeon muttered. “If you wish to parley with them, the moment will be brief. As soon as we enter the city their alarms will be tripped and their guards will be upon us. I can only give you a few brief seconds before we have to return fire.”

“It will be more than enough,” Celestia replied. “You asked for me to play the role of guardian- where do I go?”

“Once we leave the tunnel, head to the front of the train and go topside. Get above the engine and ensure the train remains intact,” Gedeon answered. “If this machine is crippled, we will be left exposed and no amount of protection could keep us safe against the Adherent for long.”

“Colonel! Everyone is accounted for and we are ready for departure!” A voice cried, echoing as if from the very walls of the locomotive itself.

“Take us out. To those who stand at the ready- my Gunners, my Defenders: let your aim be sharp, your eyes steely. Today we ride to freedom!”

There was a lurch beneath their feet and the train began moving forward, the sleek hum of the engine now turning into a powerful thrum as each motion forward only added to the momentum. It was apparent even to the uneducated that the Borealis was no frail machine- the path forged into the Astrellory would be hard and fast.

“We will be meeting the surface soon. Josef! Take the Lady and her guard to the engine compartment, show them the way topside!” Gedeon barked before turning to the two waiting souls. “Godspeed, my friends. You know what now counts on you.”

They had followed Gedeon deeper into the locomotive than they had first supposed, and the path into the main engine took them some time for them to navigate to, the throng of people crammed into every available space making for a difficult journey. When they finally arrived, they found the engine compartment alive and whirring, with the faint smell of electricity in the air as the engine rumbled with all its effort.

“The door to the top is just above you, friend,” Josef said, looking down at the watch on his wrist. “When we reach the surface, move quickly and do your best to stand, the wind will be hard against you. On my mark!”

Celestia braced herself, feeling the cold metal of the latch beneath her hand-

A sudden rush of sound and the roar of wind thrust its way across the train-

“Go! Go, go, my friend- and good luck!”

Celestia flung the hatch open and was blasted by a powerful, acrid reek that was borne by a fierce wind, and she threw herself out onto the top of the vehicle with Ford coming up behind her, struggling to hold himself up against the fierceness of nature-

She gave no thought to the elements and turned her head upwards, gazing into the skies and finding exactly what she had feared: the skies were dimming with every passing moment, the thick blackness within the sun now enveloping the last of its strength and thrusting them into a deeper, more absolute darkness that now lashed out for the worlds that had once been in orbit. Only the pull of the black hole within held them tightly now.

“Celestia…” Ford’s voice sounded as though he were preparing for an argument, and she knew full well what it would be.

“I have to try, Ford. You know I could not live with myself if I didn’t do something.”

“It’s not that. I think what you’re wanting to do is right. It’s Sombra…”

Celestia hesitated. Ford had only ever known Sombra as a specter, a demon of the deep black that haunted children’s tales, not as a reality, as the relentless force he had once been in elder days- or as she had once known him. “How could he convince a world to madness?”

“I feel his presence everywhere in this place,” Ford said, the wind now howling past them and almost stealing his words away. “It’s a poison worse than what these people did to themselves. It’s something else. Like a shadow I can breathe… how could people be so easily fooled by someone such as him?”

She bit her tongue. How much should she reveal? The truth would have to come out soon- but here, now? Not in its entirety. Her spirit trembled and she forced the words from her lips. “Sombra was not so dark and foul as you have seen him, Ford,” she said heavily. “He could wrap himself in light, though great would be the pain against him. He could deceive, use beautiful words and thoughts to poison the minds of others. As more darkness came into him, the harder it became for him to hide it- but here, in this place where he has had millennia to grow fat in strength… even great men would not be able to see him.”

“Was that how he gained power, all those years ago? He just… deceived everyone?”

It was worse than he could have imagined. “Yes.”

“Even you?”

“I should have seen it sooner. I will always wish I had.”

The roar of wind racing across the metallic hull of the Borealis consumed the silence as the decayed structures of buildings rushed by them, the outskirts of a dead city that now lay on the edge of disaster, their first forays into the occupied territory of the enemy. Celestia felt it only for a moment, but was sure that a hardened gaze had already seen them and felt their presence. She rose to her feet and steadied her hand- the time was coming soon.

“We’ll have tripped their sensors by now. Their sentries will be upon us to ward us off in moments!” Gedeon’s voice boom from beneath them, barely muffled by the thick hull of the locomotive. “I will only be able to halt our progress for a few moments. Whatever words you have to convince them, do it quickly. It is all I can offer.”

The roar of the wind lessened against their faces, and beyond the now-dying howls was the rumble of furious thunder in the air, as though a controlled explosion raced out to intercept them. Ford looked to the skies and saw a fiery glow, small but growing ever larger, racing towards them with clear intent of hostility.

“Starboard side!” he called.

“I see it!” Celestia’s hands grew hot, the strength of her powers beckoned for combat at a moment’s notice, though she felt no desire to see it come through. I have to save them. Please, let me save them, she thought desperately.

The furious aircraft came in close, the pilot of the vehicle easily evident in his cockpit, and began to encircle the slowed vehicle below, a vicious-looking weapon pointed directly at the two travelers and likely ready for war.

“Trespassers, you are in the territory of the Adherent, glorious remnant of the World’s Empire!” came a voice from inside the craft, bellowing out in a metallic crackle just as Gedeon’s had. “You are ordered to surrender your vehicle and depart from the area at once, or else we will be forced to take defensive measures!”

“I come to parlay! You are in danger here!” Celestia cried, her voice suddenly booming like thunder across the plain and Ford winced as it struck his ears. “The sun has been consumed, and this world will soon be swallowed along with it. These people seek to escape it, and mean no harm. Allow them to pass!”

“There will be no exceptions. Surrender the train and depart immediately!”

“Please, listen to what I say! You will die if you do not accept my help! I can offer you a means of escaping this place, but it must be done now! There is no time left!”

“There is no escape any longer. Now depart from this place immediately, or I will open fire!” the weapon aboard the aircraft began to stir, rotating slowly as the barrel remained fixed on Celestia.

“Don’t condemn these people to death! Let them be saved- save yourself!”

The weapon spun all the faster, a simple red beam emanating from its center and pointed at Celestia’s exposed chest-

Ford dared not wait a moment longer and threw his weapon with all his might, the trident flying through the air like a bolt of lightning and striking the cockpit, shattering through the glass and killing the pilot instantly, the craft suddenly spinning out of control and falling to earth in a smattering of metal and fire-

“Get ready!” the train came alive again and pushed hard, the already overworked engine suddenly roaring as the speed was increased and the steel beast plunged into the city, miles and miles separating them from their goal.

“You just gave away your weapon!” Celestia breathed.

“He was going to kill you!” Ford barked. “Keep yourself ready, I’ll call out targets as we go!”

“Incoming!” the call came from somewhere behind them, one of Gedeon’s Defenders raising its metallic fists and opening fire on a low-flying target, its array of weaponry eager to take down the oncoming train-

Just as the armaments were released, Celestia was upon them, a great shield of crystalline energy encapsulating them and controlling the explosion in a tightened sphere, the spasm of fire disappearing in a tiny blip-

A host of aircraft suddenly came into view, the host filling the skies until it seemed a great flock of murderous birds of prey had come to assail them, while a gathering of footsoldiers took positions along the streets and buildings along the tracks, their every weapon and focus now upon the mighty train that sped towards the heart of their territory-

Ford and Celestia worked seamlessly, Ford’s instincts for combat coming into play with his newfound defensive role, calling target after target for Celestia to block and deny and allowing Gedeon’s soldiers to continue their barrage. The world above them was a hellscape of fire and explosions the likes of which they had never seen; each new weapon brought a new sickening flash, a new prism of light that rained poison. As they worked relentlessly to stop the oncoming barrage they found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it all, knowing that this violent frenzy was only a small skirmish in what had been the war to end all wars, a last gasping breath of a world that awaited the death blow.

“Up ahead, two o’clock!” Ford cried, a great bipedal machine raising its hand and firing a jet of light straight for the engine-

A portal opened up before it and consumed the blast, a second opening up above them and sending the great blast into the sky, flying harmlessly into space-

“Keep it up, you’re doing great!” Gedeon’s voice came through again, nearly unseating Celestia from her position-

A hulking explosive round seared past her head and she fell to her knees to avoid it, feeling the heat sear against her skin as it cut through the air and crash into a broken skyscraper just behind them-

“We’re almost to the Astrellory! Hold on just a moment longer! A few minutes and we’ll be inside!”

“Aerial targets, 9 o’clock!” A team of low-flying craft came roaring through, releasing a volley of fire on their position-

A great barrier of energy appeared and they crashed into it, the Borealis shielded from the explosion and kept safe from hearm-

The aircraft darted just above Celestia’s handiwork and raced towards the craft, the hailstorm of gunfire crippling their power but they careened through the barrage nevertheless, spinning wildly as they prepared to crash into the tracks-

Celestia screamed and threw them aside, the sudden pull against the aircraft tossing them into the ground, the rush so sudden and fierce that no spasm of fire escaped from their wrecked hull-

“They’re getting more desperate, I can’t call out targets this fast!” Ford said, pointing in every which way as he tried to keep tabs on the continued assault. “We need to slow them down, do you have anything?”

“Nothing safe!” Celestia fired back, now wildly throwing her powers about against their hostile foe, each hand moving about wildly as she sought to stupor them, any way she could find to stop the relentless fire-

“Artillery incoming!” The team of Defenders further back on the train fired out into the skies as the blackness was suddenly lit up with a great throng of fire: thousands upon thousands of burning flames now covered the air until it seemed the darkened sky had been set ablaze, a last, desperate attempt by the enemy to halt their relentless advance-

A round of weaponfire hit the hull. Then another, and another- Gedeon’s soldiers pulled back, trying to shield themselves from the barrage as the sheer volume of firepower threatened to overwhelm them before even the great fire overhead had even come close to harming them-

“Tia!”

Celestia closed her eyes, concentrating with all her might, trying to focus upon only the sound of her breathing and the pulsing of her beating heart. No thought, no feeling, no emotion came to her. The rush of wind against her face disappeared; the tugging on her arm by Ford dissipated; the sparks flying from the raging chaos were no longer. All that she knew was a quiet, serene peace, and a gentle thrum of a calmed heartbeat like that of a drip of water in an endless pool of water. Endless, timeless, unalterable, overflowing, and mighty was she, and out into the waves she reached, tapping into the strength that she knew was her own- and in her hand she grasped it, and surely made it so.

Ford, who had been trying to break her from her reverie, stepped back in fear as the form of his wife was transfigured before him. Her body was no longer part of the world around her, the wind and fire did not press against her. From her chest came a bright glow of a deep, verdant green that raced like blood through her veins until her entire body glowed, her eyes suddenly opening and shining bright, like a beacon in the deep.

Celestia brought her hands together as though in prayer, a simple solemn sigh escaping her lips. And then, in a single, fluid motion, she released.

A great, violent thrum coursed through the air and the world was ignited, a great flashing pulse escaping from her form and racing through the air, crashing against rock and steel and earth and sky, nothing within this dying world escaping her reach. Buildings shook and were crumbled, machines and vehicles that stood against them were pushed aside and disappeared, the terrified screams of enemy soldiers rang in their ears and were suddenly silenced. On and on the great flow went until it seemed the whole universe would be consumed in its grasp-

An explosion, more mighty and terrible than any had ever known, struck out into the ether and the whole world trembled as it was pushed aside.

Ford dared to open his eyes and was met with no sound except for the hum of the engine beneath his feet and the rushing win against his face. No building had been left standing, no foe flew or stood against them. All that seemed to have survived in the city, and perhaps the entire world, was the Borealis, its occupants, and tracks on which they still rode-

Celestia’s brightness faded and she fell to her knees, gasping for breath as though she had run an endless race, the sound guttural and painful like glass in her throat-

“Tia! Tia, are you alright?” Ford cried, holding his bride close in fear that she would lose balance and fall.

“Still breathing,” she said, her voice weak but still filled with determination. “I am sorry… I should have warned you.”

Ford let his eyes break from her and he looked out into the now unrecognizable emptiness, knowing that what he now looked upon was because of the power she possessed and, for the first time in his life, he looked upon her and felt fear in his heart.

The train carried on until the tracks at last came to an end, the locomotive coming to a screeching halt and nearly sending the two wayfarers toppling. Celestia, barely able to stand, much less stay conscious, fully relied on her husband to stay on her feet and she leaned heavily against him as they descended back down into the train.

Gedeon stood there waiting for them, looking upon Celestia with a terror beyond all hope and reason. “What sort of creature is she? No mere human could lift a man from the ground with no hands upon him- but this-”

“She is beyond us both,” Ford said quickly, pushing towards the door. “Is this the Astrellory?”

“What remains of it. But she has destroyed everything in our path- there is no place to go any longer!”

“It will have survived,” Ford replied, with a certainty that did not feel like his own. What made him so sure of his answers? “The one who crafted the gateway is greater than even she, and no power of hers could destroy it. If this is the Astrellory, then it is here.”

“Is she-”

“She will live, but she has wounded herself for you- quickly now!”

Soul after soul poured out into the devastated landscape after them, staring about in horror at the desolation that had been unleashed, Gedeon’s orders perhaps the only thing that kept them safe from the terror of the survivors who now looked upon them as a dread power from the deep. Even Ford, who still felt a stirring sureness in his blood, wondered if perhaps Celestia’s actions had indeed doomed them all.

“Where do we look, my friend?” Gedeon asked sadly, gazing out into the emptiness.

Ford trudged through it, trying not to wonder if his feet shuffled through more than just rubble and ash. “It is beneath us,” he said. “Dig with whatever you have, quickly now!’

The further they went into the wreckage, the more Ford’s confidence began to slip away. What had stirred him so? He had no great power, no mighty strength of mind or will! He may be telling them to dig into futility simply to try and keep their hopes alive, or buy precious seconds of life for him and his beloved. Please… please…

“We’ve hit something!” the call was so triumphant that the words swelled the hearts of all who heard it. The digging increased as the wrought-iron gateway slowly came into view, the doors shut tight even as its entire breadth was revealed for all to see.

“What is wrong? You said it would open!” Gedeon cried.

“It should. I don’t know what’s wrong!” Ford said, clearly dismayed. He pressed his head up against the cold metal, listening intently for any sign of activity and was only met with darkness and silence. “Celestia, it’s not opening. What am I doing wrong?” Celestia stirred herself enough to look at the gateway with bleary eyes for only a brief moment before her head fell back against her husband’s shoulders. “Aagh, open up!” Ford fell down to his knees against it, his head bowed and unable to bear the myriad gazes that now fell on him. They had gambled everything they had on this one last hope for survival, a hope that now lay shut against them. “Please… please,” he begged, “Do not condemn me to lead souls to death. I wish for better than this… I wish for more.”

A rumble echoed through the sky, a sound that came from the now blackened skies above them as the monstrous eater of worlds took the world in its grasp, eager to consume its new prize. The crowd cried out in fear, Gedeon looked about wildly for any last shred of hope, and still the door remained shut.

Those that first heard it wondered if it was madness that had overtaken the man. A strange tongue poured out from his mouth and came wildly, each word newer and stranger than the one before. Ford spoke rapidly, a wild word upon his lips and all who heard it were left strengthened, each word and sound as fresh and clear as a new dawn in spring.

The gateway rumbled and a great fury of whispers suddenly poured forth from within it. The doors, once sealed shut, now opened up and light flowed out into the blackness, and when they looked at their guides, there came from them a radiance and light that was beyond all thought and comprehension, and before the crowd they stood strong.

“Follow us. You will be safe where we lead you,” Celestia said, suddenly standing strong beside her husband, a great figure of sunlight and beauty that struck terror in the hearts of those before them, for she now seemed more solid, more full and real than any soul they had ever seen.

“Mercy has been shown to you today, my friends. New life now awaits.” Ford stood beside his bride, his appearance like that of the greatest kings who had ever walked the land of any world that had ever been, a great nobility upon him that seemed like garments on his flesh.

Those watching stood dumbstruck as the pair turned to the opened gateway and strode in as though they belonged there, disappearing in a flash of light that now beckoned to them also.

They moved with eyes unseeing, hearts barely beating, their memories clouded and overwhelmed with a power beyond them both. They strode through the whiteness and saw brightness growing ever stronger in their eyes.

A flash of blue. A gentle breeze against their cheeks. And then blackness.

“My lady… Dear lady, please… please awaken…”

Her rise from the calming slumber was slow, ethereal. As though she had wakened from one dream and stepped foot into another, each movement felt sluggish and unreal. Her body moved slowly and when her senses truly became her own once again, the land that now surrounded them seemed to be more dream than anything she had ever known.

The land was beautifully bright and glorious, a pristine landscape that so perfectly mirrored the destruction and emptiness they had left behind. The land they now dwelled in was a great valley, mountainous peaks capped with snow far off in the distance on either side, with beautiful grasslands in between. Far away, at the foothills of the mountains east of her, was a deep green that could only be a vast forest. Above them in a crystalline blue sky was a brilliant, beautiful sun that showered down warm, gentle rays of light upon her skin. The sound of birds met her ears and a gentle breeze brushed along her skin with a whisper held deep within it. Even in her weakened state, the joyous cries of the land was palpable- a young world, and a newfound sun that had only just begun to find its strength.

“Where are we..?” Celestia asked, struggling to rouse herself from weariness.

“We are safe, thanks to you,” said a voice, one that she recognized as Gedeon’s. She looked up at the war-weary man and saw a fresh brightness upon his features as though the newfound world had rejuvenated his shattered spirit. “You were right, and gloriously so! Surely this is Paradise, and you have brought us to it.”

Celestia was astounded by the gloriousness of her surroundings and desired to see it, though her first immediate step was unsteady and she stumbled forward.

“Please, my lady! Don’t try to rouse yourself. Your husband has asked that you remain here and continue to heal” A multitude of hands held her from falling, and around her came a crowd that gazed at her with a great reverence.

“Where is Ford?”

“He is awake and safe, my lady,” Gedeon answered. “He regained his strength before you and is leading an expedition of my men to find water. He has not been gone long.”

Her will was to rise and seek him out, but the weakness that struck against her frame remained strong, and she was forced to submit to it and simply to take joy in her surroundings, allowing the bright birdcalls and swishing of the long grass to fill the void.

“Dear lady, we are indebted to you,” Gedeon said, falling before her on bended knee with his people following suit until the great throng had fallen in honor. “You have brought us to a fairer land than any one of us could have dared to dream of, and given new life to a dying people. We can give you no honor too great for what you have done for us.”

“Please- I did no such thing,” she began to protest. “I merely tried to protect you, and- and…”

“Surely you remember the great power you sent out!” Gedeon said. “Nothing like it has ever been seen, no weapon our fathers created could match it in power.”

Celestia felt confusion, but forced herself to nod as though she recalled it all perfectly. Perhaps, for the time being, it would be best to simply wait for Ford’s return and speak with him in private.

There was soon a great cheer from the throng of people who rested in the grass as a group of soldiers, led by Ford, returned with their prize of clean water, distributing it out amongst the crowd with a feverish joy. “Take as much as you need!” Ford called out, his voice more clear and strong than any of the souls surrounding him. “The stream we found is not far, its water cold and clean. There is more than enough for all of you for many years to come!”

“My lord! Your lady is awake!” Gedeon beckoned, and Ford joined the two and began to divulge to the man all his findings; peaceful forests filled with wild creatures, sloping rivers teeming with fish, open spaces that seemed to beckon for tilling and crops.

“But we know nothing of such things! We are soldiers, warriors and killers of men. How are we to learn such things?” the older man asked, his expression suggesting he hoped for a particular answer.

Ford remained impassive, simply giving the man a smile as he settled beside his bride. “If you would be kind, my friend,” he said, “allow us time to speak to one another. I must tend to her needs.”

Celestia was grateful for the water he gave her, the cold substance rolling down her ashen throat and giving strength to her tired bones, each gulp as fresh and wondrous as a child’s first breath. “What do I not remember, Ford?” she asked. “He spoke as though I did something- something-”

“Incredible?” Ford suggested. “There were parts I did not recall myself, but what you did- not even I have seen such things. It was a force strong enough to shake the very foundations of the earth itself. When you thrust out your hand… it was unlike any power you have ever unleashed before.” Ford continued his story, drawing from his own recollections as well as what had been divulged to him by Gedeon and the others, answering every question Celestia brought forth. Their conversation continued even as the sun reached its highest point in the sky and began to lazily drift towards the western horizon.

“I wish I could explain to you what happened in detail- but this is beyond my knowledge, Ford. I can’t say,” Celestia surmised. “What I did is easy to explain- I drew from the depths of my power and used nearly everything I had. But everything else-”

“It would explain why you’ve slept for so long,” Ford mused. “You have been asleep for nearly two days now.”

“Two days?”

“We tried to wake you but nothing could rouse you,” Ford said. “I would have been here when you awoke but Gedeon’s soldiers don’t know environments like this. They didn’t know where to search for fresh water. But back to what happened… Celestia, what happened to me?”

“That I cannot say,” she replied, displeased that she was so mystified by it all. “I am an Alicorn, strange magic can erupt from us because we never fully know the scope of our own power. But for you, a mere human to display such high things… I do not know whether it is some secret gift of the Sanctelior bestowed upon you, this place, or- or whether it is just you growing in strength.”

“Could it happen again?” His voice was hesitant, perhaps with both desire and fear mingled together.

“I don’t know. You and I are diving deep into powers no Alicorn or mortal Man has ever encountered. What we see here within the Palace may never be seen again.”

Ford nodded slowly, his gaze slowly drifting from his beloved and out into the crowd, who had begun to settle and prepare for the coming sunset, more than an occasional yawn erupting from their mouths. “They’re finally knowing what real rest is like,” he remarked.

“This place awaited their arrival. It was made for them,” Celestia said. “It is a young world, clear and ripe for the taking. They will flourish here as they become its steward. I only wish we could be here to see it happen.”

“We might be- at least for a time,” Ford coughed, noticing Gedeon’s prying eyes flickering towards them. “Tia, we found the gateway. It’s not even a mile from here- but it’s sealed tight. I was hoping it would awaken when we discovered it, but…”

Celestia felt Gedeon’s gaze upon her and she looked back at her husband, her mind beginning to put the pieces together. “Gedeon hopes it does not open, doesn’t he?”

“He takes it as a sign that we are to remain here with his people- as their queen and king,” Ford admitted, a sheepish sort of grin forming on his face. “I told him I would speak to you about it- he was so adamant, I did not wish to disappoint him.”

“Ford, we couldn’t… we have our own land to return to.”

“I know. Full well, I promise,” he replied. “But they’re inexperienced in caring for themselves. No technology of any kind, a pure fresh start. They need teachers for every simple task: building shelter, growing crops, hunting for meat, foraging- pretty much everything that would let them survive out here. And with the gateway sealed shut for some reason, maybe… maybe we should help them until we can leave.”

“It could only be for a brief time,” she said. “The gateway could open at any moment- and when it does, we must continue on.”

“I know, I know, just…” Ford sighed, looking out at the great throng of people, taking in sallow faces and bony figures, the emaciation of these people evident upon sight. “That place they lived in… I want to give them a chance at making something better. Something more. So I don’t have to live with nightmares of that broken world and see our home in its place. I think- I think I could do genuine good for them here.” His conviction rang strong in his words, and as she regarded him she thought there was a change in his countenance, the rugged, travel-worn features of her husband beginning to glow with a subtle light, a kingliness that seemed so much more than his own.

Celestia looked out into the land before them, taking in its beauty and new life, letting its untouched perfection fill her heart and she closed her eyes, picturing these broken people being restored and transfigured into something greater, and a desire in her own heart grew stronger as she found that she, too, wished to see it come to pass. “For as long a time as we are given,” she decided, falling against her husband as the need for rest overtook her once more. “We can give them our aid.”

Long, long ago, when our fathers first left their broken world behind, they were led by a great Lady of Light and her Beloved. The Lady and her Beloved were fair to behold, mighty in word and deed. All who listened to them were blessed, for their knowledge and skills in our world were great. To us did they bequeath their wisdom, giving us strength and power to bend nature to our desire and tend to its growth. We planted seed, took the fruit of both tree and vine, hunted for meat and gave thanks for its sustenance. We learned how to grow and flourish in a world that was not our own because of the Lady and her Beloved, for gentle were their words and deep was their wisdom.

Though their skill and craft was great and powerful, though it brought life to a weakened people, their time among us was short, for only three years did they dwell among us. When the Holy Gateway at last awakened and beckoned to them, so did the Lady and her Beloved depart from us, granting us blessings and farewells in words that stirred the hearts of all who heard it, and the words written down still bring comfort to our people today. For their greatness we guard the Holy Gateway, in the hopes that after these thousands of generations that have gone before us, the Lady and her Beloved may yet return to us, so that our people may yet again dwell in union with their saviors.

Author's Note

We have only begun to glimpse true power. Darkness is vast, strong and seemingly all-encompassing. But it only exists when light goes out- and the light still burns strong.

For now.

New additions to the soundtrack found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Always glad to hear from y'all.

VIII: Nasha

The vastness around her as they were relinquished from the gateway’s grasp was the first thing that apparent to her senses, the gateway having delivered them into a great hallway of white and grey marble surrounded by columns. A place as resplendent and seemingly holy as the very entryway into the Palace itself had been, though with no great guardian to forestall them.

Ford surveyed the place with a look of doubt, their last years within a young world free of such trappings, this new place more stately and luxurious than their time with the Colony had ever been. “This is… different,” was the best he could muster.

“It is so empty,” Celestia murmured, taking in the solitude of their surroundings, the gateway left squarely in the center of the immense hall. “It feels like a tabernacle of sorts. Or a vault.”

“What sort of people could build such a thing around it? Surely the gateway could not be physically transported here.” Ford mused.

“If it was allowed to be, yes, I do,” she answered, becoming more and more disquieted the longer they remained within the place. “Let us leave. The silence of this place makes my skin crawl.”

“Silence has never bothered you before…”

“Silence is a void to be filled by nature. This is unnatural.”

They walked out from their place beside the gateway and further on, coming to the end of the hall where a dark brown door awaited them, held fast despite their pressing against it. Ford slammed hard against it with his strong frame and still it did not yield.

“Should we destroy it?” he asked.

“I certainly could,” she replied, pulling him behind her and releasing an explosive column of flame from her fingers that set to the wood and ate it away, scorching through the thick boards in a matter of seconds and turning it into a cloud of ash and smoke.

“That was messier than I’d hoped,” Ford remarked, doing his best to wave the smoke away. “Surely you can make a smokeless fire, couldn’t you?”

“I’ll certainly try to keep subtlety in mind the next time I set a door on fire,” she replied drily.

“We have been married for years now, Tia, and yet you still can’t tell when I am teasing you,” he said with a chuckle. “You don’t have that much pride in you to forget it, do you?”

She was about to reply that she had not heard the humor in his voice when a rush of commotion came from the other side of the smoke, and a team of guards in gleaming crimson armor rushed into the room, surrounding the two in a matter of seconds-

Ford snarled, the thick staff in hand not enough to deal damage against well-armed foes that now opposed him-

Celestia raised her hands yet again, a dim pulsing emitting from her palms-

“Citizens! No one is allowed to trespass into this place! The Royal Gateway is off-limits to all but the King!” one of them declared.

“We did not trespass intentionally,” Celestia said, immediately looking for a way to calm the dispute. “We are travelers, and have passed through the gateway to come here.”

“You… passed through it?”

“Look about you, soldier,” Ford grunted, gesturing to the entire room. “There is no other entry into this place. From where else would we come?”

The soldier who had spoken, likely the guard commander, scanned the place quickly before settling his gaze back upon the two, now wide-eyed and fearful at the sight of them. “It cannot be!” he gasped. “We thought the gateway would never open!”

The group of warriors gathered about them muttered to themselves, slowly backing away from the interlopers with their weapons lowered. Celestia hoped this was a good sign.

“Someone go get Captain Barraway- quickly now! Tell him the gateway has opened!” the soldier cried. “The rest of you, bring the choice food and wine, our travelers will need the best we have!” Turning to the two once more, he opened his arms in a welcoming gesture. “Dear travelers, forgive us for our opening hostility! We believed you to be foolhardy citizens of our dear city trying to defile this place- never would we have believed we would find travelers at last!”

Celestia was more taken aback by such actions than she would have been if met with violence. This sudden welcome, with promises of rich fare to accompany it, was a heraldry she had not experienced since her time in the crown and the strange eagerness about it unnerved her. Her eyes met the commander’s for a brief second and she wondered if she did not see a shadow there.

“My lady- my lord- please, follow me,” a man beckoned, a royally dressed fellow who seemed to be the leader of them all- the aforementioned Captain Barraway, if they had to guess. “It is an honor to have you among us, travelers from afar. The Sanctum is no place for long conversation, and I would be glad for you to see the sun.”

Ford and Celestia were escorted from the Sanctum, led by Barraway and his team of guards. Celestia felt their eyes upon her with every movement she made, a hungering aura about them that she could not quite grasp. Ford was also left perturbed, but more by the sudden hustle and lordliness in which they were received, rather than sights unseen that his beloved continued to sense.

After a lengthy walk through the halls, the main doors were opened and before them lay a magnificent city of stone, with a clear blue sky above them that teemed with flocks of birds. Throngs of people packed the streets alongside livestock, farmers and traders displaying their wares while strong soldiers walked the streets in peace. Children played at their mother’s feet while the women spoke amongst one another. The sounds of song could be heard as minstrels played tunes for the crowds, hoping for an offering of gold or goods. The rich and poor, all mingled together in one teeming host. As the guards came to their positions, Celestia suddenly found herself and Ford were at the front of the group beside Captain Barraway, seemingly revealed to the populace. Lively pairs of eyes caught sight of them and trails of whispers began to trickle through the crowd, one by one each soul present coming to notice the presence of these unusual travelers.

“Well, we certainly have no chance to be discreet,” Ford said.

Celestia found herself wishing there was somewhere she could hide away, the incredible scrutiny that now rested upon her nigh unbearable. Their gazes were almost predatory.

“My friends! People of the city of Moqesh!” Captain Barraway cried out, his deep voice booming over the multitudes and echoing across stones, “at long last, our King’s hopes have been answered- travelers have come from beyond the Holy Gateway!”

The cheers that erupted from the crowd was deafening, and Celestia soon found she and Ford surrounded as seemingly every person in the city wanted to see them, speak to them, feel their hand in theirs. Children gathered around her with the strange, timid eagerness of children as they reached out discreetly only to rush away giggling. A gaggle of young women came to Ford’s side, looking upon him with such lavishness that the affection was obvious to anyone present- and a source of embarrassment for Ford, who gave his wife a look of apology to help calm her frustration.

“My lady, it is good that you are here,” Barraway. “As Captain of the Sanctum, I would be honored if you would allow us to celebrate your arrival. Tonight we shall have a great feast in your honor, and all the city shall be alight in glory!”

“If- please, sir, we do not mean to impress on you so,” she replied, trying to find a way to flee the conversation. “We merely seek the next gateway. Wherever we have traveled, it has always had a twin. If you would be kind and help us to find it-”

“Yes, of course! We have known its location for many years now! We shall take you there tomorrow so you may see it,” Barraway replied, his gregariousness not yet having departed. “But I believe there is more to it than you yet know, dear lady. I would gladly tell you more at the feast, if you would but let me.”

“A moment, please,” she said, backing away and dragging Ford away from his growing crowd of admirers. “Your thoughts on this?”

“Sure. My thoughts: this is really weird!” Ford said, laughing with obvious discomfort. “They’re acting like we’ve saved them from something and we haven’t even done anything but show up!”

“He’s speaking like there’s a problem with the next gateway. Perhaps it isn’t open?”

“It took the last one three years. It’s possible. I guess all we can do is stay and find out more for now.”

It wasn’t the answer she wanted, hoping that Ford’s tactical prowess would find them an escape from this strange overfriendliness. Turning back to Barraway with as pleasant a smile as she could conjure up, Celestia said, “We would be honored to join you.”

The wellspring of goodwill continued with them as the hours went by, she and Ford brought to a luxurious estate overlooking the city where the two communed in solitude, occasionally looking down into the streets where the festivities were being prepared. The view was exquisite, the entirety of the city spread out before them; winding streets of cobblestone weaved in and out of tall homes and mansions, with canals running this way and that as boats whisked across the surface, filled with goods or people. All across it all was a great chatter, an eager excitement that was palpable in the air.

“Celestia, please! Relax for a moment, I beg you,” Ford said, pulling his wife back from the balcony and beckoning her to the immense bed that lay there for their use, draped in sheets of gold and crimson fabric that seemed more akin to gold. “I know you find this place strange, but constantly worrying about it all will do nothing.”

“Am I a fool for being on guard, Ford?” she asked, doubts mingling with her anxiety. “They have been nothing but welcoming to us, yet I remain so distrustful. Am I wrong to do so?”

“I believe it is called caution. And you have it because their actions have been strange,” he replied. “They certainly think we are important- but for what reason?”

“Either some fell thing they hope we can save them from,” Celestia mused, “or… or they take us as some sort of sign of good tidings. Perhaps something else, but I do not know.”

“Which would you prefer?”

“Neither. I wish to be through the gateway already,” she said tersely.

“Surely we would know if they meant us harm?” Ford replied. “I see no lie in their eyes.”

Neither did she, but her uneasiness was not allayed. The opulence of this place was wondrous, beautiful, perfect and pristine- yet all too much. This is more than opulence, really, she thought, more like decadence. Wealth gone to spoil.

“Come. We should simply relax for now. It is all we can do,” Ford said, coming to rest somewhere behind her, his fingers beginning to run through her hair ever so gently. The sensation, a pleasure strengthened by fond memory, was welcome and helped soothe her fears away as Ford continued his work.

“How long has it been since we were like this?” Celestia asked.

“Like what?”

“No struggle, no travel, no leading. Just… together. I miss it,” she said, her voice becoming small.

“… Yeah. I do, too,” Ford replied. “Tia, when we were with the Colony, I kept thinking every now and then…”

“A dangerous hobby.”

“Certainly. But when we’d be alone, I’d find myself just sitting there and thinking to myself, ‘I don’t want to do this forever.’”

She felt confused. “Do what?”

“I- I don’t know. Fight. Lead. The longer we’ve done this, Tia, the more I just…” he sighed, continuing on in his work with her hair for a time before speaking again. “To have you with me is all I have wanted, and the rest seems to just get in the way. I have no desire for leadership or warfare any longer, Tia. I’m ready for a reason to put it all down.”

Celestia, a person who had lived long enough to truly see and do just about everything, found herself unable to respond. Their goal had been to defeat Sombra and return home, take her place as ruler of Equestria again and have Ford there beside her. She hadn’t considered the possibility that Ford, in their many years of hunting, had found himself longing for other things. What would happen if they succeeded and returned home with the Philosopher’s Stone in hand? They were married, certainly, but what role would he want to play in the world as an immortal being? What role would she want in all of it? It was entirely possible that the flow of time outside the Palace was much faster than within. A day here could be years back home?

What world are we going to see when we finally leave this place behind? She wondered. And what part will be play in it all?

The evening fell and the city was lit with hundreds of thousands of lights, from flickering candles on the windowsills of houses to glowing streetlamps alongside cobblestone roads. There was a knock on the door to their quarters and a young woman dressed in attendant’s clothes appeared, carrying a pair of packages in her hands.

“A gift from the Sanctum Captain, my lady,” she said, though her eyes were fixated on Ford with a longing gaze that was difficult to miss.

“What are these?” Ford asked, feeling the smaller in hand and testing its weight.

“Garments for tonight’s festival, my lord,” the attendant replied. “Captain Barraway wished for you both to have proper attire for the occasion.”

“They’re really excited about us showing up, aren’t they?” Ford remarked once the girl had left. “You’d think we’d have just saved the city by the way they’re acting.”

“I don’t like it. Her, too.”

“She was just doing her job, Tia.”

“Have you not noticed? Every woman we’ve come across hardly dares to look at me, yet stares at you so hungrily that I’m surprised one hasn’t tried to pull you away yet. They seem infatuated with you.”

Ford, true to fashion, merely shrugged. “They need a hobby. Let’s take a look at what she brought.”

A few minutes later and they found themselves wonderfully well-dressed, though far out of their element. Their years on sea and shore had left their regular clothes rather ragged, and to wear such finery was something they were no longer accustomed to. Ford found himself in a splendidly crafted navy-blue soldier’s uniform, the sides of the pant legs lined with bright gold thread that shimmered in the lamplight.

“It looks dashing on you, really,” Celestia said, taking in his appearance and feeling somewhat light in her chest. “Perhaps a bit… much, but you do look wonderful.”

“I’ve never seen a uniform like this before,” Ford said hesitantly, eyeing the uniform with a look that suggested discomfort. “Even your royal guard uniforms weren’t this well-made. What kind of money goes through this city?”

“Looking at the dress they gave me,” Celestia remarked, laying it across the bed for presentation, “I would say a lot.”

“Whoa.”

It was a beautiful thing to behold, a perfect match for Celestia’s fair skin. A beautifully crafted ballgown colored a deep gold, with what seemed to be small diamonds stitched into the threads just below the neckline, with a faint tinge of white further beneath. In the lights that now adorned the city, Celestia would be positively radiant.

“You’ll be the envy of every woman in and out of the Palace,” Ford said.

“It’s beautiful, really, but- Ford, not even my royal attire was as exquisite as this! This is too much for me and I was a Princess. Perhaps it is common for these people, but I have no love for it. This is not part of me.”

“Well… they gave it to us as a gift. Just this once, I guess.”

Not long after, a carriage arrived to bring them to the city center, the two arriving just as the festivities were beginning. A great cheer arose at the sight of them and the crowd applauded as though they had just returned from battle as conquerors. At the foot of the Sanctum steps lay a great table adorned with the finest food that they had seen in years and, despite their disconcertion at the gaudiness of the affair, the pleasant scent of the meal wafted over to them and set their stomach rumbling.

“My friends! Please, come take thine place! Captain Barraway called, gesturing for them to join him at the table in what looked to be the prime seats. “We are glad to see you again- and in such finery! Truly you are magnificent.”

He’s laying it on thick, Celestia thought to herself. Forcing a smile on her face, she took her husband’s arm and walked through the crowd that parted before them, knowing it would be a long night.

The celebration was magnificent in every way, from pristine food to fine wine and magnificent entertainment. Fresh vegetables and finely roasted meat, drink that tasted heavenly, singers and dancers and entertainers that were as wonderful and glorious as any Celestia had ever seen in all her years upon the earth. Yet, despite it all, she found her mind drifting, wishing for a chance to escape and hide away with Ford. Her misgivings had only grown since they had arrived.

“Captain Barraway, you mentioned earlier that you knew where the sister gateway was upon this world,” she remarked, turning to the soldier as Ford engaged with a nobleman sitting beside him. “Would you be able to take us to it as quickly as possible?”

“Yes, it is within this city’s very walls!” the man declared. “I would be glad to take you to it- tomorrow even, if you wish it! However, if your goal is to travel through its doors, I am afraid that may not be possible.”

“And why is that?” she hoped her voice had remained pleasant rather than sounding like a challenge.

“Well, my lady, it is because its doors are not open,” Barraway answered. “We have watched it for many long years and not once has it shown signs of life. It has confused the King greatly, for he always knew its purpose.”

“Your King knows the purpose of the gateway?” Celestia inquired. An odd thing, considering that none had so far.

“Yes, indeed! Our King is very wise, and understood their meaning quite quickly! That is why you arrival is so momentous. For now, after all these years, we may fully unlock its secrets! The King will surely wish for you to see it.”

“Your King knows of us?” she asked. Steady now…

Barraway looked upon her and his brown eyes seemed to shift, as though a shadow grew thicker within them before settling. “He always knew travelers would come. He has awaited it for many years now! And now you are here! Messengers have already been sent to him so that he may know of your arrival!”

“Well, I am certain we would be pleased to meet him,” Celestia said, “though if the gateway is open, my husband and I must continue on our journey. We will have no time to wait.”

“Oh, but you must, my lady!” Barraway protested. “The King is not far, only a fortnight from the city’s walls! The gateway will likely not open until his arrival!”

“But if it does, then we shall move on. Our task is important, I am afraid.”

“I am certain it is! But please know, dear lady, the King must meet you! He has desired it for so long, it will be joy to him to see you at last!”

Celestia stole a look at her husband, watching him as he continued his conversation with the drunken nobleman. His countenance was pleasant, at ease and welcoming to all who graced him- including several beautiful young women. However, as she looked upon him, she felt his eyes find her and saw the unease within them. He had been listening intently and not missed a word.

One day became a week. A week became two. Then three, then four- and still, despite their requests and pleas for movement, still the people of the city of Moqesh would not aid them in their journey on through their realm, continuously insisting they remain a day longer, a little longer, just a little while longer. Though they city remained hospitable to them –unnaturally so, by Celestia’s perception- and seemed overly eager to tend to their every need, they still refused to grant them passage to the gateway, or even divulge its location. No matter how they pressed, or what wit was used to make it slip out, those they spoke to seemed to only tighten their lips and increase their hospitality. “All in service of you and the King,” was their sole reply.

Celestia, already ill at ease since their first night in the city, found herself consistently retreating into relative safety of their quarters, spending her many hours meditating or simply relaxing away from prying eyes, of which there were far too many. Whenever she ventured out into the streets below she felt the gaze of every person around upon her, a sensation strong enough to make her flesh crawl. She and Ford were under guard. Hospitably so, but most certainly under guard; for what purpose she could not fathom. As their fourth week slowly became the fifth, she found that she could no longer stand the wait.

“And what do you want to do?” Ford asked of her when she finally brought it up. “I find this place as unsettling as you do, I really do. But if we act against them then they’ll actually have a reason to be hostile towards us.”

“They are already against us. I want to make a move before we are put in a corner,” Celestia countered.

“They’re not wicked. You look them in the eye the same as I do; no matter what strangeness they seem to possess, you see full well there’s no lie in their eyes.”

“I know they are not lying, at least they believe they are not lying. It only adds to the eeriness of it all!” she replied. “How can these people contradict themselves so easily, be so insistent upon keeping us away and yet say they mean us no harm- and then believe it? They’re more like puppets on a string than people any longer.”

“Then they’re still not wicked. They’re odd, yes, and it certainly seems like the king is idolized but they’re not evil.”

“They watch us. Constantly! We are always under surveillance, Ford. Whether it be their eyes upon me, or all the women watching you!”

Ford raised himself from his resting place atop the bed and looked at her with exasperation. “Is that the reason why you’re so uneasy? Is this actual fear or is this just jealousy again like with that laundry maid from way back?”

“It is not!” she said hotly. “I am not shocked if someone finds you attractive, but the idea that every woman in an entire city seems unable to tear their eyes away from you is extremely bizzare! They look as though they wish to drag you away!”

“This is jealousy-”

“They watch me as well, Ford! They look at me as though I am some sort of captive beast running free in the streets, but they look at you like they see an opportunity! They want you for something and I won’t let them have you!”

Ford joined her on the balcony, looking down on the busy streets below. The constant crowd of life and activity still remained foreign to him after their years with the Colony. So many people in such a small space, more than he had seen since they had left Canterlot behind more than a decade ago. He knew Celestia sensed danger in these streets, but he could not find it. Rather than be fearful of these people, they instead had gained his pity. They felt autonomous, void of the unique spirit of self that all Man should possess, their personalities more akin to a mask than a true identity.

“We cannot wait any longer. The longer we wait, the more strength Sombra gains and the further he flies from us,” she said. “We have to find the gateway ourselves.”

“They keep too much of a watch on you- if we made a run for it then a fight would break out. I’d rather not see it come to bloodshed.”

It was true, but the words rankled her. “Stop trying to shoot down every idea I have! I am trying to keep us moving forward the very best I can, to keep us focused!”

“Alright, alright!” Ford surrendered. “I’m not trying to stall you, I swear. I just don’t want to see these people get hurt. I’ll do whatever you ask, I promise. Just… these people aren’t your enemy, so let’s not hurt them if we can help it.”

“If I was to be a distraction to them, could you make your way through the city and find the gateway?” she asked. “I would do my best to give you cover so that they would not suspect you.”

“I can certainly try,” he answered. “But no matter how well I navigate through the crowd, I’ll eventually be spotted. It is inevitable.”

“And we have no way of signaling one another,” Celestia murmured unhappily, “you will have to be fast.”

“I am not young any longer, but I can still be that,” Ford said. “Where will I be when I come to find you?”

“The Sanctum. The guard and the priesthood there have been asking me to tell them stories of our journeys in the gateway. It ought to be enough to keep the most important people in the city distracted.”

“Right in the heart of the city- are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Not at all, but it is the best we have.”

Morning came, a weak sun rising through the morning mists that weaved through the streets like grey ribbons. Celestia had made arrangements with Captain Barraway to visit the Sanctum in just a few hours with Ford as her escort. Instead, she would arrive alone with tales that Ford had fallen ill in the night and required rest, while Ford would begin his journey through Moqesh in search of the gateway in secret. Their likelihood of success was dim, but to wait any longer was excruciating.

“The rear entrance into the villa should be open at this hour. Rumilla will be working at cleaning the kitchens and lower levels by now,” Celestia whispered to Ford as he donned a cloak and hood, embroidered with the mark of the city across the neckline. “Wait a few minutes for me to depart before continuing on.”

“I’ll take the southwest district first. Fewer people from what we can see,” Ford replied. “I’ll move along the outskirts if I can, working my way up north until I find it. Once I do, I’ll make my way to you. And from there…”

“From there we run,” she said, granting him a swift kiss. “Be safe.”

“I think we are out of time for that,” he replied.

Celestia felt her misgivings grow as she walked out into the villa courtyard and into the streets, immediately feeling dozens of eyes fall upon her. Her displeasure about this place was strong, but no matter what she would eventually face, it would not be enough to topple her. But Ford? Finite, fragile, a mere mortal. Brave and determined to the point of relentless, but only a common man, with no power of dark or starlight as his aid. She had come to this place in the hopes of granting him eternity. She hoped that she would not have to face an eternity without him.

Ford’s pace slowed, trying his best to match it against the rhythm and motion of those around him. He had done everything he could to make his outer garments lose their Equestrian luster and mimic the extravagance of Moqesh in the hopes he would blend in. Now out amongst them, he knew it would take more than simple appearance to fool these people. Even now, with his face kept hidden by his hood, he could still sense the curious gaze of passerby lingering upon him. He slowed his breathing, matched their pace, everything he could think of to simply disappear into the crowd; it was only a matter of time before he failed.

Keep moving south, stick to the outskirts. The further away from the center of the city, the safer you become. It was a mantra in his head repeated over and over, an attainable goal he could easily reach- at least he hoped. He did not dare look back for followers, lest his fear give himself away.

The first hour crawled by, his sensed kept heightened by anxiety. But as time passed and the more he pushed southward, the crowds began to disperse and his movements more greatly copied their own. As the second hour came, he had little luck in finding their goal, but had become one of the city’s own.

The morning faded and became midday, the sun rising and becoming strong as the heart permeated through stone and shadow, settling upon Ford like a thick blanket. He pushed the sweat from his brow and continued on. It was time to move north.

As Ford crept on, a tingling sensation on his neck grew strong, and despite his efforts against it, he looked back into the nearly empty street behind him to find little but children playing in the streets and an old woman guiding a donkey along towards the city market. Cursing himself, he turned ahead and continued on. If someone had been watching him, they would be on guard now.

The west district of the city opened up to him, less populated and quieter as the buildings became more ramshackle and simple. The distinct difference between it and the rest of the city was obvious, with no real sign of upkeep that the rest of Moqesh so clearly possessed. He felt an eager sense of expectation. Something was here. He pushed in deeper.

A scrabble of stone and he ducked into an alley. He had heard leather against loose rock, perhaps someone’s boot or sandal. I’ve been put in a corner. Can’t go back out, can’t go out the other end. Ford considered the derelict building in front of him, seemingly empty. Maybe if I push through…

Ford’s movements were slow and quiet, borne out of years of training and real-world experience. Moving through the empty home as quickly as he could, his feet pressing gently against the broken brick and mortar with little sound. As he reached the threshold, he gave a sigh of relief and pushed on, taking note that conditions all around him were continuing to deteriorate. A fetid smell was in the air, one that he recognized as rot.

Ford followed the trail of decay further and further west, watching as buildings continued to fester the deeper he went. His pulsed quickened, wondering what he would find. A weapon? A secret army? An oppressed people? He saw a clearing through an alleyway and he cut through it, racing out to meet it.

A crater lay before him, a cleanly cut hole in the ground with a sharp edge that kept him from descending down a straight face of rubble. It was massive, larger than the Sanctum could have ever hoped to be, with a small sound of moving silt that spoke to its continuous, persistent growth. And down, right in the center of the crater itself, was the distinct wrought-iron silhouette of the gateway.

Ford gazed down the edge, trying to estimate its depth. Ten meters? Twenty? It would be fatal drop if he tried to jump, but with Celestia’s help it was climbable-

A Crack! And he leapt back, watching as the nearby building began to shatter into pieces, falling down into the hollow before turning into dust. He looked about the rim of the crater, watching the process slowly repeat itself everywhere he looked.

“It- it’s eating through the soil,” he whispered. “The gateway is rejecting it.” If Celestia’s beliefs regarding the gateway were true –that they did indeed possess some sense and will- then something in this place was enough for it to become a threat to the native soil. It was enough to convince him something was wrong.

Ford donned his hood once more and turned to leave, trying to orient himself. He needed to find Celestia and make a break for it. If the gateway was right, then something in this place was wicked enough to grant them real danger-

“Not lost, are you dear?” the voice was sweet and warm, but so distinct in the silence that Ford couldn’t help but jump. He turned about to find a beautiful young woman standing behind him, sweet-faced and clearly worried.

“Heaven above- you scared me half to death!” he gasped.

“And you scared me!” she replied, taking his arm and pulling him away from the crater. “You’re in such a dangerous place here, we do not approach it lest we have the blessing of our King! You should not be here without him.”

“I believe you are right, thank you,” Ford said, trying to pull his arm free from her grip and finding it held tight. “I am sorry, I was wandering aimlessly. I am to return to the Sanctum, my wife awaits me-”

“You don’t have to go! Please, come with me and stay for a while!” the woman said, her smile dazzling as her tugging on his arm increased. “It would be wonderful to have company today. And you need something to calm your nerves.”

Ford finally managed to escape her grasp, putting some distance between she and him, the deliberate gesture seemingly wounding her spirit. “I am sorry, truly, but I must go. My wife awaits me.”

He turned and left, now realizing that the streets were still empty, save for he and that one woman. Had she been the one following him?

His path towards the city center was a twisted, winding one, constantly doubling back as he continued to hear footsteps somewhere behind him. At first he had suspected she was going to continue in her persistence, but then he heard the sound of hard boots alongside another pair of footfalls- he was in danger.

“Come, you seem tired!” Another hand reached out and took him in an iron grasp- a raven-haired girl with eyes that shined like sapphires, hardly an adult. “It would be lovely to have you here- even if only for a little bit!”

“I must see my wife, I am sorry-”

“She doesn’t have to know! It could be a secret!” she insisted, trying to pull him into the depths of her home with shadows that now seemed to hide some fell darkness. “You know my lips are sealed-”

Ford managed to free himself and continued on, his calm pace now turning into a brisk walk. There were more people on the streets now, and despite his still-hidden features every eye was turning to fixate upon him. His cover had been blown and they somehow all knew it.

A group of soldiers made an appearance at the intersection, their heads on a swivel as they began a search- for what, Ford could hardly guess. They’ll be after Celestia next if they don’t have her already. We walked right into a trap. He ducked into an alley and cut through, heading behind a series of magnificent villas-

A figure stepped out from behind a fountain and called out greetings to him. A woman with golden hair, finely dressed and more beautiful than any Ford had ever seen, walked out to meet him, taking him in her arms and kissing him-

“Let me go!” he snarled.

“Come sleep with me!” she begged, kissing him again as though she desperately hungered for his touch. “I have looked for you for so long-”

Ford threw her off of him and he raced out of the alley and into the streets, his hood falling from his face as he entered back into the sunlight-

“Hey! You there!” A soldier grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back, looking down at him with a stern displeasure. “There are laws against causing a ruckus, you know! I’ll have to give you a citation!”
“I am sorry, I must leave- now!” Ford said, his eyes glancing back down the alley in case the crazed woman had decided to follow. “I will be at the Sanctum, speak if Barraway and I will settle the matter-”

“Hey! Hey, wait a second!” the soldier began to follow after him, Ford pushing through the crowd in an effort to disappear, but everywhere he went eyes found him and voices reached out for his attention.

“Fresh fruit, picked just for you!”

“I have found gold, my friend, come and see!”

“I need your help, brother, come quickly!”

“We have a meal set for you, my friend!”

“Oh, won’t you please come here for just a little bit?”

Ford felt a hand on his shoulder, gripping tight and squeezing tight in an effort to prevent escape. “Come Ford, no need to make a scene,” said another soldier, holding him tight and pushing him against a wall. “Be a good soldier and let this be done and over with.”

Ford’s efforts against the man halted in an instant. “How do you know my name?” he rasped.

The soldier gave him a smile, one so deeply disconnected from the shadows now roiling in his eyes. “Our King has longed to meet you, and knows your name.”

Ford felt a sick, painful shock of cold horror run through him like lightning. He knew who the king was.

He ran as fast as he could, pushing and shoving through a crowd that had turned against him. Everywhere he went arms and hands and feet and bodies blocked his path, hoping to make him stumble or slow him down, even for a heartbeat. Ford thrashed about, throwing punches and shoves this way and that to shake them off, to gain that one bit of ground and move ahead.

“Tia, run!” he roared, hoping that she would somehow hear him in the midst of it all, even though so far away. “Run!”

A hand went across his mouth and he bit down- but a dozen more took hold of his body, pulling back his arms and legs as he fought against them with every fiber of his being, writhing against the masses that now overwhelmed him and sent the world swirling in a cloud of black.

Celestia was wary. All of the Sanctum priesthood listened to her story with rapt attention, seemingly glued to her every word while their eyes remained cold and calculating, like those of a predator about to strike. She tried her best to keep herself calm, but an occasional tremble in her words was evident. Something was wrong.

They’re looking for something. Ever since I told them Ford was ill, they’ve been on alert. We should have waited until nightfall, then begun the search together.

“Please, Lady Celestia,” one of the priests said, cutting though her words with a raised hand. “This land you spoke of earlier, before you came to a green world… what had caused it to become so desolate and lonely?”

She found herself hesitant to speak Sombra’s name. They kept asking for a perpetrator, like they wished to hear it said aloud. Like a signal to strike. “A wicked man, who deceived their leaders and convinced them to take steps that would cause their ruin,” she replied, her voice become all the more tremulous. “He lied to them and spoke to them of promises that could not be kept.”

“All that destruction was all because of the words of one man?”

“Yes,” she said. “They were deceived, and in so they destroyed themselves. Only the few who gave us shelter were able to escape the abyss.”

The priests present muttered amongst themselves, discussing her story with various reactions. Some seemed sickened, others interested, a few thoughtful. Celestia wondered what they would glean from such things. Did they require it for their lore? Perhaps writings for their king? She could hardly guess.

“Well, my brothers, at least we can know one thing from our lady’s tales,” said the High Priest, coming forward from within the group of holy men and addressing them all. “Such atrocities occur in any world. They once occurred here- until our King came and united the world in harmony.”

“Our King surely would have saved them!” cried one of them. “His strength is great, and what mercy he would have upon them all.” The general consensus, judging by the noise, was that of assent.

Just what kind of words has their King used to convince them so deeply of how magnificent he is? Celestia wondered.

“So, dear lady, you went to spend three years with the people of the Colony, in a wild place untamed and untouched by man,” the High Priest said, “would you consider your time here or there better spent?”

It’s a test. She tried to think of a way to answer without blatantly lying and giving herself away. “We were grateful for our time of rest among them,” she said warmly, her mind drifting back to days beneath fresh, clear skies and a gentle sun. “As we are grateful for our time among you all. Your hospitality has been most welcoming, and my husband and I are very grateful for the kindness you have shown us.”

“We do it in service of our King, dear lady! He has long awaited your arrival! It will be joy for him to see you at last!”

Words she had heard spoken over and over again. If their king was so eager to meet us, one would think he would have arrived already, she thought.

Captain Barraway appeared at the door, his armor somewhat disheveled as though he had come in a great hurry. “A request to speak with the High Priest Abiathar!” he called out into the crowd of holy men.

“If you would excuse me, dear lady,” the High Priest said, bowing his way out the door and heading out with Barraway at his side.

Celestia shifted in her seat, feeling a change in the atmosphere as the eyes of the priesthood turned from their leader and back to her, their gaze more hungry and voracious than ever before. The tamer has left me with his hungry pride of lions.

“Dear lady, please speak to us of your husband, Lord Saber Ford,” said one of them, a smile upon a face as cold as ice. “Surely he is not your first love?”

“He is. And always will be,” Celestia said, a sudden stab of fear piercing her heart. Had Ford been found by them? We’re running out of time. “I could find no greater man on earth, or anywhere.”

“You are dear of him, yes- but surely our King would be greater of a husband than he!” Another great round of assent in honor of their beloved king, leaving Celestia’s skin crawling. “Once our King has arrived, you must meet him! Surely you will see what a great man can truly look like!”

It was time to go. She tried to find an unobstructed exit and found soldiers at every door. I have been here too long. “I am sorry, gentlemen, but I have nothing else to say that is worth saying,” Celestia declared, rising to her feet. “I am- very grateful for the words we have spoken today. I must return to tend to my husband, and see that he is well-”

“You say that your husband is your one great love, but surely there was another before him!” said one of the priests, his words cutting through the air so sharply that the sound blistered her ears. “You once had a lover before him, a far greater man, did you not? A ruler of a kingdom, just like yourself! Your husband does not know, does he?”

Celestia’s blood became frigid and she was struck dumb by the sudden declaration, the atmosphere now charged and set to ignite. Cold memories, so long buried, willfully forgotten, came creeping to the surface and made her heart twist and writhe in agony at their presence until she could hardly stand to breathe with such things pressing tight against her chest. “How do you know that?” she whispered.

“He is here! The King has arrived!” Captain Barraway reappeared at the door with the High Priest beside him, their faces alight with a joy that was more akin to madness, the shadows in their eyes now roiling like a sea in a storm. “Come, dear lady, our King longs to meet you!”

The cries of joy within the tiny room struck hard against her ears and she winced-

“Go! You must meet him at once! He awaits you!” Hands pressed against her back and side, pushing her eagerly towards the door and despite her efforts otherwise, Celestia found herself beginning to exit the Sanctum. Even through the thick walls of the holy place, the cheers and celebration of the crowd were easily evident.

“You will be glad to see him, dear lady! Our King is delighted to know you have arrived!” Barraway declared, rushing her eagerly along-

Celestia found herself beginning to panic, her eyes darting this way and that as she realized she was now surrounded, guards and priests on every side. I’m a prisoner-

“Our King is here! Kill the fattened calf and let us celebrate! Our redeemer is now here!”

Celestia’s heart hammered inside her chest and she tried to summon her power to grasp, to feel it ignite in her fingertips-

A cold, thick metal fell around her wrists and the flow was broken, leaving her head swimming as her arms were held tight against her back-

“My husband. Please, I must tend to him first-”

“He is already here, for he has come to see the King! Come, quickly now!” Barraway urged, his hand now in a vicegrip on her shoulder.

I need to get out of here. Ford, where are you?

The doors to the Sanctum opened to a great crowd of what seemed to be the entire city in celebration, singing songs and praising their king who was somewhere within the crowd.

“Our King is delighted to know you are here, Celestia! He has waited so long to see you,” Barraway said, snapping his fingers-

A heavy blow struck the back of her head and Celestia was toppled, falling to her knees as her vision swirled-

Another strike, then another. Blow after blow fell and still she could not summon her strength to fight them. As her eyes began to close, she looked up at a figure looming before her, and saw the face of King Sombra, his eyes alight with rage.

Author's Note

He is here.
It is about to become very painful.

New additions to the soundtrack can be found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Always glad to hear from y'all, since I'm kind of an attention whore.

... I wonder if anyone's ever gonna figure out the chapter titles?

IX: Yagon

A great hall lay empty, the wrought-iron gate housed within it silent and dim. No life could be seen or felt from within it, no heartbeat pulsing through its veins.

A figure in the form of a man settled before it, gazing into the gate as though his eyes pierced through it and into the land beyond. He could see within its doors, and all within it. For this realm outside of realms was his keeping, his custody and duty that he held above all else.

The Sanctelior closed his eyes, feeling out into the dark as he searched for the two souls to whom he had given charge, seeking out their weak light amidst an endless sea of shadow.

A faint pinprick, there for only a moment before being swallowed by darkness. A great rumble echoed through it, emitting a great shudder like a ripple through placid water.

The Sanctelior knew the time had come. The Doom of Man was to be sealed in permanence upon them.

His eyes told him nothing, save that he was surrounded by blackness. He felt no folds wrapped around his head, nor had his eyes been plucked. All that surrounded him was emptiness. Ford, barely conscious, body bruised, tried to rouse himself from where he lay, only to find binds upon his wrists and ankles, keeping him bound to a table of some kind. That he lay flat on his back was all that he was certain of. He tried to reassemble his memory: he had found the gateway, set to find Celestia on foot, and had been attacked by nearly half the city. But where had they dragged him to?

A sudden flicker of light out of the corner of his eye, accompanied by a duet of footsteps. A door creaked open to reveal the figures of two men, their silhouettes tainted by the fire of the torch.

“He is here, Your Majesty,” said the shorter of the two men, setting the torch in a nearby grate. “The citizens brought him here when he presented himself to be a threat to your glorious name. We have kept him here for you to interrogate ever since, for his crimes are against you alone.”

“Thank you, soldier,” said the other, in a voice so low and rumbling that Ford could hardly bear to hear such a virulent tongue. “You may go. I have no need of protection with this man.”

“Is that wise, Your Majesty? He is a powerful warrior, and the lady speaks to his greatness.”

“Then we shall test his greatness,” said the voice again, as vicious and deep as the void. Ford’s heart ran faster as the door closed and the guard departed, leaving him locked in a darkened room with the man he had never met, never even seen, but knew already by name.

A snap of fingers and the surrounding grates came to life with a dim firelight, revealing a dingy chamber filled with various devices, their purpose all too clear. But Ford gave them no heed, his every attention fixated upon the cold, dark face of King Sombra.

“So you are her chosen champion,” Sombra remarked, taking him in with blood-red eyes that spoke of his distaste. “To see how far she has fallen… it is a disgrace to her kind. To our kind.”

Ford wanted to speak, to bring words that would spite the man’s face, even a wad of spittle would do- but nothing came, a vice upon his neck so deep and constricting that it was a miracle that he could even breathe.

“Ah, so you struggle against it. Magic makes it difficult to fight back, does it not?” Sombra remarked, laying a hand just above Ford’s exposed flesh and making the skin crawl, a tainted black mark beginning to form upon it. “Tell me, how does it feel? Does it burn against you like a fire inside your bones?”

Ford wanted to writhe, to scream, but forced himself to remain stoic. The torment that was being brandished against him was agonizing, and Sombra desperately wanted to see him suffer, but he would not allow it. He would be master of this.

“You are holding your breath against it. You wish to hide your pain- but nothing is hidden from me in this place,” Sombra said, relinquishing his hand and letting the shadowed mark fade.

Ford felt the constriction on his neck return, and words were kept far from his lips, so he gave Sombra an expression of such righteous hatred that no spoken word would do it justice.

“So you fight back even still. I have only given you a taste of what I can do, warrior. Do be aware of that.” Sombra turned away from him, seemingly taking in his surroundings, suddenly completely detached from the world around him as his mind floated away in his own thoughts.

Ford regarded the man, trying to take in what he now faced. Sombra was tall, his body muscular and well-kept. Hair, darker than the deepest night, was kept long and fell just beyond his shoulders, a silver-and-black crown with a single ruby encrusted upon it settled at his brow. Though his very aura was that of shadow and darkness, there was no mistaking the magnificence that imbued this man to the core. His power and strength was far beyond any Ford could hope to muster.

“I wish for you to speak,” Sombra said suddenly, snapping his fingers and letting the vicegrip fall from Ford’s neck. “Come, speak to me… I want to know what you think of my handiwork.”

“You’ve cursed them,” Ford gasped, his throat still burning from the pain it had endured. “Everyone in this city.”

“I have this very world under thrall, little man,” Sombra said. “I have cursed them with my will, and they drink it so hungrily that they would rather die than be separated from it. I have cursed them- just as I brought down rain to flood the world, chilled a planet to its core, set a guardian of a world to burn like a fiery sun.”

“Animal,” Ford said. “Murderer. Traitor to all that is good and right in the world.”

“I have betrayed no one, little man,” Sombra replied, taking Ford’s neck in hand and squeezing tight. “I was born from the God of Shadows, made in the image of the Deep. I was created for the purpose of serving my Master, and to that I have remained for all my days. You look at me and see a failure, fallen from grace- but I assure you: I have only ascended.”

He relinquished his grip and Ford struggled to breathe, choking and spluttering. “Why? Why do you do this to these people? You have lied to them, deceived them in every way imaginable. They would kill for that lie, die for it!”

“They would have it no other way. If I stayed my hand, let the scales fall from their eyes, they would be at my feet begging for the shadows to return to them,” Sombra said, his voice reeking of disgust. “Humanity has always been that way, no matter where you turn. They would destroy themselves and be tossed into the Abyss, if only it meant they kept their comfort for a little while longer.”

“They would choose to do what is right-”

“They chose me!” Sombra snarled, the shadows of that darkened room growing in strength as the fallen Alicorn loomed over his prisoner, reveling in the black. “They chose to drink deep of it, to revel in their sin and wallow in it like a pig in the mud until their very souls were so tarred and disgraced that now even the most passionate plea of the Creator above would be able to rouse them from their slumber. Do not deceive yourself, little man. You wish to see good in which there is none, for they have chosen to become my people.”

“You’ll be stopped,” Ford breathed, his body trembling with rage. “Celestia will take you and crush you like a snake beneath a boot. Sniveling, weak worm that you are.”

Sombra’s eyes flashed and he reached out to Ford, a crimson band flowing out from his fingers and wrapping around Ford’s throat, becoming tighter and tighter until he could not even breathe. “You are insolent. As all Man have come to be. I will break that will in you.”

Ford twisted and pulled against it, desperately trying to bring air to his lungs. He screamed, writhed, protested with all of his being as the crimson band tightened its grip. I will not fall to this. I will not fall to him. I WON’T! “I won’t!” he screamed, his voice breaking through the fibers as a sudden flash of light illuminated the room, snapping the cords away. His breath came in ragged gasps, like shards of glass, but his head was held strong and faced Sombra with a strength that seemed more than his own. “I will not bend to your will,” he said. “I will not have it.”

Sombra hissed, pulling his hand away as though burned, his gaze now alight with anger- and perhaps fear? “I have been mistaken,” he breathed, regarding Ford in a new light. “You are more than merely mortal. Something far older dwells within you.” He began to pace about the room, darting an occasional glance at Ford as though taking a measure of him. “No… there is something stronger in your blood.”

Ford felt the air in the room grow cold and his heart stilled. Something else was coming.

“She says she loves you,” Sombra said, his voice faint and far away. “That she cherishes you. Calls you beloved. Do you believe her?”

Ford found himself confused, a growing horror beginning to take shape within his mind. A small part of him was afraid of where this would lead…

“I believed her once also,” Sombra continued. “She spoke to me like no other had ever dared. She saw greatness in me, she coveted me… loved me.” He turned to Ford with a hatred deeper than the Abyss in his eyes. “Your wife is faithless. A harlot, betrayer of souls. Her first and greatest love belongs to me, it is mine alone. Do not deceive yourself.”

“No…”

“I felt her lips. Felt her flesh against mine,” Sombra said, his voice deep and thunderous. “I slept with her through the darkness, caressed her as we watched the morning light. She spoke to me with a love greater than she has ever, or will ever grant to you. Small, insignificant, unworthy Man as you- she could never truly love a thing like you, and I will have no rival!”

Ford’s mind erupted with an explosion of memories that were not his own. An ancient palace held deep within a thick forest, forgotten chambers and darkened corridors, guided along by a beautiful woman with hair the color of the rainbow. The hand she held was not his own, the face she felt was not his own, the name she spoke was not his own. On and on the memories flowed, overflowing with raw emotion and agony that tore at his heart until nothing left was a tattered rag, and somewhere in the distance, as a poisonous emptiness began to fill his mind, he could hear the sound of an agonized scream that he knew was his own.

She could still feel the cold vicegrip of metal around her wrists, her power nullified and kept contained within her. The blows that now marked her body were abundant, a cavalcade of bruises everywhere she could possibly feel, from head to toe and anywhere in between. A pain in her ribs suggested that one had been bruised, if not broken- another unpleasant ‘first’ she had come to find within the Palace. Her arms were in agony, her toes barely able to keep contact with the hard stone beneath her as she was left dangling from the ceiling. No one had come to interrogate her, or even know that she still breathed. If there were guards outside the door, she did could not hear them.

Celestia could not find fear within her, instead buoyed by a great rage, against both her captor and herself. Sombra had been able to use the people of this world to deceive her and keep a veil over her eyes; if she had possessed the vision to see it, the knowledge that this world was under his thrall would have been obvious. Instead, here she was: battered by mortal fools, locked in a dungeon where no light could reach, separated from her beloved, powerless, and utterly ashamed. It was more than her anger could stomach.

The sound of thundering footsteps from somewhere above her, the silt from the ceiling falling into her eyes and down her ragged throat. A cry of anger from a voice she knew all too well, and the clattering of armor that spoke to a soldier’s swift movements. There was a jostling at the door and then the lock was turned, a sudden burst of flame entering the room as Sombra strode in, his visage like a great pillar of fury.

“You-”

“What is he?!” Sombra roared, the dark deepening around him until it was as empty and formless as the Void from which he had been born. “You call him yours, you know his blood and from whence he came- what is he?”

It had not been what she had expected at all, leaving Celestia at a loss. She had prepared anger and rebuttals against him, but this was different. His anger, despite all her expectations, was not directed at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“He fought back like a great thing. An ancient thing, old as our kin once were,” Sombra seethed. “Something old runs in his blood and makes him strong. I can dominate, twist mind and will against one another until one sheds their own blood, but all need I ever have with mortal Man is to sway and tempt. He pushes back against both with a will of iron and unyielding fire. Do not try to lie to me, in this world where by might I rule alone. What is he?”

“He is mortal. A man born of mere flesh, just as any other. You fear the powers of others so deeply that you seek to find an enemy where there is none!” Celestia spat.

“You are in chains, betrayer. Powerless, without potential to harm unless I bid it.” Sombra stood before her, his power seemingly making him tower over her in an attempt to intimidate. “Answer me rightly, lest my fury overwhelm thee.”

“Be silent! You are little more than a coward, terrified that a new foe would rise against you when you can barely stand against one,” she fired back, feeling her powers grow hot within her and she longed to overwhelm him and crush him beneath her feet. “You seek a worthy foe, why not unlock these chains and let us finish this as we were always meant to?”

Sombra laughed, a deep, wretched coughing that shook and rattled his bones. Sombra’s body slowly became rigid and brittle like bone, his red eyes rolling back in his head until they became white, a sightless face turning to face her and speak with a voice as deep an unforgiving as the Abyss. “You think yourself strong,” it spoke, “but you have wasted your years on a path with no hope, no goal, until here you came and found this place. What has been years for you has been time immemorial to my endless gaze, powered and strengthened beyond any power you know or hope to possess. You seek me as your foe, knowing not that I am beyond you. What you see before you is a shadow, a mere filament of what I have become so that you will not overwhelm and despair. Here I have called it to wait, to have my knowledge flow through it. So that you may know your true path is not yet finished, and beyond this realm is where I await thee.”

Celestia watched as the tremor ended and Sombra’s form returned to that of his blackened normality, a great course of fear running through her like water. She had thought he would be equal in power to her, a strength to match her own. But they had been too far behind, too late in time- the Philosopher’s Stone at the heart of this Palace belonged to him, and had magnified Sombra’s strength into something beyond the realm of mere nightmare and fear.

“What do you hope to find here, in this doomed place of lost salvation?” Sonbra taunted. “There is no redemption within these walls, no forgiveness of past sins. Here I rule, and wait to see what measure of strength you truly have. So that when I rake your head from your shoulders and throw it at your sister’s feet, there will be no dispute or question that I have bested thee.”

“What do you hope to do? The Door to the Void is lost, gone and locked away where not even a trace of your master can reach. Tavan is gone where only his master could hope to find him?”

“I am his child, the last of a forgotten people. I will take back what is mine by right, and with it exact revenge on a betrayed father,” Sombra said.

“Yet you’re afraid. You’re afraid of me, of Ford,” Celestia said quickly, “You fear what we can do to you, and you have every advantage. You’re scared that it won’t be enough, you coward-”

“Coward, am I?!” Sombra roared, his voice as thunderous as an avalanche. “Cowardice is a lover who attempts to murder during their beloved’s slumber, who slinks about in alleyways and dark corners because she is too blind to see what is before her. You had glory in your hands, a chance to rule beside me over a greater dominion that would spread like wildfire until all the world was at our feet. But your sister spoke and that was all you needed. Every night we spent together, every moment shared was now forfeit- all because you did not have the will to see it through!”

“You were slaughtering your own people. Killing and enslaving them like they were mere playthings to be discarded!” Celestia fired back. “What would you have done when Equestria was in your grasp? The world, even? Would you have kept digging until the Void was found? Would a world of iron and rock been your crown?”

“I wanted to find my Maker- to free the one who had redeemed me! I would have had you there with me, kin of my kind. But betrayal is in your blood, and to survive you is all I could hope to manage.” Sombra’s fury was at its peak, and he swooped down to steal a kiss from her lips-

The sensation was like vomit on her lips and she bit down hard and broke through flesh, Sombra pulling back as his mouth began to bleed profusely, a sizeable chunk of his lip now missing as the two glared daggers at one another.

“Touch me again and I shall break these bonds so that I can choke the life from your eyes,” Celestia snarled, her anger so great that she wondered how she had not ignited. “You can lie to these people and take their will away- you cannot hope to do such a thing to me.”

“No. I cannot.” Sombra became solemn, pulling away from her and towards the door. “I will take the throne of my Maker, and succeed where he failed. I will watch you die at my feet. But I will first watch you break, as you once broke me. And know this, lost beloved: I will relish every moment of pain you have.” Sombra knocked on the door behind him and a team of guards walked into the room, one of them carrying a hefty chain in his arms. “Take her to the coliseum and have her perform. My people have waited for this spectacle for too long.”

Never in her life had she known such an experience as this. Always more mighty than the foes that stood before her, more powerful and more feared than any of mortal blood. Yet now she remained bound, dragged along against her will by a squad of armed men, the occasional glance and smile in her direction only adding to her anger. She expected them to try and bully her, to poke and prod her like a beast in a cage. But whether by their own volition or their dark master’s orders, their weapons and hands were kept from her save the chain that led her along.

“We need to hurry. His Majesty is eager for the battle to begin,” said Barraway, leading them through the series of tunnels beneath the city streets. “We have done well thus far, but our work is not yet complete.”

“Is this how you wish to be, Barraway?” Celestia said. “Kowtowing to a monster of the Deep and call him king?”

“He is my King and I am proud to serve him,” Barraway said, not a trace of anger or fire in his voice. “I would have it no other way, and I wish you had seen it also.”

“He’s killed thousands by his own hands. Millions more across countless realms are dead because of your ‘king.’ Is that the lord you wish to have?”

“He is my King and I would serve no other master. All he has done for us is good and right, and we grant him honor for the peace he has brought us.”

“Even if it cost innocent lives?” she asked.

“Our King is right and noble. All who stand against him must fall.” The shadows in Barraway’s eyes were thick and indelible as ink, swirling about madly like a sea in a storm. So deep was he in Sombra’s thrall that he refused to believe anything else.

Celestia was led out of the darkness of the tunnel system and into a great chamber lit by many bright torches, the sound of voices and chanting coming from somewhere above her. All around her were the tools of battle and war, cleanly polished and gleaming in the newfound light, awaiting their use in the battles above. “So am I to fight like a barbarian against some great enemy?”

“No, dear lady, you are to fight as the King wishes,” Barraway said, his men setting to work and beginning their work. “The King has declared that you will fight a mighty opponent with all your strength and power that you possess. You will be allowed whatever tools and craft you may desire, whether it be by fists, by weapon of steel, or by the power inherent in your blood. This the King has decreed: Which do you choose?”

The formality of his voice and the lack of anger that had been so prevalent in Sombra was unnerving. They were unswervingly loyal to a dark demigod, yet roamed and spoke and lived as though they were free people. She had never met people that would see her dead, yet try to kill her with a smile on their face. They even gave her a choice in how she would fight!

Sombra is up to something. He knows what I will choose and he’ll have prepared for it. What is he planning? “I will show your king my true power,” Celestia declared, “and I will use it to wring his head from his neck.”

“You will not succeed, dear lady, for our King is powerful and mighty, and he shall prevail against all foes,” Barraway replied. The soldiers stepped back and a team of women garbed in white robes came forth to perform their work. Celestia’s clothing was pulled from her gently, every movement done with great care so as not to cause any harm. A proper garment of a woman’s tunic, thick and comfortable, was lain upon her, followed by a cuirass of armor across her chest, with a flowing skirt of chainmail that fell to just above her knees bound comfortable across her waist. A scarf was put about her neck and their work was done, no helmet to hide her face, and no weapons or protection of any kind put in her hand.

“Why work so diligently for one who your king wants dead?” Celestia asked of them.

“Our King is fair and merciful, dear lady, and wishes that you fight with all your strength,” one of them said, checking Celestia’s exposed skin for any signs of damage or injury. “For he knows that your strength is great and that no mere foe can best you.”

The women pulled away, their work complete and Barraway returned, taking a key to the chain on her neck and relinquishing it, Celestia’s hands still bound by Sombra’s machinations. Gently, he guided her to a circular platform and centered her within it, giving the Alicorn a look-over before smiling. “If only you had chosen our King, dear lady,” Barraway remarked sadly, seeming to be genuinely wistful. “You would have been a magnificent queen and more great than any of your kind that came before you.”

“Your King deceived me once. Never again.”

A crank was turned and the ceiling above her began to open up, a great shaft of sunlight falling down as she rose to meet it, the platform beneath her slowly rising to come forth into the day. The sound of cheers was unmuffled and grew in strength as she appeared before them all, rising out of the dark and into a sprawling, empty arena where thousands now looked down upon her. Their cheers were loud and booming as thunder, only growing in intensity as the sound of music came in the form of rattling drums, a luxurious booth in the center of the crowd becoming active as Sombra appeared, waving to his thrall of a kingdom as though he were a conqueror. Another motion with his hand and a call to silence was given, the roaring crowd suddenly as quiet as the grave.

“Princess Celestia, betrayer of the King and false ruler to a false people, you have come to be judged by the people of Moqesh, who have deemed thee guilty and worthy of death. Do you deny your charges?” Sombra called, his voice loud and clear as though he stood beside her.

“I will not be your spectacle, Umbra!” Celestia called, her wrists pushing against the binds that still held tight against her skin. “Release me from your works and let me face your foe! And when it falls at my feet, may your people know that its death was upon you!”

“My hands? No, Celestia, not mine at all. Your foe shall die because of you, and no other. Or you shall die to it. I would have it no other way.”

The binds suddenly fell from her hands and Celestia raised them to strike, but before she could even summon her strength a great aura of darkened cloud fell around the arena, obscuring the figures that sat in their seats and seemingly sealing her away in a world separate from them. Sombra had been quicker than she, knowing she would try to attack him rather than stay and fight.

“Celestia, harlot and betrayer, meet your foe!” Sombra called, his voice twisting and crackling with a harsh laughter as acrid as scorched earth.

Celestia turned her eyes to the opposing side of the arena where a great door began to unlock, slowly opening and revealing a solitary silhouette of a man, well-armored and viciously armed. A hulking broadsword in his left hand, an ironshod shield in the right, and a sharpened spear tied to his back, with scores of knives lining his waist, the armored demon marched out from the shadows and slowly strode towards her, a calm, confident swagger in its step.

Celestia waited for it to come closer, the apparent ease of the battle only adding to her disquiet. Surely it would not be this easy, this simple a task. Celestia had slain monsters and beings beyond mortal imagination- something Sombra knew full well. Surely he would not think this was enough to defeat her? He is leading up to something. It is a deception. This man is going to reveal himself to be something horrible.

The figure had come about halfway across the arena when it stopped its slow march and suddenly plunged the broadsword into the earth, standing motionless as though awaiting orders.

Celestia tensed and raised her hands again, waiting for the moment it chose to strike. Come on, now- fight! Face me!

“Great Slave of the Void,” Sombra said, “remove thine helm and reveal thyself. May the Princess forever know the face of the one who will slay her.”

Celestia’s mind suddenly clicked and her heart stopped. There was only one person in this world whose face would be enough to silence her strength-

The armored figure reached up and removed his helmet, revealing the scarred, pale, white-eyed face of Saber Ford.

“No!” Celestia should have known, should have prepared for it- but the sight of her husband, his eyes clouded and beyond sight of recognition, was more horrible than she would have ever dared to imagine. His form was great and powerful, so filled was he with the wrath of the Deep. His breath came in slow, ragged chunks, a faint black mist coming from his open mouth. His cheeks, pale and lifeless, held a faint tinge of inky blackness as Sombra’s strength coursed through his blood, poisoning his every step. Even as she looked upon him, slow drip fell from his skin and onto the ground at his feet, scarring the earth.

“Ford! Ford!” Celestia’s screams felt separate from her body, a spirit that seemed not her own. This was how Sombra wished to torment her. Rather than fight her himself, she would be forced to choose between the unacceptable and the unthinkable: either die by Ford’s hand, or kill the man she loved.

Her hands remained raised by instinct alone, her breaths coming in sudden and sharp. What she was being forced to do, what she would have to do, was more terrible than any nightmare she had allowed her mind to conceive. Ford had wanted to make her promise she would kill him, for a moment such as this. She had denied it, believing so fervently that he would not falter. Yet here he stood, with eyes unseeing and a heart now in the deepest thrall of the Abyss, the nightmare he had been brave enough to imagine and foresee.

“Ford, listen to me! He’s deceived you, Sombra has lied to you! He’s poisoned your mind and turned you against yourself! You have to try and listen to me, wherever you are in there!” she screamed, her hands beginning to tremble. “Please, wake up! You have to try and wake you, you have to! Please, Ford, wake up!”

Her words fell upon a corpse that still walked, each breath as hollow and rasping as the last gasp of a dying man. Ford, strong and loyal, had been plucked from his own mind and destroyed. If there was still any shred of his own soul left within his dying husk, it was now too far gone to be saved.

Celestia knew what she would have to do. There was nothing left of him, no real part of Ford within. But every time she spent looking upon his face, a thousand memories of the man she loved would only strengthen and continue to surface until all she could see was Ford in his entirety, from the moment she had met him to now. Even now, when his being had been consumed in darkness, all she could see was his face- the face of the man she had married. Her hands fell limply at her sides. She could not do it.

“Champion… kill her.”

Ford looked out upon her with his empty eyes and took sight of her. He gave a hellish roar that echoed the voice and will of thousands and took his sword in hand once more, charging towards her with his weapon raised for the kill.
Celestia stood motionless, unable to rouse herself from the agony of her husband’s sightless, lifeless face-

He’s going to kill me.

Ford grew closer, the broadsword raised above his head in preparation for the strike-

You need to move, he’s going to kill you.

Celestia’s eyes still burned with the sight of it, the gaze that had once held compassion and intelligence of a great man were now white and empty-

He’s going to kill you!

Ford charged forward, now only a hair’s breadth away-

He’s going to kill you- MOVE!

As though roused from a great slumber, Celestia’s will was finally awakened and she finally leapt to avoid the oncoming blow-

It was enough to avoid the kill, Ford’s blade slamming into the ground and causing the earth to shudder violently, the great blade sinking deep into the earth-

He’s going to kill you and you can’t hurt him. Why are you fighting? Celestia’s hardened instinct for survival fought an internal war against her despair, slowing her reflexes as a part of her knew she would have to face death-

A spear shot by her head, missing by the merest of inches and causing her to stumble back, her inner reverie pulling her away from the threat at hand-

Ford gave a snarl, still next to his imbedded broadsword as he tried yet again to extract it from the earth. His hands went around the hilt and gripped tightly, a seeping black liquid pouring from his hands and cementing itself around his hands like foul gloves, his strength increasing and he wrenched the blade from the ground, holding it high like a trophy. He turned to face her once more, preparing another charge-

You can’t give up. You have to think of a way to draw him back! Fight! She silently screamed-

Crack! A sudden flash of metal and Ford’s shield crashed into her, tossed from a distance and scoring a perfect strike across her midriff where the armor was thickest, the sudden surge of weight causing her to lose balance-

He was there before she could even recover, throwing a vertical strike that was meant for her neck-

Celestia let gravity take hold and she fell to earth, Ford’s swing cutting through the air rather than bone and sinew. She rolled away as best she could, trying to maintain distance from her attacker-

He’s too far gone. You can’t bring him back.

You have to try You must try! He would never rest if it was you-

Her thoughts betrayed her once more and Ford was there with a crushing blow, his blade drawn back as he struck out with the hilt, aiming for her unprotected head-

She tried her best to catch his hands and hold him back, her strength suddenly pushed to its limit by the incredible power flowing through her husband’s body. She struggled, her grip on Ford weakening with every second, the viscous liquid that had engulfed his hands beginning to scald her skin-

Ford snarled, his teeth bared and he pressed harder, blackened spittle falling from the cracks in his teeth and worming its way down his arms, a multitude of living beasts that crept from his blade and dripped onto her exposed flesh-

Each drip was like fire on her skin, Celestia screaming as one droplet after another of the foul substance continued to pour down on her like rain, eating through and driving deep into the bone-

Her grip fell and she collapsed onto the ground, trying to scramble away from Ford and away from the corruption within him-

A hand fell on her shoulder like a vicegrip and she was flung hard against the nearby wall, the blow knocking the air from her lungs and leaving her senseless. She clutched at her throat, trying to find a way to breathe again-

A hard slam against the wall and she was left stunned yet again. Ford took her and threw her hard into the earth, taking a curved dagger from his belt and plunging it into her shoulder-

She screamed as the blade’s corruption flowed into her blood, feeling the cold steel become wedged even deeper as Ford continued to drive it through in the hopes of plunging it through into the ground-

“Enough! You have won, O Champion mine!” Sombra bellowed. “Cleave her head from her shoulders and lay it before me. She is unworthy to seek me where my strength is greatest.”

Ford tore at Celestia’s armor, pulling it away until only the simple tunic remained. Digging his knee into her waist, he came face to face with her as he set his dagger upon her neck, preparing to cut long and deep.

Celestia felt tears cloud her eyes, unwilling to see those unseeing eyes within the face of her husband any longer. Knowing the death blow would come swift and fierce, she reached out with her free hands and took him and kissed him, her lone farewell to the man she had loved and would now be slain by-

Ford shrieked in agony and leapt back, squirming and screaming in the dust like a worm under the noonday sun. For a moment his eyes flashed, the brightness within them suddenly bursting through the dead wall of white-

She hadn’t known what she had done, but the act had been enough to spare her for the moment. Celestia rose from the dirt and reached out to her still-screaming husband, taking his arm in hand and holding tight-

Ford continued to struggle, pulling hard against her grip as though it caused him torturous agony just to feel her skin upon his, the blackness under his skin flashing and flaring like lightning in the night sky-

“No! Whatever is in you does not own you any longer!” Celestia cried, forcing her palm against his chest as Ford screamed to split the rocks, held powerless as her strength poured into him. “You are my husband, my friend and guardian, and I want you back!” Her hand ignited with a bright white that shone brighter than any star, pulsing through his blood. “Echuiv, eri o cín haudh!”

Celestia’s vision left her, all senses disappeared, leaving her only with the sensation of a horrible weakness that she had never before known. A strange emptiness fell upon her in power and she felt the great sense of a body dying all around her-

Ford’s screams became muffled and a horrible rattling echoed in his throat. Clambering to his knees and gasping for air, black ooze poured from his mouth like vomit and he began to choke as a slimy, slithering tail suddenly erupting from his open maw-

Celestia’s vision suddenly returned and she caught sight of the foul thing, her hand lashing out and grabbing it tight, pulling it from Ford’s throat and throwing it out onto the ground. It was a scarred, slithering creature that looked akin to a leech, its mouth filled with hundreds of barbule teeth, its shrieks and cries of pain torment to the ear. She crushed it beneath her heel, feeling the disgusting beast wither and die beneath her weight, giving several additional digs into it for good measure, eventually relenting and blasting it into dust until she was at last certain it was gone.

Ford’s choking gasps became harried gulps of air, falling to the ground and panting as though he had run a marathon. His arms flailed wildly, his terror consuming him as his own senses began to slowly return. Darkness. Agony. Betrayer, betrayer, betrayer… where am I? Why can I not breathe? What is happening to me? Panic grew in him like a balloon, his vision still cloudy and obscured by great veils of grey and black. I can’t see. “I can’t see!”

“I have you! I have you,” said a voice, distorted in his ears but still familiar, a pair of hands holding tightly around his wrists and keeping him stationary. “You are alright. Breathe, simply breathe. I have you…” The seconds were agony as Celestia waited for him to settle, watch as the cloud of thick white fell away from his eyes like the morning mist and be replaced by fear and confusion. His breathing was still rapid but controlled, and no longer was he spluttering the black tar that had erupted from his lungs.

Ford’s gaze flitted across the arena wildly before he finally found her and came into focus, seemingly recognizing her at last. “Celestia! What happened to me, where am I? Is what he said true?”

“You’re alive! Can you walk?”

“I don’t know- what happened to me?” he screamed.

“I happened.” The cloud and fog around the arena disappeared and the two suddenly found themselves surrounded by a great host of citizenry, all silent and seeming to be in shock- save for Sombra, who looked down upon Celestia with a mixture of both displeasure and satisfaction, a sight on his face she had never wished to see.

“You!” Ford found his focus and fury, taking his broadsword back in hand and stumbling towards Sombra. “You’ve lost! Release these people, and flee this place!”

“I will do no such thing, little light,” Sombra rebuked, rising to his feet and looking down upon the man with disgust. “I was right about you. You are something far older than mere mortal Man could hope to be. I wish to see you there alongside her when you find me again.”

“This isn’t over, Sombra! You and I will finish this, here and now!” Celestia roared, her power primed and ready for ignition at a moment’s notice.

“But it is. Find me in the dark heart of infinity, Celestia. There my true self shall be waiting for you, and it will be eager to see what you can truly do.” Sombra looked about, raising his hands to beckon for his people and the crowd as one man, ready to do their king’s bidding. “People of my great city, prove your loyalty to your great King. Kill them both!”

The rush of bodies over the arena boundaries was so sudden that Celestia barely had any time to react, reaching out for Ford and grabbing hold of his arm as she snapped her fingers, the two suddenly teleporting out of the arena and into the tunnels below, the light of the sun vanishing in an instant-

“We need to get above ground! The gateway is in the west district of the city, it’s eating the city away, but it’s not open!” Ford said, quickly regaining his strength now that he had been released from the monster’s thrall.

“The entire city will be on our trail, I’ll try to hold them off as you guide us, can you do that?” she demanded.

“Was what Sombra said about you true?”

“That doesn’t matter now- answer the question! I need you to focus right now and keep us alive!”

I can! Please, don’t kill any of them, they’re under his control like I was. They’re innocent!”

Celestia raised her hand and allowed to ignite, blasting through the tunnel ceiling and letting the sun flow down upon them, she taking Ford’s hand and leaping out into the city streets and finding themselves surrounded by hostile citizenry on every side-

“After them!” The crowd moved as one against them; man, woman, and child raced out to meet them, weapons raised and eager for their blood-

Celestia flared her arms and blew them back, the sound of bones crunching against hard stone and marble crackling in their ears-

“I said don’t kill them!” Ford roared-

“They’ll live, but we won’t be able to be passive long- guide us out of here!” she cried, alarmed by how quickly the injured were returning to their feet-

Ford took point and led them through the unforgiving streets, the pair beset in every direction by a host of enemies, all eager to perform the bidding of their master. Celestia found herself pushing back with all her strength, the constant assault of bodies flung against them a relentless tide-

“Cut through the market! Come on!” Ford leapt out into the crowd with a sudden rush of speed, the sudden appearance taking the unsuspecting throng by surprise-

Celestia felt a hand on her injured shoulder, the fingers digging deep into the knife wound with intent. She shrieked and delivered a sudden rush of electricity into her unseen assailant, eliciting a cry of pain and she was released-

Ford tumbled through the crowd and pushed his way through, trying to remember the route as best he could. He had been in the western edge of the city when he had found it- but how was he going to get there and keep everyone alive? Celestia was in a panic and would soon unleash her full power if he didn’t find a way through quickly-

“Keep us moving!” she shouted, sighting a trio of guards heading towards them and blowing them back against a wall. She tried to ignore the fact that her stab wound was still bleeding profusely, and that her skin still burned in agony from where the creature’s bile had fell upon her. With her body working in overdrive to heal, combined with her militant use of her powers, she was beginning to fade faster than she had anticipated-

“I’m trying- there! This left on the intersection!” Ford yelled, barreling into an armed guard and sending him toppling-

They made the turn and found themselves running straight into a wall of people, the great crowd rushing towards them in the hopes that sheer numbers would be enough to overwhelm-

Celestia gave a scream and took the nearby buildings in her grasp, crumbling them until their walls were ground into dust and silt, giving the cloud form and shape until it became a great whirlwind that rushed into the host, scattering them like flies and driving a gap through the crowd-

“Keep moving, the district is opening up! Just beyond this borough!” Ford said, pushing through the staggering crowd and leading them on-

It was so sudden that she could not have hoped to anticipate it. A lone member of the crowd, an old woman hardly able to walk, plunged a kitchen knife into Celestia’s side, leaving it imbedded within her as she fell to the ground. Celestia screamed, staggering forward as the pain overwhelmed her senses and left her stunned. Without warning, her powers surged forward and a great pulse ignited from her and slammed into her surroundings, throwing her assailants aside and turning the nearby buildings into rubble-

“Celestia! You’ve got to- no, leave it in! You’ll bleed to death!” Ford cried, watching in horror as she pulled the knife from her side and allowed the wound to pour freely out onto the ground, the sudden flow staining her clothes a deep crimson-

“My body will heal it, but I have little else to give! Keep us moving or we’re not going to make it!” she said, feeling the wound beginning to slowly seal itself and sap her strength away from her-

Ford could barely find the will to keep his panic at bay. He was exhausted, surrounded by a city of people that wanted his blood, leading a wounded woman to a gateway still far away and burdened by a revelation that he still could not determine if it was truth, not knowing how he was going to possibly survive-

“Ford!”

“Uh- this way, head this way!” Ford tried not to focus on the ruination that now surrounded them, and wondered if any people had been within the buildings when she had reacted-

They raced through the darkened alleyways until at last the great breadth of the crater opened up before them, the crumbling ruin surrounding it growing all the larger with every passing moment. Ford could still feel the earth giving way beneath his feet as he approached its edge, wondering how they would possibly get down without causing further harm-

“We’ll have to jump,” Celestia said weakly, still clutching a hand to her side in order to help stupor the slowing flow. “We’re out of time.”

“It’s going to hurt,” Ford warned her, taking her in hand as the two leapt down as one man, falling down the sharp edge and eventually finding themselves sliding against the ground, catching every outcropping of rubble that could be found until they at last came crashing down into the basin, severely battered but still crawling towards the wrought-iron gateway.

“We have to keep moving. We have to keep moving,” Celestia gasped, trying to ignore the pulsing pain in her chest. She had expended her strength- twice now, in such a short span of time. Wounded in the manner of mortal man, her blood shed and her body slow to heal amidst the onslaught of foes they had faced, the fact that she could still stand was a marvel to her. But more than her wounds or her exhaustion was that foul creature’s mark, delving into her blood and feeding on her strength until it felt as though they had found sentience and wormed their way into her brain.

“It’s not open,” Ford said, putting her arm over his neck and aiding her staggering steps. “We’re right here and the gateway still isn’t open! Why isn’t it opening?”

“It will open… it has to open…” flashes of memories long lost, a childhood spent in training and study beside a sister she had nearly lost-

Dark. Doom. A specter in the Void-

“You’ve got to stay awake! Stay awake, we’re almost there!” Ford yelled-

A hand on my throat, crushing my bones and tearing me apart. A world lost, a kingdom burning and rotting away-

Ford fell before the sealed gateway, Celestia collapsing against its unmoving doors and giving a scream of unrelenting agony, clawing at her skin and clothes as though some fell thing writhed within her.

“I can feel it! I feel it on me! Take it away!” she shrieked, her torment transporting her into worlds away where Ford could not drag her out.

“Come on already! Open up, we’re right here! Ford yelled, slamming his fists against the closed doors. “We’re going to die if you don’t open up- open up!”

“Stop! Put your hands in the air!”

Slowly, Ford turned about to see Barraway standing a few feet away with a spear pointed directly at Ford’s unprotected chest, with a host of soldiers beside him. All about the crater was a growing crowd of both guard and citizen, all creeping towards them with murderous intent.

“Barraway, listen to me, your king has betrayed you. He’s stolen your mind and taken away your will, you have to fight it,” Ford said, desperately pleading with the man.

“The King has decreed your death. Your presence here is a threat to all that is right and good in the world,” Barraway declared.

“Barraway, you have to listen! I’m not talking to the man Sombra has twisted you into- I’m talking to you, the real you, the one that he’s tried to keep buried for all your life!” Ford said. “I know you’re in there somewhere, you’ve got to fight it! He’s deceived you, taken away your will and he’s responsible for the murder of millions! You’ve got to fight him, come on!”

For a moment, the fell shadow in Barraway’s eyes began to lose strength and lessen, the blackened veil turning grey. The calm confidence of the guard dissolved and turned to grief as the real man within began to struggle and fight for his life. But just as quickly as it had come, it vanished- the veil fell upon him in totality and he gripped his spear all the more tightly. “There is no other truth than my King,” he said firmly. “My King has called me- so I will obey.”

“I don’t want to do this,” Ford said, glancing at the still-closed gateway, and Celestia still paralyzed by her agonies. “Please, you’ve got to try. Wake up, I beg you!”

Barraway gave the call to charge and the host rushed as one, racing with weapons raised for the kill-

With a grievous lament Ford slashed out against them, his weapon spilling the blood of soul after soul. He fought with all his might as they fell against him like water upon rock. Where one fell, another came to take their place, none caring if they lived or died in their endeavor, for only the will of their deceiver king mattered in their minds. Again and again he cut them down, ceaselessly pleading for them to relent and turn back. But no plea reached their ears and the battle raged on, a lone warrior against an army of the accursed, foe after foe falling in death until it seemed the whole city had come to die at his feet.

“Stop!”

A young woman with a farmer’s sickle in hand rushed towards him-

“Stop!”

A wizened old man with a kindly face came stumbling forward with a hatchet-

“I said stop goddammit!”

No cry was enough, until at last the crater fell silent, and no blade was found raised against him. At his feet and all around him was the blood of countless faces. Men and women, far too old and much too young, all driven to their deaths by the singular cold will of one man. Everywhere Ford looked he could see the flow of freshly drawn blood, spattered across faces of the fallen dead. He fell to his knees and screamed, the sight of his handiwork in such massing more horrible than the darkest nightmare he had ever found the strength to face.

“Ford…” Celestia’s voice was weak and she lay a hand on his shoulder-

“Don’t touch me!” he snarled, recoiling away from her touch, and upon his face was an agony and horror too terrible for words. He looked beyond her at the gateway, seeing its doors flash white and open before them, at last ready to bid them leave. Ford raced through them without a moment’s hesitation, hoping that wherever they found themselves next, it would be the place that he fell to death at last.

Author's Note

And that is all I have to say about that.

New additions to the soundtrack here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. And... it is not well.

X: Sagav

She felt water. Cool, but not cold against her still-fragile skin. Water gently pushed against her as she exited the doors of the gate and she found herself pushing against sand as the crests of lapping waves flowed just overhead. Though her vision was still not fully recovered from her ordeal and her body continued to quiver, she could feel a far gentler pressure against her as she started to rise. The water was now shallow enough for her to stand upon without much difficulty, and she was grateful for a chance to exert herself less. Every step she took was still a struggle and she felt as though she had run a marathon.

Air, sweet, clean, and glorious filled her lungs as her head popped above the waves, a gentle pressing of the surf rolling in from behind her. The sun poured down from the baby-blue sky above, the heavier warmth that came with the early evening meeting her skin along with it. She was soaked to the bone but the mere fact that she was alive, and had somehow survived the ordeal was more than enough. A flash of memory and she shuddered, giving herself a shake and sending the cold thoughts away. What she had seen had been monstrous, worse than any dream could have conjured- it had no place in the sunlight, in a land far away from that accursed city.

Suddenly she realized she was alone. “Oh my- Ford. Ford!” Celestia cried, her uneven gait turning into a lethargic run as she tried to rush out of the water, her head looking this way and that she she spied the shoreline. “Where are you? Can you hear me?” She had followed him through the gateway only moments after he had departed. What if he, having gone alone, had stepped foot into a different land? The Palace was infinite, endless- they would never see one another again if they had been separated. And after what had happened, what Sombra had said about both of them, she needed to find him first before it was too late-

A figure just at the edge of the water and prostate in the sand, not moving in the slightest. The broadsword at his side and his waist still decorated with the numerous knives he had been given, Ford did not seem to have noticed her cries, remaining motionless with his head bowed. His wounds were obvious; a cut along his back, his arms blackened and bleeding, but nothing that suggested anything severe. Her own injuries had been more deadly, though admittedly quicker to heal than his. Nevertheless, Ford remained inert and more akin to a statue than a man, cold and void of life.

It was enough for her to know something was wrong, and Celestia felt a chill in her. As she came to the beach she stopped a short distance away from him, falling to her knees and choosing to slowly close the distance. Ford still did not move, his head still bowed.

What did Sombra say to him? She wondered. He asked if it was true… surely Sombra didn’t tell him? It would be nothing close to the truth, a twisted lie. “Ford?” she called.

Still nothing. Did she see a stiffening in his spine? It was too subtle to tell.

“Ford, are you alright?” she asked, reaching out her hand to touch him-

“Stay away from me!” Ford snarled, coming alive like a wild beast, leaping to his feet and staring at her with such hatred that she wondered for a moment if Sombra’s curse was still lain upon him. “Don’t you touch me!”

He knows. Celestia was unprepared. She had been uncertain of how to tell him in the first place, but now with the moment forced upon her she was ill-prepared to deal with the severity of the situation.

“Sombra came and talked to you, didn’t he?” Ford raged. “Did he tell you that he came to me first?”

Celestia found herself unable to look upon him, her gaze looking everywhere but his face, afraid of the anger and grief that she would find in such power there. She felt caught like a mouse in a trap.

“He told me that you’d known him when he first came to power. That you’d loved him like you say you love me. You’d slept with him, treated him like a king.”

The words burned her heart worse than Sombra’s beast could have ever hoped for, tears coming unbidden and making her wonder if she would even be competent enough to answer.

Ford’s voice struggled, but he persisted nonetheless. “That would mean he came to power during your reign. That you would’ve been aware of everything he was doing and you loved him anyway. Is that true?”

“YES!” she screamed, unable to withstand the agony of waiting any longer, looking up at Ford and finding the pain and fury of thousands within his eyes. “Yes! I loved him, I nearly married him! He brought his own people to the brink of extinction and even tried to take my own with him! I- I helped him do it and I didn’t even know…”

Ford’s chest heaved, a horror falling upon his face so strongly that it looked as though he would be sick from the overwhelming power of it. “You- he- it- dammit!” Ford fell to his knees and screamed until it seemed as though his throat would crack, clutching his head for fear it would shatter. He slammed his fists into the wet sand again and again, trying to elicit pain from his already fatigued body and finding it too meager. Taking a knife from his waist he struck out against himself, cutting across his chest relentlessly until his body was stained crimson with his own blood, all capped off with one last agonizing scream that sounded like shattered glass.

“How many people did I just kill?” he roared, looking at Celestia with unparalleled disgust. “How many people just died because of you? Is it not enough? Were the thousands –the millions that have died- not enough to make you think it was reason to stop? You could have stopped him, you could have done something! It should have ended right then and there, but you let him do it! He came back because of you, we’re here because of you! Everyone that has ever died at his hand is because of you!” Ford looked ready to vomit, struggling to recapture air in his lungs and continue his tirade, no words seemingly enough to satiate his anger. “I didn’t want to kill them! They were innocent, he had them in his grasp! They didn’t know what they were doing! Now their blood is on my hands because of you- I committed a genocide because of you!” Ford’s wail of grief was so strong that it would have been no shock if the rocks and seas had joined in his torment, a grievous song to the heavens above.

What could she say? Celestia hardly had strength of will herself, no voice that could go along with her tears. She had no words of remorse that would cover over the indelible stain upon her name, no confession that would cleanse his mind of the actions he had taken. And no matter how much each word stung, barbed and agonizing, she would not dare deny it, knowing that it was all too painfully true.

Ford finally rose to his feet with an expression that was murderous to behold. “I don’t want to ever see you again, you hear me?” he sobbed. “I destroyed a city of enslaved people because of your sins. I should have let them tear you apart. If you ever come near me again, I will kill you myself.” He turned his back upon her and began walking towards the rising shores, heading for the hills and beyond until he was out of sight and beyond her aid.

Celestia said nothing, merely collapsing back into the waters so her tears would be lost forever in the salt.

Celestia was alone. Coldly, irreversibly, unfathomably alone in a world that knew nothing of her and she of it, with no guide or comfort to aid her.

She had eventually left the beach after several hours, instinct of survival driving her rather than that of a desire to move. The cold of the water had become biting, and the air had done little to help. The climate was an early spring, too young to bring any sort of comfort or warmth at night. She had remained discomforted throughout the night, huddled beneath a nearby grove of trees where she had eventually been forced to settle, exhaustion having finally forcing her to the ground. She had hoped, in some dim way, for sleep, that perhaps her grieved and weary mind would have rest, but so great was her weariness that slumber would not come willingly. After many hours of tossing and turning, she had at last found sleep just before the first hints of dawn. She had not slept long.

She had no real path or destination. She simply wandered onwards, walking forward with no thought of an arrival or meaning to her movement. She had failed completely, had barely escaped Sombra’s trap with her life, and had lost the loyalty of her husband all in one sitting. It was more than she could bear, and all desire to press on and find her prey had evaporated. Even if she found the gateway in this new place, she cared not for it to open.

If Celestia’s mind had not been so intently focused inward, she would have found that she was traveling through magnificent country. The grass beneath her feet was a verdant green, with a beautiful blue sky above her, perfectly dotted with the occasional cloud. The air was warm as in the times of pleasant spring, with a gentle breeze pressing against her face and keeping the air fresh and comfortable. Birds warbled and chirped in the air and in the nearby trees, while wild things of the world leaped, bounded, and raced across the ground. At last, when Celestia’s forlorn ruminations had finally run their course, she came to notice the lightness that had come upon her physical form. Though her spirits remained low, the air she breathed was sweet and clean, and the world she had come to was alive and magnificent. If I am to wander here, this was not a poor place to have come to. Ford would have… have enjoyed the time here-

Her throat became unbearably tight and she struggled to keep her breathing even. The last realm they had ventured through had been beautiful and glorious, yet had brought more wrath and danger upon them than any before it. She could not let her guard down, even now.

What’s the point? You’ve lost. You couldn’t even defeat Sombra and that was only a fraction of his new strength. With Ford gone, you have no hope. If someone were to kill you here, they would only be speeding up the inevitable.

When her vision was no longer blurred, Celestia looked to the horizon and saw the purple silhouettes of mountaintops in the distance, with what looked like snow upon their thin peaks. Perhaps it was curiosity or something greater; Celestia was drawn to the sight and she, unconsciously, began to steady her stride. She would head there.

As the evening shadows came to fall on the land around her, Celestia’s lack of water and food began to threaten her hopes of continuing on. Her energy had been spent in battle, and her wounds would only slow its recovery. To be just a normal person was struggle enough, and she found her stomach ached and her throat had become cracked. Moving would be difficult, and only more so if she continued on her journey come the morning. Perhaps the call to the mountains was her death sentence, and she would fall before she even came close. It would be justice for her sins, she thought.

A faint tinge of flickering orange in the distant darkness, beneath the shade of a tree. Someone else was out here in this place with her. Surely not Ford? Driven by curiosity and the instinctive hope for aid, she headed towards it. As she came closer, the thin figure of a person was seen huddled over a cooking fire, a thick pot set over to boil. An enticing scent of hot stew overwhelmed her and Celestia’s mouth began to water.

“Ho there! I can see you’re out there!” cried the figure, the voice of a woman. “Come on, don’t be shy! I always make a little extra, in case I run into wandering folk out here.”

Fear made Celestia suspect a trap. But the voice had little temper in it, and seemed to be genuinely welcoming. She creeped closer and came into view of the firelight, revealing herself to the stranger.

“Well, you certainly look like you’ve had quite a day,” said the woman, a middle-aged, spectacled woman wearing hiker’s gear and a soft smile. “Come on, there’s plenty to go around. That’s a love.”

Celestia was handed a piping hot bowl with a spoon before she had even said a word, the other woman serving herself and nestling back against her rucksack. “Well, you might as well get comfortable. Eat up, you don’t want it to go cold! A good meal always does the spirit good.”

It was sound advice that was soon proven true, Celestia’s hunger roused to full strength by the first taste of the broth. Though a simple dish, merely vegetable roots with wild rabbit, the meal was likely the most glorious thing she had ever tasted, and it took her little time to devour it all. Though not a full stomach, it was more than she could have hoped for.

“Well you’ve certainly got an appetite,” the woman said pleasantly, unable to hold back a chuckle as Celestia licked her spoon clean. “Feel free to help yourself if you want more. Like I said, I always make extra in case someone needs it.”

“Thank you,” Celestia said. “Truly. You had no reason to grant me such kindness.”

“Oh, you never need a reason to be kind, love. Tell me, what brings you out here so far from the village?”

“I am… a traveler here,” Celestia said slowly. “I have not had an easy road.”

“Oh, so you’re a new soul here! It’s always nice to see a new face around, I always say. What’s your name?”

“C- Celestia, miss.”

“A lovely name. My name is Isah, and it’s very lovely to meet you,” the woman said pleasantly, reaching over and giving Celestia’s hand a friendly squeeze. “Where exactly are you headed, now?”

“I… I have no destination, really,” Celestia answered. “I was thinking of heading to the mountains.”

“Well, bless my soul, so am I!” Isah declared. “Tell you what, why don’t you travel with me there? It’d be lovely to have some company on the way there- and maybe you’ll find what you’re really looking for.”

Isah was a strange creature, Celestia realized. Most certainly human, but possessing an otherness that she could not quite put her finger on. She looked into her eyes for fear she would find a shadow, but instead only saw the woman’s wise brown eyes looking at her, crinkled by a smile.

“It- it would be lovely,” Celestia said, finding that she indeed meant it.

“Wonderful! Now come on, have another helping- and here’s some fresh water, your voice sounds parched!” Isah said, taking another helping of stew herself before handing Celestia a fresh canteen. “No, no, don’t you worry! I always have two, you never want to know what’ll happen if one goes missing!”

The foothills of the mountains were now ahead of them, what had been mere colored silhouettes at first were now majestic towers of rocks capped with white teeth that spoke to the snow on the higher levels. Some appeared to be simply uniform; circular caps of earth that had once been spires of fire and wrath now dormant, while others were strange and malformed, seeming more like broken glass rather than great peaks.

Though Celestia had done little but simply walk along with her, Isah claimed she was glad of the ‘younger’ woman’s company in her travels. “It gets lonely out here in the wilds, you can imagine,” she said as they settled for the night, digging into her rucksack to extract a fresh bundle of firewood and begin her work. “I’ve been doing this for so long now, it’s just become normal to be out on my lonesome. It’s a nice change of pace.”

“Here, allow me,” Celestia said, taking the bundle from her and snapping her fingers- a series of hot sparks erupted from them, setting the fire quickly to blaze. It was not much, but it was a sign that she was recovering; no exhaustion, no weariness or sensation of being drained from the effort. She was becoming strong once more.

“Well, I certainly wish I had your talents. Started right up, didn’t it?” Isah said pleasantly, digging for her cooking pot. “We’ll get started in the morning just around sunrise, I think.”

“Miss Isah…”

“Oh, you can stop being so formal, love. We’re just a pair of old girls out on the lam.”

“Isah- what are you hoping to even find out here?”

“Well, I never quite know,” she said, poring over her cooking supplies. “I just go wherever I’m needed, I s’pose. One can never really tell what you’re really looking for, can you?”

“I… guess not.”

Isah sensed the woman’s disquiet. “You sure you don’t want to tell me what’s on your mind, dear?”

“I would not know how to tell you,” Celestia admitted.

Isah smiled, a small tinge of gentle laughter in her expression. “It’s alright, I understand how it can be sometimes. Do you think you’re the first one to wander with a heavy heart? After all, part of your heart isn’t even here with you, is it?”

Celestia’s initial reaction was fear: had she been watched since she had arrived? Was Isah, just like the others from Moqesh, a spy for her enemy and all this land a ruse to lower her guard?

“Don’t look so surprised, love, you don’t hide it very well. Always looking over your shoulder to see if someone’s there, talking in your sleep and reaching out as though someone should be there… who is he?”

A tinge of shame became mixed with her paranoia. She had not yet fully lowered her guard, but perhaps it was unfair to remain so distrustful. “He was my husband,” she said lowly. “We traveled here together, but- I- he trusted me and I failed him.”

Isah nodded, setting to work over her cooking pot. “Not an easy thing to mend, trust. Especially when it’s someone you love. It only makes it hurt all the more.”

“I had been debating how to tell him the truth, and I didn’t make the right choice in time. He- suffered… because of me. He’s proud, and noble, so now that he had to do something horrible, it was because I’d been too late.”

Isah said nothing as she continued to work, stirring the cooking pot slowly and humming a tune under her breath. To anyone who watched, it would appear that she only had feigned to listen, allowing Celestia’s words to become mere background noise. Celestia, however, could sense the deliberance in the woman’s movements, every motion carefully calculated as though she was preparing her thoughts- or reading Celestia’s.

“What was that place like, to make you so afraid of a tiny woman like me?” Isah asked, suddenly sounding like the voice of an ancient being. “You tower over me. What have you to be fearful?”

“I don’t know if I should tell you,” Celestia replied. “Who am I to you that you would care?”

“Oh, just a little old woman walking through the world, with little to show for it,” Isah said pleasantly. “But you’re out here looking for something to help you. It’s not me, but I’d like to see you find it, if I can try.”

It was foolhardy to believe her. The simplicity of it all was a masquerade to something else entirely, and though Isah appeared to be some simple woman, Celestia knew better. There was no accident in their meeting, and she wondered if the traveling woman had wandered out into the wilderness simply to find her. It was a test of sorts- but unlike the days in Moqesh amongst the Accursed, there was no sensation of a mouse in a trap; in Isah’s eyes there was only wisdom to be found.

“When I was young, I was told even as a child that I was meant to protect people,” Celestia said. “I was trained to rule. To guide nations through turmoil and see them prosper- and push back against darkness when the time came. I have done a poor job of it.”

“Perhaps you have- perhaps you haven’t,” Isah said, carving a carrot in her hands. “You don’t have to be afraid of prying eyes here, love. You have found the island in the midst of the sea, where the waves cannot touch you.”

“I don’t deserve it. I was meant to preserve life, to nurture it- but every time I tried people die. Innocent lives, guilty, it never mattered. I even helped shadows grow stronger because I was too weak to do what was right. Shouldn’t I be made to drown in my failures, feel the blood on my hands? How can there be justice in the universe if people like me are allowed to live?” The words tumbled from her mouth without restraint, their poison wreaking havoc upon her. “I was meant to be a symbol of something much more than- than all this! My friends, my sister, and now my husband! How many lives are to suffer because of me? I can’t stand it, just let it fall upon me and be done with it! I don’t want to bear it any longer.”

Isah reached out for her hands, taking them in her own and holding it tight. Celestia wanted to tug away, the sensation of dirtiness overwhelming her. It was a compassion she had been deemed unworthy of, yet the woman still persisted. She felt like a child covered in filth that was being cradled by her mother. “There’s not a soul who comes here that does not find themselves unworthy it,” Isah said quietly. “We’ve all been dirtied, whether it be our own or someone else’s. We scrub and scrub away at it until our skin turns red and bleeds, but it will never be enough to make us forget how it felt to be so dreadfully filthy. But here, in this place? All the evil things we’ve known will no longer matter. You’ll simply go on with your day and watch as they turn into months and years, and that’s when you find yourself: you’ve been made clean at last, and what a glorious thing you’ve finally become.”

“But I don’t deserve it,” Celestia said lamely.

“Bless your soul, of course you don’t!” Isah chuckled. “But what we ‘deserve’ doesn’t matter here. Love is here, and here it rules in finality. To give power and glory to something so far beneath it simply wouldn’t do.”

“… Isah, where even am I?”

The woman truly laughed now, clear and bright as the spring rain. “Goodness, you mean you haven’t already figured it out? Why not think about it for a moment, and let’s see what you find.”

She had been part of these mountains for so long that she had nearly forgotten much of what had come before. The memories of her life before were becoming all the more dim with every passing day. The sight of her sister’s face were now little more than foggy memory, her days of rule in Equestria more akin to dream than hard reality. They had been shadows of things far greater; beloved because they had been just a little like this.

Isah had come to be her dearest companion, a friend unlike any she had ever known. Stern and decisive when Celestia’s stubbornness demanded so, gentle and loving when she required it. She was an invaluable counselor, the parent Celestia had never known. Though neither seemed to have an aim or goal within the depths of the mountains, their time together was marvelously spent.

“This is the third time you’ve come up to this peak, dear,” Isah said, standing a few feet below Celestia as the younger woman took her place atop the cragged point of rock. “If I didn’t know better, I would say you’re looking for something up here.”

“I want to enjoy the view. How can I not be enraptured by this?” Celestia asked, her breath gently leaving her as the sight all around her truly began to sink in. Green, grey, and white shone all around her; snow upon mountaintops fell to hard, strong rock, eventually settling into brush and the trees of the foothills far below- with not a sight of civilization or touch of human life visible anywhere across the great horizon. All around her was pure, untamed beauty that had no use for the machinations of Man. Here there was wild country, and its denizens roamed free.

It would have been perfect, were it not for the continuous tugging upon her heart. Every time she allowed her gaze to drift westward she could feel it: a voice in the wilderness calling out, beckoning her to its source. She heard the sound as though from a distance, clearly calling her name. It was great, glorious, and horrifying. She feared to even glance in its direction, knowing that the pull could become too strong and she would have to seek it out at last.

“It is getting a mite windy up here,” Isah remarked. “Let’s go back to camp now and wait it out, shall we?”

Celestia could have remained atop the mountain until the winds blew her away and had her dashed on the rocks below, but she relented, hearing the growing sternness in her friend’s voice. They had gotten along well for too long now it to be thrown away for so pointless a purpose.

Their camp was just above the foothills, a small yet comfortable cave in the side of the mountain trail that was nestled from the wind. The two women watched the weather roil like the ocean waves in peace, secure from nature’s sudden strength.

“We missed it by inches, didn’t we?” Celestia said. “If you hadn’t been there to tell me to come down…”

“And I’m very glad I did, last thing I’d like to see is you tossed out onto some rocks and light’s out,” Isah replied. “I think the weather’s trying to say we’ve been on one lonely road for a little too long. Perhaps we should go somewhere different tomorrow, what do you think?”

She knew. Of course she knew, for she was Isah and far more than any mere human could be. Celestia had found that fact to be a great source of comfort, as well as an occasional irritation. She would have no indication, no clue, yet she would somehow always know. It was a prescience that Celestia couldn’t fight against.

“Did you have a particular idea in mind? You certainly seem to be thinking of something.”

“Oh, that’s not my choice to make, love. I only go wherever I’m needed and you know it. Since when have I had a will of my own?”

“Since you were born, I am assuming,” Celestia replied. “What else would I believe?”

“I don’t quite know what you believe, love, and that’s what has me stumped. You’ve certainly put me for a ride.”

“I’ll let you know what I think in the morning, Isah,” Celestia answered. “But for now, maybe we should rest for the evening. It has been a long day.”

“Heaven knows it has, my feet are about to be rubbed raw,” Isah remarked. “Just promise me one thing, dear.”

“Of course.”

“That whatever choice you make, you won’t be afraid any longer.”

Afraid of what? Celestia was left puzzled by her words, even more so by the woman’s expression that seemed to suggest a great seriousness on her countenance. Of course she would know. But Celestia was not yet willing to admit it.

For the rest of her days, Celestia would say she truly tried to sleep through the night. The temperature within the cave was comfortable, and sheltered from the elements that continued to roil outside, nor was her place within uncomfortable, a thick roll beneath her head to avoid pain. Yet throughout the night she tossed and turned, waking incessantly despite the exhaustion that weighed down her bones. It seemed as though every few minutes she would awaken and find herself unsettled, clearly awake and knowing she should be somewhere, anywhere but here. She tried to ignore it and quell the discomfort within her, but every time it would only return with a renewed intensity.

She took herself to the cave mouth, peering out into the wilderness outside where the faintest glow of the rising dawn could be seen on the horizon. She had once been tied to such a being, knowing its power within the palm of her hand. She had been powerful, a mighty creature nigh unrivaled across the world. One of the last of her kind, a sturdy wall against the darkness… now she lay here with little idea of what she had tried to achieve over the millennia, and whether all her effort had been in vain.-

A flash of sunlight across her face and her heart came aflutter, a place calling for her so deeply that she could deny it no longer. She had to leave, and wait not a moment longer. She glanced back at Isah, who appeared to be sleeping peacefully. Celestia decided not to wake her, quietly taking her leave and disappearing deep into the mountains to the place where her soul longed to be.

The journey felt as though it were mere minutes, though the length of the sun spoke to several hours. She felt no weariness, no sweat on her brow though the terrain was likely perilous. Celestia walked on, climbing cliffs and scaling rock faces as she made her search, determined to not rest for a moment until she had found what was driving her so desperately. She thought little of the troubles in her journey, nor did she use magic to ease her struggles. To feel the earth against her hands, the roughness of stone and feel the power of nature about her was what she wanted, her body continuing on while her mind drifted.

I have always believed, even when I was young, that there is no such thing as an accident, she said to herself, that every thing that ever happens, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, is purposeful. It was no accident that my sister and I were sent to Equestria, that I have always known. But everything else that came after: Luna and I’s separation, Sunset Shimmer’s exile, Twilight’s ascendancy, meeting Ford and marrying him, all of this… every good and evil thing I have ever done and let come to pass.

I still believe it has a meaning somewhere- but what?

Celestia at last scrabbled up a sharp outcropping and found herself looking down into a grove of trees, perfectly made and all centered on a single, distinct, wrought-iron gateway. It should have been expected, and she almost felt a tinge of disappointment.

All of that yearning for this? Apprehensive nonetheless, Celestia ventured down into the grove towards it. The path was unnaturally clear, as though the trees stepped aside to grant her entry to her goal. She found the gateway with ease, reaching out to feel its cold, lifeless metal frame beneath her fingers and finding it lifeless with its doors tightly sealed. “I don’t understand…”

“All roads open when they are ready to be traveled on,” said a voice, Celestia turning about to find Isah walking towards her, a knowing look on her face that made the young woman wonder if she had always known of its presence. “We walk their path when the time is right, and not a moment before. Though we stumble, fall, and sometimes fail, we are exactly where we are meant to be. Maybe, dear, that is something you have not yet understood.”

“Why would it call for me if it were not yet open?” Celestia asked. “I need to go through, Sombra is somewhere beyond here. If I wait, people will die- I have enough blood on my hands, I don’t wish for more! It needs to open now!” Her anger had left her seething, feeling more like a child throwing a tantrum than an immortal warrior.

Isah shook her head sadly, seemingly disappointed. “You’ve come so far to stare it right in the face, yet still you don’t understand. Love bless you, here I was thinking you were smart. It is quite simple: the road is not ready to receive you. What lies beyond asks more of you than you, in your present state, can truly give.”

“I’ve wasted enough time. I have to go- I’ve spent years within this palace, I will not give more to that tyrant. I will seek him out until I have him beneath my boots! Now help me open this!”

“I cannot. Nor would I hope to try,” Isah answered. “There are things beyond us both, little one. I would not see it come early when it would mean the destruction of far worse.”

“But there’s already been destruction! Entire worlds are ravaged because of him, and I could have stopped it all from happening in the first place!” Celestia was incensed to the brink of uncontrollable rage, desperate to break through. Sparks erupted from her hands and it was all she could do to not hurl herself at her companion. “Please, I have to see this done! I can’t wait any longer! If he harms anyone else-”

“Sombra’s arm can grow no further, little one. He is a Created thing, just as you are. Or have you fought against his shadow for so long that you have forgotten?” Isah said, suddenly growing taller and coming to tower above the lesser woman. “You fear the darkness as though it holds strength greater than all others, and in doing so you have paid tribute to it. The darkness is not strength. It is not courage, nor wisdom or skill. It is an absence, an emptiness, and within it there is nothing. It cannot grow beyond what light allows, for the light sends darkness away with only a small flicker of strength. Throw your gaze away from the abyss, and grant it no worth or respect.”

Celestia dared not look at her companion a moment longer, falling prostrate on the ground and fearing the sudden rush about her. Wind strong as a hurricane, heat greater than any fire, the earth trembling all around. A frenetic chaos so great that she wondered if she would be dashed into nothing and tossed into the ether. But almost as quickly as it began it departed, leaving only the simple sounds of nature at peace, with a gentle hand falling on her shoulder.

“Stop seeking definition from the darkness; all it has ever been is empty. You are of Light, and in it is all that you are ever meant to be.”

“I do not know if I can do such a thing. I am too weak.”

“Of course you are. So how comforting it must be to know that you are not meant to go it alone! The time has come: not to wage war, not to heed the call of battle, but to rest. To see thyself grow, and at last know who you truly are,” Isah said. “Sombra is bound, knowing neither rest nor peace and agony is upon him, for time itself refuses to aid him. Let no thought of him pass your mind, for the time has not yet come. Here there is water, and food that will give you strength. Eat, drink, and know peace, for the time of weariness is over. The morning has come at last: revel in it.”

Celestia looked back at the gateway one last time, seeing its emptiness more clearly than ever before. No whisper emanated from its depths, no light escaped through the cracks. The calling in her heart that had drawn her to this place was now gone. “Where should I go from here?” she inquired of her guide.

“I cannot say. I believe, dear one, that our time together is coming to an end,” Isah replied. “But I would say that the time now given to you should be spent well. After all, it’s never wise to waste a gift.”

Celestia felt an idea worm its way into her brain and she smiled, already wondering how to take the first step. “One last thing, then,” she said.”

“Oh? And what’s that?”

“Who are you, really? And where am I?”

Isah smiled, already beginning to walk away. “Goodness, you still don’t know? After all, the answer is right in front of you!”

Ford scrubbed hard against his skin, keeping them deep under the water’s flow as he worked. Not long after he had left the shoreline, he had found a shallow tidal creek that suited his needs perfectly, and he had set down to get to work and clean himself thoroughly. His rise through the saltwater had done much to cleanse himself of the dirt and grime that had settled upon him from their escape through the city, but the blood that had drenched him again and again had proven to be stubborn. He felt it on his skin, burning through his flesh and eating it away until he could stand it no longer. Grabbing some sand from the creek’s edge he had begun his work, trying to scour himself clean.

Thirty minutes later and little had changed, the crimson stain having fallen upon him and seemingly content to stay. He could still see it, still feel it on him. The more he worked, the closer he came to panic and he knew it would not be long before he threw himself into the water in a last attempt to rid himself of the sensation.

They could have stopped. They should have stopped. If only they’d stopped. Sombra had them in his grasp so deeply they couldn’t even find the strength to rise against it. How long had he been there, holding them captive? And that arena- had they killed others, even some of their own for his pleasure? Did they do it with those smiles, so happy in what they had done? They just kept coming, the moment one fell another would take his place. Endlessly, until I could even smell the stench. I tried everything I could to make them stop, but they wouldn’t listen-

“Easy, son! Take a breather, you’re about ready to keel over!” A pair of hands, gnarled and strong, began to drag him away from the riverbank-

Ford screamed aloud and reached for his weapon, pointing it with intent towards his attacker. “Don’t do it!” he shrieked.

“Whoa! Easy there, son! No need to be hasty, just trying to help, I am!” The man’s hands were raised in surrender, looking at the pointed edge of the blade with wide eyes. “Come on, now, let’s put that down, shall we? No need for anyone to get hurt, just trying to help.”

Ford’s senses returned to him and he felt cold horror. “Damn my soul- I am sorry!” he threw the blade aside, falling back to his knees in complete surrender. “I mean no harm, I swear to you. Do with me as you will.”

“No harm, he says. Well, I guess I only gave you a right scare, so all’s fair,” the man replied. “I heard you splashing about and wondered what all the ruckus was about, and found you about ready to keel over and get your head stuck in the mud. You alright, son?” Ford’s fright finally fled him and his senses returned to normality. No, the man before him was not an armed foe ready to strike, but instead a simple farmer. Thin grey hair the color of ash, with a taut face that gave the appearance of constant nervousness, but possessing calm brown eyes and a gentle voice. “Well, son? I didn’t scare your voice away, did I? You certainly look a fright.”

“Please,” Ford pleaded, his breath coming in uneven gasps. “Please, take that sword and run it through me. Just do it.”

“What? I’m sorry, son, I don’t think I heard that right-”

“Kill me!” Ford screamed, his voice cracking as he fell to the ground. “I am begging you, please just kill me.” He could see their faces clearly as though they still stood before them. Still alive, still breathing, but slashed and hacked away into ribbons by his own hands.

Ford heard the sound of steel scraping against earth and he knew the man had taken the blade in hands. By instinct he flinched, waiting for the swift clean cut that would be his end- but instead, a hand reached under his shoulder and lifted him up back to his feet.

“Come on now, that’s it,” said the man, helping Ford rise and stagger away from the creek. “You’ve had a rough time of it, no doubt about that. Looks like you’ve rubbed your hands so raw they’re bleeding, no wonder you’re in such a mood. Let’s get you home and see what we can do, eh?”

He did not know how long he was led along, Ford’s vision little more than a blur of the ground beneath his feet as he stumbled along. A haze of green and brown with indistinct sounds and voices mixed within, barely audible over the noise of the city still ringing in his ears. Faces of innocents still gleamed clear in his mind, the hundreds –if not thousands- who had fallen by his hand, all when he was too tired and weary to care. He had begged for death, pleaded for its embrace- yet still it did not come. What wretched punishment he had been dealt.

“Ethel! I could use your help out here!” called the man, seemingly nearby to some of his fellows. Ford could hear the murmurs of distress all around him, an occasional pair of hands falling upon him from anywhere around him. He would flinch away, waiting for a blow that never came. “No, no, he’s been injured. Let him be, I say, the poor man’s had enough. Come on, son, let’s see you get cleaned up.”

He had not noticed, but the swelling on his wounds had increased exponentially, and what little vision he had possessed was now dim and obscured. The bruising and beatings he had been dealt by his tormented foes suddenly came down upon him in power and he felt their wrath on his shoulders. He wondered if the wetness on his face was indeed tears; he could not tell. He merely wished it would stop: a sudden, permanent ceasing to his agony that simply would not leave. Murderer, killer, slaughterer of thousands. Lesser son to greater foes, the one who would never be worthy-

A dampness fell on his eyes and Ford flinched back with a small scream-

“It’s alright, love, no need to fret. Heaven knows you can’t see what I’m doing,” said a woman’s voice, soothing and calm on his frayed nerves. “Don’t worry, just trying to clean you up a bit. We’ll have you right soon, though it may be a day or two before you see out of this eye again. Can’t imagine what you’ve been though, getting scars like this- and carrying such a weapon! You must’ve seen quite a battle, certainly not on these shores, that I have no doubt. Now you just sit tight, I’ll have you fixed right up in no time.”

“Don’t talk his ear off, the poor man’s already battered enough. Just fix ‘im up, love,” said the man from somewhere nearby. “Sorry about her, she’s a right chatterbox when she gets going, pay her no mind.”

“Pay me no mind? I’m the one trying to put his face back together, he better pay me some mind! And don’t you try to talk to me like that when I’m trying to take care of another one of your friends like this. Heaven knows why I even do it, what with all your moaning and groaning…”

A small laugh, gentle and kindly against the banter. “Women. You’ll never win, my friend. Best to just let them have the last word, eh?”

Ford tried to speak. It was not a weak effort but instead a genuine, concentrated attempt that was dulled by his own tears and pain, reduced to a mere splutter. It was pathetic: a man who had traveled through worlds and seen agonies and torments the likes of which never imagined, now reduced to a blubbering mess by his own actions. He was disgusted.

“It’s alright, son, try to save your breath. You look like you’ve been through a war, you know,” said the man, a hand placed on Ford’s shoulder to keep him grounded. “Let’s get you cleaned up before you try talking again, eh?”

“You should have killed me,” Ford managed to stammer, his words barely manageable to the ear through the wetness and his own roiling emotions.’

“I don’t know how we could have done such a thing, son. Come on. Rest up, we’ll have you settled in no time.”

The mere fact that he was alive was nightmare enough. Ford woke to find one eye still operated, the other swollen shut for the time being. Darkness had descended on his world, the peaceful sounds of a gentle night ringing in his ears. He looked about, finding himself in a cottage of sorts and left unfamiliar. A trap. Another ruse to lower my guard. Flee while you still can. Ford found the door and crashed through, running out into the night wildly like a beast on the loose.

The sound of footsteps was not far behind him, erratic and uneven as though woke from a deep slumber. “Hey, no need for that now!” said a voice, one he recognized from earlier. “It’s alright, son, no one here’s going to hurt you. You can rest here-”

“Where’s my broadsword?” Ford demanded. “Give it to me now. I want it!”

“It’s back in the cottage, son. I’ve got it with me for safekeeping for now, till you’ve got yourself in order,” said the man. “Now come on, let’s go on back, get some rest. Your body certainly needs it, lad.”

“Put it through me. Strike me down,” Ford insisted.

“I’ll do no such thing, and I won’t hear such talk again,” the man replied, suddenly stern. “No one is alive by accident, son. I won’t be a member to a purposeful death. Now come on, let’s go back inside. Sleep will be the best thing you can get now.”

He wanted to run. To flee and race off into the darkness until exhaustion overcame him and he fell at last into an eternal slumber. But some small part of him that still wished to press on held firm, urging him to listen and hold on for just a little longer, a little longer.

“My name is George,” said the man. “I don’t know if I told you earlier, what with you being so twitchy and unhappy. Tried to rub the skin right off your hands, you did.”

“Saber Ford,” he replied.

“Come on back, Ford. There’s a good warm bed missing its master,” George said. “I sure think you need it.”

It was no worse than any decision he could have made.

Ford sat across from the elderly couple, a mug of tea in hand as he told his story. His hands were still heavily bandaged, kept safe from the elements as the damage he had dealt to himself slowly began to heal.

“You nearly rubbed right down to the bone in some places,” Ethel had told him. “Began to wonder if you wanted to be a ghost.”

“You should have let me,” Ford said dully.

“Now that’s enough of that. No need to keep going down that road, it doesn’t do any body good- certainly not yourself,” George replied. “You’ve had enough harm. Don’t try to add more.”

Ford sighed, leaning over his mug in abject defeat. What did it matter? Celestia was gone, having disappeared into the wild somewhere and leaving no trace. Ford, aided by his newfound companion, had combed the beach for any sign of her and found nothing. Sombra had won and not even fought in the battle at all.

“You’ll find her again, son,” George said encouragingly. “From what you’ve told us it’d be more difficult for her to fail. And especially here.”

“I shouldn’t have said what I did,” Ford said. “It was such a long time ago, and she obviously regretted it otherwise she would have told me sooner. But it was so close, and- and what I’d just done- I didn’t know what to do. I should have done better.”

“And so everyone says, when they come here,” Ethel said warmly. “We all look back and think of what we could have done, but that doesn’t matter here. Here there is only now, and that’s all that ever will be. Take time to rest and heal, love. You certainly need it.”

“I should have stayed with her- I just left her there. I broke her,” Ford said.

“Then it was time for her to be broken. Made irreparable so that real healing can begin. Here, no falsity or half-efforts may do. It is all or nothing in this place,” George replied.

“If I asked you to kill me,” Ford said, “would you?”

“Not a chance, son. I think you’re going to live for a very long time,” George answered. “For now, those weapons of yours stay with me- at least until you feel better. You can stay here with us for the time being, heaven knows we’d like the company of a young soul to help liven up the place. What with the weather turning, any help we have with the crops would be welcome. What do you say?”

Ford wanted to deny them. But now left aimless, without guidance or purpose, he was at the whim of the wind. So he stayed.

The work was hearty for his soul, long and tiring. He had not known just how deeply his body had waned since their journey began all those years ago. Every day’s effort he put in would bring himself to be exhausted, falling onto his bed in a tired, filthy heap. If it weren’t for Ethel’s insistence that he clean himself before falling asleep, it was likely that Ford would not have bathed at all that first week. But, at her request, he would rouse his sore muscles into action once more and head for the springs.

“Had I known it would be this hard,” he said, sitting in a chair hunched over a bowl of stew, “I would have run to the hills.”

George chuckled, taking a deep spoonful of the meal and giving a sigh of pleasure. “Well, I’m certainly glad you didn’t, son. It’s been a right pleasure to have you around, especially working out in the fields. The village has been getting a little older and a little smaller each day. It’s nice to have someone fresh and young to help around.”

“As long as I don’t find myself worn down after every day, I certainly don’t mind,” Ford remarked, raising his arm and laughing to himself as he observed how much it trembled with the effort. “I thought myself as strong, once. I’m a soldier, but this- I must have fallen away after all those years.”

“You’ll grow strong from it, son, don’t you worry,” George replied. “You’ll be stronger just for being here. A little more full, a little more free- more yourself than you’ve ever been.”

Ford didn’t understand what he meant but let it fall to the wayside, digging into his stew as his hunger only grew with each bite. Little was said during the rest of the meal, Ford’s thoughts drifting to that city and all that had transpired. With a sinking sensation that he knew to be guilt, his mind settled upon Celestia and the last sight of her he had ever seen. Had it really been only a week since they had last seen one another? And where was she now?

If I’d only had the self-control. I shouldn’t have abandoned her. It wasn’t her fault that she was ashamed of it.

“You’ve got that look on your face again,” Ethel remarked, breaking the warrior out of his reverie. “She’s on your mind again, is she?”

“No one has seen her anywhere,” Ford muttered, stirring the remnants of his meal listlessly. “She was my responsibility. I was supposed to keep her safe, and that was just my duty as a soldier. I was -I am- her husband, and I just- I abandoned her.”

To their credit, the elderly couple said nothing, merely letting the moment pass as Ford struggled to control his emotions, trying to find the moment where his mind would be steadied. It was a difficult task, especially when her face would flash in his eyes. Kind eyes, a face as fair as the morning sun, hair that shined brighter than any rainbow; it was the light of his boyhood, a fantasy that had been kept in the darkest recesses of his mind, to be shared to no one. Yet, somehow, it had become real. A dream- then a nightmare that the two of them had conjured together.

“I should have done something,” Ford said miserably. “Anything but what I did. Just to leave her there when she must have thought the world was ending. But then- if she’d just told me sooner! Why’d it have to be right then and there? She wasn’t proud of it or else it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But…”

“I think it’s time we cleaned up for the evening,” George said, taking the bowls off the table and setting them aside. “Come on, son. The stars’ll be out soon, it’d be a good watch.”

“I gave her my life. Even when I was just a boy, it’s all I ever wanted.” Ford looked around, as though trying to find some familiar sight to cling to. “What do I do now? Who even am I?”

“You’re you. Maybe that’s something you should try to know.”

His time in the fields, despite the increased workload, became easier. Each breath felt fuller than the last, each day he awoke the more his mind would clear. Ford often tried to figure out why. Part of him, a part did not, and what little remained did not care. He was slowly becoming more and more himself with each passing day. A step deeper into this land and the more whole he was, as though he had lived all his years as nothing more than a shadow, or trying to see his reflection in a dirtied mirror. Here, he could see clearly.

After some time had passed, George came to him with a heavily wrapped item in hand, long in form. It did not take much effort to deduce what it was. “I think it’s time you took it back,” the man said, his face gravely serious. Ford’s hands went to receive it and the older man pressed it into his hands with great delicacy, looking down upon it as though it were a foul poison. The effect was so great that even Ford, its wielder, was afraid to have it in his hands.

“What- what do I do with it?” Ford asked.

“That matter is up to you, son,” George said. “But know this, and know it well: something will have to be done, and only you can do it.”

Ford’s door was closed on him and the man was left alone with the cloaked blade in hand. He gently put it up against the wall, keeping it covered as he turned to his bed and decided to rest. Throughout the night he awoke again and again, his eyes drawn towards its presence as though it were a specter. Even when he awoke, its sight was enough to turn his stomach.

Ford checked that the door was indeed closed before turning to unwrap the weapon, holding it firmly in hand. The stains of blood were still upon its, its dark-grey blade painted a deep crimson. He rubbed at it with his thumb and found it would not fade, even after much effort and a thick rag pressed against it. The blade had been left with an indelible mark and would possess the blood of its slain forever. And there, just at the edge of his senses, he wondered if he could still smell that iron scent in the air-

He wrapped it up tightly, tossing it underneath his bed where it would be out of sight, despising even the thought of it.

But like a monster beneath his bed, it haunted him. For weeks Ford worked, trying to think of what to do with the foul thing. It was in his mind with every waking second. Through toil and work, through celebration and happiness; even when his own cottage was built by his own hands and the aid of his friends did the thought of it not leave him. It was a great cloud that would not leave him be.

“Well, that’s certainly got you settled in proper,” Ethel said happily, exiting the cottage doors with a smile on her face. “Now I’ll bring over some fruits for you so you can have that bowl filled up so you’ll have something good to eat when your wife comes back- whatever’s the matter, dear?”

Ford sat upon a nearby stone, cradling his head in his hands as he rocked back and forth, the broadsword uncovered and lying before him.

“Don’t go on fretting, we’ll think of something- George, come back over here!” Ethel called, and soon the sound of her husband’s footsteps came rushing up towards them. “I think he’s having a bit of a bad moment.”

“You’ve been nothing but tight-lipped for a month now about this thing,” George said, his tone even and calm. “I think it’s time you made up your mind of what you want to do with it.”

“I hate it. I hate the sight of it. I want it gone!” Ford cried. “Take it away, get rid of it! Do anything!”

George shook his head slowly. “I can’t do that, son,” he said. “This sword is part of you now. And only you can know what is to be done with it.”

Ford stared at the blade as though it were a fetid corpse, despising its sight. “I hate the sight of it. Of any blades, any weapon made by Man. I’ll never wield a sword again, not even if it were to cost my life. I will not be an arbiter of death, even against Sombra himself. I will protect, I will safeguard, but I will never hold steel in my hands ever again. I refuse.”

“So then… what do you want to do with it, son?”

Ford found himself shivering as the thought he had kept dormant finally found light in his brain. “I will destroy it. See its shards scattered like dust in the wind.”

George nodded, taking the blade in hand and presenting it before Ford. “So let’s see it done. Take it and plunge it against the stone you sit on. It’ll do more than well enough.”

Ford laughed bitterly, taking the weapon though it burned against his skin at the merest touch. “This sword would split that stone in half. Not even a scratch on the-”

“Do you really not understand what this place is, even after all this time?” George asked of him. “You are here, part of it more than you have yet been before, and this sword is all that ties you to what you want to leave behind. You are in a place that is Real, and all that you have known since is just a shadow. That stone will take your false blade and shatter it into bits, if you wish it.”

Ford took the sword and held it high, preparing to plunge it against the rock only to find himself trembling violently. Though the steel burned against him, though every second was torturous, a great grief had arisen in his soul and wearied him of the task.

“Does the desire of old still hold onto you?” George said, suddenly becoming more great and glorious than any chivalrous knight of ancient days, a fairness about him that could not be defined or explained by any words of human thought or rationale, and Ford felt his body burn just to be near him. “You have come to the point of no return. Either the blade is destroyed or you must leave this place, for no shadow can be allowed haven here. Throw aside your pain and misery, and become what your soul has always longed to be.”

“I can’t,” Ford gasped, blood beginning to drip down his hands as his flesh was scorched away by the blade’s heat. “But I must be rid of it.”

“So be rid of it, then. No sense in waiting any longer.” George was insistent, unable to be sated.

“I do not know if I can.”

“Of course you can. But it will hurt.”

That gave Ford pause, and for a brief moment his hands began to falter. “It will hurt?”

“Goodness, of course it will! Otherwise it would not be so hard!”

“Well- how badly?” Ford spluttered.

“Worse than anything you have ever felt before.”

“But to be rid of it-!” Ford felt its heat and had never known he could hate such a thing so deeply.

“To be rid of it will be more than you have ever known.”

“Am I to be sure of it?” he asked, practically begging the man who was so much more than any Man could ever hope to be.

“It must be done. Do not allow yourself to wait.”

Ford wanted to drop the blade, so great was his pain. “... Maybe another time.”

“All time is here now. There can be no other day in which it will be done.”

“But I am afraid,” he cried.

“And that is why it must be gone.”

Ford’s gaze, wide-eyed and wild, flickered madly between the blade above, the stone below, and the one who urged him on. Sweat fell on his brow in constant droplets, intermixed with the blood that now flowed freely from his hands, and he wondered if he could take a moment more-

A scream that broke like the sound of thunder and Ford fell to his knees, driving the sword hard against the stone in a single, swift, glorious motion. The sword shattered against it and its metal faded into dust, Ford driving it so deep that not even the hilt was spared, all of it blasted away and turned into little more than a cloud of grey that flitted off in the breeze, disappearing in a moment’s breath.

“Good on you, lad!” George cried triumphantly, giving the younger man a hearty thwack on the back in congratulations. “You had a moment there and you went through it all, breaking that blade and hilt and there you are! Now look, there’s not a mite of it left, eh… you alright, son?”

Ford shuddered and kept his head bowed, a great cry escaping his lips as he began to weep, all his agonies and sorrows and joys coming together and overwhelming him at last.

“That’s it, it’s all over, son. Don’t you even give it the time of day,” George said, kneeling down beside him as the young man continued on. “It’s all over, done and over with no questions asked. Look! Raise your head and see for yourself: not a single bit of it remains.”

Ford, his form wretched from pain and his own tears, dared to raise his head and caught sight of the sun- a glorious sky with endlessly vivid color, breathtaking to behold… and not a single shard of steel in sight, no smell to cloud his senses. “I’m free,” he said wetly, a true smile rising on his face.

George laughed, helping the young man to his feet. “Yes, I think you are. Come on, let’s make that house of yours all good and proper. Won’t be long before you won’t be alone again.”

How long had it truly been, they both wondered? Had their time simply dragged on so greatly that what had seemed eternity was only days? Had years passed by? Weeks or months as it had truly seemed? For all their days they would wonder, and no matter what was said, they never truly found an answer.

Celestia’s first footsteps into that peaceful village did not go unseen, though she had hoped to, at first, be discreet. As she walked down a well-worn path, a horse and cart came around the bend, a woman at the cusp of middle age at the reins. As she caught sight of Celestia, she smiled and gave a wave. “You’re looking in the wrong place, you know,” she said, pulling back gently so as to slow her steed. “He lives out in the farmlands, just back the way I came. Best guess is he’s out in the fields right now, busy with harvest and what not. Bet they’d all be glad for an extra hand.”

“You know who I am?” Celestia asked. The woman spoke to her as though they had known one another their entire lives.

“Of course I do!” the woman said pleasantly. “Told us all about you, he did. Think it’s safe to say he’s been waiting for you.”

Celestia laughed, wondering what sort of welcome she would be given. More than that, she was curious as to what changes he had endured- just who was he now, after all this time?

“I already know your name. He’s said it more times than I can count,” the woman remarked, stepping down from her cart and offering her hand to the newcomer. “I’m Clara.”

It was such a simple gesture, yet seemed to possess all the welcome in the world as Celestia took it. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Be staying here for a while?”

Celestia gave a small, quick laugh; did everyone somehow know what she had already found? “I certainly hope so.”

“My husband and I are the greengrocers here. Come by if you ever need anything,” Clara said, turning to head into the store and out of sight.

The walk out into the true countryside was a tranquil one, marked only by the calls of birds and the occasional traveler, often with an animal in tow. No matter what age they were, or what task they had at hand, all seemed willing to offer a smile and a wave with a warm hello whenever they caught sight of her. Celestia welcomed it, feeling a warmth among these fellows that she had not felt in years upon years. Not even her days in a new world with a weary humanity, had been as clean and clear as this.

Eventually the path began to peter out, the worn road cutting through a great field of what would become healthy crops, the furrows freshly crafted and ready for planting. Off in the distance a team of oxen were steadily moving along, guided by a man with a sack of seeds tossed across his shoulders and his fellow, the two having a hearty conversation filled with laughter and warmth that could be heard even at this distance.

Celestia smiled at the sight of him, knowing that calm stride by memory and quickly noticing the differences in it. It was a slower pace, more relaxed, yet lighter in a way that had let him come to stand tall. No sword could be seen on his hip, nor sign of any weapon at all. She was not sure whether it was the sun, shining clear in the sky, or something else entirely that made him glow so brightly, but she had never seen him be anything like this.

She felt a tinge of fear in her heart as she came to approach him, wondering how he would receive her. Had her path –or perhaps his- been so arduous that now they would be separate?

It did not take long to find out. Perhaps he heard her footsteps in the dirt, or just by some sense felt her presence; Ford turned his head to look upon her, a small smile barely visible on his face.

“We’d be glad if you’d start planting in the furrows,” he said, speaking to her as though no time had passed at all. “George needs a little help keeping the oxen going so I’ll have to stay up here with him. It’d help us get done faster.”

“Of course,” she replied, taking the bags from his outstretched hands and setting to work. For a moment she paused, wondering if to simply use her magic and be done with it. But as she went to do so, a hesitation came in her, followed by desire. She wanted to feel the earth against her hands, allow the simplicity and peace of it to fill her. She knelt down and began, allowing the time to pass.

Perhaps it was only moments, or perhaps hours. Soon she found herself reunited with the two men, an empty sack in her hands as she came to them.

“I’ll leave you two be,” George said, taking the oxen and leading them back to the barn. “Let you catch up.”

“You don’t need my help bringing them back?”

“No, no, don’t be worrying over me like that yet, I’m not that old,” George replied. “Besides, I think these poor beasts are even more tired than I am. Go on, both of you.”

Celestia and Ford watched the man walk slowly away, his weary livestock following peacefully behind him as they were led along. “He hired me on a while ago,” Ford remarked. “Once he helped me build the cottage, guess he figured I’d look for something to do. I… I like it. Helping make things grow.”

“It suits you,” Celestia replied, taking in his appearance. His hair still held flecks of grey, along with his beard. His clothes were worn, soiled by stains and rips where tools and wear had found their mark. Yet when she looked upon him in entirety, she found a youthfulness in him that had never been there before and she wondered if there was something of the same within her as well.

“There’s a pond nearby,” Ford said, taking her by the hand and leading her along. “George put a bench there a bit before I got here. You look like you’ve been traveling a while.”

“And I have.”

Ford laughed gently. “I’d like to hear about it.”

The two settled down on opposing sides, allowing the silence to fill the gap for a time as the warmth of the early evening began to settle on the land, watching as the sun slowly turned dull and the birds above began to flitter back to their homes.

“Ford…”

“You don’t need to worry,” he said suddenly, cutting through her words before she could even say them. “I’ve forgiven you. I understand how it must have weighed upon you.”

She knew she would have had to ask, and was grateful for the swift response. “If I could go back and undo it, I would,” she said. “But I don’t think it would have even mattered.”

“No, I don’t think it would have,” Ford agreed. “Besides, such thoughts don’t matter here- so I’ve been told.”

She smiled. “I found it. The gateway.”

“I figured you would. It was closed?”

“I believe you would have known otherwise,” she said, watching as a frog leaped into the pond and left a series of ripples across the placid waters. “Ford, I… I missed you.”

He had his arms about her before even the first tear had fallen, holding her so tightly as though he feared she would dissolve into nothingness. “I’ve thought about you every day since I left you there,” he whispered, his own voice husky. “And I’m glad to see you again.”

Their tears fell in earnest, soon turning into uncontained laughter as their emotions simply overtook them, the evening falling in earnest before they had at last recovered, still wrapped in each other’s arms. “Please don’t leave. Not again,” she hiccupped.

“Not now, not ever,” he said fervently. “I’ll keep the promise I made, no matter what.”

She gave a brilliant smile, kissing him over and over again just to make sure it was real. “Just how long were you here waiting for me?”

“I never know. Sometimes it feels like eternity. How long were you out there in the wilds?”

“It could have been forever,” she replied. “We have all the time in the world now. To rest, to heal… to really live. What do you want to do?”

“Well, if you’re willing,” Ford said, “I was hoping we could stay here.”

She took him by the hand and they rose to their feet, walking away to join the others. “I was hoping for the same thing.”

Author's Note

And so, here we are. A place of rest and comfort. For a time, we will stay here and enjoy the warmth of the sun, and breathe pure air for however long we are given.

Sorry for the delay in getting here. This chapter was fairly important so I wanted it to be absolutely right in the way it needed to be. Glad it's here.
As to the rest of it, well... we are officially halfway through. Not much further now before this story, and its heroes, fade into the West along with me.

New additions to the soundtrack can be found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below, and I'm always glad to hear from you.

... It's been a fun few years on here. So I'll be glad to make these last chapters count.

XI: Chayei Olam

One Year

It was glory. To simply feel the earth against her hands, to feel the dirt crumble and fall away as she lifted it away from the ground so it could be examined with the eye all the more clearly, trying to understand the components of the soil- and, more importantly, why they did not seem to be bearing quite as much fruit as of late. The ground felt healthy within her grasp, properly damp, while tender and fresh. No unnatural dryness or heat that penetrated deep into the earth where sunlight should not reach, but instead a coolness, albeit thin, in her hand. It was time for something to change.

A presence behind her and she felt a hand rest on her shoulder, the heavy warmth of it perfectly known without thought. A pressure felt against her cheek and he leaned in, examining it alongside her with greater intent than any mere Man should possess. Their time here, just as their time together, had changed him drastically. Slowly but surely, he was becoming something truly Other.

“It will have to be let go, for now,” Ford said, kneading the soil with his fingers and feeling the still-dormant seed within. “George has been harvesting the same crop here for too long. It is time to rotate the harvest.”

“I will let him know. Do you feel comfortable working on the rest of the field without me?” Celestia asked him.

“Easily. Though if you bring me water, I would not be displeased,” he said, kissing her cheek in thanks before turning to the rest of the unwilling soil with a hoe in hand. It would be a long and tiresome day for the work to be done.

Celestia placed the soil back upon the ground and wiped away the remnants from her palms before heading back to the farmhouse. Yes, she knew perfectly well she could use her magic to rid herself of her dirtiness- to even finish Ford’s task before it had even begun, really. But they had both firmly decided that it was time to forgoe such things, even if only for a little while. She did not mind the decision, really; working with her hands and feeling just as human as her kindred was something she knew little of, and to feel it in such magnificent places was more than she would have asked for. Adding to it was a freshness in her heart, a strength that had never before revealed itself. To allow herself rest –real rest- was something she had never known in all her many, many years. It was healing her more than time ever could. Though they had only been here together in this place for a year now, and she had done her best to keep track, it felt as wonderful as an eternity.

As she approached the once-miniscule cottage, she could not help but smile at the many renovations that had come along since their arrival. Ford, gladdened by the aid in building their own home, the couple had in turn gladly aided the aged couple in building onto their cottage, turning the homely place into a rather resplendent place. Adding in the success of last year’s harvest, George and Ford had found a way to turn a glorious profit. The once-aged cottage now looked glorious, something Ethel in particular was happy for.

A figure revealed itself at the door as she neared, a pair of teacups in hand. “And how is it out there this morning? Come, I’ve made you a cuppa.”

“Time to rotate the crops, I’m afraid,” Celestia replied, gladly taking the steaming teacup in her hands and taking slow sip. “The tomatoes won’t take this time around. Ford is pruning them now to see what he can recover.”

“Well, it was getting close to time, anyway,” Ethel remarked. “I’ll make sure to let George know, don’t you worry. I know Ford will be sitting there anxious to tell him soon as he gets back, but I’ll see it done. Like my husband wouldn’t bother asking anyway.”

Celestia laughed, a gentler-sounding thing than much of what had flown from her lips these past many years. “Have you heard from him at all?”

Ethel shook her head, showing no worry at all. “I would be more concerned if he did write,” she remarked pleasantly. “Doddery old fool never knows how to relax, even now that he has grandchildren of his own. I’m hoping Emilia will have the tongue to tell him to relax a little. Still can’t believe he took you two on as partners, knowing how he is about this place.”

The two woman relaxed together, enjoying the gentle warmth of the early morning as sun cast early shade over the scenery. Birds flew back and forth, calling out their pleasant banter in glorious symphony as the flowers of the field pock-marked the tidy grass and gardens of the farmyard. It was more than she deserved, Celestia knew, and that only added to its beauty.

“Ford took to the soil faster than even George did,” Ethel said warmly, stirring her cup about with a listless finger. “And George was raised on this plot. When I first met that young man I wondered if he’d ever truly find a place to settle down- but here he is, with that strong love of all things that grow. You should be proud of him.”

Celestia smiled, knowing just how deeply her husband had grown. Far removed from the trials and horrors of combat, her beloved had finally come into his own at last, more resplendent and glorious than he had ever been before. His weather-beaten looks no longer weighed him down like stone, nor did the grey in his hair seem a curse, but instead a blessing and a crown upon his features that no darkness could touch, and a smile always glowed within his eyes. Celestia was glad of it- and glad all the more that people could see it.

“You still seem like you’re looking for something, though,” Ethel added. “I know you’re more than happy to help your husband out here, and that you love farming as much as anyone, but it doesn’t really seem- well, you, love. Like what you need to make your own soul thrive isn’t quite there.”

Again, this place and its people pierced through her own soul like a knife. Celestia had indeed felt a small disquiet and longing in her, a quiet wandering across the plains as she sought out for something. “I have wondered what I would look like, in peace,” Celestia admitted after a long drink from her cup that left it empty, “Ford is happy and at peace. And for that I am grateful, eternally so. But I do admit that I seem to be seeking out something of my own, and I am not quite sure what I am looking for.”

Ethel nodded. “Your husband has a love of World in him- a desire for the things that Man can’t touch, for Man hurt him too deeply for him to love his own in such a way. But you, perhaps, have the opposite in you. You love the souls of others in a way deeper than anyone I’ve met. Maybe what you seek belongs with others.”

“How do you always know what to say to me, Ethel?” Celestia asked, setting her cup aside. “You are certainly not any older than I am, yet you seem to know so much.”

“Oh, when you’ve seen what George and I have, you know you need the time to figure it out,” Ethel said softly. “We’ve seen and done all there is to do- if it weren’t for this place, I doubt we’d ever know how to make sense of it all.”

Celestia’s curiosity was piqued. “Were you not born here?” she asked.

“Heavens no, few people are anymore,” Ethel replied. “We came here together as teenagers from- oh, a place I wouldn’t even know how to describe to you, really. But here we came, and someone came alongside George and I just as we’ve done for you. They helped us along and gave us this plot of land- well, right about the same age as you and your husband. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them, so heaven knows I’m grateful.”

Celestia leaned in, feeling her heart beginning to pound. “I want you to tell me everything.”

Ten Years

The night was crisp and clear, a perfect fall night. In truth, they had wished to spend it together with a warm cup of brew while enjoying the view, but to deny such an invitation, particularly from such dear friends, would have been discourteous.

The two, as they walked towards the village center, found themselves in the midst of an argument. Rather than the volatile, charged exchanges they had known in their early days, this was a more gentle thing, teasing and well-meaning rather than fire and fury.

“You could simply leave it behind and come back the next day, you know,” Ford remarked, watching as his wife struggled to stuff her knapsack full of parchment even as she walked. “I doubt there are enough visitors to this event that you would miss anything substantial. After, you’ve transcribed the stories of the whole town by now, haven’t you?”

“I am aware. But just in case, I want to have what I would need,” Celestia replied pleasantly, looking over her quills and ink she kept within a separate pocket. “George said his family would be traveling in from Namel, and I want to know what they experienced. They were born here, Ford- they belong to this place.”

“And I’m sure you’ll find the time to wring every last detail from them,” Ford teased. “Just remember that they are here for their father, not for your benefit.”

“As if I could forget such a thing!” Celestia, a creature of the day and light, still seemed to glow even in the coolness of the evening, draped in little more than a simple dress the color of the autumn leaves. She had been eager to have a reason to wear it, having worked on it herself under the tutelage of Ethel for the past few months. Her work was exquisite, something her husband had not failed to notice. “There are many stars above. Perhaps they could gain your attention instead?”

“Pardon?” Ford’s gaze could hardly bear to be torn from her, so great was her beauty.

She laughed, leaning over to kiss him gently as they walked together. “You still wear your heart on your sleeve. Not once do I wish it were not so.”

Ford remained confused even after her words, Celestia’s laughter only growing stronger as she saw the look of perplexity on his face.

In time, the sound of music and laughter began to trickle through the air and into their ears, the sight of Katser coming into view, the village pub brightly lit and thriving with life and energy, the sound of songs carrying across the gentle breeze to greet the latecomers.

“They have been at it for some time now, it would seem,” Ford guessed, a smile upon his face. “I expect Frank has an entire keg already emptied by now.”

“I expect Frank has emptied an entire keg on his own, really.”

It took them little time to make their way down the well-trodden road and into good company, many a shout of welcome greeting them as they opened the door to the lively tavern as ale and food were pressed upon them.

“The ‘Chosen One’ himself! Come on in, son, we’re celebrating you, after all!” Charles proclaimed, grabbing Ford by the shoulder and ripping him away from his wife’s side, the man red-faced and clearly tipsy. “Congrats to you, man, can’t say I’m not envious of ya!”

“Charlie! What are you on about now?” Ford asked, taking a courteous swig of his mug though gagging at the taste. Too bitter, Frank!

“Why, let George tell you himself, man- I don’t want to spoil the surprise, I don’t!” Charles guffawed, shoving the younger man in the back over towards a large group of folks before turning to his own ale.

“I see Charlie didn’t waste any time talking to you,” George said, surfacing from the rowdy crowd and helping Ford steady himself. “Always told him to take it easy when congratulating folk. Never listens to me, does he? Never did, even when I first met him.”

“Well, no one will ever say he is disingenuous,” Ford remarked, still feeling the pressure where the spirited man had shoved him. “But what was he talking about, George? I won’t say he was cryptic when he was plain drunk.”

“Ah, poor bloke nearly spilled the secret. Whole town knows, save for you and Celestia. Come with me, I want you right in the thick of it,” George said, rising to a table on shaky legs and calling out to the crowd. “Oy! You lot! Eyes over here and shut your gob, won’t you?”

A chorus of friendly grumbles came in response, and every eye and ear was turned to the now grey-haired, frail old man. The great farmer had endured much, and now found himself unable to stand and walk easily without a cane. Though his body had failed him, his eyes still shown with that same great compassion and wisdom that had led Ford early in their years here.

“Alright, you lot, you know I’m not getting any younger. Heaven knows I haven’t lost my looks, or my Ethel would have left me years ago!” George proclaimed to a hearty chorus of laughter, Ethel sitting nearby and giving the whole room a large shush of admonishment. “Well, now that my legs seem ready to give out on me, and with even some simple things getting a mite too difficult, I’ve decided it’s time for me to take a seat- for good this time. I’ll be retiring.”

The barely-contained fervor that had been present throughout the tavern suddenly became solemn, each member raising their flagon and hailing the great man with a toast, drinking deeply in his honor. Though his mind and wit still remained, it was one of the last great passages to be had; an admission that the end was indeed coming at last.

“Oh, don’t turn into a bunch of sops on me, you’ve got more heart than that!” George replied, garnering a laugh from his fellows. “I may be getting old but I’m not stupid. I’ll still be around, there for a word or a bite if you want company. But the old place itself needs a whole lot more than what I can give it. So what do you think I’m going to do next, eh? Sell it? Not a chance! We all know who’s going to take over from me!”

“George, you couldn’t,” Celestia whispered, her voice easily audible over now-hushed crowd.

The elderly man laughed. “Aye, girl, I mean it. I want you and Ford to have the farm. Heaven knows I wouldn’t have been able to care for it these past few years if it weren’t for you two. I’d be right pleased if you’d take it.”

“But your family- your children-!”

“They are well-established and happy where they are,” George said calmly, his eyes flitting to a woman who had just entered through the door. “And they would wholeheartedly approve of the choice. I’m glad to have you both here with us. I’m hoping that this’ll keep you here.”

Ford looked over at his wife, the two sharing a single look that clearly said: How could we refuse?

“Let’s hear for Ford and Celestia, shall we? One last huzzah!” George cried, reveling in the celebration before taking a seat at last.

The raucous crowd went well on into the night, the tavern overflowing with friendly folk and warm conversation. The smell of pipesmoke filtered through the air while flagon after flagon piled up on the bar as the more rambunctious and raucous of the crowd continued with their revelry. In the midst of the chaos were Ford and Celestia, sitting across from a long-married couple and their daughter that seemed to hold more love and warmth for them than they would ever dare dream of holding.

“Oh, don’t you two worry, I’ll be right around if you ever need a word of advice,” George said to them. “If you’d just drop off a little box for me and Ethel every morning, I’d be pleased.”

“We wouldn’t dare do otherwise,” Celestia said warmly. “And are you sure? I know Dorothy said she loved growing up on the farm. I’d hate to steal it from her.”

“You wouldn’t be stealing anything from me,” Dorothy said, holding her newborn child in her arms as they talked. “Ed and I are busy in Namel, working on the harbor and all of that nonsense. I’m glad you’ve been here to keep them company, truly.”

Ford bit his lip, struggling to contain his laughter as he watched his wife, her gaze absolutely fixated on the swaddled blankets that contained the young child, a still-infantile little bundle of life named Richie. She had been unable to pry her gaze away from the young creature ever since the two women had been introduced, occasionally giving a jump of delight at even the smallest movement within the blanket.

Dorothy, to her credit, had not failed to notice. “Would you like to hold him?” she asked.

“Oh! I- I wouldn’t mean to be a bother,” Celestia stammered. Ford openly laughed, astounded by how suddenly she had become so flustered.

“It wouldn’t be a bother at all. Go on,” the other woman said, and Celestia ever-so-delicately took the swaddled bundle of baby from the woman’s arms and held it close.

As Celestia held him close against her chest, Richie gave a little yawn and looked up at her with sleepy eyes, perhaps wondering what had caused the sudden change of surroundings. When his gaze fell upon Celestia and her rainbow hair, he gave a small little gurgle of laughter and returned back to sleep, turning inwards to her as his breathing returned to a gentle flow, utterly content and at peace with the world. Celestia’s heart turned inside her, a sudden softness she had never before known suddenly finding life within her. She had never held such a young creature in her arms, nor seen such a precious thing in all her many days in the world. A fragile thing, so vulnerable and dependent on those around it. As she looked upon that child, Celestia wondered if a new part of her heart had just been found, and she could not find the strength to look anywhere else but on its peaceful face.

Ford stifled laughter as he watched his wife, she utterly absorbed in the blanketed bundle that dozed in her arms and oblivious to the world around her. “Uh, Celestia? She will want her baby back!”

“Mm?”

“Tia,” Ford teased, poking her in the head until at last she reacted. “Tia, I think Dorothy will need her baby back.”

“Oh! I- I am sorry,” Celestia stammered, handing over the child albeit unwillingly, a great change in her expression unlike anything her husband had yet seen, clear to all those around her.

“It’s no problem at all! Again, thank you for being such good friends to my parents,” Dorothy said, sliding out of the booth and giving one last bow. “Sorry, but we’ve been traveling most of the day and Ed and I are exhausted. I’m going to head on to the cottage and get some rest- I’d be glad to see you both tomorrow!”

“Bye, sweetheart!” George called.

“Bye,” Celestia echoed, her heart following the young woman as she left the tavern.

Little was said the rest of the night by the beautiful princess, Celestia’s mind worlds away from the here and now as she dwelled upon other things. Even her husband’s best efforts to gain her attention proved fruitless, and Ford simply shrugged his shoulders in defeat. Eventually they decided to retire for the night, heading back to their small cottage as the party continued on.

“You’ve been quiet this evening, haven’t you?” Ford inquired, knowing full well what was on her mind. “Are you perhaps catching a small illness?”

Celestia said nothing, a pained expression of longing vividly clear on her face.

It was of little surprise when it came. Almost as soon as Ford had closed the front door she was on him, kissing him madly as though possessed, entranced by the mere sight of his flesh. Amused as he was delighted, Ford did his best to reciprocate, taking her in his arms and holding her gently as he left a trail of kisses on her neck.

“Got a bit of baby fever, do we?” he teased.

“I know it’s stupid,” Celestia admitted, though she was already working on taking his shirt off his shoulders. “We are immortal- we would likely outlive our own children- but Ford, I can’t stand it! Not for one more second!” She practically tore his clothes off of him as she continued her frenzy in earnest.

Ford laughed all the while, simply glad for the time he had been given. “Alright, so we’ll do it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Sure? Of course I’m sure!” he roared, deblousing her as best he could as she continued her romantic assault. “Let us make a family!”

Twenty-two Years

He was beautiful, a young boy on the cusp of entering manhood. He possessed that same ethereal beauty that so powerfully dwelled in his mother, and had been born with the calm demeanor of his father, the compassion and kindness evident in his eyes. He walked –no, raced out into the fields with his siblings in tow, Marianne and John doing their best to keep up, young John struggling to keep up as the complexities of running were still not fully in his grasp.

They are mine. My children, flesh of my flesh. I have children. Celestia could barely restrain her delight, her heart overflowing with joy at the sight of them running out into the wilds, their shrieks and cries of joy enough to make her burst. Of the many things she had expected to see in her lifetime, of all the joys and heartbreaks, this was not among them. Tears tried to spring into her eyes at the thought and she suppressed them, reveling in the moment of the now as she watched them play. This is not a dream, no illusion or spell. This is real, and it is mine.

“Mama! Come chase us!” Marianne cried, beckoning for her mother to join them in their romp through the grasses. “Come on, come on, hurry!”

“Yeah, Mom! Bet you can’t get us all!” Justus yelled, adding to his little sister’s taunting. All the strength and skill of his father, yet fully blessed with his mother’s cheek. “You’re just too slow!”

“Slow, am I?” Celestia asked, suddenly rushing forward and taking a squealing John in her arms as he tried to resist his mother’s kisses. “Well, I already have one- how long will it take me to find the rest of you?”

Justus’ eyes went wide and he raced away as fast as he could manage, the vibrancy in his young body seemingly granting him endless strength to run on and on, disappearing into the long grass with his sister following close behind, giggling madly.

“Say, you want to help Mama find your brother and sister?” Celestia whispered, holding her youngest tight as she leaned to his ear. “You’ll have to be really quiet, but I bet we can do it!”

“Yeah! Let me help, Mama! Let me help, let me help, let me help!” John cried.

“Turncoat!” yelled Justus from somewhere within the field, easily able to hear his sibling’s excited words.

“Ooh, your big brother’s all mad! Why don’t you go find him and make him pay for it?” Celestia said.

John gave a giggle and slipped from his mother’s arms, rushing to the grass before coming to a quick halt before he reached the thickest portion, suddenly walking along on tiptoe for fear he would reveal himself.

Celestia waited for a time, allowing her youngest to test himself. She had watched them all closely ever since they had been born, and she knew better than even her husband what strength that they possessed. She wanted to join in, to spend what time she could with them while they were still young; but now was not a moment to waste. She would be able to see just what they could do.

A sudden flash of light in the depths of the thicket, and a shriek that could have only been her daughter. Celestia crouched and took to the ground, even her hair barely visible above the grasses as she observed them. Any minute now…

Marianna suddenly flew out of the grasses with a rush, little more than a blur to the eye as she recoiled from her brother, losing her footing against a stone in the earth and coming to a tumble, head over heels before stopping at last. She checked herself over for bruises and scrapes, finding more than one and beginning to sniffle. She appeared ready to call out.

The time for mere observance was over. Celestia rose and walked over to her child, checking her injuries. “Do any of them hurt badly?” she asked.

“No, Mama,” Marianne said, her voice betraying the tears she held just in check. “I’m OK.”

“What happened?”

Marianne wiped her nose against her hand before taking the time to speak. “I went too fast,” she answered. “I messed up.”

“It’s a hard skill to practice,” Celestia replied, kissing the young girl on the forehead gently. “You’ll get it in time. Is that the first time you’ve used it?”

“No…” the girl looked away as though ashamed to meet her mother’s gaze. “When you went to Mr. George’s funeral last week, I tried…”

“How did that go?”

“I slipped on the stairs and fell out the door.”

Celestia laughed, giving the child a quick hug. “Well, we’ll just need to keep practicing, that is all. Are you any better now?”

“Yes, Mama.” Marianne’s eyes turned back to the thicket, watching as a great series of flashes and cries erupted from within. “He found Justus, Mama!”

“Yes, he did.” She rose to her feet, watching as the intensity of the bout only grew with each passing second. “John, Justus! No hurting each other, alright? I don’t want a repeat of last time!”

“Yes, Mama- ow!” The sound of the two boys tussling only grew in intensity until they suddenly were flung out from their hiding place and into open air, Justus able to prevent himself from falling on his face with a quick series of gusts that helped him stay airborne, with John just below him and shooting sparks from his hands until it seemed he held fireworks against his palms.

“Alright, that’s enough, you two!” Celestia declared, suddenly jumping in between the two before any real damage could be dealt. “John, remember- no sparks in the field, or else you’ll start a fire! Justus, you can get down now.”

“Aw come on, Mom, I’m not tired!” Justus floated along just at shoulder’s height, seeming to swim through the air. “I could go all day!”

“I bet you could. But you’ve been practicing hard every day now, so let’s not risk getting hurt. OK?”

“Aw…” the young boy settled down next to his siblings, his face clearly stating his desire to continue. “I want to keep trying.”

“After lunch, perhaps,” Celestia said, taking her rucksack off her shoulders and rummaging through its contents. Finding a thick blanket she laid it down, extracting a series of wrapped packages for the four of them soon after. “Come on, then. Time for a bite to eat.”

She knew them too well. In moments the three children were eagerly consuming their picnic meals, their faces too filled with food to consider talking. She, above them all, ate slowly of her own meal, plopping each individual berry into her mouth and savoring the taste. A treat from their latest harvest, and somehow better than even last year’s. Whether it was the soil, Ford’s skills in farming growing stronger, or simply coming to belong to this place even more she could not imagine. But for every day, every moment she spent here, the more alive she found she had become. She envied her children, though mortal they were. They were strong, happy, and wonderfully at peace. They had been born here, were a part of the earth and its things; they belonged here more truly than she ever would, no matter how long they all would dwell here, and it was here they would forever call home.

“Mama? When’s Dad coming back?” Marianne asked.

“I don’t know. As soon as he’s done speaking with Mrs. Dorothy and her husband,” Celestia answered. “Remember, Namel is a very long ways away, and your father is traveling on foot. It will take him some time.”

“But he’ll come back, right?” She looked so deeply concerned that Celestia felt shame that her first inclination was to laugh.

“Yes, of course he will! As if he’d ever want to be away from you for long!” Celestia teased. “Your father was very close with Mr. George, so he wants to take time to make sure his family will be OK without him.”

“Will that happen to you someday, Mama?” Justus asked.

She wondered how true it would become. “Maybe. If something were to happen to your father or me, it certainly could happen.”

“Will it happen to me?”

“Not for a long time, at least,” Celestia answered. “You have something special in your blood that makes you strong, that lets you all do such wonderful things. It might just let you live for a very long time, just like your father and I.”

“That sounds scary!” John cried.

“What does?”

“I dunno- both!”

The rest of the day was spent among the things of the field, whether it be in the form of simple play or practice. The sun and its shadows grew long before at last Celestia declared that it was time for them to depart, despite the three children’s protests.

“But we’re not tired! Please, Mama, can we stay a little longer?” Marianne begged.

“No, not this time,” she answered, promptly earning groans from all her children. “Now remember last time, and how tired you all were. Let’s get home before the sun goes down this time- no buts, John, I can already guess that I’ll be carrying you before too long- so no. We’re heading home, and I’d say a nice bath awaits us all after all this.”

Justus pretended to gag, reduced to little more than a boy who hated cleanliness with all his heart.

Just as she had predicted, her youngest child soon ended up in her arms, peacefully nodding away into slumber as they walked back to their home, the other two trotting along just behind their mother’s shadow. With their help she soon had John in a bath, cleaning him with gentle care and changing him over into his nightclothes before settling him into his bed and kissing him goodnight. Marianne, always the daintiest of the three, positively leaped into her bath and began to clean herself, while Justus offered more hesitation, only slowly entering the water underneath a stern glare from his mother. It was of little surprise that Justus finished his bath in record time, while Marianne took her time, finally exiting the waters at her mother’s behest.

Soon after, the house was silent, save for what little sound Celestia made as she walked along through the main floor, occasionally pausing at the foot of the stairs to listen for signs of activity from overhead. A gentle rumble entered her ears and she knew it to be Justus, the lightest sleeper of the three. She smiled; if he was sound asleep then so were his siblings.

Finally feeling the tiredness in her own bones Celestia meandered over to her writing desk, simply plopping down in it with a sigh that escaped from her smiling lips. If she could she would have relived the day over and over endlessly until the very world came at last to an end.

As if I can’t do that easily now, she said to herself with a laugh, taking her quill to parchment and beginning to add to the growing tale. While it was till fresh was always her goal; it would not do well to miss a thing.

One-hundred years

Ford marveled at how his body still continued to grant him strength, even after all these years of labor on this earth. With every season came incredible work, increasing evermore until harvest at last came with all its chaos and freneticism, only for the cycle to come to an end and suddenly begin all over once more, new crops waiting to be planted and tended to. Yet even with all the strain, the long hours and arduous work that came with it, not once had his body come to fail him or lose its strength. He was as strong and capable now as he was the very first day he had ever set foot in this place.

The sound of footsteps on hardwood as his wife appeared at the threshold, a pair of drinks in her hand as she came to join him. “Thought you’d want something stiff, after today,” she said.

“Very much so, thank you,” he said happily, taking the offered cup of brandy and drinking deeply from its depths. “It was a long day today, if you can’t tell.”

Celestia nodded. “Three families arrived yesterday as well. Rosie –you remember, Clara’s granddaughter- sent them out here to meet with me. They’re glad to stay here and have work ready waiting for them.”

“Are they from this place?” he inquired.

“Strangely, yes. Came all the way from the north, up near Sheleg.”

Ford gave a start at the news, nearly spilling his brandy onto the freshly cleaned porch. “Heaven’s sake, Sheleg’s half a world away! What in blazes are they coming here for?”

“They heard of what’s been happening here, Ford. Just like the four families that arrived last month, and the two before them. Ever since-” Celestia paused. “… You and I told the children to be careful in how much they said. That the last thing their mother and father wanted was to be seen as something more than just, well…”

“Humble farmers. And a hard-working mayor, in your regard,” he said, raising his glass in honor of her title.

“If they had been mere folk like all those who dwell here it would have remained that way. But Ford, they’re all over a century old- and they hardly look any older than you or I! And what they are capable of,” Celestia breathed. “We never could have guessed just what they would become.”

“They’re your children- how surprised should we really be?” he said playfully.

“Some of it is mine- but not all. I was counted among the last of the Alicorns, but still old enough to remember the last days when my kind began to dwell among Man and see their blood become intertwined. Their children could inherit some of the powers, but not to this degree!”

Ford knew where she was leading but found himself struggling to heed her words. “Surely you’re not saying some of it comes from me?”

“All I want to ask is that you think back. Your family history, any of it,” Celestia said. “Something that might help explain just how extraordinary our children are.”

“I wish I could tell you as much as you wished, but I have little to say,” he answered. “The longer I’ve been here, the less of our old life I can recall. It almost seems like a dream, the first page in a much greater story…” he looked out into the fields and smiled, reliving a century’s worth of joys and triumphs in his mind. “All I have truly wanted from my life is here, beloved. What more would I want? Our sons and daughter thrive- they add to this world in ways we could never have imagined.”

“Do you really remember so little now?” she asked softly, her own thoughts drifting away like leaves on the water. In truth, even her long life had begun to fade in light of this resplendent place, the memories of what once was now so distant and darkened that to recall them all was more struggle than it would be worth.

“I… I barely even remember their faces,” Ford whispered. “All the struggle… I know my mother wasn’t born in Equestria, but that’s all I ever knew of her life before. They died before I’d grown enough to want to know more.” He sighed. “It just all seems so far away now. And so insignificant in the face of here. This is what we’ve looked for our entire lives and we found it. What more is there worth to remember?”

It was a string she wanted to pull on, but judging by her husband’s expression she would find the end torn and frayed. And when she knew similar questions asked of herself would come to the same result, what right did she have to be frustrated? Celestia gave a small sigh of defeat and sank down next to him, marveling at it all. “Two immortal souls who sired mighty children… it is a thing to behold.”

“And everyone wants to be near us, to see it keep happening,” Ford chuckled. “What on earth will we end up doing next? From farmhands to farm owners, to mayor and a village that has become a small city.”

“The population has doubled in the past year alone, Ford. Nearly one thousand people live here now- and they all look at us as though we are something so beyond them! Like we’re different!”

“And are we not a bit different?” Ford said, trying not to laugh at his wife’s words. “After all, there is not a scratch upon us, no wear and pain of the years. I can hardly recall how long it has been and yet here we stand, as fresh-faced and young as the day we rose from the sea and onto its shores. I would say that alone is enough to attract attention. After all, we’re hardly normal.”

“I thought that was our goal,” Celestia said. “To simply live happily with the time that we’re given.”

“And so we have. At least, we certainly tried to. But you and I are hardly the kind to simply let time pass us by. We ourselves are something new.”

“And everyone wants to be a part of it. To follow in our footsteps,” Celestia whispered. “What do you suppose they will ask of us next?”

Ford said nothing for a time, simply finishing off the last of his brandy before setting the glass down in a flourish, taking his wife’s hand in his and giving it a quick squeeze. “As long as I have you with me,” he said finally, “I will not find it in me to care.”

The years became decades. Decades into centuries. On and on their days went until all time seemed to span before them endlessly and every year was like a day before their eyes. Stories grew and flew across the world of an immortal lady and her beloved knight; how their songs lit up the sky with stars and made the sun shine brighter. That where their feet fell in their dances, one would find beautiful flowers or a bountiful harvest. So great was the lady’s beauty that it was said the light of a thousand suns glowed within her, and her smile was like that of a glorious dawn. So noble was her knight that all who proclaimed themselves valorous would come to fall at his feet in honor of his greatness. They were beings of great power and wisdom, moreso than any who had ever, or would ever, walk the Earth, for wondrous were their deeds, and great was their kindness.

Long ago, in those days, a great company of lords and nobles came at last to their land, finding a place of verdant green and joyous folk who seemed to radiate the greatness of their masters. This great company came before the Lady and her Knight to beseech them of their wisdom evermore: not as mere folk but as the king and queen of their land, for there were none who could be found that could match the grace of the Great Lady, nor the valor and compassion of her Knight.

At first, the Lady refused, wishing to remain with her husband in peace, but relented at the continued persistence of the noble company. “For us to have another ruler would place us in the realm of fools,” they proclaimed. “We shall have thee or none at all to rule us.”

And so the Lady became the Queen of the Sun, and her husband the King of the Stars, and great was the rejoicing at their ascension. Through them came a golden age, and the country flourished under their guidance. Gold and riches were found in the depths of the earth, while the many green things of the earth continued their bloom, the peaceful land transformed into a great garden. All Men and beast found themselves transfigured in those days, their flesh coming to glow in the reflection of their ruler’s graces. Villages became towns, towns became cities, and cities grew in might and gloriousness as the people were fruitful and multiplied.

Their immortal rule continued on and on. As their great days continued, so did more come to pay tribute to the Sun and the Stars, offering crowns before them in faith that they would, indeed, outlast them all. The world turned ever on, and great Ages passed before the eyes of countless souls, but still did the Queen and King remain, ever stalwart and watchful over their flock. No anger escaped their lips, nor bitter words of grief or pain, for in them was Light, and no darkness could be found.

Mighty beneath them were their kin, great sons and daughters of Light, who aided their mother and father in their rule. Glorious were they to behold, and fairer than that of any Man. Though finite in life and strength, still great were they among all other Men.

And so it has continued even to this day, a resplendent rule beneath the greatest Queen that shall ever be known, for no other came before them, and none shall there be after. Aided by the King, our Queen rules in eternal Light, and the sorrow of elder days has passed away. For these are the days of light, and in light there can be no darkness.

She awoke with a start, the depths of the night so thick it were as though a blindfold had been taken to her eyes. Every breath was a gasp as though she had just run a marathon, her chest heaving with the effort. Her mind flickered this way and that in the hopes of recollecting what had been just forgotten. Had it been a nightmare? A dream, a vision?

No. She felt the call upon her heart as clearly as though she had heard its cry in that very room. Slowly, so as not to wake her husband, she crept silently over to the window and stared out into the darkness, feeling her eyes drift away and towards that place where she had once traveled, so long ago that only she had been left to hold the memory of it. None ventured there, none knew of its contents. But she knew, and fool would she be to deny it.

A rustle of bedsheets met her ears, and soon the comforting pressure of her husband’s arms around her were felt, she knowing full well it was not her actions that had awakened him. He, too, now felt its call, and loathe were they to answer it.

“It’s opened at last,” he said, his voice so heavy with sorrow that if it were a spear it would have pierced his very soul. “After all this time…”

“I think it has. No- no, I know it has,” she said, moved to weeping by the intense pull on her heart. “I wondered if it would ever really happen, it has been so long.”

“I don’t want to go,” he said. “We have been here so long… I do not wish to belong to anyplace else.”

Tears streamed down her face as she, too, felt very much the same. But with each passing moment she felt the calling only grow stronger, and memories long forgotten began to resurface, while the ones of this place were slowly beginning to fade. She knew that, in time, they would be lost forever, with only small fragments and moments of this resplendent land to be carried on in her heart.

“The time has come,” she said at last, wiping away her tears. “And we should not wait.”

“I do not think I could even if I had myself chained to the walls, and the key thrown aside,” he replied, his hand upon his chest as though the sensation burned his insides. “We shall be dressed at once.”

Celestia made to the door and found the guards at immediate attention, awaiting an order- only to be shocked by the grievous expression that now rested on their beloved Queen’s face. “Fetch the Crown Prince at once,” she said softly. “Tell him his father and I are in need of him immediately.”

Before the sun had even rose they were off, their rucksacks filled to the brim with food and supplies of a golden land, the loads upon their backs miniscule compared to the heaviness that now lay upon their hearts. Ford thought of his son weeping alone in their bedroom- now his bedroom, a lonely kingship passed to his shoulders. Celestia thought to all her children that had come and gone over the years and it was all she could to not give one last goodbye to every last one of them, even if the effort took an eternity.

Their journey remained dark, for the sun would not rise amidst such gloom; its Queen was departing along with the comfort and light of the night, and at last darkness had come to fall. Onward they pressed, heading deep into the mountains alone, at last coming upon a long-hidden grove where a wrought-iron gateway now awaited them, wide open and filled with whispers.

“There is no going back now,” Celestia whispered. “Only Sombra awaits us beyond this place.”

“And so it must be done,” Ford said heavily, the grizzled strength of the warrior slowly becoming part of him again. Though his vow had remained firm ever since those early days, and no weapon had found place in his hands, his duty to his beloved would not falter now. “We shall go to the end, whatever that may be.”

“Then let us be gone,” Celestia said miserably, knowing that if she waited a moment longer it would be too much for her soul to bear. Yet as she turned to press into the gate’s depths, she found herself brought to a halt- her husband still stood there, his sorrow heavy on his face. “What is wrong?”

“Even if we make it back to Equestria,” he whispered, “it shall never be home again. For here, in this place, is where we have come to belong. Even though this place merely a shadow of what we long for, only a brief glimpse in a darkened mirror. When that time finally comes… we will find a green place greater than this, and we shall belong there in full.”

Celestia smiled, her tears falling across her lips as she led him gently alongside her, the two waling forward into the brightness of the opened doors. “And there, beloved,” she said, “we shall never have to depart.”

Author's Note

"For no eye has seen, nor ear has heard..."

The last battle is coming closer. Ready thyself, for the last steps are just ahead.
New additions to the soundtrack found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections are always welcome. Stay the course- we're almost there.

XII: Fathach

As the doors of the wrought-iron gate closed behind them, it took all their strength not to fall prostrate and weep. For a time, neither of them had the will to take in their surroundings and regard what lay before them. All they could see was an absence, a lack of what they truly desired. Their dwelling in such a place could have lasted an eternity, and still it would not have been enough to satiate their hunger for it.

Celestia vision was cloudy, misted by memories she clung so desperately to. She wanted to remember every detail; the feel of the grass against her skin, the gentle warmth of the sun against her skin. Even the names of children over the millennia had begun to fade from her mind, though her will screamed for her to recall them all. Justus, John, Rilian, Diana, Rachel… every name she could recall, she held tight. She bowed her head low as tears began to form, knowing that no effort would be enough to preserve it all. The weight of an eternity, so far away from resplendency, was more than the mind could take.

She wanted to scream. It had been perfect- more wonderful and beautiful than anything she could have ever known. And now it was gone forever. There would be no journey back. Never again. It’s gone. Gone for good and you’ll never see it again. Only Sombra is left ahead of you now. Remember, Sombra? The one you came here to destroy? And your sister. Twilight… home. All of it still needs you.

Celestia wiped away her tears and turned her emotions into power. She had rested long, more than any of her kind before her. Thousands upon thousands of years had given her immeasurable strength. All that was left was one great push and it would be done. She would let that bitter sorrow of departure drive her to seek him out. “You’re not far from me now, are you?” she whispered.

Celestia turned and was unsurprised to see Ford had begun to slowly wander away from her, his face hidden from her view. She knew what pains were tearing at him now, and just how desperately he had come to love that place. It was painful for her own farewell; for him it would be torturous. He needs to stay focused now. If he dwells on it for too long…

“Ford,” she called, trying to gain his attention over the blowing wind. “Ford, come to me!”

Whether or not he heard, she could not tell, and instead he doubled over as if in pain. Frustrated, she came over to him and took his head in her hands, forcing him to look upon her. “Listen to me- it is gone. Forever. We will never find our way back, and even if we somehow did, it would never be the same again. You have to understand that, Ford,” she said, her tone fierce. “I know it hurts- it is agonizing. But we can’t do anything about it any longer. We still have to find Sombra and end this once and for all, it is all we have left.”

Ford’s countenance was ragged, heartbroken from the loss. But what sense and reason that still ruled in him understood full well, and he slowly began to return to himself. “I know,” he gasped. “I know- I’ll be fine, I can do this. You’re right, we need to stay focused.”

“Can you stay that way if I let go? Can you do it on your own without me?”

“I can stand.” Ford separated himself from her and focused his strewn emotions back into order, a slow, deep breath as he did so, finally looking upon his bride and becoming steadied. “How do you feel?”

“Furious,” she answered. “Like Sombra just stole my life from me, and I would dearly love to make him pay for it.”

“Then let us do so,” Ford said, his own voice constricted. “Where are we?”

It was the first they had truly begun to consider their surroundings, and they were surprised by the sheer vastness of the land upon which they stood. A great cascade of endless moorlands was spread out before their eyes, rolling hills greater and wider than even a mighty city that filled the horizon and beyond, open and empty without end. A fine layer of mist and cloud mingled together just above the earth, turning the world into a mixture of dismal green and soft grey that seemed to go on forever in a boundless span. If they were to walk forward and ever on, Celestia doubted they would even be able to reach the edge of the horizon even if they were given the length of a lifetime.

Their journey began slowly, with little more than simple steps in the sole direction of forward. Their place upon the vast moor was well open before them, so great in size that its place over the rest of the landscape gave it the sensation of being atop an endless plateau. They continued on, the minutes slowly churning into hours, the unchanging scenery taunting their progress- if they had made any at all. Even after hours upon hours of straightforward marching, little had changed before them, not even the dim sunlight that somehow pushed through the clouded expanse.

“We should rest for a moment,” Celestia suggested, lying down in the heath and promptly feeling a fierce tightness in her legs as her muscles finally had been given a moment’s reprieve. “We have come a long way.”

“Are we even sure of that?” Ford asked, looking about them with uncertainty. “We have not ascended or descended at all. It feels as though we have gone nowhere at all.”

Celestia found herself wondering if perhaps this was some illusion that had fallen on their eyes and decided to keep those thoughts to herself. It would do little good at the moment to give strength to their gloom. She looked around, wondering there would be materials for a fire and found only peat and grass before her.

The hours passed, each too weighed down by their loss and weariness to yet consider returning to their journey. The wind pushed gently by them and across the endless landscape, no rock or tree to perturb its progress. All around them was the emptiness and it gnawed at their souls until they could hardly bear to look at anything but the ground beneath their feet.

“It’s so empty,” Ford whispered, humbled by the expanse to which they had arrived. “I’ve never seen anything so big.”

“I feel small,” she said. “If the whole world is all this… we have no idea of where we would even be able to begin. It is like trying to find a needle on a mountain.”

Ford was hardly inclined to disagree, shuffling himself on the earth and falling in beside her. “If you have suggestions to make it easier, I would gladly listen. What do you propose we do?”

“I… I am not sure,” Celestia admitted. “Try to find some sort of civilization, perhaps. Anyone who could tell us where to find what we seek.”

“Is there even any civilization to find in this place?” Ford asked, his words disappearing into the ether as though they had never existed, swallowed by the great vastness of the land.

“There is only one way to find out. Come, we need to start moving again. We have much ground to- cover…” Celestia paused. Had she heard correctly? She closed her eyes and focused, allowing the rest of her senses to fill the void.

“What do you hear?”

“Quiet.” She heard it again… a rumbling as though rock and earth were shattering. A tremor ran beneath her feet and she knew it was one and the same. “The ground is unsteady.”

“An earthquake?” Ford asked, a new series of thrums across the ground as the two began to stagger. Each new jolt was more thunderous than the last, growing ever more violent until the ground beneath them rocked back and forth like a toy in the hands of a child.

“No. This is a pattern,” Celestia said, falling to her knees in the hopes of keeping balance. “An earthquake would be constant- something is moving the earth!”

“What could have that kind of power?”

A great shuddering cry rent the air, a vicious, guttural noise that made the air churn and roil as it coursed through the skies like a wave. Toppled to the ground and clinging to each other for comfort, Celestia and Ford turned back to see the clouds and mist twisting and contorting until they were thrown back like the iron doors of a palace, revealing the great being from within their shelter.

“By heaven…”

Never had she seen such a creature, as massive and mighty as a mountain; the very breadth of it was incredible to behold. Its skin was iron shod, strong and fortified as the walls of a fortress. Its many legs moved with a grace ill-befitting its vastness, each loping movement like that of a great creature of the plains rather than a god amongst the wild things. Its tail was long and sweeping, the hairs sweeping lazily behind it like the grasses of the field. A series of horns like the prongs of a deer were upon its head, growing outwards as though limbs upon a tree, and beneath it were eyes the color of fire, fierce orange with the deep black of a coal at the center. Each step was an earthquake all on its own, the great hooved feet falling down with such grace- yet such indescribable force. The mighty beast of beasts surveyed all that it could see, its magnificent head tilting this way and that before releasing a thunderous cry that shook the heavens, a great scream like metal being torn across stone.

“What on earth..?”

“It’s dipping down! Move out of the way!” Celestia yelled, taking her husband by the arm as they fled the creature’s vicinity- or at least as far from its bent head as they could hope to manage-

The beast took to the earth and opened its maw, biting hard into the soil and consuming the earth, the rolling hill disappearing in its mouth as the creature began to chew soil and grass, leaving nothing more than a gaping flatland where once high ground used to perch.

“Look at the ground- where it took the soil!” Ford cried, pointing to the open wound on the earth. “There’s already fresh grass and trees growing. That thing is living agriculture, like it accelerates the growth of the ground!”

Celestia would have marveled at such a thing, taken to the creature’s profundity. But her focus was elsewhere, and she watched as the beast’s crown returned back into the heaven, serenely surveying the endless landscape. She had been sure of it, certain- but she needed to see it again.

“We need it to feed again!” she called, trying to construct some way of grabbing the animal’s attention. “I need to see its head!”

“Why its head?” Ford yelled, only for his befuddled expression to promptly change to horror. “No- it can’t be!”

“I saw it, but only for a moment,” Celestia said. “I think the gateway is upon its head!”

Ford was appalled by the thought; the very idea of a living being holding such a possession within its own skin was horrifying- but to fail now would be catastrophic. “If its feeding accelerates the growth in the soil, then it must look for deficiencies,” he said. “We need to damage the ground beneath us!”

The two sunk to their knees and furiously began to dig and tear at the heath beneath their feet, tearing and clawing frantically at the soil in a wild, desperate attempt to gain the mighty creature’s attention. Neither had reason to believe in its success, with little more than wild theory to sustain them. But if the gateway was atop this beast, then their hopes were no more than to bring it down to earth. Far better it to descend than for them to climb-

“It worked! Move!” Ford yelled-

Celestia dove out of the way just in time as the black, gaping mouth of the beast descended towards them, its steely teeth sinking into the broken soil and tearing it apart, pulling away the damaged earth and allowing rejuvenation to begin. As they watched the creature perform its duty, the beast’s fire-red eye focused on Celestia: serene and strong was its gaze, though it appeared curious that such a creature as she would perform such an act of malice. But Celestia saw it not, instead focusing her gaze on the wrought-iron that lay forged upon its crown, buried deep into the flesh and bone of the mighty beast.

The creature’s work was finished and it head returned to the heavens, leaving Ford and Celestia scrambling to try and reach out for it, with little success, both falling into the growing vegetation that had been left in the beast’s wake-

Ford screamed, watching as the sudden growth tried to consume him, each tendril of greenery, each blade of grass struck against his flesh, thinking him an intruder and assailant. Celestia took him in her arms and they escaped, turning to watch as the wound in the earth rapidly repaired itself, the mud-brown of the soil quickly becoming a dense green-

“Are you alright?”

“I am unharmed,” Ford said breathlessly. “That creature is going to be free of us soon, its gait is too long. What are we to do?”

“We’ll have to climb it,” Celestia breathed, already beginning to race towards the nearest leg of the magnificent beast, pleading for it to slow its pace. “We can’t let it get away, come on! Hurry!”

Ford staggered to his feet against the thunderous strikes of the beast’s hooves and ran to join her, the two in a mad dash to climb the moving mountain before it escaped their grasp. “How do you expect to climb it?”

“I don’t know, hurry!” she screamed, dashing ahead and leaping towards its lowered crown and missing by mere inches, feeling the soft tendrils of fur that thinly covered its rocky skin-

“The legs! Go for the legs!” Ford yelled-

Celestia watched as the foreleg rose from its place in the earth, tearing against soil and dirt as it flew over the ground and began a plunge back down. She tensed, watching and knowing it would fall just before her. If she let the shockwave stagger her again, the opportunity would be lost. “Get ready!” she called-

Ford caught up to her and gripped down on her with force, ready for the jump-

The creature’s limb fell back to ground with a thundering crash, an earthquake with an epicenter just before their very eyes-

Celestia and Ford made their jump just as the great hoof fell onto earth, reaching out and clutching to the creature’s rocky flesh with all their might, feeling the body heat emanate from within it. A terrain that should have been cold as the wind that roared against their skin instead felt hot to the touch, as though a living, breathing volcano was in their grasp-

“Whoa!” Ford struggled to keep his grip, the creature continuing its long gait over the terrain.

“Keep climbing! The further up we go, the easier it will be to stay on!” Celestia cried, trying her best to ascend the mountainous beast each small movement of the behemoth enough to throw her to the ground. It was as though the earth had come to life beneath her, resistant to her hand-

With tremulous, unsteady steps they climbed, working their way up the magnificent beast with all the strength they could muster. Celestia longed to rocket herself skyward, to ascend to the clouds and be done with her journey, but to leave Ford was unthinkable. She prayed that the beast, as large as it was, would not notice two insignificant creatures climbing up its leg and give it as much heed as a dragon would a fly-

“Aah!” Ford scrabbled, slipping down the creature’s leg and down closer to the hoof, struggling to keep hold and not fall to death at the creature’s feet-

“Ford!”

Ford reacted swiftly, drawing a sturdy knife from his belt and plunging it into the creature’s flesh, the blade sinking into a crack between the rocks and solidifying its place there, Ford clinging to his lifeline desperately-

“Are you alright?” Celestia screamed-

“Get to the creature’s head and open that gate!” Ford yelled, both hands clutching the knife handle tightly, eyes wide as saucers. “Throw down a rope when you reach the top, I can’t make this climb! Hurry!”

Celestia turned her head back to the sky and saw how far she still had to climb, many hundreds of feet left to go. She gulped; Ford had only minutes, she needed to finish this soon. Could she still fly, even after millennia upon millennia of her wings being folded away? There was only one way to discover it, relinquishing her grip upon the creature’s hide and falling away-

“Tia!”

Celestia closed her eyes, even as the imminence of her collision came creeping towards her. She felt out into the darkness and found herself once more, rekindling a flame long dormant within her soul, and letting it burst back into life. But this would be no gentle light, but instead a bright burning flame that would tear and burn away at even its master, and so great was the pain that came with her resurgence.

Wings the shape and strength of light erupted from her back, unfolding and allowing feathers to grow long and strong against their brethren, opening wide and thrusting outwards against the currents, throwing Celestia up into the air until she was one with the clouds and sea-

Her hope had been to descend upon its crown with little disturbance, but the very moment her feet touched against the beast’s skin it began to react. Perhaps aware of a threat against it, the mighty animal gave a cry that thundered through the air and tossed its proud head madly, trying to throw off the woman who now clung to the hairs of the beast with all her might, praying not to be thrown from such a height. The creature’s motions were not erratic, and were in fact predictable- but the sheer force of even its simplest movements had the strength of a great storm, and it was all she could do to not be flung into the skies.

Celestia sank herself against the beast’s hide, flattening down and slowly, surely, trying to crawl her way up the neck and onto the top of its head. Each movement was carefully timed with the creature’s throes, one hand and foot at a time lest her grip break and she be killed. The beast’s cries were only growing more volatile and seemed on the verge of cracking the very skies-

Her hand reached out and felt cold metal. She dared to raise her head and saw she had grasped the gateway- but only a small part of it. She recognized the fine point that had nearly driven itself through her palm: this was only the very tip of the gateway, the crown upon its opening. The rest still lay sunken in the rock, the very flesh of the beast itself. Celestia’s blood ran cold. She would have to dredge it out of the beast’s skull in order to continue their progress. She would have to kill it.

A cry of fear and she knew Ford was struggling to hold on. One wrong move and he would fall underneath the creature’s hooves, crushed into the earth. It was now or never, before she had a chance to think it over once more-

Celestia took flight again and took aim, positioning herself just above the creature’s horns with hand outstretched, trying not to think of what she was about to do. This creature was going to die at no fault of its own, having not even attempted to bring harm against them. It had bucked her attempts to reach its crown, but not as an aggressor, treating her as a horse would a fly. If I only ignite a small amount, perhaps it would be enough to simply extract the gateway, she wondered, feeling her strength creep into her fingertips. As she prepared to fire, the creature tilted its head so as to look upon her, and she saw its eyes were wide with fear-

Millennia upon millennia of dormant strength was unleashed from her grasp, a burst of red light emanating from her palm and igniting as an ever-growing tree of lightning, striking through the creature time and time again, crashing through stone and flesh until blood gushed from its wounds in a waterfall of dark green that cascaded onto the moor below, the beast giving a horrendous cry of agony, rearing onto its hind legs to give one final scream before falling the earth in a shockwave that thundered across the endless plains.

Celestia went rigid, slowly descending to the ground as her wings held their form. It was only supposed to be miniscule. I did not mean to do such- it was not supposed to die. No… no, no, no, no-

She fell next to the dying creature, listening to its ragged breaths grow from desperate to weary, much of its neck severed from its body, its stony flesh covered in its own blood. Trembling, unwilling to bear witness to the catastrophe, she came forward and looked upon the beast, staring into its widened eyes that grew ever dimmer, the creature’s gaze finding her and looking her straight in the eye, its fear and confusion still evident even as it died. The fire within it began to fade, the darkened eyes turning pure black as its life fled from it, the last breath escaping its malformed maw like an earthquake.

Standing there in the still-flowing blood of a once-magnificent beast of beasts, Celestia’s mind still tried to make sense of the disaster she had wrought. She looked upon the gateway, freed from its tomb within the creature’s skull, its doors wide and awaiting their passage.

I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to.

“Tia…” Ford walked slowly through the wreckage toward her, his face clearly expressing his own distress at the creature’s fate. His eyes found hers and he begged for an answer.

“I- I meant for it to be weak,” she said tremulously. “I wanted to see if I could pull it out with- without harming it. I didn’t mean… no…”

“Why did it carry the gateway in its head?” Ford whispered, kneeling down beside her as she struggled to keep herself under control.

“Sombra,” Celestia said furiously. “Somehow, some way… I have no doubt.”

A faint Thrum! Met their ears and they felt the ground vibrate beneath their feet. Celestia’s heart leaped with joy- had the creature found a way to revive itself, even after such incalculable damage? Not possible- but then what could make such a sound?

A cry like the songs of winter flowed through the air, and the clouds opened up to reveal their greatest master: a creature more mighty and marvelous than even the one Celestia had felled, its size unfathomable to their eyes. It dwarfed the lesser creature as a dragon dwarfs a mouse, its magnificent head descending from beyond the heavens and leaning down to check upon the dead beast, it emitting a series of mournful calls, gently pushing against the exposed flesh with tenderness… like that of a mother.

As though their guilt revealed their miniscule selves to her, the mightiest of beasts found them, its golden eyes turned upon Celestia with a great grief weighing them down, beseeching her for a reason for this slaughter. Neither movement nor sound came from it, only that lidless gaze that stared endlessly against the slayer of its kin, who had little strength to face such unrelenting judgement.

“Tia, we must go,” Ford said quietly, taking his beloved by the arm and helping her to her feet. “We are intruders here.”

Celestia said nothing as they walked through the gates and into the blinding white, knowing that for the rest of her days of eternity she would feel that gaze upon her shoulders, begging her to answer the question of why she had come to this dwelling place and brought murder.

He thought. He had little else to do in this place now, with all at his command and will. He could feel the dying screams of those who continued to resist and he reveled in their turmoil. The panicked cries of those who turned were like music to his ears. He wanted to smile and gloat at the magnificence of it all: he did not merely rule or dominate this place- it belonged to him in totality. He defined its very existence, for here he was lord and god of all.

Yet he thought. His time here had been long, and his strength was great. He had grown fat with power, luxurious in might. Yet he thought.

He knew she was coming, for her presence in the endlessness of the Palace was only growing ever clearer. She was strong, mightier than she had ever been before in all her long years of life in the universe, just as he had wished. To face her in her fullness –and crush her down into dust- was his last desire before an everlasting conquest. Yet he thought.

He had not considered that this once-solitary princess would travel with another. He had assumed arrogance on her part: that her strength, and hers alone, would be enough to withstand the tide of the Deep. Yet here she came closer, an unwelcome light in the midst of darkness, accompanied by something… else. Something he had not predicted, and did not like at all.

Even she had not known his true nature, what blood ran in his veins. In typical human ignorance, neither had he. A dim-witted bearer of an ancient thing that none knew. It mystified him, for though he was great and his power unrivaled, he had planned for the strength of one- not two.

He was an anomaly. A lost power from forgotten days, when Kin had drawn swords against Kin. The Breaking. Rebellion. Gods and demigods hacking and clawing and tearing their way against one another until it seemed as though the world would shatter in the crescendo of tortuous agony. Man had turned against Man. Father against Son, Daughter against Mother. It had been the last days of many races and things. So what was this anomaly that walked beside her, and what threat did he pose against his Fate?

He knew the answer. It was only a matter of time for him to remember. So he rested, leaning back in his place. And he thought.

Author's Note

We're getting closer to the Heart of Infinity. Only a little further now till this is all over.

Sorry for the lateness on this one, I had the pleasure of a fairly... temperamental.... week (Hurricane Dorian can bite my perfect ass).

As usual, new additions to the soundtrack found here: Boop

And, as always, comments and corrections below. Keep holding on.

XIII: Órama

From the moment her feet fell against the earth she felt a sensation of many eyes upon her every move. Though the bright light of the gateway had yet to fade from her vision, though the sound of a symphony of whispers still lingered in her ears, the unnerving awareness of being under watch fell upon her and made her skin crawl.

“By heaven, this place unsettles me,” Ford remarked, rubbing his hands along his arms in a bout of nerves. “I feel as exposed as a deer in an open field.”

Celestia took in her surroundings, finding them a stark difference from the open moorlands they had only just departed. All around them were trees of a mighty forest, their branches so long and covered with needles and leaves that the night sky was shielded from view and turned the serene nighttime landscape into a thick blanket of darkness, with only the smallest trace of moonlight able to filter through the thick sheet of green above their heads. Her eyes went wide, taking in what light she could; there was not much to find, but it was enough to illuminate her surroundings. All she could see, no matter where her head turned, were trees of all shapes and sizes, some wider than she was tall, others barely the breadth of a matchstick, while others crept up into the heavens or sank back down into the cool ground.

“We should continue,” she said slowly. “We may not have a path ahead of us, but it has never hurt us to move forward. Come.”

“But we have no light,” Ford protested.

“You cannot see?” She had forgotten to consider that his vision was not capable of her feats.

“And you can?” he asked. “Heavens, I envy you right now. I may as well be blindfolded right now with all the aid my eyes are giving me.”

“I can help with that,” Celestia said, taking hold of her husband’s face and placing her thumbs just below his eyes. “It will be uncomfortable, and what I do will be permanent. Be ready for a strange sort of change to you.”

“I suppose I have no choice,” he said. “Do what you must.”

Celestia took a deep breath, closing her own eyes as she focused, feeling out into the emptiness to find it. Droplets of crystalline water fell before her, each drop as bright as the summer sun. She took them in her hand and found them cold as ice, letting them run down her fingers and out from the emptiness, rushing ever forward.

Ford gave a start as he saw a flash of ice-blue travel through his beloved’s hands, up through her fingers and rush into his skin, a sensation like ice water flowing into his eyes- he leapt back, his vision suddenly watery as the bitterly cold feeling was slow to dissipate.

“Are you alright?” she asked, her hands falling away as she looked upon him in concern.

“Cold!” Ford continued to paw at his eyes, trying to force away the tears that seemed to flow incessantly down his face. “Agh, it’s like ice in my eyes!”

“Calm down,” Celestia said, taking him to his knees lest he continue to panic. “The spell is working within your eyes. It is a complex thing. Breathe…”

Ford took a gasping breath, trying to contain himself and hold down his fear. After a moment or two, he finally slowed himself down and was able to at last push away his tears, the spell having run its course at last. “That was- that was weird,” he stammered. “Warn me next time, please!”

“I am sorry, it can react differently to some… how are your eyes?”

“They are fine, still cold, but-” Ford looked around wide-eyed, his vision coming into focus. “I can see!”

“Can you see well?” she pressed.

“I can see every band of light from above. The whole forest is illuminated!” he walked out ahead slowly, holding his against the moonlight beam as though it were something he could grasp. “I can see in the dark…”

“The Mask of Owls. An old spell, little used,” Celestia explained. “Come, take my hand. We should begin.”

She was glad of the comfort he brought, his steady warmth and weathered skin a firmness she relied upon. Her memories of the dying beast, its cries- all still echoed within her mind. But every moment she had him alongside her, the more their horror faded, allowing reality to set in and help settle her thoughts. All her hopes of not harming the poor creature had been foolhardy dreaming; Sombra had lain that trap knowing she would have to kill an innocent creature to continue in her hunt, hoping that the moral qualm would be enough to slow her. Though she regretted the ordeal, there had been little choice. The face of that mighty titan would now simply be added to the ever-growing list of Sombra’s victims, another who would cry out for vengeance.

“You said that spell is rarely used,” Ford remarked. “Is there any particular reason why? I would see this as useful for hunters and soldiers.”

“It is a complicated thing, not all magic users and decipher it correctly,” she replied. “Fail to grasp it, or if the recipient is too weak to wield it, then…”

“Then they can go blind, I am guessing,” Ford surmised. “You seemed to have no concern about granting it to me.”

“There is no magic beyond my skill to possess. And though you are no Alicorn, your resiliency is beyond that of your kin. I half-wonder if anything can truly even stop you.”

Ford pondered that for a time, simply walking alongside his bride as they traversed the tranquil forest. “Am I even human, then?” he asked.

Not even Celestia was certain of the answer to that. “You were certainly born human,” she replied. “But for Sombra to be forced to exert so much of his will to dominate you- or your transfiguration when we aided the Colony… whatever is hidden within your blood is a secret thing unknown even to me.”

“Could I challenge him, then?” Ford asked. “If the moment came and it was needed, could I stand against him- and win?”

Celestia knew what he wished for. Not to be a hero, but to truly fight alongside her against evil as an equal. That his duty would be more than to merely step aside and seek shelter. However… “Your family holds no magical history, Ford. As glad as I would be for another sword drawn, whatever is in you is dormant. It is old, and special- but it does not grant you the strength to face Sombra. I may not even have that strength.”

“And if you don’t?” he said quietly.

Celestia let his words be carried off into the night, she unwilling to entertain such a scenario. Doubt would do no good now, so close to the end.

Ford paused, bringing their trek through the dimly lit forest to a halt as he scrutinized the world before him. “I see something up ahead. A light source, ground-based.”

Celestia peered ahead, searching for what his eyes had seen; there, just a bit to her right and some several yards ahead- a glowing blue light that made her think of a land built of mist and fog that she had once traveled through many, many years ago. “It does not appear to be man-made,” she said.

“Nor do I think it dangerous,” Ford added. “Perhaps I am a fool to think so, but… I sense nothing that would make me consider it a threat.”

“So what do you see, then?” she asked of her beloved.

Ford closed his eyes and took it in, giving a slow, gentle sigh that felt heavy in the air. “A sadness. Grief.”

The two, knowing full well that the strange light would not be avoided, decided together that they would go towards it at once. Neither believing it to be a potential threat, they strode through the forest as one until the trees parted before them and opened into a clearing, a clearly lit pool of water calmly settled in the earth with a man stirring the edge of the waters with a long branch in his hands. The man gave no notice that he had seen the arrival of these two newcomers, instead content to continue with his stirring through the pool as though the waters held him in a trance, the light of each ripple echoing across his face and only adding to his unnerving intensity.

Celestia said nothing to reveal their presence, a great wariness growing within her at the sight of the man. This was no accidental meeting, nor was the one she now looked upon some weak creature of mortal flesh. He was something far greater, for better or worse she was not yet certain. But, just to be careful, she allowed him to be the first to speak. If she needed to react, it would be at a moment’s notice.

The man rose to his feet slowly as though he had dwelt at its side for many an age, his eyes still focused on the waters- a sudden jerk of his head and he stared at the newcomers intently with a gaze that pierced her heart. “You come to the Pool,” he said flatly, his voice almost mechanical. Celestia wondered if there was even a human being within him or if he was merely a manifestation of some greater power.

“So we have.”

The man set his stick down at the side of the pool, walking over slowly to examine them both. He did not place a finger upon either of them, yet both could feel his touch across them as clearly as though he had dragged his hands across their faces. To them both he appeared as little more than a wizened old man, but the focus with which he gazed spoke to something much deeper. “You seek a way forward,” he declared.

“We do,” Celestia breathed.

“A gateway. Onwards, towards the Heart of Infinity,” the man said.

“We do.”

“And so it is revealed,” the man said, a swish of his cloak and the gateway appeared at the pool’s edge, its wrought-iron doors shut tight and silent as the grave. “But know that it will not open for thee lest I command it.”

Ford appeared surprised at the statement. “So you are keeper of the gates through this realm, then?”

“I am master of one, and only one, Little Light,” the man replied. “I am the Keeper of the Pool, and all its contents are my burden. For an eternity I have watched over this place, safeguarding its secrets for all who are granted worthiness of travel through it.”

“And who grants them worthiness?”

“I am not one to answer. I am merely the one who reveals the truth to those who seek it.”

Celestia was uncertain; the man seemed to answer in riddle, not directly answering the question at all. “The gateway is our goal,” she said.

“So it is,” he replied.

“So what must we do to open its doors and continue on with our journey?”

“That is not a decision which I am worthy of making,” the Keeper answered, kneeling down to grasp his stick, dipping it down into the pool and beginning to stir. “The waters are to be the judge of your worthiness, the master of these waters will know thine thoughts and judge your worth. The water will reveal to ye the will of what must be.”

“Are we to even understand what you just said, Keeper?” Ford asked brusquely. “What are we to do here to be granted passage?”

“You are to drink of its waters, Little Light. Drink and see if ye survive its wrath. For some it will be as cool as the north winds, for others the heat of fire will burn in their lungs. What comes I cannot say, for soothsayer I am not. Merely Keeper of the Pool, and all that it safeguards.”

“And if we do not?” Before her words had even fully left her lips she felt that horrid sensation of a thousand eyes resting on her shoulders, and everywhere her eyes could fly she saw tens of thousands of trees huddled about her as though waiting to ensnare her forever.

“I am Keeper of the Pool, and all who wander this realm pass only by the will of the Water,” said the man. “You shall drink, or little else shall avail you of what would come after. So be done with it, and take your task in thine hands.”

Celestia gave a start as the sensation of glass against her hand suddenly came to her, and she looked down to see she held a flask in her hands, Ford also finding himself the same. “So… I guess we must drink,” she said uncertainly.

“Wait,” he said suddenly, reaching for her arm as she bent down to fill her flask. “Perhaps… one at a time. At leats until we are certain.”

“Is that allowed of us?” Celestia asked the Keeper. The Keeper said nothing, merely staring at them with that strange intensity once more.

Ford remained apprehensive, his olden duties of protection having arisen once more with little desire to be settled. “Let me go first,” he said, kneeling down and filling his flask to the brim. “If something is to go wrong…”

“I will do what I can to protect you,” she said, trying to comfort him.

“Please do not,” he replied. “Save yourself.” He gazed at his rusted flask with distaste, swishing its contents about before at last bringing it to his lips and taking a swig.

“Drink all of it, Little Light,” the Keeper commanded. “Let the waters reveal to you what must come. Or what may come. Or what has already come to pass.”

“Do you know for certain what will happen?” Celestia asked of the old man.

“None do, except the true master of this pool,” the Keeper replied. “I am merely its guardian, master of none. The waters shall reveal it all to him.”

Ford had no sooner finished the flask before he fell to his knees, gasping as though suddenly short of breath. His hand clutched at his chest, over and over again in a staccato rhythm, his breath slowly, surely becoming more rapid and uneven. He stared down at the contents of the pool with eyes wide, absolutely beset by fear.

“Ford, are you al-”

A shriek powerful enough to tear the heavens asunder erupted from his lips, Ford clutching at his heart as though his body burned, writhing and twisting on the ground with such fervor that he seemed eager to die upon it. His screams echoed through the maze of trees, the torments that now ensnared him unwilling to relinquish him from their agonies.

“Ford! Ford!” Celestia screamed, trying to find some way to reach through his torments and free him. She turned to the Keeper. “What is happening to him?”

“He sees, just as you must see, Child of Immortals,” the Keeper answered. “He will not be there to free you from what awaits you, nor can you rise against his grief unless it allows him to be freed. Drink, Child of Immortals, and know what awaits thee.”

The screams of her beloved still rang through the air as, with shaky hands, Celestia dipped her flask down into the pool, a moment’s hesitation before she brought it to her lips, drinking it in fullness-

And then all the world was darkened.

“Her arms were laden with the burden of continuous warfare, each breath she took capable of wracking her body and making her ribs feel they were on the edge of shattering. Her chest heaved and what blood had been spilt had turned her armor from silver to stained crimson, the incessant onslaught a relentless, unforgiving, merciless gauntlet of foes.

“Hold the gate!” she roared, slowly stepping back as she cut down her foe, a slithering thing with eyes like that of a spider’s. “Hold that gate, we cannot let them pass!”

“Princess Luna! There are too many of them! We cannot hope to hold this position!” Lord Gremory called. He held the position at the doors to the palace, an arrow still imbedded in his shoulder. Though all around them fought with all their might and ferocity, valiant to the last, the endless host of Umbral beasts would not relent in their tsunamic assault upon the last of the resisting army.

“We have to hold on a little longer!” Luna cried. “Allow Twilight and the others time to find a solution! We cannot relent now, lest all of Equestria falls!”

“The barricade is ready! Princess, you must fall back!”

Luna felt a sword slash against her side and she released a burst of magic through the assembly, the waves of crescent energy cutting through flesh and bone and shadow like an executioner’s blade. With not a moment to spare she fled, leaping backwards and collapsing against the hard stone of the outer wall, many pairs of hands grasping the back of her armor and dragging her back to safety through the threshold that remained shattered, the doors of the gate hanging limply at the sides-

“Reinforcements are incoming, from the mountain path!” called a voice above, swiftly turning into a cry of agony as the arrows of enemy archers found their mark-

“Archers, grenadiers! Fire at will!” Luna called, holding fast with her men as she helped bring the barricade between the open walls. Her magic, what little remained of it, seeped out from her fingertips and into the thick iron, infusing it with greater strength in the hopes that it would hold fast for a few moment’s longer-

Behind her, a host of arrows and fiery cannonballs erupted out into the sky, spiraling over stone and into the darkened host that threatened the walls. Screams and cries of inhuman things met their ears as the deluge of firepower rained down upon them and took away the foul horde from tread upon this earth and into the abyss, a horrific cacophony-

A horn’s call pierced through the sound of chaos and death, thunderous and mighty against the rage and strife. Luna, holding fast to the barricade, gave pause as her fellow warriors did likewise. All around them, both within and without the walls, came a hard, screeching silence that spoke to a world listening on bated breath. Again the horn cried out, a signal to all who might hear it.

“Hail, the darkened Princess of this land!” called a raspy voice, shrill and harsh against the darkened night sky. “Hail, the Betrayer of Kin, who comes in the form of dying flesh! Hail, the last noble warrior of a dead and beleaguered race! Hail, the Princess of a darkened sun, who will suffer the Light no longer!”

Luna’s heart stopped. She could hear the breath exiting the punctured lungs, pressing hard against fractured ribs. Each step was a horrid squelching sound of rotted flesh, heavy and hard against stone as though weighed down. It was a tormented sound, shadowed and violent in twisted mockery of life that once was- life that was all too familiar… “No… No!” Luna leapt from her place before the barricade and landed along the top of the walls, peering out into the scorched night. From there, her perch on the edge of infinity, she saw it and the sight made her heart grow weak with despair.

The figure of a giant strode forward, great and terrible in malformed beauty. Hair that had once been glorious as the sunshine now lay thin and lank against pale, rotted flesh, each limb bony yet somehow filled with immeasurable strength. Eyes that once sparkled like the dawn were now colder than the most frigid ice, pale blue and lifeless yet filled with a necronomic power from beyond the void. It was a sight of immense power yet even greater horror, for the gangrene face that Luna now beheld was that of her sister.

“Tia! Tia!” Luna screamed, leaping out from her place atop the gates and racing towards her now-malformed sister. So great was the grief that now lay upon her heart that the weight sank her feet against the stone, crushing rock and earth as she knelt down. “Tia! Sister!”

“Your sister is gone, Dark Light,” said the beast that had once been Celestia, the voice that emanated from the decaying lips too harsh and grating to truly belong to her sister. “She has fallen into shadow, and now only I remain. Through her, I have come to reclaim what is rightfully mine, and you shall grant it to me.”

“But- but- but Cadance! Twilight!” Luna screamed. “Me! Your sister, Tia! We need you! Come back to us, drive this poison from your bones! Please, come back!”

“Your sister is GONE!” The creature thundered, a great furnace of fire erupting from her mouth and scalding all who bore witness to it, Luna’s flesh set afire as she knelt before the blast. “The greatest of Alicorns has fallen, her body now little more than a rotted vessel for greater powers. It is over, Dark Light. Your queen has come to seek me out, and she has failed.”

Above the sound of her own flesh burning away, Luna heard the tinkling of metal against rock and she dared to see through the unending agony. A crown fell at her knees, a soft pale gold with a tourmaline jewel set within it now covered in blood and bent on the sides. Luna screamed, recognizing it immediately.

“It is over, Dark Light. Now raise your head, so I may see you die. Rise and meet your fate, for the time has come for the Deep.”

Luna, through bleary eyes that burned in fire, dared to raise her head, only for a great agony to rend through her armor and pierce her heart as a spear the size of a pillar found its mark, stealing away her life before she had even a chance to grieve.”

When the nightmare ended she did not know, only finding that she was face first in cool grass and earth along the edges of a crystalline pool of water. She did not know how long she had lain here in this place, for time seemed of little consequence to her. All around her was darkened light, held safe in the grasp of serene shadow that belonged to Earth and Sky-

A spear of umbral steel. A broken crown stained red. A dead and dying world. Celestia erupted from her spot alongside the waters and screamed as though it would split the rocks and tear her mind from within her flesh. Over and over again until her lungs could sustain no more and she would die from her agonies she raged, pounding and tearing at the earth and her clothing, even grasping at her own flesh in the hopes that such physical pain would relieve her of the torment that now inflicted her mind. Finally, when all her voice had been spent, she crashed at the edge of the pool and wept, each tear burning like the fire she had seen scorch her beloved sister’s flesh and turn it to ash.

“You have seen, Child of Immortals,” said a voice, and what strength she could summon from her grief had her eyes lay upon the Keeper of the Pool, his expression passive as he judged her. “You have seen and been granted the worth of passage.”

“What did I just see?” Celestia demanded through her tears. “Tell me there is a way to avert such a future!”

“I offer no foresight, no gift or strength of my own,” the Keeper replied. “Only that you have been judged as worthy of passage, and it would be wise to do so. You future, whether it be what you have seen or otherwise, yet awaits you.”

“You do not get to ignore my grief. Answer me- what I saw, is that a portent of what comes if we fail, or is that instead an inevitability?”

“I bring thee no answers, for there is nothing that has been revealed to me. Your world, and the path that you have tread to come here, remain fully your own. I am only given what this pool reveals, for I am its Keeper, and all it grants still dwell in my mind.”

“So you know nothing.”

“I know only what has been revealed to me. What comes next for you both lies in your hands, beyond my sight. And now, it is time for you to discover it- depart from this place.”

Celestia’s senses lied to her. Though the world around her was a peaceful forest in the depths of midnight light, she felt as exposed and vulnerable as a deer in the open plains, each tree and blade of grass alive and gazing upon her. Nothing in this world felt safe, and she held little desire to stay here any longer.

The doors of the gateway lay open for her, the figure of her husband standing before it, his shoulders hunched with his face obscured by the glare of the light. As she reached him, her hand fell by instinct on his shoulder and he woke as though from a dream.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice heavy as though bent by exhaustion.

“No,” she answered, wishing for nothing else but to fall into his arms and weep until the horrid images and sensations of that darkest nightmare had finally fled from her flesh. “And I may never be well again.”

“So you saw, too,” he said. “And it makes you wish for death.”

“What did you see, Beloved?” she asked of him.

Ford shivered, his hands twitching madly as though they searched for a blade upon which he could grasp. “I do not remember,” he said fearfully, “I remember nothing except awakening here, and wishing that my life could be taken from me.”

“We leave now. Immediately,” Celestia said, taking his hand and rushing onwards into the light, more than eager to leave the most horrid of nightmares behind her deep in the depths of a crystalline pool of water.

Survivors. Had he ever given thought to the potential of survivors? The war had been so long, his strength so greatly sapped. It had been an ache, torturous to uphold, merely to live. Yet, what if in those last days of chaos and war, there had been the few of the greater ones to survive?

He pondered the thought, closing his eyes and allowing the seeping strength of the Deep to sustain him. Those who had fought alongside the Alicorns, in the Last Days… they had been as one among them as blood assures ties, loyal and true-hearted to flesh of Immortal kind. Some, it had been rumored, had sworn undying fealty to the Royal Family, serving even to the days of Bainnathe’s fall into madness. They had been close to the last of the Alicorns, holding them fast and safeguarded even as their kind dwindled. Some, it had been said, had grown particularly close… as though one flesh…

He pondered the thought. How would such a bloodline survive and yet escape notice of both Night and Day? How had the Deep not sensed it? Was the line so thin that none could detect it, not even themselves? What strength did it truly grant him, if any at all? And, if held strong by the faith and heart of the greatest of Alicorns, could it, in due time, come to blossom yet again?

A disturbance went through him, a sensation he had not known in the endless years he had known in this place. It would have to be tested, seen if it could escape- just how deep that strength ran. And just what, when pushed, it was capable of.

So he pondered.

Author's Note

We are not much further now. Infinity is coming to its end, and its heart shall be found.

New additions to the soundtrack can be found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Hold on, for we are almost there.

XV: Infinitus Umbra

She felt it fall around her the very moment she stepped forth from the open gates, her senses already alerted to the emptiness that filled the world around her. Even the light, always inherent in the gateway before its sealing, was consumed by the enshrouding veil of darkness. So thick was it in the atmosphere that she could feel it on her skin like small pinpricks, an absence where even the faint gleam of starlight should fall down from the heavens. As her husband came to her side and the doors of the great gateway were sealed closed to leave her world darkened even to her eyes that their journey had at last come to an end.

“We’re here…”

Ford looked about, perhaps hoping his vision would eventually acclimate to such a blackened place. Yet after time passed, he only gave a sigh of defeat and let his shoulders sag. “It is like seeing through a veil,” he murmured. “The darkness here is as much the atmosphere itself! Surely this is-”

“Sombra,” Celestia answered, nodding slowly. “We have come to the heart of Infinity.”

“Heaven help us,” Ford whispered. “Even the Colony’s world was nothing like this.”

Celestia believed it would be far, far worse, but did not allow the words to escape her lips. Already, after only a short time standing in the depths of this place, she could feel its oppression fall against her bones and make her weary, the totality of the darkness causing her soul to cry out for sustenance; she was a creature of Light, and from it did she draw her strength. Here, in a world where Sombra ruled in finality, she would have no hopes of gaining power, nor a means to recover. Every wound she would be dealt would remain, every blow would stagger, every cut and slash across her skin would draw blood and be at the mercy of strength of flesh to heal. All the power and majesty she had brought with her was all that she would possess when they finally met at last.

“So… what are we to do?” Ford asked of her.

“You need to find shelter. Get as far away from me as you can,” Celestia answered.

The answer was an unexpected one. At first her words did not register, Ford’s eyes popping when they finally sank in. “I am sorry, but I surely didn’t hear that right,” he remarked. “You expect me to simply up and run away rather than stand and fight-”

“Ford, this is beyond you. Far, far beyond you,” she said forcefully. “Sombra has been holding here, letting his power grow. He will be monstrous- deadlier than anything you can possibly fathom. For you to stay with me any longer would be suicidal. You have fulfilled your task, beloved. I am here, where the need is greatest. I will face Sombra alone; you should seek shelter until the battle is done.”

“I will do no such thing. Not even if it costs me my life,” he said angrily. “If you expect me to simply hide away like a child-”

“This fight is beyond you, Ford. It is not a matter of bravery, it is to keep you alive!”

“And if you were to die here, do you think that would spare me the pain of it?” he challenged. “The gateway is sealed shut, Tia. No matter what we wish for, we are trapped here with him. I would rather be right there in the middle of it than waiting for the storm to pass.”

“You can’t fight the hurricane, Ford.”

“We can certainly try.”

It would be no use convincing him. She suspected he would follow her in secret if she sent him away; better to at least have him in sight in case things boded ill. “Very well, then,” she said at last, “but if I am unable to overcome him- run. As fast as you can, as far as you can. Do we have an agreement?”

“You certainly do not,” he replied. “I am there with you, even to the end of all things.”

More fool him. But she relented, simply nodding her head and beginning her march forward into the consuming Deep.

The land lay dark and veiled before them, each step into the murky depths of the lightless land just as inscrutable as the last. Every glance up into the sky offered them no sign of a single star by which they could guide themselves or find comfort away from the depths of the shadows. The land through which they wandered was rotted and long-dead, mere husks of trees and plants rising around them as decayed corpses, the soil beneath their feet as dry and desperate as the wastes of the desert.

“It feels more like silt than soil beneath us,” Ford murmured, his voice kept low by the eerie surroundings. “This place must not have seen rain in centuries to become like this.”

“For it to rain would mean there is hope of life,” Celestia replied. “Such a thing would not… assure…”

She paused. Something was above them, far, far into the sky beyond their reach. She could sense its presence, the pressure it generated moving through the heavens. Yet it gave no heartbeat, not even the smallest sign that life still dwelled within it. It was too distant to be a moon- surely, it couldn’t be-

“The Sun,” she breathed, staring up into the sky as though she could see its silhouette even in the endless black. “The sun is up there right now!”

“How? How is that possible? It is pitch black out here!”

“I can sense it! The gravity keeping us tied to it, the rotation, its weight moving through the rest of the universe- Sombra extinguished it!” she cried, falling to her knees at the realization of it. “Sombra extinguished the Sun…”

“But he is an Umbra- he draws strength from the dark. So if he somehow put a blight on the sun, then he’d…” Ford’s voice left him as he too came to the conclusion his wife already knew. “Then he’d never stop growing stronger. He’d be able to feed his power endlessly.”

“The very air we breathe would betray our presence,” Celestia said. “Everything in this place- every single thing is at his command.”

Ford was left staggered by it, slowly beginning to understand the gravity of the battle they now faced. To defeat Sombra would not be some mere clash of good versus evil but two souls rising against the very fundament of this world’s existence. “How long has he been here just waiting for us? It must have been thousands- tens of thousands of years just waiting for us to arrive!”

“And how likely do you think it is that he already knows we are here?” she asked.

“Why doesn’t he stop us, then?” Ford looked this way and that as though he expected the rotting weeds at his feet to suddenly come alive and drag him into the earth. “What is he waiting for? Surely this is everything he’s wanted.”

“For the same reason he did not slay us where we stood when we came to his City,” Celestia said bitterly. “He must prove his strength. He wants to beat us –to beat me- in such finality that there can never be doubt of his victory. We are his last trial, Ford. If he defeats us…”

“He would leave this place. Leave the Palace and crush the world beneath his feet,” he breathed. “By heaven, Tia, can you hope to stop him?”

“I don’t know,” she said faintly, her words disappearing even in this silent, echoless place.

“What?”

“I don’t know!” she said again. “I have grown strong, but this- this is not rule of a physical kind, he is part of the very existence of this place! He has darkened the world so utterly, I don’t know if any wound I dealt him would not simply heal right before my eyes.”

“You’re an Alicorn- the Alicorn!” Ford said. “No one has ever come close to you in thousands of years, how can your altered kin hope to stand against you?”

“This is not the world you know, Ford. This is- it is so much worse. It is like the Accursed Days, before the Dark-Maker was dispelled into the Abyss. I- I do not know if we can fight this and hope to win.”

“Then we need to have a plan, some way of stopping this or else he’ll be on top of us before we can do anything-”

A long, baying call in the distance brought an end to their argument, the two coming together and facing towards the direction from which they cry had come, wondering if the sudden sound of such a thing was no coincidence.

“That sounded like a wolf,” Ford breathed.

“No wolf would serve such a master,” Celestia said. “No proud beast of nature beyond Man would deign to bend to his will. It will be something born of a nightmare’s mind.”

The baying call came through the emptiness once more, soon answered by a trio of calls from further beyond the deep.

“Perhaps they are hunting for us?”

“Then we need to find a place of safety if we can manage it. Do we have hope of such a thing?”

“Not here. We are too exposed, the trees are still open.”

“Look ahead, could you find a way to-” Ford stopped himself, shaking his head. “I am sorry. You can see here no better than I.”

“Keep your eyes open, and hope for what we can find. Hurry now!”

They moved swiftly across the decayed terrain and sought out shelter in the veil of dark, their path slick as ice across the loose soil. Searching for outcroppings of rock or caverns into the earth bore fruitless, their weariness eventually coming to them and slowing their progress, even Celestia coming to feel sweat drip across her brow. The stale, empty air of this place bore no wind or hint of coolness that would lessen their discomfort. Finally, as they began to wonder if their search would ever end at all, a small grove of dead trees came to their eyes, the many husks of wood thick and numerous. Even with no leaves or green of any kind to shelter them, the mere numbers would be enough to keep them from peering eye.

“If we had means of covering our scent I would use it,” Ford said, walking slowly behind them as he swept away their tracks. “I have done all I can. If something finds us here, it will not be for lack of effort.”

“Keep your eyes open. If you have a plan, now would be a good time to divulge it.”

“I have nothing yet-”

“Then we must think. Quickly- Sombra will not let us remain idle forever,” Celestia said, settling down in the deadened earth and beginning to think.

“How do you feel?” She was broken from her reverie before it even began to find Ford sitting beside her, looking at her with concern written on his face. “Your face is still red. And you’re still sweating…”

“The lifelessness of this place is unmerciful to me,” she said. “I will be slow to recover in anything we do.”

Ford looked at her and tried to do what he could, brushing away the dirt and grime on her face, checking her body over for injuries. Despite all his hopes in helping, there was simply little he could do. Her will against Sombra’s machinations was all she had to aid in the struggle.

“How will we find him?” he asked her. “If he truly does know where we are…”

“He will reveal himself in time, of that I am certain,” she replied. “If possible, I wish to find him first. He would have us try to defend against him- I would rather strike first.”

“So we search him out; where would he be?”

Celestia knew the answer easily. “Wherever the foulest, deepest, darkest part of this world can be found. A place where he can fester and rot, to let his strength multiply.”

“So underground. Shall we set to digging?”

It was a weak attempt at humor, but enough to elicit a small laugh from her lips. “We seek a way underground. Right now, it seems we are in what was once a forest. We need to seek rockier terrain, mountains perhaps. And from there- find a way down.”

“And then do what we came to this Palace to do,” Ford said, trying his best to keep his head held high. “I like the way you think.”

Celestia took notice of him. The dark circles around his eyes, the way his face sagged on his bones, how heavy his shoulders were for him to keep held high…

“You look at me as though I am ill,” he remarked.

“When was the last time you had any rest?” she asked.

Ford took his time to think it over. “However long it has been since we left our true home, I suppose,” he answered. “How long has it been for us? Hours? Days? I have no means to know any longer.”

“Ford…” His gallantry had yet to fade, and though she was appreciative he was beginning to wear thin. “You need to have some sort of rest- real rest, not just something as simple as this.”

“Then so do you,” he countered. “You are the only thing of importance left for me- I will not rest if I am not certain of your safety.”

“Ford, you are just a human being. You need sleep, if only for a little while.”

“But if something were to happen to you!”

“Would it ease your conscience if we took turns, then?” Celestia asked. “Please, I need your eyes and ears sharp.”

He appeared unconvinced, but Ford nodded in assent of her words. “Every hour, we swap,” he said. “It will be more than what I need to be strengthened again.”

She kissed him, motioning for him to lie beside her as she kept guard. “I will think of a plan while you sleep.”

Despite his protests and concerns, Ford was fast asleep in a matter of moments, his slumber heavy as he slumbered beside his bride. She found herself enjoying the gentle sound of it, the rhythmic breathing a peaceful sound in the midst of all absence of it. A small, quiet sound of life where no real life had yet to be seen. She knew how exhausted he truly was; their journey across the Palace had been a gauntlet, and every trial they had encountered he had taken head on. His mentality, right from the very beginning, had been to bring her to Sombra even if it cost him his life- admirable, but she had no intention of seeing him fall here. If Sombra was here, so was the Philosopher’s Stone. Defeat Sombra, take the Stone, and return to Equestria with eternity in grasp.

But could she even do such a thing? Sombra owned this place, a progenitor of the Void that had come to consume this land. It would be a battle against the very essence of nature in this world, and she would have no relief from the tide of black that covered this place. And Ford-! she grimaced. He was determined to be caught in a battle that could very well be the end of him, yet if he had any fear of the end, he gave no show of it. In fact, for all that they had endured, Ford had shown remarkable courage against the growing adversity; a relentless dedication to his task.

She thought back across the years to her last meeting with Sombra. He had demanded to know Ford’s true nature, something not even she had knowledge of. He had seen her husband as a potential threat- a variable he had not planned for. Though Ford had no powers of magic or flight, or anything remarkable beyond the strengths of mere man, he had endured trials even great kings had never known. She pondered him, gently stroking his hair from his face… just what was her husband, really?

The ground beneath her trembled. She paused, waiting for it to happen again; the soil shifted back and forth once more, this time more violently. Something large was moving across the area- and likely headed straight for them. With what discretion she could manage, she leaned over and began to rouse Ford, trying her best to keep him quiet. Each footstep she felt was only growing in strength.

“Tia, what-”

“Ssh! Something is coming this way!” she whispered, the growing rumble of earth shaking the nearby trees-

Ford was up in an instant, coming to her side as they faced out into the blackness, wondering when their heavyweight foe would reveal itself. The trees shook back and forth, some coming to crash down on the earth and shatter into pieces-

Show yourself! Foul servant of the Deep, come meet your fate! Celestia thought, her hands beginning to pulse with her inner fire. All her years of rest had been for this place, where she would bring an end to their hunt at last-

Ford gripped her arm tightly and pulled her close, his other hand falling across her mouth for fear she would make a sound. Close enough to see his gaze, he freed his hand from her lips and pointed upwards.

Celestia looked up and knew the being was atop them. Though she could hardly make out its form in the darkness, she could still see the dim silhouette towering above them, a great glistening shape of impenetrable black, and its many limbs walking through the grove without a care. Several twisting, writhing appendages akin to tentacles trailed from its back and down past its belly, trailing across the treetops, the tendrils flicking madly as though they sought for someone to grasp. If there was a head she could not see it, though she could hear a horrid squelching sound of fluid meeting flesh. Each veiny limb sank into the earth like a stone in water, throwing decayed soil about in a spray of dirt and dust, Celestia and Ford falling low to the ground in the hopes of being left unnoticed.

Ford tensed beside her, his hand twitching madly. She reached out for him and held tight, hoping whatever cosmic horror above them would not notice his fear- or her own. The Titan from long ago had been a noble beast, an innocent creature doomed by Sombra’s machinations. Whatever creature that traveled above them was no such beast, but a creature of the Deep.

For how long it rested above their head she could not say. Perhaps its length was sprawling and it seemed to go on forever, or it paused above them and simply stodd- but when it at last moved off into the horizon and out of sight, its heavy footfalls no longer causing the ground to roil, she at last gave a quiet sigh of relief. “I think it has left us,” she said.

“For how long?” Ford replied. “Its presence here was no coincidence. We have rested for too long.”

She was about to agree when she heard a twig snap. One of the broken limbs of a downed tree had been damaged by something- something very close. Her hands were brought to the ready, eager to fire at a moment’s notice. Perhaps the larger creature had been one to clear a path, and this was the true assault-

“Lower your hands! I mean thee no harm!” The harried whisper of a woman met their ears and left them stunned. A pair of figures crept out from the destruction and shuffled towards them cautiously, each carrying a primitive spear. “Please, we offer no resistance! Do not harm us!”

Ford looked over at his beloved, hardly able to believe it. “People have survived this place!”

“Come forward and reveal yourself,” Celestia commanded. A snap of her fingers and her right hand glowed with a soft tongue of flame, illuminating the destroyed grove- and revealing a pair of young women, looking at Celestia as though she was a great horror.

“It will seek the light! Cease your fire!” they pleaded, their faces stark with terror.

Celestia extinguished her flames immediately. “Who are you and who is your master?”

“M-master?” the girl spoke again, Celestia suspecting it was the younger-looking of the two. “We… we have none. Our father has us on patrol for food…”

“Please, let us go. We don’t mean any harm to you, oh great spirit,” said the other. “We merely seek sustenance. Do not devour my sister, at least!”

“What? Of course not! We are here to stop this darkness!” Celestia replied. “We seek Sombra- the Dark-Maker of this world. Can you lead us to him?”

If she was to guess, Celestia believed she had likely left the two women confused. “We do not know anyone by such a name,” the younger said. “But perhaps our father might. He is the oldest member of our tribe, he might be able to answer your question.”

“Have you really come to stop the darkness? Can you help us?”

“That is our aim,” Celestia answered. “Please, if you believe your father can help us, take us to him immediately.”

“Papa? Papa!” the two girls called out into the cavern mouth, where a flickering glow of firelight could be seen far within its depths. “Papa, come quickly!”

“Renaya? Saliya, quiet your voices! The Lycanthropes will hear you for miles across this empty place!” said a male’s voice, a figure silhouetted against the light far in the back.

“Papa, we found someone! We found people out near the grove!”

The group of four came into the cave mouth and their faces were dimly illuminated by the weak light, Celestia and Ford at last seen by their guides, and by their father who now stared at them with mouth agape.

“God in heaven,” he breathed. “You are not of this place at all!”

“We are not,” Celestia answered. “And I believe we have come to redeem your home.”

The man rubbed his eyes madly, trying to assure he was not seeing things. “My name is Jairus. Into the cave, quickly! I wish to see the light upon your face.” He fell back into the cave away from the mouth, taking a torch in hand and leading them onwards.

Their trek into the depths of the cave took them considerable time, Jairus’ route through the tunnels a twisting, winding road. Celestia wondered if the nature of it was intentional, a maze meant to protect them from outside threats. Each step further in only heightened her lack of direction; if it had not been for guidance, she and Ford surely would have been lost in this labyrinth of rock.

“Just through here. Hurry now!” Jairus said, ushering them through a tight corridor that opened into an expansive cavern. “You will be safe here from the Blightkeepers and the rest of the world’s horrors.”

It was a meager, desperate sight that Celestia now faced, looking out into a crowd of perhaps only a few dozen people, each one covered in pitiful rags to cover their bones. Every pair of eyes she fell upon bore that same dull, hopeless stare of a despaired soul; their skin was pale from lack of light, and sickly from malnourishment, hanging onto their frames like wet rags. Not even in the last days of the Colony had she seen such misery.

“Is this all that is left of you?” Celestia whispered.

“Perhaps. We have yet to encounter others in this land,” Jairus answered. “My grandfather met strangers when he was young- but that was so long ago, who could know what came of them? Please, excuse me…” he turned from Celestia and took his daughters in arm, holding them tight.

“We are fine, Papa. I promise,” said the younger, a sweet-faced girl whose hair was nearly the cover of silver.

“I have to make sure, Renaya. Every time,” Jairus replied, kissing her forehead before turning to her sister and doing the same. “I am glad you are safe. It was brave of you to venture out so far.”

“We could not find anything, Papa,” Saliya added. “The grove has been destroyed, there is no more food there.”

“Yes! We went to look when the Cryptonus took it down, and found- we found them.” Renaya’s voice was quiet, but not of disgust- rather, it seemed more fascination. In fact, as Ford looked about, he could see their presence was causing quite a stir among these poor folk. He looked down at his arms and considered his own form, so strong and blessed by the strength of the sun. To them, they may as well be gods.

“Come sit by the fire, my friends,” Jairus offered, sending his daughters away and turning to his guests. “We have little food and water, but what we have to share we will grant you.”

“Grant us nothing! We have our own with us,” Celestia said fiercely, taking the canteen from her side and offering it to the man. “Clear water, from better shores than this land can know. Drink your fill.”

For a moment, Jairus looked at the offered water as though it were poison before taking it in his hands and gulping it down in a matter of seconds like a man dying of thirst in the desert. “God help me, such a thing-! The taste on my lips!” He looked at her with a powerful hunger. “Is there more? My head is clearer than it has been in all my days, I wish for more for my people!”

“Here. Take the lot, I have reserves for she and I,” Ford said, offering his own and watching as it was shared about the huddled mass. “Take what you need. As for the rest… we will do what we can.”

“I have no doubt of it now; surely you have come from the heavens to deliver us from this hell,” Jairus proclaimed.

“We- we certainly hope so,” Celestia replied. “But to do so, I believe we will require your aid.”

“I will do all that I can. But please, before we continue, I must know,” Jairus said, looking at them with an absolute desperation. “Please, will you be able to deliver us? Truly?”

Celestia still had her doubts, but she knew better than to voice them here before a man who clearly looked to them for hope. Perhaps for the first time in all their lives they had found something beyond the inescapable darkness of their world. “We have come to strike down the Deep,” she answered.

There was a hushed murmur about the huddled group, all of them speaking to one another rapidly; a few brave folk reached out to touch her and Ford or even just the hem of their garments, as if the mere grasp of them would bring about a miracle.

“All that we are is at your service, my friends,” Jairus said. “What is it that you ask of us?”

“We seek the heart of the Void. A place deep in the earth,” Celestia answered. “You would not dare to tread before its mouth; you would look upon it and feel it try to suck you into its grasp. As though the very darkness had eyes and teeth that sought you out and would try to grind you into the dust.”

Her words seemed overly descriptive to Ford, but Jairus appeared so disturbed that it seemed as though she had said the perfect thing. “God in heaven, surely you do not mean to go down to that place!” he cried. “Please, do not descend into that darkened hall! You are fair and beautiful, surely you could do much good here above the earth?”

“You know where it is!” Ford exclaimed.

“We live in the shadow of it,” Jairus replied. “My grandfather brought us here long before I was born and deemed it wise that we keep it in sight. So close are we to its heart that the Blightkeepers do not see us. It is as though the seeping of the Deep hides us from their gaze.”

“How close are we?”

“Please, do not try to go there! The Prison of Souls only breeds terrible, terrible darkness! If you go down there, you will never come out!”

“Do we look afraid?” Celestia asked of him. “We are of Light, and in us there is no darkness left to be found. We are the antithesis of the Deep, and we seek to snuff it out. We have hunted it across countless worlds, through the great expanse of land and time, knowing it by name. We have seen all its strengths and fury and still we stand. Do not try to hinder us when we seek to save you!” Celestia seemed to glow with power as she spoke, her words bringing a warmth that even fire could not bring. All those about them seemed to grow stronger as they heard them, the deepened spell of darkness that was on the world lessening slightly. Some even dared to smile.

Jairus’s face still spoke of his despair, but he motioned to his fellows. “At the end of this cavern is a hidden stairway into the quarry. We have kept it safeguarded in case we ever are discovered in this place, or one of us begins to Turn.”

“Turn?”

“When the darkness takes hold of us, we exile them through the stairway and into the quarry, in the hopes that they are killed before they Turn completely. I assure you, it is better than the fate that would await them otherwise.”

“What fate is that?” Ford asked.

Jairus looked down at his covered hands and took away his gloves, revealing a blackened hand so deeply colored of the dark that it seemed more an absence of all flesh and light. Even the nearby glow of the fire disappeared into the void where his hand should have been. “It is the fate that awaits us all,” Jairus answered. “Not long ago, I awoke and found the tips of my fingers had begun to blacken. When I awoke yesterday, the entire hand was dark. Before too long, it will spread to my heart and I will become one of the Blightmakers; a beast without thought or will, an absence of life that serves the one who dwells in the Prison.”

Ford was left disturbed by the sight of it, leaning away as far as he could. Even Celestia was disgusted by the horror of it. “He consumes you.”

“Every day we grow more desperate,” Jairus said. “The water that flows beneath the surface of the earth is slowly being poisoned. There is little food, even if we travel for days to find it. The more time passes, the faster we Turn. My grandfather survived for sixty years, my father for fifty- I am only a man of forty, yet I have only a few weeks before I am consumed. In time, we will all be Turned and there will be nothing left on this world but beasts and monsters!”

“Silence your fears! Now is not the time for despair, when you are so close to seeing it come to an end,” Ford said. “You spoke of a stairway that would lead us to this Prison. Gather yourself and what strength of numbers you will need and lead us to it. My beloved and I will finish this fight.”

Jairus’ despair was momentarily broken and he began his work, leaving Ford and Celestia alone as they conferred together, huddled closely in the hopes their whispers would not carry across the cavern.

“Tia, we’re close. We are this close. I know you had doubts earlier, but this is not the place for them,” Ford said. “If he leads us to Sombra and we go down into his chamber, how certain are you that you can defeat him?”

“Ford, I don’t know!” Celestia whispered, her voice husky with grief at the sight of the despairing people. “What he is doing to them is unlike anything I have ever seen!”

“That’s not good enough anymore. We are out of time and they’re going to die if we don’t do something to save them! Yes or no- can you kill Sombra?” Ford asked, his eyes widening with fear as he slowly came to realize her answer.

“Y- may- no. No!” Celestia said. “This is a power that was only ever seen in one, and Tavan was a being beyond any Alicorn or Umbra could have ever dreamed of becoming. Sombra has bided his time for so long, he has left his old title behind. Whatever he is here, it is not an Umbra any longer.”

Ford looked about, stricken by her words and the sight of the dying folk who now looked to them as their saviors. “The gateway, then,” he said bracingly, trying to recover his own steam. “Could you destroy the gateway, seal him off? Then when we have him trapped here, we hack away at him bit by bit as best we can.”

Maybe! I cannot say anything for certain here-”

A horrible shriek echoed through the cavern and brought all word and motion to a halt. Renaya screamed again, rushing towards Celestia and fell at her feet. “Please, help me!” she cried, lifting up her hands and showing them as black- strong, dark, and steadily growing down her arms. “Please, stop it from spreading! Save me!” She was absolutely desperate, terrified by the sight of her own body being stolen from her, and Celestia could only watch in horror as she was slowly stolen from her. Renaya looked upon her and the realization that she was doomed came upon her in earnest, understanding that not even Celestia had the strength to spare her-

“Help! Please, spare us!” the cry was echoed throughout the cavern one after another, each man, woman and child becoming consumed by the ever-seeping darkness that blotted out flesh and bone and life. All about them each one was being taken, turned into a crawling wound upon the earth.

“You thought you would save them?!” came a roaring voice, echoing through the very air itself as though it seeped from the rocks. “That they would be spared my wrath? Watch as they suffer before you, and see as they offer you to me!”

“Darkness be damned, can’t we stop it?” Ford cried, grabbing hold of one of them and trying to shake them of their affliction, his hands burned by the heat of the consuming Void. “Tia!”

“Run! Through the stairway!” Jairus cried, writhing on the ground as the blackness stretched across his chest and upwards to his neck. “Run! Run-” his words were cut away and twisted into a horrid, gurgling sound as the black overcame him, leaving no more but a burning, seeping blackness that screamed its horrors into the cavern- with dozens surrounding him.
“Run!” Celestia cried, seizing Ford by the arm as they rushed to the stairway, up and out through the tightened space of rock as the sound of the hordes behind them grew closer. “Don’t look back, don’t look back!”

The shrieks and screams of the Blightmakers echoed across stone, mingled with that horrible laughter that seemed to come from the very earth itself, an endless cacophony of nightmarish noise that blared in their ears. It did not stop for even a moment, not as they ran up the stairway, into the open world, and out into the derelict quarry. The sound followed them wherever they ran in their desperate hopes to escape it, the viscous footfalls of the beasts loping behind. They ran hard, knowing they could not turn and fight back or bring harm to the beasts, for they would surely again see the desperate, hoping faces of the souls that had been twisted and broken-

Celestia felt grubby claws grab hold of her and throw her to the ground, a cry ahead of her suggesting Ford had also been taken down. The two writhed and kicked and fought with all their might, but more of the Blightmakers came to aid their fellows and dragged them away, their screams echoing endlessly through the blackness, even as she and Ford were hoisted and thrown into the depths of the Void where all sense and feeling were lost in a sharp, sickening Thud!

Author's Note

And so we have arrived. The end is almost upon us. Prepare yourselves, for everything has led to this.

New additions to the soundtrack can be found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below.

And... be ready.

XVI: Carcere Animarum

The fact that she felt something hurt was proof enough that she lived, however unpleasant it may be. Everything hurt, from her head down to her toes, all bleating signals to her brain that she had been injured. Her eyes flickered and still saw darkness, the stars flashing in her vision brighter than all her surroundings. Every movement she took to rouse herself from where she lay was met with a wave of soreness across her entire body; gritting her teeth and pushing through the discomforting wave was her solution, and Celestia found the will to rise to her knees.

She was somewhere very dank and dark- if it had not been for the fetid smell of ill water, she would not have known a difference from here and the outside world. Her vision was still covered as though a veil had been lain across the world- though the more time she spent in this hole in the earth, the more she began to become accustomed to it. At least here, of all places, she could see a bit more clearly.

A figure lay near her in the dust, still unmoving. Ford was there with her, seemingly still unconscious from their descent into the Deep. Pushing through her aching weakness yet again, Celestia rose and made her way over to him, gently rousing him into the waking world. “Ford… Ford, can you hear me?”

He was slow to recover, his movements stiff and his words muffled from grunts of pain. He took time to open his eyes, his gaze bleary and poorly focused; when at last he held sight of his beloved, his smile came and spoke to his suffering. “Hi,” he whispered in a voice choked by dust.

“Hi,” she replied, stroking away the grime upon his face, pushing away dirt and blood from his scars. “Are you alright?”

He tried to rouse himself into a sitting position and struggled mightily, his every breath bringing a fresh wave of pain to his wracked form. “I am afraid not,” he said. “My ribs feel bruised- badly.”

“Let me bring an end to that,” Celestia said, stretching out her hand and placing it across his chest-

“No! Save your strength, Tia!” he gasped, moving quickly to block her power before she could act. “You will need every last drop of it here in this place.”

“But you’re hurt…”

“Just bruises,” Ford said valiantly, gritting his teeth as he forced himself to his feet. “I will remain steadfast.”

“I am so sorry, Ford. We delayed ourselves for too long.” Celestia felt her heart twist in grief at the memory of Jairus and his folk being taken by Sombra’s grasp. “They are now gone because of me...”

“Do not say such things,” he rebuked. “This is the work of Sombra and him alone. We will find a way to reverse the tide- we must.”

“Then we should get started,” she said, taking his hand and feeling some of her pain beginning to lessen. “After all, we are in the enemy’s camp now.”

It was a mild way of putting things. The Blightmakers had thrown them into a deep pit below the surface of the earth, their surroundings dimly lit by torches of darkened, grey fire. The walls were smooth, carved stone that held the presence of rows of ornate statues in service of a dark god. Small, ornate pedestals dotted the hall where they stood, some still bearing offerings that had yet to rot away into the ether. Here, in this foul place, the laws of light and time had been done away with in favor of a more terrible power.

“What sort of place is this?” Ford murmured, looking about at the columns that stood in rows down the hall. He peered at them and saw chains hanging from atop them, the bones and rotted corpses of tormented prisoners still held to them. “Jairus called it by name, did he not? Though what it was I cannot recall.”

“The Prison of Souls,” Celestia said grimly. Jairus’ look of fear just at the mention of its name was difficult to forget.

Ford looked no better for the remembrance of it. “It simply sounds like a high-flown name for Hell…”

“You may be far off the mark,” she said. “Come. We should not tarry.”

Ford nodded, joining his wife as they slowly shuffled away into the depths of the hellish acropolis.

“How did we end up so far down? Surely the fall from such a height should have killed us,” Ford wondered aloud as they walked.

“We have been dragged away. For what purpose, I do not know,” Celestia answered. “But it was no accident we are here.”

“So Sombra is close,” he realized.

“I am afraid so.” It was not a lie; the nearness of such a foulness terrified her, causing the Light that dwelled within her to flicker and dim. She felt small compared to the great Void, like a candle in the cavernous depths, barely capable of lighting the path before her own eyes. This was a place made to be hostile to her very existence.

They made their way onwards, not knowing whether or not they pushed through to safety or an even darker fate. Celestia’s senses remained alert for any sign of disturbance as they marched, noting that the great absence of sound that had been so prevalent above was not so down in the darkness. She could hear running water somewhere nearby, a thick flow that moved slowly. Water, here in the midst of a Prison of Souls? It seemed so unlike Sombra, a believer in rock and stone and things of deep earth.

“A door is ahead,” Ford said, shuffling forward and pressing against it. “But locked… Mmf, it feels like iron!”

“Let me look at it,” Celestia said, coming aside her husband and feeling it against her hand. “Cold as ice…”

“Look there, a keyhole!” Ford said suddenly, feeling the mechanism as though his fingers would be enough to break the seal. “We really are in a prison. We were thrown into a cellblock.”

“Any lock can be opened if you have the key.”

“That is true- but we do not have the key.”

“You have me,” Celestia said, kneeling down before the door and placing her fingers about the lock. “A locked door is a simple thing.”

“Wait- before you do it, think carefully now,” he warned her.

“It is not up a choice we can make, Ford. These are confined quarters here- this is no place for a battle. Right now we are on Sombra’s home territory, and every advantage there is to be had will be his. Wherever we are to face him, I do not want it to be here.” Before he could say a word in reply she acted, a small jolt of lightning flowing from her fingertips and into the lock, the shock of power igniting the bolt and shattering it, the door opening before their eyes. “Onwards.”

“Onwards.”

The door led them down a thin hallway of damp brick and mortar, they walking through it and finding themselves out in the open at last. The temple they had traversed through was only a small part of a massive network, held together by a wide, slowly moving river that circled a mighty, domed coliseum of grey stone. Far above them and nearly out of sight was the roof of the great cave, with a long, winding staircase leading down from the surface and into the coliseum beneath it. At every section of the temple was a small, meager dock, guarded by a great statue of stone; a cloaked being bearing a horned crown above its head, with four arms each to carry both fire and blade as it stood sentry above the temple cellblock.

“Heaven help us…” Ford’s whisper carried through the great expanse, his eyes on the stone watchman as though he expected it to suddenly spring to life. “What an ungodly sight to behold.”

“A raft,” Celestia said, pointing to the edge of the dock where a float, hardly bigger a small table, remained tied to the jetty. “We can move onwards. Perhaps if we find a way to that staircase, we would be able to find a way to the surface.”

“Keep eye on those statues as we go,” he added, his gaze still flickering towards the unmoving sentry. “They feel alive in ways we are not.”

Their steps across the dock were uneasy. Each footfall caused the wood to groan under the weight and make them wonder if they would be sent falling into the dark waters below; as she took in the sight of the churning bog under their feet, Celestia winced at the thought. Whatever had been done to the water she did not know, but knew it would not bode well for them to enter it.

“This is too easy,” Ford said as he slid down onto the raft, steadying himself on its precarious position above the water. “We should be struggling for every inch of ground we gain, not simply sailing on through like nothing can stop us. Something is wrong.”

Is he that confident of a struggle against us? Celestia wondered as she descended to join her husband. A lock that I can easily shatter, a raft to ferry us across the water to find the only exit… what is he planning?

Ford took the oar in hand and pushed them away, driving the paddle into the thick waters as they pressed out into the river. Each single row forward was difficult, the slow-moving waters thick as mud, the oar barely able to cut through. Though there was little current to impede their progress, their journey across it was slow, and it took what seemed like hours for them to come in sight of a place to make landfall.

“This one looks more ornate, doesn’t it?” he remarked, taking note of the well-built marina. It was of carved stone rather than hastily pressed wood, each mooring capable of sheltering a great ferry, fare more substantial than their flimsy raft. As though it had once been crafted for the graces of larger, finer vessels before it had been taken into the depths of the earth and hidden from all hopes of light.

“Sombra may have caused a cataclysm in this place. Caused it to sink below the surface,” Celestia wondered aloud. “He saw this temple and turned it into a place of death.”

“But for what purpose? He turns everything in this world into one of his accursed monsters, surely they do not wander down into this place.”

For all her knowledge of their foe, the answer to his question alluded her and she remained silent. Whether it had been done for plans long abandoned or for ones yet to come she could not say.

Their entry into the coliseum was a quiet one, the entrance only a small pathway into the outer walls of the place. The hallway before them was thin, barely the shoulder length of a typical man; Ford, with his broad stature, struggled to keep himself from becoming stuck. Though Celestia forged on ahead to see the route that lay before them, even she found nothing of consequence.

“It is winding, unusually so. If I did not know better, I would say we are entering a labyrinth,” she told him. Her mind began to race, depicting flashes and images of nightmare beasts and struggles along their way to freedom, all of it blocked by a single vile presence that had awaited their arrival since the moment they had made landfall..

“I can hardly imagine what is in the center,” Ford replied drily.

“Be ready. If I am right, we should make this turn and find it spread out before us-”

Celestia’s words went cold the moment she made her rightward turn, finding herself in a grand open hallway that was well-lit by many grates of that same, dull-colored flame from the cell block they had found themselves in. The path ran two ways, one heading into the interior of the coliseum and the other heading into the elongated, winding staircase they had seen during their journey across the river, with each path heavily guarded by the multi-limbed statues that Ford so heavily detested.

“Well. Perhaps not.”

“The stairs begin here. It will be a long trek back to the surface,” Celestia said. “How are you feeling? If we can, it would be best that we begin as soon as we can, lest… something…”

Her words went silent, and Ford was left waiting for a sentence that would never be finished. Spying her eyes, he turned himself and found he was facing into the open coliseum, the great domed arena lit by only a single, pale, ghostly light that descended from above as though from nowhere, shining down on a narrow, stone-crafted sacrificial table that lay empty, save for the small, solitary, crimson stone that lay in the center of it. The Philosopher’s Stone.

Here.

“It can’t be.” Ford was nearly on his knees, his head darting this way and that as he searched for some surprise about him, his eyes still fixated on the Stone. “Here. We found it, we actually found it.”

The original purpose for their journey was right in front of them. Celestia salivated at the thought, knowing that in only a few moments her husband would have it in hand. Their hopes for immortality had driven them to this place, though Sombra had been their opponent in the quest to find it. They had nearly given up hope, believing it to be all but consumed or lost in the midst of the darkness. But here, here of all places where the Void’s grasp was the fiercest, it was free and open for the taking. Ford would crush the Stone in his hands and consume the powder, allowing the Stone’s power to enter his body and become part of him. As he did so, the strength of an immortal body would be upon him and their journey would truly be complete. All he need do is take it.

“What- what should I do?” Ford still knelt next to her, waiting for his next command. Perhaps he did not fully understand like she did, not yet realizing what was about to become his at last. After millennia within the Palace, with only the Sanctelior’s blessing to protect him from the doom of Man, he would at last be like his beloved…

“Go! Quickly, take it!” Celestia insisted, practically pushing him towards it, so great was her eagerness. She wondered what she would see when the moment finally came, wondering if he would be transfigured just as the Alicorns had been in the days of old. What would change within him? His height? His shape? What strengths would it bestow upon him, beyond the taste of undying days? She could hardly imagine.

“Are you sure?” Ford still had not yet run forth to grasp his destiny, looking at the Stone with a mixture of awe and fear. Perhaps he had only just begun to understand the gravity of what lay before him…

“Take it, Ford! It is yours!” She was nearly out of her skin with impatience, waiting for the moment that would assure they be together forever-

Ford hesitated- and then he dashed out into the open coliseum towards the exposed Philosopher’s Stone, body bent as though he expected to be struck at any moment. He paused yet again, looking about to ensure the area was clear before rushing forward and heading straight for the table-

Celestia’s mind finally clicked. All thoughts and desires for the Stone finally melted away in an instant and she knew what they had just done. All her mind had been set for a great battle, a struggle for even the smallest gain, traps and surprised at every turn- only to be fooled by the simplest of decisions: a route to freedom and victory, or sending her own husband right into a trap that was baited by the only thing she still truly desired. “Ford-”

Ford, seeing that no one was near him, crept towards the sacrificial table with his hand outstretched to snatch the Stone from its place-

Crack. A long, jagged edge of sharp obsidian fell at his feet and blocked his path, sinking into the ground before the table. Ford came to an immediate halt, the mere presence of the horrendous blade nigh enough to cut flesh and bone. He took a step back and his hair stood on edge at the sight.

“Ford… come back. Slowly,” Celestia said, her voice barely a whisper. It was a longshot, the most unlikely of things. Perhaps it had been a trap, not he reacting to a hostile presence. It was a trap yes, but maybe not one under watch.

Ford took one step back and loose stone beneath his feet was cracked open, the small sound reverberating across the coliseum in an endless, unrelenting echo. As the silence fell, a great splintering sound become to emanate from across the stadium, only growing with intensity. Ford winced, hardly daring to move himself from where he stood; it had been enough.

Above him, held bound to the coliseum ceiling, was a great shadowed figure that lay crucified on an iron crucifix. Nails had been struck into his feet just above the ankle, with great iron stakes pressed through his wrists, all of them held fastened by a series of thick, metal chains that lay limp in the air. But as the sound of rocks breaking only intensified, small pieces of cast metal and stonework began to fall from above and pepper the floor below. The chains began to rattle like the ghostly emanations of a deranged specter, each individual link crackling and eventually clattering to the ground as the figure’s inert form began to gain life. The cross groaned with the effort pulled against it, the hardened metal bending under the pressure. The heavy stakes that bound feet and hands fell with a clatter as the chains that held them fast were destroyed, and the shadowed figure came to earth in a crash. A great, hulking menace was he, twenty feet tall and covered in a dark armor that seemed to gleam in the horror of the Deep. In his hand was a great sword, the blade thicker and heavier than even the mightiest of axes. Upon his head was a mighty helm that bore more likeness to a crown than a garment of war, with ten horns hewn upon it. As the colossus righted himself and stood tall within the great stadium, Sombra at last opened his eyes, revealing the once-poisonous purple and green had been consumed by the bloody color of the iris, leaving only an iridescent crimson that shone like the depths of a star in the darkness. His every movement creaked, each footstep he took towards them enough to send the world into pieces. For he was not merely its master, its conqueror. He was Sombra, the Lord of the Deep and god of this world, and after millennia of slumber, had come to the waking world to crush his foes at last.

“Run.” Celestia was beside her husband, trying to pull him away from the table as best she could, hoping that Sombra had not yet truly seen them. “You need to run with me. We need to run.”

Sombra, the great titan of the Void, looked down upon them and knew them, remembering their faces and who they were. His crimson eyes turned to slits, a poisonous smile creeping across his lips, only to let loose a scream of war.

“Run!” Celestia screamed, dragging Ford away from his terror and sending the two into their flight-

Ford, aroused from his stupor, finally joined in her efforts and they raced out of the coliseum towards the winding stairway, hoping beyond hope that would somehow make it before they were taken away.

Sombra made no effort to give chase, instead calling to himself all the strength and will of the Deep to his command, a vile pet of his own creation, summoning forth its strength and sending its formless shape into the depths after them, its many tentacles limbs writhing and shrieking out their cries as they went forth after their prey.

Ford ran alongside his beloved, his chest screaming out its pain. His injuries from their confinement in this place had not yet healed, leaving him betrayed by his own form. He was exhausted and worn even as they began, rushing up stair after stair towards the darkened world above- that was still subjugated to the master they were fleeing, held deep in his grasp. They had come here to stop him and found themselves outmatched- even Celestia, greatest of the Alicorns, too afraid to face him any longer. All their hopes, their great struggled across endless time and space, had come to this point- seemingly all for nothing.

So far have we come, he thought, struggling to keep up with his bride as they fled, his heaving chest causing him endless agony. So many places, sights, people. They looked to us for hope. For a future. But we cannot even try to win. We are doomed as they are.

But I MUST do something!

A flash of memory fell across his mind. He saw the nicked statue in his own thoughts the moment before he ran past it, recalling the broken steps on the flight ahead of them before he could even lay eyes upon them. And even more he recalled; steel upon steel, a cry of rage- and a great presence piercing his chest. He had seen it all before, for her had already been here. He knew.

Their goal had always been the same: destroy Sombra’s armies, and defeat Sombra himself. Perhaps they could not truly do either, but if they could seal Sombra away in this place- perhaps that would be enough. No army of the Deep would ever see the light of day, away from this desecrated world; he would assure it.

“Tia!” Ford finally fell to his knees, unable to run a moment longer. “Tia, you have to come here!”

“Ford! Get up, come on now! We’re gaining, you have to keep trying!” Celestia was insistent, dragging his arm so hard that she nearly tore it from its socket-

“Listen to me!” The gateway, can you destroy it?” Ford said, taking hold of her in his hands. He could hear the slithering sound of the Void creeping closer, itching to consume-

“Ford, I will not know unless I try-”

“Not good enough! Yes or no?” he asked, knowing time was short. It had to be a well-made gamble, for there to be some semblance of hope-

“… Yes. I could destroy it,” she whispered.

Ford kissed her fiercely, knowing it would be his last. “Go and destroy it,” he said to her, stumbling slowly backwards towards the open stairway. “Stop Sombra from ever leaving this place. If we are to die, let it be done here. Keep our home safe.”

Celestia realized his plan in an instant. “Ford, no-! He’ll kill you-”

“I know. I love you, I will always love you,” Ford said, feeling something slimy creep around his ankle-

It was upon him in an instant, so focused on its prey that it gave no notice to the other. Wrapping its tentacles about him until only the barest flesh was visible, Ford was swallowed by the blackness and thrown back into the Prison, a hollow scream following him as he fell.

“Ford!” Celestia cried out, abandoning her hopes of escape to chase after him-

A great crackling of stone and the guardian statues came to life at last, their many limbs ensnaring her and slamming her down into the ground, the flames and stonework blades dangerously close to her skin, the heat enough to burn against her flesh. Celestia writhed as much as she could, trying to find a way to break free, only to find her captors grip was ironshod as the stone from which they were made.

She was trapped- and Ford was doomed.

Author's Note

And so comes the Doom of Man. Expect another chapter very soon.

New additions to the soundtrack can be found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Be ready for what comes next. It will be quick.

XVII: Aeternum

Celestia struggled. There had to be a way to break free and stop this. No statue could possibly have this much strength to hold her down, keep her entombed until shadow at last claimed her. She would not go this way, would not go gentle into the goodnight. She would fight, fight, fight! And Ford-

“Ford!” she cried, nearly in tears from the effort she had already given. No amount of wriggling was enough to break free of the statues’ grip. In truth, every movement she made seemed to only worsen her condition. She could not even find a means of moving her hands about, leaving them pressed hard against the stairway floor!

She knew full well that to simply give in and accept it would be suicidal. Ford had sacrificed himself in the hopes of buying her time to reach the gateway and destroy it- seal Sombra and his army of Blightmakers before they could ever travel out of this one, solitary space in the Palace. Stop them here, and the rest of the universe would never have to know his hand.

But for Ford to try and seize the Stone from Sombra alone-! It was a move born out of pure desperation, what was he thinking? Even if she believed that she stood no chance against Sombra in this state, for him to be left to fight alone was suicidal. She had to find a way to save his life before it was too late. Sombra will toy with him. Wound him and mock him, let him be slain after agony has been lain on him-

Celestia pressed hard and found her arm had been loosened. If she could simply move her hand free, then she would be able to break free-

Wham! The statue took her in its grasp and slammed her into the earth with excruciating force, the sudden impact enough to knock her breathless. Left stunned, the stone golem only increased its grip around her frame, squeezing until she felt that her insides would burst if even the slightest modicum of pressure was increased-

She wanted to scream out in frustration, but was afraid to exhale; if she did, her bones may well crack. She needed to find a way to break free from this golem’s grip before it was too late. But her hands were still held bound to her sides, pressed downwards into the earth…

Celestia’s mind clicked. It was an idea- a longshot, but one worth trying. It would have to be a potent blast, rock did little to aid as a conductor. But if it worked, if she could guide its purpose and movements, it would be enough. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to concentrate. She felt the storm within her, giving it strength and shape until the winds raged, and the storm pulsed with power. There, as the crescendo was reached, she opened her eyes and pressed her fingers hard into the ground-

The world around her flashed with a dazzling brightness as lightning pulsed, pouring into the unfeeling, polished stone of the stairway beneath her, traveling through the rock and into the stone statues that held her down, their every limb pulsing with energy as electricity turned them black. She felt the heat of the lightning within them as it traveled, burning her own skin from the sheer strength of it, the grip of her ironshod captors finally began to loosen-

Her vision was turned hazy by a sudden showering of dust and splintered rock as the stone guardians disintegrated, their form turned into a multitude of infinitesimal particles that paraded before her eyes. She rose to her feet with immediacy, ready to finish whatever was left only to find withered husks of stone that lay where they had once been-

A sudden coldness rushed through the air from below and enveloped her, pressing against her with the force of a gale. A pulse of faint, pale, light the color of fire raced through the stairway and forced her to her knees as the strength within it rushed through the world and into the open skies above.

She froze; that strength had been distinct, and so potent! But it had been as though it were an ethereal fire- something that could not be of Sombra’s making. Something had changed.

Celestia raced down into the depths, cutting through stone walls that had been set to block her. She was running out of time.

He felt himself slowly come out of his emptiness as though waking from a dream. There was no pain with his awakening, merely a strange heaviness that weighed upon his mind and body, like when one awakes from a deep slumber. Even when he opened his eyes and saw only the dimly lit darkness, he at first did not give it the thought that anything was amiss. It was only when he felt the overpowering sensation that he was being watched did he begin to let discomfort enter his mind, and the eeriness of it awoke him from his reverie.

Saber Ford was up in an instant, recalling at last what had transpired: their escape from the Prison, Sombra’s awakening, his ensnarement by the Void-

Ford looked up from where he lay and laid eyes upon the colossus that was Sombra, the great Lord of the Deep down on one knee as he studied the mortal Man that had been brought to him in this sunless cell-

He stood rigid as he faced his foe, unsure of whether or not he should try to strike before the attempt was made in kind. Ford possessed no weapon of any kind, no shield with which to defend himself, no armor to guard his flesh. He was here in the depths of what could only be known as Hell with no means to defend himself.

Sombra did not move from where he knelt, his crimson eyes fixated on this mortal being as though the sight of him fascinated him. No sign of any emotion was revealed, not even the slightest trace of anger could be seen in his magnificent figure. All Ford saw was a watchful master, seemingly intent on studying every inch of his miniscule foe.

“Well?” Ford said, raising his voice in the hopes of calling out a challenge. “What do you wait for? Do you think I will just give myself to you?”

“I watch you. I do not truly know what you are,” Sombra replied, his voice so guttural that his words were little more than an animalistic growl that echoed across the rock. “I have suspicions, theories- but no evidence that would be concrete. Nothing to confirm my suspicions.”

“Suspicions of what? Do not waste my time with idle chatter, demon!”

Sombra chuckled at Ford’s anger, amused by what energy he gave to continue on standing. “Do you not fear me, mortal man?”

“I fear nothing but failure of my duty,” Ford replied, his voice nothing less than pure ice. “What can you do to me that would make you worthy of my fear?”

Sombra laughed all the more loudly. “Truly, no mortal like you have I ever met!” he declared, rising to his feet. “I wish to know more of you, to confirm my suspicions and discover what you truly are. Come, fearless one- I shall throw my sword to the side, and we shall see what you are made of!”

The great blade disappeared into the ether and Sombra stood at fullest height, opening his arms wide in preparation for the beginning. His limbs became tense, the vast muscle beneath his powerful frame starting to quiver. His whole body started to tremble as though beset by a seizure, the mighty Umbra becoming wracked with his endless writhing.

“You call yourself her protector, do you not?” Sombra called, though his voice seemed to emanate from the very air itself. “Her great defender, the faithful knight in service of his beloved princess. Well come, noble knight- come and face your dragon!”

Sombra gave a great scream and his skull split into seven pieces, his neck growing in breadth as he fell to his knees, his arms and legs becoming bulky and deformed, feet and hands transforming into the elongated grasps of a great beast, each digit sprouting vicious claws that sank into the earth. From his back grew out vast folds of skin that were transfigured into outstretched wings of armored leather, barbed by sharpened hooks that seemed to illuminate the world with their cruel shine. A great sweeping tail erupted out, forked and sharp as a blade, slamming into the ground with the force of a crashing tree and sending the world to trembling. The many separated pieces of his skull grew and grew until great eyes of fire flashed within each, the flesh and bone transfigured with serrated teeth within a mouth that breathed smoke and ash into the world, a crown of horns upon each head in twisted mockery. The great Dragon lay before the world, magnificent and terrible in its power, unleashing a multitude of screams into the coliseum that housed the dead. And there stood Saber Ford, his challenger who lay defenseless against him.

The Dragon’s many heads looked about the coliseum before laying eyes upon Ford, sizing him up with immediacy and finding him inadequate. With a hiss that could only be seen as derision, it gave a great cry that shook the world and rushed towards him, mouths outstretched in the hopes of the kill-

Ford knew he had few options. With no weapon or powers to call his own he was not only defenseless, but incapable of even fighting back. No blow by his own hands would he win this battle- but if he could lure Sombra away from the Stone, he might be able to sneak past him and smash it into pieces. It was a gamble, but he would have to try-

Crack! The Dragon’s outstretched claws slammed into the earth before him and it was only the swiftest of instincts that kept him from being slashed into pieces. Ford leapt from where he stood, trying to keep himself free of the beast’s clutches-

A great sweeping shape came rushing towards him and he knew it was the creature’s tail. He fell to the ground, feeling its pressure cut through the air just above his head, the force enough to brush against his skin with impunity-

The Stone flashed in the darkened light. Was it exposed? Ford leapt to his feet and tried to make the rush-

Sharpened claws slashed the air before him and Ford was sent flying back into the coliseum wall, the blow momentarily stunning him as his breath was forced from his lungs-

The Dragon did not hesitate, charging towards its prey with its many jaws snapping, eager for the taste of flesh-

Ignoring the agony that poured over his already staggered frame, Ford escaped the beast by force of instinct, diving underneath the many outstretched jaws and feeling the thick saliva fall all around him. He could see the Philosopher’s Stone just ahead of him, just beneath the beast’s raised tail-

He felt the weight rush through the air before he saw it. Ford dodged the blow but was knocked back by the force of it, the Dragon’s body slamming into the earth and sending him sprawling. Sombra knew his intent full well, and would give no quarter.

Ford tried to gain his footing again, but remained bound to the earth as he dodged blow after blow, each miss more minute than the last. Slashing claws tore at his flesh and grazed skin, cutting through his clothing and slowing his speed. He would need to gain some kind of advantage soon or else he would certainly be caught-

A great weight pressed into his back and he fell, the nose of the Dragon’s heads finding him and sending him sprawling into the dust, not enough to stun him but more than capable of staggering. Ford tried to rise to his feet and had only just stumbled to his knees when the beast was upon him again-

Slam after slam against his tired body pushed him across the floor like a children’s toy, his bones screaming out their displeasure as his mortal frame was pushed to its limits. Ford was suddenly allowed a moment’s peace, hearing the Dragon’s chittering cries that sounded akin to mocking laughter. He turned to face his foe-

Wham! The Dragon pressed into him and forced him into the coliseum wall, the blow so mighty that he was left staggered and Ford wondered if his ribs had been shattered. He opened his eyes, seeing through stars and pinwheels-

The great sight of the Dragon’s head filled his vision and he had nowhere to turn. Ford tried to run but his body failed him-

Serrated teeth found flesh and cut down deep, slicing through skin and blood and bone as Ford’s hand was clipped from his body, the Dragon’s teeth consuming his arm all the way to the elbow. Ford screamed in agony, falling to his knees as a gush of blood erupted from the dismembered limb, painting his world red and sending his mind aflutter from the sudden rush-

The Dragon mocked him, its cries of laughter echoing across the coliseum until it seemed as though all the world laughed at his injuries, mocking him for his failure. Satisfied with its fun, the Dragon crept with its many mouths outstretched, prepared to deal the fatal blow at last-

A sudden flash of light, pale and faint in the midst of the encroaching darkness. From the severed limb came an outpouring of pure Light that ignited the world in an explosive dominance, the lost limb suddenly restored by a hand of crystalline whiteness that glimmered more fiercely than even the most magnificent jewels, a sword of hardened fire within its hand that burned hot in the midst of the blackness-

The Dragon gave a sudden shriek of shock and tried to back away from its suddenly well-armed prey, but momentum sent him pouring straight into the now-armed foe-

Ford gave a cry of rage befitting the magnificent warriors of ancient days and took his blade in both hands, instinct consuming him as he cleaved through the darkness until he found the scales of the Dragon, slicing through the outstretched neck of the central head and sending it flying into the nether realms, the injured beast reeling back as it screamed out its agonies-

Ford charged forth, his blade of fire burning brightly as he chased after his fleeing foe, leaping onto its back and plunging the sword deep into its spine, piercing through flesh and bone until it punctured through the belly below-

The Dragon shrieked violently, its remaining heads writhing madly as the indescribable pain of fire and light bore through it. Ford was thrown from his perch atop it and he watched as the Dragon crashed to the ground at last, twitching madly as though catatonic, the blade disappearing from the world as though it had never existed. Ford’s crystalline hand disappeared the moment the battle was over, leaving little more than a ragged stump that began to spurt blood wildly yet again.

Ford lay there stunned, trying to make sense of what had just occurred. He had done it, he had fought back- and perhaps even won! But as he watched the Dragon’s twitching grow more violent he knew it was not so; it would take far more than that for Sombra to be vanquished. The Stone was out of reach, but not for long.

As Sombra’s body began to reform, Ford took to his clothing and began to tear it apart, forcing it around his severed arm in the hopes of staunching the flow. He could feel the shock beginning to wear off and the pain would only increase all the more as he tried to mend himself. He would have to be quick-

His mind flickered: a flash of light. A roar of fury, eclipsed by the sound of blades clashing, and a great force around his own throat. Ford looked at his disfigured arm and saw how it bled; whatever had dwelled within him, lad lain dormant all his life, had come to his aid in the moment of utmost need, when it seemed as though his fire would be extinguished. He understood now.

Ford let the wound remain open, his blood pouring out onto the ground at his feet and he watched as Sombra regained his form, knowing that his final moments were before him. Tonight, after millennia upon millennia of existence, his life would at last come to an end.

The Stone, and the table upon which it lay, was nearly covered by Sombra’s reforming frame, obscured by the might of the great lord. He would need to lure him away from the table as far as he could, a difficult task to achieve- but the moment he achieved it, Ford would have to strike fast. He would never get another chance.

Sombra’s laughter echoed through the coliseum as his colossal form regained its strength, he rising to one knee as he looked on in a vicious sort of triumph. “Truly, you are what I believed of you!” he said. “There is ancient blood within you, the blessing of a long-forgotten promise! The Ciariadhron’s last, great warrior!”

Ford stood there and felt himself begin to stumble, the lightheadedness that came from blood loss growing all the more potent. He tried to keep himself stable and his mind focused, trying to think of how he had even managed such power for that brief moment. What had he done to achieve it?

“Your people is an ancient kind, Little Light,” Sombra declared. “Devoted warriors to the Alicorns in the most ancient of times, back when the world was ending. Do you not remember it, Little Light? The memory that dwells within your blood surely does even still.”

Ford said nothing in response, merely trying to stem the flow from his ravaged arm lest he collapse. Sombra wanted to continue to talk, and he was at his mercy.

“I watched as your fathers swore undying fealty to the Alicorns, forsaking all hope of freedom and safety, all to fight alongside them for that last great battle,” Sombra continued, garnering his sword from the Void and letting it lay in hand. “And the Alicorns granted them gifts and strength in return- power that would make them the greatest warriors who would walk upon the Earth. Even now, when all their blood is spilt and only you remain, all your strength still lies within you, waiting for the moment in which to strike. You have seen it once before, have you not? Remaining dormant save for the hour of utmost need, when the oath of your forefathers must be upheld. You came to love her, serve her, and even marry her. Some would say coincidence? It would have been ruin to the world if you could even resist her- she has always been your destiny.”

Sombra stood there and let the whispering shadows that blackened the floor come to his aid, forming around his body in a darkened armor, holding fast to his flesh until he had somehow grown all the more titanic, his crown of ten horns now gleaming in the night above his crimson eyes that burned with a great, wrathful hatred.

“I watched as your people became fools, and alongside my kin did I slaughter them all. So face me now, Little Light- bring all your fire and strength and wrath against me, with all the power and might you possess! Face me, and I shall finish what was started!”

Ford knew the moment had come. He relinquished his grip upon his arm and let the blood flow freely, allowing the pain to magnify. He had completed one step, but what was next? He recalled his wife, and the measures she took to ignite herself. Closing his eyes, Ford drifted from his own thoughts and reached out to beyond, feeling heat and strength, distant and faint- but growing ever stronger, all the more mighty as its fire intertwined with his own and became as his own blood. For it was his to master, and he alone. The darkened world of the coliseum turned bright with the color of flames as Light poured from Ford’s open wound, enwrapping his frame and solidifying, the wisps of fire becoming hardened armor that was one with his flesh, a great sword that burned hot with the fires of the Sun in hand. The last of his people had come into strength at last.

Sombra grinned at the sight of it. “So, Little Light,” he said. “Let us see what you are.” He gave a roar that shook the rocks and charged-

Ford answered him in equal kind and strode forth with great blade in hand, rushing forward to strike-

Darkness and Fire struck with the clashing sound of steel and the two warriors held fast, neither willing to relinquish even an inch. Sombra’s mighty weapon quivered against Ford’s fire, threatening to be overwhelmed-

Sombra snarled and used his raw strength to break free the two blades, pushing back and taking a lethal swing at Ford’s skull-

Ford parried the blow and swung back, the two ringing out against one another in a flurry of blows, each one mightier than the last. At last when it seemed that their stalemate would last forever-

Sombra’s knuckles flew from his blade and he struck out against Ford, the physical blow rocking the smaller warrior back and staggering him-

Ford felt his fire flicker and he knew he had nearly lost his strength. He was giving this battle everything he had and already he was beginning to falter. He needed to move Sombra away from the Stone soon-

A cry and he looked up to see Sombra atop him, his blade primed to pierce through his flesh and into the earth-

Ford caught the shadowy edge with his own flames and held strong, giving a roar and throwing Sombra aside for only a moment, scoring a vicious cut across the chest that left the darkened lord screaming-

Sombra was not one to be left stunned for long, charging forward and bringing his sword down with the force of a hammer, the blow missing but striking the earth so fiercely that it shook the coliseum, flecks of the dome falling around them like stars from heaven-

Ford was there in an instant, leaping out and gaining another savage cut across Sombra’s exposed back, the blade driving deep into his flesh and spilling out the darkened shadows of his coverings-

Ford made quick use of his attack, rushing towards the exposed table as fast as he could-

“No!” A great, clawed hand reached out as if from nowhere and pulled him back, throwing him against the coliseum wall with such incredible force that Ford was nearly knocked unconscious by the shock of the blow alone-

Sombra struck again, his shadowed sword slashing across Ford’s exposed chest and raking the breastplate from his body, the fiery mail falling away in a shower of sparks-

Ford did not allow himself rest again, but instead striking out with what force he could manage, his blade yet again connecting with Sombra’s and the two held firm, the ground beneath their feet beginning to tremble from the outpouring of strength that came from the two denizens-

The two made the same move instantaneously, Ford’s flaming fist meeting Sombra’s outstretched hand and the two were knocked back, each staggering until they fell to their knees-

Ford was slower on his feet than Sombra, his eyes darting away from his opponent for only the smallest heartbeat- it had been close, a move nearly spotted. But if he was right, Sombra had no focus on the Stone at all, and had drifted far away from the table entirely. He dared not look again lest he remind Sombra of his position, and he held his gaze. It would have to be now- and quickly.

Ford and Sombra gave another shuddering charge, the lord of the Deep racing forward with blade held high to strike down his foe-

Ford dove between his foe’s legs and swung hard, the strike a perfect hit: a quick, clean cut across the legs and Sombra fell to the ground with a crash-

It had to be now. Sombra gave a scream of rage and reached out to stop him, but Ford had come too far to fail. With one last great cry, Ford leapt out into the air and sank his sword of flames into the table, shattering through the Philosopher’s Stone and destroying it.

The explosion ripped through the air with the force of a dying star, sending both warriors flying. Ford felt the shards of the Stone rip through his flesh and bones, his strength falling away at last. He slammed into the wall and sank down, unable to even find the will to stand any longer.

Sombra screamed aloud again, looking down at where the Philosopher’s Stone had once lay. The priceless, irreplaceable jewel was gone, smashed into ash by his foe, leaving little more than a trail of dust and particles that were swept away into the ether. Even from this distance he could feel it, knowing that the millions of souls and lives he had once held in his grasp were now falling away, never to return. All his preparation, thousands upon thousands of years of planning, had been for naught. He would continue his fight alone forever.

A harsh, gurgling laugh met his ears and Sombra turned around in a blind rage. Ford lay there on the floor, severely bloodied and crying out in maddened laughter. His ribs broken beneath his chest, an arm severed, and his lungs slowly filling with blood did nothing to silence him, instead only seeming to incense his cries. His armor and sword were gone, leaving nothing more than a bleeding, broken man to face him.

“How does it feel, Umbra?” Ford asked, his words barely intelligible over the gobs of crimson liquid that contaminated his lungs. “To fail… to lose. To know that a mere mortal could stop you.” He laughed again, blood pouring out of his mouth and running down his chest in horrendous mixture of his own spittle. “All those years, and none of it mattered. Now the whole universe will be there to stop you.”

A great hand clutched his neck and lifted him high, becoming a vicegrip that cracked bones beneath its grip. Sombra held him fiercely, a hatred so deep within his gaze that it would have been enough to kill the mightiest of men. “Tell me, then, Little Light,” Sombra growled, his wrath so great that the whole world would be put ablaze by its strength. “How shall it feel to die?”

A pair of footsteps came from the darkened stairway, rushing towards the desecrated battlefield with a desperate intensity. A flame held in her hands, Celestia stepped forth from the darkness, her form covered in ash and dust, her eyes wide as she watched Sombra hold her beloved by the neck- unable to do a thing as a great, clawed hand plunged into his chest.

Author's Note

The world has ended. All that is left at the end of all things is vengeance.
The battle of gods has come at last.

It all ends next week. This story, and my time here on this site. Be ready for the end of all things.

New additions to the soundtrack can be found here: Boop

As always, comments and corrections below. Hold on, friends- it is almost over.

XVIII: Sombra

It was not real. It could not be real. She was asleep and all this world she had endured was only a horrible nightmare. For nothing she had ever known could hope to compare to this nightmarish, unholy sight of Sombra’s shadowed palm piercing her husband’s chest before her very eyes. She could not speak, she could not even breath. She had seen death, stared into its beady eyes and known its breath upon her face, but never had it struck against her as deeply as it did now.

With a sickening squelching sound, Sombra’s hand retracted from Ford’s gaping wound, within his palm a small, crystalline sphere of white light no larger than a marble, Ford’s body falling limp as the claws were removed. For a moment Sombra seemed to stare at the little sphere with a strange sort of curiosity, feeling it against his fingers before conjuring forth a small vial and placing the white sphere within it. Still holding the body of Ford in hand, he turned to face Celestia and flashed a malevolent grin, tossing the broken body aside like a child’s plaything before turning his back upon his foe, opening up the floor with his powers and revealing a deep tunnel into the abyss into which he disappeared.

She stood there, the spell still unbroken. The few seconds she had been here felt as though it had been an eternity, the miniscule moments played out before her over and over again: the violent crunching of Sombra’s hand plunging into Ford’s body, the sudden gasp of air and the immediate dimming of his eyes- how limp his body had become-

“Ford!” Celestia rushed over to his body that had been flung so carelessly and fell before it, hesitating to touch him lest she give death its permanence. Slowly, with all the fear and sorrow in her heart mounting into a crescendo, Celestia turned Ford’s body up to face her and saw the eyes that held no light within him, the arm that lay severed and caked with blood, the many wounds and scars that lay colored red across his body, culminating with a vile, blackened mark across his chest where Sombra had dealt the final blow. Already his body had become cold with the emptiness of this awful place, not even his blood still flowing from his wounds. He lay there in her arms with a gaze that saw nothing, his life taken to where no Light could find him.

“No, no, no, no, no,” she whispered, her vision reduced to blurs by her tears as she caressed him, knowing that there would be no spell, no magic nor might she would ever find that could bring him back from the Deep. “Ford…” she let her tears fall freely and she wept aloud, her wails of grief echoing across stone and earth like the cries of the countless throng, for no other soul had known her and loved her so deeply across the many thousands of years, all of them shared together. The young man she had once known, transformed into her great guardian, and at last to a peaceful warrior who had sacrificed his life to spare her own- Saber Ford, the steadfastly, loyal love she cherish was forever gone, lost in this forgotten hell.

She looked at his many wounds and felt sickened to see such bloodshed of her beloved, the slick sensation of crimson trails she felt against her skin enough to make it crawl. She rejected the sensation, unable to stomach it. Though he was gone, there would be no accepting this for the one she had loved. Taking some of her own garment and tearing it into strings of cloth, she turned to his wounds and cleaned them with all the tenderness and loved she held with her, pushing away the filth and grime that riddled his body and even wrapping his savaged arm in bindings, only tossing them aside when no trace of his injuries could remain.

She took the strangely lightweight form of her husband in her arms, rising to her feet and carrying him to the sacrificial table to lay him there, gently pushing away the ashes of the Philosopher’s Stone until they had disappeared into the dust of the earth. There she set him down and she found herself wishing for there to be a sword she could place in his hands, or even a garland of flowers to lay at his feet, for no other soul had given such boundless courage, or such tender gentleness, to her so freely in all her years.

Her memories drifted, far from this darkened world, and back to the land she had once known, thinking of their first meeting and all the warmth that had been born from it. She remembered all the many ‘firsts’ they had shared together, their laughter and heartbreak, the joy and grief all intermingled- and all made better by the endless life they had shared together in their true home. Now all of it was gone, for here, alive, she still stood, whilst he had departed into the dark. Celestia fell beside the table, unable, or perhaps unwilling, to press on without him.

She knew not how long she lay there in the dark beside the body of her fallen husband; in her grief, the hours became as centuries. But eventually the world around her found means to rouse her from the endless memories she was unwilling to depart from, and bring her back to the senses she had rejected. For all around her, the world had grown misted. Was it a trap? A trick of Sombra’s meant to defile her beloved’s lifeless form? She rose to her unwilling feet to meet it, but in the mist she faced there was no wrath or wickedness of which she could sense, but instead only a great sorrow that echoed within her own heart. She watched as the mist swirled and churned, gaining mass and form until it became a multitude of shapes; people of all kinds stood there before her, a great mass of a funeral march taking shape as they surrounded the grieving woman.

“Who are you?” Celestia asked of them, her voice cracked with the pain of her grieved wails. “Why have you come?”

The mist churned again as one of the wispy figures came forward, the shadow of an old king who had long ago left his crown. He came to stand before the Alicorn and in his eyes she could see the weight of a thousand terrible sins that had consumed him and brought his spirit to this place. “We come because we must,” he answered, though his lips did not move to speak. “We who are bound to the walls of this Prison of Souls.”

“Like your fallen warrior shall become,” answered another.

“Why? Why must he become like all of you?” Celestia challenged, her sorrow causing her to turn quickly to anger. “He is not of your land or your people- he is free, he belonged to my home, to me!”

“He is bound to this place by the lord of this Prison. The lord of all this world,” answered the Old King. “For his soul is now within that lord’s grasp, and loathe would he be to relinquish it.”

“He holds the stolen soul of your fallen warrior like a hunter baits his prey,” said another of the shadows. “Before your face shall he dangle it until you cannot resist the temptation of it any longer, and he shall ensnare your own spirit as well.”

“So he has been taken into the Deep…” Ford had never been worthy of such a punishment. Too good, too righteous, too noble to deserve such a fate. It was not an end fitting to his legacy.

“He is within the grasp of the lord of the Prison. He has no light or dark in which to dwell,” said the Old King. “He remains in an emptiness as we are, but held fast within an unforgiving hand. And there he shall remain in his restlessness, lest you seek the means to free him from such an end.”

“He can be freed..?” Celestia looked back upon Ford’s still figure, recalling Sombra’s blackened mark that had so heavily scarred his chest. “So he is still alive! I can bring him back!”

“What fate he is truly destined for is not for us to decide- nor is it a decision of your own making. Free him from your foe’s grasp, and he shall be at peace, no matter where next he takes breath.” The Old King’s words were flat, final in shape. There would be no other way, nor other words to bring to her.

“If I stop Sombra- if I kill him…” Celestia hesitated. “Shall I free all of you? Can the ones who are trapped within this place be set free?”

“If the lord of this Prison falls, then we shall be at peace.”

Celestia turned one last time to look upon the body of Saber Ford, recalling the many memories; his headstrong charge against the Fire Roc, his selfless rescue of the Colony, his desire to protect the Accursed, his long reign of their true home. Even here, at the very end where he had sacrificed all, not once had he hesitated. She did not have to wonder what he would have fought for here.

“Then it is in his name that I shall see it finished.”

The descent into the deepest Abyss took her far from time and life, the very fundaments of existence passing away until only the deep blackness of the Void was there beside her. Above the surface she had felt the bitter cold of the great emptiness of the world, but here there was not even the smallest sensation to grace her skin, not even the heat that welled from the core of the earth. Sombra’s descent into this place had become all it knew, and the natural trappings of the world were tossed aside in his longing for solitude. On and on she went until she wondered if the great depths of this place would never have an end to them. Slowly, held in the dark, she could feel the tightness of the descent begin to come to an end, opening up into wider and wider spaces until it was as vast a place as she would ever know, making the coliseum above feel like a droplet of water compared to the oceans. And there, far on the other side, she knew Sombra waited.

As soon as she entered that place the earth came up behind her and sealed off the route to the Prison above. This was Sombra’s truest domain, where all of what he had become was allowed to lay bare. She felt entombed as though this place was not a hideaway but instead a great grave, a monument to the sins of its maker. She paid it little heed, allowing her only focus to be upon the colossus who stood across from her.

Sombra, back turned to the entrance, seemed to give Celestia’s entrance little heed, instead marveling at the vial that lay tied about his neck like some necromantic necklace, handling it with utmost care as he examined its contents. “He fought valiantly,” Sombra told her, his voice placid like a lake in the morning. “I am not fool enough to ignore it. Though he was the last of a long-lost people, he honored their memory.”

“Why must you continue to do this?” she asked of him. “You have lost. The Stone is gone, your power over this world will fade. Your work to worm your way into the reality of this place will fall. Why continue to kill when there is nothing left?”

“I must understand him,” Sombra answered. “I want to know why you chose him instead. Why, out of all the many souls you ever knew, you chose to give your heart to such a common thing… why I failed.”

“Why you failed?” She could hardly believe the words had come from him. “You took more lives, enslaved more people, crushed the wills of the multitudes- only the sins of your master could rival you! What did you hope would rise from your actions?”

“I could not stop!” Sombra roared, his anger setting the very air to boiling. “I tried to be something great- to be glorious! I was a king, and it was my duty to rule! The world begs for unity in the dying breath of every soul who has been betrayed by his people, and I would have brought peace to them all!”

“You would have brought destruction!” Celestia snarled. “You chose power and armies and all your grandeur over the decent things that give light unto the world! I was too fool to see what you had become, blinded by the same emptiness that so easily ensnared you. You could have chosen life, and a home, but you bowed to your maker and sold your soul to the Deep!”

“I would have brought peace to the universe- to everyone! I would have been the greatest king the world had ever known, and you could have spent eternity by my side!”

“I knew the greatest king that ever was- and I spent more years by his side than I could ever hope to recall,” she said, her words beginning to tremble with her grievous anger. “You want to understand him? Why I loved him? Because he chose what was good, again and again- even when it cost him everything!”

Sombra’s face spoke to a bitter rage, the truth of Celestia’s words cutting so deeply into him that there would never be a healing to his wound. “So it is done,” he murmured, letting the vial fall against his chest as he faced his one true foe. “I offered the universe a chance, and instead I have been rejected. So I will rise from this place and finish what I started. I will remake the Philosopher’s Stone, and with it my army shall rise once more. And until the last beating heart that roams across the galaxies belongs to me, I shall not rest. And there at my side I shall have your head as my trophy.” He raised his great hands in battle, allowing the Void to surge into him and give him strength.

Celestia did likewise, allowing her memories of Ford to rise into her and give her strength. The countless thoughts of those she loved came forth in a great tidal wave; Luna, Twilight, Hearth Fire, and Ford- dear, dear Saber Ford. “Sombra, I come to end this once and for all!” she declared, igniting her hands and glowing in the darkness. “Now, give me back my husband!”

Sombra sneered, giving a snarl that spoke to unrivaled rage. With a great cry he thrust his hands against the earth and brought forth a fiery fissure, allowing the molten core of the world to rise forth and send its magma into the air at her-

Celestia summoned forth water from the air and surrounded herself with a great flood, heaving great jets of water at the fissure and sealing it away, forcing the liquidized rock to cool and harden once more. One last spurt was solidified into hardened ice, and she took the great spear in hand and hurled it Sombra’s skull-

Sombra caught the javelin in hand and shattered it in his grasp, letting the myriad shards fall around him like glass. With a snap of his fingers a great whirlwind of dust appeared and careened towards Celestia with violent intent-

Celestia closed her hand into a fist, bringing it upwards and then back down as the ceiling fell apart, great chunks of rock falling onto the small vortex and crushing its strength into the ether. Again she flung her hands, bringing forth down an endless cascade of stone down upon them both until the world above had been at last exposed-

A flash in the distance and Sombra’s power tore through the land, coursing through the fallen rock like lightning in the clouds and turning even the smallest pebble into an explosive-

Celestia brought forth a barrier and let them ignite, forcing herself to withstand the blast, each successive ignition more concussive than the last. At last when it ended she relinquished her protection, only to find Sombra there atop her-

A quick slash of claws and Celestia had been knocked aside by the colossus’ strength, her senses momentarily dashed-

Sombra leapt through the air towards her, his shadowed blade in hand to crush her into the earth-

A cry of fury and she let her power fly, a blast of purified sunlight emitting from her hands and coursing through Sombra’s chest, sending him flying backwards and back into the haze of smoke-

Celestia rose as quickly as she could, giving chase to her foe knowing that he would not be staggered for long-

The smoke around the depths began to swirl and take form, Sombra summoning it to him and giving it his power. A great host of soldiers came into view, standing before their master and facing the Princess. With a thunderous war cry they charged forward with sharpened blades-

Celestia set her hands against the earth and felt its spirit, allowing the dust and rock to speak to her. The elements took shape at her command and became like the beasts of the wild, a countless throng of untamed creatures that rose forth to protect her and they charged into the army of shadowed soldiers, rushing through their smoky frames and turning them into nothing-

Sombra stood there before her with blade at the ready, waiting for her to next move. “I am not even tired, Princess of the Sun!” he taunted. “After all those years, is this all you have within you?”

Celestia did not deign to give him answer, snapping her fingers and letting the power that held her earthly guardians together fall away. She plunged her fist into the ground and all around them sprouted thick vines, the verdant growths becoming like whips and binding themselves to Sombra until he could not even begin to move. She did not wait, instead bringing her hands into focus and igniting the glory of starlight and letting it fly towards him-

A great gush of flames came from nowhere, Sombra’s open mouth spitting tongues of fire at his bindings until he was at last freed, he catching the font of starlight Celestia had flung and holding it captive, twisting the celestial might into his own darkened shadows-

Celestia rushed forward, holding a great axeblade that shown with the light of the sun, carrying it in hand with all its weight and splendor towards her foe-

Sombra, having fully twisted the starlight to his will, gave it the shape of a lightless vortex and carried it in hand, racing to her and bringing down upon her-

The two worlds ignited and broke apart, Celestia’s axe shattering into countless pieces and she was tossed back into the rocks, the blast scarring her flesh and tearing open wounds. Sombra disappeared from her sight and when she fell she lay there for a moment stunned.

To rise from where she had fallen was excruciating. Bones had indeed been broken, and her blood was slowly dripping onto the ground at her feet. Her breathing was coming in perilously hard, and she felt the slightest tremor of panic begin to take hold within her; she was losing strength and she did not even know if she had gained any ground. Sombra was winning.

“Where are you, coward?” she called, stumbling across the broken terrain in an attempt to display her supposed might. “Have you run from me into the dark?”

“Run, have I?” Sombra growled, suddenly appearing from the depths behind her and knocking her aside. “I do not hide anywhere in this place. It belongs to me, knows me by name. I am its master, and here the Darkness seeks to snuff you out.”

Celestia struggled all the more mightily to regain her footing, turning to face Sombra and found herself facing a great shadowy face, its crimson eyes burning down upon her with unrelenting heat-

She did not dare to cower before it, instead clapping her hands and letting a great gust of wind push through it. She felt beads of sweat fall down her face and she wondered if it would be enough to drive the darkness away-

At last the shadowed face disappeared, but only to be replaced a heartbeat later. Out of its echoes came a fiery shape like that of a great dragon, bellowing and crying until it seemed the rocks about them would split at the sound, and it charged towards her-

Celestia sought out the waters yet again, giving form to that of a mighty serpent, it winding and flickering its way across the land until it faced the dragon and put its coils around the beast’s neck. The dragon screamed about as its body was slowly destroyed, writhing about madly until suddenly it rose back to its feet, the flames of its body burning white hot and evaporating away the serpent until little more than vapor remained, and still it barreled towards Celestia-

She tried to conjure forth a wall of rock to protect her but was too slow, the furious dragon careening into her and searing her skin, crushing her beneath its feet. To rise from the blow was tortuous, and only the sound of Sombra’s mocking laughter was enough to rouse her strength. She would not bow to that noise, not again.

“She weakens and tires,” he sneered. “Is that truly all you have within you?”

“No,” she growled. “It’s not.” With all her might she cried out, bringing her arms above her head as she summoned forth every scrap of strength, every small fragment of will and fury she had within her. Exhausted though she was, she would not even begin to give in while she still held hope. She was the greatest of all Alicorns, and long had been her days of rest. In this last blow would she put all she had, allowing herself to become filled with the depths of her strength. No war of attrition to be dealt any longer, but instead one final move, and the time had come for her turn.

Above her head, a sphere of pure Light began to grow, at first hardly larger than a small orb- but quickly it grew, its maker summoning forth every scrap of might that could be found-

Sombra stood there and did not try to stop her, instead steeling himself for the blow that he knew would come. He gave a great roar of defiance that shook the air, welcoming her onslaught-

Celestia felt her knees begin to buckle and she stumbled, the weight of her sphere bearing down hard against her weary frame- No! She would not falter or give way to weakness here. She would stand beneath it, she would do what must be done! On and on the sphere of Light grew, becoming great and mighty. No longer was it miniscule, instead dwarfing its maker as it continued to grow, becoming all the more massive until it seemed its light would consume the whole world-

With one last terrible scream, Celestia released the sphere of Light and fell to the ground, watching as it careened towards Sombra with devastating power-

For a moment it stood still against him- until a great hand cut through it like it were mere paper, the shadowed claws eating away at its brightness until the great sphere could not withstand any longer, weakening until it were no more, the light within it fading into nothingness. And there Sombra stood, unharmed and smiling on the other side.

No. It could not be. Her mind refused to believe it, so weary was she with exhaustion. She had to have done it, he could still falter! She flung bolt after bolt of energy at him, each one weaker than the last. Desperation added to their number until the air was filled with her strokes, Sombra batting away every last one as though it were a fly buzzing at his face. He stepped towards her with a slow finality, his smile turning into a vicious leer.

One last blow and Celestia could not bear to even stay upon her knees, falling to the ground as she could barely breathe. Her blood poured onto the ground below her, her limbs trembling as there was no strength left to hold them. “No, no, NO!”

Sombra laughed at her despair, still marching towards her. He dropped his sword and let it fall away, his bare hands all that he would need to finish his work. “All of that, all of yours years,” he sneered. “Thousands upon thousands spent within this place, and for what? Not even a drop of blood. How does it feel to come so far, to sacrifice everything you have, only to fail?”

Celestia raised her head to wail aloud, her screams of grief echoing across rock and space and time. She had no strength left with which to fight back, no power that she could still summon to make one last defiant charge, though her heart would burst if there was an effort. She had failed; this world would fall into Sombra’s grasp once again. He would restore his strength, resurrect his armies, and march out of the Palace and into the waking world once more, where there would be no might great enough to challenge him. Everyone she had ever loved would die- Luna, Twilight, all of Equestria and the world with it would be burned away. Ford’s soul would be lost in the depths of the Prison forever, endlessly searching for a place of rest. And there she would be with him, yet held eternally separate as she lay ensnared in Sombra’s agonies.

Her vision was blurred by the shape of Sombra before her, and she felt a great hand fall about her neck, dragging her into the air where she lay limp, too weak to even stare at her last foe before she was slain.

“Enter into the Deep, oh Princess,” Sombra said softly, squeezing her until bones began to break. “It is done.”

His grip tightened and Celestia’s mind began to drift. All fear and panic and mourning began to leave her, an emptiness taking hold of her senses. So far had she to fall, and never would she find the bottom. One last glance to the skies was all she could manage, and there above her in the darkened skies that held no light could she sense the sun, held deep within the grasp of a tyrant while its heart lay dormant, waiting for the call to be given unto it-

To give it life once again.

Sombra felt it before he saw it. A spark, smaller than the merest of things, but growing strong. Then it came- a flash of light across her body. Then another, and another! Great sparks surged through Celestia’s skin and ate away at his flesh, crackling like thunder until he could not bear to hold her any longer and he dropped her to the ground. Sombra began to back away, keeping himself distanced from the dying Alicorn. He watched as she rose from the ashes, her head rising to face him, and he saw that her eyes were glowing with a Light that grew across her form.

“No,” she said, almost as though a whisper that grew in strength. “Noooooooo!”

Celestia’s body became that of pure Light, striding towards Sombra with an unmatched purpose. He staggered back, beginning to feel a heat picking away at his skin. He had fought on, he had all but slain her and stolen away her spirit- but this? This was impossible!

“You shall not take them from me!” Celestia called, her voice crackling and bursting with a thunderous roar the likes of which had never been heard across the earth. “I will not falter, here at the end! And you shall bear witness!”

Sombra’s skin burned and began to fall away, inch by merest inch. He tried to move further away from her, away from that horrid Light that had come to her in power, but nowhere would be far enough to be free of its grasp.

“You are Darkness, and that is your name! Darkness, Depths, Shadows! In you there is nothing but absence!” she called, Celestia’s words eating away at his spirit. “Light comes to fill your void, and not a trace of you shall remain! In me there is Light, and not even the greatest of darkness can withstand it! Face me now, Sombra, and hear me words!”

Sombra did not dare but found himself forced to look upon her, his eyes burning away as he took her in all her might of fullness-

“Let there be light!” she cried. She flung her hands into the air and she became a pillar of light that burst forth into the heavens, spiraling ever upwards until it seemed it would reach into the ends of the cosmos- only to stop against a great solid shape, its glory pouring over the darkened star until the vastness of the horizon was ignited by it. There was a great Thrum! Across the heavens- and then another, as the heart of the Sun began to beat yet again, reborn in the pillar of Celestia’s making.

Clean, pure sunlight flowed across the world, and Sombra gave a scream as flesh and bone were eaten away and burned into nothing, his soul that had been borne in darkness unable to withstand the wholeness of Light.

A small vial, held fast by a simple string, began to fall to the ground in the hopes of shattering. Before it could even brush the ground a trembling hand was there to snatch it away and it was held close to warm flesh that was quickly growing cold. It was pure, precious, and worthy of all protection that could be given.

She had no senses with which to guide her. No strength to sustain her vision, not even the hope of sound was there to be of aid. If she stumbled onwards or simply lay there Celestia did not know, her weary mind so far drifted from her that she would not even find the means to speak. All she knew was that she held the vial in her hands so tightly, clutching it with what little of herself she still had to spare.

A sudden pressure before her. Hard and immovable, suddenly giving way to softness and flesh. She knew- the vial shattered in her palm and she held the sphere in hand, pressing down against the softness until it disappeared and she collapsed, her breaths coming in fragmented, weakened gasps.

As she began to feel a light against her eyes, followed by a tremendous warmth, all she had the strength left to do was smile. And smile she did, as the Doom of Man fell about her.

Author's Note

October 12th, 3 P.M.
When all that has has been will come to a close,
and all that time is left for,
will be one last farewell.

Soundtrack additions Here

And, for one last time... comments and corrections below. It has been a pleasure.

XIX: Epilogue

The sun was warm. It was always warm. So glorious, so good, so clean upon his skin. The wizened man stood there to bask in the spotless sunshine, simply breathing in every inch of it. He had never known such a feeling could be so pure, so whole, so wonderful. Even now, after all these years, he found himself taking pause so the beams of light could soak deep into his weary bones. After all the years he had spent in slumber, there was no greater pleasure than to at last be alive.

“Grandpa, Grandpa!” the chorus of cries met his ears to wake him from his daydreams, and he looked down to see the crowd of children huddled around him, their faces flush with joy as they stared up at him with eagerness. “Come on, Grandpa, you promised!”

“Did I, now?” he asked pleasantly, laughing at their pouting faces that came in response. “Are you sure you do not wish to continue playing for a little longer?” He always gave them that chance. He wanted them to never take the light for granted.

“No, Grandpa! You promised you’d tell us when we were older!” said one of them, a lad hardly older than six. “We’re getting all grown up and you still haven’t told us the story!”

“Very well, if that’s what you want,” he said, his words met with a chorus of cheers. “Come, let’s go over to the garden, and find a place to sit down. Does that sound alright?”

“Yeah!” Two of them broke off from the group and raced into the trees, eager to scout ahead and find a suitable spot for storytelling. They always held such a vibrancy in their little bodies; he occasionally called them ‘little balls of energy’ when speaking with their parents, though not once did he mind. They were glorious to behold, so clear and fresh with skin kissed by the sunlight. As he walked along with the throng of babbling children, he regarded their features in comparison to his own. Though he had now spent many years in the sunlight, the paleness of his darkened days would never truly leave him. There would always be the nightmares in the back of his mind, all the sights and sounds he had once known as reality. When the days had not been so far gone, the thought would make him shiver and quail under the thought. But here, they did little more than make him be thankful for the now. The new age had come, and no darkness would break it.

“Here, Grandpa! Here, here!” The two children who had run ahead suddenly reappeared, pointing to a thick tree that lay beside a thin brook, the gentle flow of water a merry sound in their ears. “How does this look?”

“This looks wonderful!” he declared, taking a resting spot against the great tree as the whole crowd of eager faces settled about him, their gazes boring into him with the intensity only a child could bring. “Now, who is ready for the tale? Will anyone be scared?”

“Not me!” they all cried defiantly, though some faces of the younger ones showed the slightest hesitancy. “We’re not afraid, tell us, Grandpa!”

“Very well, then. Let me see…” Jairus closed his eyes, knowing that he was adding to the children’s wonder, and he felt them lean in on instinct. “Now, how to say it, how to say it… long, long ago, before any of you were ever born-”

“Before even you, Grandpa?” The youngest asked.

“Yes, even me!” Jairus added. “For as long as anyone had ever known, since perhaps even time had begun in our world, the entire land was covered in a great shadow, and in that shadow lay a Name.”

Some leaned back, as though the words themselves would bring great fear to their hearts.

“The Shadow held the name of Sombra: the Dark-Maker. A great lord of Darkness, and he commanded the Deep as though it were his own. Everywhere he went, Sombra would bring pain and suffering on all peoples. He blotted out the sun and covered the world in his shadows. He took people and animals and all life into his hands, turning them into evil monsters. People would be born into this world, only to be consumed by Sombra’s relentless power. It seemed that there was no hope to be found, and that the whole world would be made empty by his conquest!”

“But they stopped him, right, Grandpa?” called on the children. “The Lady and her Guardian!”

Jairus smiled, remembering how they had felt. Their presence in the midst of all that pain and suffering had been like the first taste of sunlight he had ever known, a breath of fresh air that came and pushed the smoke away. How long had it been since that fateful day, when all the world had seemed to end? They had been desperate to save he and his people, as though there was no other cause for which they wished. If only he had known it all, of the many lands through which they had traveled- of how much hope they had brought to so many.

“Yes, they did. The Lady and the Guardian, two great champions of a faraway place, who came here to stop Sombra and save the world.” Jairus smiled at the memory- so long ago, but so clear and fresh in his mind. “She a being of immense power, filled with the grace of an endless lifespan. More powerful and more beautiful than any who had ever been, or would ever be. And beside her was her loyal husband, stalwart and strong with wisdom. To whatever end, he had sworn to be there with her in the last days. And so, here in the heart of Infinity, they had come to make an end to Sombra.”

“Did they do it, Grandpa?” one piped up, eager to hear the end of the tale.

“At first, they wondered if they would even have the strength!” Jairus replied, gently shushing the child. “They came and tried to save us all, but Sombra took all your family, even the whole world, and turned it against them. Though the Lady and the Guardian resisted, they were taken to a wicked, wicked place and thrown into the depths of the darkness. Can you guess who was there waiting for them?”

“Sombra!” the children cried in unison.

Jairus nodded. “And so he was. He fought them both with all his might and wrath, all his anger and hatred, pushing the Lady and her Guardian to the very edge of desperation. But just when all hope seemed lost and Sombra would go on to rule the universe, the Lady and her Guardian did what no other being had ever done before.”

The children leaned in, eager for more. They saw the light in their grandfather’s eyes, that indelible spark that seemed to glimmer whenever his thoughts turned to that fateful moment.

“There, at the end of all hope, of all fear and pain, they together did something incredible… to our world, they brought Light.”

“And there they stand, now! The moment I heard that the waters were starting to recede, I began looking!” Brevan’s laughter still boomed across the ship as he spoke, even in his advanced age. “You see, when those two first came to me, I thought they were nothing but a pair of prattering madmen! But the more they talked of it, the more they convinced me. The idea that there was such a thing as ground beneath our feet beyond those meager islands, miserable pieces of rock they are. No, they spoke of continents! Lands filled with mountains and lakes, forests and such marvelous things as trees. Ever since they spoke of it, I kept an eye open- maybe, just maybe, if the waters ever began to fall, I might see one. And here we are! Look at what lies before you and say it’s name!”

“Green! My little ones, have you ever seen such a glorious sight in all your life?” Zareim spoke wildly, absolutely consumed by his delight. “All my days, all we have ever known is the lands of sand and dust and weathered rock. A fiery sun above us that was once guarded by a great and mighty beast, its wrath brought against us. But when the Lady and her Guardian came, so they brought so much more! The Roc was cast down and with it the great fires of heaven fell, allowing the heat to lessen. We even began to see rain- rain, of all things! But this… this, my little ones, this green place? This shall only grow and spread, the majesty of it all to be a home to many. You shall grow here, you shall thrive here! This will be a great and glorious future for all!”

“And what did we deserve, after all our many sins?” Gedeon asked of those about him. An ancient man now, he would have easily been indistinguishable from the darkened wood of the magnificently crafted cabin in which they dwelt. “I told them plainly that if they saw fit to do so, that I would be killed by their hand- so long as it meant my people prospered. But instead, they fought for us. Yes, they did! The Lady and her Guardian brought us all to safety as our broken Sun tore through the stars to eat away our land.

They nearly died to bring us here, you know. They were weary, tired and broken when we first entered into this land of rest. But when they had recovered and made their decisions, they led us! Yes, I knew them by name, knew their faces- still to this very moment, there is not a day that goes by where I do not wish to see them again. I think back to those years and only wish for that sort of glory to be seen in my eyes again. Ah, if you had only been there…”

“I wish you had been born in time, little one,” Tyrion said, holding his infant daughter oh so gently in his arms. “For you to have seen your grandparents would have been the greatest joy of my life. They ruled this land as king and queen for so long, there is little history that even speaks of a time in which they did not dwell with us. I was not their first child, nor even the first Crown Prince! But I was the last to see them, and every day my heart longs to see them again.”

Tyrion’s eyes misted over as he remembered that last haunting goodbye, as his mother and father had departed for lands unknown, so far flung from this peaceful haven. “You see, little one… they were known as the Lady and her Guardian Knight. Protectors and beings of great power that came to us from a faraway land. They had known battle and struggle, but had found themselves rejuvenated by this place. Here, in our home, they had thrived and become wondrous to behold. Never again will there be one like them, and there is not a day that goes by where those who remember them do not wish to see their faces again…”

“But they had their duty to uphold. A sacred promise: not just to the people they loved, but to one another. They had sworn that they would seek out the Void, no matter where it hid. They would chase Sombra to the ends of the earth, to the depths of the deepest Dark, to the most distant and empty of lands, across vastness and the expanse until they found him at last, and brought an end to his acts of cruelty once and for all. And so they went, all those many years ago.”

“Auntie, will they ever come back?” Starburst asked, piping up suddenly. It was not a normal thing for her to be so talkative, especially when a tale was told. “Mama says they will, but will they really?”

Luna paused to consider the question, knowing full well the great gap of time that had come to be. It had been so long since that farewell from so, so long ago, when Celestia and Saber Ford had departed from Equestria. They had been adamant: Find Sombra, find the Philosopher’s Stone, and bring an end to him once and for all. So much had changed in the century since that fateful day- so much good! Twilight’s rule as Queen had been glorious for the kingdom, and she right there to aid the young girl as best as she could. But here, after all this time, Luna’s heart still longed to see her beloved sister for one last time.

“I do not know, little one,” Luna whispered, holding the child across her lap. “It has been a very long time since Celestia and Ford left us behind- long before you were ever born. But of one thing I am certain: they did it because they looked out into the future and saw you, and they deeply loved you. They loved everyone, and so that is why they left to fight.”

“They sound very wonderful, Auntie,” Starburst remarked, her childish features now nodding solemnly. “They must have been very brave.”

Luna smiled, setting the diary aside on the nearby table before giving the young girl a tight hug. “Yes, they were. The bravest souls I have ever known. Come now, it’s time for bed. Your Auntie Luna has work to do for your mother now, OK?”

Starburst grumbled all the way to her bed, but complied nonetheless. As Luna flipped off the light (electricity, here in the castle! Twilight had been ingenious), she knew the little child would dream of a beautiful Princess of the Sun and her valiant Knight, all through the night.

Luna left her niece behind and ascended through the castle, heading to the upper towers where she would find peace. It was a late night already, and she knew she would be left alone. There, along the southern wall! It would high as she could manage, and an excellent place for solitude.

Or so she had thought. As she climbed the tower stairs, she heard the pattering of gentle footsteps from above, and a whispered voice speaking into the wind.

“I wish you could see it all, Princess,” the voice whispered. “How far your kingdom has come… how much it misses you. Not a day goes by that someone does not offer up a prayer for your sake. For both of you. When Luna told them the story of you and Ford, the whole kingdom wanted to go crawling off to find you. But as much as your sister and I wanted to do just that, we knew that wasn’t what you wanted. You had gone to protect everyone you’d loved, and as much as I wanted to fight that good fight alongside you, I think you’d made it clear: my place is here, with your sister… my husband… my children… my friends. Oh, Celestia, if you only knew how good it has been. And all of that because you once told a stubborn young girl she needed to make some friends.”

Luna knew the time had come to reveal herself, and she slowly, but deliberately, walked up the stone stairs, allowing each footstep to be as distinct from the other. “I hope I am not interrupting,” she said.

“Luna!” Twilight looked the slightest touch embarrassed but maintained her composure- so different from the neurotic girl Luna had first met. “I’m sorry, I thought I was alone.”

“I believe we both were searching for the same thing,” Luna replied, settling down beside the Queen. “Speaking to my sister, I am guessing?”

Twilight gave a small nod. “When I find myself overwhelmed by my duties, or just… lonely, I come up here. I pretend she is there beside me, yet still so far away. I miss her, Luna.”

“And so do I. Everyday,” Luna replied, holding her sister’s diary tightly in her hands. “There are so many things I wish I had done differently while she was still here. And Ford, both of them, really. I wish I had not been so foolhardy… and perhaps tried to know him.”

Twilight smiled, giving the immortal Alicorn a gentle squeeze of the hand. “We both came to know him. Through her, through her words she left for us. Perhaps that is all we can ask for now.”

“So you still believe?”

“They are out there,” Twilight replied firmly, her eyes searching the horizon. “You felt it as strongly as I did, that day. Like a veil had been torn away. They did it, Luna! Sombra is gone forever!”

Indeed he was, Luna remembering the exact moment as clearly as though it were yesterday. The whole world had paused and given it heed, knowing something had been changed forever. A brokenness had been fixed, a shadow filled with sunlight. The wrong had been made right.

But so long ago it had been, and still no sign of their return. Twilight had married, had children, and even begun to at last grow old, her powers beginning to fade. With Cadance gone and Flurry growing ever older, soon only Luna would remain. But still they tried, calling out into the distance just in case.

“I am getting old, Luna,” Twilight said sadly, rising to her feet. “I had hoped I would see her again before I died, but perhaps that was a fool’s hope. Wherever they went, it is indeed so far away.”

“We can try again, Twilight,” Luna replied. “Once more, one last time. We can make our call.”

A gentle face, once sharp and brimming with knowledge now turned motherly and soft, pondered the thought and smiled. “Perhaps we shall,” she said, taking Luna’s hand in her own. Together they closed their eyes and lifted their joined hand towards the skies, letting their breath fall away into nothingness as they gave one last great call out into the world…

And somewhere, out in the farthest reaches, came an answer. There was a great tug on their shoulders and the two women found themselves pulled away from that tower and beyond, racing faster and faster until it seemed they had traveled all the length of all space and time that would ever be. When at last the pressure lessened, and the world stopped spinning, Luna at last opened her eyes.

“Oh my…” She could not truly believe what she was seeing. Every color that came before her eyes was more vivid and bright and fresh than anything she had ever seen before. The grass beneath her feet was more green and crisp than what she had ever known, the air more clean and sweet than anything she had ever breathed. The sun shone with an infinite glory, the birds called out with the brightest of songs. All around them was a vast, endless beauty that spanned ever on in magnificent symphony, clear mountains far in the distance just below the coming sunrise, and not far away was a lake of water so pure that merely to look upon it would mean one was quenched. When she looked at herself and saw the paleness in comparison, she knew that she had come to a place for which she would forever long. But here she did not belong, not yet.

“Luna?” Twilight looked about in wonder, pressing her hand against the blades of grass below her. “What ever on earth is this place?”

The Princess of the Moon was not sure, but she was certain that it was not Earth at all. Here was someplace better, someplace good- the totality and sum of all existence and life and majesty was here, and somehow they had traveled to it.

The sound of laughter, faint but crystal clear, came to meet her ears. Luna’s knees trembled at the sound of it, recalling that voice from so long ago. “It can’t be…” The two women turned and there, coming up from the nearest hill, were two souls hand in hand as they walked, talking amongst themselves.

The woman’s hair was like the colors of the rainbow, yet more deep and bright than even Luna had remembered. The fairness of her skin was more wondrous than she could recall- without blemish or stain or scar to be found. In her eyes was a brightness of light that transcended and spoke of wisdom beyond. The man with her strode along with a purpose that was tempered by compassion, a kingly bearing upon him. His features no longer held the grim determination of a warfighter, but instead a peaceful happiness that comes to a soldier who has at last found home. In both of them was a glorious smile, and when they turned to look upon Luna and Twilight, the two raised a hand in welcome as though this meeting were indeed the most normal thing in the world.

“Celestia!” Luna’s cry came unbidden alongside Twilight's, and the two women rushed across the grass towards the wandering souls, rushing to them and holding them so tightly that Luna would never dare let them go.

“Luna! Twilight” Celestia cried, her voice as bright as the summer morning. “It is wonderful to see you again!”

And it was. Luna immediately began to weep, unable to hold in the years of longing she had buried so deep down.

“Come now, no need for tears!” Ford said, taking the weeping woman in his hands, an embrace so warm and welcoming that Luna knew all animosity she had ever dealt to him had been forgotten. He looked upon her with a gracious gaze, his smile kind and gentle. “It is alright, we are alright- you are alright. There is no need for tears in this place, not ever again.”

“It’s been so long!” Luna cried, now absolutely blubbering before her sister and her husband. “I kept waiting and waiting for you to come back, but it’s been so long!”

“We had almost given up hope that we would ever see you again- but here you are!” Twilight said, her own eyes glistening though she held her countenance firm. “You two… you are so different.”

“Yes, indeed we likely are,” Celestia said warmly. “Purified and becoming all the more so. It is a product of this place, given to us by its ruler. In time, you will find out yourself.”

“Come, there is a nice little tree nearby,” Ford remarked, taking the two guests by the hand and bringing them to their feet. “Tia and I are well on our way, but when we heard that you were looking for us… well, we knew we needed to at least say our goodbyes.”

The four souls wandered over into the gentle shade, Twilight and Luna simply drinking in the presence of their long-lost friends, still not quite able to believe it was true.

“So did you do it? Truly?” Twilight asked, the first to break the spell.

“Hmm? Oh. Sombra,” Celestia said, dismissing the name as though it were as important as yesterday’s weather. “Yes, it is done. The Umbra is gone, and with it fades away the last stain of Tavan upon the world. It is finished.”

“But- but why have you not returned?” Luna asked, unwilling to release her hands from their arms. “We are waiting for you, the whole world is waiting for you! Why will you not come home? What happened?”

Celestia and Ford both laughed at the suggestion. “Goodness, Luna, look about you!” Ford replied happily. “What in the world would ever be great enough to draw us away from here?”

“This is home, dear Luna. The home for which we have always longed," Celestia said, her voice brimming with an endless, timeless joy. "Everything we loved about Equestria, of even the greatest places we have ever known, were all merely a shadow of here. This is what we always truly desired.”

“And now, since our task is over, we were given entrance to this place, by the grace of its ruler,” Ford added. “And so we’ve traveled for a long time now, enjoying every fresh, clear second of it. Only one goal have we ever known: further and further in.”

Luna sniffled, at last able to control her tears. “So, this is to be a goodbye, then?”

Celestia smiled. “Only for a little while. But for now, until the time comes when we must wait for you to join us, we have been offered a chance to meet you and take rest from our travels. To give you heart and hope for the many years left ahead. After all, you still have much to see, and to know, and to do. I would not take that from you for the world.”

Luna smiled, at last coming to an understanding. “Then, in the time we have,” she said, “I want to know where you have been.”

Celestia smiled, settling down in a restful position as she faced her sister, her eyes alight with the many cherished memories. “I have all the time in the world,” she declared happily. “So let me tell you a story.”

The End

Author's Note

And so at last, we have come to the end

The future has come for us after all this time. It has been a glorious thing, these many years, and glad am I to know that a brighter road lies ahead. You can know it, if you wish..

The very last additions to the soundtrack to be found HERE

As always, and forevermore, it has been nothing but a pleasure. Glad am I, to have been able to bring such things into the world for such people as you.

I: Prologue

A flash of blue and she felt pain erupt across her side as the blow found its home just below the ribs, the still-dazzling flare of fire burning away the myriad fibers and threads that comprised her clothing until the flames licked through and seared flesh. She twisted herself away from the blow and, instinct driving her actions, began to writhe in the hopes of lessening the pain. As she fell back, the very tip of a blade was set against her neck, the presence of the sword felt brushing just above her skin.

“Too slow- again,” said the hulking man now towering above her. “You hesitated.”

“I was only buying time,” she replied in heavy gasps, though her tone was triumphant in sound.

A cry of fury erupted from somewhere behind them and a lithe figure rose from cover and leapt into the skies, the violent silhouette of an axeblade borne in her grasp-

She kicked out at her attacker and managed to destabilize his footing, pushing back from the close melee and leaping to her feet, her hands burning as the power within her reignited like a vicious fire and she took aim- only to find her partner had forced herself into range and was engaged, the axe swinging wildly through the air in the hopes of cleaving her opponent’s sword into pieces-

“Luna, I have the shot, get out of the way!” she cried, feeling the strength in her fingers begin to grow ever greater the more she held back-

Luna either ignored her words or did not hear, continuing her incensed attacks and letting her strength sap with every swing she took-

“Luna, I said move!” she cried again, her voice threatening to break-

A quick flash of metal and the axe was wrested from her grasp. Luna suddenly found herself struck across the neck and her breath was stolen from her. A second blow arrived in the form of a harsh kick that sent her sprawling across the clearing-

Celestia tried to summon her strength all the more quickly but then felt the heavy grasp of hands around her own, forcing her to her knees where she was left gasping for air, a blade still pointed at her exposed throat as though nothing had changed from the mere moments before.

“Is that all? Am I to be left disappointed again?” the man said, eyeing the two sisters with distaste.

Luna struggled to rise to her feet, still spluttering from the deprivation of breath she had suffered, and each motion she took to rise to her feet appeared torturous. Celestia dared not move, knowing that the slightest sign of resistance would mean her end.

Breen sighed and lowered his blade, gazing at his two pupils in a mixture of sadness and anger at the result. “So disappointment it shall be,” he muttered, and sheathed his weapon. “Young sisters, we have been stuck on this moment for too long now. How do you expect to be able to lead anyone who dwells in this world if you cannot even surpass your teacher?”

Celestia felt the bitterness in his voice, the surpassing unhappiness and her own shame rose to meet it. It was true; they had been trying to overcome this lesson for days upon days now, and each attempt was as fruitless as the one before it. She began to wonder if they would even know success at all.

Luna, however, took the rebuke in a different turn. “You cheat every time we try!” she cried out, finally regaining the strength of her voice. “You want us to win yet give us no chance of doing so!”

“And you think the world will be fair to you? That they will be intimidated by the mere sight of an Alicorn?” Breen retorted, the grim-faced man standing his ground at the accusation of the young woman. “Those days are long passed, little Moon- the Alicorns are all but gone, and the time of reverence for your kind have left us beyond thought of hope and memory. Darkness will seek you out, and if you cannot best me, then know that there are far worse creatures than I that shall make mincemeat of you!”

Luna gave a snarl and lunged forward, clawing out wildly for the man’s legs in the hopes of grasping him-

With one motion Breen stepped back and let his blade fall upon Luna’s head, the heavy weapon scoring a harsh strike and knocking the aggressor momentarily senseless.

“And you- why did you not capitalize on her movements?” Breen said, taking advantage of Luna’s temporary incapacitation to turn to Celestia, who only now dared to look up at her teacher and found his eyes burning. “She gave you an opening- the lesson could have been completed if you had been willing to take your chance! You hesitate yet again!”

“I thought the lesson was over,” Celestia replied, trying to rise to her feet and place an attack but again found her arms tightened and she was deftly thrown aside-

“It is too late now! You must act when the moment is right- hesitation costs lives, young one!”

Luna finally managed to resettle herself and tried to stand, stumbling about until her elder sister came to her side in the hopes of aid. “Filthy cheat,” she said furiously. “I can barely see.”

“Is your vision still distorted?” Breen asked of her.

“None of your business!” Luna snapped angrily.

“Celestia. Help your sister. The lesson is over,” Breen ordered, the harshness of his voice disappearing like the morning mist and found itself filled by a calming wisdom. Together, he and Celestia brought Luna over into the shade, far from the grove clearing and settled her down gently.

“Rest, young one. You have overexerted yourself, my blow should have not been able to disorient you so greatly,” Breen said, examining the young woman for injury.

“Will she be alright?” Celestia asked of him.

“She certainly shall be. As you may have found yourselves already, Alicorns heal from injury quite rapidly. Tomorrow, it will be as though nothing has happened.”

“I want to try again,” Luna grunted, already resisting their efforts of aid in the hopes of rising to her feet. “I am confident we shall have it done.”

Breen pushed down on her shoulders to keep her grounded. “You are brave, little Moon- but now is not the time. You need to heal lest your wounds become greater.”

“What do we need to do to succeed, then?” Celestia asked of him.

“To be the best of yourself, and knowing what strengths you bear- alone, and in one another,” Breen said calmly. “Luna, you fight as though you have already lost: all emotion, no grace or hesitation in any movement you make. You throw yourself into every motion as though it is your last. Your endurance is great, so wear out your foe! Only the mightiest of evils can stand against an Alicorn for long.”

“So I was close,” Luna said breathily, strong enough to raise her head and look at him with her burning gaze.

Breen laughed. Somewhat mocking, somewhat gentle. “You give too much of yourself for that, little Moon. You have one on whom you can rely.”

Celestia braced herself for the coming lashes, knowing that her chiding would be next.

“Celestia,” Breen said wearily, as though already tired by the tirade, “how long must I tell this to you for you to understand? Luna’s skill is with a blade, the physical blunt force of steel and iron. Your skills are something untamed and powerful, yet you always hesitate to use them. You called for your sister to separate herself from the target, yet did nothing to make it so yourself! Are your powers so frail that you could not have easily held me down? Of course not!”

Celestia dared not to look at him, her eyes already averting themselves from his sight-

“Do not look away! Into my eyes!” Breen’s voice was commanding, thunderous.

“Sunlight, are you so ashamed of your efforts that you cannot withstand me? Are you not giving your all for this struggle?”

“I am,” she said.

“Then look at me with pride. Both of you. Shame is a teacher, but do not let it control thee. Take instruction, learn, and make it done. The time will come, that I believe. And when it does, a kingdom most glorious awaits you.”

“What is like, Equestria?” Luna asked of him. Celestia, always eager to hear more of the subject, began to perk up and rose from her misery.

“Equestria? Why would I tell you of the place?” Breen demanded.

“I know Ithunel spoke of it to you last night,” Luna said. “That’s where you’ll be sending us, aren’t you? Their old kingdom is dead.”

“I do not know why that would be the place for you. It is old, and wild, and untamed even by its inheritors,” Breen replied.

“I do not suggest teasing them further, beloved,” said a gentle voice as clear as rain, and all eyes rose to meet it. Stepping through the trees as though she were its master and dressed in clothes that sparkled like the morning dew was a raven-haired woman with eyes as soft and colored as the grass that brushed against her bare feet.

“You say I should tell them, then?” Breen asked of his wife.

“The time is coming soon, after all,” Ithunel said warmly, “they should know what land awaits their guiding hand.”

“So it is Equestria, then?” Celestia asked delightedly, her heart leaping. Every story of the place they had been told in the world of isolation had been a delight. The most ancient land in the world, teeming with magic and life and unseen powers and delights. The very thought of it had captivated her and her sister’s hearts long ago.

“Yes, to Equestria you shall be sent- when the time is right,” Breen confessed. “The old kingdom that once ruled it has fallen into disrepute, and old fiefdoms now squabble amongst themselves. When this buried hatred has been allowed to wither, you shall go and find yourself welcomed.”

“Why not send us now if they fight their own?” Luna asked. “Would we not be able to stop them?”

“And you would be seen forever as a tyrant- a terror to behold,” Breen replied. “The wickedness that has befallen that land is great and terrible. Like a virus, it must run its course, the punishment made complete in wholeness. When that happens, and only then, will the land be ready for good things to come into it again. Then they will see you for what you are, and be willing to embrace it in its fullness of glory.”

“Do you know what will happen when we sail there?” Celestia asked of Ithunel, seeking her gaze most of all. “You say you sometimes see the future. Has the Light nothing to shine upon across our path?”

Ithunel’s warm eyes suddenly began to falter and the verdant glow was cooled. Where love and gentleness were so evident came sorrow, and a pain so great that the young woman could hardly stand to look at her teacher lest she weep at her feet.

“Only that it will come, no matter what road is taken to avoid it,” Ithunel whispered. “And that you will meet it when the time comes.”

Thousands of years later…

The grey that was cast across the sea reflected against the dark waves, turning the realm into an endless cascade of water and mist as far as could be seen by even the keenest of eyes. The soft sea foam of cresting waves added to the thickness, and only the soft sound of water moving to and fro could be heard upon the ears.

On the edge of the mists, just beyond the edge of sight, a skeletal silhouette could be seen pushing through the endless fog, moving steadily onward by the tired power of the meek winds that pervaded across the seas. Pushing ever forward until the bow broke through like a spear, the small ship finally cast itself into view, its well-worn sails still pushing ahead, though a steady growth of patchwork materials and added stitching could be seen all across the material like a growing disease. The thick wooden hull remained steadfast, a younger and bolder creation than the sail that helped to drive it onward, though it creaked steadily with every swish of the wind above and sway of the waves that lapped at it from below.

Standing like a statue on the crow’s nest was the heavily garbed figure of a man, his body motionless though his eyes flickered back and forth across the mists madly, hoping for even the smallest of glimpses through this seemingly endless haze of nature they had ventured into? No matter his elevation, no matter the time of day- even the weather refused to allow them to break through this clouded forest of water. All he had found hope in was the compass that now lay before him, tied to the edge of the crow’s nest with wire and pointing them steadily westward. They had done nothing to alter their course for two weeks now, and their path had remained unchanged. No list, no halting of their fixed path onward. Unless a foul curse had been cast upon this place, they would eventually find some hope of exiting- and perhaps land would meet them when they did.

“What do you see? Is there any change?” A voice called up to him and the man suddenly fidgeted, cured of his motionlessness to peer down. The fog thickened and suddenly lessened, allowing him to see down at the base where a seeming rainbow of color had called out to him, borne upon a once-royal garment.

His voice was frayed and he knew to call would be futile. Judging he would find no further purpose in the nest he descended, swinging down and landing before his companion and pulling the scarf from his face to reveal a soldierly man with a wild, unkempt beard growing upon his face. “Not a thing to be seen,” he reported. “The mists seem to carry on forever, just as yesterday. That makes three days now that we’ve been caught in its grasp.”

“And you are certain that we are not going in circles?”

“The compass stays true. Unless there is some fell magic at work against us, the aim is still true.” He hesitated. “Do you sense something that bodes ill?”

Celestia shook her beautiful head, her hair shimmering like a fresh rainbow in the sky. “No, nothing. That is why I find it odd. We have yet to face anything like this.”

Saber Ford turned from her and stared out into the vastness of it all, as if hoping to see their exit somewhere just beyond the bow. “Your tales of the world never spoke of it. We have traveled far. We might simply be beyond anything you or I have ever known.”

“When was the last time you rested, Ford?” she asked of him. “I just awoke, and by my count it has been nearly three hours since I lay down. You were supposed to wake me for guard two hours ago.”

“I’m fine,” he said grimly. “If I needed rest to keep this vessel controlled, I would ask it of you.”

“Except you hardly ask anything,” she replied. A flick of her fingers and the ship suddenly became rigid, the course firmly cemented by a power beyond mere reckoning. “Come. The rations have yet to peter out and you look exhausted.”

Somewhat unwillingly, Ford nodded in assent and disappeared below the deck beside his wife, letting the haunting light of the fog disappear from his sight and be replaced by the soft glow of lamplight. “What do we have now?” he asked of her.

“Just the hardtack now,” Celestia said, tossing him a tightly woven pack that was a single ration. “The water remains clean, but we’ll need to hope for rain in the next week if we are to not ration it out also.”

“We underestimated the journey across this ocean,” Ford muttered.

“We could not have known,” was all she ever said in reply.

The two settled to eat in silence, Celestia taking in the rugged appearance of her husband. The journey they had started together so long ago seemed to have worn upon him greatly, and age was beginning to show its handiwork across his body. The dark brown hair was now tinged with flecks of grey, and the beard he bore was swiftly turning silver. Scars from youth had become settled upon him, and the new ones had yet to fade. Though he was by far the younger of the two, appearance would no longer suggest to any who saw them. Her immortal beauty remained as clear as it had been the day she had grasped it; the mortal world was swiftly claiming him as its own.

The only thing that could prevent it is the Philosopher’s Stone, Celestia thought. And it must be soon, or else his twilight years shall be made his permanence- if we even find it at all. Or if Sombra has not found it already.

“You’re thinking of it again,” Ford guessed, and Celestia gave a start as she surfaced from her reverie. “The Philosopher’s Stone. Am I right?”

“Are my thoughts so evident to you?” she asked.

“Only when your mind is darkened,” he answered. “And as of late, that is often.”

“You are still doubting, then?”

“How could I not, after all this time?” Ford replied. “Tia, it may be time to accept the inevitable: what we are looking for no longer exists.”

“And you have no proof of that claim. I have told you this,” Celestia said, trying to rouse the best of her patience in the hopes of dealing with this long-held argument.

“There is no proof for either side. We set out upon this journey because Sombra believed it might still exist, but even then there was nothing definitive to follow on,” Ford said. “Every country we have seen, every kingdom we encounter- the result is always the same. No knowledge of such a thing, no reason to believe it exists. And worst of all, no sign of Sombra anywhere. That is what should concern us.”

“You believe he hid from us,” Celestia said. “Ford, please understand that we would have known. Luna and I know his steps, what he feels like in the ether. If he had hidden himself with his levels power still intact then we would have sensed him.”

“What if he was able to hide it?” Ford challenged, his tone rising alongside his temper. “You didn’t even know he was still alive until he made his appearance in the Crystal Empire, how can you say that you are certain? We have nothing to be certain of!”

“Even if he was in Equestria, we would have no way of returning to stop him. That is up to Luna and Twilight to defend, and for us to stop his ultimate goal.”

“And that is my problem! We are on a wild goose chase for something that likely no longer exists, while our home –your kingdom- lies awaiting its greatest threat. It has been ten years- Celestia- it has been ten years, Celestia!” Ford’s voice cracked like a whip and he rose to his feet, his weariness and anger no longer held in check. “I will follow you wherever you go, but you led us on this quest in the hopes of trying to fix something that cannot be fixed! You wish me to be immortal, to be with you forever- but that simply cannot be. Where we need to be, where you need to be, is in the land that loves and needs you. Equestria is the land we never should have left.”

Unable to stand there any longer, Ford departed and left out into the open air, leaving Celestia exhausted and more dispirited than ever.

They had married the day before they had departed. The marriage had simply been one endless journey across the world in the hopes of finding immortality and their foe, with not even the smallest of successes to call their own. Despite all their best hopes, their time together simply had yet to be a happy one.

He simply does not want to get his hopes up, she counseled herself. He wishes no further disappointment for me or himself. That is how he has always been.

She desired to join him on the deck, but hesitated. Let his fire cool before she ventured outside. Celestia pored over their makeshift map, adding more waters to their current portion as her eyes glazed over. So many countries had been discovered, countless kingdoms and people new to her eyes. It had been a blur, these past several years, but all of it had been fruitless. Until either Sombra or the Philospher’s Stone were found, there would be no success.

Celestia quietly exited out onto the deck, finding Ford standing on the prow and unwilling to face her. She strode quietly over to him and lay a hand on his shoulder, taking it as a good sign that he did not shrug her off.

“I did not mean to snap,” he said, his voice as quiet as it had been during his younger years.

“Endless, unwelcoming, unfeeling water can have that effect on a man,” she said. Though their marriage had yet to be wildly successful, she still loved him greatly and wished for him to be at peace.

Ford gave a quick chuckle at the remark. “Celestia, do you really believe the thing even exists?”

“I do.”

“Why, though? Even the text we look at spoke of the Philosopher’s Stone as a rumor, and it was more ancient than I- or even you. What we are searching for may not exist anymore.”

“Sombra believes it does. And if he is right, we must be there to stop him.”

“So we go because evil has faith, not faith ourselves.”

“We go because we have hope that the world will be rid of him, even if by our own hands it is done.”

Ford turned to face her, taking her hand in his and holding on tight. “I wish I could have your faith, then.”

She kissed him and smiled, trying to bring the warmth of her soul to his own. “You will when the time is right.”

The creaking of wood grew loud and suddenly became a roar as the ship swayed harshly beneath their feet, the splash of water rising over the side and soaking the deck-

“What on earth-” Ford was across the ship in an instant, peering over the side and down at the commotion below, suddenly turning rigid as his eyes fell upon the waters.

Celestia joined him and found her jaw had dropped at the sight of the magnificent beast swam leisurely aside them. The creature was monstrous in length, easily twice the size of their ship, its gaping maw surrounded by serrated teeth that spoke to its capacity for incredible violence. Drifting lazily closer to them with every leisurely swish of its tail, the creature came to the side of the vessel and poked its head gently out of the water to peer at them as they drifted steadily along, a lidless black eyes staring at them with a singular intensity as its jaws lay agape. Celestia stared at this creature intently, its lidless gaze boring into them as though it had yet to see something of their kind before and now had been left dumbfounded by the sight of these strange, otherworldly beings that rode across the surface of the seas. Seemingly, as if its curiosity had been made satisfied, the creature departed into the deep and out of sight, leaving only the churning waters as a sign that it had even existed.

“I believe we have just been found worthy of passage,” Celestia breathed, her mind still fixated on the size and ferocity of the creature’s teeth.

“Or simply not interesting enough for an attack,” Ford countered shakily, his practical nature giving him little interest in the sentience of the great beasts of the world. “Either way, it’s probably best we don’t go overboard.”

The attempt at humor was flimsy at best, and neither said anything for a time. Celestia suddenly found herself wincing as light began to filter through the fog, which was weakening with every passing moment.

“The fog- Ford!” she cried.

“I’ll take the helm,” he said, dashing to the wheel and awaiting her word. “Is it breaking any further?”

“Yes! Keep us moving forward, it’s clearing!” Celestia felt her skin turn warm and her heart sang as her namesake began to shine forth. Though her vision was obscured by the coming light, she looked out with eager anticipation for the coming sunlight.

The clouds broke open and the glorious daylight shone down upon them, and graced them with beauteous skies- and a long-awaited sight.

“Ford! We’re coming up on land!”

Author's Note

And so it begins. Our last great leap together has come at last. I hope you've been with me since the beginning, and I am glad you'll be here to see it to the end.

If you have yet to receive the link to the playlist for this story, find it here: Boop

As stated previously, each chapter will mean new additions to the playlist, so keep referring back to help enhance the reading experience.

Comments and corrections below. As always, enjoy.

XIV: Zerstörung

She ran through the gates and into the twilight so quickly that her husband’s hand fell from her grip. The thoughts and memories from her nightmare, born by that ungodly pool, still held fast within her mind and taunted her without ceasing. She had get away, as far away from that horrid place lest more of the crystalline water came forth and filled her eyes with horrors. She could still hear the clash of battle and the sound of metal crushing bone, smell the reek of rotting flesh- hear the sound of iron piercing her sister’s heart.

“Tia- Tia!” Ford called from somewhere behind her, perhaps reaching out for her in an attempt to assuage his own terrors-

She felt the presence of something solid the moment before she collided, the darkened scene hiding it easily from her already frantic senses. She tried to slow herself and managed to do so- but not enough to avoid slamming into it and crumpling to the ground.

“Tia! Tia!” Ford’s voice was distraught and on the verge of panic, separated from the one person he still trusted.

“Here…” Her voice was weak, choked by her roiling emotions and the stunning blow she had dealt herself. Shaking herself vigorously, she called out again. “Here! Ford, I’m here!”

“Tia- are you alright, did something-”

“I ran into a wall, I think,” she said, trying to rise to her feet. “I am… I’m…”

“Please, don’t run off like that again!” He threw his arms around her and held tightly to her as though she would disappear into the vapor. “Please, please- don’t do that, ever again!”

“Ford, are you-”

“I am NOT alright!” he shrieked, his body quivering madly against her. “I don’t remember what I saw and it’s like it’s sitting there at the edge of my mind, just keeping me on edge and I do NOT want to be alone with it!”

“Ford, please-”

“If I could just remember, I could tell myself it wasn’t real but I can’t-”

“Ford, you’re hurting me!” Celestia cried. The pressure he dealt, strength born from his overflowing panic, was beginning to press hard against her bones.

“No, I- I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” he said, immediately releasing her from his grasp, though he went to wring his hands tightly to help maintain the pressure. “I didn’t mean to-”

“I’m not hurt- truly, I am,” she said, wishing that at least one of them was not still on edge. His meltdown was only helping to increase her own and she felt what little vestige of sanity she still had under control starting to slip. “Please, I need you to try and settle yourself. I am on the verge of falling apart and if you do then I will too.”

“OK. I’ll- I’ll try.” His face was taut, pale as he tried to bring his fears into order, his words of calm meant more for himself than his wife. “Easy now, easy…”

The silence that surrounded them in their darkened quarters was deafening. Celestia still had little knowledge of where they had come to, only knowing that the gaze of that wretched place could still be felt along her skin, leaving her flesh crawling. If she did not concentrate on trying to return to normality and convince herself that it was indeed all a dream, she would begin to lose focus and see it come to life before her; her vision would blur and she would see veiny cracks flow begin to erupt across her arms as they turned grey with rot, or her hair had begun to fall out from her scalp.

“So- you said you cannot remember what you saw,” she said, wishing for any sort of distraction from her memories. “Not a piece of it?”

Ford took a deep breath, trying to steady himself in the hopes of answering her. “I- I saw darkness, just- just so thick, like a blindfold on my eyes, and I feel something around my neck, then something cracking or- or laughing or something-! Then the next thing I knew I was standing before the gateway and you were just rolling on the grass screaming like nothing I’ve ever heard before.”

“Did he say anything to you? When you awoke?”

“Only for a quick second. He told me, ‘you will remember the truth when the time comes’ and then he turned his back on me to face you- Tia, just what was he?” Ford replied. “That wasn’t Sombra, or the Sanctelior’s power, that was- it was just-”

“I do not ever want to know. I do not want to spend a moment thinking about it,” she answered. “Please, I can’t get the bitter taste of that water off my tongue, or off my skin-!”

“Let’s go.” Ford went to his feet in an instant, offering his wife a hand up. “I can’t stand being here any longer, just sitting here thinking about it, not for one more second.”

Celestia, though still unnerved, was calm enough to agree. The two moved away swiftly from the gateway and the shadows, moving towards a weak twilight emanating from somewhere above them. “I feel we are climbing a path of sorts,” said she. “Not a natural one, but man-made. It is too smooth.”

“Put your hand upon it! By heaven, it feels smoother than glass!” Ford exclaimed, kneeling down and pressing his hand against the black. “Certainly not stone, but harder than rock. What sort of place is this?”

“I can make out a doorway ahead of us. We just need to continue our climb,” Celestia said. On and upwards did they go, the distant glimmer of dull light growing from barely the strength of candlelight in the dark until they at last reached the threshold and had only grown to the strength of the late evening sun, the air outside cold and empty as the mountain peaks. “That chill in the air… it feels as though it were winter.”

“Tia… look at this place!” Ford said faintly, slowly walking out into the open world with his head low as though he expected an attack. His gaze darted this way and that until he came to a standstill and gazed upward into the skies. “By heaven…”

Slowly, Celestia made her way out of the gloom to join him, only to come to his side and be left struck just as he had been, awed by the world around them. Before them was a great tower, built of materials the likes of which she had never seen, even in the early days of the world when the Deep had not yet found its strength. Great in size and shape, it soared into the skies, rising so far into the deep black and blue of the night that its peak could not be seen by their eyes. While her husband remained stunned, her eyes flickered all across the open street, the mighty tower that lay before them just one of many- a city of such size and grandeur that just one of these massive towers would have held the entirety of her people ten times over, on and on it seemed to sprawl, perhaps covering the very world in this constructed land of iron grey and black.

“What kind of civilization could build a city like this?” she wondered. “Each of these towers feels as tall as Equestria is long…”

“And there are so many. Yet- yet not a soul to be seen.”

Celestia gazed at the tower yet again, and this noticing a distinct drabness to its appearance; chipped cracks along windows, and pieces of the walls having fallen away, perhaps by the rot of time. The glass-like street they stood upon was tinted tan with a thin coating of dust. Strange vehicles, similar to carriages but far stranger, lay strewn across the roads pointing this way and that, the doors of some left ajar-

A faint, dim call echoed in her ears, like the weary whisper of a tired soul. She walked slowly down the street to the next intersection, Ford following cautiously behind her. As she came to the turn, she turned right and looked upwards, finding exactly what she had suspected she would see: consuming the skyline and turning the dim blue-black of the dead sky into a singular color was a massive star, deep red in hue and its surface broiling with many fiery flares and giving the air a dim rumble. Celestia looked upon it and heard the small words yet again, now more faint than the one before. She closed her eyes, letting that magnificent sun speak to her, its memoriam resounding as it faded slowly away.

“What is that?” Ford asked.

“A dying sun,” Celestia answered. Her ears were empty, the star now took weak to continue in its words.

Ford gave a start, jumping back. “What, like the Colony’s world-”

“No. No foul scheme of mankind,” Celestia said calmly. “Merely one that is coming to the end of its lifespan. This place is older than ancient things, Ford. We are treading upon a world that has been left to die.”

Ford found no comfort in her speech. “So this is a graveyard,” he whispered.

“The most ancient of graveyards. It is impossible to say how long this place has been abandoned. But as you can see, this star is swallowing all around it. In time, even this place will be taken by its grasp and eaten away.”

“Should… should we be concerned?”

“It is a slow process, Ford. Perhaps years, or centuries may pass before it is complete. Far more time than we will need.”

The thought did little to ease his nerves, but Ford simply nodded and peered about the place. “So where should we begin?”

That was an answer she could not yet provide, the colossal city as much a mystery to her as it was to him. “I do not know. Perhaps we should wander.”

Their walk through the world was dim, the empty sky only marked by the weak crimson light of the red giant that was consuming the heavens, surrounded by a black so deep that no star in the horizon could be seen. Everywhere they walked their footsteps echoed across glass and stone and materials the likes of which they could not guess. The faint rumble of the gurgling sun was the only sound they could hear beyond their footfalls, and no sign of life ever came before their eyes. There was not a droplet of water, nor even the smallest blip of grass or plant life to be found. What humanity had been here was long gone, leaving only their refuse behind in a world that remained lifeless, the last burning spark a pair of souls that did not belong in it at all.

“I do not like this place,” Ford said, holding his arms around his chest in the hopes of keeping himself warm. “It is worse than a graveyard, even the air we breathe feels lifeless.”

“And what of the people who dwelled here?” Celestia mused. “So many of these machines of there, just simply abandoned. Some look so purposely left behind, while others- it is like whoever manned them just… just disappeared.”

Ford peered towards a tunnel that went down into the depths, walking over to a flickering color that was stuck to the railings. Pulling it from its entrapment he found it to be clothing, tattered and frayed at the edges. “It looks like- like a tunic of sorts,” he guessed. “Small, maybe a child’s.”

“No signs of a struggle,” Celestia remarked. “Just… rotting away slowly. Very slowly.”

“It is like time is slowed here,” Ford said. “Like this world is dying a day at a time- each day a thousand years long.” He peered about the cityscape as though he waited for some great specter to reveal itself and throw its hatred and strength towards them in malice. “I do not want to be here.”

“We are alone, Ford. The dead cannot touch you,” she said in the hopes of comforting him.

“But is this place truly dead?” he challenged. “This place could have become like this in the matter of millennia, or a matter of seconds. Nothing of this world is natural! I cannot conceive of such a thing in my mortal mind- can you?”

Celestia said nothing, knowing full well he already understood her answer. “Inaction will only bring paranoia. Let us continue on our way.”

She did not know how long they traveled; time in this dying land felt twisted and decayed as the environment itself. Each footstep could have been a day in its own, or perhaps their journey through the abandoned streets could have been only a few minutes. She thought back to her words- of calling this land a graveyard. She still held true to that statement, though she wondered if this graveyard still possessed its vision and gave no welcome to intrusion.

“Wait…” Ford came to a halt, peering over at one of the strange contraptions. “There is something there, just at the edge of the seat.” Leaving his beloved’s side, he walked over to it and held an unusual, metallic sort of tablet in his hands, feeling it cold against his skin-

Celestia felt an icy chill run down her spine and suddenly all her senses were on alert. It had only been for the briefest of moments, but she knew something else had been there with her and Ford, watching down on them with ill intent. She peered this way and that but found nothing- yet the cold in her bones remained, more frigid than the empty air; she had not been wrong, of that she was certain.

“Can you make sense of this thing?” Ford asked her, returning with the tablet in hand. “It is an odd machine… a glass piece upon it, yet the rest of it is a metal I have never felt before- and so lightweight! Look at it yourself, tell me: does it seem strange to you?”

Celestia felt the device fall into her grasp and she wielded it with distaste. “Man-made, for certain,” she said. “Electrical, perhaps. It may still be unfamiliar to you, since its adoption in Equestria is still slow- but this is far more advanced than anything even our most brilliant minds have been able to conceive.”

“Hmm…” Ford gave his focus to the device, pressing his hands against the glass and suddenly finding it come to live, a long, think crack now visible across its surface. “Well then!”

“Does it say anything?”

Ford scrutinized the device. “It requires some sort of password for entry,” he remarked, pressing at it again in the hopes of a new discovery. “Maybe, if given enough time, I could decipher it.”

The chill in her bones left in an instant and suddenly a great weight lay upon Celestia’s shoulders, an exhaustion so great that she felt it was a miracle that she could even stand. “Heaven help me!”

“Are you alright?” Ford asked, coming to her side and helping her over to a nearby doorway. “You seem like you’ve been awake for days now. How long has it been since you slept?”

“I do not know,” she answered dimly. It was such a sudden thickness, so heavy against her…

Ford gave a grunt and struggled to bring her into the safety of the darkened room, leaning down and placing her alongside the wall. “You feel heavy- unusually so. Are you alright?”

“Merely exhausted,” she said, now hardly able to keep her eyes open. “Perhaps I have… overexerted myself.”

“Perhaps I will have my time to decipher this device after all,” Ford said. “Sleep until you are well. Your face is tired.”

Setting his rucksack beneath her head, Celestia was lain down and granted rest, her whole body feeling pressed upon in force. Just began to slip away into slumber, a flash of her nightmare came forth in her mind and she wondered how she could hope to sleep at all.

“Tia. Tia. Tia, you must wake up.”

Ford’s voice came to her sharp and clear, Celestia awakening immediately. Her body felt like as though a great weight had finally been taken from her shoulders and she began to look about-

“No. Here. Right here.” Hands fell upon her face and she was brought towards him, Ford bringing her right before him until all her vision was encompassed by his visage. “Do not look anywhere else, do you understand?”

She became rigid. She was a deer in the open fields, a lone swimmer in the open ocean. That horrible, slinking sense of being caught in a snare was on her, and she found herself desperate to find its source, but Ford’s grip remained ironshod.

“You do not look anywhere else. Only at me, alright?” Ford said. His voice was deliberately even, but when she looked into his eyes she could see the terror evident in them, his face pale and taut. “I know where the gateway is.”

“You do? Let us be off-”

“You must stay here. For only a moment,” he replied. “I have to make sure the path is safe before we can venture any further. When I leave, I am going to put a blindfold around your eyes and you are going to wait for my return, do you understand?”

“Did you unlock the device-”

“It is destroyed, and do not try to repair it,” Ford replied. “Do not look for it, do not go outside, do not do anything. Merely close your eyes and wait for me to come back and get you, am I clear? Tell me you understand.”

“I understand,” she replied, her voice starting to quiver. Something here was very, very wrong-

“None of that. Hold it down or do not speak. I should not be long, it is not far from where we are. But I may take time.”

“Ford, are we not alone in this place?” she asked of him.

“We are. Close your eyes.” As her world went dark, she heard the tearing of fabric and she knew he had wrent his tunic to craft a makeshift blindfold, putting it about her head and tying it painfully tight. “Now wait for me. Do not move from this spot, do not speak, do nothing. Wait for me to come get you. If it sounds like me, do not move. If I call for you, do not move. If –and only if- it feels like me, do you journey onwards. Do you completely understand?”

In the blackness, she wanted to scream. All her memories of that ungodly nightmare had returned in full strength and it would be torturous to be alone with them. “I understand.”

“Good. I love you,” he said, kissing her and suddenly rushing off into the city, his footfalls quickly disappearing into the ether.

The wait was an eternity contained in the span of a millisecond. Each breath was both a thousand years and only a heartbeat. Each thought was long and drawn as the history of the world and yet no larger than a tissue. She waited, her world now so empty and void of all sense and life that the only sound of which she was certain was that or her own heartbeat- and even that, Celestia wondered if it was merely an echo.

He was afraid. Of what he would not say, she began to think. He says we are alone, but for him to be so specific would require a threat to be around us. And perhaps close by. But why simply leave me here, blind and vulnerable? Why leave me here at all?

She pondered the though further. He fears for my safety, as Ford always has. Not once, in our many years in this Palace, has ever not given thought to my wellbeing. He is the soldier, willing to give his life to ensure I reach our destination: Sombra. Ford would willingly fall as long as it assured I stopped Sombra from completing his goal. So he goes out to find our path to the gateway and leaves me here as little more than a statue. And if Ford is willing to leave me here unprotected, it must be the safest place for me to be. Blind, silent, and unmoving- everything he is not. So what is it that stalks him now?

A rush of footsteps outside the door. “Tia! Oh, thank heaven- come on!” Ford’s voice was desperate now, clearly frayed from his ordeal. “We need to go right now, hurry!”

By instinct, she jerked forward in the hopes of finding his hand in hers- but she stopped. Only if it feels like me… that horrid chill that infected her very bones came forth in a vengeance, and her heart began to pound inside her chest.

“Tia, come on!” Ford was insistent, standing perhaps right before her face. “We cannot wait, the gateway is open but only for a little while longer! Let’s move!”

She waited for his touch, sweat forming in miniscule beads on her brow. He would touch her and she would know, he had promised. She waited-

A pressure fell on her arms and it was all she could do to not scream and split the heavens. An icy grip was wrapped around her, the sensation so much like human flesh, but something far worse. One hand around her arm, then another- and two more just like them, feeling their way up her arms and up to her shoulders, shaking her wildly in its insistence.

“What are you waiting for? We have to go, and I won’t wait for you!” Ford roared. It relinquished its grip on her and turned away, pausing at what sounded like the threshold before rushing back outside.

Silence filled the air again, but only for a moment. A slow, cautious step came from outside, a far gentler footfall that slipped discreetly into the room, the presence of it pausing as she felt herself under scrutiny.

“It cannot be,” said the voice, so recognizable that the sound of it nearly struck Celestia from where she stood. “… Tia?”

Luna. Celestia so desperately wanted to cry out and reach for her sister’s arms, but the fear she had felt when ‘Ford’ had first arrived only grew in intensity. Something far, far worse was now in the room with her-

“Tia, please… let me see you. I’ve been looking for you for so long here, hoping you would come at last. I thought I was following your trail, and I have been here for centuries!” Luna cried. “I began to lose hope that I would ever find you at all! Please, come to me! We have been looking for you for so long!”

More voices joined ‘Luna’ in her pleading. ‘Twilight’ joined in, with the weary voice of gentle ‘Cadance’ adding her part. They told her a story of how their world was burning, how Equestria had been struck by Sombra’s army, too great and endless for even their combined strength to overthrow. Equetria was gone, reduced to little more than ash, and the few that had survived the destruction had fled to this place in hopes of finding salvation- of finding the lost Princess of the Sun. They had looked for her over endless years, across countless worlds, and they only wished to be with her in full at last- if she would only join them.

“Please, Tia,” ‘Luna’ said, the sound of tears falling down her face. “Look at me, please. Do you no longer love me?”

Celestia’s pain was only outmatched by her terror and she remained silent, immobile; she had become a living statue, lifeless and mute to all the world, though her heart was shattering as she heard the mournful sound of her sister’s agony, knowing that what she heard could not possibly be real-

A scream so violent that it ripped the air asunder, squelching and violently inhuman. Celestia wished to block it out from her ears but remained still, letting the horrid sound tear through fabric and flesh and bone and all the materials and trappings of man until it seemed the whole world was filled by the dreadful shrieking that struggled against dying light and empty life until it seemed all that had ever existed, or would ever be, was that dreadful, endless, echoing sound.

And then the world was silent. She did not move. She did not breathe. Perhaps it was still there with her, waiting for the slightest hope of movement or sound-

“Celestia.” Warm hands, rough, scarred, yet unbelievably filled with life, held her wrists gently as dried lips pressed against her own. “You did well. We can go now.”

“Ford!” she threw her arms around him and held so tight she may as well have squeezed the life out of him. “It is really you!”

“It is. I promise,” he replied. He did not have to, for she knew his touch by heart. The mere fact that he had spoken her name in full was evidence enough.

“Where is it?” she asked.

“Beyond the way. I know the path well now- for safety, both of us will be blind, just to be safe.” Perhaps he felt her body tense against him, for he gave a small squeeze of assurance. “I have placed markers to guide our way, do not worry. You will be able to feel them as we go. But until I tell you to, do not remove your cover.”

“Ford, when you were gone,” she said, holding on tightly as he led them back outside, “something else was here with me. You said we are alone.”

“And we are,” he replied. “It will not speak now, but they are still close by. Hold on to me, in case they wish to follow.”

When they first began their blinded trek through the empty city, Celestia wondered just how they were to find their way. Yes, there had been so signs of danger in the environment, but what she heard –and felt- still felt very much close by. If their senses were to be kept dulled, Ford’s trail markers would have to be distinct for them to succeed.

“There we are,” he said, a small note of satisfaction in his voice. “Take your hand and feel it against your skin, beloved. What do you feel?”

Her hand guided by his, she stretched out and felt a strange roughness; a jagged edge now dull, starkly different from the artificial smoothness they had encountered since their arrival in this place. “One of your markers, I take it?”

“Yes. In case I have to detach myself from you. Unlikely, do not worry,” he added, hearing her breath stutter, “But just in case, I want you to know its touch. If it is ahead of you, continue forward. If it is to your right, turn right. Your left, turn left. Do you understand?”

“Certainly.”

“Good. Then let us keep going.”

Their journey was slow, steady, and continuous, little on their journey that wound hinder them. Only the rumble of the red sun was there to meet their ears, beyond the pale echo of their footsteps through the emptiness-

Celestia’s spine went rigid as she heard it. Another pair of footfalls somewhere behind them, heavier and its pace erratic. She could not find a word to describe the sound they made- flesh, but not quite flesh, no sound of machinery or equipment. She wanted to say she could hear its breath, but the sound was so faint that she could hardly make it out against the faint rumble of the dying sun. “Ford-”

“Do not give it heed,” he encouraged. “I wondered if they might follow. Do not worry, they will not try to hinder us.”

“We are not alone.”

“Yes, we are,” he said again. “So do not let it cause you worry.”

Their journey went ever onwards. Likely only a few minutes, an hour at most, but her blindness added an eternity to every footstep. Just how long had they traveled through this place? Had Ford’s preparations been successful, or had whatever was haunting them found a way to bring them to confusion? Celestia waited for the moment things would go wrong and chaos would descend, but each jagged marker came after another. Ahead, ahead, left; right, ahead, ahead, and left. She felt the pathway beneath her feet begin to curve and descend downwards, the world obscured through her blindfold turning ever darker- save for a small pinprick of white that appeared at the faintest edge of her senses.

“Are you alright?” he asked her.

“Yes.” She paused, listening for that strange breathing. “Are we alone?”

“I believe so,” he replied. “Hold yourself for a moment. Just in case.” She heard the movement of cloth and guessed he had removed his coverings, peering about in the hopes of assuring their safety. His breath was held for a time, then exhaled in a long, slow sound of relief. “We are alright. Here, let me remove your blindfolds.” As her cloth was removed, she felt lips press against hers and she opened her eyes to see her husband standing before him, absolutely covered with dust but his eyes sang to his relief. “I hope you do not resent me for my actions. I believed it was the best course of action.”

“What was with us? You keep saying we are alone, but- what I heard,” she murmured. “It put its hands upon me; I’ve never felt such a thing!”

“I promise you, once and for all, we are indeed alone. That tablet was able to reveal everything to me, and I think my machinations with it caused our struggle,” Ford answered. “We are safe here; it will not follow us down to this place, where the gateway dwells.”

“Then we should press on,” she declared, sweeping past him and moving towards the open doors of wrought-iron, “the longer we stay the more danger we-”

She paused at the threshold, the white light of the doors spilling out onto her fair face. She scrutinized it, listening intently for the sound of endless whispers and voices from beyond the timeless doors. Yet the longer she waited, the more she was confronted by the bluntness of an empty silence. The light swirled about like a vortex, seemingly eager to suck in all who came too near. As she stared, all she could see was a false light and void, filled by one long, slow, thunderous Call.

“What is wrong?” Ford asked, noticing her hesitation. “Shall we not go forth?”

“Something is wrong,” she said, her voice quiet. “This gateway is real, but its light and strength… it belongs to something Other.”

“Shall we be able to travel through?” he said.

“We must,” she answered. “But it hungers for us. If we go through, the gateway will close.”

“Have they not always done so?”

“Not just this one door- every one across every world, sealing us away,” she whispered, staring at the false light and finding it detestable to the eye, a repugnant corpse that masqueraded as life. “If we go through… we may never find a way out.”

They were hesitant, disquieted by the sound of silence and the sensation of pale light. With one last breath before the plunge, they strode forward together and walked through the doors of the wrought-iron gateway, feeling the gates close behind them as they were bathed in a relentless tide of bitterest Cold.

He felt them move the moment before they had arrived, a great taint of white on his endless blanket of black. A poison of purity diluting his blight. He knew their trace by heart, memorizing it until he would know it better than they would ever know it themselves.

So. They had come at last. The wait had been long, slow and empty. They had come to him and found strength beyond themselves, turning even a Little Light into a great force. If they had returned to their homeland, they would have been seen as something akin to gods and found themselves the object of worship.

But here, he had grown fat with strength. His knowledge was endless. His very life had become as much a fundament of existence as the very air they would breathe. He was the fabric upon which the world had been crafted. Soon, they would know this themselves.

The stage had been set. The actors would come on to the stage to greet the newcomers, and invite them onto the stage. It was time for the play to begin.

He knew they had come. He felt them. So he smiled.

Author's Note

It has come. A new chapter for this week, helping us get back to speed. If this pace keeps up, the last chapter will be released the same day as the final episode.

New additions to the soundtrack can be found here: Boop

Are you ready for the next step forward? It is ready for you.

Comments and corrections below. As always, enjoy.