It took twenty frantic minutes of scrambling about inside the walls of Canterlot Palace for the six ponies to realize that they were lost. In the heat of the escape, they had forgotten Fuga’s directions and, as best they could remember, had skipped one or two of the steps she had mentioned...or was it three?

The other issue which they found themselves facing was that the passages seemed to be, or at least had been, fairly well travelled. While the tunnels were unlit, the light of Willow and Snow Star’s magic revealed a well-worn but unerringly perfect facade of cleanliness. They knew they had to be quiet, lest they be discovered by only Celestia knew what, and hoped against hope that they would soon find their way to the safety of the Crystal Caves.

On occasion, they would come across an opening where light spilled in from some hallway or sitting room of the palace. On one occasion, Wind Song found himself almost face to face with an armed and armored griffon standing on the other side of one such opening. At first, the frightened pegasus was sure he had been seen, but after a few moments, it became clear that the guard could neither see nor hear him. The entrances to the tunnels were magically hidden. Well, that was a relief.

The six friends had begun to think they would never find their way out when, after walking through a tunnel they swore they had already been through, they heard the faint echo of voices through a wide opening on their left. They stopped, and listened.

“...by the west dungeon, your imperial majesty.” came a shaky male voice that sounded almost like the third griffon who had helped Fuga carry Moonlight into the cell block earlier.

The opening in the wall was just wide enough for the six ponies to squeeze their faces into it and, through a veil of what looked like thinnest red linen, peered five or six yards down into the throne room of Canterlot Palace.

The voice, belonging to the smaller male griffon from earlier, continued, “She cornered herself in the entrance chamber of that wing.”

“And the body?”

This question issued from the throne, but the speaker was hidden behind the elegant chair’s high brass back. For reasons unknown, the sound of the voice sent a thrill of horror through Wind Song. The sheer malevolence it contained sent the icy sensation of freezing water flowing down his spine and froze him in place. Those three words contained more force than the entire Equestrian Army, more than Twilight, moreso even than the five spirits of Equestria, the Council of Friendship. He knew that voice. It was the one he had heard echoing in his mind nearly a week ago. It was the voice which had proclaimed itself Equestria’s new ruler. The voice of Black Rose.

Something like thin, translucent silk was draped down either side of the throne. The odd thing was that the material, whatever it was, didn’t seem to hold its shape. It shifted and billowed in lazy undulating waves as though a light breeze were catching it up.

“The south dungeon, your majesty. It wasn’t exactly a body, though. Just ashes. And this.”

The griffon held out in one trembling claw the amber gem that Wind Song remembered seeing in the spear Fuga had used to kill Somnus. There were several moments of silence.

“She would use my own tools against me, to aid my enemies?”

The words were cold, derisive, and smooth as glass as they were delivered.

“It would seem so, your majesty.” the griffon said, bowing low. “I am ashamed to have ever served with her.”

“That may be.” Black Rose said, an edge of impatience creeping into her voice. “But what of the prisoners?”

“Escaped, your majesty.” came the tremulous reply.

“To?”

“We’re not sure. I have several of my company searching the palace grounds as we speak.”

Black Rose let out a sigh.

“General.” she said after a few moments in a weary voice so quiet even the six ponies behind the throne could barely hear it.

Unexpectedly, a disembodied voice, almost a growl so deep it was hard to make out the words, echoed around the enormous room.

“YES, YOUR MAJESTY.” came the reply, which rattled Wind Song’s teeth in his skull.

Along with the voice came what could only be later described as a presence. The sense that something ominous was in the room, though nopony could tell what it was, only that it was vast, menacing, and extraordinarily powerful.

“Send in the prisoner.”

“YES, YOUR MAJESTY.”

Immediately, the two large doors at the opposite end of the throne room swung inward on their hinges to reveal two strange looking creatures Wind Song had never seen before. They were dark and indistinct, as if they were seen through smoke. Their shape was vaguely pony-shaped, but they seemed to float a few inches above the smooth marble floor. Walking chained between these creatures, her head held high and defiant, was Fuga.

The male griffon who had been speaking to Black Rose stepped aside and looked away. Wind Song heard Moonlight gasp next to him. Though he had assumed Fuga had been caught, it still caught him off guard to see their rescuer marched up the empty room toward what could only mean death.

“We have to do something. We have to rescue her!” said Orange Blossom shakily.

“No!” whispered Wind Song urgently. “Don’t be an idiot! There’s nothing we can do. Black Rose could vaporize us with a glance!”

“What do you have to say for yourself, griffon?” Black Rose asked, again drawing the ponies’ attention. “Did you not swear your loyalty to me? Did you not accept my offer of gold beyond measure in exchange for your service like the rest of the Arimaspi Opinici?”

Fuga, who seemed to be trying to compose herself, took several seconds to reply. When she did, her voice was filled with conviction and vehemence, without a trace of fear.

“I promised my service to a queen, for the conquest of Equestria. I swore to win you your prize and nothing more. Not to ruthlessly murder foals by sucking the magic out of them. No. I may be selfish, but I still have a heart.”

Another moment of silence.

“You seem to be under the misapprehension that you’ve hindered my progress. The ponies in question were relying on the information found in the Shadow Chamber under the west tower to find the Council of Friendship and destroy me.” Here, Black Rose actually laughed, “And even if they had, do you honestly think they could stop me? I hold the power of a god and, in a few short weeks, I’ll be stronger still.”

She paused.

“But still.” Black Rose continued, sounding thoughtful. “To put your misguided assumptions to rest…”

A pale white glow began to shine from the throne and into being came three scrolls, sealed in purple wax and ribbon. They ignited, much as Somnus had. Instantly, violently, and destructively. A quiet “woosh” sounded from where the scrolls, now mere white dust floating in the air, had been a moment before.

Fuga’s face fell.

“Do you think I need those six ponies to find the delicate spirits of five mares brought into being by the least of Equestria’s rulers? Ha! All you’ve done is waste my time. But that will be paid back in my satisfaction of watching you die.”

The two strange creatures who were holding the chains attached to the collar and cuffs binding Fuga, had apparently let their guard lapse. Without warning, the griffon leaped forward, tearing the chains from the creatures’ grasp, and rushed at the throne, wings open and face set in a look of stern determination.

Less than a second passed, and suddenly, without a word uttered, time seemed to freeze. The two creatures whose wits had recovered enough for them to make a grab at Fuga, had frozen in place. The griffon herself had also gone absolutely still in mid-air.

Something, a figure dressed in black, detached itself from the throne and stepped purposefully forward toward the frozen griffon ten yards away. The shape was that of a pony. A unicorn? But something was wrong, something other than that its vaporeous garment seemed to be composed entirely of thick black smoke. Wind Song couldn’t place it, but something wasn’t right about the creature. It was a pony, but not a pony.

It reached Fuga and, without apparent effort, stretched itself upward, its legs growing longer until it was on a level with her. It spoke quietly a few short syllables directly into where the griffon’s ears ought to be, then shrank back down to a normal size. It then turned and started back toward the throne. But what was it? Wind Song couldn’t see its face. It was there and yet not there. He could see it distinctly, but he couldn’t make out any of the features. It was almost like trying to remember the face of someone one sees in a dream.

As the creature, which was presumably Black Rose, again seated itself on Twilight’s throne, the black edges of the garment again trailing down on either side of it, the two other creatures guarding Fuga unfroze and tumbled forward a bit gracelessly. They drew themselves up and moved backward several paces.

So, was that all she was going to do? Freeze time? Hold her prisoner forever suspended a yard above the throne room floor?

A pained wheezing issued from the griffon. Wind Song looked back up at Fuga, who seemed to be deflating. Her feathers and fur began to gray and the wheezing died out into a constant, long exhalation. Feathers and fur began to drop out, revealing the dry skin underneath, which was getting wrinklier and wrinklier by the minute. Fuga looked like a grape being dried into a raisin. Her eyes shrivelled and the surrounding skin cracked and caved in, turning into a dark, leather-like casing around bones whose shapes stuck out like tent poles. The gasping had stopped and steam was rising from what was left of Fuga as her dried corpse dropped to the floor.’

The six hidden ponies were speechless. A tiny squeak of terror came from Moonlight and Honeybell and Orange Blossom both swore over and over in whispers.

“General.” Black Rose said suddenly.

“YES, YOUR MAJESTY.” Came the impossibly deep voice from earlier.

“Marshal a company of fifty umbrum and march to Ponyville. Destroy it. Also, send a few griffons down to the mouth of the Crystal Caves. I think they’ll find they’ve been missing some prisoners.”

“YES, YOUR MAJESTY.” came the voice one last time, and the presence withdrew.

The six ponies drew back from the opening and stared at each other.

“The scrolls!” Honeybell said in a panic. “How are we going to defeat her without the scrolls?!”

“Nevermind the scrolls!” Wind Song said, drawing further back into the tunnel. “We need to warn Fairweather! We have to get back, quick!”

“How?” asked Orange Blossom. “Will you and Moonlight fly ahead? And what about the company of...whatevers Black Rose is sending into the caves?”

Wind Song replied, “I think I might know someone who will help us.”

Oddly, it only took two more minutes of frantic searching to find the small side passage conveniently labelled “Crystal Caves” twenty yards up the tunnel. Into it they all clambered and, after half an hour of running for their lives, burst out into Spike’s enormous antechamber.

“Spike! Spike!” shouted Wind Song who came into the room first.

The colossal dragon, who had been sitting more or less where they’d left him, stood faster than anypony thought it was possible for him to stand.

“Eh? Huh? What?” Spike’s voice boomed.

“Spike! We have a huge problem!”

Orange Blossom overrode whatever else Wind Song was about to say, “Black Rose knows we’re here! She’s sending guards down to catch us before we escape!”

“And she’s going to destroy Ponyville!” Moonlight added.

Spike stiffened visibly at this last statement and his face contorted into a grim scowl.

“What of Twilight’s plan?” he asked, his temper clearly being held in check by a few bare threads of self control.

“We have to find the Council, but Black Rose got the scrolls with the instructions and destroyed them!” groaned Willow.

A low growl emanated from the vicinity of Spike’s throat as he replied, “Then we fly now straight to Ponyville. After that, I must leave you and travel south the dragon lands. Once there I can awaken the rest of my race and we can openly confront Black Rose. Is she sending griffons to Ponyville?”

“No.” Wind Song said, trying to remember what Black Rose had said. “She said to send um...um...umbrin or someth…”

Spike’s narrow eyes widened, “Umbrum?!”

“That’s it!” Wind Song replied.

“In that case, I hope it’s not too late. They’re fearsome and fast, but fifty of them is no match for me, but we need to leave now!”

At Spike’s direction, Wind Song, Moonlight, Willow, Snow Star, Honeybell, and Orange Blossom followed him through the exit to his chamber and up the narrow passages that lead to the entrance to the Crystal Caves at the base of Canterlot Mountain. About halfway along this route, they heard hurried steps and shouts of what could only be the group of griffons Black Rose had sent to stop them.

Sure enough, a few moments later several griffons, about twenty in all, came to a dead stop as they beheld Spike standing before them like a giant living purple mountain. The six ponies had to cover their eyes as the blinding greenish-white flames cooked all twenty griffons in their armor. As they passed what remained of their would-be captors, Wind Song could hear their skin sizzling inside the pounded iron armor, some of which had become so hot that it melted. The acrid stench of burnt hair, feather, and bone accompanied the sweeter scent of burnt meat. Moonlight and Orange Blossom both wretched.

As soon as they cleared the cave mouth, Spike invited the ponies to climb onto his back, which they did with a bit of hesitation on the part of the unicorns and earth ponies. The moment they were situated, Spike dug his powerful hind legs into the ground, gouging two giant pits into the rock and earth, and launched himself into the sky.

Everypony except Wind Song and Moonlight watched in awe and wonder as the land whipped by hundreds of yards below. The ground it had taken them two full days to traverse was a blur as they sped their way south toward ponyville. However, try as they might, they never saw the little hollow where the Hermit of Harmony Hill lived. As they flew, along, the ponies filled Spike in on what they had seen and heard.

“Umbrum and griffons…” Spike repeated after Moonlight had concluded the tale. “And in Arimaspi? But you didn’t see any Arimaspians there did you?”

“Nope. Not one.” Honeybell responded. “From the sound of it, all them griffons were down at some Arimaspi city or some such.”

Spike looked thoughtful.

“Hmmm.” he said. “When we get Twilight back, I’ll have to do a little research into that. I have no idea why there would be griffons in that old city. I thought it was abandoned.” He made a contemplative pause. “Or inhabited by the Arimaspi still. But Arimaspi and griffons would never consent to work together.”

“Mysteries upon mysteries.” Willow said in an unenthusiastic monotone. “Is that Saddle Lake already?”

Only three or four hours had elapsed since Spike had first taken off, but sure enough, the white haze of the falls was rising above the cliffs which marked the northern edge of Saddle Lake. However, beyond the winding curtain of mist, a patch of darkness was wafting up off of the horizon. The hearts of six ponies and one dragon dropped like stones.

“No.” Wind Song said in a whisper.

“No!” cried Honeybell tearfully as the group broke through the mist and beheld their beloved home.

“Faster, Spike!” called Wind Song.

“I’m going as fast as I can, Wind Song.” said Spike, grunting after each word.

However, in spite of this statement, there was a perceptible increase in speed as they began to drop lower and lower.

Fanning out his leathery wings to catch the air, Spike landed heavily on the southern shore of Saddle lake. All that was left of Ponyville was a blackened smoldering husk. The only sound was the cracking of the charred planks as they expanded and contracted with the heat. Moldering skeletons lay strewn across every courtyard as they passed through the little town toward the square.

Orange Blossom and Moonlight sobbed freely. Honeybell was trying, and failing to put on an air of stoic impassivity, but her emotions ultimately won over as the sight of burned building after burned building slid past. Wind Song felt hot tears spring into being and roll down his cheeks as his eyes fell on the lifeless forms of the two younger bar keepers of the Draught Horse, Revel and his sister Reverie. After that, he kept his eyes pointed decidedly forward.

He saw Willow drop to the ground, her face buried in her forelegs as she tore aimlessly at the brown grass.

“I can’t do this!” she wailed as Snow Star bent low and, nuzzling her gently, helped her shakily back to her hooves.

As plentiful as the dead were, there were many others yet alive milling about, either soot-stained and weeping, or else twitching feebly on the ground with injuries that would soon come to claim them for the realm of the deceased, the Ever After. As Spike and the six ponies plodded miserably along, many of the former looked up sorrowfully at them as though to ask, “Why did you let this happen?”

Though there was nothing they could have done to speed their passage to Ponyville, Wind Song nevertheless felt shamed and, red-faced, looked at the ground as the little group walked.

At last, the Town Hall, or what was once the Town Hall, came into view. The enormous timbers which had comprised the building’s structure were scattered like twigs. The building had not just been burned or turned down. It had been blown apart. The lovingly wrought woodwork which had once framed the doors and windows had been shredded by what looked like claws. Every window was smashed, every board broken. From underneath one particularly large pile of such boards protruded a dappled storm-gray flank, leg, and hoof.

With a gasp of surprise, the six ponies rushed ahead of Spike and began furiously hauling board after board off of the limp form of Mayor Fairweather. The poor pegasus had clearly been inside the building when it collapsed. Several jagged spikes of broken wood had driven themselves through one of her shoulders and another through her left flank. Great gobs of white and red flesh and muscle hung off the ends of the spikes and blood ran down them, dripping like crimson tears onto the sooty earth below. She was burned, too. The raw red flesh of a large portion of her back stood out stark against the mottled gray of her coat.

Before they saw all of this, the six ponies already knew it was far too late to save her. That was why when Fairweather let out a feeble gasp and weakly opened one bloodshot eye and looked up at them, they were duly surprised.

“Hey, friends.” she gasped after each word and gave a weak little smile. “So glad you could make it.”

“Fairweather!”

Moonlight had inserted herself between Wind Song and Fairweather as she said this and begun looking frantically at her wounds.

“Fairweather!” Moonlight said again, tears still spilling down her face. “It’s okay! We’re here. I can fix this! Just let me…guys! Help! Quick, get some bandages! Do we have more…”

“Moonlight, all of you.” Fairweather interrupted as she coughed up a glob of blood. “Please, listen. I don’t have much time.”

Fairweather worked in a few choked gasps for air.

“There’s nothing you can do for me. I’m dying.” she continued. “But, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Another shallow breath.

“No matter what the horrors you see, don’t forget that Equestria needs you. You’re our only hope and you can’t let despair rule your actions.”

She coughed again and it was several seconds before she continued, “Whatever you do, don’t forget that this isn’t the end, and that whatever you do here to help your fellow ponies will be remembered forever, both here and in the Ever After.”

The pegasus mare seemed to convulse as she fought for another breath.

“We know you can defeat Black Rose, and we hope you know that too. If your hope dies, so does that of all Equestria.”

Fairweather let her eyelid droop shut.

“I love you all.” she said weakly. “And I’ll see you again...someday. After all, this life is only the beginning.”

Then, in a voice so low they could hardly hear it, she began to sing,

“May the sun shine bright,

May clouds and sky sing.

May your sight stay sharp.

And may the fair wind rise ever under your wings.”

The last verse to a longer composition, an ancient blessing of pegasi long past, hung in the air like a sweet fragrance as a soft breath of air escaped Fairweather’s lips for the last time. It was an apt soliloquy, as they were the same words Rainbow Dash herself had composed and spoke as she passed from this life.

Silence.

“You know something?” Wind Song said after a moment, wiping away a tear. “She was right.”

The others looked up at him, their tear-streaked faces showing not just sorrow, but determination as well.

He sniffed and continued, “This may only be the beginning, but we’re going to make that heartless bitch in Canterlot regret every last moment of it.”

When he had finished speaking these words, Spike let out a terrible roar that shook the earth beneath them. A great rippling green flame shot a hundred yards into the darkening sky, a defiant bellow to any who would challenge those who stood against Equestria. In this way, the six friends began their journey across the land and rid the world of the Thorn of Equestria.

Author's Note

The Thorn of Equestria - Chapter 13

The Thorn of Equestria

Chapter 13

By Wind Song

REVISED 20JAN21