The Misfortune of Clover the Clever

Chapters

Chapter 2: Elysium
Chapter 3: Young Love
Chapter 4: The Morning Before
Chapter 5: To Greet the Coming Dawn
Chapter 6: Touched by Sunlight
Chapter 7: Those Left Behind
Chapter 8: Chasing the Light
Chapter 9: Crystal Clear
Chapter 11: The Search Begins
Chapter 12: Early Arrival
Chapter 13: Summit of the Three Tribes
Chapter 14: Recess and Research
Chapter 15: Changes on the Horizon
Chapter 16: Unexpected Company
Chapter 17: One Last Night
Chapter 18: Murder in the City of Water
Chapter 19: Uncertainty
Chapter 20: Losing Control
Chapter 21: Declaration
Chapter 22: The Cost of Truth
Chapter 23: The Death of Clover
Chapter 25: Storm Chaser
Chapter 26: Captain, my Captain
Chapter 27: Counterattack
Chapter 28: Nova, The Great and Terrible
Chapter 29: Desperation
Chapter 30: Smokey Vines
Chapter 31: The Potions Master
Chapter 32: A Noble Intrusion
Chapter 33: The Worst Year
Chapter 34: Nothing Left to Lose
Chapter 35: Ret Con
Chapter 36: Priestess of Chaos
Chapter 38: Last Rites
Chapter 39: Justice
Chapter 40: Just a Mare
Chapter 41: Pandemonium's Fall
Chapter 1: What's in the box?
Chapter 10: Power Struggle
Chapter 24: Only the Beginning
Chapter 37: For the Children

Chapter 2: Elysium

The city of Elysium, the greatest of all the unicorn cities, if not the greatest in all the pony lands. It was believed that there had never been a city quite as grand nor would there ever be again. The city rested atop a large island with high cliffs. Countless waterfalls lined the distant shores, as well as the edges of the island itself, making the waters surrounding it treacherous to even the most experienced of sailors.

The city itself was constructed of the finest marble coaxed straight out of the ground by the most talented of spellweavers. In fact, magic was used for everything in this city, from the construction of their buildings to the crafting of the silk the unicorns used to wrap themselves with. There were even those who spent their whole lives trying to use magic to grow their food, but aside from the few flowers that they occasionally managed to coax out of the dirt, they were still reliant on nearby earth pony villages to feed their grand city.

The three pony tribes had a tense relationship at even the best of times. The earth ponies grew the food that fed all of them, provided that the other two groups were able to provide the best conditions possible. For example, the pegasi were responsible for moving the clouds and making sure it never rained too much at any given time. If they didn't, the weather could turn to absolute chaos, as it did in the lands surrounding theirs, where soothing showers were instead replaced by snow and ice, and waves of scorching heat at seemingly random intervals.

As for the unicorns, they continued to hone their craft day and night. However, the thing that really set them apart from the rest, and the thing that continued to feed their collective egos, was their ability to come together and move the very heavens with their magic. The earth ponies needed enough sunlight for growing food, and if the unicorns didn't get their share, they would withhold the life-giving rays of the sun. It wasn't the best solution, but it would be many centuries before the pony tribes were forced to come together by a world that sought their mutual destruction.

"While the lesser of the two can be managed with a show of force, the same cannot be said of the greater. That's why you always want to be careful when Polaris begins to lean towards Canis. The wolf is no match for the bear, and may be forced to flee if it begins to encroach on its territory. The same is true if the bear feels its cub is threatened, and will seek safety with its cub in tow." Professor Cygnus paused in his lecture, noticing that his class wasn't really paying attention. The unicorn huffed in annoyance, but he knew he couldn't really blame the youths in his care. "I know you're all excited about the morning ceremony, but this is important," he emphasized as he tapped his chalk on the board behind him. "Don't come crying to me if you let a hungry Ursa escape the heavens, it would just be unbearable."

He looked over the gathered ponies. When they failed to show as much as a smirk at his pun, he gave up. "Alright," he resigned himself. "I guess we can talk about tomorrow's sunrise."

That got everyone's attention, namely the students who had been the center of attention all day. "As you all know," said Professor Cygnus, pleased to finally have the class' attention for the first time that day. "Members of our class have been selected to rise the sun tomorrow morning. Pyrus Sunflare," he called on a particularly boisterous student with black fur and a fiery red and yellow mane. "If I'm not mistaken, you've got the honor of leading the ritual. Have you finished all your preparations?"

The stallion smiled a wide grin that had at least two of the mares in the back of the class swooning at his swagger. "You worry too much, Professor," he said with smug confidence. "How hard can it be? The sun is just a big ball of fire hanging in the sky, and I know my way around fire."

"Pyrus!" Snapped Cygnus, more than just a little put off by his attitude. "Show a little decorum. This is a great honor you've been selected for." He turned his attention to the pony sitting next to him, a stallion just as young as the braggart, but far more reserved. "Clover," he asked the brown-maned youth. "Can I at least count on you to keep him out of trouble?"

Clover didn't like being so suddenly put on the spot. He darted his green eyes back and forth as the whole class's attention turned on him. He looked to his best friend, Pyrus, who just gave him a shit-eating smile in return. "Actually, Professor," he finally said. "Most of the hard work is already taken care of by the ritual circle maintained by the elders. We just have to empower it while he sets the sun on its course."

Professor Cygnus groaned as he gathered his notes and adjusted his toga before making his way for the door. "I can't deal with you lot today," he huffed as he left. "At least make sure he's there on time."

The students watched him leave and once he was out of sight, they all burst out into laughter. Pyrus threw a hoof around Clover, who was just now starting to smile along. "The look on his face," chortled Pyrus as he wiped away a tear. He let out the breath he was holding, "thanks for having my back back there."

"Sure, no problem," Clover said in return while averting his eyes.

"No need to be so tense," said Pyrus. "You're coming to the party tonight, right? Last chance to have some fun before we're too worn out from raising the sun."

"I think I'll just go home," said Clover as he gathered his own notes. He wanted to get some last minute practice on some binding spells before he found his magic crippled for the next week.

"I don't think so," said Pyrus as he quickly stuffed the rest of Clover's study materials into his bags. "Tonight is our night," he waved his hoof at the empty space, probably having delusions of grandeur. "Tonight's the night we scope out our pick of the mares before we have to fend them off with a stick. You know they're gonna be all over us after the ceremony."

"I thought you were looking forward to that?" Clover retorted, while the ladies who were also participating in the sunrise just shook their heads. "That's all you've been talking about ever since they selected you to lead the ritual."

"I know I know," he said, casually tossing his friend's bags into his own back. "But what kinda friend would I be if I just let you skip the most important night of your life. Besides," he waggled his eyebrows, "if you're lucky, a certain special somepony might show up."

Clover sighed. "She's not going to show up to one of your parties, Pyrus. You've managed to alienate the cutest mare in the entire city, even though she lives right next door to you. You know what she thinks about you."

"That I'm loud, vulgar, and will probably die alone," Pyrus said without missing a beat. "She's told me more than a few times already. Come on," he said, as he pressed his hooves together and bowed his head, "don't make me beg."

"Fine," Clover finally conceded. "I guess I can tag along. If just to keep you out of trouble."

"Awesome," said Pyrus as he skipped his way out the door. "It starts right after sundown. Don't be late."

Clover couldn't believe he had once again let Pyrus talk him into another one of his harebrained ideas, he thought to himself as he cantered down the moonlit road. The sun had already been put to bed, ponies were closing up their homes for the night, and members of the umbral guard were patrolling the streets while keeping an eye on the sky. They didn't want another incident where a pegasus tried to sneak in again under cover of night. Clover had never actually seen one, but everyone knew those brutes were nothing more than troublemakers.

He made his way over to the wine hall where they were supposed to meet up. Pyrus had likely started the party early and was probably already tipsy on drink that hadn't been watered down enough. He spotted a couple of his classmates as he made his way inside, and sure enough, his friend was already getting up to his normal shenanigans. The boisterous unicorn had a stagger to his swagger and was already flanked by at least two mares on each side. How he managed to start collecting a small herd around himself so early in the night will forever remain a mystery.

"Clover!" He cheered the moment he saw him. Pyrus reluctantly wrestled himself free of his company, but not without his tail swinging free from under his clothes to give one of the mares a playful slap on the rear. The outfit would most likely find itself discarded before the end of the night, but that was nothing new. "Glad you could make it," he threw a hoof around Clover, the smell of cheap wine thick on his breath.

Clover pinched his nose and pushed Pyrus away. "I though you said the party was at sundown," he said, not really that surprised to already find him intoxicated.

"I did," Pyrus admitted, "but when everyone else showed up early, I just couldn't wait."

"I'm going home," said Clover, already annoyed with how the night had started. He started making his way towards the door, only to be stopped as a pinch of red magic took hold of his wrap.

Clover glared at Pyrus and his horn that was glowing with the spell that held him in place. "Fine," he groaned, "just one drink."

"That's the spirit," cheered the unicorn who clearly didn't need any more to drink. Pyrus dragged him over to a nearby table, the company he had been keeping up until a moment ago momentarily forgotten. He gestured to the pony behind the distant counter, the pony apparently getting the message because a few minutes later they both had goblets smelling of sweet wine.

"Why do you do this to yourself?" Clover asked, as he watched the unicorn who would most likely be needing some curative magic for his splitting headache come morning.

Pyrus set down his drink, having already emptied half of it, and gave Clover an uncharacteristically serious look for him. "I could be asking you the same question," he said. "Here we are on the eve of our first sunrising and you still haven't built up the nerve to talk to her yet."

Clover only grew slightly flush, whether it was from the wine, or the topic of conversation, he wasn't really sure. He fixed his gaze across the table and fiddled anxiously with his cup. "You know, it never seemed like the right time."

"When is it going to be the right time?" Pyrus argued, being unusually serious. "Sure, the mares will be all over you come tomorrow, but think about how much more it'll mean to her if you at least talk to her before then."

"Who are you and what have you done with Pyrus?" Clover said, taking a long swig of his drink. "And is this why you called me out here?" He downed the rest of the wine before getting up from his seat. "Cause if that's all, then I'll see you in the morning."

Clover turned to leave, or at least, he meant to. However, he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her. The most beautiful mare in the entire city, and the one they were just talking about, had just entered the building.

Chapter 3: Young Love

"Is that Azalea?" Clover almost squeaked as he quickly ducked back into his seat and out of view. "What's she doing here?" He shot a panicked look in Pyrus's direction, hoping against hope that his friend would help him escape, or at least cover for him. To his growing horror, he was actually waving her over.

"What are you doing!?" Clover hissed as he desperately tried using his magic to pull Pyrus's waving hoof back down. However, Clover's efforts were in vain, for Pyrus seemed determined to get her attention.

"Helping," said Pyrus, an evil smirk on his face. "I've had enough of watching you pine after this girl without even once building up the courage to talk to her."

Clover's stomach began to tie itself in knots, and when the sweetest voice reached his ears, he dove under the table.

"Alright, Pyrus," said Azalea, the annoyance clear in her voice. She was barely a pace away from where Clover was hiding. "I'm here. Whatever you called me out for had better be worth it, or I might seriously consider throwing you off the island."

"I'll take that bet," Pyrus' smile never once faltered as the red glow of his magic reached down to grab Clover by the scruff of his neck. The poor unicorn finding himself powerless to resist his iron grip. Before he had the chance to seek another avenue of escape, Clover found himself pulled into the light and right in front of Azalea.

The change in Azalea's countenance upon seeing Clover was almost instantaneous. Her demeanor quickly softened and made way for the flustered girl in her teens. "Cl... Clover?!" She stuttered and took a hasty step back. Other than that, she seemed to have lost her ability to speak.

They both stood there, frozen, unable to find the right words. Azalea stared dumbly into Clover's green eyes while Clover did the same to her. He found himself completely captivated by her bright pink eyes and matching mane, both of them looking positively gorgeous against her cream colored coat.

With as stunned as they both were, it took almost no effort on Pyrus' part to set Clover back in his seat before gracefully making his way around the entranced mare, and guiding her to the seat opposite the frozen stallion. It wasn't until he returned and dropped a fresh set of glasses between them, the sound of which startling them both in the intervening silence, that they even noticed that he had stepped away.

"To help things along," he said, gesturing to the two cups. "Also so that I might finally be able to get a moment's peace without having to listen to the two of you continue to pine over each other like a pair of mewling kittens."

The accusation caused both of them to begin blushing furiously. They shot nervous glances at each other and shied away anytime their eyes started to meet. Clover could feel the butterflies begin to churn his insides, while Azalea started to break out into a nervous sweat.

They remained that way for a long time. So long that neither of them had noticed that Pyrus had taken his leave until Clover turned to find him, seeking guidance. Only to just barely catch the final tail swish of the impromptu matchmaker as he left the hall with his earlier cadre in tow.

Azalea must've noticed around the same time, because when Clover looked back to her, she was shifting nervously in her seat, looking like she might bolt at any moment. However, she remained planted where she was and began idly poking at the sweet liquid before her.

Nerves had already taken such a firm hold on Clover that he didn't notice that half his cup was already gone. Unicorns weren't particularly well known for their ability to hold their drink, so they tended to water down their wine quite a bit. Regardless, even as diluted as the fruity beverage was, consuming enough of it would still find the most nervous of unicons finally building up some courage.

"So… uh…" he started to say, but found himself stopping short. He wasn't off to the best start, but at least the silence between them had finally been broken. Azalea jumped at the noise while she had been taking a sip, the contents of her upturned glass threatening to find its way up her nose in that instant.

Now it was Azalea's turn to look sheepish as she barely recovered from making a mess of herself. The glass wobbled in her magic and she barely managed to set it back down. A single tear glittered in one of her eyes as she swallowed hard in an effort to keep the mouthful down.

"You're Clover, right?" She choked out. It had apparently been a near thing with the drink, if the pained expression was anything to go by. "The one who took Professor Calcium's petrifying spell and rerouted it into making white yarn?"

Clover's ears drooped and he tried to make himself look small as she brought up one of his most embarrassing moments. "She was so mad," he said sheepishly, "told me never to alter the nature of a spell like that, again."

"What?!" Azalea cried out. "Did she really? But, why?" She appeared to be incensed, but Clover couldn't understand why. "What you did was amazing. I haven't been able to get you out of my head ever since."

Another moment of stunned silence followed as both ponies processed what Azalea had just said. It definitely affected her the most, because she almost immediately buried her face in her hooves until all that could still be seen of her was her blushing ears as they poked out of her mane.

Desperate to try and salvage the situation, Clover strained his addled mind for something, anything he could say that would make her feel better. "How did you manage to do so well during the divination exams? I saw how paranoid the teachers were afterwards. They must've been looking over their shoulders for weeks after that."

That earned him the smile he was looking for. She peeked out from behind her makeshift cover, and when the corners of her mouth turned up, the warmth that Clover felt rush through him made him fear that his heart might burst from his chest at any moment. "So beautiful," he said, not even realizing that he said the words aloud until she responded.

"Thanks," she said as she idly played with a strand of hair that had gotten loose before securing it back behind one ear.

Clover felt like he could die. Why had he just said that? She was going to think he was some sort of creep for saying something like that. She wasn't going to want anything else to do with him after this.

Despite his growing concerns, the conversation continued as well as it could have for two ponies who had been awkwardly pushed together by a third. Seeing as they were both students, they mostly talked about whatever their studies were currently focused on, or which teachers tended to get under their skin. As time went on, and their cups ran dry, Clover seemed to relax a bit more. The only time she surprised him further was when she suddenly got up from her seat and made her way to stand next to him.

"Say, uh… Clover," said Azalea. She looked like she was building up the courage for something. "I need to get going before my mother wonders where I've run off to, but…" She was starting to sweat, and with how close she was standing, Clover could very clearly smell her fragrant scent. She smelled deeply of mint and honey, and while he had heard that young fillies named after flowers tended to smell like their namesake, he hadn't believed it before now.

"If you're not doing anything tomorrow, after the Sunrise Ceremony, I mean," whatever she was trying to say was taking considerable effort on her part. Not even the tongue-loosening effects of the hall's namesake seemed to be enough to make this any easier. "If you're free, would you maybe like to spend more time together? I'd like to get to know you better."

Clover couldn't believe what he was hearing. He started to feel lightheaded, and those earlier butterflies now felt like they might carry him away, if given the chance. There was only one response that he could have given in the situation.

"Yes!" He said loudly, on the verge of screaming his answer. Had he been a little more in his right mind, Clover might have at least tried to come up with a more graceful response. Azalea giggled at his enthusiasm and leaned in to place a single kiss on his cheek.

The blood rushed to his face so quickly, the young stallion might've been in danger of passing out right then and there. Luck, it seems, was on his side and this was the only time that night that he didn't stick his hoof in his mouth.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then… Clover," Azalea took a few light steps back. She was so distracted by her state of bliss that she wasn't watching where she was going and ended up tripping over the end of one of the tables. She barely managed to catch herself in time before stealing a glance back at Clover, and turning more pink than her usual color, before beating a hasty retreat.

Clover was in such high spirits that he couldn't even remember when he finally made it back outside. When Pyrus convinced him to come out, he had no idea that he'd end up sharing a table with the girl of his dreams. He honestly thought it would just be another night of keeping the other unicorn out of trouble. But oh, was he glad he had been wrong.

He felt so warm and cozy from the encounter that he barely even noticed the cold air as it pelted his coat on his way back to the dorms. Part of him had been afraid that this had all been a dream and that he'd wake up from it at any moment. However, he found himself with a fresh spring in his step when the dream refused to end.

Somehow through everything that happened, Clover managed to remember the responsibilities that he and his classmates had the next morning. Pyrus was supposed to lead the sunrising, and they were all going to be there to support him.

He unfastened his toga as he entered his room and carefully hung it up next to his bed. It wouldn't do to make a mess of it by sleeping with it on, and he wanted to look his best tomorrow. Sure, his magic wouldn't be working after the ceremony and it would probably stay that way for at least the next week, but he wasn't even worried about that.

Tomorrow was looking to be the height of Clover's young life. Not only would he be taking part in the time-honored tradition that was the pride of the unicorn tribe, but he also had Azalea's company to look forward to afterwards. He still couldn't believe it was actually happening after he'd fancied her from a distance for so long. All in all, tomorrow was looking to be the best day ever.

Chapter 4: The Morning Before

By some miracle, Clover managed to get to sleep that night. Once he was, dreams of warm summer days and sweet smelling flowers helped to ease his anxious mind. He was so relaxed, that if he hadn't remembered to set his enchanted alarm clock, he might not have woken up in time.

He reluctantly climbed out of bed and began readying himself for the day. It was still dark outside since the sun hadn't risen yet, but why would it have? Today, that was their job. Even though he wasn't the one leading, he still felt giddy that they'd be the ones doing it.

It took several minutes to go over his coat and mane with a brush, he wanted to look his best, after all. Especially since he was pretty sure that Azalea would be there, looking specifically for him. Once he was sure everything was in order, he carefully donned his ceremonial toga before leaving for the ritual hall with a spring in his step.

There were a number of ponies awake this early in the morning. There was the usual guard that patrolled the city throughout the night. They usually didn't have much to do outside of maintaining a presence while keeping an eye on the sky. With the waters around Elysium as treacherous as they were, it was the only real way to sneak into the city.

A few scholars also studied late into the night. These were the ones who primarily focused their attention on reading the movements of the stars and nudging them back into place if they started to stray too far away. Neglecting that task usually brought on either floods or quakes, but in the worst case scenario, a star beast would descend from the heavens and wreak untold havoc and destruction wherever they went.

Lastly, there was the sunrising itself. It was something that had to be done every morning, and as routine as it was, not everyone felt the need to attend every one. However, those in Clover's class whose parents still lived were sure to be there, especially since it was their first time. It was an unfortunate truth, but many unicorns didn't see old age. They were by far the least robust of the pony tribes, and their daily rituals tended to put undue strain on them as a whole. The task of raising the sun was just that stressful, and while they could mitigate the damage by taking turns, it eventually caught up with most of them. Those who no longer had homes of their own stayed in the dorms as Clover did. He might've been more saddened by the passing of his parents, but it was just a simple fact of life. Plus, they died so long ago that he barely remembered them.

Clover made his way down the crisp morning road, passing a few of his classmates along the way. Mixed measures of enthusiasm floated about them for the upcoming ritual, with some of them looking forward to it more than others. At first, Clover wasn't looking forward to having to go without his magic for a while. He did like running his various experiments, after all. That changed last night after Pyrus set him up with Azalea.

Speaking of which, Pyrus was apparently waiting for him outside his house with a tired look on his face. He perked up a bit upon seeing Clover. "Hey!" He waved him over. "I was wondering when you'd wake up." The corners of Pyrus' lips curled upward. "So... How did it go?"

Clover had thought of several things he wanted to say to Pyrus when he saw him next. He really wanted to give him a piece of his mind for that stunt he pulled last night. However, his courage seemed to have picked that moment to remain absent, making way for a deep blush to creep up his face.

Pyrus, being who he was, didn't miss a single opportunity to needle his friend. "What's this?" He asked, feigning shock. "Did something happen last night that you're too ashamed to talk about?" He scooted up beside Clover and began poking him in the ribs. "Did somepony finally become a real stallion last night?"

This time he actually did take a swing at the boisterous pony. However, Pyrus, being the one who was provoking him, was well aware of which buttons he was pushing, so he kind of saw it coming.

"Easy there, champ," he laughed as he caught his friend. "But seriously, how did it go after I left?"

"Well," Clover started. He wanted to share, he really did. Part of him was still a little annoyed with Pyrus for his stunt and he sort of wanted to lie, but he was just too excited to do so. "It was great. We just talked for a bit, and we're supposed to meet up again after the ceremony."

The look on Pyrus' face fell a bit. "That's all?" He said, a bit annoyed. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that nothing more happened. Besides, I already had your lady tear into me this morning, so I kinda already knew nothing happened."

How could Clover forget? He turned his attention to the house next door in a panic. The last thing he needed was for Azalea to overhead this conversation.

"Relax," said Pyrus when he saw where Clover was looking. "It's just us here. Even my father already ran on ahead to find a good seat. I told him I wanted to talk to you before we got there. Speaking of which," he said as he looked up at the rapidly descending moon. "We really should get going."

After that, they both hurried to make their way to the ritual hall without another moment to lose. They had to dodge around a number of early risers, most likely destined for the same place. Unlike them though, they were just headed there to watch.

They probably wouldn't have had to rush to get there on time, but Pyrus' insistence that he wait around to needle Clover had put them a bit behind schedule. As a result, when they finally made their way to the ritual hall, not only were they the last ones there, but they also found themselves greeted by disappointed looks from the city's elders.

While it was true that many unicorns didn't see old age, some of them did manage to beat the odds and make it to their twilight years. These ponies were usually looked up to for guidance, not just in daily life, but in the governing of the city itself.

"Well, it's about time you two showed up," said Elder Gladiolus, a broad smile making its way out from behind his beard. "Were you both up a little too late partying? You know you're supposed to save that for tonight, right?" Even now, you could still tell that the distinguished pony once had a very colorful mane in his youth. Sure, it had long since faded and he had refused to use spells to bring back the full spectrum of colors it once had. Despite his advanced years, Gladiolus could usually be found milling about with the younger crowd. He was always willing to listen to the dreams and troubles of young ponies, making him immensely popular among them.

"You take it far too easy on them," Elder Dahlia looked down her nose at him. "Attitudes like that leave them thinking that such behavior is perfectly acceptable." Dahlia did not appear to be as old as she really was. Neither her vibrant red mane, nor the black stripe that ran down its length had even started to show signs of fading. Unlike her associate, she didn't mingle with younger ponies. Choosing instead to work with the more influential individuals in the city as she curried favor and arranged deals. This might've seemed like she was just looking out for herself, and she might very well have been, but many of her actions had led to improved conditions throughout all of Elysium. Unfortunately, her prowess had created a degree of distance between her and the average pony, and as a result, many felt intimidated by her.

"Here we go again," Gladiolus said as he rolled his eyes. "Going on about the proper way everypony should act. Young ponies are just going to get into trouble, you know that. You were young once. You know how it is."

"And that's exactly why we need to reign them in," she went on like he had just agreed with her. "The unicorns of today are far too rambunctious for the most dignified of the tribes."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," Gladiolus snapped back at her. "All you're going to accomplish is..."

The third elder stepped forward. With her long white mane and wrinkled old face, everyone in Elysium knew who this was. All it took was her being in the room, and any argument or discourse seemed to lose any meaning, as was the case now. Elder Lily barely spared her fellow elders a moment's glance as she walked between them. She didn't stomp her hooves or even remotely raise her voice, and the bickering between Gladiolus and Dahlia ended as quickly as it had begun.

As for all the young unicorns that readied themselves to raise the sun, they all turned and bowed deeply to Elder Lily. All the elders were worthy of respect, but the degree she received it from others bordered on worship.

A gentle smile graced her lips as she opened her mouth. "Raise your heads," she said, the words feeling more like a statement of fact than an actual command. "This is the day you all become true unicorns. The day of your first sunrising." She paused for a moment to look over each of them. "Take pride in what you do here today and keep your heads held high. Now," she said as she turned her attention to the black-coated pony in front of her. "Pyrus Sunflare. Have you finished your preparations?"

Not even Pyrus, known for all his mischief and general mayhem, dared to speak to the oldest among them with anything other than the highest respect. "Yes, Elder Lily," he said with a polite nod. "I am ready to begin at any time."

"Very good," she said, the smile she gave now was only meant for him. "Whenever you think the time is right, we'll be watching you from our seats. I'm sure you'll make us proud."

After that, she slowly started making her way towards the stairs with the other elders close behind. Someone would likely be there to help her climb them, she wasn't as young as she once was. However, when one of their number lagged behind, she stopped. "Elder Dahlia?" She questioned the other mare. "Is something the matter?"

"Forgive me, gracious elder," said Elder Dahlia as she showed deference to the most senior of their number. "But I require a moment of young Clover's time before the ceremony. It's something of a personal matter."

Clover's ears perked up upon hearing his name. Elder Dahlia wanted to speak with him? He could understand if Gladiolus had words for him, but Dahlia would never be seen talking to a pony like him."

Lily raised an eyebrow at the request, so she was apparently caught off guard as well. She looked between the two of them for a moment as the gears in her perceptive mind began to turn. A smirk, so brief that it may as well have been imagined, played out across her lips before her features returned to the very picture of serenity. "Very well," she said as she once again turned her attention back to Pyrus. "It seems we will need a moment before everypony is truly ready to begin. See to your preparations and young Clover will join you shortly."

Pyrus gave another short bow before turning to leave. He spared a moment to shoot a quick look to his friend. Words weren't exchanged, but the look that Clover saw in his eyes made it clear that words would've been insufficient. Whatever the elder wanted him for, he needed to be careful with what he said to her.

Clover stood there, not once taking his eyes off the elder mare. She didn't even blink as she stared down her nose at him. He couldn't shake the feeling that a dangerous predator was sizing him up, taking his measure, and that feeling only got worse as everyone else filed out of the room.

"So," Elder Dahlia said once they were alone, the lack of inflection in her voice only serving to unnerve him further. "You're Clover." She began to circle around him and he could feel her eyes bore into him. "Hmmm..." She pondered. "You're not exactly much to look at, but I hear you're quite studious and a surprisingly clever spellweaver, despite not having near the same raw power at your disposal as some of your peers."

Clover swallowed hard. Why was Elder Dahlia, one of the most powerful ponies in the city, taking an interest in him? He wasn't anything special. Did he do something he shouldn't have? Nothing that came to mind.

"Tell me, Clover," Dahlia continued unabated. "Do you have aspirations after finishing the basic curriculum?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Clover said quickly, almost squealing in his haste to answer. He lowered his head when he realized he was probably being rude. "I was hoping to pursue runic studies and arcane transfiguration."

"Hmmm... Those are quite the advanced fields of study, but not outside the realm of possibility given your record," she nodded her approval. "Still, excellence isn't outside of your reach, and you may some day be a pony worth knowing."

"Thanks..." Clover said quietly, still not really sure why she was going out of her way to delay the sunrise ritual just to give him a compliment.

"But that day is not today," Dahlia snapped as she now hovered over him. "Right now, you're a nobody. A peasant, a worm, barely more important than an earth pony," she went on as she continued to lay into him.

Clover tried to back away under the onslaught, only to meet resistance as a light red glow lit up his hooves, preventing his escape. What had he done to bring this kind of attention down on his head?

"So what makes you think a pony like you is good enough for my daughter?" She demanded, answering Clover's silent question.

He swallowed hard as the pieces started to come together. "Y... Your daughter? Respected Elder..." Clover added at the end after getting a cross look from the mare.

She continued to examine him, only the slightest trace of curiosity painting her features. "Did you not share in libations with a certain young lady last night between the twilight and midnight hours?"

Clover continued to sweat as he tried to think of what he had done to anger this pony. He had been seen drinking with her daughter? Last night even? That didn't make any sense. The only pony he had any interaction last night was with... His eyes grew wide as the last few pieces fell into place. "A... Azalea? Ma'am?"

Elder Dahlia swooped in so close to his face that Clover thought he might catch fire under her incendiary glare. "Hmmm..." She pondered. "You don't actually appear to be lying," she said, more under her breath than to him. "I guess this is as much my fault as is it anypony else's. We're seldom seen in public together. However," she snapped before addressing him again. "Know this, little pony," she accentuated with no small amount of malice. "I'm not about to just let some nobody have my daughter. Have I made myself clear?"

Clover was having trouble breathing by this point, much less talking. It was everything he could do just to rapidly nod his head, eliciting a smile from the powerful mare.

"Good," she said, her voice suddenly getting a lot more chipper. "Glad we could have this little talk, Clover. Now, don't let me keep you," she made a shooing motion with her hoof. "I'm sure everypony is anxiously waiting to see the sun rise. Best be on your way." With those parting words, she happily trotted her way towards the stairs, eager to catch up with her fellow elders.

It was a solid minute before Clover felt like he could breathe again. What had he gotten himself into? Would he have avoided Azalea had he known who her mother was? Well, actually, he had avoided talking to her even without that knowledge. There was no doubt in his mind that Pyrus knew who she was, he had been living next door to her for years. They were going to have to have some words about this after they got the whole sunrise thing out of the way.

He hurried along to the door leading to the courtyard, pausing only for a moment when something flickered out of the corner of his eye. He might not have even noticed that something was out of place, but his recent encounter had left him a bit on edge. Clover turned his head to look in the direction of where he had seen the disturbance. Now that he was looking more closely, he could very clearly see where the light was bending around the space beside him. It was a spell he wasn't very good at, but he was at least familiar with its effects. There was someone invisible right next to him. Someone who smelled of mint and honey.

"I should've guessed you'd notice a simple invisibility spell," said the familiar voice. "And I'm sorry about my mother."

The empty space shimmered like the air bent around an open fire. The light buckled and bent until the illusion peeled itself away, revealing the pink mane of a crestfallen Azalea.

"Azalea!?" Exclaimed Clover as his breath caught in his throat. "What're you doing here?" The recent encounter with the girl's mother had set him a bit on edge. "How much of that did you see?"

A deep sigh escaped her throat. "All of it," she said solemnly. "I should've known my mother would stick her nose in my business," she huffed her apparent annoyance. "She's always been like this. Watching everything I do, who I talk to," she began to blush, "and who I might be interested in."

Azalea had been advancing on Clover's position as she listed off the ways her parental unit bothered her. Clover, still feeling nervous, found himself backing up until he bumped into the door behind him.

"Sorry about that," she quickly apologized. "Not just for the door, but for my mother putting you on the spot like that." Her ears began to droop. "I'd understand if you wouldn't want anything more to do with me after this."

"No," said Clover, not even sure where he was finding the courage. He shouldn't have any left after his recent encounter with the elder. "It's not that," he said. "I mean, sure she was a bit intimidating... ok, maybe very intimidating. But I want to be with you. I want to see where this goes." He reached down and took a hold of her hoof and pressed it against his chest. "Regardless of what your mother thinks, I do want to get to know you better. I don't want to let this chance pass us by."

Azalea began to tear up at his sincere words. The smile that graced her lips made Clover feel like he could've faced down her mother a thousand times more if it meant he could have her by his side. "I'd like that, too," she said as she leaned in, and before either of them knew what was happening, she presses her lips against his.

Clover felt like his soul had caught fire as the warmth rushed through him. He had never kissed anyone before, and it felt like he was wrapped in a dozen sunny days. Even when she pulled away from him, that warmth refused to leave.

"Good luck out there today, Clover," she said, her cheeks aglow. "I'll see you later."

Chapter 5: To Greet the Coming Dawn

Clover's face was still aglow when he stepped into the antechamber. The morning had gone nothing like what he actually expected. However, he wouldn't give any of it up, even if someone were to offer him the world right at that moment.

Pyrus watched him as he entered with concern on his face. He had been socializing with the others of their class, getting ready for their big moment, but he had kept an ear on the door just in case he had needed to come to the rescue. He had been expecting Clover to enter with a sunken look on his face, but when the young stallion had entered with a look of barely contained joy on his face, concern made way for curiosity.

"What are you smiling about?" He asked once Clover was close enough to hear him.

"Huh?" Clover seemed surprised by the question. Whatever had happened left him off in his own little world.

"I said," Pyrus was starting to worry, "what are you smiling about? I could've sworn she was going to cook you up and eat you."

"Oh that," he said lazily. "No, it was nothing like that." One of his forelegs made its way up to his lips. "It's just... the kiss..."

"Elder Dahlia kissed you?!" Pyrus exclaimed, completely flabbergasted. "You sly colt," he snickered. "How'd you pull that off?"

"What?!" Now he was awake. "No!" His eyes darted back and forth, wondering if anyone else had come to that conclusion. "After I finished speaking with the elder, Azalea ambushed me. We talked for a bit, and then she... kissed... me..."

If you told everyone that Clover's coat normally had a golden sheen to it, they wouldn't believe you. He had started turning so red that you would've assumed it was his normal color.

"Look at you," Pyrus was also all smiles now. "Making moves all on your own now. I'm so proud." He wiped away a fake tear, earning himself a punch to the shoulder. "Hey!" He cried out as he rubbed at what would surely form a bruise. "All right, all right," he backed off in surrender. "Looks like somepony finally grew some balls. Especially if not even her mother could scare you off." He turned his back and made for the door before Clover could say anything more. "We'll have more time for this later," he beckoned to the door. "C'mon," he said. "Let's go put a ball of fire in the sky."

The morning was cool and the sky grew dark as the last rays of the setting moon dimmed on the distant horizon. Eight young unicorns stepped out into the amphitheater of the grand ritual hall. The place had been constructed as a permanent fixture in their society, where they could go about their sacred duty of raising and guiding the sun in relative safety and comfort.

The raised seats around the edges were available for anyone who wanted to watch as the ponies chosen for the daily sunrise carried out their task. However, as this was this group's very first sunrising, there were no small number of unicorns in attendance. Sure, plenty of friends and family had shown up, but also a sizable portion of the city had arrived to watch as these young ponies completed their rite of passage. Usually at least one elder was present to oversee the morning ritual, but today, for whatever reason, the three most influential ponies in the entire city were watching from the place of honor.

Despite how grand this entire setup may have seemed, it used to be a considerably grander affair. When the first of them had gained mastery over the heavens, the sun rising itself was proceeded with grand speeches as well as a ritualistic cleansing. However, traditions and customs tend to change over the years. Now, whenever the day's chosen heliomancer took to the field, everyone in attendance would fall silent.

That was what greeted them when Pyrus opened the door leading out from the antechamber. Very little light still remained to guide the way for him and his peers. Despite his normal lackadaisical attitude, he didn't slow his movements as he made his way to the raised dais at the center of the amphitheater, his head held high as any proud unicorn should.

The stone dais they now stepped out onto had been passed down through the generations and carefully maintained by the elders from each of them. Intricate spellwork had been carved into its surface in the form of a seven-pointed star. The purpose of this elaborate design was so unicorns could stand at every point of the diagram and pour their magic into the ancient spell at their hooves. The job fell to the last remaining unicorn standing at its center to use the near-godly power they'd have at their disposal to take hold of the distant sun and set it on its course. It was a demanding task that had to be done daily, and usually left the participants completely drained of their magic, unable to cast even the simplest of spells for several days.

Clover and the rest of his peers moved into position at each of the seven points. While this was the very first time they'd be carrying out this honor, every unicorn had been thoroughly instructed on how to channel their magic from a very young age, so there wasn't confusion on what they were supposed to do. That didn't mean that a number of them weren't feeling excited and somewhat giddy about the situation. They were young after all, and it wasn't uncommon for young ponies to be easily excited.

It was Pyrus' turn as he stepped forward and took his place in the star's center. Despite his rambunctious attitude and general disregard for the rules, he was a very talented unicorn. He had more magic at his disposal than anyone else in his generation, and the amount of control he had over it was unmatched among his peers. So much so, that Elder Gladiolus had argued with his fellow elders that Pyrus be granted this honor. They had been hesitant at first, but after Elder Lily had calmly listened to everyone's arguments, she agreed that the honor and responsibility might be just what the young pony needed to help mellow him out.

To the surprise of many, and to Gladiolus' apparent satisfaction, the young unicorn did indeed seem to be taking his role seriously. He stood there, calmly watching as the moon finished setting in the distance. It wouldn't truly finish setting until they began raising the sun. Fortunately, it wouldn't have to wait for long.

Pyrus looked to where the elders were sitting and after receiving a nod of approval from them, he began. He stood tall as the red glow of his magic began gathering around his horn. That was the cue for the surrounding ponies to begin channeling their own magic as well.

Clover and the others set their horns ablaze and offered up their own power. The formation beneath their hooves seemed to take notice of the proffered magic and began to pull at it. The light trailed down around their bodies and spun around their legs like ivy climbing a lattice. The reds, blues, pinks, and greens of the youths gathered together as they flowed down the engravings until they reached the pony at the center. Once there, it found its way back up to the focal point of the entire spell at the tip of Pyrus' horn. The colors of their magic mixed with his fiery red until it had taken on a brilliant yellow almost as bright as the sun they were trying to raise.

The stone dais felt like it was shaking beneath their hooves from all the magic it was being used to channel. More than one unicorn started feeling short of breath due to how much raw power was being torn out of them to empower the one standing in the center. That feeling persisted without change, and might have continued much longer, but that was when Pyrus finally reached for the sun.

As their collective magics made contact with the celestial orb, the overwhelming feeling of fire rushed through all of them. Even though it was a cold morning, with the sun's presence added to their own, every pony present now felt its warmth pulse through their bodies. Even before the first rays of the morning sun lit up the sky, they already felt like they were standing in the middle of a summer day.

When the sun finally did show its face, and its light washed over them, it was like they were breathing in the very breath of life. They had seen the sun rise before, every unicorn had, but to be so connected to it on such a spiritual level as it made its ascent brought more than one of them to tears.

As the magic continued to pour out of his body, Clover spared a glance to the ponies that were watching from their seats. Was this what it was like for them? Everyone had to take their turn with the sun at some point in their lives, so it must have. He had seen others walk away from their first sunrise looking particularly proud, and it made sense now. He caught a glimpse of Azalea's warm smile from the crowd, a smile he knew was meant only for him. He was actually kind of glad that Pyrus had decided to stick his nose in his business. Clover might never have built up the courage to talk to her, and now that he had, he was looking forward to what would become of them.

Clover was pulled from his reverie as he caught a glimpse of the elders as they watched from their vantage point. Something didn't seem quite right, all three of them were looking uneasy and Gladiolus looked like he might bolt at any second. What could've been bothering them? Was there something wrong? Was something different about this particular sunrise, or did something else happen? Something that wasn't his problem. That must've been it. This heat, this warmth, this life that filled him just felt so... right. Like he might melt into its embrace. Everything was absolutely perfect.

Until it wasn't. He didn't notice right away, but the warmth he was feeling started to feel a bit uncomfortable, and after a few more moments, it began to hurt. Now Clover was starting to worry. Had something actually gone wrong? He looked to his classmates to see if they had noticed something he hadn't, but that was when the dull pain started to burn. He looked down as the smell of charred fur began to fill his nostrils. The space around his hooves had started to glow a cherry red. Soon after, screams began to fill his ears, answering the question if something had gone wrong.

Clover snapped his head to the source of the scream to find the mare next to him with her mane fully on fire. He tried to help, but his magic was inaccessible and whatever was happening had left him unable to move, almost as if his hooves had been fused to the stone. The pull on his magic hadn't stopped either. Power continued to be forcibly ripped out of him, feeding magic that fueled the fire.

The shouting that came from outside the circle was barely discernable over the sound of the roaring fire that now thrashed around him. Two more of his classmates had now caught fire, while the first one that had done so collapsed into a smoldering heap. It hadn't taken long for his own clothes to burn away in this growing inferno, the collective smoke now making it very hard to breathe.

Clover's building dread was only worsened when he remembered that his friend was also somewhere in this burning hellscape. He tried to look through the flames to where Pyrus should've been standing. He almost wished he hadn't looked. For the unicorn still stood where he had been, but not as Clover would've recognized him.

Pyrus' fur had been charred black, blacker than it had ever been in his entire life. His mane had mostly been burned away, and what little remained continued to burn viciously without any sign of stopping. He was still standing tall, but he wasn't moving. His attention seemed to be focused on something overhead, and not even his own body being burned to cinders could pull him away from it.

That was when Clover noticed his eyes. There were no eyes left inside the pony's head. Instead there was only brilliant golden orbs that refused to look away from the sun for even a moment. Even now, Clover could feel the sun's might pulling at the very center of his being, threatening to drag him in. To claim him, so that his life might cause it to burn a little brighter.

And then without any warning, the fires all suddenly died out. Not even a trace of it remained. All the ponies that had been left standing on the dais collapsed to the ground all at once. The stone felt unusually cool beneath them, and Clover could barely make out the faint sound of hooves as they padded the ground.

But his attention refused to leave the sole participant of the sunrise that had remained standing.

Pyrus still stood where he was, still as a statue. The flames that clung to his body still hadn't quite gone out yet. When they did, what remained of the young unicorn began to buckle and crack. His limbs began to crumble into dust as they collected into an ashen pile on the ground, shortly before the wind picked up and carried the ashes away to parts unknown.

The last thing Clover saw, before the darkness finally claimed him, was the scorched and charred stone where his friend had once stood.

Chapter 6: Touched by Sunlight

Clover awoke the next day in a cold sweat. His body felt heavy, his throat felt dry, and for the life of him, he couldn't remember what he had been doing the night before. He had a sinking suspicion that he was forgetting something or that he had just escaped from a particularly bad dream, but try as he might, he couldn't remember what it was.

He pushed himself up, or or at least he tried to. Any movement left him with an uncomfortable stretching sensation over his entire body. He looked down at his torso, only to find white cloth wrapped tightly around his body.

That's just great, the unicorn found himself thinking. It looks like he had forgotten to take off his toga before going to bed. He hadn't done that in a long time. However, it did provide some explanation for what had happened. His friend, Pyrus, had probably partied a little too hard, and Clover had found himself dragged into his shenanigans while trying to keep him from hurting himself. He shouldn't be too surprised. They did just go and raise the sun for the first time after all. Pyrus probably had some sort of epic afterparty planned. Of this, Clover had no doubt.

Wait a moment, though. Didn't he have his own plans for after the sunrise? He was sure he did. Clover lay there, staring at the ceiling, while he tried to remember. The effort brought about a dull throbbing in his skull that made him furrow his brow. At least now he knew why he was having trouble remembering. Fortunately, hangovers had a very easy spell for sorting them out.

Or at least, it should have been an easy spell. As Clover reached inside for his magic, his headache only grew worse. A sharp spike of pain drove its way into his skull, centered from where his horn should be. His thoughts quickly became scrambled as overwhelming heat began running down his spine. Far from the most pleasant sensation, it was like someone was holding a hot iron to his back without the searing smell that came with it. Through the building agony, some clarity began making its way to the forefront of his mind.

Clover shot up from his bed, all while trying to ignore the pain that continued to get worse. He wrapped his bandaged forelegs around himself, for now he recognized them for what they were. His eyes darted around as the memories that had been so thoroughly burned into his soul resurfaced. It had started off so well. He and the other unicorns were the pride of their tribe, at the center of everyone's attention, and everything had been going so well. That was before the fire started.

He didn't want to believe any of it had been real, but everything had been too vivid, too mortifying, and far too painful to be dismissed by an overactive imagination. The flames had been voraciously consuming his classmates without any sign of stopping, but the thing that stuck out in his mind and refused to leave him alone, was the look he had seen in Pyrus' unwavering gaze.

Something had been in the sun, something that had been calling to him, or maybe that was just the sun itself. Clover couldn't really be sure what he had seen reflected in those blazing orbs that had replaced the eyes of his closest friend, but whatever it was, it was too much. It was far more than what could be contained by any one pony. It needed him. It needed all of them. It had shared its light with them so they could help it burn ever brighter.

The sun called to him. He couldn't see it where he was now, but still it called to him. He needed to join with it. Add his own fuel to the fire. He couldn't stay here. This room was too small. Far too small a space to contain the radiant presence that was reaching out to him. And it was getting smaller by the moment.

Panic quickly wrapped itself around the young unicorn as he sought any means of escape. He needed to get outside. He needed to see the sky. He needed to see the sun. He fell from the bed in a heap, and then thrashed about as he fought to free himself from the mess of sheets.

Once free, he scrambled back to his hooves, stumbling slightly as he touched the ground. The strain on his legs making it difficult to hold himself upright as he sought his escape. After a moment of searching, he saw the barest hint of sunlight stealing out from the cracks of a nearby door. He pushed forward, nothing else mattering except getting closer to the source of that light.

Clover shoved the door out of his way, refusing to let anything stand in his way, and look out into the room beyond. There was light here, but still not enough. He needed more. He ran through the space beyond, reveling in the increased illumination. However, the further he went, the more the shadows also began to grow as they moved in to smother him.

What were those things? Did it matter? All he knew is that they weren't light and they were standing in his way from getting to the light. He bucked and kicked at any that grew too close, refusing to let them smother him with their presence. Somehow, despite their overwhelming numbers, he still managed to push his way through, until he finally found what he was looking for.

The sun. He basked in the light that radiated from above and he finally felt at ease. It welcomed him into its arms as it wrapped him in its heat and warmth. He had found the peace he was looking for. Even when fresh pain began to tear through his body as it began to smolder, he delighted in the radiance of the sun.

Shouting and angry voices were all around him, but they were to be ignored. None of it mattered, not even those shadows that clung to him as the light claimed what was its right.

However, that changed as one particular shadow wrapped itself around Clover's neck. He intended to ignore it, like the rest, but something about this one seemed... familiar. He couldn't make out its form, but its scent... its smell itched at the deep recesses of his mind, the smell of mint and honey.

There had been something he was looking forward to, something he had been trying to remember when he first woke up, or more specifically, someone.

That someone clung to him now, indiscernible from the rest of the shadows if not for the scent. The small part of himself that didn't wish to burn, and had gone ignored until now, started to assert itself as memories of that warm smile fought for dominance, refusing to let go without being acknowledged.

The malignant burning of the sun began to withdraw as his attention was pulled away by this other presence. As he saw it for what it was, his vision started to clear, and as clarity returned to his world, he finally recognized the pony wrapped tightly around his neck.

The teary pink eyes of Azalea looked back into his own, calming his heart and finally extinguishing the fire that sought to claim what remained of his life. It was then that Clover realized how tired he really was. The strength he had managed to summon now leaving him as darkness claimed him once again.

The next time Clover was aware of the world around him, he wasn't alone. He was back in the same bed he found himself when he first awoke, but this time there were voices arguing from the other side of the room. He wanted to push himself up so he could see who was making all the noise, but that's when he noticed Azalea resting her head on the side of the bed.

"Azalea..." he said weakly. His voice felt raw and even the slightest movements evoked protests from his entire body.

While he hadn't spoken that loud, it had apparently been enough. One of the young mare's ears twitched and she turned her head to look at him. She must not have believed he had spoke at first, but when she saw him looking back at her, she broke out into tears.

It took some effort, and no small amount of discomfort, but Clover managed to lift one of his hooves enough before bringing it down to rest on the foreleg of the sobbing pony. Her tears had apparently also been enough to draw the attention of the others in the room, because the next thing he knew, he found the three elders watching him from the foot of the bed with various ranges of sympathy on their faces.

"It... it wasn't a dream, was it?" He asked, dreading the obvious truth.

"I'm afraid not," Elder Gladiolus shook his head. "We're still not sure what happened, but you all seem to have lost control of the ritual. In all my years, I've never seen a spell rebound that badly before."

"What about everypony else?" Clover asked. Part of him was afraid to ask, but he needed to know.

Gladiolus' face fell. Being the one that young ponies tended to seek for counsel, it made sense that he'd be the one who ended up breaking the news. However, that didn't make things any easier. "Everypony else is dead," he said regretfully. "Those that fortunate enough to survive the incident itself either died in their sleep, or stared into the sun until they burned up. Like you almost did."

The confirmation hit Clover like a kick in the gut. He already suspected there were casualties, but everyone? "And Pyrus?" He wasn't sure why he bothered asking. If his own memory was to be believed, then there was no way he survived.

"We never should've trusted that delinquent with such an important role," Elder Dahlia harrumphed. "Not even the ashes of that fool remain after that mess."

"Elder Dahlia." Elder Lily's voice was firm, but the ire clear was in her voice. "I will not have you speaking ill of the dead. Do not forget that he was close with our young friend here."

"But Elder," Dahlia continued unhindered. "How can you say that after you yourself were so badly burned?! And for what? Just so you could the life of a pony who will probably never use magic again?!"

Lily let out a tired breath. "I told you before, it was my choice to make," she said as she was clearly favoring one hoof over the other. The one she kept her weight off of seemed to be tightly bound with the same cloth Clover had wrapping his entire body. "And it's a sacrifice I will happily make again if it saves even a single life. Now, not another word on the subject. Have I made myself clear?"

"But..." Dahlia attempted to continue.

But Lily wasn't having it. "Have I made myself clear?" She clearly considered the matter closed.

Clover had mostly stopped listening by this point. Something they said had thoroughly latched onto him. Once there, it weighed on him as it threatened to drag him down. He was the only one left. Why was he the only one to survive? Despite how warm the room was, he still felt a chill run down his spine, and it didn't feel like it was going to leave him anytime soon.

The only comfort he found was in the girl by his side. Her eyes were red from her tears, and she appeared to have worn herself out, but still she found a way to share her strength. "Are you going to be alright, Clover?" Azalea asked with concern.

How had everything taken such a sharp turn for the worse? It felt like it was just yesterday that the biggest things he had to worry about was keeping up on his studies and wondering if the cute girl in the corner would ever notice him. How was anyone expected to cope with this? What exactly was he supposed to do?

"I don't know," he said as he trembled. "I'm not sure about anything anymore."

"Don't you worry," she said as she pulled him close. "We're going to help you figure it out."

Their moment was interrupted by Elder Gladiolus clearing his throat. "I am sorry to bother you, Clover," he said. "But it's important we know. Was there anything about the sunrise that seemed out of place? Anything at all. We've had our best scribes looking over the dais for days now, but it was damaged beyond repair."

The other two concluded their disagreement when the old stallion began talking. It apparently had been a point of contention among them and they were all eager to have some answers.

"I... I don't know what to tell you," Clover said as he swallowed hard. The unexpected attention was making him nervous. "It was just like what the older students told us. When we connected to the sun, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride, but..." He strained his memory. He didn't really want to remember that sensation, despite how enticing it was, but the three most important ponies in the city wanted to know, and were willing to put up with each other to find some answers. "But when we finally felt its light on our faces, it was incredible. It's hard to describe. It was like we had already caught fire, even before it actually happened. The light, it was hungry... powerful. It wanted to draw us in. It was like... it was like..."

"Like you were touching the breath of life, itself?" Elder Lily finished for him.

"Yeah," Clover nodded eagerly along. "It was kinda like that," he said.

"Then it is as we feared," Lily sighed in resignation. "We have records of this 'sun sickness' as it used to be called, but I've never heard of anypony ever dying from it."

"If I'm not mistaken," said Gladiolus. "The ritual dais was specifically designed to help protect the minds of young ponies from being influenced too heavily."

"It is," agreed Dahlia as she appeared to be thinking something over. "You don't suppose it could've been sabotage, do you?"

Four sets of eyes, plus that of the nurse who was on duty, looked back at the elder with stunned silence. It was Gladiolus who broke the silence first. "What are you saying?! That one of our own would orchestrate the deaths of so many?"

"Not a unicorn," she said in response. "But it wouldn't be too hard for a pegasus to slip in and damage the dais in the middle of the night. The guard has been a bit lax as of late."

"And how would a pegasus be able to mess up the sunrise circle? And what would they have to gain by doing that?" Gladiolus retorted.

"Think about it," she continued pointedly. "There's no way the other tribes won't have noticed that something happened, the sun got far brighter than normal that day, and the next summit is barely a fortnight away. The other tribes might not be as wise as us, but they're not complete fools. They'll use every advantage they can to lessen our position."

"That's enough of that," Elder Lily said curtly as she took hold of the conversation. "Elder Dahlia," she said firmly without raising her voice any further. "I don't know what you think you're trying to accomplish, but please don't make such incendiary comments about our allies." She lifted her eyes to stare back at Dahlia, and even though she hadn't raised her voice, all it took was a single look from the ancient mare to cause her to recoil sharply.

"Now. Azalea, dear," Lily said, softening her expression as she turned back to the two young ponies, "can I count on you to look after our young friend here? I heard you played a large part in saving him earlier today."

"Me?!" Azalea seemed to be caught a bit off guard as her eyes darted back and forth between her mother and the eldest mare. It didn't last long, but she eventually bowed her head in respectful affirmation. "As you wish, Elder," she said at last.

"Respected Elder," Dahlia huffed. "I am sorry, but I must object. No good can come from my daughter continuing to associate with this broken pony."

"I disagree," Lily said simply, brokering no room for argument. "It was by her and her actions alone that anypony survived at all, and I won't jeopardize that." She stepped up beside the bed and placed her burned and bandaged hoof on Clover's head. A gesture that probably brought her great pain, even if she refused to show it.

"What's going to happen to me?" Clover couldn't help but ask, his own future seeming more uncertain than ever.

Elder Lily smiled gently back at him. "That'll be for you to decide," she said. "I'm not going to pretend it'll be easy, but as long as you are still alive, there will always be possibilities."

Chapter 7: Those Left Behind

It was another week before Clover felt well enough to be released from the infirmary. Much of his body had been burned beyond recognition, and even with the best healers at their disposal, it was evident that there'd always be a reminder of that horrible event. The only silver lining, if any could be considered in the wake of such tragedy, was it seemed likely that Clover would eventually regain full use of his limbs. However, not everything can be healed with time alone.

"Come on, try again. You can do it," she continued to cheer him on. Ever since he had reawakened, Azalea, the girl he had fawned after for so long, had remained by his side; and while doing so had originally been an order from Elder Lily, she seemed to relish in the task, and his company. Maybe even more so than he did with her.

Clover once again strained against his own horn as he attempted to push magic through it. It flickered and sputtered with green sparks, but failed to light up completely. The quill he had been focused on wobbled, his magic just barely managing to grasp it. It soon began to pulse in time with his magic and had only barely lifted from the table before finally catching fire. The delicate tool quickly burned up and the ashes slipped right through his magical grasp before collecting next to the remains of his other failed attempts.

The injured unicorn collapsed as he released the small amount of magic he had been able to conjure. Even that much had been enough to leave him feeling exhausted and dripping with sweat. The bandages he still kept himself wrapped in quickly soaked up the offending moisture. With how heavy they were starting to feel, they would likely need to be swapped out soon.

"It's no use," Clover conceded as he caught his breath. He had been trying this same exercise for days now, but it didn't seem to be getting any easier. "All I seem to be good for anymore is starting fires."

"Well..." Azalea said as she considered his most recent attempt. "It didn't catch fire quite so quickly this time..." She paused when she saw the downtrodden look he was giving her. "Don't be like that," she said. "The doctor didn't think you'd even be able to produce as much as a weak glow. Look how far you've come."

He couldn't deny that she had a point. With all the poking and prodding they had done during his extended hospital stay, one of the gravest bits of news he had gotten was the state of his horn. The fire had burned him so deeply that even the inside of his own horn had been thoroughly cooked. It had left him with a numb feeling in the middle of his forehead, and it was so bad that more than once Clover had found himself checking to make sure his horn was still there. That he had been able to get any magic through it, at all, no matter how little or how unstable, was nothing short of a miracle.

"If only I could hold a quill again," he bemoaned, "at least I'd be able to return to my studies." Clover had never been a very powerful unicorn, even before the accident. Besides, he had always been more interested in researching new spells and techniques. According to his teachers, he had a strong aptitude for it, and he should still be able to do a lot of the research even with his infirmity.

Azalea sighed as she stood up. This wasn't the first time she had watched the downtrodden pony beat himself up, but she was getting tired of seeing it. "Come on," she said as she nudged him out of his seat. "You've been stuck in this stuffy room for far too long. Some fresh air will do you some good."

"But..." He quivered at the thought of being outside again. "The sun..."

"Went down hours ago," Azalea cut him off. "You won't have to worry about going mad right now. I can't say the same if either of us stay cooped up in this room much longer."

"And my scars?" Clover asked.

Clover had never been a particularly vain pony, but after the first time the bandages needed changing, he had gotten a good look at how bad the damage was. He really didn't like being reminded of what had happened. Once, he even tried wrapped his toga tightly around himself, but all that accomplished was making it really hard to move.

Azalea watched Clover and his dilemma for a moment before ducking into the other room, leaving Clover to once again lament his fate. "I thought about that," he heard her say from the other room. "And I think I may have a solution. Close your eyes for a moment."

The unusual request succeeded in peaking Clover's curiosity as he did as he was told. The room remained silent until he heard the sound of Azalea's hoofsteps reenter the room. "No peeking," she teased. Clover squeezed his eyes a bit tighter as he felt something lay across his shoulders. It drifted over his back, coming to rest down past his own tail before he felt her fasten something around his neck.

"You can open your eyes now," he heard her say, and he did so, but when he saw what she had done, his jaw just dropped.

Draped over him, like some sort of large blanket, was a cloak. It was similar to what they might wear during the winter, but it felt a lot finer than anything Clover had worn before. He reached back and ran a hoof down the side of it, marveling in how smooth the cloth felt beneath his touch. "This is..." He tried talking, but he still felt in awe to be wearing something so fine. He worked his way back to the front, where he noticed a clasp was in the shape of a four-leaf clover. "Where did you get this?"

"Well," Azalea started, seeming a bit embarrassed for some reason. "I may have been taking advantage of some of my free time while you've been sleeping. I always wanted to try weaving, but my mother never would've allowed it. Probably say something like it's beneath me and all that nonsense, but I think it turned out alright."

Clover followed along with her words, hardly believing what he was hearing as he looked back down at the fine cloak. "You made this?" He asked.

"Yes, I did," she said as she rubbed the back of her head, her ears turning red at the same time. "Do you like it?"

"It's... It's beautiful," he said as he continued to marvel in her fine work. "Thank you."

The red in Azalea's ears was now working its way down to encompass the rest of her head. "Come on," she said quickly. She began pushing him towards the door before she inevitably burst into flames. "Let's get out of here."

The moon had already risen to its full height, with not even the smallest remnant of daylight left in the sky. The pale light reflected off the marble buildings, giving them the sullen appearance of a forest of ivory. In the distance, he could just barely make out the mist tossed up by the falls, and the way it caught the silvery light as it drifted off the side of the island.

It wasn't like he hadn't seen any of this before. After all, he had lived in this city his entire life. Maybe it was his recent brush with death that made him appreciate it all the more, but the sight of it now left him staring in awe at his surroundings. His instantaneous change in disposition brought unbound joy to the pony by his side.

"I was wondering when he'd show up again," Azalea said, causing Clover to snap to reality.

He looked around, trying to figure out who she was talking about. "Who?" He asked, confused. "I don't see anypony else here."

"I meant you, silly," she chuckled as stepped up and brushed aside his mane. "That look of wonder you get on your face when you've discovered something. I hadn't seen it in so long, and I was starting to wonder if I ever would again."

Clover blushed deeply at her words, his cheeks feeling warmer than they had in a while. Even though he had grown accustomed to her constant presence ever since the incident, something about the way she said it started to make him feel shy around her all over again.

"Come on," she said, having quickly noticed his sudden withdrawal. "Let's walk around for a bit."

It was late enough that they didn't see many other ponies wandering the streets. When they did run into others, all they received were a few polite nods before going on their way. Clover could've sworn that every so often one of them would look at him strangely, probably because of the cloak he was wearing. Although none of them actually said anything to that extent, something just felt strange about the way they were looking at him.

He tried not to let it bother him. The cool air helped settle his nerves, and the company of the beautiful mare by his side made him feel at peace. She had slid up beside him some time ago. A simple gesture, but it was enough to put his soul at ease, allowing him to hope that everything would be all right.

Their walk had taken them through a small park when something caught Clover's eye. A faint light glimmered in the darkness, and he could see ponies gathered around it. He couldn't make out much more more than, but there was something about how quiet they were that drew his attention.

"What is that?" Clover asked aloud.

Azalea perked up at his voice. She looked like she had been about to fall asleep even as they walked, so she really hadn't been paying too much attention to their surroundings. She screwed her eyes in the direction of the distant ponies, her face falling when she saw them.

"I don't know," she said quickly, averting her eyes. "But I don't think we should bother them. Let's just keep going."

However, there was something about the other ponies that Clover couldn't easily dismiss. "It'll only take a moment," he said as he veered in the new direction. "I just want to know what happening."

Azalea reached out a hoof to stop him, but he was already out of reach. She hurried after him, neglecting to call out to him lest she draw unwanted attention their way.

As it turned out, there were a lot more unicorns gathered together than he had first thought. They had sort of blended into the darkness, but as Clover got closer, he could now see that there were actually quite a few of them gathered there.

It didn't take long for Clover to see what had drawn everyone's attention. He saw it around the same time he heard the unmistakable sound of ponies weeping, and his breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight.

A stone monument had been constructed, right there, in the middle of the park, with a small flame resting at its center. The names and cutie marks of a number of ponies found illuminated on its surface, and as he looked over the names, he was unable to stay standing as he took it all in.

It was everyone from his class. Everyone who had died that day. He hadn't known many of them all that well, but they were still gone while he had been left behind. He slowly read over the names, knowing who he'd eventually find if he kept going. Still, he pressed onward until he found who he was looking for.

Pyrus Sunflare. His friend. His name was listed there with the rest of them. He had already accepted that his friend was gone, he had cried long into the night once the initial shock had finally worn off. But seeing him here, along with everyone else lost that day, brought the tears rushing back.

Water flowed freely from his eyes, settling into his coat or splashing against the ground, as he sat there. He was so caught up in his revived grief that he hadn't noticed Azalea was back by his side until she wrapped a hoof around him and pulled him close.

"Clover... Are you going to be alright?" She asked, keeping her voice low.

Clover lifted his blurred eyes to meet hers. He could just barely make out his own disheveled state reflected in her tender gaze. Like so many times over the last week, just having her nearby helped soothe the pain that continued to eat away at him. He wasn't sure if he would've lasted this long without her nearby.

"I don't know. Probably," he choked out. "Everything's just so unfair. Why'd it have to be us?"

Azalea let out a sigh as she tightened her grip around him. "Because sometimes bad things happen to good ponies," she said. "At least, that's what my mother's always saying. I never really understood what she meant before now. You're not a bad pony, Clover. You just had some really bad luck. That's all."

A pained laugh escaped Clover's lips. "Bad luck, huh," he said. "It's funny. I always believed my cutie mark was suppose to bring me the opposite. At least, that's what everypony always told me."

"It's far too soon to tell," she continued. "But I still think you're pretty lucky. I mean, you survived when nopony else did. That's has to count for something."

"Maybe," he said, his attention turning back to the monument. "I still wish that everypony else was still here, though."

Clover's tears slowly dried as he sat there. Gradually, he started to feel a bit better after finally letting everything out. He may have continued staring at the monument for the rest of the night, but that was when he noticed how quiet it suddenly was.

He hadn't been the only one that was mourning, the wailing of other ponies had been part of what had caught his initial attention. His own sobs had been one of many, blending into the chorus that was everyone's sorrow. However, he hadn't immediately noticed when his voice was the only one still heard.

Clover looked around, only to find the eyes of everyone else looking right at him. He could barely make out their faces in the dim light, but the ones he could see had their eyes narrowed to slits, as if they were looking right through him.

Confusion was Clover's only real response to their reaction, and it continued to be that way until one particular stallion stepped out from the crowd.

He knew this pony. If for no other reason than that his son had taken after his colors so thoroughly. His dark coat and bright orange mane made him stand out from the rest of the crowd, and Clover began to back away once he finally started putting the pieces together. Pieces that should've been obvious, but hadn't been. That was until he came face to face with Pyrus' father, Sunspot.

"You got some nerve showin' yer face after all that happened," the older pony growled. His mane was a mess. The toga wrapped around his body was in complete disarray with splotches of purple and red decorating its surface. Large bags had settled under his eyes and as he got closer, the sour scent of grapes was evident on his breath. "Why... if it weren't for you, my boy would still be here."

The sudden accusation stung as Clover staggered backward. What exactly was he supposed to say to that? Pyrus had been his best friend. He never would've dreamed of allowing any misfortune to befall him. "I..." He opened his mouth in an attempt to form something of a response, but before he could go any further, he was cut off as Azalea pushed her way in front of him.

"Mr. Sunflare," she huffed. A fire seemed to have lit itself under her as she stood tall and flared her nostrils at her troublesome neighbor. "We've been over this. Clover had nothing do with your son's death."

"Maybe not directly," someone from the sidelines spoke up. "But we all saw the way the fire attacked everypony there. Why was he spared when everypony else wasn't?"

"He was just lucky," Azalea hopelessly retorted. It was clear she was losing ground as the others had slowly been forming a circle around them.

"You call that lucky?!" Yet another voice shouted out from the crowd. "Look at the way he covers himself! What is he hiding?! I heard he can't even use magic anymore! He may as well be dead!"

If the earlier words stung, then those ones hit like a kick in the gut. The idea had invaded Clover's thoughts more than once while he recovered, but he hadn't dared voice them. To hear them spoken aloud threatened to tear a fresh hole where his heart should be.

Azalea whirled around, looking for the pony who just said that, but it seemed the rest of the ponies were far from done as they were quickly forming into a mob.

"He's cursed!" Shouted one.

"He'll jinx us all!" Came another.

Cold sweat started to crawl down Clover's back as the other unicorns towered over him. Their eyes almost seemed to glow, leaving him exposed under their piercing gaze.

"I want my daughter back!" The shouts continued.

He looked for an escape. He needed to get out.

"I'll never hear Star Scope's laugh ever again!"

What happened to Azalea? She had somehow gone missing amidst the press of bodies.

"What makes you so special?!"

He was trapped. He couldn't breathe. Everything was getting dark.

Stars flashed across his vision as something hit him. Clover collapsed to the ground and he looked up to see the drunken pony with fire in his eyes and the extended hoof that had just come in contact with his face. "It should have been you," Sunspot snarled through gritted teeth.

That last bit of vitriol was the last thing Clover heard before something took hold of him, and the world was swallowed in a flash of light.

The light went out as fast as it had appeared, and even though the only thing that surrounded him now was the cold and the dark, he still couldn't get the voices out of his head.

Why had he been the only one to survive? What made him so special? How was he supposed to continue with this shell of a life he still had left? Why was he the only one that had to suffer this misfortune?

"You're not cursed, Clover." The words came unbidden. The voice sounded dry, raspy, and so weak that the pony who spoke them may as well have one hoof in the grave.

"Azalea?" Clover called out. His chest still felt heavy, but he pushed aside his own feelings as best he could when he heard how she sounded. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"I think so," she said. "But that really took it out of me. I've only used that spell a couple of times before and never in a hurry like that. Any idea where we ended up?"

Clover wasn't sure what spell she might've used, and he was still seeing spots due to the bright light. It took a while longer, but eventually his eyes adjusted enough to the darkness that he could start to make out their surroundings.

"Is that?..." His breath caught when he saw the moon reflecting off the distant water. It swirled around the island, one that he was all too familiar with. "Is that..." He gasped. "How did we end up outside the city?"

"That explains my headache," said Azalea as she rubbed at her temples. "I used a spell to get us out of there. I never expected us to reappear so far away, though."

"Teleportation?!" He exclaimed in shock. Clover had, of course, heard of such magic. It was extremely advanced magic that very few unicorns were able to cast. Those that could were either too old to use it well, or the kind of legend that could only be found in children's stories. Considering how ragged Azalea looked after using it just once, it made sense why it wasn't more commonly used.

"I'll be alright," Azalea said when she saw how he was watching her. "I'll be fine. I just need a moment to catch my breath." She pushed herself up while a few errant sparks still flicked off her horn. They were sparse and didn't emit much light, but that small amount of effort caused her to collapse back on her haunches and she resumed holding a hoof against her apparently aching head. "Ok," she said, sounding a little less confident. "Maybe I need a bit more than a moment. I'm more worried about you, though." She held out a hoof and rested it on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He wanted to say yes, but the mocking and jeers of the crowd were still too fresh in his memory. He lifted one hoof to rest on the side on his face, the spot where the father of his best friend had hit him. That had probably hurt far more than everything else. How could he go back? How could he face him, and ponies like him, again?

The tears returned again. Although this time they weren't for his fallen friend, or even from the lingering pain of the welt he'd surely have later. He just felt so... lost. Where was he suppose to go? What was he suppose to do? How could be expected to keep going?

"Hey!" Azalea shouted as she attempted to shake him out of his downward spiral. "Listen to me! You're not worthless, Clover. Stop thinking that you are."

"But..." He whimpered. "What good am I, anymore? What good is a broken unicorn to anypony?"

"You listen and you listen well," she refused to be deterred by the crestfallen stallion. "You're gonna do big things one day. Some day, you're going to be the most important pony who ever lived."

Her conviction was so strong that it may as well have been the only lifeline Clover could latch on to. "How could you possibly know that?" He said. "What makes you think I'm so special?"

Azalea let out another sigh. "Sometimes bad things happen to good ponies," she said. "But those good ponies don't have to let it define the rest of their lives. It's like what Elder Lily said. It may not be easy, but if you keep trying, there will always be possibilities. I want to believe in the future, Clover," she said with a tear in her eye. "And I'm not giving up on you."

"But..." Clover wanted to continue protesting, but he stopped when he saw what Azalea was doing.

She had started fiddling with the clasp that held her toga in place. It was difficult at first, she was probably used to manipulating it with her magic, but eventually between her hooves and her teeth, she managed to undo the troublesome clasp. Azalea then paused for only the briefest of moment before slowly unwrapping the cloth from the rest of her body.

Clover sat there agape as the material fell to the ground, leaving the mare's perfectly groomed coat on full display. From her withers all the way down to the flower shaped cutie mark that was her namesake. Every inch of her was absolutely beautiful.

He was more than aware of how fiercely she was blushing as she drew closer to him again. He tried to back away, but there had apparently been a tree right behind him. Unable to escape, he could do nothing but watch as she reached forward and proceeded to remove the cloak she had made for him.

"What are you doing?" Clover choked out. His mind had started racing and fire was now flowing through his veins as he came to his own conclusion. A seemingly impossible conclusion.

Azalea let out a small squeak at his voice, but didn't stop what she doing until she had successfully pried the pony free of his covering. Unlike her own pristine coat, Clover's golden fur was mottled with scars that not even the best healers in the city could fully erase. The burns had left his coat a patchwork mess, and when he realized how exposed he now was, he turned his face away her in shame.

That was until she took hold of his head and forced him to face her. Clover once again found himself looking deep into her pink eyes. Eyes that reflected his own nervousness, letting him know that he wasn't the only one that was suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"You're not worthless, Clover," Azalea repeated her earlier words. "I'll say it as many times as I need to until I get through to you. You're a pony worth knowing and I'm never going to leave your side."

Clover's retort was cut off as he found her soft touch pressed against his lips. His eyes grew wide as she removed her hoof, and he once again opened his mouth to speak, but his words were silenced as her lips met his own. She was warm and even though she had constantly been by his side since the accident, it was only now that her scent truly started to rouse the more primal parts of his brain.

Whatever argument he might have had remained forgotten as her added weight forced him down into the tall grass below. It was slow at first, but they soon began to explore each other with the vigor that only youth possessed, and for the first time since he could remember, Clover didn't worry about what tomorrow might bring.

Chapter 8: Chasing the Light

It was well and truly late into the night when Clover next opened his eyes. His body was pleasantly sore in all the right places, and he could still feel the weight of Azalea pressing into him as she slept beside him. Their discarded robes remained bundled up by the foot of the tree, and even though they both might have felt more embarrassed to be seen in nothing but their own coats, after what they just shared together, it didn't seem to matter quite so much.

He allowed his eyes to lazily drift over her body, taking in every inch he had gotten to know so much better. When he made his way up to her face, he found her looking back at him, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she watched him.

"How long was I asleep?" He asked as he began to feel a bit embarrassed. He had fallen asleep on her, after all.

However, it didn't seem like she minded so much. "Not long," she said. "Maybe an hour or so." She smiled that warm smile again. "You just looked so peaceful, and I didn't want to wake you."

Clover felt freshly flustered at her comment, and even though he should've been far past the point of feeling embarrassed in front of her, he did anyway.

Azalea giggled at his reaction before leaning in to give him another quick kiss. After which, she nuzzled back into his side and made herself comfortable again.

Clover couldn't remember a single moment in his life where he felt so good to have someone else close by. To be able to wrap himself up in that warm feeling like a blanket was something he had only ever heard stories about. However, as his gaze drifted skyward, his thoughts were far from here.

He couldn't completely shake the memory of how the other unicorns had responded to his presence. The way they looked down on him, and treated him like he was something dirty. What of Azalea? Surely, she deserved someone far better than the likes of him.

"Everything will work out. You'll see," Azalea said unbidden, like she had known exactly what he was thinking.

Clover looked back to her as he was pulled out of his reverie, and he marveled at the starlight that reflected in her eyes. The way she looked at him was just so earnest, so sincere, that when she said those words, Clover couldn't help but believe them to be true.

He had lost his best friend, and he would probably never get over the gruesome way he had left this world. But in his absence, this girl, for whom he had done little more than fancy until recently, was doing her best to support him. The desire to bemoan his own fate was so strong, but as long as she stayed by his side, even someone as wretched as him could find a reason to keep on living.

Clover's eyes were halfway closed when a distant light caught his eye. At first he thought his mind might've been playing tricks on him, because it looked like one of the stars was moving. It was certainly possible for the stars to move. He and the other students of his class had been taught how to make them move, and had even done so. Although, it had been Pryus' idea, and they had gotten quite the scolding after everything was said and done. This was the first thing that came to the forefront of his mind as he watched the tiny ball of light dart back and forth, that it was just a bunch of young spellcasters trying out their newfound power. It would only be a matter of time before they were found out, and scolded like him and his peers had been.

However, this explanation was quickly brushed aside as this star was not only darting from side to side, but also moving far faster than what should be possible, like it was some sort of elusive firefly that danced its way through the night sky.

Azalea sat up beside him, having become aware of how tense Clover had suddenly gotten. She followed his gaze, and before long she spotted the same thing he had. "What do you suppose that is?" She asked.

Clover slowly shook his head without once looking away from the unusual object. "I don't know," he said. Whatever it was, he could feel it pulling at him, demanding his attention. It may have just been a trick of the light, but whatever it was, it seemed to be getting closer.

"Clover?!" Azalea shouted after him. "Where are you going?"

Her sudden outburst instantly captured his attention. He snapped his eyes over to her, only to find she was already several paces away. Without meaning to, he had started following the wandering light, similar to how he had when he chased the sun.

"I... I don't know," he said. He didn't want to worry the girl more than he already had, so he trained his eyes on the ground, doing his best not to look at the celestial object as he made his way back to her. She wasn't fooled, though.

"It was calling to you, wasn't it?" She said. "Just like the sun did?"

Clover let out a long sight. "Yes," he admitted sheepishly. There wasn't any point in trying to hide it.

"We should make you a blindfold or something," Azalea said as she started rummaging through her discarded robes. She found the end of one piece and quickly tore off one end of it off with her teeth. "We really need to find our way back into the city." She let out a discontented sigh. "My mother is going to be so mad at me. Coming home late and with torn clothes."

With the frayed fabric in hoof, she limped her way over to him. She reached up, and was about to tie her makeshift blindfold over his eyes, when a brilliant flash of light lit up overhead. The errant star had suddenly gotten so much bigger and brighter, it may as well have been the middle of the day with the way it lit up the countryside.

Azalea shielded her eyes, more out of reflex than anything else. She panicked when she realized what had just happened, looking back in a hurry to the pony she had been trying to protect. However, Clover was already gone.

The light. It called to him. It pulled at him. It needed him.

Same as with the sun and just as this new light had done only moments before. Clover was at full gallop before he even knew what was happening. The feeling went deep. The same burning sensation that crawled its way into the very marrow of his bones. He needed to burn. To join the sun in a blaze of glory and nothing would stop him from his goal. Not this time.

Clover!

This time? What had stopped him before? His thoughts wandered for only a moment when he thought he heard something. Whatever it was, it was far away. Too far away to actually matter.

Clover looked to the fireball overhead. It was so beautiful. He wanted to reach out and touch it, but that just wasn't possible. It was too far away and moving far too fast for him to catch. However, he wasn't to be deterred. Nothing would stop him and he didn't care how impossible the prospect of reaching that light was. He wouldn't stop running until he caught it.

Clover!

There it was again. He wasn't sure where the sound was coming from, but it seemed to be coming from all around him. Maybe it was coming from the light? Was it as excited about joining him as he was with it?

Clover's hooves began pounding the ground even harder, and he started to believe he might actually reach the light. It was getting closer and closer. Surely, it was trying to get to him, and Clover was ready and eager to meet it as well.

Clover! Look out!

The light. It missed him. Just as Clover was certain it was coming for him, it flew just over his head, singeing the tips of his ears just before it hit the ground in front of him with a resounding boom.

The air was shaken by the powerful force. The force of which was enough to cause even the ground itself to tremble. The ground became unsteady beneath Clover's hooves, and with how fast he had been going, the chances of him catching himself were slim to none. He fell through the grass, tumbling end over end until he landed face first in the ground.

Dirt rained around him in large chunks. It pelted his coat and soon left him buried shoulder deep in the ground. He wasn't completely sure what had happened, but all he knew was that the force driving him was closer than ever.

His goal was almost in sight. He wasn't going to let a little dirt get in his way, damn it. It was a struggle, but Clover managed to pull himself out of the dirt. It didn't get any easier after he climbed his way free. A fresh mound stretched out before him that hadn't been there only moments prior. However, faint traces of the light he had been chasing were visible just over the distant ridge. He was so close.

Clover! Where did you go?

It was difficult. The freshly turned dirt was soft and gave far too easily as he made his way upward, but Clover made gradual progress, not once stopping for a break until he reached the top. Once he was there, he celebrated inwardly as the light had finally come to a stop in the crater before him. It had sunk deep, but more than enough of it was poking above the surface that he could finally make it out properly.

And it was absolutely beautiful.

It shone the purest of white while ribbons of yellow and blue and the most vibrant of indigo snaked off it. He barely took a moment to take it all in because that tug on his center was stronger than ever. He had to get down there.

Clover slid down the crater, the trip down being far easier than the trip up, and came to a stop only a few feet from his goal. He had made it. Absolutely nothing would keep him from his goal at this point. Not pony, nor city, nor any form of magic would stop him. Not even that fresh burning smell that began clinging to his body with earnest. He lifted one hoof as he started beaming from ear to ear, and then he placed it directly on the source of what he had been chasing.

It was bright, it was powerful, and it was hot.

Very hot.

Too hot.

So hot, in fact, that the survival instinct which had been conveniently pushed down over the last hour decided to finally make itself known.

Clover's eyes completely snapped back into focus as pain tore its way up his leg and into the rest of his body. His heart began racing as a bubbling sensation coursed through his veins and into his very core. Panic set in as he tried to pull his hoof away from the object that was literally making his blood boil, but his leg refused to give way. For the second time in very recent memory, Clover experienced the sensation of his own body burning and the smell of his own scorched fur.

"Clover!" Her voice was all too clear now, and Clover followed it to find a panicked Azalea as she slid down into the crater.

Clover tried to call out to her as he reached out with his other hoof, but the words died in his throat. The only thing that made its way out was the acrid taste of ash. Nothing could help him. Not now, and not ever again. The last thing he saw before his whole world went white was Azalea reaching out for him.

...

Clover's eyes shot open as he woke with a start. Something had to be seriously wrong with him. Was he having a bad dream or something? The source of that light was obviously dangerous. Why would he willingly run towards his own death like that?

The bandages were gone, most likely burned away in the first couple of moments after touching the burning rock. He ran his hooves over his exposed body, the sensation of burning flesh still fresh in his mind. However, upon further inspection, what he found left him incredibly confused. Not only was there no sign that he had been recently burning, but he also couldn't even find any of the scars left on him by the sunrise. If that wasn't bad enough, his body also had an unusually glassy look to it. At first, he thought it was just a trick of the light, but when he looked closer, he found he could also see right through his own body.

"What in the world..." He started to say, or at least he tried to. He had opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out when he tried. What in the world was happening? Without any sort of answers available, there was nothing left for Clover to do except to try and figure out where he was.

It appeared he was sitting on some sort of dirt path. It must have been regularly traveled with all the packed hoof prints he could make out. With how messy and unkempt the path was, he couldn't possibly be back in the city. The unicorns responsible for maintaining the roads tended to throw a fit if even a single stone was out of place.

The thick fog surrounding him made it difficult to make much out, but there were a few distinguishable shapes that could be barely made out through through the gloom. Clover made a few experimental steps, hoping to clear up his view. Once he was a bit closer, the large shapes appeared to be some kind of huts or some other kind of dwelling.

The wonderment at who would think to use dried grass to crown such a shelter was interrupted as the sound of laughter made its way to his ears. It didn't sound like the sort that had any real purpose behind it, but instead it sounded like the simple sound of foals at play.

Wherever he was, it couldn't be too bad if young colts and fillies were running around without a care in the world. It was a bit strange that they'd be doing so when it was still so dark outside. Their parents were probably close, and if he was lucky, he might be able to find a unicorn who could tell him what was happening to him. So, without a better plan to work with, he followed the sound in hopes of finding help.

However, when he found the source of the noise, it wasn't quite what he expected. It was indeed the sound of ponies he heard, but not all of them were unicorns. A huge crowd of mixed equines we're all gathered together. Sure, there were a number of unicorns among them, but Clover spotted several sporting wings, as well as many who lacked either adornment.

It felt strange seeing ponies from all the tribes milling about. He had never seen anyone from the other tribes, but he had heard plenty from the others and he had no reason not to believe them. Earth ponies were supposed to be uncivilized and dirty, and while pegasi were widely known for being excessively proud, they weren't all that bright. None of that made itself apparent with the way everyone was acting right now. In fact, if it weren't for the slight physical differences, he wouldn't be able to tell them apart at all.

Clover was so caught up in his own thoughts that he almost missed it when a hushed silence fell over the crowd. Every pony had all turned as one to face a stage that looked over the whole crowd. He followed their gaze, and what he saw took his non-existent breath away.

A figure had stepped out onto the stage taller than any pony Clover had ever seen. He couldn't make out anything more than that. He wasn't even sure if it was a pony he was looking at, for they were as bright as the sun.

He didn't think it was possible for anyone to glow so brightly, but then as the figure made its way to the front of the stage, they started to glow even brighter. The warm glow cast its light over Clover. At first, he was worried that he'd lose himself to the same burning desire that had been plaguing him, but this felt different somehow. More peaceful, yet far more powerful.

The ponies around him began to bow in the presence of this shining figure. Even as the sun finally started making its rise over the distant horizon, Clover could not, for an instant, tear his eyes away from that figure. It was looking right at him, he didn't know how, but he knew it was. As he looked on, its light poured into him, seeping into ever fiber of his being, filling him up, making him feel whole. Whatever it was that was happening, it stole his breath away, and it wasn't much longer before he joined the crowd of ponies, and bowed as well.

Chapter 9: Crystal Clear

Clover.

"Clover!!"

Clover's eyes once again shot open and he gasped for air. It hurt to breathe, and the air tasted like charcoal, but his body had been denied the life-giving substance for far too long, and it wouldn't be denied any longer. His chest convulsed sharply, taking several pained breaths in the process, before his head started to clear. "What happened?" He managed to cough out.

His throat felt raw, his limbs felt stiff, and a weight seemed to be bearing down on his chest. He looked down to see what it was, only to find Azalea laying there with dark streaks running down her face as her tears mixed with the soot. "You... You're alive?" She sobbed as she pounded on his chest, each blow seeming unusually dull. "But you ran into the... and you stopped moving... How?..."

Clover's words caught in his throat as he did the only thing he felt he could and wrapped his hooves around her. What was he supposed to say? Nothing he said would probably be enough, even if he hadn't fully been in control of his own actions.

And what of that dream... vision... whatever that was he just saw? He wasn't well versed in either, but whatever it was seemed important somehow. Although not as important as the girl who was currently crying into his chest.

He held her a bit tighter, tight enough that he could feel the rapid rising and falling of her chest against his own. It took some time, but she eventually started to calm down.

"How are you still alive?" she asked as she reached out and touched his face. Her touch felt strange. Distant somehow. Like he couldn't really feel her touch, but still he felt some pressure where she was touching him. "And are you feeling okay?"

It took a moment before Clover felt he could properly answer that. It was strange. He hadn't realized it when he woke up, but aside from a slight burning in his lungs, he felt fine. Better than fine. He felt great. Even better than he had before the tragic event that took the life of his friend.

He reached up to reassure her, but stopped when he saw how the light from the remaining embers reflected off his coat. He held his foreleg further away to get a better look and noticed the effect wasn't limited to a single spot. From his hoof all the way to his shoulder, glassy lines worked their way up, catching the light like an uncut gemstone.

Azalea noticed his transfixed state and followed his gaze to the extended hoof. "Does it hurt?" She asked. Apparently, this had been an immense concern to her.

Clover shook his head, still marveling in the crystalline cracks that ran down his leg. It took a moment, but he eventually noticed a pattern to the cracks. They were in the same places that all his scars had been.

"And this?" She asked as she placed a hoof on his chest.

He looked down, and sure enough, the crystal was there as well, although it was far more concentrated there than it was elsewhere. He ran a hoof over it, marveling at how seamlessly it seemed to be fused with his own flesh. It didn't hurt. It didn't even feel all that uncomfortable as he followed the lines that branched off and started making its way up his neck. Did it extend all the way to his face, as well?

He didn't have to wonder long as the air shimmered in front of him, solidifying before casting his own reflection back at him. "Thanks," he said to Azalea. Her magic must've recovered since she'd forced herself to teleport them as far away as she had.

Sure enough, the crystal had extended to his face as well. It made sense in a way, the change did seem to be centered around his scars and his face hadn't escaped the blaze either. It crawled its way up one side, seeming to favor his left over his right. Clover noticed that it had taken on a dull purple glow, similar to the light that came off the edges of his reflection. If he wasn't so worried about what this new deformity could mean, as it even made its way up his horn to spiral into the cracks, he might have caught the gasp that Azalea let out after he started looking at his reflection.

"Clover!" She excitedly shouted, pulling his attention back to her. "Your magic... it's working again!"

It took a moment to set in, but that's when he noticed that not only was the glow a slightly different color than when Azalea used her magic, but that she wasn't casting anything at all. Clover looked in the mirror again, noticing that it was actually his own horn that was currently glowing.

"What the..." He muttered. When had that happened? He couldn't have invoked the spell, yet now that he realized the light was coming from his own horn, he clearly had. It seemed too good to be true, yet the evidence was as plain as the rising sun as both it and his spell floated before him.

The sun? Clover looked in the distance, and sure enough, there was the sun as it was lifted up over the horizon. Yet, he didn't feel any of the burning urges that had plagued him in recent days. Azalea also took notice of the situation, tensing for a moment until she realized that her new mate looked completely relaxed. "Clover?" She inquired. "Are you going to be alright?"

Clover couldn't help but smile. "Yes," he said. "I think I will."

They made their way back towards the city, neither of them realizing until this point how far they had actually run. On the way back, Clover filled Azalea in on what it was he had seen, hoping she might have some answers.

"Hmmm..." She pondered. Unlike Clover, fortune telling actually was her area of expertise. "I don't know who that glowing figure might have been, I actually would've been surprised if you could actually make it out, but the message seems pretty clear to me. A power will rise, joining the entire world as it has never been before."

So it was some sort of vision he had seen, but why him? Why was he specifically being shown this?

"Well, at least that could be one interpretation. Fortune telling isn't a very exact science," Azalea said, easily reading the look on his face. "There's been several times throughout history where a vision has preceded great change, but usually we aren't able to fully make sense of it until it's already over. I wouldn't be too surprised if something really is about to change. What with the tribal summit as close as it is."

They finally reached the tree where they had spent the night, and retrieved their discarded robes. With their roles reversed, it fell to Clover to levitate their garments until they were properly decent again. He still had marks he needed to cover up, and he was once again grateful for the cloak Azalea had woven for him, even if it now being used to cover very different marks than originally intended. He also had to pay very special close attention to make sure the crystal embedded in his chest was properly covered up.

"What does the summit have to do with anything?" Clover asked.

"Normally, I'd say nothing. Aside from it being hosted in Elysium this year," Azalea admitted before she started looking uncomfortable. "However," she continued. "I've heard there's been some... concerns regarding recent events. Concerns that the other tribes are going to be pushing us rather hard if they think we're losing control of the sun." She let out a particularly long breath. "I'm just glad we've got Elder Lily to see us through everything. I can't imagine what we'd do without her."

Getting back into Elysium wasn't particularly hard, at least not for a unicorn. While they might not have any sort of defense in place to stop someone from flying in, by land was a completely different story. Although there was no bridge in place that could be used to cross the treacherous waters, a set of runes had been arranged on both sides so that any unicorn, even if they weren't particularly well versed in spell craft, could pour their magic into the runes and let the magic inscribed there carry them across.

Clover's restored magic was more than sufficient for this task, much to the relief of Azalea, and much to the shock of the guard on duty who was soon looking forward to ending his shift after another boring night. He had been so thoroughly caught off-guard that he almost knocked himself out after a tripping over a loose rock he had been carefully stepping over all night and falling face first directly into the ground.

Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Azalea blessed their good luck and quickly ushered Clover into a nearby alley before the unfortunate pony could recover.

"Think he'll be alright?" Clover said as he looked back with concern at the guard who was even now rubbing at his nose.

"He'll be fine," she reassured him as her eyes darted back and forth. "We can't worry about him right now, though. We need to get back inside before somepony starts asking questions."

They certainly would be the target of any number of questions. Even if they didn't run into anyone they knew and even without the crystal that now very conspicuously ran all over Clover's body, they were tired, their clothes were torn, and they smelled profusely of smoke and ash. Fortunately, it was the early hours of the morning, and there wasn't a lot of traffic just yet. However, there were still enough ponies out and about that they still had to make an effort to stay out of sight.

"So, Clover," said Azalea while they waited for a particularly busy street to clear. "Once we're out of this mess, what do you want to do? I mean, your magic looks like it's working fine now, and the sun doesn't seem to bother you anymore."

Clover had to pause for a moment at her question. Truth be told, he hadn't had much of a chance to consider his change in fortune. What did he want to do? Back before everything had gone wrong, his only ambition was to continue his studies. He never had any sort of real goal in mind, but if anything he did helped better the lives of those around him, that would've been enough. But now...

"I'm not sure," Clover said as he rubbed his chin, his thoughts mulling over everything that had happened last night. "I can't get that vision out of my head. I want to know more about what it was I saw. Why were the tribes all together? What was that power that they all bowed to? Is it something that's going to happen on its own, or do we need to help it along?" He shook his head, those images would likely keep him up late into the night. "I don't even know where to start," he said honestly. "Will you help me?"

"Of course," she said as she leaned in and nuzzled his side. "I said I would stay by your side, and I meant it. Whatever happens, I'll help you figure it out."

More might've been said, but that was the moment the traffic finally cleared up enough that they could make it to the next bend. They really needed to get off the streets before someone saw them. Fortunately, his sanctuary for the last week was only one more street away. Once they were inside, they could get themselves cleaned up and work on their alibis for why they had gone missing to anyone who might have noticed. However, Clover still had no idea how to even begin explaining away his altered appearance.

All that would have to wait, because no sooner had they looked around the next corner then they found a contingent of the city guard waiting for them. They tried to duck back the way they came, but they must've been followed without noticing, for there were even more behind them, and they were closing in fast. They looked back and forth, trying to find another way out. It was clear they had already been seen with the way the second group had been following them, and they were about to make a mad bolt down another alley when a loud voice broke the silence.

"Both of you! Stop right there!" The voice commanded. Whoever it was, it was enough to get the attention of the first group, and they quickly moved to intercept them. A number of the guard ran across the street to meet them, while a few others moved to block the only road that hadn't been guarded up until then, cutting off the last of their escape.

With nowhere else to go, both Clover and Azalea were forced out into the middle of the street while a circle formed around them. One side of the circle parted to allow a single individual to make their way through. It was Elder Dahlia.

Azalea's mother pushed her way through to stand before the two of them. Her mane was ragged, although not nearly as bad as theirs, and she had large bags under her eyes, a testament to how much sleep she had likely missed.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was," she said once she stood before both of them. She only had eyes for her daughter and didn't seem to acknowledge Clover's existence at all. For her part, Azalea could only stand stock still, even as Dahlia ran forward the remaining short distance and embraced her. "I heard about the riot in the park last night and that you might've been there. When I couldn't find you... I... I... I'm just so glad you're safe," Elder Dahlia just barely managed to make out the last part through choked sobs.

Azalea could do nothing more at this point except to reach out and return the affection, rubbing her mother's back as she did so. "I'm sorry I worried you," she said. "It won't happen again."

It seemed to be just the medicine the older mare needed to hear, because she visibly began to calm down at her daughter's words, at least until she lifted her gaze to meet Clover's. Dahlia seemed to study him with the same detached interest that she had shown the first time they had met, at least until she got a good whiff of the air hanging over her daughter. Instantly, her face fell into a scowl, flaring her nostril as she glared daggers at him.

"What did you do to my Azalea?" She said, the venom in her voice thick enough to cause Azalea to flinch in her grasp.

Clover found himself unable to answer. Instead, he was just stuck staring while her eyes continued to bore into him. "She's far too good for the likes of you," she continued before he had a chance to speak. "I had hoped someone like you would be smart enough to know that."

Dahlia's tirade only lasted long enough to notice Azalea had started pushing her away. She turned her bewildered gaze toward her daughter as she left her embrace and began taking cautious steps back towards Clover. "Azalea," she said. "What are you doing?"

Azalea defiantly puffed her chest out as she practically marched the rest of the way back to Clover's side, stomping her hoof in defiance once she was next to him again. "It's none of your business who I want to be with," she said, her words cutting like a knife.

Elder Dahlia only recoiled the slightest at her daughter's words before pushing forward. "You don't know what you're saying," she said with a sigh. "You're young, naive, but we can still fix this." She took a few more steps. "Just come with me before you make any more mistakes."

"No, I won't," Azalea stomped her hoof as she continued to protest, but it was too late. The glow of Dahlia's magic had already pushed its way between Azalea and Clover, and even now, the elder mare was making her way out of the circle of guards with her daughter suspended in her magic.

Clover sat there dumbly as he took in the whole exchange. He hadn't had a chance to speak, and he could do nothing but watch as Azalea's mother walked all over her, all over both of them. How could he just stand there and do nothing? Especially after everything she had done for him. He wanted to do something, but what? However, the wall of indecision around him was broken when he looked up to see the pleading look Azalea gave him as she hopelessly reached out to him, even as she got further away.

His legs were moving before he even fully registered what he was doing. He let his magic flow through him, eliciting a few gasps when the purple gemstone laced through his horn and the rest of his body lit up as he reached for the red aura that held Azalea captive. He took hold of the elder's magic, breaking her hold and forcing himself to stand between them.

Elder Dahlia noticed immediately that someone had interfered with her magic. Her eyes widened in shock for who might dare stand against her. She turned back to face him, her wide eyes growing ever wider as she saw the violet glow and the defiant gaze of the pony it surrounded.

"Don't you touch her!" Clover declared, standing his ground against the elder.

Chapter 11: The Search Begins

What had he seen?

The question was easy enough to voice, but when it came to actually trying to find an answer, Clover wasn't even sure where to start looking. Well, that wasn't completely true. Azalea sounded pretty convinced it was some kind of prophecy, and while that hadn't been his primary area of study, it was obvious where he needed to go if he wanted to learn more.

The library, of course.

Aside from Elysium's many lecture halls, it also boasted an exceptionally large collection of literature. Dozens of shelves stretched out as far as the eye could see, containing thousands upon thousands of tomes. The collection was so vast, rumor had it that more than one librarian had gotten lost in here, never to be seen again, or at least that was how the story goes.

However, despite how large the place was, so many of the books contained a lot of the same information. At least half of them had been dedicated to spells for controlling the movements of astral bodies, something that every unicorn in the city had to study at length from an early age if they were to play their part when it came to moving the sun, the moon, and various stars. This also included their responsibilities when it came to keeping the astral beasts from escaping their heavenly prison, something that hadn't happened in Clover's admittedly short lifetime.

That wasn't the only thing a young pony with a thirst for knowledge could learn here, though. A lot of the library was dedicated to the study of alchemy, transfiguration, and various enchantments everyone could use in their daily lives. There had even been a recent rise in herbalism, a sign that a number of residents wish to free themselves from their reliance on what they considered to be a lesser tribe. Everyone had to eat, after all. However, despite their efforts, no one had even come close to growing food anywhere near as well as an earth pony.

It had taken some time, and getting lost at least twice, before Clover was able to locate a section dedicated to divination. He hadn't been too interested in the subject, but that was before he had seen what must've been a distant future.

"I dream of water," Clover read from the first book he picked up. "A place where I might find sanctuary, safe from the trials of the land, and the only cares I may have would be those from above." It seemed pretty straight forward, since it did sound like it was just describing Elysium. They were surrounded by water, after all. He read a little further, finding the book went on to describe how the unicorn eventually lead them to the city they lived in now.

Setting the book down, he picked up another. "The flames climb ever higher," this one read. "Friends and family burn around me, my home crumbles to dust. Everything I once knew reduced to ash and carried away on the wind." This was a bit dark, Clover thought. Parts of it did sort of remind him of his own recent experience with fire, but when he looked into it further, the pony who had that vision died at least a good sixty years ago. Maybe there was a great fire some time before he was born. He'd have to dig through the history archives if he wanted to know for certain, but that could take days if he was lucky, weeks if he was not.

Clover continued to dig through the various prophecies and predictions, discovering that very few of them came with descriptions of what they had actually been foretelling, if anything. Fires, floods, earthquakes, and any other kind of natural disasters seemed to be chief among the visions his tribe had over the years. He did find a few warnings against attacks from pegasi and other winged fiends, and one odd account cautioning against sharing a table with keepers of the land. Earth ponies, if he had to guess.

Clover started to get all excited as he found one describing a fire from above, hoping it might give him a clue about that meteorite he found. He was soon disappointed when he realized it was just another version of the sun-moving spells that had been put back on the wrong shelf.

Several hours of searching later, and with only a headache to show for his trouble, he decided it was time to take a break. He had been reading from a book about the most absurd prophecies and visions he had ever heard, stopping after reading about some unicorn who had been preaching about how chaos would fall upon the world if ponies kept forcing order on it. It wasn't too much of a surprise when the section ended with how that same pony had been declared a lunatic and was subsequently banished from the city.

Clover set the book down and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "That's enough crazy for one day," he said with a sigh. He hadn't made any progress in finding some semblance of an answer, and he had been at this for the better part of the day. At least he was now a little better versed in a subject he had known little of before, and it wasn't too hard to see how Azalea could believe what he saw to be some sort of prophecy. It certainly seemed to fit with everything else they had on record.

Speaking of Azalea, Clover thought. He hadn't seen her since their adventures the day before. Hopefully, she was alright. She did go back to take care of her mother. Clover visibly cringed, the memory of his fight with the elder still bothering him. Not just that he came to Azalea's defense, but that it had been his actions that had escalated things. It just wasn't like him. Usually, he was far more reserved with his actions, unlike Pyrus who had always been the one to act like the biggest dog in the room. Maybe he had rubbed off on him? Clover found himself thinking, but then there was also the matter of his magic. Those spells had come to him unbidden and were cast far too quickly. Far faster than Clover knew that he, himself, was capable of. Almost as if they had a mind of their own.

The thought worried him deeply. Maybe there were some records of others having a similar experience? Maybe something in the mental arts? He didn't want to think he was crazy. Maybe he was overthinking it. Maybe his reflexes were just all messed up. Maybe...

A deep growl echoed from the pit of his stomach, cutting off his thoughts. Maybe he was just hungry? Come to think of it, when was the last time he had eaten? After leaving Elder Gladiolus' place, he had barely made it back to the dorms before passing out, and he had slept until the following day.

Clover let out a long sigh. Whatever was happening, it could wait until he got some food in him. Hopefully he'll have a little more clarity after a short break. He stood up and stretched as a flicker of purple magic danced off his horn. That was all it took to scoop up all of his research materials, and sent them careening back to their appropriate shelves. His concern about his magic's unusual behavior wasn't completely gone, but he couldn't deny it now had a measure of convenience to it. He probably just needed to get used to it. That was all.

Clover recoiled as he stepped out of the building, bracing himself against the midday sun. He had forgotten how it felt to feel the sun on his face, not realizing how much he had actually missed it until it was gone. While he enjoyed the feeling, he was a bit distracted by the veins of indigo running through his raised leg. Part of him couldn't deny how strange it looked, while other parts of him found it completely fascinating with the way the sun shone through it.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one taking an interest in his recent changes. He caught a glimpse of a few others stealing glances at his oddities as they passed by. Their looks ranged from curiosity and intrigue to outright disgust at the deformity. For Clover's part, he felt a lot more conscientious about his appearance than he had a minute ago. Sure, it was a step up from the angry mob he had dealt with before it had happened, but it still left him feeling very uncomfortable.

"Clover! There you are!" Came a cheery shout, pulling him out of his reverie. He knew that voice.

"Azalea?" Clover called back. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, of course," she said as she threw her forelegs around him. "I haven't seen you since yesterday and I was starting to worry."

"Worried? About me?" Said Clover, earning himself a scowl from the young lady.

"Of course I'd be worried," she said. "So much happened yesterday." She looked over his shoulder at the building. "So you were at the library? I probably should've checked there first. Learn anything interesting?"

"Yeah... A bit," Clover said nervously. Why was he being nervous around her? After all the time Azalea spent with him after the accident, and after everything they did together on that starry night, the last thing he should feel is nervous around her. Was this normal after a night together? Did other ponies feel this way, or was it just him?

Clover's eyes drifted upward to other said ponies, noticing that they hadn't once taken their eyes off of him. Far from that, since Azalea arrived, the number of onlookers had only increased and even now seemed to be attempting to take him apart with their eyes.

Azalea followed Clover's gaze, quickly discerning the situation for herself. "Come on," she said quickly as she began pulling him along. "You must be hungry, and I don't like the way everypony is looking at us."

It didn't take more convincing than that to get moving. The opportunity to get away from the public's prying eye and, more importantly, the promise of food, was all he needed to match Azalea's gait as they ran off to fulfill both objectives.

Food was fairly easy to find since the city stores were usually plentiful. Only a handful of ponies were involved in the actual process of bringing and storing food, so Clover wasn't too keen on all the details. He knew that they got their food from an earth pony caravan that stopped by every other week, but that was about it. As far as his daily life was concerned, it didn't really matter. That had been true his whole life, and there was no reason to believe that would change.

Why was he suddenly thinking about the metrics of how they got food into the city? Probably because he was more hungry than he realized, but at the moment, it was also a welcome distraction. Even though he had the most beautiful mare in the entire city running by his side, it wasn't enough to completely distract him from the looks he was getting. Everywhere they went, the eyes of ponies were practically glued to him. Clover wasn't a fool. He was well aware how strange he must look to them. Unicorns typically wore a toga to maintain a semblance of modesty. These were usually white in color, but they did branch out to include various pinks, light blues, and other bright colors. On a rare occasion, you might find one in a darker hue, especially if that pony had particularly bright coat.

Not only was Clover wearing something in a vibrant green, but his cloak was also a completely different style than how everyone else was dressed. If that wasn't bad enough, bits of crystal would occasionally sparkle around the edges. Every time the light hit his body just right, Clover swore that at least three more ponies would start staring at him.

It was distracting enough that, despite how hungry he was, he didn't dig into the sandwich he had picked up until they had both retreated a respectable distance from the crowd and under the shade of a nearby tree. The latter of which was in hopes that he would stop sparkling like the main character from a trashy romance novel.

"Do ponies really have nothing better to do than stare at me?" Clover grumbled between bites. With everything that had been happening lately, he was starting to wonder if there'd ever be a time where he wasn't drawing attention to himself.

Azalea shrugged her shoulders as she finished swallowing. "You know, nothing interesting ever really happens around here," she said. "I give it another month and everypony will get bored of my new coltfriend, even if I'm not."

Clover had been mid-bite when she said that, leading to him choking on the last of his sandwich. Azalea's face lit up with glee even as she quickly passed him some water. "Coltfriend?" He finally said once he could breathe again.

"Of course," Azalea giggled as she stroked his mane. "What else would I call you by now?"

The parts of the bewildered unicorn's face that weren't a crystal purple began to shift to a pale scarlet. His coat began to itch, and he would've tucked his head in and completely disappeared beneath his cloak had it not been for the opportunely positioned foreleg preventing his escape.

This only resulted in Azalea latching even harder to his side, laughing as she pulled him down the ground with her. They rolled around in the grass for a bit before finally settling down, now nestled into each other with Clover as the bigger spoon.

He let out a breath of contentment as he enjoyed the warmth of a kindred spirit so close to him. Why was he worrying about everything so much? This was what really mattered, right here. Everything else could wait.

"I love you," he spoke softly into her mane that smelled of mint and honey. "Have I told you that yet?"

"Not in those exact words," she said as she wriggled excitedly in his grasp. "I already knew, but let me hear you say it again."

So he did. As they both settled in for a nap in the midday sun, he did. And he would tell her as many times as he needed to.

Chapter 12: Early Arrival

"Sound to me like you really did your research," said Azalea after Clover shared what he'd learned in the library that morning.

"Yeah," admitted Clover. "But I'm not going to pretend I understood all of it. Especially that passage about the one who embraced chaos. I mean, what kind of world would we even have without ponies governing it?"

"Ah," said Azalea as her eyes lit up. "You're talking about Hecate the Mad. She was a bit of a weird one. Genius, but weird. She actually played a key part in designing the gates that lead in and out of the city."

"That was her?!" Clover seemed utterly astonished. "But I thought that was..."

Azalea shook her head. "You have to dig into some of the more obscure and restricted parts of the library, but if you can find Hecate's biography, it mentions that she changed her name quite frequently before her research finally drove her insane."

"Huh," Clover mused as he laid back on the grass and soaked in the mid-afternoon sun. It was hard to admit, even to himself, but he had missed this warmth. The now crystalline parts of his body also seemed to soak in the warm rays, even if its hard surface couldn't feel much else.

He was so lost in the good feeling that he almost hadn't noticed the shadow that passed overhead. He sat up in confusion, thinking it was a cloud for a moment. However, it had passed too quickly to be a cloud. He looked over to Azalea, who had apparently noticed it as well, evidenced by the way she was now searching the sky for something. Clover followed her gaze, now noticing that there wasn't a single cloud in the sky that could've possibly cast that shadow.

"They're early," said Azalea as she started looking worried. "They're not supposed to be here for a couple days yet."

"Who is?" Clover asked as Azalea started pulling him along.

"Come on," she said as she started running. "We need to go."

Clover chased after her, still confused as they ran through the city streets. He had no idea where they were even going, that was until he saw the other ponies that had gathered in a large circle, and what was standing in the middle of it.

Three ponies stood there, all clad in lustrous golden armor. They were all tall and muscular... very muscular. It was almost as if a sculptor had gotten carried away with the amount of muscle a normal pony should have. They might've even been mistaken for statues if it wasn't for the way the wind danced through their feathers. Feathers? Clover had to do a doubletake, unable to fully trust his own eyes, but there they were, plain as day. All three ponies stood there with large wings adorning their backs.

"Ah told yu we should've just waited outside," said the large yellow one. A mare, if Clover had to guess. It was hard to tell since she was by far the largest of the three. He wasn't sure how anything that big could possibly fly. "These ponies look a might bit skittish, like they might bolt if I so much as look at them funny."

"Have you tried looking in a mirror," said the stallion with a whitish coat. Even though he wasn't anywhere near her size, he seemed just as chiseled. "You scare ponies just by being in the same room. Even many of our bravest warriors get nervous with you around."

"Aye," she said as she rubbed at the back of her head. "That they do. Maybe if one of them finally grew some balls, ah wouldn't be stuck still tryin to find me a mate. Ah mean, who wouldn't want a piece of this," she said as she struck a most impressive pose, complete with her wings stretched to their full length.

"Anypony who wants to live," he retorted without even looking. "You do have a bit of a reputation, you know."

"Not even a minute on the ground and the two of you are already gabbing like a bunch of housewives," the third one of their group grumbled under his breath so low that only a few could've possibly heard him. He appeared quite a bit older than the other two. Old enough that only trace bits of color remained in his mane, leaving it mostly a bleach white that stood out against his dark coat. That was the only clear sign of his advanced age because the rest of him was just as built as the other two. "Aten-Shun!!" He suddenly commanded.

"Sir!" The first two snapped to attention, instantly cutting off their banter. Whoever this other pony was, he was clearly in charge.

The crowd continued to grow throughout the exchange, including a very nervous-looking city guard. Confused and concerned chatter spread among the crowd, creating a nervous tension in the air that continued to grow the longer it went on. It was like everyone was waiting for something to happen, but didn't want to be the one who did something.

"Commander Thunderhead!" A voice split the crowd, causing a series of gasps to cascade through the crowd. Instinctually, everyone began backing away from the source of the unexpected sound, including Clover, whose eyes widened even further with shock when he realized that it was Azalea who had just stolen the crowd's attention.

Commander Thunderhead, for that was his name, it seems, only raised an eyebrow as the young mare purposely made her way forward, parting the crowd with her stride. Shocked as they were, not one pony made a move to try and stop her. Even the guard stepped aside to let her through, for reasons that left Clover completely baffled.

"Commander Thunderhead," Azalea said again once she had broken free of the crowd. She didn't shout like she had before, but her voice could now easily be heard over the deafening silence. "You're early. We weren't expecting the pegasi delegates for a few more days."

The pegasus in question only gave a brief smile. "Circumstances would not allow me to wait until the appropriate time. I would say more, but this isn't the place. If you don't mind me asking, who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"My name is Azalea, daughter of Elder Dahlia," she said without a moment's hesitation. Her pronouncement seemed to have desired effect as the eyes of all three pegasi widened and the large mare in the back even tilted her head slightly in curiosity. "My mother would be here to receive you herself, but she's been a bit under the weather as of late."

"Nothing too serious, I hope," said Thunderhead. "She always seemed so full of fire during previous summits."

Azalea responded with a sly grin, like she had just won some sort of prize. "Even fire cannot burn without the proper fuel. Even if all that is needed is a moment's reprieve. Fear not," she said. "She's only exhausted herself from overwork and should be better after some rest."

"Ha!" The commander guffawed. "That, I can believe. Very well, Lady Azalea. I entrust us to your care."

What... had just happened? The question had been plaguing Clover over the last several hours ever since his marefriend's brief exchange with the pegasus diplomat. Azalea had taken charge of the situation, evidenced by the city guard following her direction, and most of the onlookers dispersed as they looked for anywhere else to be. Clover had made to follow behind her, but Azalea had stolen a discreet glance in his direction before shaking her head ever so slightly. Whatever it was she was doing, she didn't want him following her for reasons he could only guess. He trusted her. They'd been through enough at this point that it'd be foolish not to, but an inquisitive mind is seldom satisfied with simple answers.

This led to Clover's return to the library being even less fruitful than it had been only a few hours prior. It was hard to focus on research when his mind was elsewhere, and he still had no idea what he should focus his efforts on. He was no stranger to burnout, even though he wasn't completely sure that's what this was, but on a number of occasions it had fallen to his best friend to help him get his head back in order. And even though Pyrus was no longer here, he knew what the fool would have been telling him to do.

Close the book, sit your flank down, and have a drink.

That said, he was still a bit hesitant to step hoof back in wine hall after his scuffle with Elder Dahlia, but he needn't have worried. No one even bothered to look in his direction, and as he found his way to a seat, he overheard several unicorns talking about the sudden appearance of the pegasi. Azalea had been right, it hadn't taken long before ponies moved onto the next source of gossip.

Speaking of Azalea, Clover was barely seated for a minute before the elusive mare reappeared beside him.

"Ugh," she groaned. "I'm exhausted."

"Azalea! You're back," said Clover, surprised to see her again so soon. "Where have you been?"

"Short answer... Politics," she said as she scooped his cup up in a flickering pink aura. Without hesitation, she threw the glass back and downed half the contents before slamming it back down. Afterwards, she leaned in and snuggled into his side, the scent of fermented fruit fresh on her breath. "It's complicated," she said. "I really don't wanna think about what happened back there."

"What did happen back there?" Clover raised an eyebrow at her response. "I wouldn't have expect that from you. It was impressive, though.."

This had the added effect of the tips of Azalea's ears turning a deeper peach than they normally were. She tried burying her face in his side before the color spread to the rest of her face. However she wasn't quite fast enough to keep him from noticing, and she knew it.

"Thanks..." she said, all flustered. "I just... I needed to do something before somepony panicked. None of the elders were there, and none of the guard were taking charge of the situation." She seemed to poke at an invisible dot on the table. "It's the kind of thing my mother would've done if she was there..."

Clover's face fell a bit at the mention of Azalea's mother, Elder Dahlia. "How is she, by the way?" He asked, a little embarrassed. "I didn't hurt her, did I?"

Azalea paused for a moment, seeming to take a little longer than usual coming up with an answer. "I think she's alright. I wasn't kidding earlier when I said she was a bit under the weather. I think her pride's hurt more than anything, though. Ever since your duel with her."

Now it was Clover's turn to feel nervous. He was still unsure of everything that happened. He had never been the aggressive type, and he never would have stood up to someone like that before. Certainly not an elder.

Their conversation was cut short, along with most of the sound in the room, even as Azalea tensed up by Clover's side. It didn't take long to see what had brought about the sudden change, as all anyone had to do was follow their gazes to the two pegasi standing just inside the front door. They blended in a little better without their armor, but even though they were now dressed similarly to the rest of the ponies in the room, neither of them made any effort to hide their wings. Even with that, the chances were good that wasn't what everyone was really staring at. It was most likely the mare who stood a good head and shoulders taller than everyone in the room.

"Oi!" Shouted the amazoness as her gaze fell clearly on Clover and Azalea. "Ere's where yu ran off to!"

The pegasus lumbered across the room, forcing others to quickly make way for her considerable bulk. She didn't seem to notice or care about the way they were looking at her, even if her companion looked embarrassed enough for both of them as he struggled to keep up.

"Lieutenant Dandelion?!" Exclaimed Azalea. "What are you doing herrrr...." Azalea squeaked out as that same pegasus scooped her up into a, quite possibly literal, bone crushing hug.

"Why am 'ere to see yu? Ye little rascal," said the aforementioned pegasus in something that only vaguely resembled normal speech. "Ye didn't even say hello. It's like yu forgot who ah was."

Azalea hurried to collect herself, which was difficult even without half the common room listening in on their conversation. "I was busy," she said in an agitated tone. "In case you hadn't noticed, you all showed up way too early. No one was ready to receive you."

"Aye, that we did," said Dandelion. "We 'ave our reasons, though. But when did yu get so tense. Wat happened to the little filly that used to climb my legs like she was sum kinda monkey."

Azalea sighed. "That was a long time ago," she said. "That little filly grew up."

"Aye, that ye did. Ye become a right charming young lady," she said before turning her gaze on Clover, who had no idea how to respond to a pony who looked like she'd easily break him in half. "So this be yer stallion then," she said as she looked him up and down. "Gotta say, he's a mite bit scrawny."

Azalea grabbed a hold of Clover while staring daggers at the newcomer. She started squeezing him so tight that he had trouble breathing for a moment. That moment didn't last long as someone else entered the place, once again disturbing the peace.

A red earth pony mare and a blue stallion stood there and were even now casing out the place. Unlike their present company, these two came in somewhat more normal sizes and nothing seemed too unusual about them. However, that didn't stop a look of disgust from finding its way onto Dandelion's face. "Crimey," she spat. "Ah was kinda hoping they woulda sent somepony else this time." She turned to her companion, who had remained silent throughout the whole exchange. "Run interference for me, would ya, Storm Caller. Ah ain't dealin' with ol' Roll any sooner than ah have to."

"Wait... What?" The smaller pegasus looked up over the rim of the glass he had picked up at some point during the exchange. He apparently hadn't been paying much attention, but when he noticed what she was talking about, he immediately mimicked her expression. When he made to protest, he found his companion had already vacated to the far side of the room, where she had promptly sat herself down among a whole group of now nervous looking stallions who clearly hadn't seen their night going in this direction.

Storm Caller quickly tucked himself into his seat and held his wings close to his sides. He seemed like he was making an effort to make himself seem as small as possible. Whatever he was doing, it didn't seem to help. The earth pony mare seemed to home on in his position as she made a bee line for their table, intent clear on her face. The stallion beside her didn't seem to care as much, if the vacant look on his face was anything to go by, but he still followed alongside his companion. Unlike the two pegasi, both earth ponies were wearing cloaks similar to what Clover wore now, but unlike Clover, both of their outfits seemed worn and dirty like they had just walked a hundred miles in them.

"Storm Caller," said the mare, making the pegasus flinch at the use of his name. "I see you and the brute are still alive. I should've expected to find the two of you slacking after such a short trip."

His shoulders dropped for a moment, before turning to face the newcomers with a very forced smile on his face. "Hello, Roll," he said through his teeth. "Pleasure to see you again."

"Likewise," she said as she pulled a roll of parchment seemingly out of nowhere like it was a frequently practiced movement. "So, about the state of affairs, which would crops would you say the pegasi are making the best use of?"

The pegasus dropped his facade and he rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Roll," he said. "It hasn't even been half a minute and you're already grilling me."

"It never hurts to be prepared," she said, not even seeming to notice his discomfort. "Time waits for no pony and now that all three tribes are present, the summit will begin on the morrow."

"Yes," Storm said, clearly annoyed. "And I'm off duty till the morrow."

"Work is work," said the earth pony stallion beside her. There was something about the slow way he talked that made Clover raise an eyebrow. He had heard others say that earth ponies were a bit slow, but something about the way this one talked made him wonder if there was more to it than that.

"Thank you Rock," said Roll with a quick nod. "My brother is right. It takes our caravan a whole five days to get here, leaving me with little to do on the road except walk and think. Now that we're here, I don't want to waste a single moment, even if our chancellor would rather just rest until the summit itself. We can't afford to waste a single moment, unlike the pegasi, who I'm sure didn't take more than a half a day to get here."

"You know, Roll," said Storm Caller as he set his glass back down again. "You can find out how the other tribes are doing without asking direct questions." He padded the empty seat next to him. "Like sitting down and having a drink at the local pub."

Roll eyed the open seat suspiciously for a moment, narrowing her eyes like she had just been asked to do something vile, before turning away in disgust. "Come, Rock," she said as she tucked the scroll back into her cloak. "We're clearly not going to get anything done by staying here."

Rock didn't look happy, or disappointed, or anything for that matter. He just nodded along with his sister and followed behind her as she left the building in a huff.

"Pleasure as always, Roll," Storm Caller called after her. "Good talk."

Clover had remained silent through the other pony's exchange, but now he couldn't help but ask. "Has she..." He started as he sat back down.

"Always been like that?" Storm finished for him. "Yeah, she has. She always comes to me first, too. Like she's hoping this year will be any different." He let out a light laugh. "I keep wondering if she has a thing for me, but the one time I tried to make a move on her, she only wanted to talk business."

"But," said Azalea as she joined the conversation. "Doesn't that violate the rules surrounding the summit?"

"Well, yeah," he said as he started his third glass. "But if I followed all the rules to a T, I wouldn't be hanging out here at all. The commander knows how much stress we've been under. Especially over these last two weeks."

"Is the griffon war really going that badly?" Asked Azalea, making Clover raise an eyebrow at the question.

This evoked a weak laugh from the lieutenant. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised you know about that, being the daughter of a politician and all." He took a long drink from his cup before setting it back down. "I can't say too much or my commanding officer would have my hide, but yeah, it's been rough lately. Rougher than usual. Especially for her," he gestured to the far side of the room, where even now, Dandelion had a stack of empty mugs beside her. Two of her present company looked like they had already passed out, while the rest were cheering her on in what was probably a very one-sided drinking game.

"A couple of griffons bout had her number a few days ago," he said. "She tries to play it off like nothing happened, but it was a close call." He let out a small laugh, "she's got no talent as a storm wing, but her size more than makes up for it."

"Two weeks..." Clover mused, having been stuck on that part of the conversation. "It couldn't be a coincidence, could it?"

The pegasus' eyes narrowed and his ears perked up at Clover's mumblings. He slowly set his glass down next to the other three he had already emptied. Many a unicorn would already have been passed out under the table from drinking so much, but clearly wasn't the case for the pegasus lieutenant. "Something happened here as well, didn't it?" He asked. "Two weeks ago?"

Clover swallowed hard, the stony expression on Storm Caller's face was making him nervous. Fortunately he was saved having to say anything more as Azalea jumped up from her seat in a panic and began pushing him out of his. "I can't believe I forgot," she said quickly. "I have that assignment due tomorrow and haven't started, yet."

"Assignment?" Clover raised an eyebrow. "What assign..." Only to be cut off as Azalea jabbed him in the ribs.

"You said you were going to help me. Right, Clover?" Azalea glared daggers at him. "Like right now."

"Oh, right..." he said quickly. Something didn't feel right, like he had missed something. Whatever it was, it had Azalea wanting to get him out of there in a hurry. She had picked up on something, something she didn't want to say here.

He looked over his shoulder one last time as she pushed him out the door. Storm Caller wasn't even blinking as he watched them leave.

It wasn't until the building was well out of sight that Azalea finally started to relax. She released a long breath that she must've been holding since they were still at their table. "I think..." she said between gasps. "I think we just messed up."

"Huh?" Clover still didn't have any idea why they had left in such a hurry. "What do you mean? What happened just now?"

"I didn't catch on until just now," she said. "But he was pressing us for information. He was just being a lot more subtle than Roll was."

"But..." Clover raised an eyebrow. "But why? What could he possibly learn from us?"

"I'm not completely sure," she said. "But based on what he said, I don't think the fire was the only thing that went wrong two weeks ago."

Chapter 13: Summit of the Three Tribes

Every year, representatives from the three tribes would gather together and hold a summit. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss problems that required their mutual cooperation, and that couldn't be easily resolved with letters. Usually, it was to be held in the Earth Pony lands since their territory was far more centralized than anywhere else, but that wasn't the case this time. This year, for whatever reason, the unicorns would be playing host in their home city of Elysium, even if the reasons weren't clear to everyone else.

This also caused most of the activity throughout the city to grind to a halt. Businesses closed and classes were cancelled, no one wanted to miss this rare event. In fact, the only thing that went down like it usually did was the morning sunrise, and even that was different by virtue of the fact that it wasn't just other unicorns in attendance this time.

The summit was to be held in Elysium's largest lecture hall. Raised seating and an open platform almost made it seem like some kind of performance was about to start. While a show of sorts was certainly possible when powerful ponies tabled their values, it wasn't the true purpose of these meetings.

The double doors creaked open, bringing a silence to the murmuring crowd, and three figures stepped forward.

The first was an earth pony mare that almost no one recognized. She was a good deal older than the two that followed behind her and carried herself with no small measure of dignity. Her light green coat contrasted nicely with her dark red gown, and the copper circlet around her head told a tale of her importance.

"Presenting Chancellor Thistle!" Announced Roll from behind her. Both her and her brother had swapped out their traveling cloaks, and were instead garbed in well trimmed tunics that looked like they had never seen any use.

They made their way to stand next to the lone table resting on the stage. No one applauded them as they took their place, save the few who had traveled to this distant corner of the world along with their leaders.

Next to enter were the three pegasi who had made such a scene the day before. They wore the same golden armor they had when they arrived, except it had been polished to the point it shined in the morning sun. Their armor appeared almost identical in appearance, their leader only being set aside by the crested helmet he wore.

"All stand for Commander Thunderhead!" Announced Dandelion. Without fail, the handful of pegasi that had wandered in since the day before all stood at attention. While the earth ponies didn't seem to have any problem with remaining seated, a few blushing unicorns had risen to their hooves. While it was possibly because the command had just caught them off guard, it was far more likely because of the extra large pony who had issued the command.

They made their way to stand beside the earth pony delegates, almost seeming to march as they did so. Chancellor Thistle almost looked like she wanted to sneer at the commander, but managed to maintain her composure. The elder pegasus took his seat at the table, and it wasn't until then that the others standing at attention sat down as well.

The unicorn elders were the last to enter. First to enter were Elders Dahlia and Gladiolus. They entered side by side, and once they were several paces in Gladiolus said, "rise and show deference for the oldest and wisest among us, Elder Lily."

At that word, both of them turned and bowed their head back towards the door. This also ended up being the que for every unicorn in attendance to stand up and do the same. Elder Lily slowly entered the room, limping slightly due to her bandaged leg. Her and her colleagues all wore what appeared to be brand new togas, except Lily also had the added adornment of a silver laurel resting upon her brow.

It wasn't just the wide-eyed leaders of the other tribes who took notice of her injury. A few of the less disciplined among the unicorns also began to whisper among themselves as to what could have happened to someone so revered. It wasn't until the old pony sat down that everyone finally relaxed. Everyone in the crowd sat back down, and the pegasi and earth pony leaders resumed a more reserved expression.

"As is custom of the host tribe," said a worn and tired Elder Lily. "We call the Summit to order."

As one, all three of the nation's leaders reached up and removed the adornment they wore as their symbol of office, placing them on the table before removing their forelegs to rest back on the ground.

Commander Thunderhead was the first to speak. "As the first to arrive, I would like to apologize for our untimely arrival. Our war with the griffons has not gone well. Losses are higher than they've been in many years and recent... complications have forced us to push the summit up a few days' time. Our food supplies have barely been holding, but unfortunately, that's mostly due to having fewer mouths to feed."

"Hrmph," Chancellor Thistle scoffed in response. "I see you still act like the griffon threat is the only danger our lands face. Dogs continue to tear up our farmlands looking for gems that don't exist, minotaurs still fight for dominance without caring for what's destroyed in the process, and an unexplained wildfire just scorched a third of what remained." The look of annoyance never once left her face as she talked. "At this rate, it's looking like the next winter will be lean pickings for everypony. Unless the pegasi can actually keep the weather under control like they said they would." She glared at the pegasus at the table with her last comment.

"What?!" Roared Thunderhead, clearly outraged. "My troops need that food! Even with our current rationing, we barely have the energy to keep fighting. You speak of scavengers and thrill seekers being a threat. Ha! A single squad of marauding griffons would lay waste to half the land in a week's time. As for the weather," he continued. "We can't spare anypony else at the moment. The paltry few we have working the clouds are the best we can manage for now."

"You'll manage better unless you expect us all to be living off potatoes by winter's end. Unless you think you can actually push back winter this time."

"You know we can't do that," he said. "The longer we delay it, the harder it's going to hit when it actually comes through. Surely you haven't forgotten..."

"Of course I haven't," the chancellor interrupted. "It was by far the biggest failing of the seasonal shift I've ever seen. You'd think for ponies practiced in changing the weather, you wouldn't mess up so badly."

"Are you trying to start something!?" Thunderhead jumped to his hooves, rage pasted on his face. "I've had soldiers flogged for less!"

"Commander... Chancellor..." Even though her voice remained calm, Elder Lily had a talent for cutting through the tension like a knife. In an instant, silence fell over the other as the oldest among them continued. "Every tribe has its burden to bear. Arguing over who's load is heavier will not lessen any of them."

The infuriated pegasus grit his teeth, but reluctantly sat back down, all while the earth pony leader maintained a smug grin on her face. "You're right, as always," he said once he calmed down. "But I noticed you haven't volunteered anything about the dealings of the unicorn tribe."

"I noticed that as well," said Chancellor Thistle, for once on the same page with her rival. "Unless you expect us to believe the unicorns are living in paradise."

"No, I would not," Elder Lily said in response. "The stars continue to move in ways we have a hard time reading, and the stellar beasts, while contained, continue to fight against their bindings. Both the Ursas Major and Minor almost broke free about a month past. We are fortunate to have somepony as skilled as Professor Cygnus with us, or they very well may have."

"Ah yes," said Thistle. "The dreaded stellar beasts. You bring them up at every meeting, yet nopony alive has ever seen one. I wonder if they're anywhere near as bad as you always pretend them to be."

Thunderhead, on the other hand, was listening quietly. Almost as if he was waiting for the right moment to strike. "And what of the sun rise," he said. "Quite the show of power, by the way. I always wondered what the greatest achievement of the unicorn tribe looked like in person. Although," he continued while rubbing the side of his head, "I couldn't help but notice the anxious team of medics waiting in the shadows. Like they were waiting for something to go wrong."

"It seems we were focused on different things," Chancellor Thistle added. "While I didn't see the ponies you were talking about, I did notice something about the spell itself, or more specifically, the platform used. It stone looked too new. Far too new for something that's used every day and left outside," she pointed out. "If what I learned of stonemasonry in my youth still holds true, the stone was only cut recently."

"Two weeks ago, if I wager my guess correctly," Commander Thunderhead said with a gleam in his eye. "Rumors travel faster than any pegasus, and they tell the tale of something happening here. Something that nopony wants to talk about."

Elder Lily held up a hoof, silencing any further inquiries. She took several deep breaths before speaking, her exhaustion evident for all the world to see. "I was hoping to wait a while before broaching this topic," she said at last. "Not out of a desire to deceive, but because it has become a bit of a sensitive topic among the tribe."

The other two sitting at the table waited eagerly with mixed expressions to hear what she had to say. Thistle continued to maintain her smug expression, while Thunderhead had taken on a more impatient look as he leaned to the side and tapped one hoof on the table.

"Two weeks ago, something went wrong with the sunrise," Lily recited the tragic events. "Nothing looked out of the ordinary, and it looked like everything would go like it normally did, but it did not." She took once last breath before delivering the news that everyone wished had never happened. "The sun lashed out at us," she finally said. "And the unicorns holding the sun, all of them young and in their prime, almost all of them died in the ensuing fire."

Silence reined over every pony in the room, save the few that had broken down into fresh tears from their place in the audience. As for the diplomats... Any sort of smugness or looks of impatience they had been carrying were wiped from their faces. Clearly, whatever they had been expecting to hear, it hadn't been that.

The shocked silence carried on for a whole minute longer than anyone had been expecting. During that time, both Storm Chaser and Roll stepped up to their respective charges. What passed was a heated yet hushed conversation between the diplomats and their aides. When they were finally done, and it was just the three leaders at the table again, the discussions continued.

"It's never easy," Commander Thunderhead consoled. "Having to bury the dead, especially when they're young. It's something we're all too familiar with. Rare is the pegasus that hasn't lost at least one friend or family member to the griffon scourge. Loss always hurts, even more so if it's completely unexpected."

"While I don't mean to sound unsympathetic," Chancellor Thistle maintained her stony expression. "This changes very little. Ponies still have to be fed, and if our situation doesn't improve, many will starve when winter rolls around." She turned her attention directly on Elder Lily. "I am, however, concerned about the timing of the accident. It lines up perfectly with the wildfire that tore through our crops. We barely managed to stop it, and even after we did, the land will be unusable for at least another season."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Lily. "I apologize if we were indeed responsible, but it was out of our control." She looked back to Thunderhead, who had become suddenly withdrawn during Thistle's speech. "Is everything alright?"

"Unfortunately no," he said, his voice becoming stern. "I suppose I may as well tell you the reason we showed up as early as we did. Two weeks ago, very likely the same day, a cloud bank we were using as cover fell apart due to unusually strong sunrise."

Whispers began circulating among the crowd, and mixed expressions passed over the faces of everyone present, but Elder Lily only raised an eyebrow.

"The timing couldn't have been worse. We were in the middle of a tight operation, and it allowed the enemy to completely rout us within minutes."

"I'm not sure what this has to do with the summit," Thistle chimed in. "As was already stated at this very table, we all have our own burdens to bear."

"I wasn't finished," Thunderhead shot her a sharp look. "Immediately afterwards, the pegasi on my war council wanted to send a detachment here, saying that the unicorns must've betrayed us and sided with the griffons."

This caused the room to break into disarray. The unicorns, which made up the bulk of the crowd, shouted in outrage. Curses began to fly, threats quickly started getting tossed around, and the seats closest to their pegasi visitors quickly vacated as ponies jumped to their hooves and the glow of magic started shining throughout the stands.

At least until Elder Lily raised a hoof for silence. For as disorganized the city of Elysium was outside of the sunrise itself, it still knew to respect authority. The oldest and most powerful of all the unicorns called for order, and even though there were few who'd disobey, none were about to do so openly.

"However," Thunderhead said once it was quiet again. "I know from past dealings with the unicorn tribe, or namely you, Elder Lily, that you would never stand for any loss of life. Regardless, I needed to do something to placate my tribe, hence my early arrival. I apologize for any undo distress we may have caused." The commander stood up just enough to make a show of giving a light, yet respectful bow to the elder, which seemed to go a great deal towards soothing the quickly building tension between two of the three tribes.

"It seems," Elder Lily said once the pegasus leader sat back down. "That our troubles only continue to grow the further time goes on. Ever since our ancestors formed this alliance all those centuries ago, things have continued to deteriorate."

"The recent fire hurt us greatly," Chancellor Thistle agreed. "I think it's obvious now where it started, but even so, we still need assistance from the other tribes. Without ideal conditions, there's only so much earth ponies can do about the food."

"And the distance between us almost started another war," Commander Thunderhead nodded along. "Between the griffons and the weather, we're stretched thin as it is."

"All of this started when we lost control of the sun for, even an moment," Lily concluded. "But if we had been better connected, a lot of unnecessary tension could've been avoided."

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?" Thistle adopted a worried look.

"I am," she said. "We've explored the idea several times in the past, and we've agreed such a move would be far too premature. Conditions have never been ideal to entertain them."

"Conditions are far from ideal now," said Thunderhead.

"They are," Lily nodded. "But when will the time actually come? I fear by the time we decide what we should've done, it'll be far too late. So I want to bring it the table now."

The tension in the room had grown so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Elder Lily opened her mouth and spoke the words that would very likely change the whole course of pony history. "The time for only concerning ourselves with our affairs must come to an end. I move for the unification of the tribes."

Chapter 14: Recess and Research

The crowd instantly devolved into chaos as cries of outrage and confusion filled the entire hall. Not even the diplomats and their aids were completely immune to the discourse as each of them had their own opinion, but they were failing in having themselves heard over the crowd.

There were a few who remained silent, and most of those were because they were in complete shock as what was being suggested. However, there were two ponies in particular who had a completely different take on what was happening.

"Did... Did that just happen?" Clover asked as he leaned in close to the pony beside him to make sure she heard him over the crowd.

"I think it did," said Azalea. "This can't be a coincidence. Can it? I mean, you only had that vision a few days ago."

"Have you ever heard of a prophecy coming true this quickly? Most of the ones I read about only came true after the pony had died."

"That's usually how it happens," she said. "And for all we know, it still is. You said you saw everypony bowing to a single pony, right?"

"They were bowing to something," Clover affirmed. "Still not even sure it was a pony."

"I don't see what else it could've been. What do you think," she said as she gestured to the arguing leaders. "Maybe it's actually one of them?"

"Don't look at me?" Clover exclaimed, feeling put on the spot. "I don't know how this thing works."

He was saved from further inquiry as a spark of magic flew into the air from the center of the stage.

The spark exploded with a bang. It was loud enough to cut through and silence the noise, and the shockwave was powerful enough to rattle the teeth of even the ponies sitting in the back row. Once the dust had settled and everyone, especially the battle hardened pegasi, had calmed down, the source of the disturbance made itself known.

"Sorry about that," Elder Gladiolus rubbed at his beard while biting back a sheepish grin. "I may have overdone it a bit."

"A bit?!" Elder Dahlia said from beside him. "What even made you think that was a good idea?!"

"Everypony was bickering like foals!" Gladiolus snapped back. "Sometimes you have to give ponies a good scare before they'll start to calm down."

They would've continued arguing if it hadn't been for the look Elder Lily shot the two of them. They didn't argue further, choosing instead to politely bow before taking a few steps back.

"I apologize for the outburst of my colleague," she said once she turned her attention back to the table. "But he was right in saying that we lost ourselves for a moment."

"It's fine," said Commander Thunderhead, still looking a bit on edge. "It reminds me a bit of my old days as a drill sergeant. Sometimes you need to be a bit extreme to get everypony back in line."

"Speak for yourself," said Chancellor Thistle as she did a poor job hiding a still shaking leg. "The nerve of doing something like that at the summit of all places."

"Perhaps it would be for the best if we resumed the summit tomorrow," Lily concluded. "I still wish to explore the possibility of unifying the tribes, but I think everypony needs a chance to discuss it within their own council first."

"Oh, we'll definitely be talking about it," said Thunderhead. "I'm not thrilled about the idea, but I imagine more than a few brave souls will want to make their opinions known."

"I don't think it will ever work," Thistle sighed. "But I guess we can at least talk it over, among other things."

And with that, day one of the summit came to its uncertain conclusion.

"Is the summit always this exciting?" Clover asked as everyone filed their way out of the lecture hall.

"I don't think so," Azalea shook her head. "My mother took me to one a couple of years ago, but that one seemed like it was little more than a formality. They didn't do much else except go over numbers and then go home. It actually seemed like a big waste of time. This however..."

"This sounded more like Elder Lily was trying to change the very face of the world," he finished for her. "Also, I had no idea what the other tribes went through on a daily basis. That was sort of interesting."

"We actually have it pretty good, recent events notwithstanding. Anyway," she said as she stood up with a stretch. "I'm still a bit worried about my mother, so I'm going to check up on her. Did you want to come along?"

Clover hesitated at the thought. While he was certainly curious about what the elders would be talking about, given his recent vision, he hadn't been on the best terms with Azalea's mother last time they met.

"I better not," he decided. "Besides, I want to take another look through the library. I've still got a few questions I want to try and find answers for."

Azalea gave him a knowing look. "Alright," she said. "Just so you know, you can't avoid her forever."

"I... I know," Clover let his head droop a bit. He'd have to talk to her sooner or later if he was going to continue being with her daughter.

"Hey, cheer up," she nuzzled into his side. "Sure you two had a bit of a rough start, but she'll come around."

Clover wanted to protest further, but that was when he felt a pair of warm lips rest upon his cheek. Instantly he seized up and by the time he recovered, Azalea was already working her way through the crowd, leaving him to sort through his own feelings before making his way back to the library.

The warm feeling had mostly subsided by the time Clover got where he was going. Good thing, too. Not that he was complaining, but he needed to have a clear head if he was going to get any research done.

At first, he thought about trying to resume his studies on fortune telling, and while that certainly made for some interesting reading, he hadn't gotten any closer to finding some real answers. Even after a whole day of studying. No, what he wanted to try to find out more about today was crystals.

Clover tugged up the edges of his cloak, giving him a good look at the mottled leg beneath. He still didn't like looking at his own body, if he was being completely honest with himself. It may have been an improvement on the scars he once had, if for no other reason than he could use magic again, but it still felt strange and unnatural to realize it was his own body he was looking at.

Fortunately, he was a far better versed in crystal magicology than he was in fortune telling, so he knew exactly which part of the library he needed to go.

…Or so he thought.

Quartz, sapphire, even some rare purple diamonds. A million and one uses for each of them based on how well versed and how clever the unicorn was who was using them. Quartz, while good at letting magic flow through it, was complete garbage at storing it. Sapphire had the opposite problem. It could store magic just fine, but it didn't want to give it up once it had a hold of it. He was exploring the possibility of diamond, but then he remembered something about the rare mineral. Monetary value aside, diamond tended to act more like a resistor than anything else. Great if you needed a regulator for some arcane device, but aside from there being other, cheaper materials that could do the same job, it wouldn't be able to channel the raw power Clover now had at his disposal.

He threw his head back in frustration. The closest thing he had found to what he was looking for amethyst. It was the one purple gemstone that was actually malleable under the right conditions, almost like a soft clay or a hard gel. It could easily be molded, which might explain why his body could still move, but it only maintained those properties while it was in a highly charged state, during which it also glowed brightly.

The crystal in his body didn't glow all the time, though. It was only when he used his magic that it did. This would've been so much easier with a different color, namely green. Green crystals were far more agreeable to work enchantments than purple ones, at least in Clover's opinion, especially malachite. He could've easily explained most of his condition if it was malachite, all except for the glowing part. Malachite refused to glow no matter how much power you ran through it.

"Heh," an idle thought popped into his head, making him laugh involuntarily. "Imagine if it was black." It'd look cool, that's for sure. He might even come across as some kind of moody protagonist from those cheesy novels he used to read. He dramatically swept the edge of his cloak around, covering the lower half of his face. "I am the night," he said in jest. He felt like an absolute fool. It was a fun fantasy, though.

But no, reality has its way of reminding you why fantasy is what it is. A fantasy. Black crystals couldn't be used in anything magical, not at all. It interrupted all connections almost instantly. It certainly couldn't store any power. And even touching the stuff made unicorn magic completely fall apart, no matter how powerful. He wasn't sure how it interacted with magic from the other tribes, if what they had could even properly be called magic.

Just another mystery that's going to have to remain unsolved. He began putting the books back on the shelves, the crystal in his body glowing as he levitated them. Was anything ever going to feel normal for him again? A month ago, the biggest thing he had to worry about was if the cute pony in the corner would ever notice him. So much had changed since then.

He had just finished putting the last book on the shelf and was going to see what Azalea was up to, but something wasn't right. Even though he had finished putting everything away, his horn continued to glow. He stared up at it, unsure of what it could mean, when suddenly it began pulling at him. It was subtle at first, but then it started pulling harder when he tried to ignore it. When that didn't work and he actively tried pulling against it, it pulled him so hard that he found his hooves lifted off the ground and he started getting dragged along like his horn was some kind of leash.

Now he was really starting to worry. His magic had been acting a bit funny since it started working again, in some cases it almost seemed to be acting on intuition, carrying out his intentions before he even started casting a spell, but this was the second time it was straight up subverting his own will.

What else could he do, though? Call for help? And say what? That his magic was running away without him? Even though that's sort of what was happening right now, he opted instead to just wait and see. Who knows? Maybe it'd lead him to some sort of answer.

Over shelves and between rows of books he flew, his magic seeming to have some sort of destination in mind. Several times he had to shout to the other patrons in the library to get out of the way. Sure, the library was supposed to be quiet, but decided it was better to break that sacred tenant than to bowl someone over due to a runaway horn.

Just when Clover thought he'd never get wherever he was going, the light of his horn finally dimmed, depositing him on the ground. He looked around at the dusty shelves. Wherever he was, this corner of the library wasn't visited very often. After a little searching, he found a faded sign at the end of one of the rows that read...

"Folklore?" He read aloud. "Like old legends and stuff?" He began poking at his own horn, getting increasingly frustrated with it. "You dragged me all the way here to show me some abandoned myths?" Even if there was something useful here, there was guaranteed to be a lot of nonsense that would do little more than waste his time.

As if in response to his complaints, or maybe even his thoughts, his horn lit up again and not so gently slammed his face into the nearest bookshelf, leaving him seeing stars. Dizzy and confused, but still aware of the same pulling sensation, Clover didn't properly come to until he found himself sitting at a vacant table with a single book sitting in front of him.

"The healing effects of crystals... Seriously?" He glared up at his horn. This wasn't funny anymore. He actually had heard of this before, on his first day of crystallography. They had been told by Professor Citrine that healing crystals was nothing but superstitious nonsense, pseudoscience, something concocted by earth ponies so they could upsell some of the more common gemstones.

Still, he hadn't had much luck trying to find an answer in the approved texts, the confirmed sciences. It couldn't hurt to take a look, could it? He already had the odd book in front of him and his own magic, however weird it was acting, seemed to want him to take a look.

So he did, and almost immediately started laughing. Jasper was supposed to help with stress? Turquoise is lucky?! Bloodstone is supposed to help with blood circulation... Really, now. It wasn't even trying with that one. Page after page of complete nonsense he found, with the "purpose" of each gemstone being more ridiculous than the last. The only thing that even sounded close to the truth was quartz, which was supposed to allow energy in the body to flow more freely. He was able to give this up as a completely lost cause, and maybe seek out professional help for considering the contents of this book for even a moment, but then he read the entry on the next page.

Amethyst. His eyes grew wide as he looked over this book's description of the purple gemstone, what it was supposed to help, and more importantly its role in fortune telling. "Over the years, many doctors have sworn by the healing powers of amethyst, believed to help purify the body and help increase one willpower when used in meditation." Too many of the crystals claimed to have healing effect, but this was the first one to say anything about willpower. Was this why being out in the sun no longer bothered him? He had increased willpower?

He might've dismissed it as a very unlikely coincidence if it weren't for the part it said about fortune telling. "Amethyst foretells a change or transition, or that change is the answer to a problem." Adding that to everything else was just too much. His vision, the summit, his change, everything that could happen, and even now, what Elder Lily was trying to make happen. It was like he finally had enough pieces to know the puzzle is actually a puzzle, but still not know exactly what it was trying to make. He was on the cusp of something huge. He just needed to keep looking.

"What you got there, Clover?"

Clover almost jumped clear out of his skin at the sudden voice. His heart began racing a mile a minute, he suddenly had trouble breathing, and an uncontrollable shaking overtook his body. He cranked his neck as fast as he was able, slowly looking over to find Azalea standing over him, a worried look now on her face.

"I'm sorry," she said sympathetically. "I wasn't trying to scare you. You must've been really out of it."

"Don't," Clover choked on his own breath for a moment. "Don't worry about it. I was just... I found... Here..."

Azalea screwed her eyes as Clover slid the book over for her to see. "The healing effects of Amethyst... What is this?" She stopped to flip the book to look at the cover. "You don't believe in this stuff, do you?"

"Keep reading," was the only response Clover could give.

She raised an eyebrow at his no-nonsense answer before settling down next to him and continuing to read the section. When she got to the part about the fortune telling, her jaw dropped. "This has to be a joke, right?"

"If it is, it's not very funny," he said, relaxing only slightly. "Almost too much makes sense now. Far too much to just be a coincidence."

"But it just... Hmm..." She pondered as she studied him. "When was the last time you slept?"

"Huh?" Mused Clover, caught off guard by the change of subject. "It's not that late, is it?"

"The moon was raised several hours ago. You've been in here most of the day. You need to sleep."

"But I can't sleep," he argued. "Not with this on my plate."

"You're going to drive yourself mad if you keep up this pace. Besides, a discovery this big needs a good night's rest to properly digest, or you're going to undo all the progress you've made."

"I still don't see how I can be expected to sleep after making this discovery."

"Then you don't have to sleep," she said through a warm smile. "But I'm pretty sure you will when I'm through with you."

"I'm pretty sure sleeping spells won't work on me anymore." Clover sighed, confused. "What are you hoping to..." And then he saw the look she was giving him.

Any further argument or existential crisis was shelved from that point onward. He didn't say another word as she led him out of the library and back to the dorm. While she may not have had a sleeping spell that would work, something else certainly would.

Within an hour of entering Clover's room, both of them were sound asleep. Freshly worn out and wrapped in each other's embrace.

Chapter 15: Changes on the Horizon

The second day of the Summit was packed. Far more ponies, this time from all the tribes, showed up to fill the seats than they had the day before. It soon became apparent that it was going to be standing room only, and that was even with some of the pegasi bringing their own seats in the form of small clouds. Given the current topic of heated discussion, it was clear that everyone wanted to see what was going to be decided at the Summit, now more than ever.

The crowd eventually quieted as the respective leaders of the three tribes filed their way in. They didn't do so with the same ceremony they had the day before, and anyone who hadn't been here quickly figured out who was who from the whispering of their neighbors. The other thing that stood out was how tired they all looked, like no one had gotten any sleep since the night before. This became extra evident when the large yellow pegasus started nodding off, only to be nudged awake by her companion before she made a complete fool of herself.

Same as before, all three of the nations' leaders reached up and removed their symbol of office. Once they were placed on the table, the second day of the summit was ready to commence.

"I would ask if everypony slept well, but I think we all know the answer to that one," said Elder Lily. "Has everypony had a chance to discuss my proposal?"

"We have," Commander Thunderhead groaned. "Most of my subordinates are completely against the idea, and I'm inclined to agree with them. Our biggest concern is, and always will be, the war effort. Even managing the weather has to take a back seat to keeping the borders safe." He sighed. "Unless we got additional support, we'd be stretching ourselves far too thin to try anything new."

It was Chancellor Thistle's turn now. "We actually had a surprisingly agreeable response," she said. "The merchants in our caravan see this as an opportunity to open new avenues of trade. However, the few farmers that traveled here with us are worried about living with other ponies, worried it will change their way of life. We can't do anything without their support. No matter how much we might gain, there's just too much to lose."

"I know the city will follow along with whatever I decide," said Lily. "Unicorns tend to follow the wisdom of the oldest among them. That's just how we've always been. But I would be remiss in my responsibilities if I didn't take the thoughts and concerns of everypony into account. Too many are ignorant of the world beyond our borders. Most of them had never even seen a pony from another tribe before two days ago."

"So any kind of unification isn't going to work, then," Thistle huffed. "Why did we even waste the energy entertaining this idea?"

"You have some sort of plan, don't you?" Thunderhead studied the elder unicorn from across the table. "I've known you long enough to know when you haven't laid everything out on the table yet."

"Insightful as ever, I see," Lily smiled back. "You're a credit to your continued leadership. You'd be correct, I do have a plan. The way I see it, the biggest obstacle we face is how ignorant everypony is of the other tribes. We could make steps to correct that through an internship, of sorts."

"An exchange?" Thistle raised an eyebrow. "How exactly would you expect that to work? The laws of diplomacy would..."

"Would have to be suspended for such a thing to even be possible," Thunderhead finished for her as he suddenly got a lot more interested. "Interesting... It has some merit. I wouldn't be completely opposed to a small experiment. It would have to be small, though. I could probably get away with sparing a body or two, I actually have a few new recruits in mind that don't appear to have the stones for combat. They'd probably jump at the chance to get out of drills," he said with a laugh. "But I'd need a few strong bodies to take their place. I'm not sure what they'd be doing, but I guess that's sort of the point."

"And what of us?" Thistle complained, looking a bit irritated for the earlier interruption. "Harvest is right around the corner. You can't expect us to give up a few good workers just so they can either live in the lap of luxury or fight in a war."

"What of your alchemists?" Asked Lily. "Didn't you once say any one of them would give up a hind leg for just an hour's access to our libraries?"

Thistle's jaw dropped at the question. "You're serious, aren't you? You'd be willing to give up that kind of knowledge to another tribe for the sake of a trial run?"

"Completely, and I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard to find a few willing volunteers to help work the fields. Not everything can be learned from books, after all. We'd have just as much to gain from the exchange."

She rubbed at her chin for a moment before answering. "We could probably work with that," she said before turning back to the pegasus. "We might even find somepony willing to house the ones you have working our weather. Kill two birds with one stone."

Thunderhead nodded his approval. "That would help."

"So it's decided," Elder Lily concluded. "We'll proceed with a temporary exchange program. Any opposed?"

When no pony raised a hoof to object, they moved on to other, more mundane topics. When the Summit finally let out for the day, the exchange program was all anyone wanted to talk about, and they didn't just talk about it among their peers. Several from the other tribes had opted to stay in the city overnight, now more curious than ever to learn more about their distant cousins.

All except for Clover and Azalea. No sooner had they stepped back out onto the street, then they were approached by a messenger. Elder Lily wanted to see them.

Elder Lily had asked for them, but why? He hadn't done anything to draw attention to himself, had he? Clover thought long and hard about it. The biggest thing that stuck out in his head was the scene he had made when he had fought with Elder Dahlia. But that was days ago. Why bring it back up now?

Clover and Azalea made their way for the door leading to the back room, and were about to open it, when it swung open all on its own. A fuming Dahlia stormed out of the room, only stopping long enough to scowl in Clover's direction before stomping down the hallway.

"What was that all about?" He asked. Whatever had happened, it had apparently put the red-headed mare in a bad mood.

"I don't know," said Azalea. It seemed strange that her mother hadn't even acknowledged her presence. Whatever had upset the hot-blooded elder, it must've been bad if she hadn't even noticed her own daughter. The two of them turned back to the door, now more anxious than ever at what they would find inside.

However when they entered the room, it wasn't just Elder Lily that was waiting for them. Elder Gladiolus was there as well, but so were the pegasi delegates. What exactly was going on?

"Ah, Clover. Azalea. Glad you both could make it," said Gladiolus. "I was worried the messenger got lost in the crowd."

"They found us alright," Azalea said with a touch of concern. "Is everything alright with my mother?"

His cheery face fell at the question. "You saw her, did you?" When they nodded in the affirmative, he rubbed at the back of his head. "I'm sure she'll be alright. Just some difference in opinion."

"Ah'd say that be puttin' it lightly," said Lieutenant Dandelion from her place in the back of the room. "Dat old hen looked like she were ready to pop." The comment earned her a sharp look from her two companions. "What yer be lookin at me like that fer? Just callin' it like ah see it."

"I wouldn't worry yourself," said Elder Lily. "She's just feeling a bit protective. I would expect the same of any parent."

"So these are two you were recommending?" Commander Thunderhead said as he paced around them, his discerning eye sweeping over every inch of them. "They don't seem like much to look at. A bit scrawny, in my professional opinion."

"What's going on?" Clover felt even more nervous than he had been just moments before. The commander seemed intent on measuring his worth, for whatever reason that may be.

"Tell me, Clover," Lily started, not even phased by him being inspected like livestock. "What are your thoughts on the Summit?"

"The Summit?" Said Clover, happy for the distraction. "Well, it's interesting. Although, I get the feeling it doesn't usually get so heated."

"You'd be correct in that assumption," said Gladiolus. "Every year we usually talk about the same things. The weather, disputed territories, you know, boring stuff."

"What's with these scars?" Thunderhead narrowed his eyes at the crystal running through Clover's neck, making him just a bit uncomfortable. "At least I think that's what these are. This pony looks like he's been through the wringer already."

"Clover here's the sole survivor of the sunrise two weeks past," Lily informed him. "I'm not sure why his scars look the way they do now, but it seems to have improved his disposition."

"Really, now," his eyes widened at the news. "And you're willing to ship him off to Mount Bora? Are you sure he can handle it?"

Clover's ears perked up, not only because of the question, but because he finally understood why he was here. "The exchange? You want to send me off to live with the pegasi?"

"I'd like to send both of you," Lily nodded as she made eye contact with Azalea. "As you might've guessed, your mother isn't particularly thrilled with the idea, but I believe you two are the best choice for this task."

"We don't want to force you," added Gladiolus. "Nopony's tried anything like this before, not in living memory anyway. It will no doubt be difficult, but it would go a long ways towards helping bring the tribes closer together."

Clover felt a hoof rest on his shoulder, and looked over to meet Azalea's gaze. He could tell she felt was just as anxious as he did, likely trying to keep herself from running away. He certainly felt like it. However, when she smiled at him, he knew that through thick and thin, she would always be there, regardless of what he decided.

And then there was the vision. A small glimpse of the future, a future where all the tribes were together. He still had no idea what that shining figure was, and he might never know. But maybe, just maybe, this was what was always meant to be. He was only meant to play a minor role in bringing the tribes together, and maybe, just maybe, it was his responsibility to see where this road would end.

"When do we leave?" His mind was made up.

"Tomorrow," said the pegasus leader. "After the conclusion of the summit."

Chapter 16: Unexpected Company

"Tomorrow?!" Clover exclaimed. So soon. His mind was still made up, but that barely gave them any time. "How far are we going? Do I need to bring anything?"

"It's about two weeks travel on hoof," said Thunderhead. "But it's only about half a day's flight if we have lieutenant Dandelion carry the two of you."

Now he was starting to second guess his decision. "Wait... S... She's going to carry us?!" He said, gesturing to the large pony. "For half a day?! Through the air?!"

Dandelion let a full bellied laugh at his reaction, at least until her brain caught up with the words. "Wait a bloody moment... I am? Sure, they're a bit small, but yu can't expect me ta carry two whole ponies and my armor all the way home."

"I always said you missed your calling as a pack mule," Lieutenant Storm Caller laughed, unable to resist making a jab at his colleague's expense.

"It seems Lieutenant Storm Caller just volunteered to carry your armor," Thunderhead said without hesitation. "But consider this your punishment for snoring while Chancellor Thistle was talking. She's going to be holding that over my head for years."

"Ha," Dandelion jabbed at Storm's chest while not acknowledging why she was being punished. "Serves ye right fer callin' me a mule."

"Aten-Shun!" Called out Commander Thunderhead. Instantly both of his lieutenants snapped to attention, immediately dropping their banter.

"Sir!" They both said in unison, completely straight-faced.

"I want the two of you to figure out the best way to transport our guests. See to it that Lieutenant Dandelion is outfitted with a proper harness. If I suspect for an instant that somepony will find themselves in freefall on the trip back, I'll have you strung up by your ears. Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir! Yes, Sir!" They both sounded off.

"Dismissed!" He swiped a hoof, finalizing the order.

The two of them turned about face, almost mechanically, and marched to the door. They didn't once break their stance as their commanding officer kept his eyes trained on them. It wasn't until the door had completely closed again that he finally relaxed.

"And to think," he said, sounding tired. "One of them is supposed to replace me one day. I'll probably be stuck with this job for at least another twenty years before either of them are ready."

"I find the best sign of a good leader is one who really doesn't want the job," said Elder Lily from her seat. She had been watching quietly through the whole exchange, not even seeming phased by the shifts in the atmosphere. "I find myself facing a similar dilemma. I won't be around forever, and I worry about those I will eventually leave behind."

"Ha!" Thunderhead let out a sharp laugh. "That'll be the day. I still expect you to outlive us all."

"Perhaps..." She smiled back before turning to her fellow elder. "Gladiolus, would you be a dear and show our new exchange students to the restricted section. I would have them well equipped for the coming journey."

"I think I can manage that," Gladiolus said with a smile, clearly amused by the exchange, before leading both Clover and Azalea to follow him.

As the two young ponies left the room, Clover took one last look over his shoulder. Elder Lily had a smile on her face as she pulled a teapot and a pair of cups from a nearby cupboard, placing them on the table between her and the commander, before the closing door finally hid them from view.

Clover had always wondered what they kept hidden in this dark corner of the library. It's access was usually limited to ponies old enough to have retired from sun duty. While not everyone who had access exercised that privilege, those who did refrained from openly sharing what they found inside.

"So what's hiding back here?" Clover bounced a bit on his hooves. He couldn't deny he was a bit excited. He had dreamed about the day he'd have access to the restricted section, but never would've imagined it'd happen so soon.

"Oh, this?" Said Gladiolus as he fiddled with the lock. He had no doubt seen the excited gleam in the younger pony's eye, but hadn't felt the need to comment. "Nothing too exciting, you'll probably be disappointed. There's plenty of controversial material, but you can find that anywhere if you look hard enough. Primarily, we've locked away the more complicated spells, as well as stuff that's likely to hurt somepony either by accident or design. Which reminds me... Azalea, did your mother ever instruct you on what constitutes a war crime?"

"Mass extermination and anything that causes unnecessary suffering," she railed off like she had repeated it a thousand times. "Wait..." She pondered, her brain finally catching up. "Do you think we might be expected to help the pegasi fight their war?"

"I'd say it's almost a certainty," he said as he looked a back to Clover. "You really made an impression on Elder Lily when you fought with Dahlia the other day. So much so that you were her first choice when Thunderhead asked for a fighter."

"What about me, then?" Azalea asked with a measure of confusion. "I've never been in a fight in my entire life."

"We're hoping the political lessons your mother has no doubt drilled into you from a young age will be of major benefit. You may not realize this, but it's actually really rare for somepony as old as she is to have a daughter as young as you. But more importantly..." His eyes shot back and forth between the two of them. "I really shouldn't be telling you this, but we're worried that you might be the only one aside from Lily herself who can keep Clover in check."

"Keep me in check?!" Clover snapped, confused. "What are you saying?"

Elder Gladiolus turned around and placed a hoof on Clover's shoulder so fast it almost gave him whiplash. "What I'm saying is that you scared a lot of ponies the other day. Do you have any idea how much magic directing a sunrise takes? Well, you outstripped that several times over before Lily managed to stop you."

"But I..." He still hadn't forgotten how that felt, but to hear how much power he'd actually been using scared him. It also made what Lily had done to stop him seem all the more impressive.

"I see I've made my point," Gladiolus said as he finished unlocking the door. The metal grate that made up the door swung open with a loud creak, a sign that it wasn't used all that often. "You'll be alright. Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Anyway, in you go."

"You're not coming with us?" Asked Azalea.

"No," he said regretfully. "I would if I could, but I'm a little too busy as it is with all the ponies seeking my guidance. First the sunrise and now the Summit. If there's anything that makes ponies nervous, it's change."

The restricted section. So far, it had been exactly what Elder Gladiolus had said it would be. Nothing too exciting. The shelves looked the same as they did in the rest of the library, and the few shelves they had checked so far only had more complicated versions of spells they already knew. Like a conjuring charm that had twenty-three facets to its structure instead of the much simplified eight.

However, their search was also hindered by how dark it was. No sooner had Gladiolus left them to their devices, and they turned down the first row of shelves, then they found themselves almost completely submerged in darkness. Fortunately, this was an easy remedy for unicorns. It wasn't even really a spell. They just had to channel the tiniest bit of magic into their horns, and they lit up like their own personal lanterns.

Clover even had the added effect of the rest of his body, namely the crystal bits, taking on a purple glow as well. It actually caused a bit of a problem when trying to read anything, at least until he refastened his cloak a bit higher so he didn't blind himself whenever he looked down to read.

After a while longer, they started to find the spells that really needed to be kept out of the public's reach. Shape shifting, and not just changing one object into another either. Actually changing the makeup of their own bodies. Making empty space fold in on itself, which was a bizarre concept, to say the least. Neither of them could even really wrap their heads around it. They passed over a few that could be considered morally ambiguous, but the one thing everything they found had in common was how incredibly difficult all the spells were.

He raised an eyebrow at the next spell he got his hooves on. This one was kind of interesting. "Hey Azalea!" He called out. "Think we have any use for a spell that'll let us breathe underwater?"

"I don't think we'd have much use for that on a mountain," She called back. They had split up to widen their search after the first hour of less than fruitful results. "Wait... Does the description say breath water or able to breathe underwater?"

"It says able to breathe underwater." He reaffirmed the text.

"Write it down anyway. Who knows? It could still be useful."

That was how the two of them spent their day. Rummaging through old spells, new spells, and spells that were just strange. Any time they found something with a measure of utility, they wrote it down on the off chance it would help them some day. For all they knew, they weren't going to be back here for a very long time and they may have to create several new spells on their own, so the more notes they had to work with, the better. Unfortunately, after several hours of research, they started finding duplicate spells, similar theories, and there was still so much they hadn't gone through yet.

"Maybe we should take a break," Azalea said as she slumped back in her seat. "I think we've done about all we can."

"I'm not ready to stop, not yet." Clover had already felt the draining pull of mental fatigue several times since they started. If it was any normal day, he would've already taken a break, but the knowledge that he might not get another chance like this had kept him pushing forward.

Azalea sighed as she stood up. "Alright, just promise me you won't go too much longer."

"Huh?" His ears perked up as he saw her walking away. "Where're you going?"

"I'm going to try and find my mother," she said. "If this is going to be our last night in Elysium, I'd like to spend it with her. It may be years before I see her again, and I don't want my last conversation to be me fighting with her."

"Wait, you were fighting?" Clover asked. "Is everything alright? Do you need me to come with you?"

Azalea paused before looking back and shaking her head. "No. We've had our disagreements since long before I met you, even if all you did was help bring it to the surface. It'll be for the best if I go alone. I don't want to upset her."

Unfortunately, by the time Azalea was out of sight, Clover no longer felt like he could focus on his work. Her words had struck a chord in his mind, unwilling to leave him alone. Azalea wasn't the only one who needed to make amends, and while he still felt like he hadn't been entirely in control on his own actions, he still felt responsible for how badly he had publicly embarrassed the elder.

The thought continued to plague him as he started wandering up and down the dark rows. Even if she wasn't his favorite pony, she was still Azalea's mother, and he didn't like the feeling he had, that he had played a part in pushing the two of them further apart. Despite his inner turmoil, he still tried to make an effort to get something done, but it was no good. No matter how hard he tried, his eyes now just glazed over the pages without really reading what was on them.

He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed that his wasn't the only source of light in the vicinity. Not right away anyway. It wasn't until he turned down the pre-lit aisle and tripped over a stack of books on the ground that he noticed the pony sitting at a short table, every inch of it covered with open tomes and loose notes.

"Hello?" Clover called out, not wanting to scare them. However, they still seized up at the sudden noise, dropping the book they had been holding in the shock. Apparently, they had been just as distracted as Clover had been, and it wasn't until she snapped her head to face him that he saw who it was.

Elder Dahlia looked back at him with eyes narrowed to pinpricks, her breathing coming rapidly as she started backing away. She made it about two steps before her eyes came back into focus, and she started to calm down. It was only a marginal difference, but it was noticeable compared to how panicked she had been only moments before. "Oh," she swallowed hard, further evidence of her discomfort. "Clover, it's just you. That glow actually makes you downright terrifying in the dark. Did you know that?"

Clover took another look down at his own glowing body. He hadn't really thought about it, but she might be on to something. Azalea hadn't seemed to mind, but she had been there when it first happened, and even then, she had been far more concerned with whether or not he'd survive the night. "I can't help it," he said. "It does that any time I use magic."

"You might want to see about hiding it before you make yourself an easy target for a griffin," she said, finally calming down the rest of the way. "So, I take it you accepted their offer? That's why you're here?"

"They wanted us to be as ready for the trip as possible," said Clover.

"It makes sense," Dahlia relaxed a bit more as she peered over Clover's back. "I don't see my daughter with you. Is she here as well?"

"She was a moment ago," he said. "She actually left looking for you."

"So she accepted the offer as well," Dahlia slumped her shoulders. "I sincerely hoped she wouldn't."

Clover cocked an eyebrow. "Why are you so against her going? Isn't this a big opportunity?"

"That remains to be seen," she said curtly. "Not everypony is all that keen on this new arrangement." She grit her teeth to the point they squeaked. "Even if it works, the pegasus home isn't exactly the safest place right now. Not with their ongoing war."

"I won't let anything happen to her," Clover rose to her defense. "Not while I'm still breathing."

"Don't forget you said that," she said with narrowed eyes. "Because I certainly won't."

"You don't like me, do you?" He said.

"What was your first clue?" She said sternly, but then relaxed her shoulders. "But it not about what I want. It took a harsh reminder from an old friend to help me see it, but ever since the two of you started spending time together, there's been a spring in her step that wasn't there before. You wouldn't have been my first choice, but I can't deny how happy she's been lately."

"Sorry about our little duel," Clover felt the need to say. He still wasn't completely sure if he'd been in complete control when it happened, but he didn't want them to stay on such poor terms.

"Water under the bridge," she said, accepting his little apology. "It served as a harsh reminder that I can't control everypony, no matter how much I might wish otherwise."

Deafening silence followed their impromptu exchange. If they hadn't run into each other tonight, they may never have had the chance to talk things out. While he felt that him and the elder would never really be friends, it felt good to know where each of them stood.

"So... What were you doing down here?" Clover asked before the silence got any more awkward.

"Oh this?" Dahlia said as she turned back to look at her table, apparently welcome for the change of topic. "I needed somewhere quiet to think," she followed as she slid over her building pile of notes, "and I wanted to help out as much as I could before you left."

"What is this?" Clover pondered as he reached for the bundle. He began leafing through the pages, eager to see what the elder had been working on. "Glimmer?" He pondered as he found a particularly strange spell formation. A lot of the pages he had flipped through were very similar to what he and Azalea had already found. However, this was something completely different. He screwed his eyes as he kept reading over the odd spell, still unclear of what it was supposed to do. He thought he understood, but it almost seemed too good to be true.

"Be very careful with that," Dahlia said cautiously. "While it can let you fly, the wings themselves are very fragile. All it would take is a little too much sun, and they'll start to burn up. Still... It's better than nothing. I wouldn't use them outside of an emergency. Unless that is, you figure out how to make them work with something other than water vapor."

"I'll see what I can do," he swallowed hard. It looked like it would be years before he could even dream of modifying a spell this intricate. He had never seen anything so complicated before, outside of the sunrise, that is.

Until he turned to the next page. What was drawn out here was on a completely different level than even the last one had been. What was worse was that it looked like whoever had written it had stopped halfway through. "Is this an unfinished spell?"

"It might not even be a spell," she said. "Professor Hecate used to challenge us with these seemingly impossible equations. Rarely did anyone ever make something useful out of them, but the exercise still helped with the rest of our studies."

Clover could see why. His brain was starting to hurt even more than it had earlier. Even if he only managed to make sense of a fraction of what he was looking at, it wouldn't be hard to see how it could help.

Elder Dahlia continued reminiscing about her younger years, but Clover was too drawn in by the problem in front of him to pay much attention. Even though it made his head hurt, one corner of the spell had already started to make sense. He pulled out fresh parchment and began scribbling some rough notes as he tried to piece the rest of it together.

The pain in his head continued to worsen as he worked, but he pushed on, inexplicably driven as he was to make sense of the puzzle before him. The pain slowly evolved into a hot spike that drove into his skull, and even when he felt someone start to shake him, the distraction wasn't enough to pull him from his task. Somehow, he knew that whatever it was he was doing was important. That he not only wanted but needed to finish the spell.

Just as he finished putting the last few lines together, a metallic taste entered his mouth. He began coughing and splitting, having apparently been holding his breath for an impossibly long time. He pulled his hoof away from his mouth, shocked at first by the blood he found there, but then even more shocked by the crystal laced throughout his foreleg. The heat he had been feeling throughout his body hadn't been figurative but literal. Parts of the crystal were still cooling back down to their purple color, but he could still make out traces of where it had been red hot only moments before.

"What did you do?" The Elder said in shock.

Clover turned to find Elder Dahlia staring wide-eyed at him. The look she gave him wasn't the fear she had shown before, but awe and just a hint of curiosity. He turned back to look at the notes he had been pouring over to see his finished spell. He wasn't completely sure what he had made, but there was no way he would've been able to make that completely on his own. "I'm not sure," he said as he stepped aside and showed her his work. It was true. Even though it had been his pen that had given life to the spell, he had no idea what it did.

Dahlia cautiously approached the table and looked over the new spell. If the number of times she tilted her head was any indication, she seemed to be having just as much trouble understanding what Clover had made as he had. "I think it's some sort of pacifying spell," she said. "It's just far more complex than any we use."

"When do we use those?" He had never heard of anyone using them before.

"Usually only medical staff use them to help keep patients under control," she said, still entranced by the notes. "I'm sure they tried using them on you and the others who survived the sunrise. At first, anyway. Clearly, it wasn't enough to stop them from burning up after surviving the sunrise itself. It's nothing short of a miracle that you not only survived but seem to be thriving."

Clover wasn't sure that thriving would be how he'd describe his situation. If anything, he'd say he just got very lucky. Whatever happened to him with that meteorite seemed to have fixed him, but things kept happening with him and his magic that seemed out of the ordinary. His magic now worked so instinctually that he wasn't even sure he was casting his own spells. There was also the time it seemed to be impacting his judgement to consider, and now here he was creating spells far above his own ability.

"Would you mind if I made a copy of this?" She asked, even though she had already starting scratching down her own copy.

"Um, sure," he said, he really didn't mind. "But why? Do you think it's any good?"

"I think we could've saved a few more lives if we had this before." She soon finished her work, and rolled up the new copy. "I sincerely hope it doesn't happen again, but it's best to be prepared anyway. Anyway," she said as she got up and stretched. "I really should try to find my daughter. You said she was looking for me?"

Clover nodded. "She left not all that long ago. If you hurry, you might be able to catch her. Don't worry about the mess," he said. "I'll clean it up."

"Thank you Clover," she said, seemingly caught a bit off-guard by his kindness. "You know, maybe I was wrong about you. An old friend of mine once said that if I spend too much time on the more influential ponies, that I'll likely miss the more talented ones. Maybe he was right."

He wasn't sure if that was a compliment or an insult, but that was the second time she'd mentioned an old friend telling her stuff she probably didn't want to hear. As intimidating as Elder Dahlia could be, he couldn't think of anyone who would be so brazen, much less one that she would actually listen to.

"It was Elder Gladiolus, in case you were wondering," Dahlia offered before Clover could ask. "He's always been watching my back, ever since we were young."

"Elder Gladiolus?!" Clover didn't know how to take that piece of news. "But the two of you..."

"Always seem to be fighting?" She said with a small smirk. "That part has never changed. Even when we were more than just friends."

Chapter 17: One Last Night

Clover could do nothing more than sit there slack-jawed and unable to say or do anything until Elder Dahlia was finally out of sight. No. He hadn't just heard that. Had he? It couldn't be possible, right? At one point was she and Elder Gladiolus really a couple? It didn't seem possible with the way they were always fighting. Was it even true, or had she said it just to mess with his head? And if it was true, was there a chance that Gladiolus was also Azalea's father? Why was he even asking these questions? Didn't he have enough problems without adding the drama of other ponies to his own?

That last thought forced Clover to pause and reflect on everything that had been changing lately. Had it really been less than a month since everything he had known got turned on its head? He had watched his best friend die, society had turned his back on him, and a vision of a distant future had been thrust upon him, a vision he was certain he'd play some sort of key role in. His body had been fused with a strange crystal that had fallen from the heavens, resulting in him going from cripple to one of the strongest unicorns alive. While he was glad to have his magic again, it now liked to act up and do weird things to both his mind and body. Now he was supposed to run off to who knows where and be an ambassador or exchange student or whatever it was he was going to be doing. If there was any silver lining to any of this at all, it was Azalea. Without her, he would've likely gone mad and given up a long time ago.

But even with her support, it was all just too much, too fast. He breathed a heavy sigh as he looked down at the pile of notes Elder Dahlia had added to his own. He felt he hadn't had near enough time to prepare for the trip, but it would have to be enough. There was just no way he was going to be able to get anything more done tonight. Not with the weight of everything that's happened crashing down on him.

He took a moment as he looked around at the mess he promised to take care of. It seemed like such a simple gesture at the time, and he was sure the offer went a long way in helping cure some of the bad blood between him and the elder, but looking at it now, it was probably going to take the better part of the night. Oh well, he thought, supposed he better just get to it, then.

No sooner had he decided to start cleaning that the crystal embedded in his body lit up, along with every book in the room. Same as it had before, everything flew through the air before finding its own way back home to the appropriate shelves. However, unlike before where it had simply caught him off guard and he accepted the convenience, this time it only served to annoy him further and remind him just how strange his life had become.

Clover really didn't have anything else that needed doing before the long trip tomorrow. He had his notes and a few writing supplies, and those easily fit into his pack along with a spare toga. Although, he didn't really see himself ever wearing it again since Azalea gifted him his cloak. It easily covered the worst of his scars, and he had become quite partial to the look.

The only thing left for him to do was make sure he got enough sleep. However, he wasn't even remotely tired, and the idle thoughts that continued to rampage through his head made the possibility of sleep extremely unlikely. And while Clover had never really been much of a drinker, that had been more Pyrus' thing than his, he had found the desire to do so strike him far more often since his friend's untimely passing.

So that was where Clover found himself now. Back at the same wine hall, at the same table he had last shared with Pyrus, and where his friend had pushed him and Azalea together. The wine was watered down just the right amount, and not for the first time, he found himself wondering what it would be like to drink it straight. Very few unicorns had the constitution for it and those who thought they might usually had their request turned down. The owner just didn't want to see good wine go to waste.

Half a glass later, he was finally starting to relax. The turbulent thoughts continued to run through his head, but they were more muted than they had been before. Maybe after another hour, he might finally be able to get some sleep. No one stopped to bother him, although he did overhear a few ponies talking about his recent appointment, despite it having been a private conversation. He had never really given much thought before now, but ponies really did love their gossip, didn't they?

"Is this seat taken?"

The sudden question pulled Clover out of his reverie. He hadn't even noticed someone was standing there until they spoke. He looked to the source to find none other than the same two pegasi he was quickly becoming acquainted with. After shaking his head, they quietly sat down beside him each with their own glass in hoof, although the one Dandelion carried was larger by a sizable margin. However, what caught Clover off guard the most was when Storm Caller placed an extra glass at the empty seat across from Clover.

"We have a custom," he said solemnly. "To set an extra glass when mourning a lost friend."

Clover hadn't been expecting the gesture, nor that they would've known about what had happened. "How did you know?" He asked.

Storm stared into his own mug as he got more comfortable. "The way you keep looking at his seat," he said. "I've seen it a thousand times, especially after a battle. You two must've been close."

Clover nodded as he held back tears. "We were."

"Aye, yu don't need to restrain yerself on our account," said Dandelion. "Why don't yu tell us somethin 'bout him."

All at once, the feelings came rushing out, and tears began to form at the corner of his eyes. "Pyrus was..." He started. "Well... He was a troublemaker. He'd always get yelled at for not paying attention in class, and despite being so talented, he never really held it over anypony's head. He had this way about him, like you'd know he'd have your back if you ever found yourself in trouble. I never had much chance to take him up on that, though. I was usually the one stuck keeping him out of trouble. Unless mares were involved," Clover spared the barest of chuckles. "If it had legs and a flank to match, you can be sure he'd be there, sure to embarrass himself again." Clover looked across the table, nodding to the giant of a mare. "I would have given him thirty minutes tops before he tried making a move."

"Aye," Dandelion guffawed. "And Ah'd have given 'em a black eye fer his trouble. Although, if he kept tryin after that, he might've had a real shot."

"Only because every stallion you hit with those clubs you call legs is usually knocked unconscious," said Storm Caller, not missing the easy jab.

Pained laughter escaped Clover's chest along with the banter. When was the last time he had laughed at anything?

"Anyway," he said. "I never got the chance to properly thank him. If it hadn't been for him, I never would've worked up the courage to talk to Azalea."

"Sounds like he was a friend worth having," said Storm as he slid Pyrus' glass across the table to rest in front of Clover before raising his own. "To Pyrus. A friend like none other."

"To Pyrus," said Dandelion probably a little too loudly, if the turning heads were anything to go by. "May every mare he didn't bed be the lesser fer it."

"To Pyrus," Clover finally said as he raised Pyrus' glass. "A true friend who will forever be missed." Together they all threw their cups back, not lowering them until every drop had been drained. It might've just been his imagination, but the wine tasted sweeter than normal as it ran down his throat. Maybe it was just the rite the others had pushed him into. Either way, he felt a lot better than he had moments before, a little dizzy from drinking so much all at once, but overall much better.

"Ha!" Laughed Dandelion as she playfully shook his shoulder. "Look at him," she said. "He's got a right glow 'bout him now. Now if only we can git some meat on them scrawny bones."

"Give him a month of drills and a hearty meal, and not even his own mother will recognize him," Storm Caller laughed along.

"So aside from raising a glass to the dear departed," Clover let out a fuzzy hiccup. "What other pegasus customs will I have to learn? Like what else do you all do? Surely you do stuff other than just fight? I mean, you weren't born fighting, were you?"

"Oi," Dandelion groaned and rolled her eyes before getting up to fetch a fresh round of drinks. "Here we go again."

"No, of course not," Storm Caller grinned manically, ignoring his comrade. "Unless you count my little colt Storm Chaser, that is. I swear he came out of his mama already kicking and looking for a fight before I even had the chance to push him off a cliff." He puffed his chest out like the proud parent he was. "He learned how to handle lightning so much faster than the rest of his class. When he's finally grown, I'm sure he'll be..."

Clover awoke to a world of pain. It felt like someone had split his head open and taken the opportunity to drive in a spike while they were at it. He thought he already knew what pain was. There had been the sunrise. This definitely didn't trump that. The crystal burning through his body as it used him to create advanced magic had hurt as well, but this was more like his brain had been been dragged through the sand and then spritzed with lemon, just for good measure. The kind of agony that just didn't make any sense.

"Clover! You here?!" Came the painfully loud shout, along with the thunderous slamming of a door.

He grabbed at his ears in an attempt to block out the painful noise. It was around then that he noticed Azalea hovering over him. She looked like an angel with the way the light outlined her form, although that same light still hurt to look at.

"Clover! What's wrong with you?!" Azalea shouted again. Why was she shouting? He was right here.

She drew a bit closer and immediately jumped back, pinching her nose in the process. "Ugh, nevermind," she said, "I think I just figured it out."

Another painfully bright light filled Clover's vision, pink this time, and forced its way into him. A soothing sensation soon ran over his entire body along with whatever spell Azalea was casting. It slowly bled its way into every corner of his mind, bringing comfort with it that Clover certainly hadn't been feeling when he woke up.

By the time the light dimmed, it no longer hurt to look at, the throbbing in his head was finally gone, and he now looked up at his relieved marefriend. "What was that?" He asked. "What did you do?"

"I don't know if I should be surprised or impressed you made it through all of Pyrus' shenanigans without ever getting a hangover," she said. "What happened after I left you at the library?"

He quickly recounted the events after she left. From running into her mother, and accidentally creating a new spell, to his encounter with the two pegasi. Although, the details got a bit fuzzy after that.

"I think I know what happened," Azalea concluded. "Pegasi don't dilute their drinks. Their higher metabolism makes it unnecessary. That mug you had must've been far more than you could handle."

"I'm never drinking again," Clover promised himself. "Not like that anyway. The pain just isn't worth it."

"Hmm..." Azalea pondered. "I don't think that's going to be an option. Pegasi love their drink, and we'll both be at Mount Boras before the next sunset. Don't worry, though. There's a few easy spells I can show you, so this doesn't happen again."

Clover spent the next hour cleaning himself up and finishing the last of his packing. It was going to feel weird leaving the place he had spent his entire life, although it probably wasn't going to feel near as weird as being the only unicorns in a city full of pegasi.

Pack slung over his back, he closed the door on a home he didn't know if he'd ever see again. Azalea walked beside him, her own bags filled with the meager belongings they were allowed to bring. They were set to leave right after the conclusion of the Summit. Clover just hoped he was truly ready for the journey.

If the Summit would ever start up, that was. It had been an hour since it was supposed to have started. Very few unicorns filled the seats, probably because most of them had already gotten over the novelty of seeing ponies from the other tribes. As for the missing earth ponies and pegasi, many of them were busy packing their respective camps as they prepared for the journey home.

If Clover had been following the flow of the summit as best he could, there wasn't really much to discuss today anyway. It was mostly just a few formalities, along with reaffirming their various plans and promises going forward.

However, something wasn't quite right. The representatives from each of the tribes were all present. Chancellor Thistle sat there, looking down her nose at the others while Rock and Roll either took notes or stared blankly at a wall. Storm Caller and Dandelion looked none the worse for wear, definitely far better than Clover had felt that morning. Commander Thunderhead had started off looking relaxed, but he was gradually starting to look more worried as time went on. That concern was shared by the Elders Dahlia and Gladiolus as the third of their number had yet to arrive.

"What do you suppose is going on?" Clover whispered to Azalea. He wasn't the only one to ask that question. That same question had been bouncing off the walls constantly for the last half an hour.

"I don't know," said Azalea as she bit her lip. "But it isn't like Elder Lily to be late."

The door finally swung open, allowing the briefest of relief to wash over the waiting ponies. However, when it wasn't Elder Lily that ran through the door, but instead a panicked looking unicorn guard, concern was replaced by dread.

"It's terrible!" They shouted, barely taking a moment to catch their breath. "Elder Lily has been murdered!"

Chapter 18: Murder in the City of Water

Confused shouts, panicked cries, and utter pandemonium filled the room as everyone jumped to their hooves. They hadn't just heard that, had they? They couldn't have heard that.

There was one pony who wasn't going to just sit there and question what he had just heard. Elder Gladiolus was on his hooves and moving far faster than anyone would've expected for someone of his advanced age. He was out the door and following the guard before it had even properly registered with everyone else.

The other delegates and the rest of the room, for that matter, weren't far behind. Once the initial shock had worn off, ponies crowded each other as everyone tried to be the first out of the room. Fortunately, there had been fewer ponies filling the hall than the two days prior, otherwise someone might've been trampled in the chaos. Even with that small blessing, it was still far too much for the guard to handle, as it was all they could do to avoid being swept away by the rest of the herd.

Clover and Azalea both looked at each other in stunned silence, but more so in Clover's case. It hadn't been that long ago when he personally witnessed just how powerful the oldest unicorn in the city was. Even with his recent power-up, he had been completely outclassed by the now deceased elder. The thought of someone not only besting, but outright killing her, didn't even fit into his purview of reality.

The unruly crowd pushed and shoved at each other as they tried to keep up with Gladiolus. Fortunately, the bulk of the panicked ponies didn't immediately make for the outdoors, keeping the growing madness contained to the building. If the report of the elder's demise was indeed true, they could have a straight on riot on their hooves if and when the news got out. With any luck, the two remaining elders would have a chance to get the situation under control before it got completely out of hand.

They came to a halt near one of the many side rooms contained within the lecture hall. Both Clover and Azalea had done their best to avoid being trampled by their neighbors, but they wanted to know what had happened just as much as everyone else. However, they both shared a look of dread when they realized the mob had stopped at the last place either of them had seen the respected elder, and it was then that they started to pick up on the whispers washing through the crowd.

"I see a body!"

"Elder Lily's really dead."

"Who would do this?"

"It was probably those brutish pegasuses."

"I never trusted those earth ponies and their shifty eyes."

"Clover, this way," Azalea tugged at him, pulling him out from the back of the crowd. Neither of them had been able to see exactly what had happened, although it was pretty clear that the worst had indeed come to pass.

Clover followed Azalea around the corner and far enough away from the mob that their shouts had lowered to muted cries. When they came to another room and opened the door, only to hear the voices rise again, he quickly realized what she was doing.

"These rooms have openings at the top for circulation," she said in a whisper. "If we move a few boxes around, we should be able to see inside."

The room they were in was apparently meant for storage, so there were plenty of boxes to move around. They shifted them around as quickly and quietly as they could. Fortunately, any noise they might have made was covered up by the angry shouting, and eventually, they were able to give themselves enough purchase so they could see into the neighboring room.

They almost wished they hadn't. The very first thing they saw upon looking inside was Elder Lily's body slumped over the desk. A bloody hoofprint was clearly visible on the back of her head, while dried blood littered with black feathers covered the entire desk.

Amidst the chaos, the remaining eight members of the Summit had somehow managed to get through the crowd and close the door behind them. The door still rattled and shook with repeated efforts to force entry, but with the bulks of Rock and Dandelion holding it shut, it may have been easier to move a mountain.

"I don't like this. I don't like this one bit," said Gladiolus, looking only slightly green as he examined the body, while barely restrained anger could be seen bubbling from behind his eyes. "It just doesn't make any sense. Who would do such a thing?"

"However it happened, I think it's pretty clear there was a struggle," said Roll in a well-defined measure of clinical detachment. She was casually jotting down notes while examining the scattered feathers. As for Chancellor Thistle, she was staying back as far as possible, all while keeping her eyes fixed on the pegasus leader, fear clear in her eyes.

"Would you stop looking at me like that!" Commander Thunderhead snapped.

"I'm not taking my eyes off you." Thistle said with clear disgust in her voice. "Who knows when you'll strike again?"

"For the last time, I didn't do it," he said through gritted teeth. "What reason would I have?"

"You don't. That's what I really don't understand," said Elder Gladiolus. "It's no big secret that the two of you are... cough... were on really good terms."

"Reason or not, the evidence is certainly damning," added Elder Dahlia. Somehow, she was maintaining a stony expression through the exchange, not once letting a trace of emotion show through. "Those clearly look like pegasus feathers, and you're the only one I've seen with a black coat since the summit started."

"And you know you're not going to," Thunderhead scowled as he snapped back. He was clearly getting more annoyed as time went on. "Very few ponies come in dark colors, and the pegasi are no different. The only time I've seen more than a few was when we encountered a colony of bat ponies, and they're not interested in the affairs of other tribes."

"It's not that I doubt you," said Gladiolus. "But you can't deny how bad this looks." He let out a deep sigh, his age clearly showing through the present trial. "I really hate to ask, but do you have any way of denying that these feathers are yours?"

Thunderhead continued to look irritated, yet he still approached the body of his friend to take a closer look. "Most of these appear to be down," he said. "It's fairly common for a number of them to come loose during a fight. However," he narrowed his eyes, focusing in on a few of the larger specimens. "A few pinions seem to gotten mixed in with the lot. If somepony was missing them, they'd certainly notice."

"Then would you agree to an inspection so we can stop wasting our time," Elder Dahlia said pointedly.

"Harumph," Thunderhead scoffed. "If we can put these pointless accusations to rest and find my friend's killer, then gladly." He turned to Storm Caller, who had remained silent through the exchange. "Lieutenant Storm Caller," he called, surprising the pegasus. "Inspect my wings so we can put this farce of an interrogation behind us."

"Yes sir," Storm Caller sighed as he pushed himself away from the wall. He made his way over to his superior officer and pulled his wings away from his body. He spent the next couple minutes nosing his way through the older pegasus' plumage, screwing his eyes and otherwise looking uncomfortable with the practice. When he was done, he pulled away with a rather disheartened look on his face.

Thunderhead hadn't missed the expression on his subordinate's face. Nevertheless, he squared his shoulders and nodded for the report.

"I'm so sorry, sir," Storm Caller said apologetically, his eyes not once leaving the commander's face. "But several of your pinions look like they've been recently torn loose. They didn't come out clean either, like they would with preening. They were clearly lost during some kind of struggle."

"So it was you!" Said Thistle as she recoiled even further away. The look of disgust on her face didn't look like it could've gotten any deeper, but she still managed to pull it off.

"So what happens now?" Elder Dahlia looked down her nose at him like he was something particularly disgusting.

The only response Thunderhead gave was to let out the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Once he straightened back up, the resolve clear on his face, he reached up and removed the helmet from his head. "I don't know what this is all about, but you do what you believe you must, as will I. Lieutenant Storm Caller!" He called out.

"Sir!" Storm snapped to attention.

"Until such a time," he said, "that I am either condemned or acquitted, you are to assume my duties."

"Sir?" The confusion was clear on Storm's face. He clearly hadn't been expecting that.

However, Thunderhead continued without acknowledging his confusion. "Whatever else may happen, faith in my ability to lead and represent us at the Summit will be brought into question. That much is a certainty."

"But sir," he was now recoiling under the commander's gaze. "I can't lead everypony."

"You can and you must," stated Thunderhead as he thrust his helm into Storm's chest. "The griffons are getting bolder by the day, and we cannot allow them to see us falter now. This is sooner than I would've liked and under worse conditions than I would've preferred, but the tribe needs you. What say you, Commander Storm Caller?"

"Aye, sir!" He shouted as he reluctantly accepted the symbol of his new station.

Thunderhead nodded his approval before giving an impromptu salute to the new commander. "What are your orders, sir?" He asked while standing at firm attention.

"Orders..." Storm hesitated for only a moment, understandable given the circumstances. "Lieutenant Dandelion!"

"Sir!" She saluted from her place by the now quiet door, ponies had stopped trying to force their way in some time ago.

"Bind the wings of the accused and see to it that he's turned over to the local authorities," he commanded without any further hesitation.

The next few minutes consisted of just that. Dandelion produced a length of rope and proceeded to secure the older pegasus' wings. Once he had been thoroughly tied and rendered flightless, local guards made their way in and escorted him from the room, all while the gathering crowd watched on with mixed expressions.

When the doors finally closed and they were now one less in number, some of the tension that had been building finally started to relax.

"So," the newly appointed pegasus looked exhausted as he settled the his symbol of station on his head. "What happens now?"

"You really appoint your leaders that quickly?" Asked Dahlia, an inquisitive eyebrow raised all the way up.

"It's only a field promotion," he said in response. "At least until we make it back home and the council has a chance to review the situation."

"Well, hopefully we'll have Thunderhead's name cleared before the day's end," Gladiolus stepped away from Lily's body with a scroll in hoof. He cast a short spell on the document, and it was scooped up in a wisp of smoke before completely disappearing. "I've already messaged a team of specialists. They should be here shortly. I've no doubt they'll get to the bottom of this. I still refuse to believe he's responsible for this."

"Even with all the overwhelming evidence?!" Thistle recoiled in disgust. "If he had been an earth pony, we would've already been marching him to the gallows."

"He's not, though," Gladiolus shot back immediately. "And besides that, we don't practice capital punishment here. Regardless, we need to handle this delicately. We'll have to postpone the summit until tomorrow, and we should inform the selected interns that they'll have at least another day before their departure."

"What?!" Dahlia cried out. "You can't possibly be thinking of going through with the plan in the wake of such a disaster?!"

"We can, and we will!" Gladiolus snapped back, the barely restrained anger peeking through for the barest moment. "Lily made it very clear to both of us how important this decision was and still is. You know as well as I do that not everypony was on board with her decision, and while making a couple feathers disappear from Thunderhead's wings without him noticing is certainly an impressive trick, it's not an impossible one for a clever pony. We'll know for sure once we get a few arcanologists and diviners in here. But until they prove otherwise, everything will proceed as planned."

Elder Dahlia bit her lip, frustration boiling behind her eyes. "But my daughter..."

"Is a grown mare and can make her own decisions," Gladiolus growled. "Now unless you plan on helping, somepony needs to make sure we don't have an angry mob on our hooves. The last thing we need is for somepony out there to go and do something stupid." With that note of finality, the tired, old stallion made for the door. There was unfortunate work that needed to be done.

Author's Note

What do you think happened?

Chapter 19: Uncertainty

An entire day had already passed since the untimely loss of Elder Lily, and the Summit had yet to resume. There were only a few who attempted to return to their normal routines, but with the event still too fresh in everyone's minds, it quickly proved to be in vain.

That was the situation Clover found himself in as he wandered the city. Azalea had been called on by her mother to help with the suddenly increased workload, and Clover had hoped to use the extra day to continue his own research. While he might've been too distracted to really focus on any work, he didn't even get the chance to try. The library had been locked up tight ever since Lily's murder, hence the pointless wandering around the city. At least it gave him time to think.

"I heard the pegasus leader did it."

"What are the elders even doing about this?"

"We should drive them out of the city."

Or at least he would've had time to think if his ears didn't constantly pick up on every passing conversation. It was all about the same thing, too. Every unicorn he saw was looking far more nervous than usual, and during the few times there had also been some pegasi nearby, they had been borderline hostile. They would either stop talking altogether or lower their voices to very pointed whispers. Once or twice, someone would even go so far as to start charging a spell into their horn. Whatever spell they were preparing was never found out because every time someone got close to inciting violence, the city guard would be on them in short order. Even with their higher numbers and increased vigilance, anyone with eyes could see that it was only a matter of time before someone succeeded in doing something incredibly stupid. As for the earth ponies, they were nowhere to be found.

It felt strange watching his colleagues direct their ire towards a specific group of ponies. Not that long ago, he had been the target of such distrust, although that had stemmed more from superstition as opposed to a very deliberate act of violence. Amidst the growing hostility, the vision Clover had witnessed back in the crater managed to keep worming its way to the front of his mind. Watching everyone now though, the possibility of them ever getting along as well as he had witnessed seemed far more unlikely than ever before.

The feeling of helplessness wouldn't leave him alone, either. He needed to talk to someone before it continued to eat him alive from the inside out. So that's what found Clover once again back at the wine hall. Not because he needed a drink. No, definitely not. The memory of getting thoroughly toasted at the hooves of two particular pegasi was still far too fresh in his memory for that. But because it was the one place where anyone could usually find Elder Gladiolus, provided he wasn't too busy.

Turned out he was.

He was there, but it seemed that everyone wanted to talk to him, to the point that every time Clover thought he'd get his chance, someone else would sit down at the elder's table. It took at least an hour, maybe two, before he was finally able to get some time to talk about what was bothering him.

"What am I supposed to do?" Clover held his head in frustration as he finished voicing his problems. "I still see that scene every time I close my eyes, and when I open them... I don't see it being possible... not anymore... not with everything that's happened. I just... I feel like I should be doing more."

"I understand where you're coming from," Gladiolus said once Clover finally stopped to breathe. "Really, I do, but you needn't worry. We've got the situation under control. Well... as well as we can anyway. You just make sure you're ready to leave."

"Leave? Wait... You don't mean to Mount Boras, do you? We're still doing that? But what about the Summit?" Clover asked with the best look of confusion he could muster. He didn't want to let on that both he and Azalea had been spying on their meeting.

"We finished up the last of our business in private," said Gladiolus. "We figured it was for the best with everything that's happened. The earth ponies left this morning. They were eager to start making their way home as it was. As for the pegasi, Elder Dahlia insisted we keep Commander Thunderhead in custody for another day, but they'll be leaving tomorrow as well." His face narrowed into a scowl. "I still can't believe this farce. Whoever thought it was a bright idea to frame him for the murder is a complete fool. Sure, he had the opportunity, but I'd sooner believe the world is being carried on the back of a giant turtle than believe he'd actually hurt her. Not everyone is aware of this, or I'm sure they wouldn't have been so stupid, but those two had been close friends since before we even starting holding these Summits, and that's a long time. Besides," he continued. "The magical residue left behind at the scene makes it pretty clear there was some foul magic at play. We don't know exactly who it was or which spell they used, but we will. It's only a matter of time."

"I hope you figure it out soon," said Clover, wishing him the best.

"Me too," Gladiolus sighed. "Me too. Anyway," he picked himself back up. "Sorry to ramble on like that. You came to me looking for help, and I started going off like it was you sitting in my seat instead of the other way around. I wish I could've been more help. Really, I do." He slid a large mug over to Clover. Whatever was in it smelled far too strong for anyone to drink and it looked like the elder hadn't touched single drop, given how full it was. "I hate to ask, but could you do me a favor and see if Lieutenant Dandelion is still pacing around outside. Somepony mentioned seeing her out there, and I had hoped to have a chance to talk to her, but..."

"Um... Sure," Clover said as he gingerly scooped up the drink in his purple glow, now understanding what he was asking him to do. He hadn't really found the answer he was looking for, but it seemed that even Elder Gladiolus, in all his wisdom, couldn't give him one. Still, he felt better having at least gotten some of it off his chest.

"Oh, and Clover," he said as Clover got up to leave. "Try to relax. Everything is going to work out. You'll see."

Once he made his way outside, it wasn't all that hard to figure out where Dandelion had wandered off to. Even before spotting the bright yellow giantess in the nearby alley, Clover heard a strange thumping noise from that direction. When he found her, it turned out that wasn't the sound of her pacing, but the sound of her beating her own skull into the nearest wall.

"Um... Dandelion?" Clover hesitantly called out to her. This wasn't some other strange pegasi custom he was going to have to learn was it? He didn't think his horn could take it.

"Yeah?!" She bellowed as she spun her neck to look at him. Her head didn't even look slightly bruised from all her efforts. However, the same could not be said for the wall, as evidenced by the large crack now running down it along with the broken mortar piled up at its base. "Oh, Clover," she said, calming slightly after seeing him. "It's just you."

"Doesn't that hurt?" He couldn't imagine it didn't, unless pegasi were made of completely different stuff.

"Oh, this?" She looked just the slightest bit embarrassed as she glanced back at the damaged wall. "Oi, just a wee bit, but it helps me keep my head on straight. So what can Ah do fer ya?"

"Oh, right." He had almost forgotten why he had come here, what with the unexpected property damage and everything. He floated the mug of whatever it was over to her, instantly seeing her eyes light up when he did so. "Elder Gladiolus wanted you to have this."

"Did e' now?" The giantess excitedly snatched the mug out of the air. She gave it a quick sniff, surprising Clover when she actually winced at the smell, given what he had learned about pegasus constitution. However, that didn't even come close to his shock when, despite her aversion, she threw her head back and began chugging the foul concoction in earnest.

It didn't seem possible that anyone could drink that stuff, certainly not like she was, but drink it she did. The time it took for her to down the beverage seemed to stretch itself out. Meanwhile, and this might've just been his imagination, she seemed to be getting substantially warmer the more of it she quaffed.

"Ka!!" Dandelion let out a sound of satisfaction as she finally pulled the now empty mug away from her lips. Her face was now completely flush from the effort, and she let out a loud belch that shook the air so violently that Clover could've sworn he felt it reverberate in his chest. "Oi!" She exclaimed. "Now that there be the good stuff. That elder o' yers, what's his name? Gladus? E' be one o' the good ones. Ah dun't know how e' got es' hooves on some good ol' fire wine, but es' got my thanks."

"I'll be sure to let him know," he didn't know what else to say to that. He sure wasn't about to correct her for getting Gladiolus' name wrong. Not when she looked like she could bend him in half. "So what were you doing out here?"

"Tryin' ta clear my head. A good drink is just wat Ah needed," she said happily. "Well... That and a warm bed."

"You're... You're welcome," he said hesitantly. There was something just a little off-putting about how cheery she was now acting.

"So," she said as she waggled her eyebrows at him, a starry-eyed look on her face. "You ready to go?"

"I think so," he said, completely missing the look she was giving him. "Not gonna lie, I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing. I mean, I don't have any reason to believe you'll drop me and Azalea on the way to Mount Boras, but the idea of being up in the sky for the trip is a bit scary."

"Oi, that's not what Ah meant," Dandelion said a bit more pointedly, making sure Clover was looking at her before she waggled her eyebrows again.

"Huh?" Clover's brain paused for a minute as he parsed the conversation in his head. He felt like he had missed something, and when he realized what it was, he about passed out from the shock. "What?!" He exclaimed as he quickly began backpedaling away from her. He could feel the precious cargo he kept between his legs starting to shrink away at the mere thought of what she was suggesting. If that was indeed what she was doing.

The bawdy laughter that escaped her throat was full-bodied, but it also sounded a bit forced. "Aye... Yu should see the look on yer face."

"That's..." Clover was getting particularly red at the ears. "That's not funny!"

"Yes it is," she said as she got her laughter under control. "Oi, Ah can't tell yu how much Ah needed that. But nah, yu dun't need to worry bout me droppin' ya. They usually make me carry more than my share anyway, 'cause of how big Ah am," she announced proudly as she stood up a bit straighter. "It shouldn't be much of a problem."

"That's good, I guess." He wasn't completely sure how he felt about being treated like cargo, but he was still feeling a bit off-balance by her sense of humor.

"Just yu wait," she punched him lightly in the shoulder, which instantly hurt far more than she probably meant it to. "We'll git yu into shape an yu be fightin' griffons just as well as the rest o' us."

"I look forward to it," he said. He really didn't.

"Aye," she nodded. "That ye will." She stretched out her impressive wingspan and readied herself to take off. "Ah got a good feeling about yu, Clover. Ah think yer also one o' the good ones," she said. "Sorry, if ye dun't find my jokes all that funny."

"It's.. It's alright," he said nervously. That had probably taken a whole year off his life.

"Yu do got a cute enough face, but Ah think we need to git a bit more muscle on them bones before Ah think about jumpin' 'em fer real," she said through a wide grin.

Once again, Clover's jaw dropped in stunned silence at how forward she was. He was so thoroughly in shock by her making a second pass at him that by the time he recovered, she was already long gone. Departed into the sky while leaving him with nothing but her deep laughter resonating in his ears.

Chapter 20: Losing Control

Bad dreams drove Clover from his bed early the next morning, the contents of which already forgotten as he startled himself awake. Some restlessness was to be expected, this was the day he and Azalea were finally set to leave for the pegasus homeland after all, and not even the warm bed he now shared was enough to let him keep him from rising before dawn.

Speaking of Azalea, he looked over to where she still slept. She had been undisturbed by his sudden rising. A blessing, to be sure, that she hadn't suffered the same night terrors that he had. Either that or he had worn her out far more than she had him after they had both returned last night.

He shook the dirty thoughts from his head. When had he started thinking like that? Like Pyrus? A sobering thought, to be sure, although it didn't sting near as bad as it once had. Pyrus was gone. Nothing was ever going to change that, and he had his mission. To see that vision of the future come true, the same future that Elder Lily surely hoped for as well.

Okay, now he definitely wasn't getting back to sleep, not with all these thoughts and feelings rushing through him. He needed a distraction, something to occupy himself with. There were still a few hours before they were set to depart, and if he heard correctly, the library should finally be open again. It would be good to make some last-minute preparations while he still had the chance.

At least that had been the plan. Until it happened again.

The crystal parts of his body began to glow, a sensation he had become all too familiar with, and his legs began moving on their own. Wherever he had originally planned to go, his body had ideas of its own. Wherever that happened to be, he had no idea.

If that wasn't bad enough, a new sensation overtook him as his neck tensed up on him and wrenched his head in the direction of passing shelves. It was only then that Clover noticed that it wasn't just his neck, but his eyes also seemed to be moving of their own accord.

Panic quickly settled in after that. While his case may be a bit extreme, it wasn't completely uncommon for unicorns to go through phases where their magic would become unwieldly or otherwise problematic, especially when they were learning new spells. It was one thing to have your own magic act strangely, but it was another thing entirely to have your own body betray your will, something that scared Clover to no end.

He was on the verge of screaming for help, assuming he could still even manage that much, however when he sped around the next corner and ran face first into a mare who had also started the day early, the attempt was driven from his mind.

They fell into a heap. Books and scrolls and other tools of the scholarly trade from both parties collapsed around them. Clover's panicked state was brushed aside for the briefest of moments as embarrassment took its place. He did his best to untangle himself from the girl whose only crime had been to be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I'm so sorry," he quickly apologized, almost automatically. "I wasn't watching where I was going." That was when he realized he had control of his body again. Whatever it was that had happened, it hadn't lasted long. But when would it happen again? He needed help. He needed it now. Before his magic had the chance to hijack his body again.

He ran from the library, not even stopping to see if the random bystander was truly alright. By the time she righted herself and was able to take in her surroundings, her assailant had already disappeared.

Thinking back, he really should've done this sooner. What with the fight he had with Elder Dahlia, and the vision that constantly pulled at his attention, not to mention the start of the Summit and everything else that followed, it had been the furthest thing from his mind.

So when he finally made his way back to the hospital, he was already bracing himself for the tongue lashing he was sure to receive.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," was the last thing he expected to hear from the doctor.

"Are you sure?" Elder Gladiolus asked. He had been there as well, something about having overworked himself lately. "I'd be worried too if I was losing control over my own body."

"Except I don't think that's what's happening here," she said as she shone a small light in Clover's eyes. "You wouldn't be aware of it happening if it was."

"But..." Clover started.

"Tell me," she cut back in, clearly seeing that he was still worried. "You lost control of your body in a public place, didn't you?" When he nodded in the affirmative, she continued. "It's far more likely somepony is just carrying a grudge and acting out against you. You have garnered your fair share of animosity since the sunrise. I mean, I seldom leave the office, and even I've heard the rumors."

"But what about the increased aggression?" Clover would not be deterred. "And suddenly making up new spells out of nowhere?"

"Could easily be explained by your sudden jump in mana levels. That much magic is going to wreak havoc on your insides until your body gets used to the changes," she explained. "I've personally documented several instances of the same thing happening to young unicorns who accidentally tore open new channels while they were still maturing. Mood swings and increased mental stimulation were common in all cases."

"Puberty!?" Clover exclaimed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You can't possibly be comparing this to growing pains."

"Try to calm yourself, Clover," Gladiolus consoled as best he could. "You did the right thing by bringing this forward when you did. The good news is that it's nothing serious."

"And the bad news?" Clover's ears fell along with his heart. He was starting to look forward to his trip and automatically assumed that was now off the table.

"You should still be good to head to Mount Boras, if that's what you're worried about," Gladiolus inferred. Was he really that easy to read? "At least, I think so. What do you think, doctor?"

"He should be okay," the doctor nodded along. "Provided he takes the proper precautions. I have some exercises he can work on. Should help him refocus his arcane acuity."

Clover let out a breath as he reluctantly let the weight fall off his shoulders. It was the first time he had some solid answers since his life had been turned on its head. He still had no idea how he ended up in this state, and seeing as the two other ponies in the room hadn't volunteered any answers, they probably didn't know either. Regardless, it still provided no small amount of relief for the unfortunate unicorn.

"Now, back to this new spell you said you made..." Gladiolus rubbed at his beard, clearly intrigued. "I must say, I haven't heard of any new magic being created in a very long time. Nothing revolutionary anyway. You said it came to you after seeing one of Hecate's old worksheets?"

"Um... Yeah," said Clover. "At least, that's what Elder Dahlia said."

"That's strange," the doctor rummaged around her desk. "Nopony left me a copy for review."

"Is... Is that bad?"

"It's odd, at the very least," confirmed the elder. "Unless she had a good reason to do so, all new spells are supposed to be inspected by a trained physician to make sure there aren't any adverse side effects."

"What was the spell supposed to do again? And do you have a copy of it on you?" The doctor inquired.

"I can make a copy of it," Clover said as he retrieved a blank sheet from his bag. He quickly began sketching out the complex diagrams onto the empty canvas. It would've likely been impossible for him to do so before, but for whatever reason, the spell had been thoroughly etched into his mind ever since he first drew it up.

"Fascinating..." The elder mused as he watched him work. "I must apologize to you, Clover. When you said your mental faculties had expanded, I didn't realize by how much. This is just... wow."

"It's almost a shame to let this kind of talent go," the doctor commented from Clover's other side. "Are you sure he should be running off to the pegasus city?"

"He'll have plenty of time to expand on this when he gets back," Gladiolus waved the comment off. "Besides, young ponies should be exploring the world and getting into trouble."

"Not everypony is as boisterous as you once were," she chided. "My mentor told me plenty of stories about the sorts of "trouble" you and your friends would get into."

"Well," he laughed along. "Not everypony understood our way of having fun. Always thought the elders in my day had a stick up their collective arses. Never thought I'd end up being one..."

Elder Gladiolus trailed off as Clover continued to draw up his spell. At first, his eyes widened at the intricate details he was seeing, but then a dark look began to settle over his face. "Clover..." He said solemnly, not a single trace of mirth could be heard in his voice. "Where did you learn those runes?"

"Huh?..." Clover didn't once take his eyes off his work until he finished drawing the last of the lines. "Oh? These? They were on the worksheet before I started."

Clover's quill barely left the finished page before a golden glow wrapped itself around the parchment and tore it from his grip. Elder Gladiolus heavily scrutinized the page as he floated it in front of him. "Do you have any idea what this is?"

"Um..." Clover had never seen Gladiolus so serious. Usually, the old stallion was very light-hearted with how he dealt with other ponies. He was level-headed, easy to talk to, and was usually forthcoming with very sound advice. Seeing him now, though... "Elder Dahlia said it was a pacifying spell."

"That's one way of putting it," the elder scowled as he bit his bottom lip. "Little Flower..." He muttered under his breath. "What are you doing?..."

"Elder, is everything alright?" The doctor looked worriedly at him. "What do you think you're doing!?"

The parchment in Elder Gladiolus' magical grip flashed along with his horn. It only smoked for a moment before fire began rapidly tearing away at the edges. Putrid smoke rolled off the burning material, and even as the doctor quickly began using a spell to direct the fumes through an open window, he didn't once look away until nothing remained but cinders.

Clover had never once seen the elder lose his temper, not like that anyway, but as he looked in his eyes, he knew something was wrong. "E... Elder Gladiolus..." He said.

The elder closed his eyes as he took in a deep breath and slowly let it out at an uncomfortably rate. When he opened his eyes again, he appeared to have considerably calmed, but the intensity that remained in his gaze didn't look like it was going anywhere anytime soon. "Clover," he said in as calm a voice as he could muster.

"Sir?" He felt an unnatural chill run down his spine at the sound of his own name.

"I want you to listen to me very carefully," he said, the looking of seriousness on his face unwavering. "Don't ever cast that spell, Don't ever tell anypony else about it, and sure as hell don't ever write it down."

"Okay," was all he could think to say. "But why?"

"Just... Don't," the elder continued to look agitated. "I can't tell you why, not now, anyway, but if you've ever trusted my judgement, trust me when I say that magic like that should not exist."

"O... Okay..." What had he created? "But, what about Elder Dahlia?"

"You let me worry about her," he said solemnly. "I hope I'm just worried over nothing. But as for you, I want you to go find Azalea and bring her to my place as soon as possible. Lieutenant Dandelion should be there, waiting to pick you up. I want all three of you out of the city as soon as you possibly can."

Clover galloped through the streets with Elder Gladiolus' words still hanging over his head. He had never seen another pony act like that before. He'd certainly seen his fair share of angry ones, but the elder had seemed straight up afraid of something. Whatever he had seen in Clover's spell had clearly unsettled him, but it felt far worse when he refused to say what it was.

He made his way back to the dorm and was a bit surprised not to find Azalea there. Over time, he'd gotten used to how much she liked to sleep in, and he'd barely been gone an hour. She should still be asleep. Worse yet, he wasn't sure where she could've gone. So Clover did the only thing he could think of, he picked up both their bags and made his way toward Gladiolus' house.

He figured if anyone could find a lost unicorn, a pegasus could.

Except that Dandelion wasn't there either. What was going on? Why was everyone acting so weird? A cold sweat ran down his face, unbidden. He wasn't sure where that had come from, but just thinking about it made him feel even worse.

Part of him knew he should probably just stay put and let the others find him, but somehow, he just knew he needed to be somewhere. Something just felt... wrong.

As if answering the question for him, the same pull he had felt that morning started moving him towards the door. It startled him for a just a moment, but the sensation didn't feel like it was trying to wrest control from him like before. Instead, the insistence was more like a feeling of certainty. Something inside Clover clicked at that moment. He wasn't sure how, but he knew where Azalea was, and she was in trouble.

He ran back out into the streets like a pony possessed. If she was indeed in trouble, then he had no time to waste.

Clover had almost made it to the home of Elder Dahlia when the front door exploded. Broken pieces of stone and wood peppered the surroundings, but Clover did not stop his advance. He had seen what had caused the damage and, more importantly, who it was that had been thrown through the door.

He ran to Azalea's still form, fearing the worst. Her unconscious body looked like it had been through the wringer from something or other. Nothing looked broken, but she would definitely have some bruising to deal with later.

Clover was about to start carrying her to safety when Azalea's eyes shot open. She clutched at him, a desperate look in her eyes. "Please... save her... save my mother..." was all she managed to say before passing out again.

Pain gripped at his heart as he looked at the broken door. Someone had hurt his precious Azalea, and now they were looking to take her mother away as well. Without any further thought, he made his way inside, afraid of what he may find.

The inside of the house had been completely trashed, like a wild animal had been let loose. Screaming could be heard from further inside, and despite the voice inside him screaming to run away from danger, Clover instead ran towards it.

He found the source of the screaming just as he tripped over something in the room. He went face first into the ground, jostling his jaw in the process as he took in the sight of Lieutenant Dandelion pounding her hooves on a red forcefield. Elder Dahlia could be seen on the opposite side of her barrier, her legs buckling with every thunderous hit from the giant pegasus.

Clover fought to climb back to his hooves before it was too late to save her. He again stumbled over whatever it was that had tripped him up before finally getting himself upright again. He only spared the briefest glance at what it was, and in that moment, his world was once again turned on its head.

Elder Gladiolus lay at his hooves, the light gone from his eyes, and his neck broken.

Chapter 21: Declaration

Clover couldn't believe what he was seeing. Elder Gladiolus... dead? He had just seen him barely an hour ago, talked to him, asked him for advice, and now he was just... gone? It didn't seem real. It couldn't be real. Could it?

"Clover!" Came the panicked cry from Elder Dahlia. "Help me... Please..."

Clover's eyes snapped back into focus. Seeing the dead body of elder Gladiolus had caused him to space out completely.

The air shook violently as the giant pegasus assaulted the elder's shield. Every blow from her hooves came down with the force of a boulder, forcing the unicorn to her knees as she recoiled under the weight of the attack.

"Dandelion!" Clover called out to her. He didn't understand what was happening. "What happened? What are you doing?!"

She didn't respond to his shouts, or even appear to have heard him at all. He moved a bit closer, hoping she might stop if she saw him for only a moment.

That turned out to be a mistake. He barely managed to catch a brief corner of her focused gaze before her next attack came in the form of a rear hoof straight to the side of his face.

The kick sent him reeling as he was thrown into a nearby chair. It broke into splinters under the weight of his own body being suddenly forced upon it. Clover pushed himself up out of the rubble, dazed and confused, more so from the shock that she had actually attacked him more than anything else. It hadn't hurt as much as he thought it would, but again, what was going on?!

Dandelion resumed her assault on the elder's shield the moment they were alone again. Dahlia's face was beginning to pale from the effort it took maintaining her defense. The marble floor was starting to crack in places, a testament to the pegasus' strength and evidence to the elder's will that she hadn't yet folded under the assault.

"Dandelion! You have to stop!" Clover moved in again, a little more wary of attack this time around.

His caution was warranted. Same as last time, the moment he was within kicking range, a large hoof once again came for his skull.

However, he was ready this time, and easily caught her flying hoof with a shield of his own. Once again, the magic provided to him by the crystal embedded in his body proved its worth in aiding any spell he wished to cast. The purple glow of Clover's shield was more than sufficient to completely halt the pegasus' attack.

Furthermore, the lieutenant seemed to take notice that her little annoyance wasn't easily swatted away this time. She turned her back on Dahlia, who finally collapsed to the ground due to sheer exhaustion, and focused her full attention on Clover. This gave him a better look at her face before she began pummeling on his shield with the same vigor she had previously reserved for the elder.

Her eyes looked completely dead, like she wasn't even conscious or aware of what she was doing. Even when she let out a warcry, increasing the intensity of her attacks with her battle fervor, her eyes continued to look distant and detached.

As for the shield itself, it refused to budge no matter how many blows landed upon it. Clover's seeming bottomless stores of magic not only kept his attacker well at bay, but also gave him the leeway he needed to do more than just defend.

A tether of power snaked from his horn and passed through his barrier without any discernible difficulty. It then proceeded to coil itself around and through Dandelion's limbs, considerably slowing her movements with each pass.

With one last push, the tether tightened its grip, instantly locking her hooves to her sides and pinning her wings tightly against her back. She flailed and struggled against her bindings, but it seemed that even her considerable physical might was no match for the magic Clover now had at his disposal.

He still felt drained as he lowered his shield, more emotionally than anything else, and spared a look in the direction of Gladiolus' body. He still couldn't believe that the kind old elder was actually gone.

And then there was Lieutenant Dandelion. He had never seen another pony act so violently. Not that he couldn't believe she wasn't capable of violence, not with the stories he had been hearing her tell over drinks. But what he had seen just now was a creature absent of all reason. It just didn't seem like her. Even as he looked over to where his magic still kept her bound, and seeing how she still thrashed and struggled, he had a hard time believing it was still the same pony. What in the world was happening here?!

"I'm so glad you were here," Elder Dahlia choked out. Her face looked particularly worn, like it had taken every last ounce of her strength to hold her assailant at bay. "I don't think I would've survived had you not been here. What about Azalea?!" She snapped, once again sounding desperate. "What about my daughter?! Is she alright?! That brute didn't hurt her, did she?"

"I think she'll be alright, at least I hope so..." Clover said. "She was only conscious for a moment, but she was far more worried about you."

"That girl," Dahlia muttered under her breath. "I told her to run, but she wouldn't listen. Still... Who would've thought that pegasus would've reacted that way..."

"Elder Dahlia?" Clover raised an eyebrow at her quiet remark. "What do you mean?"

Elder Dahlia's eyes narrowed into pinpricks, like she hadn't meant to say that out loud. However, before she had a chance to respond, the clopping of many sets of hooves filled the rest of the house.

"Is there anypony here?" A voice called out from the front of the house.

Dahlia breathed a sigh of relief, breaking the tension that had started forming between her and Clover. "It's about time they showed up... We're in here!" She called back.

About a half a dozen of the city guard rushed into the room. As they surveyed the scene, a couple of them took pause once they noticed the corpse in the room, but unlike Clover, they didn't freeze up like he had.

"What happened in here?" One of them asked.

"I'm not sure," Elder Dahlia shook her head. "It all happened so fast. I was talking with Elder Gladiolus, and she," she gestured to the pegasus who was even now being further bound by the city guard. "She said something about glory to the empire, and then... and then... she killed the elder."

Muffled screams began filling the room. Clover turned to look at the source of the noise to find Dandelion fighting against her bonds. Her eyes were clearer than they had been moments before and she desperately looked like she wanted to say something, but couldn't through the gag she now wore.

Elder Dahlia finally seemed to find her feet as she stood back up properly and puffed her chest out. "Regardless of the reasons," she said in a voice that captured the attention of everyone present. "Two of my fellow elders have been killed, and by delegates from our so-called allies, no less. The unicorns of Elysium may be far more relaxed than these... these pegasi, but this atrocity can not and will not go unpunished."

After that, the rest of the day just felt strange. How was he even expected to act after all that? It was just supposed to be a quick research trip followed by the long awaited trip to Mount Boras. Not only one, but two elders had now died, and seemingly by ponies who didn't seem capable of cold-blooded murder. Even with everything that had happened, he still couldn't get the look of Lieutenant Dandelion's dead eyes out of his head. Something about it had just felt... wrong.

"I still don't see how she could have been capable of killing Elder Gladiolus," Azalea said for the third time that day. She had fortunately come out of the scuffle with little more than a bump on the head. "Able, yes, but she was such a sweetheart most of the time."

"I don't understand it either," Clover admitted. "But I know what I saw." He hadn't believed it was possible for anyone to raise a hoof against Gladiolus. He was loved and respected by almost everyone in the community, especially among the younger ponies.

Further evidence of that was shown by how fast the news of his death rampaged through the city. Even faster than the news of Lily's demise, it seemed the whole city had learned of the murder before Clover had even left the scene of the crime. Like a spark let loose after a particularly harsh drought, emotions seemed to have become inflamed all at once.

"What are we going to do about this!?"

"I never trusted those feathered freaks!"

"What were the elders thinking even letting them in here!?"

Similar shouts filled the city for the rest of the day. Every corner, every store, any place you found more than a single unicorn the topic of conversation remained the same. Classes had been cancelled, the bars were empty, and the feeling running through the town that of ponies out for blood. Never before had Clover, or anyone else in recent memory for that matter, seen such a unified need for vengeance.

The otherwise reserved populace of Elysium was quickly on its way of turning into an unruly mob. The only thing that headed them off, before they had the chance to completely devolve into anarchy, were the criers that ran through the town saying that an announcement was to be made at the site of the failed Summit.

Clover and Azalea were just as interested as everyone else in what was going to be announced, and even if they weren't, no one could avoid being swept into the sea that was the crowd of angry ponies. By some miracle, they managed to make it into the hall without being trampled by their fellow ponies, even though there was far from enough room to hold everyone.

The boisterous crowd fell silent as the distant doors opened to reveal Elder Dahlia flanked on both sides not by the city guard, but by unicorns who had been dressed from horn to hoof in a vivid blue armor. The armor itself seemed to glow from enchantments that, even at a distance, could be seen etched into its metal surface.

As for Dahlia herself, her normal white toga had been replaced for one of the darkest black. Her eyes were red and puffy, and the evidence of many tears matted the fur beneath them. Despite her look of mourning, the piercing look in her gaze showed stalwart determination. She may be in pain, but she wasn't about to let that stop her from doing what she believed needed to be done.

"My fellow unicorns! Citizens of Elysium!" She shouted from the front of the stage that not long ago was being used to discuss peace, a peace that now seemed highly unlikely. "As you are no doubt aware, Elder Gladiolus has passed. Stolen from us long before his time."

Shouts and jeers resonated through the crowd and Dahlia allowed it to continue for a moment before raising a hoof to silence the crowd.

"It wasn't bad enough to take Elder Lily from us in a display of unparalleled brutality, but to have the only other elder aside from myself taken from us shortly thereafter has torn a hole in our collective hearts, especially among our youth." She lower her eyes while holding a hoof against her chest. "I may not have been standing before you either, had it not been for the fortunate intervention of a passerby who was able to overpower the assailant."

Even though she hadn't mentioned him by name, Clover quickly started going red at the ears as he felt a number of eyes fall on him. Somehow, news of his deeds had been passed around as much as the tragedy itself.

"But what of the rest of the pegasi who surely stood behind this attack." Attention once again snapped back to the front of the room. The anticipation was palpable as the last of the elders spoke. "Can we let them think they can get away with this? Take what they want? Beat us into submission? Roll over like prey?"

"No!!!" "Get them!!!" "Strike back!!!" The angry shouts from the mob made their opinion more than clear.

"No!" Dahlia called as well with a dramatic wave of the hoof. "Of course we can't! As of this moment, we will make the pegasi regret making an enemy of Elysium!"

Clover felt the blood drain from his face as he dreaded the next words that would pass Dahlia's lips. Words that, while tragic, were inevitable at this point in time. Their fates, the fates of all unicorns, of all of pony kind would suddenly change, and not for the better.

"Mares and gentlecolts!" The elder slammed her hoof firmly against the ground with finality. "Elysium goes to war!"

Chapter 22: The Cost of Truth

The next couple days was a really bad time to be a pegasus in or near Elysium. Even as unicorns young and old were signing up to join the new found army, the guard had already mobilized to neutralize anyone unfortunate enough to be born with wings.

Although, those who were only captured by the guard may have been the fortunate ones. More than one group of vigilantes rose up around the city to take justice into their own hooves. The only mercy they offered was a quick end, but even that was hopeful at best.

As for why the pegasi didn't just simply fly away? The magic of the unicorns turned out to be more than sufficient to bring them down as soon as they were airborne. Some of them attempted to hide near the water at the base of the city, where there were alcoves aplenty, but it was insufficient in the face of a spell that had been recently rediscovered. This spell allowed any unicorn with sufficient magic to take to the air with their own wings shaped from the mists surrounding the city, of which there were plenty.

And Clover? He felt completely sick with what was happening around him. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't been so close to the events before they snowballed out of control; maybe if he had never gotten to know some of the pegasi so well; and maybe if the ever-present vision that had taken up permanent residence in the back of his head, a vision of the tribes unified and at peace, had never been shown to him. Unfortunately, all of that had happened. If it hadn't, he may very well have been one of the many ponies signing up to fight the winged menace.

"Are you going to be alright?" Azalea lay against his side. She hadn't once left him since her mother's proclamation of war. She hadn't needed him to tell her what was bothering him since she had been there through all of it.

"I just don't know," Clover sighed. He could barely feel her by his side. He could hardly feel anything at all since it all started. "How did it all go so wrong?"

"I wish I could tell you." Azalea had been just as depressed. She had really looked up to Lieutenant Dandelion, and this betrayal was obviously eating away at her.

Speaking of the large pegasus mare, there was something else that had refused to leave Clover alone. It was the look in her eyes before, during, and after the conflict. She had been so playful before, never once seeming to shy away from bawdy jokes and employing a number of them herself. Those same vibrant eyes had been completely vacant during the attack. It wasn't until she had been subdued that the light seemed to return to them. Unfortunately, by the time she seemed to come back to herself, it was too late for her to do anything.

"Would you help me?" Clover asked Azalea as he sat up. He couldn't just sit here any longer. Something was wrong and he wouldn't be able to rest until he found some answers.

"Of course," she answered without hesitation. "What do you need?"

They waited until nightfall before carrying out their plan. The prison that held the pegasi may have been very well guarded, but between Azalea's magical expertise and Clover's ability to add his considerable pool of strength to keep her from exhausting herself, they managed to slip in unnoticed.

Well... Unnoticed by everyone except the pegasi that were being held captive. Dozens of them had been crammed into cages like wild animals, many of them even sporting a number of injuries ranging from bruises to wings that stuck out at odd angles. The edges of several cages had been stained by blood, further evidence to how roughly they had been handled upon capture. The worst part were the broken expressions so many of them carried, ponies who had already given up the fight.

"This is awful," said Azalea after seeing the mess that had once been their visiting cousins. "How could mother condone such treatment?"

"I don't know," the sight had been unlike anything Clover had seen before. However, he had been starting to grow numb as he jumped from one catastrophe the next. The only thing he cared about right this moment was finding some answers.

"Over here, Clover! I think I found a door!" Azalea called from the distant corner.

He followed her voice to find a heavy steel door set into the stone. Her eyes were screwed in concentration as she seemed to be struggling with the lock.

"It seems to have some strong enchantments sealing it shut," she whined after spending a few more minutes trying to force the door. "I don't think I can break them, either. Whatever's down there, they apparently don't want anypony getting in."

"Why though?" Clover wondered. It might've just been to keep the more important prisoners safe, but what would be the point? Elysium had already openly declared war, and it didn't sound like the kind that was going to resolve peacefully either. It just didn't make any sense. "Stand back," he said, the time for subtlety was over.

"What are you... Ah!" She jumped back in alarm upon seeing the red-hot glow emanating from Clover's horn and the determined look in his eyes.

The air around them vibrated as a beam of energy cut into the door. The enchantments built into it fizzled and popped as magic they were never meant to hold up against tore them apart. What had likely been an alarm sounded for only a moment before even that fell victim to the magical assault, the accompanying claxon falling silent almost as soon as it had begun.

With a loud clang, the door fell from its hinges and slammed into the ground, the metal having no chance of holding up under Clover's arcane might.

"You're completely serious about this, aren't you?" Azalea stared dumbfounded at her partner before glancing back to the door he just destroyed. "They'll know someone was here."

"It don't care anymore," Clover remained resolute as he climbed over the wreckage and began making his way down the stairs. "Nothing about this feels right, and I won't let anypony keep me from finding out what's wrong."

Guided by hornlight, they climbed down the steep steps as they made their way deeper underground. Wherever the path led, it seemed a bit excessive to just be a cell for holding prisoners. It went on for so long that neither unicorn would've been surprised to find that they had made their way completely beneath the lake.

The tunnel looked like it would go on forever, but eventually it leveled out to reveal another door. However, there didn't appear to be any special enchantments built into this one. It was unextraordinary wooden door and it wasn't even locked. It was as if whoever had placed this down here had fully expected the first door to stop all intruders.

Clover placed a single hoof against the door, suddenly nervous again about what he might find. He felt someone place a foreleg on his side and looked back to see Azalea looking back at him. She looked just as nervous as he did, but she still nodded her support. This was it. Whatever was going on here was likely behind this door. He leaned into the door, opening it with a heavy creak, and cast his light into the room beyond.

Inside was what appeared to be a study of sorts. Several bookshelves lined the walls with a tome-laden desk next to one of them. There was also what looked to be a large stone table. Thick leather straps hung from the sides and on closer inspection, there were hints of dried blood and scattered feathers around the edges, like whoever they had been used to secure fought against their captors with everything they were worth.

"I don't like this, Clover," Azalea started to look a bit green upon seeing the table. "I really don't like this..."

"Clover?" A raspy voice came from a distant wall. "Lad? Eh dat yu?"

He knew that voice. Clover cast his light to the distant wall to find three very familiar pegasi chained up. Lieutenant Dandelion sat in the middle of group and looked back at him with a spark of hope in her eyes. He stepped forward, only truly seeing their poor condition once he moved closer.

Dandelion definitely appeared to have been roughened up the most out of the group. Scrapes and cuts littered her muscular form, and fresh blood glistened from her manacles when the hornlight found them. The part where the chains had been fastened to the wall shifted considerably when she moved, like she had been spending every moment and every ounce of her strength in an effort to free herself, and may have likely succeeded after a short while longer.

In contrast to her, Storm Caller seemed none the worse for wear, like he had just sit there and calmly let his jailers do as they please. Either that, or he was conserving his strength for the ideal opportunity.

As for Commander Thunderhead... He wasn't moving. He just lay there limply in his shackles and didn't even appear to be breathing.

"He expired yesterday," Storm offered. "At least I think it was yesterday. Hard to keep track of time without the sky overhead."

Azalea let out a gasp upon seeing the corpse of the pegasus leader. "What have they been doing to you down here?"

"Sum kinda magical sumthin or other," said Dandelion. "They were talkin' a bunch of fancy mumbo jumbo while doin it too. Can't say Ah understood it even a little. Say," she rattled her chains. "While Ah'd luv to stay 'ere and chat, think yu could do sumthin bout these?"

Clover took a closer look at her bindings. It turned out to not need more than a few sparks to crack them open and have them fall to the ground in pieces. It seems that whoever was bent on keeping this place secure had invested everything into the initial entrance. Although to be fair, that would've stopped just about anyone else.

Both Dandelion and Storm stretched out their aching limbs once they were free. They also took the opportunity to shake out their wings which had been secured tightly against their own bodies for who knows how long.

"Oi," the giantess gave her familiar gusto as she stretched. "Yu hav no idea how good dat feels."

However Storm was more focused on the task at hand. "So what's the plan now?" He asked. "Do you have a plan for getting us out? How bad is it out there, by the way?"

Clover cringed inwardly. He hadn't originally meant for this to be a rescue, but when he saw the state his new friends were in, he couldn't just leave them there.

"It's bad," Azalea said. "Elysium's openly declared war on Mount Boras. All pegasi are being arrested on sight. I don't know if any of them got away, or if anypony anywhere else know what's happening right now."

"Even if they don't," Storm Caller said with certainty. "It won't be long before scouts start scoping out the area. We've been gone far too long for the rest of command to sit idly by."

"By the way," Clover looked to Dandelion in an attempt to get back on track. "What happened before? Why did I find you attacking Elder Dahlia? Did you really kill Elder Gladiolus?"

The question seemed to be enough to curb her perpetually positive attitude as she narrowed her eyes. "Aye, Ah've actually been findin myself asking the same question the whole time we been down 'ere. Not much else to do." She idly rubbed at one of the places her leg had been rubbed raw by the chains. "Last thing Ah really remember was Ah was waitin' fer the two o you. Ah might've nodded off once or twice, but next thing Ah knew was Ah being held by half a dozen guards with you an the old crone hovering o'er me."

"But I remember seeing you kill Gladiolus," Azalea said, confused. "It was right in front of me, too."

"It was her eyes..." Clover muttered under his breath. When everyone else went quiet and he realized they had all heard him, he elaborated further. "It was like she was in a trance or something. Although, I don't know of any magic that could do that to another pony."

His eyes once again moved of their own accord and focused in on the distant table. This had been happening far more frequently, but with everything else that was happening, it didn't seem to matter. He followed the guidance they were offering and moved closer to look at the table itself.

To no one's surprise, including Clover, every open book on its surface was dedicated to some form of magic. There were also a few loose diagrams depicting various bits of pony biology, mostly that belonging to pegasi, if the wings were any indication.

In the middle of it all, a small brown book stood out among the rest. There wasn't any reason for him to notice, considering how plain it was, but once again, Clover found his eyes inexplicably being drawn to it. Swallowing hard, he cracked it open and began to read.

"The tests have been mostly inconclusive. Each subject seems to respond to the treatment differently. Some become docile while others show excessive violence. The only thing that remains constant is neither subject remembers anything for the duration of the effect."

"What is that?" Storm narrowed his eyes. "Why do those words set my fur on end?"

"Looks like it's a journal of some kind," said Clover. "Seems like they were testing something." He turned to the next page.

"We've been making small modifications to the original diagram given to us by the elder. How she ever managed to produce such a marvel of magic is beyond me. This is clearly the work of many years and tireless dedication to the cause."

Turning another page. "The elder showed up in a fury today. Apparently one of the subjects almost killed her out in the field. They still carried out their assigned mission, whatever that may have been. Not my concern."

Another page. "We are truly on the cusp of a grand age! The magics are finally stable. No more nasty side effects like pegasi going rouge mid-mission. Unicorns have always been limited by our naturally weak constitution. But with the strength of these pegasi added to our own... Ah, but I digress. Even with all the progress we've made here today, it will still be many years before anypony reaps the full benefits of our labor. Maybe by the time the elder's daughter reaches the same age. It's a shame the rest of us won't be around to see it."

"I think I'm going to be sick," Azalea was starting to look very uneasy. "I can't believe my mother would condone experiments like this!"

"Today I asked her..."

"Clover! Please... Just stop..." Azalea pleaded. "I don't think I can take any more."

However, Clover's eyes had gone wide as they scanned over the last page. His legs began to tremble and he grinded his teeth into his lip until he tasted blood. "I asked her how she came by such a spell," he read. "I had asked her many times before, but she must've been in a particularly good mood today. She said it came from a student who hadn't even finished his basic education yet. Astonished, when I asked which one, she said it was the same one who had been seen around town lately with crystal fused to his body. I must meet this pony. Maybe when I next have some time off, I'll seek him out."

Clover went pale as pieces clicked into place inside his head. He slammed the journal shut and began tearing through the rest of the table's contents like a pony possessed. Ancient tomes were thrown over his back, completely disregarding their historical value in his mad hunt for what he desperately hoped he wouldn't find.

He wasn't that lucky.

A loosely bound notebook lay open in front of him. Spell diagrams, dates, and trial numbers filled the pages in front of him. Descriptions of each variations' effects, as well as the negative side effects, were all listed there. Magic for controlling a pony against their will was right there in front of him. The only saving grace to Clover's sanity were the notes that said it didn't seem to work on anything other than a pegasus, at least at the current moment.

However, that was a small consolation. The spell looked familiar... Far too familiar... He turned the pages slowly, like each turn of the page was another step he took on his way to the gallows. When he saw the contents of the first page, his nerve finally broke. His stomach dropped out from under him and he began to wrench the contents of his stomach right then and there.

Bile soaked into the books and papers he had thrown onto the ground, ruining them. They would likely have to be burned later, but that wasn't the first or even the tenth thing on Clover's mind. All his thoughts were focused on one simple fact.

This spell...

This was HIS spell...

He had given a copy of this spell to Dahlia the exact same day Elder Lily had been murdered.

All of it...

His fault...

He killed them...

Gladiolus as well...

He had started a war...

Others were going to die...

And it was all because of him...

"Clover! Clover!! Clover!!!" Azalea finally succeeded in shaking him out of his trance.

Clover looked back at her, not even caring how much of a mess he was at the moment. "What have I done? I'm a monster..." He sobbed as tears poured down his face.

"No, you're not!" She pulled him close to her chest, not showing even the least bit of concern for the mess he was making. "You're not a monster. You didn't know. You couldn't have known."

"But..." He whimpered.

"No buts," she held him tighter. "You didn't choose to hurt others. They did. They're the monsters." Tears had started to run down her face as well, yet she held firm in the face of the pony who needed her at that moment. "Even if one of them is also my mother..."

"Sorry to cut this short," Storm Caller cut in. "But we're not exactly in the best place for this right now." He sounded fairly calm, but there was an edge to his voice that encouraged others to listen. "It's only a matter of time before someone comes here to check on us."

"Aye, he's right," Dandelion agreed. "And we're in no fit state for fight right now."

Clover still hurt, and he would probably continue to hurt for a while. Forget that vision of peace he had when he was branded by crystal. That was gone. There was no chance of that happening now. Not with all this. This was unforgivable. He pushed himself away from Azalea, and gathered up both the journal and the notebook before his nerve had the chance to break again. "I'll be okay," he told her when she reached out to him again. "But I can't spend another night in this city. This place... This place is wrong. Will you come with me?"

"Yes," she said without hesitation, despite the tears in her eyes. "My mother has gone too far. All of this... This can't be forgiven."

"It's a shame you think that, my dear, because I did it all for you."

The new voice was like an icy wind to everyone present. The source of the chill turned out to be none other than Elder Dahlia. She had apparently entered at some point during their exchange, and now her and a number of guards stood between them and freedom.

Her sudden appearance also served to harden the heart of the recently broken Clover. Regardless of whether or not it had been her original intention, this mare had used him. Used him to commit atrocities against the unicorn tribe, had used the pegasi to do it, and was even now looking to use that power to commit further crimes against pony kind.

"I wish you wouldn't look at me like that, Clover," Dahlia said, sounding disappointed. "You have so much potential, and I was starting to have high hopes for you."

"Whatever you think you have planned for me, I'll have no part of it," Clover wasn't about to budge, not anymore. "I'm leaving," he said with confidence. "Don't think you can stop me."

Elder Dahlia let out a long sigh. "If you weren't such a liability, I may have just been willing to let you go. But alas, ever since you came back looking like you do now, you've become a force to be reckoned with. It's a shame we haven't found a way to replicate the effect. Forget standing at the top of the pony tribes, the entire world could be ours."

"Mother!" Azalea cried out. "Do you even hear yourself?! What's wrong with you? You're sick. You need help. What makes you think the rest of Elysium will stand behind you?"

"They already do, my dear. This is what they want," Dahlia said smugly. "But you're still young, still naive. You haven't seen the world for what it is. Not yet, but you will."

Clover could see Azalea had run out of tears to shed as she turned to face him. "I want to leave," was all she said to him. "There's nothing for us here."

"Ever since you've hooked up with that pony," Dahlia spat, vitriol clear in her voice. "You've been listening to me less and less. I knew he was going to be a bad influence, I just didn't know how much."

"I'm taking her, and we're leaving Elysium," Clover said as calmly as he could manage. "Whatever it is you think you're doing, we refuse to be part of it." There wouldn't be any reasoning with her, and the sooner they left, the better. He prepared his magic, hoping he wouldn't have to use it. The simple act of preparing to cast a spell was enough to make his body glow with its crystal light, casting ghostly shadows in the process.

It had the advantageous effect of making most, if not all, of the guards take a step back. It's good that they were afraid, hopefully that meant he wouldn't have to fight his way through them.

However, Dahlia fumed in the face of Clover's defiance. She didn't seem intimidated by the power he was showing. If anything, she looked more determined than ever to keep him away from her daughter. She swept a single hoof before her, commanding everyone's attention.

"It's a shame you refuse to see things my way," Elder Dahlia said, almost sounding regretful. "You could've been something so much more, but now you're just another obstacle to be removed."

Clover watched the guards surrounding the elder, expecting at least one of them to move, to attack, to do something in an attempt to stop him. When none of them did so, he allowed himself a small smile. Apparently he had made enough of a name during their little scuffle that the average pony thought twice before raising a hoof against him. He hadn't thought much about it before, but Gladiolus had been right. The power he now possessed made him a force to be reckoned with.

His blossoming ego was suddenly cut short as sharp pain pierced his back. It had happened so quickly that he hadn't even had the chance to see where it was coming from. All he knew was that the light emanating from his body instantly went out and he suddenly grew very, very tired.

Even if it weren't for the additional weight bearing down on him, any strength to speak of had fled his body. Clover was powerless to stop himself as he fell to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

He thought he might've heard Azalea scream his name in panic, but the exhaustion that had taken hold of him was so all-encompassing that he couldn't even recall his own name. All he managed to do before darkness seized control of his rapidly waning consciousness was to move his eyes just enough to see what had happened.

A knife, blacker than night, protruded from his back. Holding the other end of it, with both hooves throwing their whole weight into driving it deeper, was Storm Caller.

His blank eyes dead to the world.

Chapter 23: The Death of Clover

...

Cold...

...

Dark...

...

Nothing...

...

Nothing except a slight itch that continued to gnaw at his back.

...

Just let me sleep...

...

The itch refused to leave him alone as it slowly worked its way to becoming something more. Something more than just uncomfortable.

...

Okay... Fine...

...

He lifted his head towards the source of the discomfort. He would deal with whatever it was and then he would rest.

Feeling around with his teeth, he searched his back for the source of the problem. When his efforts found something solid and foreign, he knew he had found its source.

Taking hold of whatever it was, he sought to remove the thorn from his side. He only managed to move it a little bit before the discomfort turned to something far worse.

Every nerve lit up and Clover's eyes shot open as he looked at what he had grabbed. A chunk of something was sticking out of his body! Whatever it was wasn't supposed to be there. If he had been thinking clearly, he might've left it and waited for help, but panic has a way of making creatures lose hold of their reason and doing something irrational.

He bit down hard, despite the pain, and began to wrench out this thing that didn't belong. Energy poured into him with every inch he managed to extract. A shiver ran down his spine as fresh sensations poured into him. Another inch saw some light return to the crystal in his body. Another after that and he could see the broken blade sticking out of him more clearly. There couldn't be much more of it still inside. Just one more pull and...

"Mother! How could you?!" Azalea cried out, tears pouring down her face as she held onto the limp form of Clover.

"He was a threat to the new world we're making," Dahlia stood resolute, completely sure of herself. "He was too powerful to leave unchecked, and it would only be a matter of time before he turned on us."

"Turned on you, you mean," Azalea spat. "Can't you see what power's doing to you?!"

"Can't you see. I'm doing this for us. For you."

...

"No!!!" Azalea screamed. "I won't let you have him!"

"He's already gone, my dear," Dahlia consoled with a devilish grin on her face. "Whatever the meteor did to him made him far stronger than any other unicorn who's ever lived. Just think how much greater we could be if we studied it."

"I said no!!!" Azalea clung harder to Clover's body. "I won't sit by and watch as you defile his body."

Dahlia sighed as she looked to her guard. "My daughter isn't well. Please see her home."

...

"Think about what you're doing!!!" Dahlia shouted over the roar of swirling magics.

A veritable cyclone of arcane might surround the two young ponies. Magic poured from Azalea's horn, her normal pink glow shining so bright that it took on a pure white color. She had never once pushed herself so hard before, but she had never once been so desperate.

The other unicorns at the edge of her view made several attempts to get closer, but whatever it was she was doing with her magic was being guided more by primal instinct than conscious thought. She needed something from it, and refused to let anyone interfere. No matter what it may cost her.

"I'm sorry, Clover," she wept without tears, for those had already been spent. "I wanted to see that world you saw. Really, I did. And I wish we would've had more time."

"Azalea... Stop..." The voices were barely discernible over the vortex she had wrapped around them.

"I can't let her have you... or your body..." Azalea choked up at the words like she didn't want to believe them herself. "I won't let her use you just so she can further her own ambition. Taking us even further away from the ideal world you saw. You deserve better than that."

The magic wrapped more tightly around them, clinging tightly to limp body she held as the spell she wove began to take on a proper form.

"I wish I could go with you. Escape this place. But I only have enough magic for one, and somepony needs to stay behind and see to it that she's stopped." She pressed her forehead against his as one last tear managed to find its way out. "I'm sorry."

"NO!..." Dahlia's shouts were now barely a whisper over her daughter's storm.

"I love you."

And then the world vanished.

The broken blade fell to the ground with a muffled thud. Having finally removed it, Clover felt like he could breathe for the first time since waking up. He lay there, taking in large gulps of air as the scene replayed in his head again and again. Had all of that really happened?

He looked back down to the discarded weapon that had recently been sticking out of his back, he had felt so drained when it was in him. Sure, he had never been stabbed before, but with how quickly his strength had left him, it had to be more than a simple knife.

Looking closer, he could barely make out a glassy sheen on the weapon's surface, the soft light emanating from Clover's body just barely providing enough light to see it by. He also hadn't stopped glowing since waking up.

Clover cautiously reached out a hoof to the broken blade. He marveled at how perfectly smooth it felt beneath his touch, but with that touch, Clover quickly began to feel heavy again. His leg felt cold, the light started to dim, and he might've passed right back out again then and there, but he managed to pull back before it was too late.

"So do you also stick your hoof in a fire to see if it's hot?" A soft voice snickered from somewhere overhead.

Clover jumped at the sudden noise. He turned his head in an attempt to find its source, but aside from not being able to locate who had just spoken, it was the first time he noticed he was in some kind of forest.

"Well, don't let me stop you," they continued. "I'm sure something will come along hungry enough to eat something looking as strange as you."

He didn't jump the second time he heard the voice, but he did heed its warning and took cautious step back from the magic draining blade.

"So you're not completely stupid. Whatever you are?" This time Clover was able to pick out a small pink light in the overhead canopy. "Still... It's not everyday something dead appears in my forest only to spring back to life moments later."

What was... No... Clover shook rising questions from his head. He didn't have time for this. If what he saw through his delirium was true, then Azalea could still be in danger.

"Where am I?" He asked without a second thought. "And which way to Elysium?"

"Well, aren't you determined," they said with some consideration. "I don't know of anyplace by that name, but the pony lands are far to the south. Several days from the edge of the forest, across the river, and past the griffin territories. You're a long way from home little pony."

He was how far away?! How had Azalea managed that? Was she alright? He had no idea. All he knew was he needed to get back there as soon as possible.

Clover looked up through the trees. With how dense they were, it was a miracle he could see the sky at all. However, he did recognize the few stars he could see. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out which way is south from here.

"Sorry for bothering you," he apologized to his surroundings. "I'll be going now."

He had never actually tried this spell before now, but thanks to Azalea, he at least knew how it should feel. He knew the theory, but had always lacked the raw magical power to even attempt teleporting himself. That should no longer be the case and he needed to make his way back to the city right away if he was going to rescue her from the machinations of her mother.

He reached into the vast reserves of power he had at his command, confident he should have more than enough to accomplish the feat. It wasn't hard to find, especially since he hadn't once stopped glowing since waking up. It existed just beneath the surface ready to be called on at a moment's notice. He began drawing it out, ready to carefully shape the spell he'd never used before...

Only to have his legs immediately give out from under him. Clover collapsed to the ground, exhausted and feeling like he had just run a hundred miles. He tried to force his body to stand back up, but he couldn't even feel his legs, much less get them to move. He looked down only to find that his legs were no longer glowing. Instead, the deep purple glow seemed to have moved to a puddle he now found himself lying in.

"Well, that's interesting," the tiny light said as it picked itself off the branch and zipped down to where he was laying. Now that it was closer, Clover could make out the tiny form from within the light. It had the shape of a pony, but aside from being far too small for one, it also sported what appeared to be a pair of glittering wings.

"A... a fairy?" Clover practically whispered. He was so tired. It was drastically different than when he had been stabbed, his strength had just left him in a instant due to the nature of the knife. This however, this seemed to keep growing, making him more and more tired as time went on.

"It seems you're bleeding out," the fairy had landed beside the glowing puddle and was sniffing at what was apparently his own blood. "Weird that it's glowing like that."

"...Help," Clover wheezed out. He couldn't even lift his head anymore. How was he going to save Azalea like this?

"So what are you?" The fairy seemed more curious than ever, despite the dying unicorn's current predicament. "Last I checked, ponies didn't have large chunks of rock growing out of them." She poked at some of the crystal still clinging to his limp form. "Whatever it is, it's powerful."

He wasn't going to make it, he was sure that's what his body was telling him. He may have been the only unicorn who would've been able to stand against Elder Dahlia, and she had removed him before he had a chance to do so. This power was dangerous, she had been right about that, at least. It wasn't something he could let her or anyone else with evil intentions get ahold of. But how to keep it safe?

"Danger," he managed to say. "Crystal..."

"Hmmm?" The fairy looked at him curiously. "So this stuff is actually dangerous? I could believe that."

"Destroy..." By this point, Clover was having trouble just keeping his eyes open.

"I doubt I could destroy something like that, but I could hide it if you want," the fairy said. "I might just do that anyway instead of letting it lay around."

"Please..." He wanted to sleep so badly.

"I suppose," the small creature sighed. "And I was having such a relaxing day too."

The fairy reached a small hoof into her mane and began fishing around until she pulled out a small seed. She seemed to consider it for a moment before smiling to herself. She then softly blew on it, as if trying to breath life into it. Right away, a tiny sprout poked its head out of the shell, making the fairy smile at the result. She then gingerly, almost reverently, placed it in the magically rich fluid that poured from Clover's body.

As soon as it touched the blood, roots shot out and drank in the violet substance. The roots grew more with every passing moment and snaked their way through them until they coiled around Clover's body. Once there, it seemed to dig into the crystalline portions of his flesh, finding cracks in the hard surface until it managed to start breaking it down into chunks. The whole time this was going on, the little sprout grew in size. First it was just simply getting larger, but then it started to change its hue to match the substance fueling its growth.

It felt like it had barely been a moment, but the roots were already pulling away from the unicorn, having devoured its crystalline meal. The tiny seed had quickly grown into a small sapling, and the whole thing was now glowing the same purple color with traces of blue outlining it.

As for Clover himself, his strength was now completely gone. He had watched and felt the process as the crystal that had barely kept him alive was removed. Rest would no longer be denied him as his eyes drifted shut. He really wished he could've had more time, that he could've done so much more, but it wasn't meant to be.

As the last of his consciousness faded away, he saw Azalea's face one last time. If he regretted anything, it was that he couldn't have helped her escape the city that no longer felt like home.

"I'm sorry," he spoke with the last of his breath before the darkness finally claimed him for good.

Chapter 25: Storm Chaser

"The first pony I need you to track down is Storm Chaser. I believe he's currently at the Wonderbolts' training ground. Doing what? I have no idea. However, he may very well best your rainbow-maned friend when it comes to drawing attention to himself, so he shouldn't be too hard to find."

With only unanswered questions and that cryptic lead for company, Twilight took off for the Wonderbolts' training ground first thing in the morning.

The flight there was uneventful. She had decided to fly there herself, of course. Rainbow Dash had been getting on her case about not getting enough practice in since she first sprouted wings, and she didn't want to set herself up for the inevitable earful she'd get if she had just rented a balloon. Lectures, as it turned out, aren't as fun when you're on the receiving end of them.

Fortunately, it was a pretty nice day for flying. The sky was clear, the wind was calm, and it wasn't as chilly as it could be when you got this high up. She was about to note again how nice the weather was when she spotted an errant storm cloud, close to where she was looking to land.

That was weird. She didn't think there were any storms scheduled for today. In fact, she was sure of it. But there it was, clear as day, a storm cloud down close enough to the runway that you could touch it. The pegasi surrounding it didn't even seem all that concerned that it was there.

She landed in what appeared to be a clear spot, eliciting a few oohs and ahhs when she did. It finally stopped happening around Ponyville, but she still drew some attention any time she traveled abroad. She was still just a pony for Celestia's sake! Her mentor did her best to assure her that other ponies would eventually get used to her new status, but that helped very little when ponies started to stare.

These thoughts were interrupted as a crack of thunder sounded from the center of the storm cloud. Almost at the same time, she felt someone throw a hoof over her shoulder and forcefully pull her to the ground before she knew what was happening.

It was a good thing too, for no sooner had she been pulled out of the way then a rainbow blur came rocketing out of the cloud right where her head had been just moments before. She had been present for enough of Rainbow Dash's antics to recognize the blur for what it was. What she hadn't expected was the identity of her rescuer.

"Fluttershy?!" Twilight exclaimed once she recognized the butter yellow pegasus for who it was. "What are you doing here?"

The blow of a whistle and someone shouting "Next!" was the only answer she got as Fluttershy hastily pulled her out of the way before yet another boom sounded, followed by another streak rocketed out from within the storm cloud in the same direction Rainbow Dash had flown.

"Are you okay, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked her once they were clear of what was apparently a crash zone. On closer inspection, she probably should've realized there was a reason the space had been cleared. It had been filled with fluffy white clouds that seemed to be placed there for the sole purpose of catching everyone who had been ejected from the depths of the dark storm.

"Yeah," Twilight was a bit shaken, but otherwise unhurt. "I'm alright, but what's going on?! What are you all doing? And why are you here, Fluttershy?" The last part probably confused her the most. "Rainbow Dash I could understand, but why are you here?"

"Well, Harry went and broke his hammock, and I ran out of nails for the birdhouses, and bits have been kind of tight this month," Fluttershy rattled off like it was a perfectly logical explanation to her presence.

"Huh?" Twilight tilted her head in confusion, like any normal pony would.

"Ow, my head," Rainbow Dash complained as she hobbled over to join them. "You figured he'd start pulling his punches after the twelfth time."

"You really should stop, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said, as encouragingly as she possibly could. "It's only a matter of time before you get seriously hurt."

"Hah!" She scoffed. "And let Lightning Dust be the first pony to land a solid hit!? Not a chance. I still can't believe they let her back on campus."

"Wait a minute," Twilight said, straining her memory. "Wasn't she the one..."

"The one who knocked your balloon out of the sky with a tornado? And got kicked out for her trouble?" Rainbow finished for her. "Yeah, that's her. Apparently, the invitation is open for anypony who can fly. Even if you're a dropout."

"The fifty bit incentive doesn't hurt either," came a new voice as a turquoise green pegasus strolled up to join them. "I was going to turn it down out of principle, but then I thought, why miss the chance to show up my old wing pony."

"I told you to stop calling me that..." Rainbow growled between her teeth.

"And I told you," Lightning Dust smiled right back. "The winner of our bet can call the loser whatever she wants."

"You haven't won yet," she snapped back.

"But I'm going to," her smirk was even wider. "It's gonna be me who knocks that stallion on his rump."

Their argument continued its back and forth, though it appeared to have been going on for a while, if how heated they were when they started was anything to go by. All the while, the black cloud let out its occasional boom as it ejected yet another pegasus. Twilight did her best to piece together what was happening through Dash and Dust's bickering. As best as she could tell, Storm Chaser had shown up with enough royal backing behind him to start what was, from the looks of it anyway, some kind of one pony fight club.

The thundercloud suddenly let out a boom far louder than any that had come before. Just as quickly, a black streak shot out of it, dissipating the dark cloud in the process. The form shot through several layers of safety cloud, shredding each of them until one finally succeeded in stopping the errant projectile.

A hushed whisper fell over everyone present, it was enough to even silence the two bickering pegasi as well. The entire group had just fallen completely quiet as dozens of heads turned to see what had just happened.

A deep laugh finally broke the silence, originating from whoever had been thrown from the storm far too hard to be safe.

"Hahahaha!!" Bellowed Storm Chaser as he dug his way out of the cloud bank. His black mane had been frazzled, and his white coat was singed in several places. Despite his injuries, his face was beaming. "That's what I'm talking about!" He shouted enthusiastically. "I want that mare on my team!"

Someone had actually managed to score a hit on the pegasus who had been scoring home runs since the early morning?! Who?! And how?! As one, everyone turned back to see who was left standing in the remains of the storm cloud.

"Oops! My bad." The well-practiced apology rolled off the tongue of the dirty blonde and wall-eyed pony who remained. "I didn't mean to break your cloud. I'm sorry..."

"What?!" Rainbow cried out. Similar shouts of disbelief echoed throughout the crowd. "Derpy?!"

"Oh..." Derpy turned as she recognized her. "Hi, Rainbow Dash!" She waved enthusiastically as she flitted over. Her wings almost seemed to be vibrating as she flew over, and her mane started to stick out in every which way as she came in to land beside them.

"Wait!" Shouted Storm Chaser in a panic. "You're still charged up from the storm! If you touch the ground you'll..."

"Huh?" Said Derpy, but it was already too late.

The moment she touched down and plopped her rump on the ground, what was apparently thousands of volts of electricity arced out from her body and shot through anyone within shouting distance. As one, every pony affected suddenly found their muscles seizing up as they toppled to the ground. Not just the ones on the ground either. The lightning sought out any pony who had been flying too close to the ground at the time, causing them to fall to the ground in a heap of fur and feathers. Not even Twilight had been spared from the torment as every fiber of her being, all the way up to her horn, was lit up. It was even worse than that time Pinkie was testing out her new super shocker sour candies.

"Oops!" Derpy apologized again. "My bad."

A recess had to be called after the shocking turn of events, during which Storm Chaser retreated from the open field and made his way to some kind of impromptu office. It looked like it had been set up in a hurry, if the mess was anything to go by, and was likely just used for storage before he appropriated it.

"So, what can I help you with, Princess?" He said, once he had made himself comfortable behind a small desk. Twilight had followed him inside, along with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, making the small space seem even smaller. "I can't imagine you came here hoping to try your luck, and I seriously doubt you're hurting on bits. Besides, Miss Ditzy Doo already went home with the whole pot."

"No," Twilight shook her head. "I'm alright. Wait..." She scratched her head. "The whole pot? You were placing bets?!" No one openly denied it. "All of you?! No," Twilight shook her head. "It couldn't be. Rainbow Dash I could sort of understand, but surely Fluttershy wouldn't..." When the buttercream pegasus started to blush and hide behind her mane, Twilight's jaw dropped. "You too?!"

"Everypony looked like they were having fun," she said in her singsong voice. "And I wanted to show my support."

That earned a laugh from Storm Chaser. "You've got a lot to learn about pegasi if you're surprised by that. With as badly as I was kicking everypony's flank, I guarantee you there were at least half a dozen side bets on who would land the first solid hit." He spared a look in Rainbow's direction. "You were starting to get awfully close for a moment there. I was starting to worry I'd lose my fifty bits to Spitfire."

Rainbow seemed to be caught off guard as her eyes widened. "You bet against me?! Please tell me you didn't bet on..."

"Lightning Dust?" Guessed Storm. "Sure did," he said as he drank in her shocked expression. "Sorry, Dash. You may be faster, but your friend is far more creative."

"Not my friend..." Rainbow muttered as she started to pout.

"So, Storm Chaser," said Twilight as she tried to regain control of the conversation. "Why are you doing all this? Was this all just for fun or was there some point?"

Instead of a completely jovial response, like she had gotten so far, Storm Chaser turned a bit more serious. "While it certainly was fun whooping the flanks of every pegasus from here to Trottingham, there actually was a reason for it. I want to reestablish the Storm Wings, and I've been trying to find some pegasi to fill the shoes. Right now, Equestria is lacking for any sort of proper aerial defense, and there are real threats out there beyond the borders that it isn't ready for. The Wonderbolts may be exceptionally skilled flyers, but they wouldn't stand a chance in a real fight. After how easily I made their top three eat dirt, I knew I couldn't let things stand as they are."

"I... I see..." Twilight didn't have much more to say than that. Very little was known about the lands outside Equestria other than it wasn't safe for ponies.

"But all that aside," Storm said as he leaned back and resumed his cocky tone. "What brings you here, Miss Sparkle? I can't imagine you came here hoping to make a move on me. Besides, I'm sure Clover's already back home by now. Surely somepony like him's more your type?"

"I heard you might be able to tell me more about what happened to Elysium," Twilight said before getting distracted further. "I want to know more about what happened back then."

As soon as Twilight mentioned the name of the city, the pegasus stallion dropped all pretenses of being relaxed. His brow narrowed and his eyes took on a piercing gleam. "Where did you hear that name?"

Twilight stared at the dark look he now carried. It was almost as if she had done something wrong by asking. What didn't she know? Did something even worse happen than what Clover had already told her?

Both of Twilight's friends picked up on the drop in mood as well. "Twilight, what's going on?" Rainbow asked nervously.

"What's going on, Rainbow Dash," Storm Chaser growled between his teeth. "Is it seems that Twilight here has been sticking her nose where it doesn't belong."

The silence that followed was palpable, with Storm Chaser continuing to glare daggers at Twilight while her friends watched on in confusion.

"How much did Clover tell you?" He finally asked, breaking the uncomfortably growing silence.

The look in his eyes was making her feel more nervous than the one time she got an A- on a test. "He told me about the sunrise," she finally eked out. "And the Summit, and about Elder Dahlia's betrayal."

"So he told you everything," he said as he let out the hard breath he'd been holding. "Even the part about what they did to my father?"

"Your father?" Twilight adopted a puzzled expression as she mulled over the pieces she had learned from Clover the day before. "Wait a minute!" She cried out as pieces fell into place. "So Storm Caller was your father?!"

Storm Chaser nodded. "He was," he said sadly. "He was lost to us before I had a chance to really get to know him. The only reason I know anything about him at all is because of what Clover told me of him later."

"How did you meet Clover anyway?" She asked, her curiosity peaking. "It didn't sound like you would've had the chance after he ended up in the Everfree Forest."

"So that's where he left off," he said while seeming to be deep in thought. "Still, I'm surprised he told anypony about the spell he created. He's always considered the reformation spell his greatest shame."

"Reformation spell?" Rainbow Dash suddenly blurted out. "Wasn't that the spell you were going to use on Discord if we couldn't get him to behave?"

"You what?!" Storm Chaser roared as he shot up from his seat. His wings instantly snapped to their full length as he rose, despite the confined space. At the same time, lightning began to crackle all over his body. It didn't stop there though. As it made its way to his wingtips, it began to arc out and fill the rest of the small space. From the way everything in the room now seemed to glow, it was clear that there was an enormous amount of power at Storm Chaser's disposal, just waiting for him to unleash it.

If Storm Chaser hadn't made it clear how angry he was, it was certainly made clear by anyone who paid closer attention to the rest of his body. As a second wave of electricity came shooting out of him, still not having actually attacked anyone yet, the edges of his body began to change. First it started looking just a bit hazy, but as time went on, it gradually became far more translucent. Within moments, Storm Chaser's now clear body more closely resembled a walking plasma orb, with exceedingly dangerous looking levels of electricity threatening to break free of the glass while a brilliant blue gemstone floated at the very center of his body.

With everything that had happened since Clover's official return, be it her visit to another world or the dark vines that had entangled the better part of Equestria, Twilight had completely forgotten about Clover's companions and what they were. Or to be more accurate, what they weren't. They weren't ponies. Not in the strictest sense of the word, anyway.

Clover had somehow found a way to create what appeared to be a near-perfect imitation of life. Something that was theoretically impossible. Even if you found a way to make a functioning pony body, it wouldn't be able to demonstrate any form of intelligence outside of following basic commands. Yet, against all odds, Clover had still found a way. Twilight had tried asking him how he managed to pull it off, but all he had said was that it was just as impossible as she was imagining it, and that she wouldn't understand it, even if he did try to explain.

Twilight had gotten so lost in her analytical fantasies that she had completely stopped paying attention to how much danger she was potentially in. At least, until her friends placed themselves between her and the living embodiment of a natural disaster.

"I... I don't know what's going on," said Rainbow even though she was shaking in her boots. "But Twilight didn't do anything wrong!"

"Besides," said a just as scared Fluttershy, who had done a slightly better job keeping up with the conversation. "Discord ate every copy Twilight had of that spell before she had a chance to use it."

Storm Chaser's eyes took on a more normal appearance from within the storm as he began to blink rapidly. "Discord... ate it?" He asked in disbelief. His body started fading back into view just in time for everyone to catch the smirk that threatened to break loose on his face. He wasn't quite at the point of letting it get that far, but at the very least, he no longer looked like he was about to light them up like a Hearth's Warming tree. Gradually, the power he had loosed withdrew back into his body, and by the time his body was completely solid again, no sign remained that he had been about to barbeque every pony in the room.

Still, as he sat back down and folded his wings against his sides, he kept his eyes locked on Twilight, as if daring her to say or do the wrong thing. "Discord doesn't deserve this level of respect, not even close," he said at last. "But if I were you, I'd be kissing his mismatched hooves for stopping you from making the biggest mistake of your life."

Twilight finally felt like she could breathe again. She hadn't even noticed she was holding her breath until she let it out. "How bad did things actually get back then?" Was the only thing she could really ask.

"It was bad, Twilight," Storm Chaser said as his nostrils briefly flared. Apparently, he hadn't completely calmed down yet. "Very bad. The war started by the unicorns' betrayal had only one way it could really end. With our utter and complete annihilation."

Chapter 26: Captain, my Captain

Storm Chaser maintained his smug grin as he faced down his opponent. Clear skies above, the wind blowing through his mane, and his wings spread proudly for anyone who might be watching. This is how things should be, especially if he can put on a good enough show for the mares watching. His herd could always use at least one more.

He dove out the way, lightning now filling the space he had just been, and ducked beneath the clouds. He had used this maneuver in their bouts before, so he wasn't too surprised when an additional bolt or two followed him through the cloud layer in an attempt to snag him before he regained his balance.

However, Storm Chaser seldom lost his balance, if ever. It was a simple feat for him to dodge these ones as well, all while keeping one hoof on the clouds so he could easily swing himself back up.

He never lost his confidence as he emerged from the clouds to meet the smile plastered on his opponent's face. Silk Sky wasn't a slouch when it came to playing with lightning. She already had an arc rippling down her snow white pinions ready to knock Storm on his rump, and finally scoring her a win.

It wasn't to be. In a display very few could match, he extended a wingtip and caught the bolt from the air before it could strike its target. Almost as if he were dancing with it, he spun around and guided it down the length of one wing and up the other. With a force greater than he had received it, he returned the shot, striking Silk in the chest before she could dodge.

She went sprawling through the air, skidding on contact with the cloud layer before finally coming to a stop on a particularly thick bank of cumulus.

Shouts and cheers came from everyone watching. Storm Chaser himself puffing out his chest upon hearing a few of the higher pitched voices in the crowd. Silk, having finally recovered from her loss, only shot him a dirty look as she picked herself up and shook the stray cloud out of her white mane.

"You said you weren't gonna do that this time," she complained.

Storm met her gaze with a sly grin. "I didn't say I wasn't not going to use it," he said in turn.

"Don't mince words!" She shouted back. "You cheated and you know it!"

"No such thing as cheating on a battlefield," he said. "Is that gonna be your excuse when one of those horned devils gets ya?"

"It's not the same thing!" She fumed. "Come on guys," she called to the many spectators. "Back me up."

No one answered though. Neither to support her claim, nor condemn her complaint. Instead, every pony on the cloudy expanse was standing straight with a hoof raise to their brow in a salute. When they spotted the cause of everyone standing at attention, both Storm Chaser and Silk Sky quickly adopted the same position.

"At ease," said Commander Zephyr as he strolled out into the field. It was rare to see the commander outside the command center, even rarer for him to actually be out on the training ground as well.

"He's right," he said as he made his way to the two combatants. "You can't expect an enemy to play fair or even keep their word. Elysium has made that perfectly clear over the last several years."

The old pegasus began to trail off as his thoughts took him elsewhere, probably the main reason he never directed any troops directly. He quickly came back to himself, shaking free of his reverie. "Anyway," he said as if nothing had happened. "You are both fine combatants and very skilled flyers, even if... even if one of you like to get a little carried away."

The pointed look he gave was very clearly meant for Storm Chaser. The young pegasus didn't recoil under scrutiny. Far from it. He actually seemed to be standing a bit straighter than he had a moment before.

Zephyr made a slow turn to Silk Sky and offered a light bow. "Forgive me, my dear, but I'm afraid I must borrow your sparring partner. I hope you don't mind."

"No sir!" She saluted again before flying off to join the others.

This did finally elicit a look of confusion from the cocky youth as he now found himself alone with the leader of what remained of the pegasus army. "Me, sir?"

"Walk with me," the elderly flyer said. Storm Chaser quickly took up stride beside him and followed along as they made their way around the edge of the clouds.

"What are your thoughts on the war?" Commander Zephyr asked.

"Sir?" Storm Chaser's confusion was apparent on his face. Why was he asking him?

"Don't pick now to start withholding your opinion," he said. "I promise I won't take offense."

"Sir," he relaxed only slightly. "With all due respect. I don't see how we can win."

"What do you mean?" Zephyr clearly was looking for more of an answer.

"Well..." Storm Chaser searched for the right words. He wasn't sure what answer the old pony was looking for. Heck, this was probably harder than putting the moves over on some sweet young thing. "Every attempt we've made to take back Mount Boras has left us either with casualties, those who've become too injured to fly, or..." He paused for a moment, this was hard for even the most seasoned veterans to talk about. "Those who've been captured and forced to serve our enemy."

"Go on," Commander Zephyr said. He didn't even flinch at him mentioning the worst fate that could currently befall any of them. A testament to his fortitude.

"Despite our efforts," Storm continued. "We've failed to make any discernible progress retaking lost ground. Supplies are low, as is morale, and it would take nothing short of a golden opportunity or a miracle to improve both."

Storm Chaser winced as he finished. He was expecting a reprimand for being so forward. He might be a bit cocky, but even he wasn't stupid enough to know he shouldn't piss off the pegasus commander.

However, he received an unexpected surprise when the commander just smiled in return. "I couldn't have said it better myself," he said. "And if there such an opportunity were to present itself, could you take command of a squad and make good on the chance?"

Storm's ears perked up. He hadn't just heard that, had he? "Sir?"

"Captain Firefly's been training you to fill her shoes despite being on maternity leave, hasn't she?"

"Yes sir, she has." He wasn't dreaming, was he? This was really happening, wasn't it?

"Then see to your troops, captain," the commander ordered at last. "I want you all ready to deploy by moonrise."

Storm Chaser's eyes widened. "A night flight, sir?"

"Yes, son. I know it's dangerous, but I have it on good authority that the enemy's supply lines have recently been plagued by thestrals." He spared a wink in Storm Chaser's direction. "They won't be expecting a force of well trained pegasi led by one of the most talented Storm Wings ever born. So tell me soldier, do I have the right pony for the job?"

"Yes sir," Storm Chaser gave a firm and proper salute, an excited smile on his face.

"Then you have your orders, captain. Make us proud." Zephyr saluted the newly promoted pegasus and then turned to leave, confident he made the right choice.

Storm turned to find all his colleagues, now his squad, watching and talking amongst themselves. To the surprise of no one, they had definitely been listening on him and the commander's talk.

"All right, you layabouts!" He shouted at the top of his lungs as he marched briskly in their direction. "Quit gawking and form up! We have orders."

Storm Chaser entered the little hole in the clouds he called home feeling like he was on cloud nine. It had felt good to bark orders and actually have the authority that they had to listen to him.

Still, he wasn't so delusional that he was blind to how tiring a night flight was going to be. Fortunately, it was still early in the day. After briefing his new squad on their orders, he dismissed everyone with their only orders being that they rest up and be ready for the mission.

That's what he was hoping to do as well. Cuddle up with his girls and sleep the day away. Assuming they let him this time. Speaking of which...

"How's my little Firefly?" He said as he plopped down and rested a hoof on her rose-colored rump.

Firefly's nose poked up through her blue mane before slowly sitting up, her distended belly making the action difficult. "Are you ever going to get tired of saying that?" She said with annoyance. "Do I look little to you?"

"Probably not," he said with a smile. "But you're just so cute when you get worked up."

"Laugh it up, cadet," she said before laying her head back down. "It's your fault I'm like this."

"Guilty as charged," Storm said as he rested his head on her belly. It had recently become his favorite spot, even if the little one occasionally kicked him in the head while he was there.

"So what're you doing back so early?" She asked, blushing a bit at the contact. "You couldn't have been gone more than a few hours."

"We've got a mission later tonight," he said. "So everypony's on leave 'til then."

"A night flight?" Firefly looked back at him. "Who'd they get to lead that?"

Storm Chaser sat back up and puffed his chest out proudly. "I am," he said. "You're looking at the newest captain of the Storm Wings."

Instead of acting all surprised or congratulating him, Firefly instead let out a long and heavy sigh. "So it's finally happened," she said. "We've really reached the end of the line if they'll make just anypony captain."

The newly promoted pegasus' face fell and he looked back at her a little crestfallen. "I thought you'd be happy for me."

"Don't get me wrong, I am," she said. "But it shows how desperate we've become when ponies so young are put in charge. It wasn't that long ago..."

"That ponies like me would still be fresh out of boot camp," he finished for her with a roll of the eyes.

She just stared at him with a tired look on her eyes. "I guess I have given you that talk a little too often. The point still stands, I just wish I didn't have to worry about the future so much," she bemoaned as she absentmindedly rubbed at her belly.

"I won't let anything happen to you or our little Storm Havoc," he said. He went in to nuzzle her, but instead found himself held at length.

"I'm still not calling her that," she said with a playful grin. "It's cheesy."

"You still seem so certain it's a filly."

"I told you before," she said warmly. "I've got a good feeling it is."

Storm Chaser relaxed a bit at her smile. As much as he wanted to prove himself in the battlefield, part of him still sort of wished the war was over so they could focus on other things.

"But enough about me," Firefly sounded a bit more cheerful, like she had finally found her second wind. "What all else happened this morning? You and Silky looked like you were about to go at it this morning."

"Oh, we still did," the new voice announced themselves as Silk Sky trotted in, the annoyed look from earlier still on her face. "And I'm not about to let you get out of cheating during our match."

Storm saw the look in her eyes and turned to make his escape, but Silk wasn't the only mare who was on to him. With a savage grin on her face and strength to match, Firefly delivered a swift kick with her hind leg that sent the stallion sprawling in the direction of the newcomer. Silk for her part, was ready and waiting for such an opportunity. She caught him in mid air, swung him over her back, and finally brought him down onto the firm cloud that made up the floor of their home. Once there, she straddled his back, wrapped her hooves around his chest, and bit down hard on the closest ear.

"Ow!" Storm Chaser cried out. "Uncle! Uncle!"

"Your uncle has nothing to do with this," Silk retorted before squeezing him harder. "And don't give me that "in a real fight" line again."

"Alright. Alright," Storm Chaser finally conceded. He knew when he was beat. "I'm sorry for cheating."

"That's better," Silk said before finally releasing him.

He practically sank into the cloud once she let him free. Silk had always been the one to play a bit rough, ever since they were little. His father had told him that's one of the ways you know a mare likes you. His father... He really wished he had gotten the chance to know him better.

"So how's the old lady doing?" Silk said as she plopped down beside him.

"Heh," Firefly gave a weak laugh. "Just you wait 'til I'm back on duty, or better yet, when it's your turn to be lying here waiting for this part to be over."

"I think I'll pass," Silk Sky said in response. "It doesn't look like it's worth all the trouble."

"You won't be thinking about that when mating season rolls around again," said Firefly.

"You're probably right," Silk said as she clung to Storm Chaser's side. "At least I've got my stallion ready to take care of me when that happens."

Storm Chaser rolled over Silk, surprising the young mare as she quickly found herself pinned beneath him. A mischievous grin played on his face as he nuzzled into her neck.

A blush flush across her face as she tried and failed to push him off. "Not right now, you big goof," she said with a playful laugh. "I have trouble flying straight afterwards."

Storm Chaser paused for a moment, deciding whether or not it would be worth pushing a bit further. Then again, they did have that super dangerous mission tonight. He'd never forgive himself if he got her killed by having a bit too much fun beforehand. So reluctantly, he climbed off of her, but not before making one last nip at her neck.

They needed to rest up, that was the most important thing they could do right now. So without much more being said, the three of them curled up for an afternoon nap.

Chapter 27: Counterattack

The night was calm, the air was cool, and they flew so high that it would've been impossible for any earthbound creature to see them. There was still just barely enough moonlight to make each other out as they flew in a loose formation. It was a magnificent sight, pegasi in flight right before a dangerous mission. The only thing that would've made them appear more grand than they already looked was if any pegasus armor still remained in the tribe's possession. However, even if they still had it, they wouldn't have worn it. Not for this mission anyway. It was primarily meant for when pegasi had to fight larger opponents like griffons or dragons, and it wouldn't do anything to stand against the spells these accursed unicorns threw around.

At the front of their group, their newly appointed captain watched the ground carefully. He was eager to taste combat and maybe just a little bit anxious, for he had more than just his own safety to worry about this night.

"Stay alert," Storm Chaser said, never once taking his eyes off the ground. "We still don't know what other spells those horned bastards may have come up with."

"You really think the thestrals will show?" Asked Cloudy from his left.

"They have just as much to gain as we do by showing up," said Storm. "They know what we're after, and it's different than what they're after. Besides, if they're there, they'll have seen us already. Damn bats have that crazy night vision going for them."

A few lights sparked beneath them, drawing their attention. They waited on baited breath before at least a dozen more started leaving the fortress to join the ones on the outskirts.

"That's our cue!" Storm called out to the entire squad. "Clap and Trap, bring the thunder. Silk and Milk, give us some downdraft. Cloudy, Misty, and Haze, do what you do best. Everypony else, let's bring the storm. Don't forget," he said with one last word. "This is a rescue mission. Our only real goal is to free our brothers and sisters being held hostage. If you start getting overwhelmed, you fly. If something feels wrong, you fly. If you see anypony losing control, figure out which unicorn's doing it and break their concentration. They can't do much else while using that weird spell of theirs, so don't give them the opportunity to control anypony for long. Now move!"

Everyone in their formation gave a brief salute, followed by a "sir!", and began their descent. Silk and Milk began spiraling outward, taking hold of errant gusts of wind and bringing it back in to wrap itself around the entire group. Everyone's descent accelerated rapidly after that. The cold air tore at their coats and attempted to rip them out of formation, but they had all been practicing maneuvers like this since they first learned to fly.

The twins, Clap and Trap, slipped to the back of the formation and began bristling their feathers. Normally this would serve in slowing their descent, but with the other flyers in front of them creating a windbreak, this left them free to rapidly collect the static being generated by the group's dive.

As for their vapor guard, Cloudy, Misty, and Haze, they began spinning in the opposite direction of the building cyclone. It slowed them down only slightly, but also served to pull in every stray wisp, every drop of moisture, and every cloud that got even remotely close to them. This created a funnel, further speeding up their descent, as well as generating heat and friction, further building the storm at the center of their group.

Unfortunately for the pegasi, this was enough to make them clearly visible from the ground. The sound of distant shouts echoed upward, barely discernible over the sound of the wind. More lights started appearing beneath them, glowing ever brighter as spell after spell was charged and cast, before being sent up to intercept them.

Unfortunately for the unicorns, this was also the cue for the pegasi to close the wall on their trap. Lightning began channeling forward, passing from the flyers in the back to the ones in the front. Each participant it passed through further added to its intensity, building it further and causing everyone to glow as they closed their formation.

Storm Chaser flew at the front, waiting for the inevitable surge to come crashing into him, and it didn't disappoint. As soon as the rush of electricity smashed into him, every part of his body lit up. Every feather, every nerve, every fiber of his being charged with energy. He held onto the charge as long as he could, refusing to let it go until enough of it had built up.

His instincts screamed at him to let the lightning through, let it pass before it began to threaten his life. However, this technique had been passed down through the generations. A combination of daredevils and suicidal flyers, as well as engineers in pegasus magic far smarter than he was, had eventually come up with this technique. Despite all the work that went into its creation, very few pegasi could actually perform this trick. Storm Chaser was one such pony.

Incoming magic raced at their group, the effects of which were unknown, and it all came down to the lead pony's skill and timing at this point, or else the next moment could very well be their last. But he was feather-flipping Storm Chaser for pony's sake. The one who had broken every record and changed the status quo for what could be possible for a pegasus in flight.

He watched the magic closely, the fevered charge he carried growing ever brighter with every passing moment. It was all on him now, but none of this would be possible without everyone giving him far more lightning than he could've possibly gathered on his own. Only a dozen feet remained before impact, it was now or never. He threw his wings out and clapped his front hooves together, the release of electricity creating a shockwave that stopped absolutely everything in its tracks. Every flyer halted, every spell dissipated, every drop of moisture they had collected now being suspended in mid air.

The silence only lasted for a single, glorious moment where nothing moved. However this was where it got fun, but it as also where they needed to be perfect or else they could end up as nothing more than a smear on the ground.

The void collapsed inward, rocketing the formation forward far faster than they had been moving before the halt. Follow-up spells bounced off the cone they had created, no longer having enough power to penetrate the cone.

Pure white light began to course up Storm's body, starting from his tail and making its way to the front. Every moment was pain for the skilled flyer, but he had to keep this up, he had to hold on. He had to hit the critical moment at just the right time or everyone, including himself, would be dead in half a breath. The ground rushed up to meet them, and only a few feet remaining when the air finally broke.

The second shockwave that followed completely trumped the first one by orders of magnitude. Bodies were sent flying through the air, small buildings were completely decimated, and any unicorn unfortunate enough to be too close to the clap of thunder that echoed from the center immediately stopped moving. Even if said unicorn had a shield up at the time, it wasn't enough for them to escape unscathed.

The pegasi were completely unharmed from their suicidal dive, the final motion creating a cushion for them. None of them were really sure why this trick did what it did, you'd have to ask someone far smarter for that. All that mattered was that it did, and that was enough to make use of it. Unfortunately, it was also something they could really only make use of when the element of surprise was on their side, as it was easy enough to interrupt during the early stages.

As devastating as the attack had been, it was far too early to celebrate. All it really served was to get the pegasi on the ground, and to bring a piece of the sky down with them. The clouds they had been carrying with them spread out over the night, creating a dense fog that would make it difficult for anyone other than a pegasus to move around in.

"Fan out!" Storm shouted into the mist. "Secure the area! Take no survivors!"

His squad moved with efficiency and without hesitation, disappearing into the fog without any further noise. The sounds of combat soon echoed from deep within the haze as he heard the sounds of spells being fired, hooves coming in contact with flesh, and the crackle of the occasion bolt of lightning due to the electrical charge that remained as a result of their dive.

Storm Chaser rushed ahead, diving back and forth to avoid the major sources of confrontation. The orders he had shouted had actually served a twofold purpose, to start their assault, and to mislead the enemy as to what their actual purpose for being there was. Right now the most important thing they could do was keep the ground forces busy while their heavy hitters followed his position from overhead while he located their quarry.

The aftereffects of their entrance had left all of them charged up with more electricity than would normally be considered safe. However, this wasn't a normal situation, and there was more than enough opportunities to bring themselves back down to a safe level. As for the pegasi's leader, any unicorn he found unprepared soon found an electrified hoof meeting the back of their skull. Any that had the opportunity to start casting a spell at him found their target having vanished. Carried as he was by the lightning, he appeared behind them near instantaneously before dispatching them along with their comrades.

Whether or not he killed his opponents was irrelevant, all that mattered was they were out of the fight. He didn't have time to make sure he finished them off, nor did they have the numbers to properly secure the area. The clouds would eventually dissipate, taking their field advantage with them. Also, the unicorns who had gone off to deal with the thestrals would eventually return, leaving his forces completely outnumbered when they did.

There. He finally saw the what he was looking for. A steel grate blocking the entrance to a stone bunker. The two unicorns who guarded the entrance saw him almost immediately, their shields going up just as fast. Storm sent a pair of bolts ahead with what little remained of his overcharge. It wasn't enough to get through their shields, but was enough to light up those shields so they could be seen through the fog.

Clap and Trap both came crashing down out of the fog, breaking through what remained of the guards' shields and squashing them flat before they had a chance to know what was happening.

"Took you two long enough," he jokingly complained to the gargantuan pair of pegasi before nodding to the steel grate. "Did either of you remember to bring a key?"

The only response he got in return was a grunt and a smile as the two brought their hooves down on both sides of the door, cracking the frame, and bending the metal slightly. Normally, feats of strength like this belonged to earth ponies, but someone had forgotten to remind these two of that when they had decided to grow bigger and stronger than the rest of their colleagues. One of the muscle-bound duo grabbed hold of the door, ripping it free from the now broken frame, before the trio headed down into the depths of the earth.

What they had found inside had actually been a little disappointing. Only a single unicorn remained to guard the actual cells holding their comrades. It was a simple matter to dispatch them before opening the cages that held the captive pegasi.

The pegasi themselves, aside from looking disheveled and malnourished, seemed to instantly have their spirits lifted upon seeing the faces of their rescuers. Fortunately, none of them seemed to have any injuries that would keep them from flying away under their own strength. This part of the mission had gone by without a hitch. Now they just had to make their escape.

Something was wrong.

From the moment Storm Chaser and the others stepped back outside, he could tell that some new kind of trouble had picked that moment to reveal itself.

The fog. It was gone.

No...

It was far too soon.

What had originally been a very one-sided fight for the pegasi had immediately turned around in favor of the opposition. With their vision no longer impaired, spells flew across the entire length of the battlefield, making it far harder to dodge projectiles when they came from a dozen locations at once. Pegasi had never been particularly good at ranged combat, unlike the unicorns. While throwing lightning required some prep and carefully monitoring how much you still carried with you, the magic wielded by the unicorns seemed endless by comparison.

However, that didn't mean they were completely doomed. There was an old saying that no plan survives contact with the enemy, so it almost always paid off to keep something in reserve. While Storm's charge had been completely spent, the two pegasi that had gathered the initial charge had yet to spend any. Just as they planned.

"Clap and Trap," he called to the twins. "Rolling thunder. Let's get everypony home."

A grin appeared on both of their faces as they stomped to the front of the group. They both spread their wings and allowed their stored charge to dance through their pinions. This was a trick that was unique to them and only them. Not even Storm Chaser could duplicate this since his technique was built more around explosive speed and agility, and not raw power like theirs was. The two pegasi planted their hooves in the ground and rooted themselves in place, before snapping their wings directly behind them, making it look like a large fin had sprouted from their backs. It wasn't a particularly graceful looking move, and while the resulting effect was far from lethal, it was exceedingly effective.

All the power they had held onto came out all at once, rolling across the emptiness like a billowing cloud. It moved slowly, but anywhere it found something other than a pegasus, it left the recipient feeling dazed, and with their bodies seizing up. This also resulted in any ongoing spells completely falling apart. Various magic bolts turned to mist, one or two errant fireballs fizzled out, and fortunately, any control spells that had been cast on his remaining squad lost their hold. Those same pegasi thanked their impromptu captors with a kick to the face before taking off into the sky.

The only thing that had left Storm Chaser more than a little concerned was that one unicorn seemed to be mostly unfazed by the attack. He couldn't tell much about her other than she seemed to be the only one they'd seen that day wearing a simple cloth wrap as opposed to the bluish armor that all the unicorn soldiers wore. A multicolored shield held firm around her body and only seemed to ripple slightly from Clap and Trap's attack. Apparently, the twin's attack had only been just enough to break her concentration as not one but three of Storm's fellow squad mates seemed to shake themselves free of their trance before bolting into the sky as fast as their wings could carry them.

Storm met her eyes as she glared in his general direction. He wasn't normally a betting pony, actually that's a lie, he totally was, but he'd bet just about anything that she'd been the one to tear their fog apart. With an unknown enemy on the field and approaching lights telling a tale that the unicorns would soon have reinforcements, it was time to go.

"Retreat!" He shouted without any further hesitation. They had accomplished their mission and rescued at least fifty captured pegasi. There was nothing more to gain by remaining any longer.

The signal given, those who still remained on the ground took to the sky at full speed. Storm was pleased to see that almost everyone from his squad had managed to make it out. There had been a scare for a moment there, and if they had returned to the surface even a moment later, they might not have been so lucky.

That wasn't to say they weren't completely without casualties. He could make out two bodies that hadn't taken off with the rest of them. Fortunately, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this, he could make Silk's body out among those who were making their escape.

That relief was short lived when he looked back at the mysterious enemy to find that she had followed his gaze. She watched him with a wicked grin, even as some sick looking purple orb formed at the tip of her horn. He had a bad feeling about whatever that spell was, and an even worse one when he saw who it was heading for.

Storm Chaser put on a burst of speed, as fast as he could manage without any stored power and flew straight for Silk. She hadn't seen the attack, for it was well within her blind spot. It would hit her and take her down without her even knowing what happened. He couldn't let the night end like this. He refused to.

He just barely made it to her in time, eliciting a curse from her as he shoved her out of the way. The spell just barely missed her, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid taking the hit in her place. Stars flew through his eyes, his teeth rattled, his skin itched, and a deep throbbing began to pulse in the back of his head.

But just as fast as the pain had started, everything but a dull throbbing ceased. He shook himself free of whatever had just happened. He didn't know the first thing about unicorn magic, but it didn't seem to do much more than hurt for a brief moment.

"Are you alright?!" Silk called out to him once she saw her dazed friend.

"I think so," he said, still a bit shaken by the whole experience. "Not sure what that was, though."

"Figure it out later," she said. "We need to get out of here."

They both flew off, but not before Storm Chaser stole one last look at his attacker. It was creepy. Even though her attack seemed to have failed, that menacing grin didn't once leave her face.

The flight back had been exhausting. Not just because they had flown a mission in the middle of the night, assaulted a unicorn stronghold, or even because they had used one of the most dangerous moves in the pegasi arsenal, although, his wing joints were still burning from that dive. But because from the time he'd gotten hit by that spell, to the time he had gotten back to base, gave his report, commended for a job well done, and collapsed into bed, his headache had refused to go away.

He had almost forgotten about Firefly as he looked over to her, worried that he might have woken her. However, she seemed to have become a bit of a heavy sleeper ever since she made it to what was likely the final stretch of her pregnancy. It was a good thing too. He wasn't sure he could deal with her nagging right now.

"Are you still awake?" The soft voice didn't come from Firefly, but instead from Silk Sky as she stood in the doorway.

"Yeah," he groaned. "Unfortunately."

"I didn't get a chance to thank you," she said as she sat down beside him. "You really saved my flank out there." Silk seemed a bit nervous as she sat there, shifting uncomfortably on her haunches.

"You're my girl," he said. "I'm always gonna look out for you."

"I appreciate that," she said, blushing. "Really, I do."

Why was she acting so awkward? It wasn't like her to act so strangely around him. Storm studied her, breathing slowly as he did. There was a smell in the air. A distinct smell that every stallion knew, and knew well.

Storm sat back up, his headache momentarily forgotten as he studied her. Her pupils dilated as she looked up at him. Her breathing quickened and her wings began to flare out behind her, completely betraying her emotions.

"When?" Was all he asked.

"On the flight back," she said, her face turning completely red once she realized she'd been caught. "Right after you saved me. I guess it was just the stimulation I needed before... you know."

Storm Chaser pulled her close and listened as her heart began to quicken. "Aren't you worried about ending up like her?" He said, gesturing to the sleeping Firefly.

The only response he got was for Silk to push up against him and press her lips into his. Her taste filling his mouth as her tongue played with his. She pulled away with an audible pop and a dreamlike quality to her eyes.

"Right now," she said with her chest heaving. "The only thing I'm worried about is whether you still have any stamina left. I want you. I need you, Storm Chaser. Right here. Right now."

She wrapped her forelegs around him and fell backwards. Storm for his part, allowed himself to fall with her. She rarely got like this, if ever. Sure they played around from time to time, but when she was in the mood... like really in the mood, then it truly became something special. So despite their mutual exhaustion, they made love deep into the night, and didn't once concern themselves with what tomorrow may bring.

Now if only his damn headache would go away.

Chapter 28: Nova, The Great and Terrible

The next time he opened his eyes, Storm Chaser found himself flying. That was strange. Not the part about flying in his sleep, he'd done that before, but it didn't usually happen right after an intense mission. It certainly didn't happen any night Silky was in the mood. She had more than enough endurance to ensure he'd be completely worn out, after all.

He looked around, or at least he tried to. His body didn't seem to want to cooperate, leaving him as little more than a passenger in his own body. Despite that, the night continued to pass below him, bringing him to only one real conclusion.

He was dreaming.

It was the only thing that really made any sense. He wasn't really sure where he was, and he still felt kinda sleepy. The biggest thing that stood out was that the horrible headache that had been bothering him since the end of the raid had finally vanished.

And so he just let himself relax as the dream played itself out, not that he was really complaining or anything. Sure, he would've preferred being surrounded by pretty faces and hips that wouldn't quit, but this was nice too.

Up until the scenery started to change. He had noticed a number of tiny lights down below, but he was far too high to really worry about them. Now though, they had grown much bigger and far more numerous. It wasn't until the air around him grew light enough that he was sure he was now visible from the ground that he started to worry, and as if it was waiting on him to confirm that suspicion...

"Raid!!!" The shout from below pierced the silence of the night. Storm Chaser looked down as he started to slow his descent. Panic started to well up within him and his instincts were already screaming at him to get out of the way. He was in the open, far too easy a target, and there were a lot of unicorns down there. Far more than they had seen during the rescue mission.

However, his body continued to ignore his protests, even when no less than a dozen spells of varying color were rocketing up to intercept him. This was definitely far more intense than his dreams usually got, and he'd very much like to wake up now.

None of the spells made contact, even though he was certain they had with the bright light he soon found wrapped around his body. Instead, his surroundings maintained their blinding luminesce for several agonizingly long moments. When the sounds of spells being thrown through the air finally died down, and the light dimmed enough for him to be able to see again, Storm saw that the magic meant for him had instead come in contact with a multicolored shield.

"I said hold your fire you brain-dead oafs," the sound of a very annoyed mare reached his ears. "I swear some of you must be part mule. Now hold your fire! The Great and Powerful Nova won't be telling you again."

Forget intense, now this dream was just weird. Those were Storm Chaser's thoughts as he finished his descent, the rainbow colored shield keeping him company the whole way. It wasn't until he felt the soft and cool ground beneath his hooves that the shield finally evaporated into nothing.

And that's when he saw her.

He hadn't gotten that good of a look at her, but he still remembered the smile she had on her face just before before sending that nasty spell after one of his loved ones. The same spell that had left him with the mother of all headaches. Those same eyes looked at him now from behind the wispy blue mane that cascaded down her blue coat before stopping in little curls at the ends. He only saw her face for a moment as she passed, but the short time their eyes met, he felt a chill run down his spine. The way she had looked at him had just felt... wrong. Like he was nothing more than a toy to her.

"Lady Nova!" A new voice came from somewhere nearby, not that Storm could turn to see who it was. "What is the meaning of this?! What is this pegasus doing here?"

Nova paused for only a moment to look at whoever had dared speak to her that way. "Captain... what was it? Nevermind," she said dismissively before turning back to Storm. "Nova just realized she doesn't care."

Storm could hear the distinct sound of some pony huffing through their nose. "I am Sergeant Nightstar of the third battalion," she said angrily. "The head officer in charge of this outpost, and I will not be talked to this way by some..."

Her protests were cut off by Nova's high-pitched laughter. "Nightlight, was it? What do you think you have to be proud of? Two dozen dead under your watch and the sixty-three pegasuses you were responsible for escaped. What do you think the Grand Matriarch will think when she hears of this failure? Hmmm?"

"I... I... Uh..."

"That's what Nova thought," Nova said as her horn lit up and Storm felt an invisible force take hold of his head and pull him down to meet her gaze. From there, she turned his head side to side and even looked in his mouth. She was smiling to herself the whole while, seemingly satisfied about something. "Fortunately for you," she said. "She'll be so busy congratulating the Great and Powerful Nova for her unrivaled success that she'll forget all about your colossal failure. Maybe now, ponies will see Nova for how great she truly is, that she isn't just as another member of the Star family."

"What is it," Nightstar said dismissively, "that you actually did? Just about everypony here can capture a pegasus if they manage to spot them. I will give credit where credit is due, though. I don't think anypony else can hold them quite so still."

"Is she now?" Nova asked smugly as the sound of her magic went quiet. "What makes you think that Nova is currently doing anything to keep this pegasus at bay?"

Nightstar had apparently caught what she just did, along with several others as gasps and murmurs began to fill the space around them.

Nova smiled as she stepped away from Storm. "Since none of you seem able to properly grasp the magnitude of the Great and Powerful Nova's magnificence, she will explain. If just so she doesn't have to look at your dumb faces longer than she has to. Anyway," she said, "Nova has been hard at work modifying the control spell that's been in circulation for the last several years and..."

The thunderous laughter that echoed from every unicorn present completely drowned out whatever it was that Nova was going to say next. Storm almost wished he could see the look on her face since she seemed like the type to get very annoyed by this kind of response.

"Are you quite finished," she said once the sound started to die down. "Anyway, as Nova was saying..."

"No offense, Miss Nova," Sergeant Nightstar said with amusement, "but there's no way you managed fix a spell on your own when every scholar over the last ten years could not."

"Very well," Nova said, clearly masking her annoyance. "Since you're clearly so much smarter than Nova, why don't you educate her on how the spell is supposed to work."

"Heh, gladly," said Night happily, "especially if it'll finally make you stop talking." She turned to the rest of the guard standing watch, ready to receive their "lecture" on how this magic was supposed to work. "The earlier version of the control spell didn't require much more than a spark and a suggestion to make the pony in question obey basic commands."

"But..." Nova droned on, eager for the other pony to finish.

"But," Night continued smugly, "It didn't take much more than some mild trauma to make the spell go awry. It could be any kind of trauma, be it physical or mental, but it always resulted in the same thing, the commands given to the subject would begin to warp, sometimes even making them turn on their master."

"And the newer version?" Nova yawned. She was clearly ready to be done with this part.

"The newer version required more frequent influxes of magic than the first, in return for complete obedience of the pegasus in question. It even makes them fight through the pain, assuming it doesn't get too bad," Night finished as others nodded along with her. "This is the version we still use today."

"So what you're saying..." said Nova as she slowly walked back towards Storm. "Is that in all known cases, complications arise in the presence of pain or additional stimuli. Is that what you're telling Nova?"

"The magic isn't strong enough to hold up against pain, yes," Night said pointedly. "That's exactly what I'm saying. Now, is there a point to all this?"

Instead of answering, Nova looked Storm Chaser right in the eye and ordered, "you are not to move, no matter what."

Storm didn't answer her, of course. He couldn't. But he had a good feeling for how this weird dream was about to end. This pony was going to hit him or shoot him or do whatever it was she was going to do, and he was going to wake up to find that one of the girls had rolled over and kicked him in his sleep.

That's not what happened, though.

She maintained her sinister smile, even as she walked out of sight. The look she had on her face was one that Storm was more than familiar with. It was the look of a pony who believed they had already won. Not that it was his problem though. Any moment now he'd be waking up from this...

Gut-wrenching pain suddenly tore though Storm Chaser's entire body. He started seeing stars and his legs wanted to buckle beneath him, but the worst part was the feeling that his guts wanted to pull themselves free of his insides and vacate out the back end. All he wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cradle his sore and bruised pride.

But he couldn't.

He remained locked in place and looking straight forward as the worst pain of his life went unchecked. All he could see were the winces of pain on the faces of many of the unicorns, namely the stallions among them who shared looks of sympathy for how much that must have hurt. One of them even throwing up in response.

This wasn't a dream, he was painfully aware of that now. And that scared him. More than he thought he could possibly be scared. He had been captured. That spell that had originally been meant for Silk had done its worst, leaving him a prisoner in his own body, and at the mercy of their enemy.

"Nova believes she has made her point," she said as she proudly strutted back around to the front. Storm Chaser held nothing but contempt for the unicorn. If he ever got free, he'd make sure she'd regret this.

"You have," Night looked like she herself was about to be sick as well, despite not possessing the requisite equipment. "What happens now?"

"Pegasus," Nova addressed him. "Tell us your name and rank?"

"Storm Chaser," he said without even the slightest hesitation. "Captain of the first battalion." That shot to the nuts had left him so out of it, he hadn't even realized right away that he had been the one to speak. His heart began to race as dread began to settle into him. They were never supposed to talk to the enemy, no matter what.

"Wait?!" Nightstar's eyes grew wide as she practically jumped to get a closer look. "Is he actually aware of what's happening to him? Isn't that a bit cruel?"

"Cruel?" Nova lifted an eyebrow and gave her a puzzled look. "Cruel?! We are at war, sergeant! Do you have any idea how many unicorns have died due to these repeated attacks?! Too many, that's how much!"

"I... I..." Night backed up in fright in the presence of the mage's ire.

Nova, for her part, seemed to take a moment to recollect herself. "It's fine," she said. "As long as Nova has made her point. Besides, she's in a particularly generous mood seeing her hard work come to fruition. So, she is feeling a bit forgiving."

There was no forgiving what this pony had done, Storm thought to himself. He continued to seethe as he was forced to watch in silence. He couldn't wait for his chance to see every single one of these unicorns dead, and this Nova would be the first one.

"Oh, pegasus," Nova called out to him, seeming like she just remembered he was there. "Where will your home base be by noon tomorrow?"

She wanted to know what?! Storm Chaser started to sweat, despite the lack of control he had over his body. If there was anything he shouldn't tell them, it was that.

"We..." He swallowed hard, every part of his being fighting to keep his silence. "We should be drifting over the Clawthorn plains," he finally said.

No!!! He had actually told her! Everything he had fought for, everything that mattered to him, all of it was in danger!

"Hmmm?" Nova muttered under her breath as she studied him. "Seems the new spell might still need a few more adjustments. No matter."

"Can he be a little more accurate than Clawthorn?" Night asked. "It's going to be near impossible to find a flying fortress in a place that large."

"We can do one better," Nova said, the sinister grin apparent on her face. "We'll send our new friend here ahead, and have him show us once we're in position."

They can't do that can they?

"You can make him do that?!" Nightstar asked in wonderment. "Just how long does the new spell last?"

"The Great and Powerful Nova's magnificence knows no limit," she boasted. "The magic will hold indefinitely or until a unicorn as skilled as Nova removes the spell. Of which, Nova assures you, there is none."

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you," Sergeant Nightstar said as she turned to address her soldiers. "Mobilize the cages!" She barked the order.

"No cages," Nova said in a complete deadpan, cutting her off.

"No cages?" Night asked in confusion. "Why not?"

"The Grand Matriarch has made it very clear that this war has gone on for far too long. An example must be made if we're to halt any further bloodshed," she said the last part with a gleam in her eye.

"What are you saying?" The other unicorn looked nervous, like she really didn't want the answer to that question.

Nova pushed past her and with a dramatic sweep of her hoof, addressed the waiting soldiers. "Wipe them out!" She shouted to the waiting ears. "Leave none alive! Show the rest of ponykind, nay, the world, that we are not to be trifled with. We shall burn a hole in the memory of every living creature so grand that no one will dare to stand against us ever again!"

Chapter 29: Desperation

Storm Chaser's body carried him back home as fast as possible in spite of his lack of trying. He made several attempts to take back control, throw himself off balance, or twist just the wrong way in the air so he'd end up breaking a wing. He tried everything he could in an attempt to stop himself from leading the enemy army right to their doorstep. He wasn't a fool. The only way they ever managed any sort of victory over unicorns was to either have the element of surprise, or to have numbers on their side.

It didn't look like either was going to happen, not with the entire enemy force closing in on them, especially if that insanely powerful unicorn was among their number. Storm Chaser had never liked unicorns, it came with the territory when they had taken everything the pegasi held dear, but this Nova was something else entirely. She didn't seem to hold any reservations about casually ordering genocide, even if the others in her company seemed to be against it.

The bewitched pegasus continued his journey, barely able to do more than twitch a wingtip or flick an ear. Even that had taken considerable effort and had left him feeling drained for several minutes afterwards. Any attempt to speak under his own power, though, was met with immediate failure.

This was nothing like what the others told him about being under a unicorn's spell. All they ever recalled was seeing a flash of light, and the next thing they knew they were in a different place, surrounded by different faces, and with no memory of what they had been doing. What Storm Chaser was now experiencing was by far much, much worse. The very thought of having a front row seat as he watched his own body being used to betray those he care about made him sick. And being able to do nothing about it just made him want to rage against the unfairness of it all.

He continued like this for several hours. A nonstop cycle of trying to break free of Nova's spell, followed by overwhelming exhaustion with nothing to show for his trouble. He didn't once stop fighting until he caught sight of the cluster of clouds he hoped never to see again, unless it was under his own power. It was then that his exhaustion was accompanied by a new sensation, a sensation that wormed its way into his very being. Despair.

He was almost home.

Storm Chaser touched down in front of his place, pausing for only a moment to turn and watch as the sun was just starting to crest the distant horizon. Fresh dread began to claw away at him from inside his personal prison. He'd only have hours at most to find some way to stop himself from carrying out the treacherous order, or otherwise warn someone that he'd been compromised beyond saving.

He crawled inside their shared home and practically collapsed to the ground. Whatever else has happening, evil enchantress or otherwise, his body was exhausted beyond reason. He had made not one, but two trips out to the distant unicorn outpost in the middle of the night. Not even accounting for everything in between, any pegasus would be too tired to move after so much flying in such a short time.

Even though he knew this wasn't the time to be sleeping, part of him still wanted to give in and pray that all of this had just been a really bad dream. The spell that kept him controlled didn't seem to be against this plan, and wasn't about to try and keep him awake so long as his orders were carried out on time.

He was just about to drift off when someone grabbed him from behind and began snuggling into the nape of his neck. It was just what he needed to snap him out of his lethargy. He had a family that needed to be protected, after all. Two girls and a little one that had yet to be born. If for no one else, he needed to keep fighting for their sake. He needed to keep them safe.

"So where did you run off to in the middle of the night?" Silk cooed at him. She was in a really good mood for some reason... oh... right.

"I just had some stuff on my mind and couldn't sit still," he heard himself lying. It made him feel dirty to have to listen to this strange magic use his voice in his place. He could only hope she noticed something was wrong, but seeing as it even sounded like him, why would she?

"Oh, is that all?" She said. "I thought you left me to deal with the sleeping bear all by myself."

As if to accentuate her point, Firefly picked that moment to let out one of the loudest snores possible. She actually hadn't started doing that until she was several months along. It had taken a while, but the noise had eventually stopped bothering Storm Chaser, and he slept through it just fine. Silk Sky? Not so much.

Silk noticed where he attention was drawn and felt the need to tease him further. "You be sure to let me know if I'm as much of a pain when it's my turn." She giggled as she wiggled behind him, her hooves exploring their way down his body. "With as energetic as you were last night, that may be sooner rather than later."

This would have have been sweet if there wasn't so much currently at stake. Storm internally groaned to himself, he had made several attempts to do something out of the ordinary while Silk was in the room. Anything would've done, she had known him the longest out of anyone after all, but it was almost as if the spell had started pulling double duty in the presence of other ponies. He couldn't even so much as blink on his own with her watching him.

That was until her playful hooves brushed against a particularly nasty bruise, the same one that an equally nasty unicorn had given him last night in an effort to "prove a point." Either the spell had picked that same moment to act up or it hadn't felt the need to censor such a reaction. He flinched.

And she noticed.

"Storm?" She said. "Is everything all right?" She quickly shifted to concern as she began investigating the spot she touched to find the source of his discomfort. "Eww," she said once she had found it. "Did I do that? I'm sorry," she gave him a little kiss while looking a bit sheepish. "I guess I was a little more rough last night than I thought."

No!!! Storm was literally screaming internally at this point. If there had been any easy opportunity to point out that something was off, that was it. Instead it was being dismissed as the result of excessively vigorous loving.

"Just kill me now..." Storm said as he pouted to himself. He was going to die of embarrassment and frustration long before the unicorns killed them.

"Only if you really make me mad," Silk said as she bopped him on the nose. "But I think you know better."

Wait... Storm had to do a bit of a double take as that replayed itself in his head. Had she actually heard him? What had he done differently? Could he do it again or was it a one time thing? Why did it have to happen on something that didn't matter?

"I said the commander wanted to see you, soldier," the new voice said again. "Is he all right?" She asked Silk next.

"He's been acting a bit off this morning, but I think he's just tired," she said as she scratched at her head. "He doesn't usually go out flying before dawn."

Had he completely zoned out, or just fallen asleep? Either way, he had no idea when the other pony got here. Was he just too tired for the spell to work properly or what? What was going on?

"Seems the new spell might still need a few more adjustments."

Was this what that unicorn had been talking about? He wasn't going to pretend he even remotely knew how unicorns and their freaky magic really worked, but this gave him some hope.

"Sorry," he finally said, once again his words being guided by foreign magic. "I'll be right there."

Storm only stopped for a minute to give Silk a quick kiss and a smile. "I'll be right back," he said as he turned to follow the messenger.

Storm continued to internally fume all the way to the command center. This was more than just cruel, this was straight up torture. If he ever got his hooves on that Nova...

"Once again, let me congratulate you for a job well done," Commander Zephyr said once Storm walked in. "I don't think anypony could've done near as well a job rescuing our comrades."

"Haze and Bolt weren't so lucky, though," Storm said while remaining at attention.

Zephyr sighed at the reminder, once again showing his age. Haze had been a grandchild after all. "It's unfortunate," he said. "But with any luck, they're still alive and we'll be able to rescue them someday. The enemy seems far more interested in capturing pegasi for use as forced labor than actually killing anypony."

Except for right now! Storm tried shouting out, hoping he'd actually get through. He wasn't surprised when nothing happened. He still wasn't sure if there was some trick to it or if the time before had just been a fluke, but that didn't mean he was going to stop trying.

"Fortunately they haven't ever been able to squeeze our location out of anypony they've captured," he said as he started walking back to a table in the room.

They have! We're all in danger! We need to run! Still no luck getting through. Any military officer worth their salt didn't joke about serious matters. If any of those phrases had actually passed his lips, it would've been taken seriously even if he tried to immediately take it back.

"Anyway," the older pony said as he found a seat. "I had an actual reason for calling for you in so early. I'm sure you're still tired from your late mission, so I'll get right to the point." His face took on a more serious tone and it was just then that Storm noticed the bags under his eyes. "I've spent the better part of the night debriefing the pegasi you rescued, and what they told me is more than a little concerning. It seems some VIP from Elysium was currently visiting the base. If everything they told me is accurate, then we've got a new problem."

Zephyr slid over a rough sketch depicting a unicorn that Storm Chaser had already become familiar with. "Her name is Nova Star. She only showed up at the base a few nights ago and we believe she may be trying to improve on the spell the unicorns have been using to control us."

Far from trying, she actually succeeded. Storm still couldn't say what he was thinking out loud, but he started to have hope that he might not need to. "I saw her as we were escaping," he said instead. "She was powerful. On a completely different level than the ponies we've fought so far. She barely even blinked from the twin's attack."

"I heard as much from everypony else," the commander said. "It's still an impressive trick to be able to stop all other magic like that. Shame we haven't been able to teach it to anypony else. Even that Stormfall maneuver can only currently be performed by you and Captain Firefly, and she's still out of commission because some young cadet couldn't keep his hooves to himself."

Storm blushed only a little bit at the accusation, but otherwise maintained a straight face. Internally, he was still disturbed by how effective the spell was at imitating how he would normally act. It made the chance of an opportunistic slipup seem even less likely.

"I've been talking with the other officers for a while now," Zephyr continued. "And while there may have been some differing opinions on the matter, this new pony and what she represents changes things. I'm calling for a tactical retreat."

"Retreat?" Storm wondered honestly. "We're running away?"

"Not forever," he said. "But we need time to gather our strength properly again. Raise a new generation, train new recruits, and find more specialists among them. We can't do all this while remaining in contact with the enemy. We need a new home. Something far more secure and far away from the unicorn lands. What do you think? Having lead the most successful raid we've had in many years, I would hear your thoughts."

It wasn't a bad plan. They did need some time to figure out how to deal with this new unicorn magic, but it was already too late. The commander had no idea how dangerous this Nova really was, or that Storm had already been compromised. That even now the unicorns knew where they were, and were moving in on their location, ready to wipe them all out. If there was any chance they could leave before they got here, they needed to do it sooner rather than later.

Instead all he said was, "I think we should stay put. The enemy is going to be licking their wounds for a while after what we did to them last night. Plus, I saw the condition of the prisoners. They're going to need time to recover before they'll be ready to fly long distances."

"I couldn't agree with you more," said Zephyr. "And we will be waiting for them to recover before making the trip. Unless something happens to hasten our departure, we'll drift around Clawthorn for a few days first." He nodded his approval. "That was well spoken, Storm Chaser. I half expected you to be more eager after your victory and say we need to kick the enemy while they're down. I'm glad to see how much you've grown."

Actually, on a normal day he probably would've been all for kicking a few more faces in, but this day was far from normal. Right now, staying put was the worst thing they could do. They had to leave now! Before the unicorns and that Nova found them. He tried to say as much, but once again, the magic held the most firm when he was about to compromise the task he had been assigned.

Having been dismissed by the commander, Storm Chaser made his way back home. He fumed the whole way, cursing himself for not being able to speak up when it really mattered. When he got there, the exhaustion that had been taxing his body could no longer be ignored. Spell or no spell. He collapsed into bed alongside his herdmates, the long day and even longer night leaving him to pass out before even reaching the ground.

Storm Chaser woke to find the sun casting its light over his face. He felt groggy, dread still doing its part as it clawed away at his mind, and he still hoped, nay, prayed that everything he remembered had just been a very bad dream.

Silent hooves landed on either side of him, stilling him before he had a chance to rise to his hooves. When he looked at their owner, both Firefly and Silk Sky watched him with growing looks of concern.

"What..." He started to say, but Silk quickly silenced him with a warning touch to his lips.

"There's unicorns beneath us," she whispered.

"What?!" Storm started to panic. "How many unicorns are we talking?"

"It looks like its everypony from that fort we attacked last night," said Silk. "How did they find us, though?"

"...the extermination force. They're already here..." Storm pondered to himself. How long had he been asleep?

"The extermination what?!" Firefly snapped as she sat up. "What do you mean they're already here? What do you know?"

Storm's eyes widened in shock as he looked back at her in shock. Had he actually asked that out loud? "Can..." He didn't want to believe it. "Can you actually hear me?" Why wasn't the spell working? This was when it would usually be the most aggressive.

"Storm..." Silk looked increasingly more worried. "You're scaring me. What's wrong?"

"Quick!" He said. "What time is it?" He didn't know what had happened, but he had to act before that foul magic seized control of his body again.

"It's about noon," Firefly said as she carefully watched him. She didn't once blink as her gaze stayed locked with his. "What's this all about, Storm?"

"There's no time!" He was shouting at this point. "You have to run. Right now! Before they make me do it!"

"Make you do what, Storm?" Silk was advancing toward him even as he backed away. "You're not making any sense."

They're going to make me betray you all! Storm Chaser shouted or tried to, anyway. His body seized up, the spell once again taking it's brutal hold. He was out of time. His face was forced into a blank expression as he did little more than just stare at them, his actions betraying how he really felt, save for the tears that poured from his eyes.

He just barely caught the look of realization that flashed through their eyes as he unfurled his wings, and kicked off into the sky. He didn't even stop to use the front door, opting instead to leave through the roof of their cloud home as he heard them shouting after him.

No... Don't make me do this... He pleaded as he climbed higher into the sky. He veered to the right and left, passing through several clouds as he did so. Each one he passed caused little sparks to collect in his feathers. He could still hear Silk in the distance as she got further away. He could only hope she stopped chasing after him and instead heeded the warning he barely managed to give her. Very few flyers in the camp could match his speed, even fewer if he already had a head start. The chance of her catching him at this point was bordering on the impossible.

Please, Silk, He silently prayed. Run... Just run... The spell no longer allowed him any freedom, any more chances to act on his own. He just kept climbing higher and higher into the sky as the lightning he had gathered started to trail behind him.

It was far too nice a day for so terrible a deed. The clouds were sparse, the air was cool, and the light of the sun pelted his face even as he flew ever closer to it.

Please... He continued to plead to an unfair world. Please stop...

Storm's cry for help went unanswered as he slowed his ascent. He extended his wings to their full length and allowed the accumulated power to fly free of his body. Lightning painted the sky. Glorious lightning that would be seen for miles, even in broad daylight. It was a magnificent sight, but it broke Storm's heart.

Even now, he could already see the unicorn army far below him as their magical glow made them look like a hundred tiny fireflies. "I'm sorry," he cried as he spoke the words aloud, the last words he'd ever say.

The sky grew bright, and the air quickly took on a sweltering heat. A burning smell filled his nostrils even as he watched his own feathers blacken and turn to ash.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't...

The fire that came from seemingly out of nowhere quickly claimed the pegasus. Stealing his life and staining his pride.

Chapter 30: Smokey Vines

"Just because you created something, does not make you responsible for how others may choose to use it. Not everyone may share in this belief and may instead choose to blame themselves when they believe they've created a monster."

Storm Chaser's parting words continued to sit with Twilight as she rode the train all the way to Canterlot. She hadn't quite expected the former soldier's story to take such a dark turn, and neither had her two friends who had decided to stay and listen. Unlike her, they hadn't already heard Clover's side of the story, leaving them ill-prepared to hear about events that took place during a less friendly time in pony history.

That wasn't to say that Twilight herself made it through completely unscathed. The very thought of a unicorn using their magic to act out such evils made her sick to her stomach.

Thoughts like this, and more, were interrupted as she stepped off the train. Shouts of "It's the princess!" and "We love you Twilight!" snapping her back to her current reality.

Princess Twilight had almost forgotten about the attention she received outside of Ponyville after her very recent coronation. It caught her off guard so badly that it took several minutes before she was able to escape the rampant kowtowing and excessive cheering, having to go so far as teleporting to a nearby rooftop after ducking around a corner in an attempt to evade her pursuers.

"Is it always going to be like this!?" Twilight asked no one in particular. Princess Celestia promised her that ponies would eventually get used to her new status, but as she struggled to catch her breath, she wished that day would come sooner rather than later.

There had to be a way to travel the streets unmolested if she was ever going to get where she was going. Whisper had mentioned the second pony she was looking for ran a shop somewhere in the market district. It wasn't far, but if she was going to be harassed every step of the way, it may as well be on the other side of Equestria. She might have an easier time if she moved under the cover of night, but she didn't want to wait that long.

Cover? An idle thought started to stir in the back of her head. The only thing that really made her stand out in a crowd were her wings. If she could hide those...

A flash of magic later, Twilight conjured a simple cloak to drape over herself. She hadn't ever tried covering her wings before, they tended to itch horribly any time she tried, but if Clover could do it and not let the added irritation bother him, then why couldn't she?

The plan worked just as she hoped. After hopping over several rooftops to make sure no one followed her, she made her way back down to the streets and was able to continue unmolested. Now all she had to do was find the place the alchemist called home.

It still took Twilight some time to find the place she was looking for. In fact, it wasn't until she decided to risk asking other ponies that she had any luck finding it. She was pretty sure they hadn't seen through her disguise, and even if they had, everyone was more than a little eager to talk about the place she was looking for. The shop, as it turned out, had been something of a source of recent gossip. Namely because the store had shown up seemingly overnight, and because it was run by an earth pony no one had ever heard of before.

Finally, after far too many twists and turns in the road, she arrived at her destination. A small hole-in-the-wall shop with a sign that read "Earthen Brews" adorning the front. Looking at it, it was pretty easy to see why it may have become a topic of discussion among the Canterlot ponies. It was plain. Most of the buildings in Equestria's capitol usually tried to outdo each other in their displays of opulence, where as Earthen Brews and its solid, yet simpler colors, actually made it stand out more.

Realizing she wasn't going to learn anything more by just standing outside the front door, Twilight reached for the door and pushed. It made a low, creaking noise as it opened. As she stepped inside, she saw the last pony she would've ever expected to find in a place like this.

"Rarity?" Twilight called out, shocked to see the fashion-savvy unicorn in a place void of exuberance.

Rarity's ears perked up upon hearing her name. She whipped her head around at the sudden noise, her perfectly groomed mane rippling as it followed the motion. Her big blue eyes widening as she took in Twilight's appearance.

"Twilight?" Rarity called back, sounding just as surprised to see Twilight as she was. "Good heavens, darling. What are you doing here and..." Her eye twitched a bit. "What are you wearing?"

"Oh this?" Twilight gestured at the dirty brown fabric draped over her back. "Some ponies in town were harassing me and I.."

Rarity tsked away her concern. "Darling," she said, "I know we talked about this before, but I still think you're going to have to get used to the royal treatment. You were crowned in front of all of Equestria after all."

"I know," Twilight lowered her head. "But I'm still just a pony. I..."

"And besides," Rarity winced as she grabbed at the edge of Twilight's cloak. "Brown is hardly your color, darling. If you still insist on going incognito, you should, at the very least, let me make something that goes better with your coat."

She would've kept going, but a door behind the counter picked that moment to open. A blonde stallion with dirty green coat peeking out from beneath a white lab coat stepped out from the back room. Twilight's purple eyes met his brown ones and she felt herself instinctively tense up at the indirect contact. Whisper hadn't named him, but she had met this pony before, and it hadn't been under the best circumstances.

"Smokey Vines," she said the name under her breath. She had dealt with a couple of bad dreams after meeting him for the first time and wouldn't be forgetting his face anytime soon.

"Twilight Sparkle," said the earth pony, not seeming overly perturbed by her guarded appearance. "Please, just call me Dr. Vines. My first name seems to make these Canterlot types a bit uncomfortable." He looked to Rarity and produced a small green vial from his coat pocket. Rarity, for her part, started to look all excited as she skipped up to the counter to claim the proffered vial. "Does this make us even, Miss Rarity?"

Rarity quickly had her countenance back under control as she pocketed the unusual concoction. "Not quite, dear, but it certainly will be a step in the right direction."

"Just promise me you're not going to do anything too bad with that," said Dr. Vines, a worried look on his face.

"I promise you, Darling, I shan't use it for anything unbecoming of a lady," she said, seeming to sidestep the topic a bit. "Rest assured that nopony will come to harm."

Rarity stepped away from the counter, stopping only to give Twilight a brief hug. "I'd love to stay and chat, darling, but I really should get back to the venue. I had to call in a few favors for the chance to show off my fall fashion line, and I'd be remiss if I missed the event."

And with that, she was gone. Leaving Twilight alone with the mild-mannered alchemist. They stared each other down for about a minute before Smokey chose to break the silence.

"I have a few guesses as to why you're here," he said curtly. "But we clearly can't move forward unless you ask the question."

Twilight had plenty she wanted to say to the pony, a lot of it wasn't very nice. Even though Clover had ultimately been behind everything that had happened, Smokey had still put her and her friends through hell. That said, she had a mission, and she wasn't about to let old scars keep her from finding out what she wanted to know.

"Elysium," she said as she swallowed her pride, it taking everything she had to say just that one word.

Smokey's eyes grew wide upon hearing that name, clearly not expecting to hear it from her. The gears in his head could clearly be seen turning as he analyzed the situation. He walked past Twilight, making her nervous until she saw that all he was doing was flipping the sign on the front door to "Closed."

He turned back to face her, seeming to have finished collecting his thoughts. "Come with me," he said, before leading her to the back room.

The back of Smokey's shop had very simple furnishings. Nothing too extravagant, just a couple shelves with very few personal effects outside of a couple portraits. A long table took up an entire wall of the room. Littered about it were innumerous finely crafted instruments, a good number of them currently in use. Glassware contained various concoctions that Twilight could only guess the purpose of; drying herbs hung along the wall, including one plant that looked suspiciously like poison joke; and the earth pony at the center of it all was currently using a mortar and pestle to turn some fragile leaves into a fine powder.

Smokey hadn't once said a single word since leading her to the small table where she now sat. However, Twilight would occasionally catch him stealing a glance in her direction, but for the most part he stayed focused on his work.

"So..." Twilight rubbed at the back of her head, the awkward silence feeling like it had gone on for a bit too long. "Dr. Vines. Do you actually have a doctorate, or is it just a formal title?"

He momentarily halted his labors, a smile cracking the side of his face. "That was actually a bit of an interesting story," he said. "Even though I had the approval of both princesses and, obviously, the new archmage, a certain Professor Litmus refused to let me claim the title as easy as that. She insisted on me proving what I claimed to know."

Twilight cringed a bit at the thought of her old chemistry teacher bringing her ire down on a single individual. She herself had never given the old unicorn any reason to turn her attention on her, but Twilight remembered a number of her classmates receiving grueling punishments for goofing around in her classes. "How did it go?" She asked once she had that image in her head.

"Better than I would've expected it to," the earth pony admitted. "Apparently, I impressed her so much that she ended up asking me out to dinner so we could keep talking."

"You went on a date with Professor Litmus?!" Twilight was having a really hard time picturing the two of them together. It just... didn't fit in her version of reality.

Smokey didn't answer right away, mostly because he was carrying a large teapot in his mouth, but once he set it down on the table and went about the task of pouring each of them sweet and fragrant tea, he just smiled at her response. "I guess it would look like that to an outside observer," he said. "Turns out she's actually a bit of a sweetheart outside of the lab. She didn't even seem to mind that my body is little more than a magical construct. Actually, she found that bit of information quite fascinating."

"Huh..." Twilight couldn't find herself saying anything more in response. She just reached out with her magic and took the cup Smokey offered her. It really did smell good.

"Sorry about before," he said as Twilight took a sip, "with what happened with you and your friends. Clover had convinced me there was no other way and we wanted to be ready in case we had to deal with a rogue alicorn on top of everything else. None of us imagined that you'd be the one we'd have to neutralize."

"You were worried about that other Celestia showing up, weren't you?" Twilight had gotten a bit of a peek at one of Clover memories from back a thousand years ago. She still had a really hard time believing there was another Princess Celestia out there, especially one that was so cruel.

"That would've been the worst case scenario," he said as he took a sip. "Unfortunately, we still don't have any idea where she came from or where she went after getting in the way of Clover and Sombra's duel." He lightly swirled the contents of his cup, regret clear on his face. "We'll find her. The trail may be cold, but now that Ret's been let out of her cage, it's only a matter of time before we learn something new. But anyway..."

Smokey set his cup back down and stared Twilight straight in the eye. "You didn't come here to hear about that. I assume that Whisper has set you on this path, and that you just came here from talking to that wild pegasus. You know, Clover isn't going to be happy about this when he finds out what the two of you are up to. He will find out. Make no mistake about that."

Twilight averted her eyes in shame. "I know..." she said. "But that look he had in his eyes. He's been hurting for so long, and I want to help him however I can."

The earth pony's stony gaze softened a bit in response. "Don't mistake my criticism, Twilight. Your heart's in the right place. Really, it is. I wish we would've had more ponies like you back then. Maybe then we could've avoided the rift that continued to grow between the pony tribes. Elysium's rise to power certainly didn't do anypony any favors."

Chapter 31: The Potions Master

"Bring to a boil and..." Smokey Vines muttered under his breath as he watched the cauldron. The timing for which he had to add the shaved mandragora might've once given him trouble, but he had done this so many times at this point, that he hardly saw the reason to worry. The talking under his breath was just an old habit he'd never been able to break.

"You're doing it again," his mate, Fine Powder, reminded him.

Smokey waited until the pot changed to it's new color before shifting his attention to her. He never once got tired of looking at her, even after all these years. Her violet coat and blue mane always put him at ease, and those eyes, even now he still found himself getting lost in those pink gems that glistened in just the right light. If only he could give her what she truly wanted.

"Is that it?" She asked as she looked over his shoulder, an eager look in her eye.

"No," Smokey said sorrowfully, enjoying the momentary drop in Powder's mood. She looked so crestfallen at his words, and even though he found her beautiful, he still enjoyed teasing her from time to time.

"This is just something for old Sunspot's arthritis. This..." he slid open a nearby drawer and produced a small bottle containing a bright pink liquid. "This is yours."

Powder's eyes lit up and she let out a small squeal before snatching the proffered vial. "Is this it?!"

"Just don't ask what's in it," Smokey laughed along with her. "It probably tastes terrible."

"It can taste like piss for all I care," she said as she continued to get excited. "If it works..."

"It should," he said. "The dragon blood took to the rest of the ingredients far better than I expected."

The look of shock on her face was priceless. "Dragon's blood!?" She exclaimed. "How did you manage that?!"

It had actually been easier than he thought. "A careful mix of dragonsbane and jade put him right to sleep. He'll probably wake up feeling a bit groggy, and he'll have no idea I bled a whole pint out of him while he was out."

Powder narrowed her eyes at him, seeming to decide if she wanted to accept that answer or not. "Okay," she eventually said before returning her star-filled gaze back to the potion she held in her hooves. "When can we try it out?" She bit her lip and shifted uncomfortably as she rubbed her back legs together.

Smokey could understand her eagerness, they had been trying to have a foal for several years now. When it didn't happen naturally, he turned to his craft to find a solution. He had long since lost count of the number of things they had tried to get her to conceive, even one time going as far as to ask a close friend of theirs to do the deed, just in case his seed was actually the problem. Nothing they tried had worked, causing Fine Powder to gradually fall into despair, crying for a child it seemed she would never have.

But he wouldn't give up. He refused to.

He continued his studies, even once going as far as to find a tribe of roaming zebra. There had been tales of the magics they could perform with their brews. They had been a bit wary of him, at first. Until they saw he was a pony of medicine and that his interest was indeed genuine. He only spent a week with them, but in that time he learned more about herbology than he could've in fifty years on his own.

Even that wasn't quite enough. Not until encountering some unicorns fleeing from their home city of Elysium did he finally find the answer he was looking for.

Alchemy.

The coveted craft of the unicorns used for turning one thing into another was supposedly a thing of legends, and all the refugees wanted for the book they carried was a way to make sure no one would be able to follow them. It was kind of ironic. It hadn't even been a year since he met with the zebras and here he was trading a small piece of what they taught him for so much more in return. That had been a year ago, and it had taken half that time before he was finally able to put his new acquisition to use.

Turning his attention back to the present, Powder continued to watch him eagerly. Even though her hopes had been crushed a number of times since this journey began, her faith in him had never once wavered. He would've long since given up the search had it not been for her, and how much he cared for her.

"If you take it now, we should be able to test its efficacy before you go picking the midnight blooms," he said with a smile. "We do still have to make a few deliveries before the sun goes down, but after that, you can have me for the rest of the night."

That was all she needed to hear. Without another word, she broke the seal on the bottle and downed the contents in one swift motion. The look on her face told volumes about the taste, but she kept it down without complaint.

"Oh that is vile," she said once she finished drinking. "You really couldn't do anything about the taste, huh?"

Okay, apparently one complaint.

"Sorry," he chuckled at her reaction. "It was hard enough to figure out how to keep the mixture from being toxic. I didn't want to take any chances by adding something even as simple as honey."

"It's okay," she said as she leaned in for a kiss. He accepted the kiss before completely thinking it through. She hadn't lied, the potion really was disgusting. There was also no doubt in his mind that she knew exactly what she was doing as he watched her skip happily towards the door. "Come on," she said with her face absolutely beaming. "Let's get the ponies their itch cream and wart remover, so you can get to riding me like a proper stallion."

As she accentuated the last bit with a playful flick of her tail, Smokey had to do his best to control himself. There would be plenty of time for that later, after the potion had fully taken effect. With any luck, this would finally be the day he could give her what she wanted, and what he had worked so hard to make happen.

Smokey's home resided on the outskirts of town. Just far enough that they were rarely disturbed, but close enough that ponies could still find him and his potions should they have need of them.

That wasn't to say that many of them actually made their way out there. Earth ponies tended to be farmers, and as such, they were usually very busy. That's why it was usually best to catch them in town after many of them had finished their daily chores. A number of them, or some member of their families, would make their way into town for any number of reasons. Be it relaxing at the tavern, catching up on recent gossip, or just something as simple as wanting to see some friendly faces before they had to get up the next day and do it all again.

It was a simple life, and while there were always those who dreamed of something more, maybe even an adventure to far off lands, no one ever really wandered more than a dozen miles from where they'd been born.

At first, this had created a modicum of tension between Smokey and the others, given the few adventures he'd had, but when they saw how effective his medicines were, they warmed right up to him.

"Here's that cream you wanted," he passed off a small clay container to a pony who'd been dealing with sore hooves. "This should help your pest problem," as he passed a bag of crushed herbs to the peach farmer. "The new foal is teething? I think Powder has something to help with that in her bag. She should be on the other side of the market," he said before sending the new parent off to find her.

He didn't have to be in town very long before ponies came looking for him. He usually dealt with medicines for various aches and pains, or ways to treat sick crops when nothing else the farmers tried had worked, but every once in a while, a real challenge would be presented to him. He wasn't always able to find a solution for these, but he learned so much in the process that he rarely turned them down.

Smokey pulled a small bottle from a hidden pouch in his bag, and presented it to the young filly who watched him eagerly. "Have your mother take two drops of this every night before bed," he spoke calmly and clearly, making sure they were listening, "and let me know if anything changes."

The filly gingerly took the glass vial from him, quickly tucking it away in her own bag before taking off down the road as fast as her legs would carry her. They still hadn't quite figured out what had happened to her mother, whether something had bit her or she had stumbled across a curse of some kind, but the mare now had flowers growing out of her mane. At first, they hadn't regarded the condition as anything more than a curiosity, but then came the migraines, leaving her bedridden most of the time.

"So did you hear the news?" One old pony started after Smokey slipped her a discreet package for a condition she didn't want to talk about in public.

"What news?" He inquired. It wasn't too uncommon to be subjected to the latest gossip while he was in town. Usually, it was little more than small town news. Which farmers were arguing with their neighbors, which youths were getting into trouble, or, as was commonly the favorite topic of older ponies, who was sleeping with who.

She leaned in close and whispered in a conspiratorial tone, "a caravan pulled up to the old fort on the outside of town. Rumor has it that a new unicorn has been put in charge." She waggled her eyebrows slightly. "Some young stud sent from the capital."

It wasn't any big secret that the old abandoned fort on the edge of town had been put to use when the unicorns had taken over most of the pony lands. That had been so long ago, long enough that Smokey wouldn't have been much more than a foal at the time. More than once, Smokey had asked several of the older ponies what life had been like before, but when all he ever got was a disinterested shrug in return, he stopped bothering. It seemed that very few, if any, really cared who was in charge as long as their daily lives carried on the same as they always had.

"Daisy," snickered another old mare, "are you looking for greener pastures again?"

"Not my fault there aren't any real stallions left in town," Daisy called back. "I need to expand my horizons before I become an old mare."

"Too late for that," came a shout from somewhere in the crowd. It wasn't clear who it was that had spoken up, but raucous laughter soon followed. Daisy, conceding defeat, soon joined in.

Smokey liked this town, he really did. Sure, they had their troubles from time to time, but the village always had a warm feel to it and everyone looked out for each other. The older ponies had also been instrumental in helping to keep Powder well grounded while he sought out a cure for her barrenness. With any luck, the newest concoction did the trick, and tonight would be the night they had waited for for so long. They just had to finish the last of their deliveries and get home before it got too dark.

Suddenly, as if summoned by his idle thoughts, a shadow cast over the gathering. The chatter amongst the villagers quickly died as they looked up to see the source of the disturbance. He joined them, turning his gaze skyward just as a figure descended from the sky.

Chapter 32: A Noble Intrusion

As the shadow finished descending, it turned out it not to belong to any one creature, but instead to some contraption Smokey had never seen before. At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a small cart painted white, but on closer inspection, it didn't seem to be made of wood or any sort of material he was familiar with. He might have spent longer puzzling out the oddity, but that was when he saw what was pulling it.

Pegasi. Harnessed to the front of the strange cart were actual pegasi.

He had, of course, heard of them, but having gone his whole life without ever seeing one, they may as well have been some sort of rare mythical creature. He didn't know much about them, aside from the stories he'd been told growing up. Supposedly, they were a proud warrior race that could manipulate the weather at will. They fought against griffons, rocs, and sometimes even dragons. Despite the fact that ponies weren't supposed to be a match for any of these creatures, the pegasi still managed to come out on top. All thanks to their strength, unity, and straight up daring when the odds were stacked against them.

However, the pegasi before him didn't inspire any of that. These poor creatures were small, not small like they were short, but neither of them looked like they had eaten a proper meal in many moons. It also looked like they also hadn't had a proper bath in just as long. Their coats were matted from untold amounts of neglect. Dirt and mud caked everything else to the point you couldn't even be sure what their natural color was, forget being able to make out their cutie marks. And their manes were destroyed to the point it would probably be easier just to cut it all off and start over.

Despite their disheveled state, neither of them seemed to be even remotely bothered. Far from it, they just stood there motionless with blank stares on their faces. Neither of them seeming to notice or care about anything.

Smokey's attention was once again drawn back to the strange cart just as one of the occupants stepped down. He'd seen unicorns before, but never had he seen one with a coat so white or so clean. It was almost as clean as the light blue armor he wore, which looked as if it had never seen use. The visitor flicked his blonde mane, it almost seemed to come out looking more luxurious from the simple action, and looked out at the gathered crowd. The look of contempt he had on his face was palpable, the sort of look one had when they really didn't want to be there. Which begged the question, why was he here?

"So these are... earth ponies," the stallion said with a slight sneer to his voice. "I'm not sure why, but I expected something more."

Smokey wasn't quite sure what the unicorn meant by that, but he felt insulted by his attitude. He looked over to his neighbors, the looks on their faces mirroring how he felt. Who was this pony, and where was this attitude even coming from?

"Listen up, peasants!" He shouted loud enough to be heard over the rising sound of disgruntled voices. "It has come to attention of your betters that the food output of this particular village is far too low for what is expected. Therefore, by order of the Grand City of Elysium, the tax on food shall be doubled."

The outrage was immediate. Voices, that had only sounded slightly annoyed before, burst forth like water gushing from a broken dam. Shouts of "that's not fair" and "you take enough as it is" could barely be heard through the cacophony of insults that were hurled at the newcomer. Someone else jumped off the cart in a hurry, another unicorn, and began arguing vehemently with the first one. Smokey immediately recognized this one as the one in charge of the nearby fort. She was a fairly relaxed mare who got along with the townsfolk quite well and didn't ask too much of them. Unfortunately, Smokey couldn't really hear what she was saying over the sounds of the outraged farmers.

That was when Powder rejoined him, likely drawn in by the commotion. "I finished my rounds," she said, looking slightly uncomfortable once she'd had a chance to analyze the situation. "What's this all about?"

"Somepony new showed up from the capital, if I had to guess," he said. "Probably used to having friends in high places. I don't see them lasting if this is how they plan to start their first day. Anyway," he said, turning his attention back to more important things, "did we find everyone on our list?"

"Almost," she said, still looking a bit uneasy at the local situation. "I still have Carrot Top's weed killer, and Daisy's moisturizer. She looked over her bags for a moment, sure she had forgotten something. "Oh, and I still have that tonic for old Sunspot. I kind of expected to see him by now. Any sign of him?"

Smokey shook his head. "No," he said, a bit concerned. "Usually he's the first one I see. I hope everything's alright." He looked to Daisy, currently at the forefront of getting the crowd worked up, leaving the poor sergeant to try and get things back under control. "I don't think she going to be available, either," he said. "I do feel a bit bad for Sergeant Gleam, though. But this isn't our problem. Anyway, ready to head home?" He only took a cursory glance at the crowd before leaning close enough that his breath would assuredly tickle the fur on the inside of her ear. "That potion should've had more than enough time to take full effect by now. Ready to see if it worked?"

Powder's ears perked up and a crimson blush washed over her face. She looked back at her mate and was rewarded by the warm smile he saved just for her. She excitedly threw her hooves around him and began snuggling into him. That was all the assurance he needed to start guiding her towards the path that would take them both home.

They didn't make it far before a voice cut through the noise, halting their tracks.

"Hold it right there!" They shouted. "Who gave you permission to leave?"

Smokey turned back to find the new unicorn looking right at them. If it had been possible for him to come across as any more abrasive than he already had, then he found a way. At first, he wondered at first how he had even made it this far, what with the crowd looking like it wanted to paint his alabaster coat a few new colors. However, when he spotted the blue glow of the unicorn's horn connecting him to the frozen bodies of his neighbors, he had his answer.

"Whatever's happening here," Smokey called back, more annoyed than anything else, "it doesn't seem like it involves me. So if you'll excuse me, I still have a lot of work to do." He turned his back to leave, but was halted when his legs refused to move. Upon further inspection, he found that same blue glow wrapped around his own hooves.

"It does involves you," the unicorn said, the amount of pomp in his voice could easily be used to start a fire, and already had in the case of the rest of the village. "All you earth ponies are good for is growing food, and everypony in the village has a quota they're expected to meet, or disciplinary action will be necessary. You and your slothen minx are not exempt from this."

There was a lot Smokey could put up with, and he had been called a lot of distasteful things early in his career, but the one thing he wouldn't put up with was any of that being directed at Powder. He could feel his blood starting to boil as he tried to remember what the zebras had taught him about unicorn magic, and teach this pony a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.

However, before he had the chance, Powder quickly caught on to what he was about to do, and threw herself between them. "Please sir," she said while trying to sound as meek as possible. "We're nothing more than simple physicians. We don't care for any farmland and many of the townsfolk would fall ill without us."

"Ha!" He burst out laughing, not even trying to hide his mirth. "Earth pony doctors?! Now I've heard everything. What could you simple lot possibly know about medicine. Although..."

What followed was an uncomfortable silence, not only had the unicorn momentarily stopped talking, but a few gasps escaped the villagers. Smokey craned his next to look back, a difficult task with magic holding him in place, and a sharp chill ran down his spine with what he saw.

This unicorn was very clearly, and very obviously looking Powder over. He wasn't even attempting to hide it as what he was thinking could plainly be seen on his face. Sure, it wasn't completely unheard of for someone to steal a glance at someone else's mate, but at least most had the common decency to not be practically drooling over themselves. This unicorn was doing none of that. Between the look in his eyes and his flared nostrils, he was straight up lusting after her. As shocking as all that was, none of it compared to what came out of his mouth next.

"I suppose I could be convinced to be a bit more lenient," he brought a hoof up under Powder's chin, slightly lifting it as a vile smile played out on his face, "if certain conditions could be met."

Smokey's body moved on its own. He only barely saw her recoil from the unwelcome touch before finding himself between the two of them and shoving the intruder away. Forget boiling over, at this point he may as well have had a raging inferno burning inside him. The only thing that kept him from immediately pounding the predatory unicorn into mush, and even then just barely, was the effort it was taking to push the halting magic into the ground. He'd have to thank those zebras if he ever saw them again. Now, if only he had his pipe on him...

"What is going on here?!" The voice rang clear and true over the clearing, bringing a sudden stop to the building conflict. At the same time, the resistance Smokey felt on his body disappeared, and he was about to proceed with breaking someone's face, but then he noticed his assailant was already several feet away from him and with a red glow of magic wrapped around his horn.

"Who did that?!" The unicorn shouted, immediately looking to the small entourage he brought with him. "Which of you dares to interfere with the magic of the Noble Star Bright?!" However, none of them seemed eager to either come to his defense, or admit to their interference. So when the owner of the red aura made himself known, Star Bright wore a look of complete bafflement.

Sunspot, the sole unicorn that resided within the village, stepped forward. The elderly unicorn had lived among them for as long as Smokey could remember. Even though the black coat and orange mane that peeked out from beneath the hempen cloak had both faded with time, it seemed that his magic had not.

There had been more than enough time for Star Bright to take in the old pony's appearance, no doubt he was still shaken by whatever Sunspot had done to knock him back on his flank. "Who are you supposed to be?!" He demanded. "What makes you think you can get away with assaulting a noble?"

"Be quiet," Sunspot said in a calm, yet firm, voice. This was a side of the old pony Smokey had never seen before. The elder pony was usually very soft-spoken, and got along well with most of the village. You'd rarely ever see him use his unicorn magic, making it pretty easy to forget that he was one. He usually just seemed to content himself with sitting in the sun and watching the world pass by. However, right now, with the way he looked down his nose at the newcomer, he carried a tone of authority Smokey hadn't known the old pony possessed.

"Are the two of you all right?" Sunspot was addressing him now, his face reverting to caring old pony Smokey knew well. "He didn't hurt you did he?"

"He... Powder..." Smokey heaved between large gulps of air. He hadn't completely calmed down, and was still ready to beat the pony within an inch of his life. He only stopped when he met the old pony's eye, and when Sunspot placed an patient hoof on his shoulder.

"I understand," he said softly. "I've never known you to lose your temper without good reason, but you must understand, it won't go well for either of you if you strike out against an Elysian noble."

"But," Smokey lowered his voice, "didn't you just... I mean... Won't you..."

"I'll be alright," Sunspot said. "It may have been a long while, but I still remember how best to deal with his type."

Smokey paused and considered the old pony's words. Very little was known about Sunspot's life before coming to the village. He never talked about his past, and anything he might have shared with anyone else, he had kept it to himself.

He looked back to the noble, having been quiet for some time now. Currently he was listening to the sergeant as she whispered in his ear. He nodded along, his eyes going wide with shock.

"That's Sunspot?!" Star exclaimed. "Wasn't his son the one who..."

"I would prefer," Sunspot interrupted, his stern face returning, "not to listen to somepony with bad manners tarnish my son's memory with their vile tongue. Next time I may do more than knock some entitled brat on his flank."

Star stood there for a moment, completely incensed. He clearly couldn't believe anyone would dare talk to him that way. "You..." He spat, even as the sergeant began desperately herding him away. He fought them at first, but eventually the sergeant succeeded in loading him back onto the carriage.

"I won't stand by this humiliation!" He shouted back as the pegasi began lifting the carriage off the ground. "You'll rue the day you decided to make a fool of me!"

And with that, he was gone. The villagers stayed and watched as the obstinate pony faded into the distance. They milled about, discussing everything that had happened, but eventually everyone started to wander back to their daily lives. Smokey found the old unicorn, Sunspot, sunning nearby as he watched the sky. The old pony seemed to be lost in thought, like he tended to get sometimes.

"Should we be worried about him?" Smokey asked.

"Huh?" Sunspot looked momentarily startled, like he just noticed he was there. "Sorry, I didn't see you. No," he pondered, "I think we'll be alright. Ponies like him tend to just be full of hot air. Still..."

"Still what?" Asked Smokey, not liking the look of concern on his face.

The old pony shook his head. "It's not the average unicorn that owns their own sky chariot," he said. "There's no telling what he might be capable of. If I were you, I'd go straight home and stay there until this whole thing blows over."

Smokey was worn out by the time they finally made it home, not physically mind you, he found himself getting more than enough exercise while collecting difficult and dangerous herbs. He was worn out emotionally. If he had known the day was going to go like this, he might've just stayed home.

No, he reminded himself. That's a foolish way of thinking. There was no way he could've known a new unicorn would show up, and even if he had, all the ones that frequented the village were far better behaved than what he had seen tonight. Even so, other ponies still counted on him and the services he provided. While those desperate enough for his medicines would make the trek out to his home, sometimes even in the middle of the night, it wouldn't do for him and Powder to squirrel themselves away from the rest of the world.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked her for at least the third time since they left.

"For the third time, yes," she said, her mane a bit of a mess from getting caught on a stray branch on the way home. "I'm fine. I'm just glad nopony got hurt."

"What was that all about, anyway?" Smokey pondered aloud. Who was Sunspot, really? Whoever he was, it seemed like it hadn't taken anything more than the noble recognizing him before backing down. It made him wonder more than ever who old Sunspot had been before coming to the village. Right now though, all he wanted to do was sleep.

"And where do you think you're going?" Powder said with no small amount of sass.

Smokey looked back at her, confused at first. "To bed. I'm a bit worn out after..." He started to say, but then he caught the look she was giving him. The very needy look that any pony, especially those had spent as much time together as they had, would recognize.

The potion! He realized, his brain finally catching up with the rest of him. With everything else that had happened that day, he had completely forgotten about the fertility potion he had brewed for her. It should be in full effect by now.

"I see you finally remembered," she said, her face completely aglow with feelings of amusement and desire. She took a hold of his leg and Smokey could feel how irresistibly warm she felt at that moment. "I trust you still remember what to do with a mare in heat?" She teased as she led him back to their room.

It hadn't been the first time he'd heard Powder use that line. Like every other time she used it, he did indeed remember what to do with a mare in heat. Hopefully, this time their efforts would finally bear fruit.

Chapter 33: The Worst Year

Smokey awoke the next day feeling tired, and very, very sore. There had been some unexpected side effects to the potion that, while pleasant, he hadn't quite counted on. He would have to make sure to document his experience, once he could find the strength to get up, that is.

He rolled over and reached for Powder, sure she must feel at least half as sore as he did. However, when he felt nothing but an empty bed, his eyes instantly shot open.

She wasn't there. Normally this wouldn't be a cause for concern, but after the events of the day before, he couldn't help but worry.

Ignoring the protests of his body, the earth pony forced himself out of bed. He had to see that his mate was all right.

Exiting their bedroom, Smokey breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that her flower basket was missing as well. That's right, he silently reminded himself, the midnight blooms would've been out last night. Powder never missed a chance to pick them during the full moon. She was probably still busy laying them out to dry. Normally, she didn't like to be disturbed while she was doing that, but Smokey still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

That feeling didn't get any better when he found the drying room bare. No Powder, no basket, and no flowers hanging up to dry.

Without any further hesitation, Smokey bolted from the house. Something had happened to Powder, he was sure of it. She could be hurt, or worse... He shook the intrusive thoughts from his head, he just needed to focus on finding her first.

She had to be all right.

She had to...

He barely made it a dozen steps before he was stopped by one of the villagers. They were out of breath, like they had been running the whole way, and the look of dread they carried confirmed his fears before they even spoke.

"It's Powder," they said, "she's been hurt."

He found her in Daisy's home. A number of ponies had gathered outside, their looks of concern and idle gossip coming to a halt when they saw him. They didn't say anything to him, they just quietly got out of his way and let him pass unmolested.

As for Powder, she was a mess. Despite it being a warm summer morning, Daisy had laid her shivering form by an open fire. Her coat was soaked, her cloak and basket were nowhere to be seen, and when she turned her head to look at him, her face had taken on a sunken expression. A glimmer of recognition sparked in her eyes when she saw him, but it only lasted for the briefest of moments before she burst into tears.

He held onto her as tight as he dared without hurting her further, his eyes going wide as he took in her muddled scent. She had a bittersweet smell on her, a smell he immediately recognized as nightshade, along with the musky scent of another stallion, something that definitely shouldn't be there.

"What happened? Who did this?" He asked darkly. He really didn't want to have to pressure her in her current state, but if what he suspected had actually happened, there was a criminal among them of the worst sort.

"It was that unicorn," she said, tears flowing from her eyes. "Him and his flying cart... he found me while I was picking blooms... and he... he..."

Smokey held the fragile mare tightly in his grasp. He was trying to remain calm, but inside was a fury that would not be quelled until Powder's assailant was brought to justice.

Earth ponies were fairly laid back about most things, including their laws, but there was one thing no one ever did. It was considered by most to be the worst thing anyone could do. So terrible, in fact, that everyone refused to call it by name. Star Bright would need to face justice. And as Powder's mate, it was his responsibility to see it carried out.

Sorrowfully, Smokey forced himself to pull away from Powder before standing back up. He didn't want to leave her side, but he needed to. This wasn't something that could wait. Powder reached out to him for only a moment before pulling her hoof back. She saw the look in his eyes, and immediately knew what he planned to do.

It wouldn't be easy, Smokey knew that. That unicorn's strong magic would undoubtedly prove a difficult challenge to overcome, especially if he was taking refuge in the nearby fort. It wasn't impossible, though. He'd need a few things for it to happen, things he had back at home, namely, he'd need his pipe.

He didn't even make it out of the building before the door swung open on its own, leaving the wizened old unicorn to block his path.

"Get out of my way, Sunspot," Smokey growled as he tried to force his way around the older pony. However, Sunspot refused to move even an inch.

"And what do you plan to do if I stand aside? Hmm?" Sunspot asked firmly. "Are you going to march right up to the fortress? Demand that pony's head? Do you really think things will go that smoothly?"

"I'm not foolish enough to waltz in the front door looking for a fight!" Smokey practically shouted. What was going on with the old pony? He wasn't usually so confrontational. "But I'm not going to just sit here while that beast goes free."

"And what do you suppose will happen if you carry out your revenge?" Sunspot retorted. "What do you think the Star family will do when they find out some earth pony hurt one of their scions? Do you really think they'll choose to see your side? That they'll let you go? That they won't come after you and your family in retribution?"

"Then we won't stay here," Smokey said without missing a beat. "We'll leave. Go somewhere they'll never find us. I'll take Powder all the way to Pandemonium if that's what it takes."

"I don't know where you heard of that city," said Sunspot, "but I don't think you understand how powerful this family is. You won't even make the next town, much less Pandemonium."

"Then what should I do?!" He shouted back.

"Listen," Sunspot said quietly as he drew closer, "I know you're frustrated, but there are things in this world just can't control. Focus instead of what you can still do. Escaping to Pandemonium isn't the worst idea. When do you think Powder will be well enough to travel?"

Smokey still felt like he needed to seek out vengeance on the pony who did this, but listening to the old pony forced him to take a deep breath and think things through. He took a look back at his mate, she had already fallen asleep, exhausted as she was from her recent ordeal. Her breathing, while a bit raspy, was at least more steady and measured than it had been before.

"Nightshade poisoning isn't something to mess with," he began reciting a diagnosis, almost mechanically. "It usually needs to be treated immediately. If it isn't, and the afflicted pony still lives, they'll likely find themselves severely weakened." The recitation served to further calm his nerves, giving him a sense of clarity he needed at that moment. "Proper food and rest are the only real treatment at this point, as well as avoiding any strenuous activities or further aggravating the condition."

Sunspot placed a firm hoof on his shoulder. "She's lucky to have you," he said, "and right now, she needs you more than ever. Don't worry about the unicorn. I had a little talk with Sergeant Gleam and we made sure he won't be leaving the fort any time soon. Just focus on making sure Powder gets better and then get both her and yourself as far away from here as possible."

Time passed slowly for the young alchemist, and while he still did his job caring for the townsfolk, the bulk of his time was spent caring for Powder.

It really was some kind of miracle that she still lived. While he had dealt with cases of nightshade poisoning before, he had never seen a case quite as bad as Powder's. Still... she persevered, and while it was clear her body was still very, very weak, she managed to sit up on her own after a week's time.

Despite Sunspot's reassurances, Smokey still feared that Star Bright would return to finish the job. He still didn't know, and probably didn't want to know, why someone would act as he had. How someone could so casually force themselves on another, only to discard them like so much trash once they were done.

These questions, and worse, left him with many sleepless nights. The sounds of the night he once found soothing, now all they served to do was grate on his nerves, and left him jumping at shadows. More than once he wanted to forego the wisdom offered by Sunspot, and silently remove their aggressor. He wasn't quite as sure as he had once been that he'd be able to dispose of him unnoticed, casing out the old castle during one of his sleepless nights had unfortunately affirmed that. All he could do at this point was to wait. Wait, and hope, that Powder will soon be well enough that they could leave this place far behind.

And then it happened. The best and worst possible thing that could happen amidst the chaos.

Powder had been doing much better as of late. She was standing on her own, she could take short walks without getting too tired, and she was even able to pick the midnight blooms again, albeit with Smokey close by. Despite his exhaustion, he refused to leave her side for even a moment.

Then one morning, she shot out of bed and bolted for a nearby bucket, and immediately began depositing the contents of her stomach. It gave both of them quite the scare, since it seemed she had mostly recovered from the nightshade.

Smokey wasted no time giving her a full checkup, and aside from her being slightly sweatier than normal, it seemed she was perfectly fine. However, when he noticed her slightly distended belly, his eyes grew wide with realization. He pressed an ear against her stomach, confirming what he already suspected as he made out the telltale sign of a second heartbeat.

Powder was pregnant.

Time continued to pass, granted a little faster than it had before, and Powder's belly continued to grow, along with the anticipation of the soon to be parents. Their spirits were higher than they had ever been, and even with potential threat the noble living nearby still posed, Smokey was finally able to sleep again.

That wasn't to say they didn't still have their share of problems. Powder's ordeal had left her with a limp in one of her hind legs, and while it seemed it may still recover on its own, it wouldn't be soon enough for them to make the trip to the one city that existed outside of Elysium's influence. If they were still to make the journey to Pandemonium, it would have to wait until after Powder delivered her foal.

That was a thought Smokey still hadn't quite grown accustomed to. He was going to be a father. It still didn't seem quite real. After all the years of study and research, using every method in the book, and a number outside of it, he was finally able to give Powder, his love, what it was she wanted. A foal.

It took some doing before Smokey was finally able to return to work again. The village mares offered to take turns looking after Powder just so he could get back to gathering and preparing the assortment of plants he used in his trade. As happy as everyone was for them, they needed their doctor back again. He was going to have to work twice as hard to make up for lost time, especially with winter just around the corner.

Winter came and went without incident, and spring returned once again. Birdsong filled the air, squirrels gossiped with their neighbors, and earth ponies were already working the field after the long break.

Spring also meant the start of new life, an exciting time, and not just for those who would soon be adding to their own families. It was something to be celebrated by everyone, and everyone was more than willing to help when the time came to welcome that new life.

Even if all that needed doing was keeping a certain stallion under control.

"Get out of the way! She needs me!" Smokey shouted as he tried and failed to push his way into the back. "I'm a doctor. I should be by her side right now."

"We understand how you feel," said one of the stallions holding him back, "but you can't help anypony unless you calm down."

"No pony here doubts your skills," said another one, "but Lime's right. If you go back there now, you'll just get in the way. Trust the girls. Powder's in capable hooves."

Powder's ear-piercing screams once again broke out from the back room, causing Smokey to redouble his efforts, desperate as he was to be by her side. This same act had been repeating itself over and over ever since Powder went into labor, and would likely continue for some time to come.

Just when it seemed like the night would never end, the sound of Powder's screams cut off. It happened so abruptly that Smokey and everyone else found themselves holding their breath in anticipation. That silence, which was so still you could hear a pin drop, seemed like it would last forever.

At least, until it was broken by the muffled cries of a newborn.

Tears began welling up in Smokey's eyes at that moment and he fell to his knees. She had done it. They had done it. He was a father. He had never really thought about it much before, he had been so focused on helping Powder achieve her dream that the concept really hadn't settled in before now.

He found himself with hooves resting on his back and he looked up to see the supporting faces of his neighbors. Most of them already had families if their own, so they undoubtedly had some idea how he must be feeling at that moment. He felt good, like the worst was finally over. Everything he had gone through, his training, his studies, the risks he had taken, and the eventual rewards they had reaped, all of it had been for this moment.

Smokey was still basking in the good feelings when he looked up and saw Daisy poking her head in from the back room. The old mare's front was spattered in blood and other fluids, and he expected to see a smile on her face that matched his own, but all she carried was a somber and concerned expression.

"What..." He swallowed hard, "what's wrong?" Nothing had gone wrong, had it? Come to think of it, the crying had gone quiet again. "Is something wrong with the foal? Tell me!" He demanded. They'd come so far. It couldn't fall apart now, could it?

"Easy there, doctor," Daisy said as she did her best to calm him down. "Powder gave birth to a perfectly healthy filly, at least as far as we can tell anyway."

As far as they can tell? What was that supposed to mean? Smokey tried to look Daisy right in the eye, but she was averting her gaze. What was she hiding?

A possibility occurred to him, a terrible possibility that he didn't even want to consider. He had asked after the foal, but he hadn't asked about...

"What about Powder?" He asked the question he didn't want to voice. When Daisy not only looked away, but flinched at the question, Smokey felt his heart stop.

Smokey found himself beyond the door before he even realized he had shoved the midwife out of the way. He could hear the falling of hooves chasing after him, but unlike before, he now had a headstart and they wouldn't stop him easily. He found the room he knew Powder would be in and hesitated as he reached for the door. What was he about to find? Did his worst nightmares come to pass?

He pushed his way in before anyone could stop him. The other midwives were startled to see him there, but he wasn't there for them. He only had eyes for one mare. The one who lay sprawled out on the bed.

Powder wasn't moving. Her open eyes were staring blankly at the far wall. When Smokey moved forward and scooped her into his arms, he couldn't make out a heartbeat, or even the lightest breath. This couldn't be happening...

Smokey wailed his agony to the world. He didn't care who might be listening. This wasn't fair, none of it was. What had he done? What had Powder done to deserve this?!

His lamentations had apparently disturbed the sleeping babe, and its shrill cries broke through Smokey's own. It was a sobering reminder to the new father that even if Powder was gone, she had left something behind, something that it was now his responsibility to care for.

The thought lent him some strength, even though his tears had yet to dry. They might never dry. He placed Powder's cooling body back on the bed and turned to behold the new life that she had given her everything for. However, when he saw the little filly, his heart didn't melt and he didn't feel any sense of pride. Instead, it invoked a rage greater than anything he had felt in his entire life.

Atop the infant's head, peeking out from behind its blue mane, was a horn.

A unicorn horn.

Author's Note

Chapters like this are part of the reason it's taken me so long to finish this story.

It hurts.
It really does.

Chapter 34: Nothing Left to Lose

The night was cold, the world was quiet, and Smokey busied himself with finishing the last of his preparations. The castle had already been scouted, and the necessary herbs had been dried and crushed. All that was left to do was to make sure his old smoking pipe was properly cleaned.

Smokey used to be a fairly active smoker, at least until he heard a rumor that it could cause fertility problems. Part of him still believed it be superstitious nonsense. However, everything they had tried to conceive had failed, so he reluctantly gave it up. When he still used his pipe regularly, he had a talent for making the smoke do whatever he wanted, making it much easier to administer various drugs and poisons from a safe distance. Fortunately, it was a skill that didn't seem to get weaker if he didn't practice. He had learned that during the timberwolf outbreak the year before. That had been a scary time...

Smokey tensed up as his thoughts were once again interrupted by the wailing of the infant. A wave of anger coursed through his body every time the foal cried, and he hated himself for it. It wasn't her fault who her birth parents were, but every time he looked at her and that accursed horn on her head, it clawed away at him. It served as a constant reminder of what Star Bright had done to Powder, to the both of them. He couldn't keep living like this. It was nothing short of a miracle he hadn't done something about it sooner. He just hoped that Sunspot would understand what he had to do.

As if summoned by his thoughts, the door to his home picked that moment to open. Smokey whirled around to see who it was, only relaxing when he saw the wizened old face of Sunspot.

"Oh," he said as he went back to cleaning his pipe, "it's just you."

"Hmmm... just me?" Pondered Sunspot. "You make it sound like you were expecting somepony else."

"I keep thinking that bastard is gonna come bursting through the door at any moment and claim his daughter," said Smokey.

"Unlikely," said Sunspot as he sat down next to the crying babe. He scooped her up in his magic and gently began rocking her until the crying stopped. "If he found out, it's more likely he'd look to dispose of her as soon as possible. Even with the low birth rates of unicorns, I can't imagine the rest of the Star family would look too kindly on his indiscretion."

"You talk about them like you know them," he said.

"Once upon a time, I did," recounted Sunspot, regret tinting his voice. "I used to agree with a lot of their philosophies, too." He now held the little filly against his chest, where she was playfully batting at his beard.

"What changed?" Smokey asked. It wasn't often that the old pony talked about his life before coming to live in the village.

Sunspot's eyes became downcast. "There was an accident... a long time ago... one that claimed the life of my son."

"You mean Pyrus, right?" He said. "You mentioned him once before. What happened?"

Sunspot shook his head. "It doesn't matter," he said. "What matters is that I was so wrapped up in my anger, my grief, that I lashed out against his best friend. The Star family had me convinced that he was to blame for everything that happened, but that's a poor excuse. He was the only one to survive the fire that took my son and so many others. I should've been there to support him, even if nopony else would."

Smokey finished the last of his cleaning and tucked his pipe away in his bag. "Sunspot," he said reluctantly. "I have a favor to ask."

"You want me to care for Powder's foal?" Sunspot said without hesitation.

Smokey cocked his head at the older stallion. "How did you know?"

A light smile played out on Sunspot's face. "Give an old pony some credit," he said. "I've been watching you and Powder since you were little. I doubt anything you do would surprise me at this point."

"Are you going to try and stop me?" Smokey's gaze turned dark and the baby started screaming again.

The old pony seemed to mull over his question while he calmed the filly down again. Once he had, he let out a long sigh. "There wouldn't be any point," he finally said. "You've always been a stubborn one once your mind is made up. I will have to leave the village if you go through with it, though. Nothing good can come from them finding Powder's foal."

"Where will you go?" Smokey wondered.

"Not really sure," he said. "Maybe I'll make my way to Pandemonium like you originally planned. I doubt they would ask too many questions, and it'll be easy enough for us to disappear."

"Thank you, Sunspot," he said. "I don't know what I would've done without you." He shouldered his pack and turned away, ready to leave what had been his home for the last time.

"Did you ever decide on a name for her?" Sunspot asked before he could leave.

Smokey paused and dropped his gaze, a sad look in his eye. "No," he said, "I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"Hmmm," pondered Sunspot as he inspected the filly. "She's got Powder's colors, but her eyes, the bright orange makes them look like little embers."

"Is Ember a good name for a unicorn?" Asked Smokey.

"I probably would've used the name myself had Pyrus been born a filly," said Sunspot.

"I see," he said as he opened the door. "One last thing," he said before he stepped outside and out of the only life he'd ever known. "Your son's friend. What was his name?"

Sunspot's eyes went downcast, as if remembering even that much was painful. "Clover," he said. "His name was Clover."

Smokey stood outside the fortress, his presence masked by the surrounding forest. It was more than sufficient cover. Even so, it would only take a single step into the open to alert the soldiers guarding the gate.

He double-checked the position of the moon. Unless he missed his guess, he had about an hour before the next shift. Plenty of time to sneak in unnoticed, and just long enough that the guards on duty would be more than a little tired and less likely to notice anything he did.

He probably could've taken them easily if they were by themselves, but with two of them... Smokey wasn't completely sure the trick he learned from the zebras would work on two unicorns at the same time. Besides, a frontal assault would be sure to raise some kind of alarm. Even if he pretended to be a lost traveler, they would still be on guard enough that his plan wouldn't work anymore. Fortunately, he came prepared.

Smokey rummaged around in his bag until he found the the first of the tricks at his disposal. He unfolded a piece of paper, revealing a fine yellow powder within. Normally, the leaves would be brewed into a tea meant to help relax the mind and soothe aching muscles, similar to chamomile, but in powdered form...

The alchemist pulled out his pipe and readied himself, there would be no turning back after this. About an ounce of the powder found its way into the pipe, followed by the strike of flint. The contents lit up in an instant, the smell of the powerful soporific already filling the air around him. Had he been any other pony, his eyelids would've already started to drop from being so close to the powerful drug, but years of working closely with this and similar substances had made him immune, or at least resistant, to most poisons.

On the contrary, Smokey relished in the scent as he put the pipe to his lips and breathed in the sleeping draft. He drew from the pipe for so long that his cheeks were gradually starting to puff out as he held it all in. The amount he held would likely knock out a minotaur in an instant, but he'd need all of it if he was going to reach the entire distance to the gate.

He exhaled the smoke, making sure to keep it low to the ground. Thin tendrils raced along the ground, guided as they were by his intent. It took the better part of a minute to reach the gate, during which time the poison would've already lost some of its potency. However, it was still more than enough to overtake exhausted guards. They breathed in the smoke, not even once realizing that something was amiss. Already one was starting to sag under the weight of their armor and Smokey's ministrations. Her partner watched in muted confusion as she went down, not even having time to ask what was wrong before going down herself.

Smokey watched with bated breath for another minute to see if anyone on the other side of the gate heard them collapse. The metal armor had made a fair bit of noise as they went down, but to his relief, the gate remained undisturbed.

He left the safety of the trees and raced to the gate. He couldn't afford to waste any time. It would only be so long before the sleeping guards were found and an alarm was raised. He made it without incident and carefully pushed the door open.

He'd seen the inside of the fortress before. Once when he was little and it was still abandoned, and once more when Sergeant Gleam called on his services to help with a number of sick ponies. She never seemed to care that much about the differences between the tribes, and she wasn't the type to turn down help when it was so close by.

Smokey looked around carefully before stepping inside. There didn't appear to be anyone else around, most likely asleep at this hour. He closed the door behind him and turned to venture further inside, when he met the eyes of a stallion who had apparently been blocked from view by the open door.

"Hey what are you..." the stallion started to say.

Regardless of how he hadn't heard the commotion outside, or why he hadn't immediately raised the alarm, Smokey wasn't about to take any chances. He rushed in the direction of the guard, only slowed for a moment when the unicorn's magic touched him. It hadn't been nearly as difficult to brush off the magic of the much weaker unicorn as it had been with Star Bright. The look of shock on the pony's face when he didn't stop only lasted for about a moment before a hoof came up to collide with the side of his face. The guard's head bounced off the stone wall before collapsing to the ground like a sack of bricks.

Smokey quickly took stock of the rest of the entryway, just in case there had been anyone else. When it looked like the coast was clear, he pushed the door back open and shoved the now unconscious guard outside to join his peers. He didn't use any more of the sleeping draft on his latest victim, the poor soldier was just doing his job and giving him anything after receiving a blow like that could turn out to be lethal. He'd just have to hope he stayed asleep long enough for Smokey to find his target.

It was still a race against time, even before that little distraction. Smokey ran up stairs and down corridors, stopping at every intersection, listening for hoofsteps, and otherwise doing everything he could to make sure no one saw him.

He passed by several closed doors, the sounds of snoring clearly audible from beyond each of them. Based on what he remembered, it was likely he was passing by the barracks, the sounds he heard being soldiers resting after a long day. All except the last room, the sounds of grunting and bodies slapping against each other making it very clear what was happening in there. Well... It was the season for that. At least they were distracted.

Much like he apparently was. He hadn't immediately noticed, what with the sound of busy ponies momentarily distracting him, but there were the sound of fresh hoofsteps coming from down the hall, and they were a lot closer than he was comfortable with.

This wasn't a good place to be caught out in the open. Even a small scuffle would most assuredly rouse the curiosity of any of the sleeping ponies, and if he had to deal with the sudden appearance of so many in such a small space, the chances of him coming out on top bordered on the impossible.

Smokey started to panic, eventually diving behind a suit of armor in the hopes that he hadn't come all this way for nothing. He carefully looked out from his hiding place, swallowing hard when he saw it was Sergeant Gleam walking down the corridor.

She kept an even pace as she walked, her armor rattling slightly as she moved, sounding far louder than it should have in the dense silence. Slowly, ever so slowly, Gleam approached Smokey's hiding place, causing the alchemist's heart to race out of control.

He reached into his bag, ready to create some kind of smokescreen if the need arose. He liked the sergeant, he really did. She was probably the second most decent unicorn he ever met, after Sunspot, and he didn't want to have to hurt her.

Just when he though his cover was blown, Gleam suddenly turned to the door where he had just been standing.

"Not again," she let out a long sigh, before hardening her face and slamming the door open with a loud boom.

"Private!" She shouted loud enough that the entire hallway must have heard her. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Sergeant Gleam!" Came the panicked shouts of a stallion who couldn't have been more than sixteen. "Pri... Private Lily wanted me to show her the new moves we learned at the academy."

"Uh huh," nodded Sergeant Gleam, clearly not convinced. "Is that what you're doing? Impressive technique. Maybe we should have you demonstrate it to the rest of the squad."

What followed was a long reprimand, followed by embarrassed ponies collecting discarded armor, before finally retreating back to their appropriate barracks. The whole time this was going on, Smokey remained tense. He half expected to see a few curious faces poke their noses out from nearby rooms so they could get a better look. They would've been treated to seeing an earth pony hiding just outside the room where a couple officers were being railed on for their midnight tryst. Smokey continued to hold his breath, watching, even as all the rooms remained blessedly closed.

When the excitement had finally died down, and the pounding in his chest was once again under control, Smokey ran down the rest of the hall, reaching the stairs before anything else could go wrong.

He hadn't expected there to be a pair of ponies assigned to guard an individual room. In fact, he was caught so off guard that he almost barreled right into them, blowing his cover in the process.

However, whether it was because he was on edge or because the guards were half asleep after a long, boring night, he managed to collect himself quickly enough before he completely lost the element of surprise. His hooves collided with the stallion, throwing him to the wall and knocking him unconscious before he managed to cast a spell.

He wasn't quite as fortunate with the mare. Smokey found his hooves leaving the ground, carried as he was by the blast of magic. However, luck was on his side. The magic had missed him by bare inches, colliding instead with his bag and incinerating it in the process.

The female guard's eyes went wide with shock at what had just happened, but unfortunately for her, she wasn't able to recollect her wits fast enough. As soon as Smokey's hooves were back on solid ground, he bolted forward and dispatched her as well before she had the chance to raise the alarm.

Smokey only gave himself a brief moment to regather his wits as he looked to the door. In hindsight, he should've expected that someone with the kind of power and connections that Star Bright had would have a guard of their own. Maybe it was just a cultural difference, or maybe it was because earth ponies didn't have any sort of real military of their own. Either way, unless the room they guarded held someone other than the pony he expected, nothing else stood in the way of him and his revenge.

The alchemist slowly pushed open the heavy door, wincing as it creaked on its hinges. When someone didn't call out from the darkness, he almost thought he'd found the wrong room.

However, he was certain he'd seen Star look out from this tower during the late nights he spent scouting this place out. Pushing forward, Smokey searched the dark room. It was hard to make out much of it in the dark, but what he could make out showed that someone of wealth likely lived here.

He made his way past the expensive furniture and trinkets he couldn't begin to guess the purpose of, and finally found a bed with someone sleeping in it. He moved closer to get a better look, heart catching in his chest as his nerves stood on end, and he saw the one he had been searching for.

Star Bright. The one who had brought so much pain to his life and taken Powder's just so he could sate his carnal urges. What made him think he had the right to do what he did? Was it unicorn superiority that did it? No, he'd known enough decent unicorns to know that not to be true. Sunspot was a prime example. His noble status? Possibly. He didn't have enough experience dealing with them to know if Star Bright was the rule or the exception.

Smokey steadied his thoughts, especially the ones that distracted him from his goal. It didn't matter why Star had done what he did. All that mattered was that he had, and hadn't suffered any retribution for what he had done. Well, that changed tonight.

He reached for his bag, only to feel his bare coat where his bag should be. That's right, he realized, it had saved him from that one guard's attack. That had been a little too close, but it now also left him without the deadly poison he planned on using. Maybe it was for the best. He doubted he would've been satisfied with letting the monster die peacefully in his sleep. He hadn't earned that.

Smokey's mind was made up. The alchemist turned assassin picked up one of the stray pillows from the side of the bed, there was no going back for him at this point. He held it over the sleeping pony's head, and then with one swift motion he brought it down with all the weight of a full-grown stallion behind it.

At first, nothing happened. Not for about a minute, anyway. Then he heard the sound of muffled coughs and gasps as the pony he was bent on killing started to struggle. For the next couple moments, Smokey weathered the onslaught as desperate hooves kicked at his chest and his gut. Some if them actually making contact with his face. It was of no matter, for the one doing the kicking was a unicorn, the physically weakest of the tribes. He could kick and scream all he wanted, but no matter what, the one attempting to snuff out his life refused to move.

For a moment, Smokey thought it was all over when Star finally stopped moving, but then the pillow he was using to smother him started to grow hot. It took him far too long to realize what was happening, because the next thing he knew, the pillow had exploded, and Smokey found himself being launched through the nearby bedpost.

Stars filled his eyes as he heard rapid coughing and wheezing from where he had just been. By the time he'd recollected his wits, he found Star Bright looking back at him from across the room.

"You," he pointed an accusatory hoof at him, "what are you... Who do you think you..." He shook his head, having nearly been smothered in his sleep had left his wits muddled. "Guards!" He shouted in the direction of his bedroom door. "Guards!" He shouted again. "Come at once! There's an assassin!"

"They won't answer," said Smokey as he pushed himself back up. There was a chance someone might have heard that explosion. He needed to finished up here, and quick, if he was hoping to make an escape. "And I'm not going to let you get away with what you've done."

"What I've done?" Star looked genuinely confused. "What are you talking about..." The unicorn noble quickly threw up a shield, for at that moment, his assailant was charging him at full gallop.

What he hadn't been counting on was for his attacker to pass straight through it like it wasn't even there. Smokey collided with the unfortunate spellcaster and launched him into the far wall. The shield he passed through only serving to make his coat itch as he was now ready to deal with the unicorn's foul magic.

Star collapsed to the floor in a heap, the impact must've broken something as blood was now clearly visible through his teeth. He took a moment to cough up several globs of the stuff, before turning his attention back to to Smokey. "You..." He spat through crimson teeth. "I remember you now. You're that earth pony who dared to stand against me when I first got here. You should know your place, or do I need to reach that trollop of yours another hard lesson. I heard she lived, after all. What was her name? I believe it was..."

Smokey again charged forward as he allowed the rage he had built up over the last year to finally be sated. His hooves once again connecting with the unicorn, completely burying his face into the now cracked and broken stone.

This time, Star Bright didn't get back up. He just lay there and twitched for a moment until his body and his breath were finally stilled. Smokey stood over the now beaten and broken corpse, his anger still not fully satiated as he gave the body a few extra kicks. It had been over far too quickly. It couldn't have even been five minutes since he first entered the room, but now that it was...

Now that it was, all he felt was empty inside. He had dedicated his life to helping others, and what he had just done went against everything he stood for. Even if Star Bright had been evil, even if he deserved everything he got, that didn't excuse what Smokey had done. He'd have to learn to live with that.

But where did that leave him now? He couldn't return to the village. Too many ponies had seen Smokey's face during this excursion, and they would undoubtedly be looking for him once they found the body of their dead lord.

Smokey looked out from the balcony towards the distant horizon. All he could see was an empty darkness as far as the eye could see. There was nothing for him out there, not anymore. Everything that mattered to him was now gone.

Alarms could be heard coming from the castle beneath him. Someone must've woken up or found the missing guards. If he had wanted to escape, the time to do so had passed.

There wouldn't be any point in letting them capture him. What could they really do to him at this point? All that awaited him was a cold cell where he'd face what passes for Elysium's justice, whether that'd be a swift execution or rotting away in a cell, it didn't matter. His life was over already.

That made the decision easy as he climbed up onto the balcony. He took one last moment to breathe in the cold night air, and look out at the world he'd be leaving behind. A world that had nothing left for him. A world that no longer had his beloved Powder.

Smokey made that last, final step into the inky blackness, and let his own weight carry him down. Down... Down to the hard stone below.

Chapter 35: Ret Con

Everything has a breaking point, and people are no exception. Even the most humble can only stand by and do nothing for so long before the only remaining option is for them to act.

Twilight was not in a good place right now. After Smokey had finished telling his story, she left without saying another word and got on the next train back to Ponyville.

Where had Clover found these ponies? And why had he felt the need to reincarnate them in this new form. Having heard everything Storm and Smokey had been through, it almost seemed cruel to do anything more than just let them rest. She wouldn't expect anyone to stay sane after what they had gone through. She certainly couldn't. Yet here they were, making the best they could out of life despite it all.

And unfortunately, Twilight wasn't done yet. There was still one more pony she had to find, and she had no idea where to find her. Whisper had directed her to Storm, and Storm had known where Smokey was, but the last one's location remained unknown. She just had to hope that Whisper might have some idea of where to look for her. Then she could finally finish this journey the little fairy had set her on. Maybe then, she'd finally understand the point of it all.

The train pulled in the station, and Twilight slowly made her way across town. When she got home, she was slightly surprised to find the library as quiet as it was. At the very least, she expected to find Spike reading comic books in the corner. He might still be doing that, but he may be doing it in some obscure corner of the archive. It did have its own collection of comic books, after all. One of the many things Clover had collected over the years. After their first visit to the archive, Twilight had to keep an eye on the young dragon to make sure he wasn't shirking his chores for another chance to look through the rare collection.

Speaking of the archive, the large door that guarded it hung suspiciously open. With how quiet the rest of the library was, it felt like she was being openly invited. With no apparent sign of the troublesome fairy, or anyone else for that matter, Twilight took a deep breath, steeled herself, and once again descended into the ancient depths beneath her home.

It didn't take long for Twilight to see that she wasn't the only one down here. As soon as she stepped out of the stairwell, she could see light coming from beyond the sea of shelves. She still hadn't even remotely explored this whole place. In fact, during the short time she had known of its existence, she only ever managed to make it a couple shelves in before she'd lose hours to whatever book or rare tome she stumbled across. However, she was currently on a mission. A mission that wouldn't allow her to sit and read peacefully before seeing it through.

Twilight was only a couple shelves away from the light when she started being able to make out voices. However, she was shocked when she immediately recognized one of the voices. It wasn't someone she was expecting to find here, but no resident of Ponyville would ever mistake this pony for anyone else.

"I'm telling you," said Pinkie Pie, sounding annoyed, yet still cheerful. "If it had to be anything else, it would be the Princess of Books. Twilight and books are like cake and icing. Both are good on their own, but only together do they make a delicious red velvet. Just you wait, one day she's gonna build a bigger library than this one."

"That would be impressive, but I still think the Princess of Merchandizing suits her better," said the voice that Twilight wasn't familiar with. "I still don't see any actual reason for her to be a princess, canonically speaking anyway, except to promote a new toy line for little fillies. Maybe she'll do something impressive someday, but I think it's far more likely she'll end up with some unsightly castle that looks completely out of place. Just you watch, it'll happen, and before the week has passed, those same fillies will have a new playset."

What were they talking about? They couldn't really be talking about her, could they? Pinkie mentioned her, but what was this talk about toy lines and playsets? Canonically? Twilight had grown accustomed to Pinkie's... Pinkieness from time to time, but whoever she was talking to seemed to not only be unfazed by it, but also seemed to be keeping up to the point she could even argue with the pink pony.

Twilight rounded the last corner to find the two ponies sitting by a fireplace with tea and a large plate of iced cookies between them. What was even stranger than that, though, was the full sized kitchen just beyond them. Why was there a kitchen in a library? The smell of sugar and warm bread filled the air, a sign that not only was there a kitchen, but it had also been recently used.

"How bout we make a bet, Pinkie?" Said the unicorn with a grey coat and red mane. She was slightly taller than the average pony, but it wasn't until Twilight saw her red eyes that she recognized her. Ret Con, the third and last of Clover's companions.

Pinkie's interest seemed to have peaked. "What kinda bet are we talking, sister?" She asked, seeming a bit suspicious.

"If she has a grand library dedicated to her first, instead of some ugly castle, you win, and I'll give you," Ret scratched her chin for a moment in thought, "Aunt Dairy's recipe for a soufflé that doesn't sink."

The gasp from Pinkie was more than audible. It was felt. "Ok then..." she said, seeming to think just as hard, "and if you're wrong, I'll give you... Granny Pie's recipe for bourbon rock candy. Usually, it loses its kick after cooking, but Granny Pie found a way around that. I usually only break it out for very special parties."

"Two seemingly impossible desserts up for grabs," Ret said with a smile. "I like this game."

Pinkie giggled along. "Yeah," said chirped happily. "This is fun!"

Twilight couldn't just listen quietly anymore. Her sanity might be called into question if she did. "What are you two talking about?!" She half shouted, breaking the tension.

Both mares turned their heads to her, smiles still plastered on their faces. "There she is," Ret proclaimed. "You were running so late, I thought you'd never show. Did you enjoy your trip to Canterlot?"

Twilight stumbled back in confusion. "How did you know I was in Canterlot?" She said.

"I got bored waiting, so I peeked in on you," drawled Ret as she crossed her legs. "Still... It seems you're a lot stronger than I gave you credit for. You made it all the way here and haven't broken. Yet." Ret looked at her with eyes that seemed to bore straight through her, like she was deciphering some greater truth. "And how have the rest of you enjoyed our miserable lives? I do hope you know that it's only going to get worse before it gets better?"

"I... Wait... What? Huh... What?" Twilight's eyes darted back and forth, even looking behind her to find someone who wasn't there. When she couldn't find one, she started to sweat profusely, the first sign of an upcoming meltdown currently in progress.

Pinkie began giggling. "Oh, Twilight," she chimed. "You're so silly."

Ret looked like she just might start laughing along with Pinkie, but never got further than a small smile. "Try not to think about it too hard, Twilight," she said instead. "I may have gotten a bit carried away after playing with Pinkie. It's rare I find anypony I can really relate to."

Pinkie bounced up from her seat, a worried look interrupting her otherwise perpetually cheerful demeanor. "Twilight," she said, far more seriously than she normally would, "I know it feels dark and lonely right now, but it'll get better. You'll see." She looked back to Ret, her smile seeming a little more forced than it had been before. "I had fun," she said. "Let's do this again sometime."

"Definitely," said Ret. "And don't worry about your friend. I'll try to be gentle." Ret had a worryingly sinister smile on her face, leaving Twilight to wonder what she was getting into.

"Okie dokie Retsie," Pinkie began prancing away, having found her spring again. "Until next time."

Ret continued to wave until Pinkie was finally lost in the sea of books. Once she was gone, however, she turned a lot more serious. "You've got courage, little filly," she said. "To investigate all this behind Clover's back. I can't imagine he'll be too happy when he finds out."

Twilight opened her mouth to defend herself, but the lighting in the archive picked that moment to change. Twilight looked around for what had just happened, but nothing seemed out of place. Just endless shelves as far as the eye could see. The only thing that looked different was...

"What happened to the kitchen?" Twilight asked. It was true. There had been a small kitchen there a short while ago, and now it was nowhere to be seen. The plate of cookies still sat on the ground near Ret, and Twilight could still smell how fresh they were, but...

"Why would there be a kitchen here?" Ret said, feigning ignorance. "This is a library. I can't imagine that would be very good for the books. Now stop changing the subject. Why are you doing all this? What is it you're after?"

"I..." Twilight paused for a moment, during which Ret got up from her seat and began moving closer to her. Why was she doing this again? She had told Whisper her reasons, but did she still feel the same after hearing more about the atrocities that Elysium committed. She still wasn't sure how all of this fit together since, by their own accounts, each of them had died at the end of their own stories, including Clover.

"It will make sense soon, Twilight," said Ret, almost seeming to read her thoughts. "How this all fits together. What we mean to each other. Just hold on a little bit longer."

That mystery aside, she wasn't blind to how much Clover was hurting. To carry the tremendous burden of the spell he had created for all these years without feeling like he could let anyone else share the load with him... Twilight wasn't sure she'd be able to do the same, and she didn't want to let carry it alone anymore.

"I want to be there for him," she said at last. "To let him know he has a friend he can count on when feels alone."

"Hmmm," Ret pondered as she finished circling the young alicorn. "Not quite the answer I was looking for, but it'll do. You're an interesting pony, Twilight Sparkle. We'll see if that'll be enough, won't we now."

There was something about the way this pony looked at her that left Twilight feeling uncomfortable. It wasn't exactly anything she said, but more like it was the way she carried herself, the way she seemed to understand far more than she let on, and the way she seemed to already have all the answers she needed, but chose to wait patiently for Twilight to figure them out for herself. Almost like how Princess Celestia would do to her.

"Very well," Ret said as she returned to her seat. "If Whisper believes you can be trusted, then I shall do the same. You've already missed your last chance to back out, so I hope you've prepared yourself."

"I'm ready," Twilight said, determination painting her words.

"We'll see," the red-maned unicorn said from behind a forced smile. "Indeed, we shall see..."

"Ret! Ret! I need you!" Panicked shouts came from the direction of the stairs, interrupting their conversation. Whoever it was that was calling for her, the enigmatic pony now sat there with her mouth closed and a puzzled expression. She lifted an eyebrow in curiosity, and for the first time since Twilight arrived, Ret looked genuinely confused.

They didn't have to wait long to see what the fuss was all about, because a moment later, a distressed unicorn mare galloped into view. She had a lightly golden coat and a brown mane that had been done up in large curls, but what stood out even more was the dress she was wearing.

It was more than just a simple dress. It looked like what appeared to be a formal gown, just like one someone would wear to the Gala. It was in a pretty forest green that matched the pony's eyes. With silver and gold accents that seemed to accentuate the mare's more prominent features as opposed to distract from them. From nose to tail, everything about her seemed to tell a tale of a well-groomed lady, even the large and silky wings that poked out from the sides of the dress appeared well cared for without a single golden feather out of place.

Wait... Wings? And a horn? Another alicorn?! When did that happen? And how did she know Ret? What bothered her even more wasn't that there was suddenly another alicorn in front of her, but that she had a sinking suspicion that she should recognize this one. Her colors looked familiar, but the only pony she knew with colors like that was...

"Clover?!" Ret shouted in surprise, completely shocked. "What in the world happened to you? I thought you said you were going to see Rarity about some formal wear, not," She waved to the whole of him, now her, "whatever this is."

"That was the plan," said the annoyed mare who apparently turned out to be Clover. "But how was I supposed to know she had something like this up her sleeve. "Where did she even find a gender swap potion strong enough to work on alicorns?"

"Wait..." Ret burst out. "That's why she wanted Smokey to make that potion?! I thought it was just so she could have some fun behind closed doors, but this..." Ret's smile hadn't once left her face. "Oh, this is so much better."

"It's not funny!" Clover shouted back. "You think I wanted to spend the afternoon trying on dresses as part of some elaborate prank?"

"As far as pranks go," Ret was trying really hard not to laugh, "that's a grade A trick she pulled on you. I can't believe you ran across town looking like that."

"Very funny," said a blushing Clover as she shuffled her wings through the dress, "now help me get this thing off before somepony else sees me, then you get back to talking to Pinkie about your..."

Clover trailed off as his eyes locked with Twilight. A range of expressions played out across her face starting with surprise, then concern, before finally settling on deep-seated suspicion. "What have you two been talking about?" The mare asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Ret casually dismissed. "Just girl talk."

"You don't do girl talk," Clover said pointedly. "I would know." She took another minute observing the two of them, during which Twilight could feel herself starting to sweat under the older alicorn's glare. There was no doubt in her mind that Clover knew, or at least strongly suspected, what she had been doing, and they weren't particularly happy about it.

However, unexpected help picked that moment to come to Twilight's rescue. Before anyone had a chance to say anything else, a tiny pink light flitted down from somewhere overhead. Musical laughter filled the archive at that point, to the point it may have even been coming from the books themselves.

"Oh my gosh, Clover!" Squealed Whisper. "You're so cute."

Clover's ears fell. Apparently having wanted to avoid such an interaction. Her eyes darted around, probably trying to find a place to escape, but it was already too late. Whisper had already landed firmly on the head of the blushing pony.

"This is a new side of you," she said teasingly. "I didn't know you secretly wanted to be a princess."

"I don't... I can't... That's not the point!" Shouted a flustered Clover. "I'm sort of busy, so can we not do this right now?"

"Not a chance," Whisper said cheerily. "I never get to see you embarrassed, and I'm going to enjoy every moment of it. So," she waggled her eyebrows and gave an evil smirk, "what did she make you wear under that?"

Clover had only been slightly red before, but this... this caused her embarrassment to evolve from a warm glow to a blazing inferno. The blush that had stayed primarily at her ears had raced down her back, and even now was creeping its way up her plumage. Before another heartbeat passed, Clover was already running back the way she had come, Whisper's laughter chasing after her until both had finally vanished from view.

Ret's attempt at holding back her own laughter finally failed. She fell from her seat and rolled onto her back. The sound coming from her, while still musical in nature, was a bit coarse. It was like it was a sound she wasn't used to making, but even so, she soon found herself clutching at her stomach.

Twilight would've been laughing along with her, but the look Clover had given her was still a little too fresh in her mind. It unsettled her, like she had gotten caught with her hoof in the cookie jar, and now she was stuck waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Ret's laughter finally subsided, and she pushed herself back up and resettled in her seat. "You have no idea how much I needed that," she said, the last traces of laughter still showing. "Clover's always so serious all the time. He needs moments like this, more than he'll ever admit. Now," she pondered after taking a deep breath, "where was I?"

Before Twilight had a chance to answer, Ret once again jumped right out of her seat. "Now I remember," she said as her face became far more serious. She took a deep breath and puffed out her chest, that was all it took for Ret to go from looking like she was about to die of laughter to a overwhelming presence that commanded respect, and spoke of authority.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Lady Rhodonite of the Written Word," she announced proudly. "Keeper of Order, Sorceress of Secrets, and the last legacy of Hecate the Mad, the greatest mage to ever live." She took one last breath before looking Twilight dead in the eye.

"I was also the Leader of Pandemonium, the city of possibility," she said, "and High Priestess of Discord, the God of Chaos."

Chapter 36: Priestess of Chaos

While the Elysium Empire continued its desperate bid for power there were many that sought escape from the oppression. Earth ponies and pegasi were chief among those those seeking freedom, but there were also members of the unicorn tribe willing to turn away from their ancestral home and seek a different way of life. Over time, many other species came to live alongside the ponies, even those who once had been their natural enemies.

Even before the world had gone mad, long before the pegasi started and lost their war with the unicorns, the reasons for which have been lost to time, there were still ponies who didn't fit in with their respective tribes. These outliers, these outcasts, their numbers now bolstered by that of the refugees, gradually shifted from living in scattered tents and caves. They soon became a town, and shortly thereafter, a city. Eventually, this new city, a pillar of change in an increasingly hostile world, was the last thing that stood between Elysium and complete domination.

That city was Pandemonium.

It was a busy day in the marketplace. Shopkeepers hocked their wares to the flowing crowd of creatures, ponies traded in various foods and crafts, a griffon butcher sold cuts to the more carnivorous denizens, and they even had the odd diamond dog as he showcased his rare gems. In short, it was a fairly normal day for the city market.

The only thing that made it a little less palpable was the tension in the air that day. Its source was obvious to anyone with eyes, and they all gave the four unicorns as wide a berth as the market would allow. Now, while it wasn't completely uncommon to see unicorns wandering the city, or any other ponies for that matter, what set them apart, as well as drawing ire from a number of citizens, was what most of them were wearing. Pure white togas, the formal attire of the unicorns of Elysium.

"Repulsive," said the yellow mare in the group. "The way these creatures mill about, not caring who or what they rub shoulders with, you wouldn't catch any self-respecting unicorn anywhere near this place."

A few local unicorns scowled in their direction, most likely because of the casual insult thrown their way. It was obviously intended for them, seeing as the speaker hadn't made any effort to keep their voice down.

Councilor Sirius, the only one among them not dressed in Elysian livery, looked uneasily at the crowd. His ashen white coated and black mane was recognizable to many of the city denizens, and any who didn't would at least recognize the deep red cloak that was the symbol of his station. His presence was probably the only reason why they hadn't been accosted, if not straight out attacked. So many creatures, not just ponies, had been hurt by Elysium's iron rule. Their reputation was so bad that Sirius had no doubt what would happen if something were to whip the crowd into a frenzy.

"Lemon," said the red hulk of a stallion walking next to her, "guard your words more carefully. "We're not exactly in friendly territory." His face remained so unmoving, it may as well have been carved from granite. If he felt any of the same bitterness as his companion, he didn't show it.

"Pff, whatever," Lemon scoffed. "I'm only came to assess the city's economic value, and nothing I've seen so far seems worth my time. I'm starting to wish I just stayed home."

"You know what? You're right," said the lime green mare walking in front of them. "If all you're going to do is complain, then you should've just stayed home."

Lemon looked a bit flush at the admonition, but otherwise refrained from commenting further.

"That's what I thought," she said before turning her attention back to Sirius. "I do apologize for my colleague's bad attitude. She doesn't get out much."

"That's quite all right, Ambassador Mint," said Councilor Sirius, feeling relieved for the first time since the city gates. "Some tension is to be expected if any sort of alliance is to be formed. It goes without saying that many of our citizens don't share in Elysium's world view, so I would advise against voicing your opinion too loudly. Especially regarding unicorns."

"Forgive me if I speak out of turn," said Ambassador Mint, "but doesn't a unicorn also control this city. It hardly seems ill-advised to avoid speaking of the contributions we unicorns have made to the world when one of our own has accomplished so much, even without the support of the Capitol."

"I severely doubt our lady will see it that way," said Sirius. "She seeks value in more than just social hierarchy and sees the world far differently than you or I, as you will soon find out."

"When will we meet her, anyway?" Asked Mint as she scanned the market. "I don't see anypony else from your council, nor do I see any impressive structures of any kind. Certainly not any that befits such a great leader."

"Her home is elsewhere," answered Sirius. "When she heard you were coming, she insisted on meeting you by the founder's memorial. We'll be there in but a moment. I can see the statue now."

The statue in question was just ahead of them. To call it unusual wouldn't be completely inaccurate, but that was primarily because it was something that wouldn't be easily understood by outsiders. It depicted a strange creature made up of many different parts, each part more different than the last, and it seemed to be wearing a crooked smile as it looked out into the crowd. It dug into the earth with a lion's paw while at the same time raking the opposing limb, an eagle's talon, through the clouds. Both land and sky looked like they were swirling around the statue despite its docile state. The eyes of this beast, this creature, this unnatural thing, whatever it was, almost seem alive as it looked down at the ground before it. Standing there was a unicorn, standing almost as still as the statue itself.

"I stand on the edge of oblivion as I turn my back on a stagnant world," a voice emanated from the statue of the unicorn. The voice, while clearly female, had a firmness to it that demanded that all who hear, stop, and listen. "And as I gaze into the void, I see the truth."

The figure slowly began to turn. The light of the noonday sun catching and displaying her features, revealing not a statue, but a unicorn mare tall and proud and without a stitch of clothing to cover her body. Her coat may have been grey, but the way the light shone on it made it appear a rich silver. Her mane was vibrant red, but that same light almost made it seem ablaze with life as she turned her crimson eyes on the newcomers.

"Change is life," she said, "and without change, only death and darkness await." She took a few steps away from the horrific figure, the otherworldly light slowly falling away from her until she took on a more normal appearance. "These are the words spoken by our founder, Hecate the Wise, when she first communed with the chaos of this world."

The world around them had fallen silent as she spoke. The hustle and bustle of the marketplace had muted itself, the laughter of children had fallen mute, and even the birds roosting from nearby rooftops were holding their tongues.

She took one more step forward, and it was only then that the last of the light left her. Without it, she didn't look any different from any other unicorn you might see on the streets. She didn't even seem to mind the embarrassed looks a few of the Elysians were giving her due to her state of undress. Even when a hulking minotaur stepped out from beside the statue to drape a deep velvet robe over her, she didn't once tear her gaze from the ones in front of her.

"So, Sirius," she said, her voice taking on a cold tone. "They are the ones who would claim rule over the entire world? I expected something more."

"My lady," Sirius bowed deeply, as one should to those in authority. "These are indeed them." He lifted his head and once again turned to face the delegates. "Allow me to introduce Lady Rhodonite," he said. "Mistress of Secrets and Keeper of Law."

The shocked looks on the delegates' faces had them staring for only a short moment longer, before each of them remembered their manners and made a short bow in respect.

The green mare was the first to raise her head, a smile on her face. "Lady Rhodonite," she said, "it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ambassador Mint of the Elysium Empire. I hope you will forgive our momentary lapse in manners. We had, of course, heard of how awe-inspiring it is to be in your presence, but no one mentioned for a moment your youth or your beauty."

This earned a small smile from Rhodonite that softened her expression ever so slightly. "Well, if nothing else, at least you're polite." She took another moment to study each of them, drawing her own conclusions as she did. "You're all quite young yourselves," she said. "It was my understanding that it was Elysium's custom to put older unicorns in charge of their affairs. Why then did they send you three?"

"The affairs of the state are far greater than what can be reasonably managed by a few elders," said Mint. "In their wisdom they chose to send us in their stead, so we might negotiate an alliance."

"An alliance, huh?" Pondered Rhodonite, albeit sarcastically. "I see that being very unlikely."

"I wouldn't expect you to agree right away," said Mint. "Yours is a unique culture we couldn't even begin to imagine. There is so much we might learn from one another. For example, what is it that statue depicts? I find I am at a loss for what sort of creature it is. I can't say I've ever seen its like before."

Lady Rhodonite smirked at her words. "I would've been surprised indeed had indeed ever seen one," she said as she turned to look back to where she was standing only moments before. "There are some who would call it a draconequus. However, my followers and I believe it to be a depiction of the god of chaos."

Both Lemon and Cinnamon exchanged a worried look at this proclamation. However, to her credit, Ambassador Mint seemed unperturbed. "And this god of chaos, as you call it, was first witnessed by Hecate?" She asked. "We have a similar pony described in our history. Although she isn't regarded with near as much reverence."

"You speak of Hecate the Mad," observed Rhodonite. "I've heard a few of the stories regarding her contributions, and while it's very likely that it is the same pony, we lack any concrete evidence to support it."

"Perhaps," said Mint. "I would certainly enjoy exploring it in further detail if you are willing."

"I might enjoy that," said the ruler of the city before sighing deeply. "Unfortunately, my duties don't often grant me the freedom I would otherwise enjoy. I feel such a discussion would occupy many moons before either of us would be satisfied with an answer."

"An alliance between our nations would grant you the time you desire," offered the ambassador. "Think of all you could gain with our resources at your disposal."

"And think of all we might lose by allowing Elysian influence into our city," she retorted. "I'm not blind to the plights of the rest of pony kind. The enslavement of the pegasi, the unfair taxation of the earth ponies, and that's not even counting what has been done to the non-pony races of the world."

"I will grant you," admitted Mint, "that there may have been a few bumps on the road to true peace, but everything we've done, we've done for the greater good. Griffons no longer raid our borders, diamond dogs and minotaurs no longer destroy farmland as they hunt for gems or compete for strength, and even the dragons think twice about crossing us. All is as it should be."

"Hrmph," Rhodonite stuck her nose out in annoyance. "With everything you've accomplished, why even bother discussing an alliance at all? It's clear you don't need us. What is it we have that you want so badly? It certainly can't be economic value. Your associate has already made it quite clear what she thinks of our market."

"When did you..." Lemon recoiled in shock. "How did you..."

"You'll find very little escapes my notice, little Lemon," she said as she began to circle the three of them, her eyes boring into each of them. "Both in the immediate past and..." she stopped in front of the stallion and took her measure of him before scoffing again. "Who do you think you're fooling?" She said tersely. "There's no way somepony as young and as stiff as you is anything but a soldier."

Cinnamon stiffened even further at Rhodonite's assessment. However, he continued to hold his tongue as he had up to this point.

"Your silence gives you away," she said, confirming her own opinion. "Just like someone receiving a dressing down from a superior officer. Tell me, why is it you're really here?"

"Lady Rhodonite!" Called out Councilor Sirius in a panic, stark concern painted on his face.

"You wanted to allow Elysian diplomats into the city, Sirius," she stated without even sparing a glance in his direction, "and I told you I would give a fair evaluation of them and their intentions before allowing them to go any further." She narrowed her eyes at all three of them. "That's exactly what I'm doing," she said before leveling a hoof at the first mare. "You seem to be only interested in profits. While that does not condemn you on its own, you'll find nothing but a deaf ear turned even deafer if you fail to show any empathy. And you..." She said, turning her attention back to the stallion. "You're only here for when negotiations inevitably fail. Your superiors want an assessment of the city's defenses for when they attempt to take it by force." She drew a bit closer to the supposed soldier, a savage grin on her face. "Well I'll give them something to chew on since it means so much to you," she said with no small amount of venom in her voice. "There is not a single member of this city that hasn't lost something important to them, and most of it to the nation you serve. This is the only home they have left and you can be damn well be sure that every stallion, mare, bull, hawk, and bitch will fight to keep it."

The entire plaza was silent, save for a few children who whimpered as they held close to their mothers or respective guardians. A few of the more hardened faces already had their natural weapons at the ready, be it horn, claw, or fang. Even the ponies, regardless of tribe, scuffed at the dirt in unison. It didn't matter how powerful these three Elysians may be. They couldn't hope to stand against so many.

If Lady Rhodonite noticed their naked hostility, she didn't show it. She only had eyes for the unicorns in front of her. "And then there's you," she said, finally turning her attention back to Ambassador Mint. "If nothing else, at least you've been honest with what you have to say, and yet..." She continued to glare down her nose at her, an intimidating sight considering she stood a good head taller than the average pony. "There's something about you I don't quite trust. What is it you're hiding? What is it you're after? And why are we even having this conversation?"

"What I want..." Mint's voice caught in her throat for the barest of moments. "What I want is an end to the violence, an end to the bloodshed. We don't have to be enemies," she said, a small tear starting to form at the corner of her eye. "I meant what I said," she said as she extended a hoof. "We could be friends. There is so much we might do, so much we could accomplish. Just open your doors and stand aside."

The leader of the city breathed a deep, throaty breath. She closed her eyes for the briefest of moments, and her piercing gaze hadn't diminished in the slightest when they reopened. "And if I did," she said, almost seeming to consider it for a moment, "what would become of the residents of my city?"

The ambassador brightened for a moment, but still hesitated before responding. "I would do everything in my power to make sure everyone was treated fairly. However..."

"However...?" Rhodonite repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"However," Mint continued, "a number of criminals have taken refuge in this city. Some of them with crimes as numerous as the stars in the sky. We would have to mete out justice according to Elysium law. Surely such a thing would not be considered..."

A burst of laughter broke free from Rhodonite's throat. It was loud and boisterous, and even though such a thing would normally be contagious, no one else was laughing. Everyone just watched on as the mad pony filled the plaza with her laughter, worry masking their faces, but not near as much as it did the delegates.

"No," she said, cutting off her own mirth as quickly as it had started. She turned her back on the three and started walking away at a brisk pace. As far as she was concerned, the conversation was finished, and nothing else needed to be said, much less discussed.

It took Mint a moment for her to realize she had just been unceremoniously dismissed, and quickly followed after her in a panic. "Wait a minute!" She called after her. "What do you mean, no?" Surely you realize you can't hold out against the Elysium army forever. Please, be reasonable," she said. However, it turned out to be the wrong thing to say.

Lady Rhodonite's ears perked up, and she whipped her head around, a look of fury in her eyes. "Reason?" She growled. "Reason?!" She shouted. "Reason?!!" She roared. She stomped back the way she came, forcing the unfortunate mare to pedal backwards, lest she find herself trampled. "You would condemn those only trying to survive and call it justice?! You dare speak of madness and call it reason?!!"

"I... I..." Mint tried to speak, but she found herself barely able to do more than stutter out a few syllables with the furious mare in front of her.

"No," the mare cut her off firmly, sparing her the embarrassment, albeit at a greater cost. "You will not dare to speak of such heresy. Not in this city and certainly not in my presence."

"Chaos and order have their place!" Thundered the crowd. The deafening silence was made even more profound by the noise that suddenly filled it.

"All I see in front of me," she continued unabated, "is madness in its purest form."

"Order without freedom is naught but madness!" The crowd echoed again.

"The world continues to stagnate," she said. "If this continues, nothing but despair will remain."

"Without change, only death remains!" The crowd answered.

The statue of Discord seemed to take on a pale light as they spoke, as did the mare leading the crowd. The ambassador had seemed fairly calm and collected until now, but upon seeing that light, fear now reflected in her eyes. Fear and the complete inability to speak.

A loud crack resounded through the plaza, bringing all other sound to a stop. Everyone followed the sound to its source, the source being the paving stones that Lady Rhodonite had just shattered underhoof.

"You should not be mine to judge," she said coldly, "but in the absence of one who will, that duty falls to me. The burden Elysium places on the world can be considered nothing less than pure evil."

"But..." Mint cowered on the ground, her legs refusing to hold her weight.

Lady Rhodonite leaned down and looked her right in the eye, getting a mere inch from her face. "You are not worthy of the wisdom of Discord, the words of chaos, yet we have given them to you all the same. Take them," she said. "Return to your masters, and get the hell out of my city."

Chapter 38: Last Rites

"Lady Rhodonite! Lady Rhodonite!" The muffled and confused shouts barely grazing her consciousness as she lay there with nothing but the cold ground for company.

"Ret! Ret!" The voice of her childhood friend, Sirius, pierced deeper than the voices of strangers ever could. It only took a moment of hearing his concern and panic before she found herself clawing her way back to the waking world.

She took in a sharp breath, her body in agony as her starved lungs took in the first gulp of air they had in far too long. A coughing fit followed as she attempted to sit up, her movements being inhibited by a strong taloned claw.

"Please lay still, Lady Rhodonite," said the gruff griffon with a long scar running down the side of his face. "Councilor Sirius hasn't finished yet."

Upon hearing his name, she calmed herself for a moment as her eyes creeped open. A white glow filled her vision, a glow she instantly recognized as belonging to Sirius.

"What happened?" Rhodonite groaned, her strength slowly recovering as the healing magic did its work. She knew that Sirius wasn't the most adept at this form of spellcraft. Whatever happened, it must've been bad enough that there wasn't time to find a proper physician.

Another moment passed before Sirius let up on his spell, the effort seeming to have taken its toll on him. "You were stabbed," he said, catching his breath. "With an anti-magic dagger."

An anti-magic dagger?! Black Crystal? The kind rumored to be used by Elysian assassins? Her memories were still fuzzy, but she sort of remembered having trouble with her magic before blacking out. But if that was the case, how would Sirius have removed it?

Her eyes drifted back to the griffin that had held her down, the bloody dagger still clenched in his other claw. She recognized this bird. He was the old war vet that ran a butcher's shop nearby. Sirius must've gotten him to remove the weapon. That was smart, she thought to herself. His quick thinking probably saved her life.

"Who..." Her voice still felt a bit raw, understandable, given the circumstance. "Who was it?" She really hoped the memory sticking out in her mind wasn't the truth.

Both her rescuers averted their eyes, confirming her fears. If it was simply to spare her feelings, she wished they hadn't bothered. She had a duty to perform, and her feelings had to come second to that.

That didn't make it any less painful when she spotted the young pegasus colt bound and gagged. Even though he fought against his restraints for all he was worth, the blank look in his eyes told a very painful story.

Lady Rhodonite pushed herself up to a standing position, a task that was far from the easiest thing at the moment. No one tried to stop her, instead choosing to help support her as she hobbled her way over to the fallen youth.

She wanted to be wrong, she really did, but as she stood over the child and felt the traces of foreign magic that had invaded his system, all she wanted to do was weep.

She pulled the colt, Jet, into her grasp, ignoring his protests. Protests, she knew, that weren't of his own doing. He had been bewitched, ensorcelled by the most foul of magics ever to come out of the unicorn capital. Reformation they called it, that was a laugh, for it was little more than brainwashing. No matter how hard she had tried to crack the code on what held the spell together, not even she had been able to safely remove it once it had taken hold.

That didn't mean she hadn't learned anything in the course of studying it. Namely, she had gained the tools necessary to make sure that no one who employed such vile magic would escape her judgement.

A red glow wrapped around her horn, and she used it to feel the unfortunate soul in her grasp. She had only grazed the surface, but that was all she needed to get a feel for exactly whose magic had been used to imprison Jet in his own head.

Now that she had that much, Rhodonite pushed her magic into the void, a space just barely outside reality. A world that only vaguely mirrored this one, but a world where magic could be grasped far more fully.

"Discord, give me strength," she said, muttering a quiet prayer before fulling immersing herself into the void.

Even if she hadn't just been on death's door, doing what she did now took a considerable amount of willpower. The void was not a place for sane ponies to tread. Just a single visit tended to change your views on reality, and she had been here a number of times before. It was just far too useful to be able to clearly see and feel the lives, and more importantly, the magic of everyone around her. Especially when she needed to track someone down quickly, and at a great distance.

Fortunately, her quarry hadn't made it very far. Maybe if they had galloped away at full speed, immediately after their foul act, they might have had a chance, but now that she had found them, there was to be no escape.

Like a hawk snatches a mouse, she quickly snared her prey with her magic. Much like the mouse, it instinctively struggled against the sudden, piercing grip, even without knowing what it was that had caught it. Small prey seldom escaped a larger predator, and that was true in this case as well. All the thrashing in the world would do nothing to stop Lady Rhodonite from pulling her target through the void and straight to her side, where she eagerly awaited them.

A loud and rough pop sounded about a dozen paces from her. The pained and labored breathing that followed was a clear sign that the sudden journey had not been easy on whoever she had grabbed. When Lady Rhodonite opened her eyes again, it wasn't quite who she expected to see, even if she should've expected such a treachery.

Ambassador Mint braced the ground, her coat and toga both singed from her expected struggle against the alien force. Her eyes had narrowed into pinpricks, a clear sign of either terror, anger, or perhaps both. Errant sparks flicked off her horn, a sign she had been unsettled enough that she wouldn't be able to cast spells anytime soon.

"What... What did you do to me?!" She demanded once she saw who was in front of her. "How did you do that?!"

However, Rhodonite wasn't in the mood for answering questions. "Restrain her," she said in a calm yet authoritative voice.

All at once, a collection of hooves, claws, and paws reached for Mint, throwing the ambassador into a fresh panic. That was the thing about a city like Pandemonium. It didn't have a policing force or standing army like other nations typically would. Instead, it was filled with so many creatures who had lost so much they cared about. Creatures like that were more often than not willing to fight to hold onto what they still had left and flock to those that would aid them in that goal, especially if they were powerful. So when the one in charge gave an order, it wasn't a sign for them to get out of the way and let the guards do their job, instead it was a signal to strike, and there were plenty available to do so after being drawn in by the commotion.

Ambassador Mint hit the ground like a sack of bricks, shocked that she had been apprehended so quickly. Although not nearly as shocked when she finally realized her magic wasn't cooperating.

"I'll be the one asking the questions," Lady Rhodonite said as she stood, doing her best to hold the young pegasus still against her chest. "But first, you will show me how to release this child from your magic. Do so, and you may yet live to see another sunrise."

Mint did a double take, and her eyes seemed to come back into focus as if seeing the two of them for the first time. There was little doubt she missed the blood-soaked fur that marred Rhodonite's gray coat, but if it actually surprised her, her face was doing a poor job hiding it.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said quickly, a very poor liar indeed. "I was halfway back to camp when I suddenly found myself back here."

The previously injured unicorn stomped one of her hooves. Not hard, but it was enough of a signal that the griffin with a firm grip on Mint's back slammed her into the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of her.

The Elysian choked and coughed at the sudden abuse. She didn't say anything more, neither to condemn nor defend herself, mostly cause the griffin was still pushing down on her.

"Let her breathe, Clawthorn," she said, at which he begrudgingly lifted his claw. Half a dozen red spots now marred Mint's back, showing where his razor tips had broken the skin. He wouldn't be the first Ret had seen with a grudge against Elysium, and she sincerely doubted it would be the last.

"If you openly refuse to admit your crime," she said, turning her attention back to the bewitched child, "then I will just have to have your victim testify on your behalf."

"What are you..." Mint started, only to have a diamond dog shut her up with a punch to the jaw. They showed a bit more restraint than the griffin and left it at that while their leader went about her task.

Rhodonite really didn't want to do this. Every other time she had, it had been with a full-grown pegasus. It would hurt, and even though she knew it would, they always thanked her for it.

But this was a child, a youth, someone who had barely started living life. The whole situation just felt so very wrong to her. How had the world managed to fall to this point? She may never know the whole truth.

"Please forgive me, Jet," she said as she leaned down to the squirming colt and once again began channeling her magic into the terrible spell.

Same as she had before, she pushed her magic into Jet's body, just barely grazing the threads that held the spell together. But unlike before, this time she pushed a bit deeper, as deep as she dared without accidentally snuffing out his life.

That wasn't to say that what she did didn't cause great pain, but unfortunately such pain was unavoidable as she wrapped her magic around the thicker cords of the spell, freezing them in place. It was a tedious task, one that brought her no joy. She would've gone deeper, would have tried to take the spell completely apart from the inside, but between the safeguards that had been put in place and not knowing enough about how the magic had been developed, this was the most she could do.

Still, it had the desired effect, and Jet's eyes started to come back into focus. It would only last as long as she held onto the threads, so unfortunately, it was a very temporary solution. It wasn't until Jet opened his mouth and began to scream that she knew her work was done.

And scream he did. Not once had any pony she'd subjected to this magic not screamed their lungs out as soon as they were able to, not even seasoned war vets were able to hold their tongues after such a forced silence. She could only imagine the horror of being trapped in your own mind, your body no longer your own as you were forced to bend to the whims of your captor without even the chance to refuse.

Eventually, his screams died down and made way for tears. Jet clutched onto her leg as he sobbed. "I'm... I'm so sorry, Lady Rhodonite," he wailed. "I didn't want to hurt you, but..."

"Shhhh..." She hushed him as she held him close and slowly stroked his mane. "It wasn't your fault. Now tell me what happened."

Jet peeked just over her shoulder, the fear in his eyes and his quivering lip when he looked at the restrained ambassador, making it clear who had hurt him. "I... I wanted to get a closer look," he said. "She saw me... And she... she..."

"Was it before or after she entered the city?" She asked, already drawing a conclusion.

"Before," Jet whimpered.

Lady Rhodonite brought her eyes back up to meet Mint's, venom rich in her words. "Was there any real point to our meeting?" She asked her. "Or was this your plan all along?"

"How did you do that?" Mint's eyes were wide with shock, had been ever since Jet started talking. "Nopony's ever been able to stop a reformation before."

Rhodonite made a tsking sound with her tongue, at which a loud pop followed by a blood piercing scream could be heard come from the despondent unicorn. The result being a lime green pony clutching at a shoulder while gasping for air.

"I need her able to talk, Max," Rhodonite said to the diamond dog who had just laid his paws on Mint. "Please put her shoulder back in its socket."

Max grumbled, but did as he was told. Another pop later and Mint laid on the ground, still gasping for air, although it was a lot more controlled than it had been a moment ago.

"I'm not going to ask again," she said with an icy lilt to her voice. "Remove the spell you placed on Jet or face the consequences."

"I..." Mint stammered, fear clear in her eyes. "I... can't..." She conceded. "Nopony can."

Lady Rhodonite could feel her rage bubbling up in her chest. How dare this creature come into her city and hurt one of her own! She wanted to tear her limb from limb, crush the life out of her, and make her beg for oblivion. A thousand deaths wouldn't be enough to sate her rage.

"Lady Rhodonite," Jet cried into her chest, pulling her from her violent fantasies. "Please... I don't want to live like this. I don't want to hurt anyone else I care about."

Oh, gods. Please, no...

She tried her best to steel her heart. Every pegasus she granted a small taste of the freedom stolen from them had asked this, but she never would've imagined she'd hear it from someone so young. "Are you sure?" She asked. "Do you know what it is you're asking?"

"I don't want to be forced to live like my parents did," he said, tears still flowing from his eyes. "I couldn't... Please... Give me my Last Rites."

Lady Rhodonite couldn't possibly hate her job more than she did right now. The Last Rites were a custom the pegasi had adopted ever since the start of the war. However, it wasn't until she came around that it had taken on a whole new meaning for the afflicted. While she was glad she could be there for those poor unfortunate souls, not even in her worst nightmares did she ever think she'd have to hear a child ask for them. It made her heart break all over again.

Still, she wouldn't deny him those rights. So despite how much it pained her, she still reached into her robe and slid free the dagger she kept hidden there. She had performed this custom so many times that her body moved automatically as she offered it to him.

Jet reached for the dagger, his tiny legs quivering as he accepted it from her. "Better to die free, than live as a slave," he said, reciting the words she had heard so many times before. Fear clearly reflected in his eyes as he beheld the weapon, his pulse and breath quickening as he positioned it over his chest.

That was as far as he made it before freezing up. Rhodonite had no doubt that he believed he was doing the right thing, and she still wished she had a better solution for him. All she could do now was to offer up some of her own courage where Jet's had faltered.

"Would you like some help," she whispered to him tenderly, like a mother would to her child.

Jet tore his gaze away from the knife and looked up at her with pleading eyes. "Please, Lady Rhodonite," he begged. "I'm afraid."

"I know, Jet. I know," she said as she placed her hoof over his and swiftly plunged the dagger into his chest.

A soft squelch and a soft gasp were the only sounds to come from the small body. Even as blood poured out from the lethal wound, drenching the coats of both ponies, Jet didn't cry out.

Instead, he just looked up at her and mouthed a small "thank you" before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell limp.

Tears flowed freely from Rhodonite's eyes as she felt the strain on her magic lessen, before ceasing altogether. Jet was gone, and there was no point in taxing her magic any longer. She gently laid him down on the ground, like she was doing little more than tucking him into bed, but that was as far as that delusion would go.

She carefully shut his eyelids and was reaching for the dagger to remove it when a disturbance tore her attention away from this somber moment.

Shouts and the sound of a struggle was the first thing she noticed. The second was the flash of a spell and the hate-filled gleam in the eyes of the unicorn who cast it.

"It's seems our little assassin has found herself again," she said coldly as she turned her attention to the blast of magic heading her way.

As vile as it may have been, it had been wise to send a child to kill her. It was a method she never would've expected, and a knife in the dark is far harder to defend against than one brandished in broad daylight. But even mired as she was in her grief, it would not stop her from striking back at a frontal assault.

Lady Rhodonite whipped her magic through the air, as casually as one would swat a fly, and met Mint's attack head on. It didn't stop there, though, for the measure of their abilities were leagues apart. Her magic cut through Mint's like it wasn't even there, the first spell scattering into particles like it was little more than dust on the wind.

It carried onward, striking her opponent with such force that the impact must have been heard, if not felt, from several streets over. And if by chance anyone in the area has missed it, no one could possibly miss the bloodcurdling scream that followed.

Lady Rhodonite spared a brief moment to remove the weapon that had ended Jet's life and clean it off on her foreleg. It was part of the pegasi' custom that she would not neglect. It wasn't until that unfortunate task had been completed that she turned her full attention back to the wailing mare.

Ambassador Mint thrashed about on the ground, fresh spatterings of blood following her movements. It would've been a mercy to just kill her on the spot, but Lady Rhodonite hadn't attained her position by being soft.

She marched over and brought her hoof down on Mint's neck, pinning her to the ground like a cat would a mouse. She didn't balk at the gash across her face or the shattered horn upon her head. It was her punishment for striking out against her before the tears had yet to dry.

"Take her to the square," she ordered without a trace of sympathy. She no longer saw her as just another unicorn. All that remained in front of her was a criminal that needed to be punished.

Chapter 39: Justice

Lady Rhodonite, Keeper of Order, Sorceress of Secrets, Madam of Crimson, and all the other names and titles that had been granted to her by ponies, griffons, minotaurs, and so many others. None of that seemed to matter at the moment, for all she was at that moment was just a tired and hurt unicorn. She had failed in her duties to protect one of her own, and even though the guilty party was quickly apprehended, the dead would never return.

"Ret," Councilor Sirius said, using the name that was far more familiar to her than all her titles. She knew he only used it in an attempt to comfort her, but in truth, he probably needed the reassurance more than anyone else. Ever since the incident, the ghostly look hadn't once left his face, and even if she told him otherwise, he'd probably keep blaming himself. "Are you sure about this?" He said. "The Elysians won't look kindly on this."

An annoyed grumble echoed from Ret's throat as she took a slow and frustrated breath. "They should've thought twice before making an attempt on my life," she said. "While I might've dismissed it had she come after me herself from the start, using Jet the way she did is something that cannot be forgiven."

Their eyes drifted down the narrow street, where the procession had already started. A unicorn was being led down the road, guided by the heavy chain tied to the thick manacle around her neck. She didn't fight her captors. In fact, she showed little to no sign of life aside from walking onward in silence. Not even when the bystanders made their disgust known did she show any reaction. Dogs and griffins threw rotten fruits and vegetables, llamas and goats spit at her passing, but through it all the minty green pony didn't show even the slightest sign that she cared.

As for the other ponies watching the procession, while many of them looked ready to jump the line and expedite their own version of justice, they only resorted to hurling insults. Even those among them who had never uttered more than a foul word in their entire life had their two bits to say. But among all of them, none were near as outspoken as the pegasi, and rightly so.

"This will mean war," Sirius reminded her. He hadn't once let her forget that fact for last few hours.

"We're already at war," Ret said yet again. She knew what the histories said had happened. How the pegasi had subverted a peace conference and killed one of Elysium's greatest leaders, but she had her doubts. However, none of that really mattered. All that really mattered was what happened here and now.

"Even if I do nothing," Ret continued, sparing a brief glance for the condemned pony, "even if I let her go, there will be no saving her. The denizens of Pandemonium wouldn't stand for it. Even a jail cell wouldn't be enough to keep her safe. It's far better we do this now, while there is still something we might gain from it."

Ret left him standing there with those words. She had a job to do, and everyone needed their Lady Rhodonite to see them through it. "Lord Discord, give me strength," she uttered a silent prayer. She'd been doing that a lot more than usual lately. "And forgive me," she said. "Your servant must once again invoke order to keep something far worse from taking its place." As per usual, her deity never deigned to answer her prayers, but she still felt all the better for having given them.

Lady Rhodonite took a deep breath, steeled the rest of her nerve, and strode into the square. She was still burdened by her grief and her injury, but she couldn't allow others to see her falter. They needed to see the strong and resolute mare they all believed her to be, else the foundations of their fragile lives crumble around them.

The reverence they held for her made itself all too apparent as she approached. The first to see her coming was a griffin, well known for their keen eyesight. Following that was one of the minotaur, their large stature letting them see well over the heads of others. After those two, it came down to pegasi, diamond dogs, various types of goats, llamas, earth ponies, and lastly, the few unicorns who had chosen to turn their backs on their ancestral home. All of them, without exception, parted like the turning of the tide as she approached. She didn't once raise her voice. She didn't once ask them to let her through. She didn't have to. The countless days and sleepless nights she had sacrificed had earned her a place in each and every one of their hearts. Many of them would even die for her, for she had given them something that many of them valued far more than their own lives, something that was in very short supply these days. A sense of hope and purpose.

She continued onward, making her way to the raised stage that now lay clear before her. She didn't hurry, no, she wanted to make sure they all saw her and the state she was in. She wanted them to see the blood that marred her gray coat, that spread out over her chest and onto her robe, to know how close to death she had come, and that she wouldn't let it stop her from standing before them. Many of them gasped in disbelief at her state, while others whispered to their neighbors about how she must truly be immortal, she'd need to stamp that rumor out again, hopefully for good this time.

Others were far more focused on the crimson band she had painted around her left foreleg. It was fresh, it was sticky, and it still smelled like death. Most of the creatures in the city knew what it was for, what it symbolized, and those who didn't were at least wise enough to keep from asking. Fathers bowed, and mothers wept, but the only group that showed complete unity in their response to the mark were the pegasi. Each and every one of them, regardless of age or gender, stood proud and saluted. There were still those among them that had tears in their eyes or otherwise looked like they might collapse from the overwhelming emotion, but even with that sorrow weighing them down, not a single one failed to acknowledge her as she did her best to uphold their customs and traditions.

The only one whose reaction to her presence had been different was that of the minty unicorn. Her face may have been scarred beyond recognition, and her will may have been shattered along with her horn, but a spark of life returned to those eyes when she saw her. Those eyes, eyes that had once gleamed with curiosity and intrigue, now they were filled with nothing but hatred.

She lunged at Ret with everything she was worth. Whether her intention was to gouge her with her jagged mess of a horn, or bite at her throat with teeth that had never been intended for that purpose, neither revenge would be exacted that day, or ever for that matter. The chain, having already been fastened to the stage, snapped taut just before she would've reached her target. That didn't stop her from continuing to try, though.

Through it all, Lady Rhodonite didn't once flinch or show concern that she was in any danger. Instead choosing to quietly study her from behind a furrowed brow. "So," she said, breaching the silence that had fallen over the plaza the moment she took the stage, "this is what you've been reduced to. A snarling, shackled beast."

"You're the beast!" The once Ambassador Mint roared as she pulled against her restraints. Any dignity she may once had being laid as bare as the rest of her body. Her once elegant toga was now shredded and barely held onto her form. The only reason she had been allowed to keep it was so that everyone knew who she represented. "When my mother finds out what you've done, she'll..."

Thwack! Ret's hoof backhanded Mint across the face so hard that she was sent sprawling to the ground. She didn't breathe for half a moment, and when she finally did, it was in a bloody cough along with a discarded tooth.

"I did not give you permission to speak," Ret said coldly. "Nor do you have any rights at all for that matter, except for that which justice allows you."

Not once during the exchange had anyone spoken out, either for or against, what was transpiring. This wasn't the first time they had seen their Lady Rhodonite mete out justice on the plaza, even if this was a particularly special case. They just sat there and watched on as she carried out all the pain and suffering in their stead. If nothing else, she was a mare of the people.

"You lawless pigs!" Mint spat out, her rekindled spirit not yet re-extinguished. "What would you know about justice?! You're just a collection of criminals and outcasts. What would you know about...AHHH!!!"

The tip of Ret's hoof had come down on her back leg, breaking it and bending it in a way it was never meant to bend. Through it all, she didn't once show any hint of sympathy. This was far from the first time she had hurt another pony, and much of what she did was intended to sate the bloodlust of the people. Her people. Those who had suffered at the hooves of this enemy. She looked down her nose at the broken unicorn. "Law is decided by those who uphold it," she said. "Not by invaders claiming divine right and not by you. Elysium may be powerful and control most of the known world, but they do not control this city, and it is this city's law you have broken. Bind her!" She ordered.

Powerful claws pierced the wailing unicorn's skin as the two griffin guards effortlessly hoisted her up and carried her over to a bloodstained pedestal where the manacle around her neck easily slid into a slot that had been built for it. Once that had been done, they went to work securing straps over the rest of Mint's flailing limbs until all that remained of the once proud unicorn was a bloody mess and an extended neck. She continued her fruitless struggle, even after her captors had finished their work and departed, only stopping when a new form climbed the stage.

Heavy hoofsteps reverberated through the platform as a minotaur bigger than any other climbed up the steps. The sack he wore over his head seemed pointless as his chiseled body and shapely horns would have made him recognizable in any crowd. But what had really brought peace to stage, what had really caught Mint's attention to the point she had been shaken into silence, was the massive gilded axe the minotaur carried.

"You have been judged, Ambassador Mint of Elysium," Lady Rhodonite said with steel in her voice, "and found wanting."

It was now that the fear finally showed in the unicorn's eyes. She didn't struggle against her restraints as she had up until now. Now she only sat there transfixed on a weapon that clearly had only one intended purpose.

"This is more than you deserve," Ret said so quietly that only Mint could hear her, "but I would still carry your final words if you choose to give them."

Mint's breath, and no doubt her pulse, started to quicken as her eyes shot back to meet hers. This was also where Ret usually expected them to beg or bargain for their lives. Sometimes even soil themselves, but so far, they had been lucky on that front. However, when she did finally deign to speak, the words that came out of her mouth hadn't quite been what she expected.

"Why?" Mint said, tears flowing down her eyes. "Why are you doing this? Where's your pride as a unicorn? It was just a pegasus..."

It had been the wrong thing to say.

"Just a pegasus..." Ret repeated. "Just a pegasus? Just a pegasus?! It was a child!" She roared. She lunged forward, her magic lashing out at her surroundings. Anyone watching from the front row, especially those who had seen her lose her temper before, took a hasty step back. Even though he stood closer than anyone else, the minotaur was still spared the worst of it by nothing more than just his sheer bulk. As for the condemned unicorn, more power than any unicorn could ever hope to handle raced through every part of her body. Her fur smoked, her teeth clenched, and now everyone was finally graced to the smell of someone losing control of their bowels. "It was a child," Ret repeated again, still not having burned through her rage, "a child, and you stole his whole future from him. And for what? For the sake of upholding your stupid unicorn pride? What good is your pride when you burn the whole world to achieve it?! Grandma Hecate was right about you lot. Heads so far up your own rears, you may as well enjoy a second course."

Ret's fury carried on for a few moments more until an eye darted back out to the crowd. When she saw the fear she had induced into her own city, her own people, it forced her to calm her temper. She pushed the tide of her magic back inside herself until it once again rested safely behind walls she could control.

"Hecate..." Came the pained and stretched voice that no longer sounded like it belonged to another mare, "was your grandmother?"

She would've laughed had the situation been any different, not many knew she was a direct descendant of Hecate the Mad. Even fewer knew that she had also studied under her while she had still been alive.

"I'll let that be your gift to the underworld," she said as she drew in a deep breath. Ret pulled herself up to her full height, a height which had her towering over all but the sturdiest of pony kind and lifted her marked hoof high in the air. At the same time, the minotaur hefted his mighty axe, lifting it so high that even those standing far in the back could clearly see what was happening.

"I," she announced, "Lady Rhodonite, Keeper of the Crimson Order, and Ruler of Pandemonium, the City of Change, hereby sentence you to death. May the gods have mercy on your soul, for you will find none of it here." Ret met Mint's eyes one last time, eyes that would soon have the light of life leave them for good. "When you see the boatman, tell him who sent you, and that more are on the way."

With that final word, Ret dropped her hoof, along with the minotaur's axe.

Author's Note

I know everyone who's been keeping up with me saw this months ago when I leaked it on my blog, but what do you think of it now? Now that you borne witness to the events that led up to this point.

Chapter 40: Just a Mare

When Ret next opened her eyes, she found herself alone in a dark room. While her surroundings started to induce a sense of panic, it fortunately only lasted as long as it took for her to recognize the bed she found herself laying on.

"I'm home?" She wondered aloud. "When did I fall asleep?"

Ret pushed herself up, only to have her unsteady legs refuse to hold her weight. She unceremoniously collapsed back to bed. Fortunately, it was soft enough to protect her from such a rough fall.

"It was just after the execution," came the answer to her question. She followed its source to find Sirius sitting by her bedside, his face looking even more grave than it had earlier that day. "You collapsed shortly after you left the stage. Don't worry," he said. "Not many saw you, and we managed to get you to safety before it made a scene."

She relaxed a bit upon hearing that. Even with the grand spectacle she had put on, it wouldn't help her position to have everyone see their fearless leader collapse due to a weakness of the flesh.

"What about..." She asked instead, unable to fully voice her concerns. She was still just so tired.

"Everything's been taken care of," Sirius reassured her. "The body has been disposed of and the head delivered back to the enemy encampment. I saw to it personally."

"Personally?" Ret's eyes widened at the implications of what he was saying. "Surely you didn't... They could've killed you."

"I know," he said. "If I'm being honest, I expected them to."

"Then why did you..." Ret started.

"It's my fault you were hurt," he said as he turned to face her. His eyes were glistening in the moonlight, like he had either just been crying or was about to. "I'm the one that pushed for the delegation, and I'm the one that didn't pay close enough attention to what they were doing while they were here. It's only right that I shoulder some of the responsibility."

"Sirius..." She said, realizing how much he must've been tormenting himself over this. Ret scooted closer to him, even though that small amount of effort left her feeling worn. She reached out and laid one of her hooves on his own, noticing for a moment how cold he felt beneath her touch. A testament to how long he must've been waiting by her bedside.

"You can't blame yourself for what happened," she said. "We live in troubling times. Any day could be our last, but we survived this one, and that's what's important."

Ret expected him to calm down, it wasn't the first time she used those same words to reassure someone, however in this case, it didn't seem to work, not even in the slightest. It was as if there was something much bigger bothering him. There was only one thing Ret could think of, and while part of her didn't want to know, she knew she needed to.

"The Elysian camp," She asked. "What are we up against?"

The question had apparently been the right one, because in that moment, she watched Sirius' pupils shrink down to the size of pinpricks. "We..." He started, the words seeming difficult for him to utter. "We can't possibly survive. I've never seen so many unicorns in one place, and all prepared for combat. There must've been one, neigh, two thousand of them. There was also a lot of their pegasus chariots, so not even the skies will be safe. But the worst part..." His face once again became sunken as words failed him. Whatever he had seen had obviously left him terrified. "...was her."

"Her?" Ret tilted her head at the way Sirius said that. She always knew him to be a timid pony, but she had never seen him so scared before.

"The one leading them," he continued, "she seemed to delight in showing off her army, and didn't once look like she possessed anything resembling a conscious."

Ret put her hooves around him and pulled him close. She could feel how much he was trembling within her grasp.

"I... I thought I was going to die," said Sirius, "but what scared me the most was the fear of never seeing you again."

Sirius then returned the gesture, his own hooves finding their way around Ret's back. She could feel his warm tears begin to dampen her shoulder as he held her tight. "I..." He started to say.

Ret's heart skipped a beat as he started speaking. Was he finally going to say it? She had been waiting for so long to hear those three little words from him, and she wasn't going to have to wait any longer.

"I love you, Ret," he said as he squeezed her even tighter.

Ret felt the breath she hadn't known she was holding escape her lips. She could feel Sirius' heart pounding in his chest, but that didn't compare to the butterflies that now wreaked havoc on her stomach. She was sure she knew how it would feel when he finally confessed to her, but she never imagined it would feel anywhere near this intense. She never imagined what it would feel like to want nothing more than to melt into another pony's embrace. Part of her believed she was above such mortal failings, but as it turned out, she was just a mare after all.

"I love you, too, Sirius," she said as happy tears leaked from her own eyes. Whatever the circumstances that brought them to this moment, they were here now, and emotions that had been pent up for far too long on both sides were finally allowed to roam free.

Ret pulled back for a moment, just enough to look Sirius in the eyes. He had also done the same and was now looking at her as well. He didn't need to be prompted further, taking the next step as he leaned back in for his lips to meet her own. If she thought she was going to melt before, Ret was well on her way to turning into a full puddle now. His breath overtook her own, warming her chest, and his tongue pushed in as she felt him embrace her very being. Her very soul.

Oh how her desires began to flood her senses, desires than that been pushed down and suppressed for far too long. She wanted him, and she knew in her heart that he felt the same way. A small part of her was beginning to feel impatient, especially after having waited for him for so long, while the greater part of her wanted to take her time and relish every moment. However, she was no longer the only one who was a part of this, and she was sure that Sirius would do what came natural when he was ready.

Sirius pulled away, breaking off the contact, and Ret already found herself missing the closeness. "Ret," he said, and she was once again feeling weak in the knees at hearing him say her name. "Let's run away together. Just you and me. Tonight."

At first, Ret's brain didn't quite register what he had said, she had been too busy riding that special cloud meant for just the two of them, but as his words sunk in, the butterflies that had occupied her stomach now made way for a large boulder.

"I... What?" She said, unable to believe what he had just asked of her.

"I'm serious," Sirius said, a hint of desperation in his voice. "Elysium will surely break down our walls at any time. If we leave now, we can be gone before anyone thinks to look for us."

The warm feeling Ret had just been enjoying now felt like a distant dream. Slowly, regretfully, she loosened her grip on him and gradually pulled herself away. "I can't do that," she said. "Not after everything we've built here."

"But..." Sirius stammered, "you'll die."

"If I die, then I die," she said, fresh tears running down her face. These tears weren't shed for her people or for Sirius, but for herself. Shed because she had allowed herself to love this stallion for so long, only to have him want to do nothing but run when staring doom in the face. She pushed him away with the meager amount of strength she could muster, the fleeting warmth she had enjoyed now only left room for bitterness.

"Ret?..." Sirius started to say.

"Leave me," Ret commanded, her ire beginning to build.

Sirius knew better than to question her when she used that tone, so he made no attempt to press her further. That's not to say he didn't have a disappointed look in his eyes as he picked himself off from her bed and made his way to the door.

Ret didn't once look away from him until the door had completely closed. The moment it had, she collapsed into her pillow and held it over her face as she let out muffled and frustrated screams. His suggestion had tempted her for the briefest of moments, but she knew in her heart she could never do something like that. She couldn't just abandon everyone in their time of greatest need. Her conscience wouldn't allow it.

She stayed like that, crying into her pillow until her tears had run dry, and even then, she continued to weep until her wounded heart and battered body demanded she sleep once again.

Chapter 41: Pandemonium's Fall

Ret awoke again feeling wet and miserable. Her throat felt dry, her head ached, and a foul smell hung in the air that she couldn't ignore. When she finally managed to open her eyes, she found her friend Sirius laying in the mud beside her. His robe was torn, one of his eyes had swollen shut, but the most concerning part were the manacles binding his legs and the silencing ring he had firmly secured to the base of his horn, a set, she now noticed, being identical to her own.

They had been captured, that much was obvious. But how? And when?

"She's awake, inform her eminence at once." A deep voice tore Ret away from her musings. The voice belonged not to a particularly large stallion, but certainly a well built one. A soldier.

"Yes, sir." A second unicorn gave a stiff salute before running off to fulfill the order. The one that remained exchanged a look with Ret, a look that said she better not try anything if she wanted to be left in peace. Not that she was going to, mind you. However, if an opportunity presented itself, she would be certain to take advantage of it.

"I'm sorry, Ret," came the voice of Sirius. He sounded about as dry and raspy as she felt, if not more so. This time, when she looked back at him, she noticed the distinct patches of sweat in his coat that only came from a particularly intense gallop. "I wasn't fast enough to outrun them."

Outrun them? Why were they running from anything? And why were they outside the city for that matter? She needed answers, and considering the last conversation they had, she had a strong feeling she wasn't going to like those answers. "Start talking," she said, a hint of steel in her voice.

Sirius flinched at her tone, a tone he'd heard her use more than once, especially when dealing with enemies. It was a clear sign of how pissed she was at the moment and how much more pissed she'd be once he started talking. Still, he knew better than to avoid answering a direct question from her. "It was the middle of the night," he said, preparing himself for the worst, "right after we talked. The army breached the gates too fast for anyone to organize a proper resistance. It's like I said, Elysium is just too powerful. We never stood a chance."

"And why didn't you wake me?" Ret was partially annoyed with herself that she had somehow managed to sleep through the whole ordeal, but she was absolutely furious that no one had roused her.

"I tried," he said, it coming out more like a whine, "really, I tried, but you wouldn't wake no matter what I did, and the enemy was closing in fast. So I did the only thing I could do, I picked you up, and I ran as fast as I could, through the city and out the secret entrance. We would've gotten away too, if a patrol hadn't spotted us."

"So let me see if I understand," Ret said, the steel remaining in her voice. "The city was under attack, and instead of trying to help where you could, you chose to take the city's leader and flee with your tail between your legs." She knew he was a coward, but she never would've imagined it to extend this far.

"I told you," Sirius said, his voice rising, "there was nothing we could do."

Ret drew back a hoof and struck him across the face before he could say anything more. The action startled the guard watching over them, who started to make a move to get between them, but a sharp glare from Ret was enough to make him back down. Even though she was his prisoner, and supposedly at his mercy, she still commanded an air of authority that couldn't be denied by others regardless of her current predicament. Turning her attention back to Sirius, now holding the side of his face and with a hurt look in his eyes, she continued. "You should have left me," she growled. "Left me and organized the resistance yourself. Did you even think to try? And if the city was lost like you said, you should've helped as many escape as possible, not just me. Did anyone manage to get away?"

"A few flyers, probably," said Sirius as he continued to hold the side of his face. "But I used an invisibility spell. No one saw us or the exit we used to escape."

Ret's hoof came down automatically on the uninjured cheek, striking it as well. Hot tears leaked from her eyes as she did so. She just couldn't believe what she was hearing. All her hard work, everything she had done for the city and its people, all of it undone in a single night, and because her "friend" had been too much of a coward to do what needed to be done.

The beratement of Sirius was interrupted by the sound of hooves giving a very measured, yet amused, clapping. Ret turn to the source of the noise to find a unicorn mare in her middling years clapping away like it was the best show she had ever seen. Her blue coat and wispy mane were well-kempt, her silver armor was perfectly polished, and the many medals and honors that decorated it gave her a good guess on who she now faced.

"Commander Nova Star, I presume," said Ret, "leader of the Elysian army." Ret greeted her "guest" as best she could, without showing a hint of fear. Unlike the guard, who had gone stiff as a board in the presence of his commanding officer. Prisoner or not, she would still hold her head high in the presence of her enemies.

Nova cracked a grin as she strode forward. "So even the famed Lady Rhodonite has heard of the great and powerful Nova," she said with an elaborate pose. "Of course, how could you not? Ponies the world over, even those Nova has yet to grace with her presence, tremble in awe at the tales of her accomplishments."

"More like shake in fear," Ret said in response, not one to let her be intimidated by the presence of another powerful unicorn. For Nova was powerful, Ret could just feel it in her bones, but she also wasn't about to give her the pleasure of seeing her shake in her boots. "I've heard more than a few stories regarding your exploits. The subjugation of the highlands, the freezing of the summerlands, and the pillaging of the diamond dogs' mines and their most sacred of vaults."

"Nova assures you it was all in the name of peace," said Nova, her countenance seeming to glow with the listing of each of her accomplishments. "They were all given their chance to submit peacefully, but every last one of them chose to make things difficult, much like you lot have."

"If the terms you gave them were anything like the ones you gave us," said Ret, stepping up to meet Nova face to face, "are you really that surprised that we would choose to strike back? How can you even look yourself in the mirror with all the lives you've personally destroyed?"

Nova, for her part, didn't even seem the slight bit cowed by the admonition. If anything, she seemed to glow in delight, whereas others would've felt ashamed. "Because, my dear Lady Rhodonite, it is our duty, neigh, our right, as unicorns to rule. Elysium is the only city capable of bringing true order to this mad world, not you, and not some mythological winged unicorn." Nova grit her teeth, showing an emotion other than delight since she first appeared. "The sheer idea that a unicorn and a pegasus would willingly bed together is nothing short of heresy. The only real use a pegasus has is to serve its master." She took a long breath, realizing she had broken face for a moment. "Those who have rebelled against their betters will be properly disciplined," she continued. "As for that thing," she spat the words, thoroughly expressing her disgust, "that abomination. Nova will not suffer such a child to live."

This time, it was Ret's turn to break face. She lunged at Nova with hooves raised, fully intending to plant them in her face, but she was stopped short as the chains tying her and Sirius together were pulled taut, and while Ret should've known better than to try using her magic while her horn was shackled, she did anyway. A feeling akin to needles pressing into her skull started at the base of her horn as any magic she attempted to employ had nowhere to go. Far from seeming phased by the sudden assault, Nova actually appeared to be delighted, leaving Ret to realize she had given the twisted unicorn exactly what she wanted. Ret had of course, known of the strange little filly, Alula, that had been born a few years prior, and while she hadn't been the only child to be born bearing traits from both of their parent's respective tribes, she was the only one who had survived for more than a day outside her mother's womb. A miracle, if such a thing could truly exist in this world. A sense of clarity flooded through Ret, an epiphany that was only realized now. "This is the real reason you attacked Pandemonium?!" She exclaimed, just as flabbergasted as she was enlightened. "Because of some half-baked prophecy?!"

But Nova had stopped listening, for another soldier was by her side and whispering in her ear. Ret couldn't hear what was said, but Nova's mood quickly went from being annoyed at the interruption to unbridled joy at whatever she was hearing. A savage grin appeared on Nova's face, the kind of face that no one sane would ever have, reserved instead for the deranged sort of mind that took delight in bringing misery to others. "Come with me," she said, her smile not once faltering. "Nova thinks there's something you should see."

A bad feeling rose in the pit of Ret's stomach as she spoke. She could now see why Sirius had been so afraid of this mare. It didn't excuse his actions, but at least she now understood them a bit better. Speaking of Sirius, her chains once again pulled tight as she made to follow the sadistic mare, and she looked back to see Sirius still laying in the mud like a dead horse. "Get up, Sirius," she said curtly, "wherever this leads, you will see it to its end."

Her words cut deep and had far more effect on the listless stallion than the prodding of their captors. Sirius sluggishly pulled himself back up, and even though the look in his eyes refused to show any additional sign of life, he followed quietly without causing any more trouble.

Ret had heard stories regarding the size and scope of the Elysian army, but hearing it and seeing it were two completely different things. She had never seen so many unicorns in any one place before, nor had she seen so many creatures geared up for war. Many of them looked her way as they passed by, all of them instantly snapping to a salute upon seeing the smug look of Commander Nova leading the procession. There was something about the look Ret saw in the eyes of all the soldiers, it was the same look she had seen in many of her own citizens, especially with those who didn't know her very well. Every last unicorn that looked their way, be it the lowest of soldiers or the most decorated of officers, all of them reeked of fear upon seeing their commander.

Something that Nova seemed to delight in, if the way she seemed to glow ever brighter during their procession was anything to go by. Whatever the reason, whether she enjoyed having power over others or just enjoyed being the center of attention, it was evident she knew how to leave a lasting impression on those around her. That much and more was clear as she led them to the edge of the army and to a small hill that overlooked the city down below.

Pandemonium was burning, not all of it, but the rising flames could be clearly seen against the night sky. It wasn't the first time the city had seen fire, nor the worst it had ever seen, but if it was strictly the result of an army laying waste while subjugating its people, there would be no one left to bring the blaze under control before it spread and consumed everything.

Ret hated watching her city burn, but did her best to keep her emotions in check. She could feel Nova's gaze on her back, watching, waiting, hoping to see her react in some way that would further feed her ego. That satisfaction would be denied her, Ret would not be the one to give it to her. Instead, she chose to once again focus her attention on Sirius. He had kept his head low since their began their march, refusing to meet the eyes of anyone who looked his way. However, if she was going to divert Nova's attention away from herself, she was going to have to drag her disappointment with Sirius through the mud a little more.

"Do you see that, Sirius," she said, doing her best not to pay any mind to their captors. "How much of this could you have stopped if you hadn't let cowardice rule your actions? How many fewer fires would we be seeing, and how many more would've escaped this torment?"

Sirius showed the first reaction he had since they had started their forced march. He stirred slightly, just enough to lift his gaze and behold the city as she had ordered him to. The way he reacted didn't quite mirror the way she felt, but she still saw a few paltry tears escape his eyes, that was until they widened in surprise as his lip began to quiver.

"You really should pay closer attention, yourself, instead of wasting energy tormenting your associate," said Nova, amusement clear in her voice. "You'll miss the best part of the show."

Ret visibly groaned. She was doing her best to deflect the sadistic mare's efforts, but it seemed she wouldn't be dissuaded so easily. So she begrudgingly refocused her attention back to the city, bracing herself for however else her captor planned to elicit a reaction from her. However, nothing prepared her for what she saw next.

Cages. Dozens of cages were being wheeled out of the city, and inside them were dozens, if not hundreds, of little colts and fillies. They had been stuffed in the cages indiscriminately, without any care as to which tribe they belonged to, or without any concern with how roughly they'd been treated in the process of rounding them all up. It broke Ret's heart to see them like this, all dirty and broken. She even spotted a few that were favoring one leg over the other. And the screams, the screams of children hopelessly fighting for their freedom felt like someone was twisting a knife in her gut. Again.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" The smug voice of Nova returned as she moved to stand alongside her. Ret wasn't able to hide her misery at the sight of such atrocity, and Nova seemed to basking in every moment of it. "They'll all be properly returned to the herd. Sadly, the unicorns will need to be reeducated. As for the others? There's always more than enough work for earth ponies, and we can never have enough pegasi for sky chariots," her grin stretched from ear to ear, "after they've had their attitudes adjusted, that is."

Ret was seething. She grit her teeth harder and harder with every ill-begotten fate that was being spelled out for her beloved subjects. However, the final nail in the coffin was when the first of the screaming children spotted her. Like a wave, the cries of desperation were consumed by a deafening silence. Any remaining hope the children held onto was now replaced with despair. They huddled together as they all watched her, the rest of the world seeming to melt away as the only thing left for her to see were the children's tears.

Much like the ones that now streamed down Ret's face. Her sorrow matched her anger, and when she looked back at the increasingly smug grin that Nova now carried, she couldn't hold herself back any longer.

One of Ret's chained hooves swung for the grinning mare's face before even she realized she was moving. It struck true, sending the tyrant tumbling backward before she could anything to stop the sudden attack.

The surrounding soldiers were on her an instant later, pinning her to the ground before she could do anything more than she already had. She certainly would've done far worse, given the opportunity, but at least she had the satisfaction of seeing Nova pick herself up off the ground while clutching her left eye. Blood ran down her face from beneath her hoof, a sign of the damage that single strike must have down.

The look on the rest of Nova's face was mixed, bouncing back and forth between her agony and her delight at finally getting under Ret's skin. She was clearly in pain, but that pain wasn't enough to keep the vile unicorn down.

"Nova would have your head for that," she said through gritted teeth, "but she has orders to bring you in alive." She hobbled over on her other three legs. "Nova doesn't envy your position, and she can only imagine what the Grand Matriarch will do to you after you murdered her only daughter." The soldiers moved to drag Ret and Sirius away, but Nova waved them off. "No," she said. "Let them stay. We wouldn't have our guests missing the grand finale, now would we?"

Ret didn't like the way the mare said "grand finale", but she was more focused on the fact that she would be allowed to keep her own life, at least for a little while. It would be difficult for her to do anything in her current predicament, but not impossible. It was a long trip back to the Elysian capital, even if they were to travel by flying chariot. All she needed to do was exercise a little patience. Her time would come. With a little luck, she'd at least be able to rescue the little colts and fillies before anything irreversible was done to them.

Those thoughts were quickly pushed to the side as she watched what the soldiers were doing. They had busied themselves with clearing and flattening a large circle right there in the ground. It didn't take them all that long to do so, what with all of them calling on the right spells and moving like a well-oiled machine. Clearly this was something they had done before, but even so, Ret could see a hint of dread on several of their faces. Whatever it was they were about, apparently it wasn't something that they were keen on doing.

But they didn't stop, or even really slow down when it came to following Nova's orders. She stood eagerly on the side on the circle, a thick bandage now covering her injured eye, and as soon as the last of the ground has been cleared away, she began casting a spell of her own.

An arc of violet light raced from her horn and began attacking the ground with vigor. Everywhere her magic touched, intricate symbols and diagrams were carved into the now solid stone. It was enough that it caused Ret to momentarily catch her breath. Say what you will about any moral failing that Nova may have, but the mare knew her craft.

It only took about a minute for the pony to finish her work, the ground now covered by the most complicated spell array Ret had ever seen. What the purpose of such a spell was, she couldn't even begin to guess.

"Outsiders don't usually get the chance to see a sunrising in person," Nova began monologuing for anyone who would listen, "but this is slightly different. There's a moment during the whole ritual when the sun's power is at its strongest. Its light is so strong that, without the proper spells in place, it would lash out at every unicorn involved."

Nova stepped away from the completed circle, a twisted smile on her face as she turned back to look over the city. "Twenty-five years ago, such a thing happened, claiming the lives of every young pony involved. It took a long time to figure out what happened and how to keep it from happening again." She leaned in close to Ret, looking her dead in the face with her remaining good eye. The smile Nova now carried had long since evolved from twisted and now bordered on pure mania. "But it also led us to some unique applications."

A chill ran down Ret's spine, and her eyes shot back to the ritual diagram. Seven soldiers now occupied marked spaces around the edges of the circle, while an eighth one stood at its center. She had seen a fair display of magic in other unicorns before, but nothing even came close to comparing to what she was feeling now. All of them were pouring their magic into the diagram, and from there, the magic seemed to pool, even mix, amplifying itself in ways she didn't think was possible. Even with her shackled horn keeping her own magics at bay, she felt an intense tingling run through her body and into her very core. Just when she thought the amassing power would burst, it all suddenly funneled into the eight caster and shot towards the distant horizon.

Ret had never personally witnessed a sunrising, but the stories she'd heard from those who had hardly did it justice. When the magic connected with the sun as it rested below the edge of the world, a warm glow seemed to permeate the air. Even though it was still dark, and the moon was finishing the last of its descent, the air around them seemed to already take on that lifegiving glow, and when the sun did finally make its appearance, Ret could feel that warmth tunnel down into her very core.

However, that's when the event stopped being pleasant.

Just as fast as the power had filled the air, it now seemed to retreat in on itself, leaving the world to feel like nothing more than a cold chunk of stone. Ret looked to Nova, wondering what had just happened, but she quickly wished she hadn't. The manic gleam that now lit up Nova's face made everything else she had seen up until now feel like little more than a dying candle.

And then the sky fell.

The sun and the sky grew brighter than any time Ret could ever remembered it being in her entire life, and as bright as it felt, it was nothing compared to the pillar of fire that felt like it was singeing the tips of her ears. She hadn't even noticed when it started, but now a blazing inferno hung overhead, connecting both the sun and...

Pandemonium!!!

Panic flooded through every part of Ret's being as she snapped back to the city. Those fires she had been so worried about didn't even come close to what was happening now. She couldn't even see the city. The fire that consumed it raced towards the heavens, burning away everything in its path.

Plants and trees? Instantly incinerated.

Stone? The small bits that could be made out at the edges had already melted to slag.

And as for the clouds? Not even the thickest fluff at the edge of the sky was able to hold itself together from the pyre that erupted from where the city once was.

It was just... gone. Everything was gone. Even the shred of hope that someone, anyone, might have possibly survived the assault on the city died along with the city itself. Elysium's victory was absolute. No one would ever be able to stand up to such a power, not one that turned the very sun against its enemies. It just wasn't possible.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Said Nova, seeming ever more alive as the city burned. "You should feel honored that your city was deemed a worthy enough threat to be subjected to the grandest of magics. We've only ever spared it for silencing the greatest of our enemies. The griffon conflict, the pegasus rebellion, and now you. No creature will ever stand against the might that is Elysium, and Nova's might will be remembered until the end of time!"

Ret wasn't sure when she had stood back up, but she now collapsed back to the ground. This was wrong... It was all wrong... Despair tightened its hold on her heart. Despair for her city. Despair for the world. Despair for the children that were meant to represent the future. There was no future. Not like this. Not with overwhelming order that snuffed out any possibility of change.

Voices milled about, congratulations were exchanged, and new orders were given. She heard none of that. Something had to be done. Anything. It didn't matter what it was or what it cost her. The world could not be allowed to continue. Not with unforgiving order, not with nonexistent change, and not without chaos.

"My lord Discord," she began to pray, for she was convinced that nothing short of divinity could save this world now. "Hear me in my darkest hour. We ponies have ruined this world. Taken it as our plaything, and disturbed the natural order of life."

Magic began to well up inside her as she prayed, but with her horn shackled and nowhere for it to go, all it caused was for pain to wrack her body and feeling of thousands of needles piercing her spine. Ret cared for none of it. None of it compared to the icy dagger that had gouged out her heart.

"Wipe the slate clean," she continued. "Return us to the ash from whence we came and scatter our dust to the wind!"

A loud crack sounded over Ret's head, the shackle placed on her horn proving itself to be ineffective at holding back the surging torrent. However, it was also proving to be too much for her own body to handle as well. Cracks began to form beneath the ashen unicorn's coat, and light seeped out from the edges. Like a cauldron that had grown too hot to maintain its own shape for much longer.

"Ret! What are you...!" Sirius shouted from his place by her side, the stallion having the misfortune to be chained to the equivalent of a volcano in pony form. His voice was quickly drowned out as a fresh burst of power threw him back so hard that the chains snapped as if they were little more than thread.

Panicked cries of soldiers now surrounded her. Magic not her own began to push down on her, but compared to the force fighting to get out, they may as well have been trying to hold back the ocean with little more than a few twigs.

"Death to my enemies!" She roared. "Death to those who would sully the land and defy life itself!"

With the final words of her prayer completed, the shackle holding her back exploded. Shrapnel flew into the surrounding crowd, along with several pieces of Ret's very being, her body now appearing to be made more of glass or marble, as opposed to living flesh. Anyone unfortunate enough to be hit by the pieces fell in an instant, the broken shards filled with too much residual magic for anyone to safely handle.

As for Ret, her magic lanced out through the crowd of soldiers, killing anyone who had been too slow to protect themselves with a barrier and even many who had. She had become a force of nature, a power that could not be stopped. Any time she turned her eyes on a particularly thick knot of combatants, that group quickly turned into nothing more than a pile of ash, just as they had done to her precious city.

She only paused for a moment when she saw the helpless forms of her dead city's children huddled up in their cages. None of them deserved what they got when the only thing they were guilty of was being born. As much as she wanted to be there for them once this was all over, she could already feel her body falling apart with every passing second. The power her god had granted her was just too much for her body to handle. A quick spell and every last cage now lay empty, their occupants scattered to Discord only knows where. They deserved a chance at a future, and they weren't going to find it here.

She turned her attention back to the eradication of Elysium's forces. It didn't matter if they were advancing or retreating. None would escape her wrath. Even if she expired before finishing the last of them off, she'd make sure that these foul unicorns would never forget what it was like to be afraid.

"Ret!! You have to stop!!" The words of her childhood friend were almost missed amidst the carnage. The only reason she even noticed he was there was that he had somehow gotten close enough to grab on to one of her mottled legs. Tears streamed down his face, a desperate look painting his features, but still he managed to hold on.

Ret would've cried at the sight, if her body had still been capable of doing so, but all she could do was stare at the cowardly pony she had wanted to love with all her heart. How differently could things have gone had they been born in a different era? Well... There was no way to know now.

"Ret!!!" Sirius shouted again. "You have to stop! I don't want to see you die! Please... I... I love you!"

A crack formed in Ret's chest upon hearing those words, both physically and emotionally. It was too bad the circumstances were what they were. It was too bad he had betrayed her trust when she needed him most.

Her sudden burst of power was already starting to wane, but she used what remained to pull Sirius up to meet her eye. She used her magic to wrap itself around his neck and slowly began to squeeze the life from him. So much of what she valued was lost due to his action and inaction, and she couldn't let him just go unpunished. Sirius seemed to know and understand this as well, for while he struggled at first, he soon let himself go limp as if he was accepting his fate.

A coward through and through, Ret thought. It was just too much for her to take. "No," she said, her voice coming out like cracked gravel. "You are not allowed to die a coward's death. Not yet." She loved him. Despite everything that happened, she knew she still did, and that made what she did next all the harder.

"I curse you, Sirius," she said as the remnants of her power seeped from her body and into his. "I curse you, Sirius Neighsay. May you never find rest, nor comfort in this world. May you never find love, nor peace in death, not until the debt for your cowardice has been paid in full."

She wanted to say more, but that's when her body finally failed her, and she collapsed to the ground. Sirius huddled over her, shouting words she could no longer hear, that was until a fresh blast of magic sent him flying somewhere she could no longer see. All that was left in his place was a disgruntled Nova, a Nova who was no longer smiling. That's good, thought Ret, her thoughts failing, at least she was able to bring that cur some hell. Still... She wished she could've done more. Wished she could have removed such an evil pony from the world, but despite how hard she had tried, none of the attacks meant for her had come close to reaching her. As long as ponies like her still lived, the world would never be safe.

"Please... My lord..." She said her final prayer, the words existing nowhere but her own head. "I would give more, but I have nothing left. Nothing but my own soul. If that would somehow be enough, take it. Take it and fix this broken world."

Not once in her entire life had anyone ever once deigned to answer her prayers. Except for right now, as the final spark of Lady Rhodonite's life was extinguished, someone finally did. Someone from beyond the void.

It was only two words.

Two words that would change the very course of the rest of the world.

"Very well," they said.

Author's Note

It seems we're all caught up. Now what has Clover been up to all this time?

At the time of posting this chapter, I only have another six chapters after this, and they're only on their first draft. Hopefully, I won't be having to make people wait too long, but I've been having trouble staying motivated. I would very much like to hear from you all if you've been keeping up this whole time. Some solid feedback would help.

Chapter 1: What's in the box?

Twilight Sparkle rolled over in her bed, the light of the newly risen sun and the smell of fresh haybacon waking her from her deep slumber. While her bed was nice and warm, her stomach would not let her ignore the smell of food. Reluctantly crawling from her bed, she made a brief stop by her dresser mirror to see what the damage was. After taking a quick moment to tend to the worst of her bedhead, she made her way downstairs.

Spike, her number one assistant, was whistling a happy tune when she stumbled into the kitchen. She somehow managed to find her way to a seat without bumping her wings into anything. It had taken some time, but she had mostly gotten used to the feathery appendages now permanently attached to her sides.

"Morning Twilight," Spike said happily. He was clearly far more awake than Twilight felt. "Another late night?"

"Just a bit, Spike," she said with a yawn as Spike placed a plate full of food in front of her. "And I'm still no closer to finding any leads."

"Maybe you should take a break," Spike said as he watched her with visible concern. "You haven't been sleeping that much since you found that box at the Tree of Harmony."

Their last big adventure, the one that had started with both princesses going missing and Ponyville being covered in a sea of black plunder vines, ended when Twilight and her friends were forced to give up each of their respective Elements of Harmony to revive an ancient tree deep in the woods. However, upon the tree's revival, a locked chest had pushed its way up from the roots. She had tried everything she could think of and spent countless nights trying to come up with new methods for opening it, but nothing had worked.

So the only option left was more research, not that she minded. She was always up for more research. However, nothing in the library had provided any hints as to what was in the box or even to the existence of the Tree of Harmony itself. She had, of course, broadened her search to include the Royal Canterlot Archives as well. While the knowledge contained there was extensive and would likely take more than a few lifetimes to fully explore, she had just as little success finding anything that pertained to the tree or its origins.

She had gotten her hopes up a bit when Celestia mentioned that the enchantments on the old castle had likely kept its collection in tact. While exploring the ruins with her friends had been fun, despite all the traps they found that seemed to do little more than mess with ponies, the only thing of actual interest they had found was Princess Celestia and Luna's old diary. While that had been quite a find, it didn't get her any closer to an answer.

That left only one place left she could look, or Twilight would've looked if she could find her way down there again. About a month ago, Clover the Clever had shown up like he had just taken a step out of an Equestrian history book. At the same time, she had found that not only did he used to live in the same tree that she now occupied, but also that he had stored a massive repertoire of knowledge deep beneath its roots. While the trouble he brought with him may not have left the best first impression, everything turned out all right in the end. However, when their adventure had ended, and Clover had left for places unknown, the door leading to his personal collection was nowhere to be seen. The door was just gone, along with the fairy that had appeared the same day.

Twilight sighed as she looked down to the pancakes adorning her plate. She tilted her head as she studied it further, she could've sworn that there had been several strips of haybacon next to them only a moment ago. She didn't think she had eaten them already, her aching stomach was evidence enough that she hadn't yet. That was when she noticed the loud crunching noise just above her left ear.

A sense of deja vu came over Twilight. She slowly looked up to find a tiny yellow pony floating above her and happily munching on her pilfered breakfast. Whisper the fairy looked out from behind her pink mane and froze as she realized she'd been caught. She quickly stuffed the rest of it in her mouth and made a beeline for the door before Twilight had a chance to stop her.

Twilight successfully tripped over her own hooves as she chased after the troublesome creature out through her living quarters and down the stairs leading into the main part of the library. Her breath caught in her throat and her missing breakfast was quickly forgotten as she watched the small pink blur disappear into a set of huge oaken doors resting in the wall of the library as if they had always been there. The same door that had shown up when she first met Clover.

Excitement bubbled up in her chest and she blinked hard a couple times, just to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. Without missing a beat, she snatched up her bag containing all her notes about the mysterious chest and raced down the reopened stairway. Clover must be back if Whisper is going out of her way to make a nuisance of herself, and Twilight desperately hoped the stallion would have an answer or even a clue as to what was in the box.

Twilight's good mood refused to leave her as she practically skipped down the stairs, making her way down and out onto the ledge overlooking Clover's archive. Even though everything was just as she remembered it, it still took her breath away to see it again.

Hundreds upon hundreds of shelves stretched out before her containing thousands if not hundreds of thousands of books. If the Canterlot Archives would've taken a lifetime to go through, and Twilight had certainly tried with as much time as she spent there as a foal, then this would take more than a dozen to even begin scratching the surface.

It was almost like Hearth's Warming Eve had come early that year as Twilight couldn't help but to start doing a happy little dance right then and there. She was certain that if there were answers to be had regarding her questions, they would surely be here. While she itched to run out right away and begin digging through the seemingly endless repertoire of knowledge that stretched out before her, she had to remind herself that it would far more prudent, and polite for that matter, to find the pony she was certain she'd find down here as well. Hopefully, Clover knew something that could help or, at the very least, could point her in the right direction.

She descended the second set of stairs while still trying not to feel overwhelmed by the monuments of knowledge that towered ever higher with every step. She hadn't seen where Whisper had flown off to, but decided not to worry about it. The elusive fairy seemed to dance to her own tune and likely wouldn't show herself unless she had a good reason... or if she had a particularly nasty prank she felt like pulling.

Clover's study was still in the place she remembered it being, nestled tightly between roots of the tree and the surrounding stone. The door was open, and it almost seemed to be inviting her in, at least, that's what Twilight told herself. She placed a single hoof inside and looked around, disappointed when she didn't find the pony who had been pivotal in Equestria's founding.

While she didn't see him anywhere inside, her eyes were instinctively drawn to the piles of books sitting upon his desk. Many of them looked quite old, while others appeared to have been freshly printed. She slowly approached, allowing her curiosity to get the better of her, and began looking through the various titles.

"Unicorn magic through the ages," she read off the first of them. "Magical experiments gone wrong," was another. In fact, every book Twilight found upon the desk seemed to be dedicated to some field of magic, some of them were more advanced, while others seemed to be for a pony who was just learning their first spell. Amidst all of them, she found a crisp new binder labeled, "Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns." What was all this?

Twilight had just picked up a copy of "Rituals and Other Outdated Practices" and started flipping through the pages when something bumped into her. She let out a yelp of surprise as she instinctively reared back. Papers were thrown into the air, every last book was knocked off the table, and two ponies now lay collapsed in a pile on the floor.

While it wasn't the first time Twilight had been so distracted that she ended up in the middle of a mess, she still wasn't completely used to how her wings automatically tried to catch her if she started falling. As a result, instead of the books simply just falling off the desk, they were practically launched to the far corners of the room by her considerable wingspan. Now, she found herself in the awkward position of not being able to get up right away due to being so thoroughly entwined with her unexpected assailant.

"Twilight Sparkle?" Came the familiar voice as he attempted to disentangle himself. "Is that you?" Another moment passed before he finally managed to wriggle one of his hooves free. "We really need to stop meeting like this."

It took another minute for the two ponies to fully untangle themselves without damaging the minefield of books scattered around them, and several more to collect everything that Twilight had thrown all over the room. Once everything had been securely deposited back on the desk, the stallion took a quick moment to straighten his appearance before turning his attention to her. "Now," he said, a slight grin permeating his lips. "Is there something I can help you with, Twilight?"

Now that she had a chance to get over her earlier embarrassment, Twilight's smile made its way back onto her face as she took in the pony before her. Clover was only slightly taller than her, and with colors that wouldn't make him stand out in a crowd. Aside from his brown hair and dirty golden coat, the only thing that really stood out about him was his piercing green eyes and matching cloak he was rarely seen without. He started to tilt his head and raise an eyebrow at her, and it was at that moment that Twilight realized she was staring.

"Sorry," Twilight said nervously as she recollected herself. "I'm just surprised to see you is all. I mean, when did you get back?" Her eyes once again were pulled away by the not inconsiderable stack of book on his desks, and she couldn't help but ask. "And what's all this for?"

"Oh this," he said, his earlier smile making way for a frown. "Apparently, I'm going to be teaching a special class at Celestia's school," he said with a hint of annoyance. "It was her idea. She said it would help me get back in touch with ponies while also addressing some of the practices that unicorns have forgotten over the years. I'm not too sure about that first part," he said as he picked out the binder from the mess on the desk. "But some of what I found in their curriculum is actually a bit embarrassing, and that's putting it mildly. Now, did you need something, or is this just a social call?" He asked as he placed the binder back on the overburdened desk. "I have a lot of work to do if I'm going to address these educational reforms and present them to the school board." Clover let out a deep sigh. "To make matters worse, I hear Chancellor Neighsay, the board's current head, is a real stickler for the details."

Twilight shook herself out of her daze as she remembered the reason for her visit. "I was hoping you could help me with a problem I've been having," she said as she fished the collection of notes out of her bag.

The green glow from Clover's horn pulled said notes out of Twilight's grasp as he began to look over them. "It looks like some sort of chest," he observed. "Any clue as to what's in it?"

Twilight shook her head. "No," she said, "I haven't. I've tried every spell imaginable to open it, but nothing works. I can't even tell what it's made of. All I know is that it sprouted up from the roots of the Tree of Harmony and it remains thoroughly planted there."

Something she said must have caught him off guard, because the notes Clover had been meticulously looking over suddenly fell to the ground. "Where..." He swallowed hard as his face started to pale. "Where did you say this chest is located?

"The... Tree of Harmony," Twilight answered after some slight hesitation. "It showed up after my friends and I put the elements back in the tree and..."

"I have to go," Clover quickly cut her off as he scrambled through his room, grabbing various scroll and other implements from seemingly random shelves. "If the star has started acting on its own again after all this time, there's no telling what could happen."

"What?" Twilight questioned as she followed his movements, he moved like a blur as he packed his saddlebags. Before she knew it, he had a full pack sloppily slung over his back, and a look of panicked determination plastered on his face.

"Sorry Twilight," he said as he began charging a spell, "but there's no time to explain."

"Wait..." Twilight reached out a hoof as she realized what he was casting. However, he blinked out of existence before she could utter another word.

Only to reappear behind her barely a second later. Clover collapsed to the floor, his legs refusing to take his weight, all while the magic in his horn fizzled and popped like his spell hadn't had enough magic to hold it together. His bags popped open, their contents spilled across the ground, and while Twilight caught glimpses of their contents, seeing vague diagrams outlining the very tree she had been desperate to learn more about, there was only one thing that concerned her right now.

"Clover!" Twilight shouted as she rushed to his side. She looked down to find his eyes rolled into the back of his head and his tongue hanging out of his mouth. She started to shake him, scared as to what just happened, when just as fast as he had lost consciousness, he spasmed as his eyes started coming back into focus.

"What..." He coughed out. "What happened?"

"You teleported," said Twilight as she leaned over him. "You didn't make it very far, and then you were like this."

"The tree..." Clover's eyes widened as he seemed to finally remember what he was doing, or trying to do anyway. "I have to get to the tree." He started to push himself up, only to meet resistance in the form of a lavender hoof gently holding him down. Twilight wasn't putting any real strength into keeping him down, but she also didn't need to.

Once Clover had given up his feeble struggling, Twilight picked him up in her magic and carried him over to the nearby couch. "Clover," she started, making him wince at the use of his name. "What's wrong?"

"It's... It's complicated," he said as he lay there, averting his eyes. "You wouldn't understand."

"Clover..." Twilight said again as she repositioned herself so the pony had no choice but to look at her. "We went over this once before. You don't need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. We can help you. If you let us."

Clover seemed to want to put up further resistance, but whether from the weight of her words, or just due to recent events, he started to visibly relax. "I can't... but I... no... no, you're right," he weakly looked back at Twilight as he continued to lay there. "You've got questions about the Tree of Harmony, and I may be the only one who actually knows anything about it. I was there when it was created, but..." He visibly cringed before continuing. "But it's a bit of a long story, and it's not exactly a pleasant one. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

Twilight had to push down her building excitement when she saw the look in Clover's eyes. The memory clearly brought him no small amount of pain, yet for whatever reason, he was willing to put his faith in her. Carefully, she nodded her head before taking a proper seat beside him.

"Alright," Clover said as he let out an exceptionally long breath. "I'll tell you. It happened a long time ago... A very long time ago. Countless moons before anypony even dared to dream of a place like Equestria. I was only a few years younger than you are now, Twilight Sparkle, and I had never once set hoof outside the city of my birth. The ancient unicorn city of Elysium."

Author's Note

Hold onto your horses, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

Chapter 10: Power Struggle

Elder Dahlia just stared in shock, partially because the pony standing before her was glowing, but mostly because that same pony had just openly defied her. "Excuse me?" She huffed, completely baffled by the situation. "I don't know who you think you are, but what makes you think you have the right to talk to me like that?"

"None of that matters to me," said Clover, brimming with confidence. "All I care about is protecting the girl I love."

Dead silence reined over the crowd at his words. It may have even been a solid minute before anyone dared to so much as breathe. When ponies did start moving again, it was actually the guards who recovered as they whispered among themselves. Words of disbelief at both the impromptu public confession and the overall shock of someone so young standing up to one of the city elders would soon be circulating the rumor mill.

A lot of this also resulted in poor Azalea blushing furiously at Clover's proclamation and not having any way she could hide her embarrassment. She wasn't the only pony whose coat was changing color, Dahlia was also beginning to turn a bit red. However, this was clearly more from seething rage as opposed to adolescent affection.

"How dare you," she growled as the red glow of her own magic began to warp around her horn. "How dare you tell me what's good for my own daughter. It's high time somepony put a gutter rat like you in your place." With those words, a bolt of crimson launched itself from her horn and headed straight for the hapless unicorn.

Clover began casting his own spell before he even realized what he was doing. He had seen the bolt of magic coming for him, but he hadn't had enough time to react. As if something else was guiding his own actions, a bubble of lavender magic conjured up in front of him, the crystal strewn throughout his body glowing as the barrier fell into place.

The elder's spell impacted the shield with a resounding boom, the following shockwave being powerful enough knock a number of nearby guards to the ground.

Excitement began to flow through the young unicorn with the single exchange. Even as his own coat tingled from his proximity to the blast, his counterspell had already mostly formed, and by the time he managed another breath, it was already flying through the air at his unprepared opponent.

With how unnaturally fast Clover sent a spell back in her direction, Elder Dahlia didn't even have a chance to even register the incoming blast. However, luck was on her side that day. The attack ended up missing her by mere inches before taking a chunk out of a nearby wall. She sat there wide-eyed as she slowly looked back at the debris, more in shock than anything else. Another pony had just dared attack her!

She turned back in time to catch another shot heading for her. This time she was able to put up a shield of her own to deflect the blow. The second blast rebounded off her shield and was sent sailing between two of the guards to take yet another chunk out of the road.

A manic gleam reflected in Clover's eyes as he sidestepped Dahlia's next attack even as he blocked the shot that had been in tandem with it. A panicked shriek from behind tore his attention away from his opponent, and he looked back to see ground near Azalea's hooves blasted apart by a wayward blast. She was unharmed, but definitely shaken.

Seeing her in danger caused red to fill Clover's vision. He began channeling the new magic, far more powerful than his had ever been, through his body. Only a handful of moments had passed since the fight started, but the road they stood on was already in ruin, and if the massive ball of energy that Clover was forming was any indication, there would be little more than a crater left after he used it.

Elder Dahlia wouldn't be able to stop it, and neither would the guard she had brought with her. They had, of course, tried to restrain the young pony as soon as the fighting had started, but any and all magic they levied against him were like moths to an open flame. Even now, the only thing they all shared was the same look of dread as to what would happen when this young unicorn unleashed such an attack.

Just when it looked like the worst was about to happen, everything just stopped. Dahlia, Clover, the guards, even that ungodly ball of energy just halted in its tracks. A pale white film coated itself over everything, levitating all the ponies present into the air, much to their collective confusion. As for the ticking time bomb of a blast, the aura seemed to sap away its strength, slowly releasing it into the air until there was nothing left and it winked out of existence.

The exhilaration that had been fueling Clover's actions disappeared along with his attack. What was he doing? Had he actually just attacked an elder? Why had he done that? The thoughts raced through his head and while he tried to use the excuse that he was only protecting Azalea, he was having a hard time convincing himself of that seeing as she would've likely been caught up in the explosion. There was also something else, something that seemed to be pressing down on his consciousness as the glowing parts of his body returned to a dull color. Did that had something to do with what just happened?

Any further musings were cast aside as an old mare slowly made her way into the clearing. With her pale gray coat and even paler mane, there wasn't a single doubt in anyone's mind as to who this was. Nor was there any doubt as to who had stopped the sudden fight with the white glow of magic emanating off her horn.

"Elder Dahlia," Elder Lily said in a sedate tone. She appeared completely relaxed, like she hadn't just stopped about dozen ponies in their tracks just so she could have a conversation. "Would you care to explain why the guard have been pulled away from their normal patrol?"

"Elder Lily," said Dahlia. "It was my daughter. She had gone missing, and I feared for her safety." She scowled in Clover's direction. "This hooligan had taken her outside the city, doing who knows what to her."

Lily turned to where Clover and Azalea floated, only sparing them a moment's observation before turning back to her colleague. "They both appear to be in good health. However that doesn't explain this mess or why I arrived to find one of my colleagues fighting in the streets."

"But..." Dahlia fumed. "This young pony attacked me. You saw it. That attack would've taken a large chunk out of the city."

Lily turned again, but not to Clover. Instead she turned her attention to one of the many guards present. "Tell me," she said, "Star Sentinel, was it? Who fired first?"

The poor stallion visibly quivered as the gaze of the most powerful of the elders bore into him. To his credit, he only hesitated for a moment before answering. "Clover cast the first spell, but only to pull the young lady away from Elder Dahlia. However, she threw the first attack."

Elder Lily let out a long sigh as she carefully deposited everyone back on the ground. The ponies present went through various stages of regaining their balance, but no one dared move more than that without the elder's say so.

"Clover, Azalea," she said, startling the young couple. "I want the two of you to go and find Elder Gladiolus. Tell him what has happened."

"But revered elder..." Dahlia started, but was cut off as Elder Lily continued.

"Please escort the elder back to her home," she now addressed the remaining guards, ignoring Dahlia's outburst. "It's been a late night for everypony, and I believe some sleep would do her good."

"And then we came here," said Clover as he finished recounting his tale to Elder Gladiolus.

The dumbfounded look never once left the aged pony's face even as he continued to sip at the strange earthy beverage, a gift he said he received from the earth pony ambassador during the last summit. Whatever it was, it was strong enough to clear his drowsiness in short order.

"Sounds to me like the two of you had quite the night," he said as his features softened. "Still, I'm glad the two of you are alright. Angry mobs and strange magical happenings aside, it's not safe outside the city, especially after dark."

"What do you think it all means," said Azalea. "I mean, I sort of understand what it was Clover saw, but everything else has me a bit confused."

Gladiolus spent a long time taking in the bitter draft as he studied the young pony in question. When he lowered his glass, he let out a warm breath that was just as long before answering. "I noticed it's already well into the morning," he finally said. "The sun doesn't bother you anymore?"

"No sir," Clover said quickly, almost too quickly. The elder seemed to take notice of his quick response as he raised an eyebrow, but instead of commenting, he turned his attention to Azalea.

"My dear," he spoke with a dulcet tone, his gentle voice putting her at ease. "As much as I would like to explore this line of questioning further, I worry for your mother. Especially after receiving such a scolding from Elder Lily."

"She had it coming," Azalea scoffed without hesitation. "It's about time somepony put her in her place."

"Azalea," Elder Gladiolus locked eyes with the young mare, not even blinking as she shirked away under his gaze. "I understand what it's like to have some friction with those close to us. Trust me, I ought to know that better than anypony, but I also imagine that her concern was quite sincere."

"What should I do then, elder?" She asked as she settled back on her haunches. "I can't exactly go home now."

"I think that's exactly what you should do," he said as he continued on. "I doubt she'll get any sleep until she sees you safe and at home. Staying away from home any longer than necessary will only exacerbate the situation."

"But..."

"You've already stood your ground against her," Gladiolus said with a grin as he cut her off. "She isn't going to forget that any time soon. If you go back now and on your own now, she should still be off balance enough that she'll be far more willing to listen, even if it isn't something she wants to hear."

Azalea's eyes widened as her own grin matched that of the elder's. Without another word, she stood and bowed before making her way to the door. She only made it about halfway before being stopped again.

"Oh, and Azalea," the old pony called after her, the slightest hints of a laugh hiding from behind his beard. "While you should get yourself home as soon as possible, it would probably help your case if you don't show up still reeking of stallion."

A number of expressions flashed past Azalea's face as she parsed his words. When they finally finished sinking in, she turned red as a tomato before running off.

This time, the old pony's laughter broke free as his voice reverberated off the walls. He continued to laugh for almost half a minute, punctuated by the slamming of a distant bathroom door as the flustered mare shut herself inside.

"Oh, I never get tired of you young 'uns and the trouble you manage to get into," he said as he turned back to the equally blushing Clover. It had taken him a few more moments to catch the jab the elder had made at their expense, but it hadn't completely escaped him. "I'm gonna be rooting for the two of you," he finally said as he caught his breath.

"Now..." The elder's voice suddenly getting a bit more serious. "How are you actually feeling, Clover?" He gestured to Clover's whole body. "Everything alright with... this?" He said, not really sure how best to word it. "You said your magic's working again?"

"Yeah," Clover said somberly. With everything that had happened, being able to use magic again only felt like a small footnote in the night's events. He lit his horn experimentally, noting again how the crystal strewn throughout his body glowed along with his horn. "It actually feels a bit numb," he said, he wasn't sure how to explain that his magic now seemed to have a bit of a mind of its own. Thinking back, he hadn't actually wanted to attack Azalea's mother, but everything had happening so quickly. Maybe he had just gotten swept up in the moment?

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," said Gladiolus. "It'll probably start feeling better with time. So, with everything that's happened, where do you go from here?"

The question might've stumped Clover had the elder asked him earlier, but once everything had calmed down, he had the time to think on it properly. "I think..." he said. "I think I want to find out more. About what all this means," he said as he held a hoof against the glassy surface on his chest. It didn't hurt, but it also didn't properly feel like his own body anymore. "And I need to know. I need to know what it was I saw when I touched that stone."

Chapter 24: Only the Beginning

"And so ends the life of Clover the unicorn," said Clover as he finished his story. "A pony who wished for a better future, but lacked the power to make it possible. He had hopes, he had dreams, and he had the love of the most beautiful mare in the entire world," his eyes became downcast as he spoke. "None of it helped when he was faced with the truly powerful and their thirst for more power."

Twilight was left in shocked silence as Clover finally stood up from the couch. She had cried several times throughout the telling, felt moved at the more touching moments, and began to straight up fume when the inevitable betrayal came to pass. It had taken hours to hear the full story of Clover's young life, and twice he had been forced to pause when Spike had shown up offering the two of them refreshments. She was grateful for that. Not only because Clover seemed conscientious of how his story might affect the young drake, but also because Twilight needed a moment to catch her own breath between the seemingly endless chain of events that had befallen him. In short, she felt worn out. She could hardly imagine what it must've been like for the pony who actually lived through it all.

She had long since given up trying to take notes. Her composure had been worn away so thoroughly that she was having trouble even holding a quill. However, when he asked if she needed a break, she declined. It didn't seem right to make him stop for her sake alone when Clover seemed to relax ever more with every part of his tale he unloaded onto her. It was as if he'd carried a burden for so long that he had forgotten what it was like to lay it down at the hooves of another..

"So..." Twilight swallowed hard. She was having some difficulty finding her voice after so long. "The Tree of Harmony... That was it?.. At the end?"

"Not yet it wasn't," he said. "But it was the start of it. When I next saw it, it had grown much larger than it was before. The crystal had fully integrated into it in ways I couldn't even begin to comprehend, and in some ways, I still don't. I've been monitoring it off and on for the last two thousand years, and it still finds ways to surprise me."

"Two... Two thousand..." Twilight stuttered. It was a mind-boggling amount of time. It might also be why she had never even heard of the city he had grown up in. Most recorded history only predates Equestria by a few hundred years at most. Also, it was really hard to think about Clover actually being that old. If she wasn't aware of the role he had played in Equestria's founding, she would've only guessed him to be several years older than her at most.

"Unfortunately, I doubt anything I've learned about the tree will help you with your current problem, Twilight," Clover went on, paying no mind to her stunned state. "I have no idea why a chest would suddenly appear within its roots. It's never done anything like that before, but it's also been very good at defying expectations. We'd probably just be wasting our time trying to figure it out..."

"But..." Twilight started to say, before Clover haphazardly shoved his travel bag into her chest.

"If you still want to try to find some answers, I won't stop you," he said, his voice making him sound drained. "I'm worn, I'm tired, and I still have a lot of work to do."

Twilight scrambled to gather the contents of the bag, a number of things had begun spilling out with how full it was. She looked back to Clover once she had recovered the last of it, his face maintaining a somber expression.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," he said. "But I wish to be alone."

Twilight sat outside the closed door to Clover's study and just stared at the treasure trove of knowledge he had literally just dropped in her lap. Normally, she would be over the moon and back after coming across such a large find, but now...

Twilight let out a long sigh. She had definitely gotten far more than she bargained for by asking Clover for help. Worse yet, now more than anything, she wanted to know what happened next. What had happened to get the future of ponykind back on track? Maybe Elder Dahlia's aspirations were far too short lived before anything had a chance to really happen. Maybe the rest of the unicorns didn't see eye to eye with her once they found out what she had been doing. Maybe, just maybe, someone was there to stop her. She had to hope.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this depressed after learning something new," came a soft little voice from overhead. "Is everything alright?"

Twilight looked up to find Whisper watching her from atop one of the many shelves. "I just had no idea how much he's been through," she said. "It's almost too much to take in."

"It's rare for Clover to talk about his past so much, even to me," said Whisper. "There must be something special about you, something that makes him feel more comfortable than he does around most ponies."

"What were your thoughts when you first met him?" Twilight probed for more. "Did you have any idea what you were getting into?"

"Definitely not," Whisper answered haphazardly. "I thought he was strange at best, and a fool at worse. An honest fool, but still a fool. It's a shame his body was as messed up as it was. It could've been interesting to see what kind of trouble he'd have started up had he not died so prematurely."

"That's something I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around," she really was. The last part just didn't make any sense. "So after the two of you essentially created what would be the Tree of Harmony, Clover just died? How is he still here, then? How is something like that even possible?!"

Whisper's face looked a bit uncomfortable as she bobbed her head back and forth. "That's a bit complicated," she reluctantly said.

"Was it fairy magic?" Twilight asked eagerly as she pressed for answers. "Can you do something like that with fairy magic?"

Whisper cringed at her last question. "No, Twilight," she said. "No one can bring back the dead. Even if we could, such a thing would be unnatural to the extreme. A sad imitation of life. No, it was something else that brought Clover back. I wish I could say it was true love, or the power of friendship, or some other cheesy good feelings like that, but unfortunately, his revival had something far more sinister behind it."

"What was it?" Twilight asked eagerly. Her research on the Tree of Harmony's magic box becoming quickly forgotten in light of this new mystery.

"It's not really my story to tell," Whisper shook her head. "The events surrounding Elysium's betrayal and the events that follow are nopony's business to tell except for those who were there to live through it."

"Oh," said Twilight, disheartened. "I see."

The fairy watched the young alicorn, considering her for a moment. "Hmmm. I wonder," she mumbled to herself. "The soldier, the alchemist, and the witch. Maybe they could help..."

"The what?" Twilight's ears perked up. She hadn't quite made out the small fairy's words.

"Why do you want to know so badly what happened back then?" She asked. "Is it purely academic interest? Or is there something more?"

"No!" Twilight shook her head violently. "Well... Not completely," she blushed as she amended. "But just seeing how sad Clover looked while telling his story, I want... I want to help him somehow. No pony should be forced to carry a burden like that alone."

"I agree with you, Twilight," Whisper nodded along. "And I've tried to tell him as much, but he insists on keeping the worst of it bottled up."

"There's more?!" Twilight said in shock. "How much worse did it get?"

"Like I said, it's not my story to tell," Whisper shook her head. "However, if you're determined to see this through, there may be something we can do. It may even get Clover to loosen his tongue regarding the rest of the story. So what do you say? Are you interested?"

"Of course," Twilight almost shouted her eagerness. "If there's anything I can do to help, I'll do it."

"If that's the case, and you really mean what you say," Whisper said, "then there's somepony I need you to track down. Three someponies to be exact. They can tell you more."

Author's Note

It's been a long trip already, and we're just getting started.

Chapter 37: For the Children

The ambassador was catatonic by the time Lady Rhodonite finished speaking, and it wasn't just her. Her two companions had been stunned into silence by the sheer presence the unicorn exuded on the world around her. By the time they were finally able to gather their wits, it was all they could do to collect their colleague before beating a hasty retreat.

"Let them go," said the leader of the city when a few of the onlookers made to follow them, most likely with less than honest intentions. "Elysium's crimes are not their own, and they have broken none of our laws during their short stay."

She didn't once take her eyes off the retreating unicorns to check, but even without doing so, she knew her word would be followed without question. It had taken her a long time and a lot of work to win the support of the people. Even with the threat that Elysium represented, the many tribes and races that inhabited Pandemonium were just too different from each other to ever get along completely. The only thing they all had in common was that they respected, or feared in some cases, power. Without the power she had at her disposal, it was doubtful that she'd have even half the support she did now, even if that power wasn't completely her own.

Lady Rhodonite held her ground, and it wasn't until she saw the last of the intruder's fluttering white robes that she finally allowed herself to relax. She fell to one knee as the ghostly light left both her and the effigy of chaos. It was always so taxing to have her god thrust his power upon her. No one else had been near as blessed as she had when it came to how closely she felt his presence, despite how much she wished otherwise. If that weren't the case, then maybe she wouldn't feel quite so alone in her duties, and not so burdened by the responsibility that duty held.

And despite how close as she felt to Lord Discord, he had never once deigned to speak to her directly. A more cynical mare might take that as a sign to question his very existence, but she knew. She knew deep in her soul that her actions pleased him. He might not care for the order she maintained within the city, but it was by far the lesser of two evils when compared to what Elysium was doing. She was sure he'd understand. She was just a pony after all, a pony trying to do nothing more than the best she could do. It wasn't always easy, but as long as she stayed true to her convictions, she was certain she would always have the strength, and the clarity to do what needed to be done.

"Are you all right, Lady," the deep voice of the usually soft-spoken minotaur came rumbling forth.

The devout unicorn lifted her head and glanced at the large hand he offered her. On any other day, she might have gladly accepted the gesture, but that day wasn't today. Today, her people needed her to be the strong leader, the foundation they all needed her to be.

"Thank you, Stone Fist," she said as she pushed herself back up. "But I'm fine now."

"As you say, my lady," Stone Fist said respectfully before withdrawing his hand and stepping back into the crowd.

Lady Rhodonite stood up straight as she looked over the gathered crowd. They were already starting to whisper among themselves, and the topic of discussion and concern couldn't be more obvious.

"Fear not," she said, commanding their attention once more. "The enemy may be at our gate, but they will not invade our city. They will not destroy our lives any further than they already have. Not while I still draw breath."

It wasn't until she moved to step into the crowd herself that everyone finally went back to their usual business. For all intensive purposes, the show was now over, and she could go back to being just another face in the crowd, at least for a little while.

That didn't mean she was completely free of responsibility. Even now, with the recent encounter leaving her so tired that all she wanted to do was go home and sleep, any respite she might obtain would be denied her for some time to come. There were still things she needed to do, chief among those making sure that no one saw her falter.

"What else is on agenda, Sirius?" Rhodonite asked as she made her way through the crowd.

Sirius, for his part, while seeming a bit more nervous than usual, didn't shirk from his job as he followed behind her. It was his job to make sure she kept any appointments or fulfilled any prior obligations, and while his official title was that of a councilor, more often than not, he acted as her secretary. That's not to say she didn't value his opinion, but he was the only one who wouldn't run screaming if they caught her in a bad mood. Much like she was at the moment.

"Well," he said as she heard him shuffle a few papers, "you've got an appointment with the crafter's guild, they've been struggling to secure supplies with the impending siege; the masons have some concerns that the wall isn't going to be enough in the event of said siege; and later this afternoon there's a trade deal some of the merchants would like you to oversee. Traders from some place called Abyssinia made their way into the city last night."

"Anything else?" Lady Rhodonite asked grumpily, she had already started the day in a bad mood, and it didn't sound like it was going to get any better, especially if she was going to have to play mediator for some merchants who wanted to do nothing more than profit from an impending war.

"N...no," said Sirius as he tripped over his words. Now that was enough of that.

The mare made an unexpected turn down a nearby alley, forcing her assistant to follow in a hurry. As soon as they were out of sight of most of the public, she turned on him, causing him to stagger backwards into the closest wall. From there, she pushed her advantage, getting a lot closer than what would've been comfortable for two ponies who hadn't known each other as long as they had.

"Listen, Sirius," she said, dropping the formal tone. "I'm not blaming you for the delegates and their bad behavior."

"But Lady Rhodonite," he started only to be cut off by a silencing touch to his lips.

"Shush," she said, her lip curling into a sly smile. "What are you supposed to call me when it's just the two of us?"

Sirius proceeded to get slightly red behind the ears as he attempted and failed to avert his gaze. "R... Ret," he said sheepishly.

"See," Ret said with a wink, "that wasn't so hard."

"Ok, but... Ret," he said the name again, blushing a bit deeper than he had before. "If I hadn't pushed so hard to allow the delegation, you wouldn't have had to push yourself so hard for nothing."

"Is that what has you so worked up?" Ret said, letting her smile show just how amused she was. "No real harm was done," she said. "Nobody got hurt. Nothing really happened save for a few children trying to start a fight in someone else's home."

"But," he said. "I still feel a bit responsible."

"Well, don't," she said pointedly. "You only did what you thought was right, given the circumstances. It's not your fault they didn't want to watch what they said."

Ret leaned in closer yet, and ran a hoof under his chin, playing with the small beard he insisted on growing, and not for the first time, she wished he'd take some initiative. He'd been like this ever since they foals, and it only proceeded to get worse after puberty set in. While Ret, herself, had never actually been with a stallion, not in the way that Sirius was certainly picturing at that very moment, she was content to wait until he found the courage he was undoubtedly searching for.

"It'll all work out in the end," Ret said as she pulled away, a little disappointed. "You'll see." She turned on her heel and continued on her way, leaving poor Sirius slack-jawed, until he noticed he was drooling.

"But... Wait!" Sirius shouted, chasing after her once he had recollected his wits. "Where are you going? The crafter's guild is the other way."

"The orphanage," she said with a wink. "I need a bit of a recharge. As for the crafter's guild... I think they can be made to wait a while longer."

You wouldn't think it to look at her, but Ret absolutely adored children. Be they pony or otherwise, if there was anything that brightened up her day, it would be their joyful shouts as they ran, played, and got into trouble.

Maybe it was just the endless potential they represented that spoke to her. It did align with her beliefs, after all. More than likely, it was the simple joy they represented as they looked out at the world with uncorrupted eyes.

That wasn't to say they didn't know pain. They were orphans, after all. Many of them having lost their families to the very nation that now sat parked outside their borders. While Elysium was far from the only danger in the world, it still accounted for an unnecessarily brutal portion of it.

There was a momentary pause in the children's play as she approached, followed by even more excited screams once they recognized her. All at once, Ret found herself surrounded by a mess of fur and feathers as the children crowded to get close to her. She kneeled down to accept their embrace, not once caring about the dirt and snot they were covered in. Instantly, she found her burdens ease ever so slightly. This was why she did what she did. This was why she put up with the mess the creatures of her age had made of the world. As long as these children were allowed to grow up untainted by those who should be looking out for them, she would continue to persevere.

"I was wondering what all the commotion was about," came the voice of an elderly mare from the nearby building.

Ret looked up from the gaggle of adolescents as she beheld the pony responsible for their care. "I hope I'm not troubling you, Headmare?"

No one really knew what her name actually was. All anyone knew was that she seemed to be a permanent fixture in this part of town. She was old when Ret herself was still little, and if she sought out creatures older than herself, they'd swear the same.

"It's no trouble," said Headmare, the wrinkled earth pony didn't even seem bothered by the infant unicorn sticking its nose out of a makeshift saddlebag, nor the hatchling griffon napping on her back. "Some days you're all the little ones ever want to talk about. Are you staying long?"

"Sadly, no," Ret said with some regret. "Not today. I was just in the area, so I figured I'd stop by," she lied. She scooped up the nearest foal in her magic and proceeded to blow a raspberry on its belly. This resulted in two things, the filly in question began giggling uncontrollably, and the rest of the herd at her hooves hopping up and down as they clamored for her attention.

A warmer smile than she had before formed on the headmare's face. "You spoil them, you know that," she said.

"They're the ones spoiling me," Ret said as half a dozen hooves and claws pounced on her back. She didn't fight it, but instead chose to let them drag her down with them. This was her happy place, after all.

"By any chance," Headmare continued, the concern in voice catching the piled pony's ear, "you haven't seen Jet anywhere, have you?"

"Jet?" She raised an eyebrow as she checked and rechecked the bundles of fur all over her. There were plenty of feathers among them, but none of them belonging to a black pegasus. "I don't think so," she said, "should I have?"

The headmare let out a heavy sigh. "It's not the first time the little colt's snuck out for a quick flight before breakfast. I only worry because I heard about the Elysians in town. You know what they do to young pegasi."

Lady Rhodonite narrowed her eyes as she scowled at the reminder of how she had spent her morning. "I wouldn't worry," she said curtly. "I had them watched very carefully while they were in the city. If they tried anything, I would've had them sent home in pieces." Her smile suddenly turned a bit more sinister. "And," she continued, "without the guarantee that all those pieces would make it home."

"Such a foul tongue for such a sweet mare," Headmare said in response. "Whatever happened to that little filly I would catch playing in the flower bed?"

The once sweet mare pushed herself back to her hooves, the various youths rolling off her back as she stood there. "Regretfully," she said, "the world needed her to grow up."

"Are you leaving already, Lady Rendolite... Rolonite...?" Came the soft voice of one of the little fillies.

Lady Rhodonite laughed slightly and smiled at the small child. "Lady Rhodonite has some important work she has to do, but," she said as she lifted the filly's chin. "But if you're good and be sure to listen to the headmare, I'll be back before you know it."

At that, she finally turned to leave. She only had about another minute before Sirius would start bothering her anyway. She almost made it to the gate when something black caught the corner of her eye. "Looks like you have nothing to worry about, Headmare," she said with a bemused smile as the little colt, Jet, made his way in for what would likely be a rough landing.

It looked like she was going to have that last minute after all, she thought as Jet veered off course and headed straight for her. She extended her forelegs, ready to catch him, despite how much it would likely hurt. The small pony had been getting a lot bigger over the last year. Big enough that he would soon need to learn to control his strength, especially when it came to the fairer sex.

Sure enough, he flew right into her embrace so hard that not only did it knock the wind out of her, but it was also accompanied by a sharp pain to her chest as one of his small hooves caught her at a funny angle. Maybe they'd have to have that talk a bit sooner than she realized.

"Is everything alright, Jet?" She asked the young colt as she stroked his mane. He hadn't said anything yet, but then again, he didn't always speak up when something was bothering him.

She lifted his head to get a better look, sure she'd see either tears or some other emotion he was trying to keep bottled up. Colts his age were always the same, trying to act tough when they faced the same problems as everyone else.

However, when she finally got a good look at his face, confusion was her only response. Not only were there no tears, but his eyes seemed to be void of any kind of emotion.

Her puzzlement was interrupted as a slender hoof reached into their embrace and pulled Jet free from her grasp. She looked over in shock, and just a bit of anger, to find the offending hoof belonging to none other than Sirius.

"Sirius?!" She snapped indignantly. "What do you think you're doing?!

"Lady Rhodonite!" Came a shriek from the headmare, her voice hitting a pitch no one knew she was capable of. "You're bleeding!"

"Bleeding?" She said, "what are you talking about..." And then she looked down.

She was indeed bleeding, and it wasn't a small amount either. The crimson liquid that poured out of her originated from an ornate dagger sticking right out of her chest. There was only one place it could've come from, but there was time to worry about that later. The weapon needed to be removed and the right spells employed before she bled completely out.

It should've been a simple matter to navigate the blade free with her magic, but as she tried to take hold of it in her crimson aura, not only could she not take hold, but her magic refused to even properly manifest.

If that wasn't bad enough, even attempting to use magic caused excruciating pain to wrack her body. Between that and how quickly she was losing blood, she soon found herself lacking the strength to stay upright.

Lady Rhodonite, leader of the grand city of Pandemonium, collapsed to the ground, the light leaving her eyes before anyone else could come to her aid.