Incarnate: Book Two of the Nexus

Skyblazer opened his wings and felt for any kind of breeze to glide on. It was futile. He could not slow his fall at all.

At least he was able to turn and look up. Somewhere far above could be seen a dark mass like a cloud, ominous and jagged.

Golden magic flowed from his necklace into his bracelet, and he gave all the energy he could to casting light into this place. He caught his breath in wonder; above was a great landmass, stalactites on the base of it as though the roof of a cavern.

His mind could barely fathom the scale of it, though he knew it must represent the entire pastureland part of the dream world. It felt like looking up at an island from underwater, down in a sea of endless murky gray.

Some strange, dim illumination came from beneath him. Now, Sky looked below. A point of lighter gray far, far down could be seen.

At first he felt fear of crashing into it. He kept falling on and on, long enough that the fear turned to gratitude that there was something, anything at all to fall upon rather than fall forever in this space of apparent nothing.

Nothing. The word rattled around his mind against the panic and confusion. It clicked. A non-space, a place that was not a place.

This must be the Void. And, if it was the empty space between worlds, then that meant what he fell towards must be a world of some kind.

Whether or not his own, he would soon find out: The lighter gray space neared. He could see now that it was swirling mists, which began to drift around him like puffs of cloud. It became more and more dense until it entirely surrounded him, and then it began to clear away in radiant light.

It was blinding, and he squinted and raised a hoof over his eyes from the pain of it. His vision cleared. Now, a vast landscape of greens and blues and grays spread out beneath him. Features were so far distant and tiny that it was clear he must be at a very, very high altitude.

Some kind of atmosphere now pressed against the flight feathers of his wings, and he could glide and control his fall. An endless expanse of cold blue sky surrounded him. He tried summoning a small cloud.

In the real world, a single pegasus could only exert so much affect on the weather before being exhausted. But just a tiny cloud would do, something to rest on in this clear and sunny day.

Instead, Sky found himself summoning a bunch of large clouds. And he didn't feel tired in the least from it. He roosted here to rest and catch his breath.

It took several hearty drinks of whiskey before Sky was ready to depart again. He jumped from the clouds into a fast dive for ground level.

When it was near enough, he spread his wings and slowed to a spiraling descent. The world below was more distinct now, and what he saw was not good.

This was a rugged and hilly area, where pine forests rolled over ridges and valleys full of glittering lakes and exposed rock. All of it seemed shallow and indistinct, like an unfinished painting which lacked any depth.

Now Sky was almost at ground level. He realized that the angle of the world had suddenly changed although he was not changing his direction. He was looping around in ways that made no sense.

It dawned on him. This place was still the Dreamspace. He breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever hell it was he had just been through, at least Luna would be able to find him soon and help him get to Cobalt.

Princess Luna took several steps towards the empty night air where a portal had just been. A trembling frown was on her face. Her eyes were wide. She sat for a minute in shock.

From her saddlebags, a ragged scroll was drawn out. Luna carved a rune into the dirt and then read the scroll. A dark form slipped into the open.

It looked like a pony, but it was only a shadow. One which glowed faintly purple and had two bright purple eyes.

Luna spoke to it in Old Ponish, saying, "I know you have no reason to care about me or the concerns of my world. A friend is in grave danger. Please, after all we have been through, if you would guide him safely back?"

The shadow stood there for a moment, and then slowly nodded. It began to float away towards the mists.

It approached the grand wall of cloudy gray which formed an impassable barrier at the edge of the dream world. Fog began to clear away as it walked, Luna following close behind as the mists closed back in behind her.

Luna paused as the grass under her hooves became rocks. A sudden cliff was visible now, which the shadow jumped down from. All around was a sky of endless murky gray.

The fog returned in a cold rush. Luna took another step, and found herself walking back into the pastureland again. So very, very close to finally seeing what was down there.

Luna's horn glowed purple, a portal opened revealing a castle hall, and she flew through it out of the Dreamspace. The portal closed behind her, and all was quiet once more.

Sky had landed now. He walked through a cold winter forest, hoof prints in the snow leading back the way he came.

Ahead could be seen something glowing blue. Sky's necklace glowed gold, and a magic shield of translucent golden energy surrounded him.

He neared the blue glow. It was a stag, with blue energy trailing off of it though otherwise its body appeared normal. Brown fur, antlers, just a regular deer except for the blue energy which enshrouded it like a cloak.

Skyblazer suddenly recognized what it must be, and he sat down in shock and awe. He spoke,

"I saw you in a memory, you're that stag... but you said you were dying, and that was four millennia ago!"

The stag nodded slowly and spoke out loud. His voice was quiet and weak, crackling from age. He said, "Perhaps I shall soon pass away, or perhaps I shall first spend time as a mortal being..."

Sky noted, "Luna said she spent centuries looking for you, and could never find you again."

The stag nodded, "There are regions of Dreamspace which none from your world shall ever visit... this poses a problem, because you are here."

"Oh no, did I break something?" asked Sky.

"Not at all, it is no fault of yours. Now then, I have arrived at this time and place to provide you with a warning."

"A warning?"

"I shall not give you specifics, and I cannot observe all that may be... my memory grows fuzzy and vague. Time is like a river. It flows in one direction, yet may meet impediments and branch off."

"That makes sense, I guess," said Sky with exhaustion.

"This idea shall become known as alternate realities, in a time when society is far advanced. In this time technology shall have advanced beyond what you can fathom and Luna and Celestia shall be regarded as mythical beings whom ponies believed in thousands of years ago."

"That seems... oddly specific."

"It has no bearing at all upon your life. What I have to say now, does. Let us walk together."

They began to hike into the winter woods, leaving a pair of hoof marks trailing through the snow. A soft bluster of white began to fall as the stag spoke,

"In the future, magic shall be replaced by devices... the magic is dying now, however, and you are not ready for it. I believe it can be restored. The nine must venture together, and Luna and her sister must survive as well."

"So we really are the 'chosen ones', huh," said Sky quietly.

The stag ignored this as they reached a clearing, where they lie down. The stag said, "You shall find the source of all dark magic and watch it wither before you. You cannot stop this. Write this down."

Sky withdrew parchment and ink from his packs, and plucked a cold feather from his wing for a quill. He began to write. The stag continued,

"Luna and Celestia shall find the source of all crystal magic. They shall then kill it, in a noble effort to protect hundreds. Zecora the zebra, after years of contemplation, shall discover the source of all nature magic. She shall hoard it in an endeavor to protect it, and thus, destabilize it."

After Sky had this written, the Stag added, "It stands to reason there would be other sources, but it eludes me... you must not intervene in what shall be. You may still succeed in restoring the magic if you do, but at great cost... observe."

Magic flowed not from the stag, but from the world around them. It pooled and settled in the clearing like a spell of vision projection, and a scene was projected for them to watch.

It was the volcano where they had encountered Sombra. Red crystals climbed along its side towards the smoldering crater.

Something flew towards it at speed. This was shown to be Cobalt, who was carrying something and badly injured. She had numerous cuts and abrasions, and one wing seemed ragged and barely sustained her flight.

Sky gasped at what she held: a lump of dark crystal, perhaps onyx, which held a struggling shadowy form. Sombra, who had become like a shadow, was now bound to this crystal like metal to a magnet.

Cobalt picked up speed, diving towards the volcano. She plunged into the crater. There was a burst of magma and an explosion of volcanic gasses.

Sky screamed and dove at the vision. He smacked into the ground hard, and the vision dissipated like so much smoke.

When Sky got back up in a daze, the vision reformed. With hesitation, Sky looked at it. The dark thorns all along the top of the crater, which had been withered and brown, now became full of vigor and life.

They grew and spiraled into a sturdy thicket. Visible cracks all around the air here in the Dreamspace began to heal.

Sky sat up and spoke, "Holy Celestia, the thorns... the thorns are a source?"

The stag slowly nodded, "The source of all dark magic."

"Does Luna know?"

The stag shook his head no, "She only guesses at it."

"But wait.. if you can see the future, then, I know this is silly in light of all this important stuff but..."

The stag held up a hoof and answered, "There is still hope. It is not the end, and you may travel together once more... but as though through the fire."

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Anything, if I can just find her."

"First you must wake up. I sense a creature not far from you. Please be considerate and respectful towards it."

"Oh, I actually crossed through a portal, I'm not dreaming."

The stag gave a quizzical tilt of his head, and spoke parting words, "Rather, you were not dreaming before."

The world, blurry and out of focus as it was, became more indistinct. It began to darken, and Sky realized with a start that he was lying on his side.

He opened his eyes, blinked several times, and got to his hooves. A sense of grogginess was over him, as though he had woken up a bit too early and needed more rest.

After a yawn and several stretches, Sky looked around. The sun was just now rising in the East, casting colors into the dark.

Something seemed wrong. In his tired state, it took Sky a moment to realize that all of his belongings were gone. Not a single thing had come here with him--except for the amulet.

No bits, no food, no armor, no weapons. Not even a stiff drink for the nerves.

He walked a ways through this unknown land. The landscape, at least, was nothing strange. Simply a forest, full of birdsong and pine boughs. His fine hearing caught the burble of a creek, and he trotted towards it.

Was the water here, wherever this place was, even safe to drink? It didn't matter, he was very thirsty.

He knelt to drink the cold water. No snow was visible here, and many hardy flowers were in bloom. Birds were everywhere. Spring?

Now Sky took flight. Pine branches combed through his fur as he rose into the open. He gained height.

The forest stretched as far as the eye could see in all directions except North, where it broke up into rolling meadow. Sunlight glinted off of a broad river in this direction.

If any sapient beings lived here, if Sky was not alone, then that river would lead to them. He flew towards it, and landed on the bank at the forest's edge.

He scanned the horizon, and saw a critter only a stone's throw away, swimming in the water.

Sky backed into the bushes, out of sight, and watched the swimming creature. It swam to the shore, rivulets cascading off of brown fur as it walked from the water.

A doe, a female deer. Sky put his ears down and huffed. Just a feral animal, not anypony he could ask for directions.

This deer walked towards what appeared to be a campsite, built against a fallen tree. She took a large towel from where it hung on a branch, and dried herself with it. She then gathered up saddle bags from the ground, slung them over her back, and fiddled with the buckles.

Skyblazer quietly stepped from the woods towards her, trying not to look threatening while his heart was pounding from trepidation.

The deer noticed him. She sat down and considered him, and then withdrew a book from a saddlebag.

She very slowly lie on the grass, as though trying not to startle Sky, who watched her just as quietly as he stepped towards her camp.

With a quill and ink, the deer wrote something down and began to sketch. She spoke to herself, the words in an unknown language.

Sky spoke now, "Can you speak Ponish? I need to get back to Equestria."

The deer suddenly sat up, staring at him, offering more words he could not understand.

"Here, let me try this..." said Sky, as golden magic flowed into his amulet.

The spell seemed to work. As the doe spoke, Sky could hear her say, "...perhaps the elder has heard of such. It seems to be trying to say something, but that's impossible. Winged horse, what manner of creature are you?"

"What? I'm a pegasus," answered a very confused Sky.

The doe jumped, almost putting a back hoof in her campfire.

She stepped forward, visibly frightened, and spoke the strange word slowly, "Peg-a-sus? Is that your name?"

"No, it's what I am! My name is Skyblazer."

"How are you able to understand me, horse?"

"I used a spell of translation... um, I'm not very good at it but it's working."

Suddenly, the doe twisted back and drew a jagged dagger.

Sky asked with concern, "What? What did I say?"

The doe answered in a muffled voice, "So you be a monster, then. How do I know you mean no harm to me?"

"I don't understand," whimpered Sky, "Please, I just want to get home and find my friend. I'm not here to hurt anypony."

"Hmm, very well..." said the doe as she placed the dagger back in its sheath, "but I shall keep an eye on you."

Tears glistened in Sky's eyes now as he spoke, "I'm so confused. Where am I, who are you? How far must I be from Equestria if talking deer exist?"

The deer, for her part, seemed equally off-put. She said, "This is Meadowbrook, and I am Rosepetal. You have to be from somewhere far away, horses are feral creatures. Well, that I know of."

"Okay," said Sky gently, "but where I'm from, there ain't any sapient deer. I'm not a wild animal, I promise."

"Then pray tell, why do you travel without any sort of bags or tools?"

Sky considered being honest about falling from the dream world and ending up here. He realized how nuts that would sound, and thought hard for another answer.

He lied to her, "I was just out flying, and I got caught in this big storm. I got lost and couldn't find my way back home."

Thankfully, things went right for once. The doe seemed to accept this answer, "Oh, you must have wandered into the Thunderplains. You are lucky to be alive. It also explains why you have so many cuts. Are the stories about the hail true?"

"Oh my yes," said Sky quickly, "uh, razor sharp and so hard to avoid in the air."

"Strange creature, I can tell that you need rest. Come to the village, I'll talk to the others."

She picked up a few bundles of leafy branches which had been tied together, and slung these bundles over her back.

Sky helped her pack up her camp, and they hiked together alongside the river. They walked out into the open as the last fringes of trees receded behind them. The broad river continued on to the horizon, and no sort of settlement could be seen.

Rosepetal noticed the look Sky gave her, and she told him, "Just be patient."

Sky nodded and continued walking, taking in the majestic scenery. A wild goat baaad at them. The spring air puffed as Sky breathed. Something about this place felt so strangely familiar.

The river rounded a bend and rippled into rapids as the terrain sloped down. A well-worn trail followed the rocky shore, and they climbed over a fallen log and suddenly were in a village.

Sky raised an eyebrow and looked around in shock. He ran off the way he came, and flew into the air as Rosepetal stared at him.

He kept an eye on the town as he gained altitude. It looked about as tribal and simple as the yak's home, just a bunch of tents and a few primitive wooden buildings made of raw materials from the forest. There were laundry lines and pottery out by the tents, and herds of deer gathered around the fires.

The town began to shimmer and fade and suddenly, all that could be seen was the river and the plains. Sky descended, with hearty flaps of his broad wingspan. A strange shimmer down by the water, and the town came into view.

He spotted Rosepetal and glided to a gentle landing beside her. Many deer of the village now stared at him with looks of shock and curiosity.

Rosepetal nudged him and whispered harshly, "You didn't have to show off."

Sky replied that he wasn't, and mentioned the town shimmering.

The doe informed him, "The village of Mirage is nestled within the magic, so that other deer may not find us."

"Do you not get along with other deer?" asked Sky.

"We get along well, because they don't know of us."

Sky nodded at this aside, and walked with Rosepetal into the village. It all seemed very tribal. Two older looking does sitting under a canopy in front of a tent gave a quizzical look at Sky.

He heard them whisper to each other, saying things like 'What manner of animal has such vibrant fur?' and 'You saw him fly, he must be part bird!'.

Skyblazer wanted to curl up in a corner and hide from everyone. This was all too strange and embarrassing. Rosepetal led him to a wooden building which was constructed of logs, with a thatch roof of straw.

A large fire was built in front of it, blazing hotly enough that the gathered deer kept moving back a bit. Oddly there was no cookpot over it. A surprising waste of kindling, being only for heat.

Some basic and tattered wicker chairs circled the fire. One of these chairs rested on a regal tapestry, with a tent pavilion built over it. On this chair sat a stag with a gray muzzle who seemed to be the leader of the village.

He wore several necklaces of bead, with more beads strung between his antlers. Ashy gray paint marked his body and face with patterns. He stared into the flames and ate dried hay.

The strangest feeling Sky had ever known washed over him on seeing this stag. It was like he had been here before, and this place seemed comfortable and familiar. But nopony had ever heard of even a single sapient deer.

Sky just couldn't place a hoof on it. He sat in quiet consternation as the stag addressed him.

Rosepetal told the stag about finding Sky out in the woods while gathering foliage. The great stag nodded wearily, yawned showing missing teeth, and spoke softly, "If my daughter trusts you, winged horse, than I say you are a friend."

Sky looked up with a start. His daughter?

Rosepetal spoke to her father, "He claims to be from a land called 'Equestria', do you know of it?"

With a shake of the head no, the stag answered, "Winged horse, are you in need of rest and food?"

Sky nodded, and the stag said that it would be provided. Sky bowed, and asked the leader for his name.

This caused the stag to chuckle. He said, "Not everydeer bothers to obtain a name. I am known as the village leader, and this is well."

Skyblazer grinned broadly. At least this was a peaceful and quiet place. He could fly out from here and search for familiar lands, and return if needed.

And then, the shadow arrived.

The stags and does gathered at the fire scattered, screaming in terror as a wispy black form descended towards them. The thing stopped when it reached the fire, hovering like a splotch of smoke. It began to shift then, slowly, until it resembled the vague outline of a pony.

The village leader remained, standing up now and enraged. He bellowed with fury, "You bring a cursed monster into our village? Your claim of peace is but a ruse! Leafcutter, put this creature with the other animals!"

A massive and muscular stag walked towards them with furtive glances at the shadowy being. Sky extended his wings and grit his teeth. His amulet glowed a fierce gold. A wispy and raspy voice resonated,

"If you desire to return home, don't flee them."

It took Sky a moment to realize it was the shadow talking to him. It looked at him expectantly. Sky stared back at it. What the hell was this thing? It didn't match anything drawn in his mother's journal, nothing he had seen in Everfree or all the land.

Still, if it knew the way home and knew how to find Cobalt, that was more of a lead than he had thus far. He closed his wings and stared at the ground. The bulky stag draped a rope over his head and tied another rope around his wings.

Sky was lead on a rope to a corner of the village where several goats were kept in a pen. He was left tied to a post like an animal. The stag tried to take his amulet as well, but it glowed brightly and the stag backed off in fear.

The raspy voice from before was back, I see your anger and humiliation. Do not break your binds. Wait. Recall that sapient ponies do not exist here.

Sky was plenty familiar with telepathy, and he thought back at it, What the hell are you? You're just getting me in trouble, why should I trust you?

After a moment of silence, a response came: Princess Luna sends her regards and laments your poor decision. Your presence is needed in Equestria. I can guide you there only after the story is over, only if it is not interrupted.

The story? What story, what does that even mean?

Sky looked around, an angry grimace on his face. His wings were sore from the tight ropes. A doe walked into the goat pen and walked over to one of the pottery jugs full of water.

She took the handle in her mouth and dragged it over towards the fence where Sky was tied. This doe then brought a small pile of hay over for him. Sky was too exasperated to consider eating, and he said nothing while glaring at the doe.

Another deer strode over, this one wearing saddlebags and a knife. Rosepetal. She sat by Sky, and whispered in his ear, "Look, I'm not happy about this either but you need to eat. You look all worn out, father says you have the look of a monster about you. Like you have been in fights."

Sky kept his ears down and stared at the ground as he replied, "I fight off monsters for a living. How can you accuse me of being one?"

Rosepetal leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek, surprising him. She said, "I think you're sweet, never mind my father. I must go for a time. Put up with this, they will see to it you are fed and watered at the least, and I shall return."

Sky grumbled an agreement, lie down gruffly in the cold dirt, and ate some of the old hay.

Rosepetal cantered to the middle of the village, where the leader was. Sky ate more hay to ease his hunger, trying to ignore the goats and the smell of goats and the looks from passing deer.

The raspy voice in his head spoke suddenly, Close your eyes.

Sky didn't trust it worth a damn, but he begrudgingly did so. He could see a scene in his mind like a dream now. He realized it was a view of the big campfire from above, from a creature perched atop the wooden building. The shadow?

Below, the village leader talked with his daughter. While distorted and surreal, he could understand the words as the leader spoke gruffly, "I must consult the fire before I consider what to do about the stranger. I cannot simply let him go, Rose, not if he be friends with a Blight."

The leader nuzzled into a wicker basket at his side, and drew several berries from it of a bright green color. These were dropped into the fire with a sizzling sound, and the flames turned the same bright green.

An image appeared in the fire. The village, as though seen from afar. Wind howling on the meadow, the river frozen, snow deep. A late spring cold snap.

The freezing winds tore through the forest, breaking branches. The wind rampaged through town. Tents were torn up and wooden structures knocked over. The materials caught fire, and the village was ablaze.

As the scene zoomed in on the fire, deer attempting to escape from tents and burning, the vision began to subside until the campfire was orange and yellow once more.

Sky opened his eyes, feeling once again an unsettling nostalgia. Like something from long ago. A vague, fuzzy memory. The blurry yellow form of his mother, the pleasant embrace of quilts, drifting off into sleep as she read from a book...

A look of shocked recognition came into Sky's eyes. He looked at the village, not wanting to believe it was so, for it was quite simply impossible.

This village looked exactly like a certain fable for young foals. Sky could not recall the name of it. So much time had passed since he was young enough to have an interest in old pony-tales.

There was something significant about the vision in the fire... but try as he might, Sky could only manage to remember the first lines of the story:

'Far, far away in the land of Meadowbrook, the Deer race lived peacefully in the forest village of Mirage. This village was nestled on the shores of a mighty river, which the Deer never crossed. This river became known as the Great Line, because it was the border of the Deer's home.'