Everywhere and Nowhere

The grass rustled under a zephyr in a vast meadow, petals from the flowers left to swirl about the area. Azure skies, decorated by the occasional fluffy cloud, framed the sun.

Amid this tranquility sat Abadonna, no longer in her rags. Instead, she wore a pretty white dress, matched with a sunhat. Her white pupils widened at the splendor, trying to catch the butterflies until she ran into a tall yet curvy figure. She gasped in elation.

“Mom!”

Beatrix Belladonna smiled before picking the little unicorn up to twirl her around in her embrace. The two laughed and played in the meadow until they got tuckered out, laying side by side.

“Ohh! Look at that one, mommy!” The cheery monochrome filly exclaimed, pointing to one cloud in the shape of a rabbit.

Beatrix chuckled before she spotted another ambiguous shape. “That one kind of looks like a sheep! Don't you think?”

“Yee!” Abby giggled, reaching for her hat until a strong gust picked up, carrying it away. “W-wait! Come back!” She pouted.

Beatrix observed her daughter, noticing that she looked a little different than before. No longer was her hair long and bone-straight but curled a little around her head. It seemed a lot darker as well, no longer sporting any white hues. And while the growths and bumps on Abadonna had reduced, the strange golden horns had grown a little, the unicorn horn still bent out of shape.

Still, this was her daughter, and she would be loved no matter what form she took. Smiling, she took off her witch hat and placed it on her daughter’s head, though it slipped further over until her snout was peeking out.

“Here. To replace the one you lost,” the violet mare insisted, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, face lit up by a warm, motherly smile. “You’ll soon grow into it. I promise!”

“Thanks, mom!” The little mare squeaked, adjusting her gift to proper fit, though it would constantly tilt to the side. She settled into her mother’s lap and cuddled up to her bosom. “Girls in our family always grow up to be witches, right? I want to be one, too!”

“That’s right. And I’ll teach you everything I know,” Beatrix promised, hugging her child tightly. Her face turned forlorn, and Abadonna followed her gaze to the sea of trees around the meadow, the forestry so perfect it reminded the little mare of the paradise world she'd described.

“Oh, look, mom! Snow!”

Abadonna pointed out tiny flakes starting to fall from the skies, despite there being no clouds. Beatrix curiously caught one, only for her excitement to turn into bewilderment, brows furrowed as she sniffed the air.

“This isn’t snow, honey. It’s…ash….”

Light began to fade from the scenery as the skies gradually bled, blue soaked into a rich crimson that cast the meadows into a hellish hue. The air started to twist around them, becoming sticky, thick, and harder to breathe. The sudden bout of heat was so intense, they were lined in perspiration.

“M-Mommy? What’s happening?” Abby coughed, trying her best not to breathe in the black flakes.

“I-I'm not sure...”

The temperature continued to rapidly rise until reaching a breaking point where the plants and trees spontaneously combusted. Licks of hot flames engulfed the forest, branches, and flowers scorched in embers, crackling viciously. Beatrix lifted Abadonna into her arms and, blasting a nearby falling tree with the entry plane, began to collapse.

“H-Hang on!” She yelled, clinging Abby protectively to her chest as she fled the burning forest. She dodged and rolled whenever more branches fell into a crisp, covering her snout so as not to inhale the plumes of smoke rising into the blackened skies. The little mare kept her eyes closed, whimpering for them to be safe.

Finally, Beatrix made it to a clearing, slowing down to catch her breath, sweat dripping off every limb. But her eyes widened in shock at the sight before her. It was as if a great inferno had scorched the entire plane.

What was going on?

With a grunt, she pressed on, ready to conjure a portal to escape through until the earth began to rumble, forcing the mare to stop in her tracks. Both ponies gazed into the fissures splitting the ground apart, chunks of molten rock tossed out amidst loud pops.

And out from the scorched earth arose a wall of hateful flames, dozens of terrified faces screaming in fear visible. But it was the next sight that made both mares shriek in horror.

Emerging from the hateful blaze was a skinless horse, standing on its hind legs while letting out a grotesque screech. And attached to its back was a demonic rider, head engulfed in wicked flames that formed a crown. Its skeletal visage gazed scornfully at them, pointing a claw before bellowing rage.

The front of the creature stomped down, Beatrix nearly ducking away from the equine head’s maw, spinning around to make a mad dash away from the monstrosity.

“MOM! WHAT IS THAT!?” Abby cried, unable to tear her gaze from the monster as it advanced behind them.

“I DON’T KNOW!” Beatrix repeated, tucking her daughter’s head. “Just don’t look at it! Whatever you do, look away!”

But her escape was cut short as more torrents of flames flared from the ground, barring the way out while their pursuer trotted closer. Beatrix glared in disgust as the creature’s mount vomited out putrid smog from its mouth. Her horn flared, projecting a barrier to seal them, the cloudy substance swirling around them.

The humanoid half snarled before breathing out a wave of immolation, igniting the toxic smog to explode around them, shaking the mares who cowered inside the shield. And while it was significantly damaged into fragments, the buffer still persisted...for now.

Beatrix screamed as the equine half bashed against the barrier with its hooves, its horrid neigh, the sound of nightmares as Abadonna wept, pleading for help as she clutched her.

“LEAVE US ALONE!!” Beatrix yelled, doing her best to keep her protective spell up.

“G̛̓̍̋̚iͥv̵̊̐͞͡e̔̌̆ͧ̓̎͑͝…̆ͤͩ̂͋ ̉ͯ͗ͨ̅ͬ̚͞҉̸M̍͒̊ͤ̽ͨͪ̏͂̕e͌ͮ̇̔̌̀̚͢…̸̶̧́̇̈̓͛̆ͨ ̶̨ͧͬ̉͐̐̂͂̎T̄͆͋̚hͨ̀̔̒ͦe̓̈̆͟͞ ͛̆̑̓̽͏Ĉ̶̒̄ͤ̌͌̒̕͝h̡̨͗̌̍͛͌͗͋̓ͩ͏ȋ̢̧ͮͦ̽l͒ͨ̀͟͢͢d̂̍̽͞!͑̏!̈́͛̑ͪͦ̓̃ͩ͜͢” the skinless demon demanded, slashing at the barrier with its extended claws.

“N-NEVER!” Yet the witch was straining, beads of sweat oozing off her brow, trying desperately to keep her spell up despite how agonizing her horn felt as it vibrated.

“Get away from them!” A voice bellowed as Lady Ewe materialized between the creature and the unicorns. With a wave of her staff, she blasted its equine face in a burst of raw magic, causing it to reel back and shriek.

“O-Oona!?”

“Get out ov here!” The sheep sage demanded, hands alight with a fresh spell. “Take Abadonna an' run befur --gaagh!”

Her warning was cut off once the demon seized her throat, pulling the struggling sheep towards its humanoid torso to study her. She yelled as its claws dug into her flesh, the puncture wounds searing with heat until her flesh caught fire, the poor faun blackening then incinerating in seconds.

“NOOOOOOOOO! OONAAAA!!” Beatrix screamed, Abadonna hiding into her mother’s cape to look away from the awful sight as her lover immolated. The skinless monstrosity dropped her burnt corpse onto the ground, crawling towards the pair. Licks of flames pulsed from her eyeless pupils, skin crisping away to blackened meat, her wool burning off her limbs and scalp.

“Ç͒ͯ̽͑͠͏-̿ͧ͞Cͮ͐̎̽̉ͨ̄ͯ͘̕e̷ͭ̄̆̆̀ĕẽ̉̈́̅̈́̆̊̋͟͡ȁͦ̋̊̀ä̡ͪ̍̐̈̿̒͛̕͠ā̶ͨ̈́n̛̐̈́ͩͣ̆̚͠ ͂̇̑̈́ͣÕ̧̌͊̉̇́gͥͣ̅ͭģ̋͆ͨ̓äͫ͗̉ͤ̑̏͂͞a̷ͥ̔̔̇͗̒̚a̾aͥͨͤ͒̈́̓ͭ͑̀͏…̨͗ͩ̒͋͗ͤ̏” She croaked.

Panting frantically, Beatrix dropped her shield and ran with her child, jumping through the fire while ditching her cape, leaving it to burn away. The monster roared before galloping after them. It didn’t matter to her if there was nowhere left to go.

Anywhere was better than here.

Something grabbed at her ankle, causing her to trip and release Abadonna from her arms. The little mare tumbled into the burnt earth, looking back before screaming, “MOM!”

The unicorn mare struggled to break free of the immolated zombie grasping her heel, about to fire a magical beam until another pair of hands clasped around her throat.

More and more held Beatrix down, just as their skinless pursuer arrived. The horse head of the beast snorted into her face before trotting over towards Abadonna, the filly scurrying away until the rider lifted her up by her dress in one claw.

“NO! LEAVE HER ALONE!!” She choked, desperate to break free as more and more bodies limped towards them. Her eyes widened upon recognizing their faces, despite how disfigured and melted they were. Oona, Dion, Midnight, Cerise, the twins, Bellatrix, Moxxi…even Zeloph and Shadow Scythe were not spared!

And soon, she too would join their fate of perpetual suffering as her innards cooked under immolation. Fire consumes her flesh, screaming in anguish while reaching for her child.

“MOMMY! MOMMY!!” the frightened filly cried, hyperventilating as she was pulled closer and closer to the gaunt face of the skinless horseman, its teeth resembling a horrible smile as its maw opened.

“NO! NOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

Abadonna awoke with a scream, her powers distorting the chamber that contained her as her startled cry echoed through the library. She gasped for precious air, layered in sweat as she took in her surroundings, thankful to find she wasn’t anywhere near that hellish landscape nor that infernal creature.

She touched her face, finding a few of the growths were gone. But more importantly, she found her mother’s hat still on her head.

Just then, the chamber doors burst open as Enoch rushed in, cosmic feathers scattering from their plumage. “What happened? I heard screaming!” They asked and perched by the bed, looking over Abadonna to make sure she was unharmed; their eyes widened upon finding the wide-brimmed hat. “Where did you get that?”

“M-My mom gave it to me…in my dream,” Abadonna answered with a sniffle, pulling it off to look it over, tiny fingers brushing over the fur. “We were together, enjoying the scenery until everything went black, and then there was fire! Fire everywhere an-” Her breathing picked up, tears streaming down her face, trying to hold back her sobs.

“Shhhhhh,” they hushed, enveloping her in their massive wingspan. The little mare’s robes rustled as Abby whimpered and cradled into the tufts of the guardian’s downy feathers.

“I-it felt so real...!”

“I know,” Enock nodded, lowering their head closer. “Please, tell me what you can…”

The curator of time listened attentively as the young filly struggled to describe all she dreamt. A horrible image of scorched earth ignited bodies and a skinless monster with fire atop its head. The owl-griff's eyes widened, realizing what happened before pulling his head away. “Oh no…”

“W-what? It was just a dream…wasn’t it?”

“If only that were true,” Enock shook their head, scanning over the hat laid next to the filly. “Remarkable. You’ve only been sleeping, and already, your magic has started to manifest!”

“My magic?” Abadonna asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Your mother’s hat,” they pointed out. “That shouldn’t be here, yet you pulled it right from your dream. Your form has even taken a more stable shape. The prophecy of Lightendark is slowly coming true!”

“Y-yeah! Maybe that means both mommy and daddy are almost here!!” Abadonna chirped hopefully, though her excitement faltered looking back to the cosmic guardian, who still wore a grim expression.

“What’s wrong?”

“No…. Something isn’t right. Follow me.” They urged, lowering themselves on all fours so the little filly could climb back on before they soared through the library once more. Enock took her through multiple corridors, more clocks appearing on the walls and statues until he hovered over one.

Abadonna gazed at it fearfully. “W-what is that?!”

It was a large, ancient structure made of stone. Dials scratched into the surface as an ominous red aura glowed within. Around the bottom were burnt bones and singed marks, corroding the atmosphere with an acrid stench. Hovering closer, they could hear that it was steadily ticking.

“It’s just as I feared,” Enock stated, stricken with horror. “The doomsday machine has activated, ticking closer and closer to midnight.”

“W-what happens at midnight?” Abadonna gulped, regretting the question.

“The End of Days. When the Burning King breaks free and casts all of existence into endless turmoil.” The mention of the monster’s name made the small filly shudder.

Enock turned their head around to gaze at the child. “I’m sorry, little one. But I must withhold my promise. I cannot allow anyone to reach the library, should I risk your safety and the universe’s livelihood!”

“B-but you can't! My mother and father-”

“Are NOT welcomed! You MUST understand! If the Burning King breaches through, there is nothing that will stop him from destroying everything! I’m sorry, I wish there was another way.”

Abadonna stared sadly at the cosmic owl-griff, deeply hurt by their change of heart, but nodded her head as they began to fly away. The little filly glared back at the doomsday machine, hoping that it never reached the end of its countdown.

Beatrix awoke from the same dream, panting heavily while clutching at her bare chest. Relief slowly washed over upon finding her body still intact. Her rustling caused her lover to stir awake, scratching at his head. “Mmnh... Lassie? Whit's the time?”

“O-oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to wake you,” she mumbled, rubbing over her clammy skin. Platinum hair with violent tinges tossed about in disarray, sweat beading down her face as she rubbed tears from her eyes. Well aware that the witch looked like an absolute mess, the warrior held her close, feeling her wet cheek press into his muscular chest.

“Hey, it's okay! No need tae apologize,” he insisted with a gentle tone, stroking her hair. “Dae ye feel like talkin' about it?”

“No, I’m fine. It was just a bad dream,” she groaned groggily, stretching out her sore limbs before rising out of the hammock.

“A'm afraid it was mair than a dream,” a voice called from the side. Beatrix flinched as a flickering light fell over them, Lady Ewe having stepped out with a lantern in hand. The witch noted her teacher looked equally restless and bothered, face was drawn, bags under her eyes.

“Ah need tae talk wit her. Dae ye mind?” She asked her brother, who nodded and lifted his waking body before he hurried inside the forecastle to give the two some privacy.

Beatrix waved her hand to swiftly redress, though she was surprised to find her hat didn’t materialize when her attire came.

After a couple more waves, she gave up and followed Oona to the ship's bow. Dark waves quietly stirred below, a cool breeze upon them that carried a salty scent. The moonlight shone above. For a while, the couple was content to sit in silence.

“So…” Beatrix started, turning to her lover with concerned violet eyes as her hair rustled. “It wasn’t just a dream, was it?”

Oona shook her head. “A premonition, most likely. A warning ov things tae come... ”

“And what…or who is coming?”

“Th' Burning King.”

Beatrix felt her blood run coldly at the mention of that name, having heard Lady Ewe mention it before. Though, given the nature of their nightmare and the gruesome demon they encountered, it made sense.

“That’s the Burning King?! Well, no wonder you've avoided talking about him! What even is he?”

“A Nuckelavee,” Oona answered. “A demon ov old myth. Said tae chase efter its victims wit'out puggle 'til rippin' them asunder, all fur sadistic glee. Only th' Sea Mither had th' strength tae vanquish th' beasts. An' that was true…befur th' Burning King became one in death."

“So he was human once?”

The sheep sage nodded. “An' even then, his mortal life knew no mercy. Sent tae war by his faither on a suicide mission, th' carnage an' bloodshed only fueled his rage, bringin' forth a massacre tae anythin' that moved. He returned as a war hero, but that changed when he butchered his faither fur th' crown. From then on, th' kingdom ov Moira knew only conquest, pillage, an' slaughter. When other kingdoms stood united an' defeated his army, he brunt down his entire castle, trappin' foes and villagers inside, an' earning th' moniker ov th' Burning King.”

“H-holy…” Beatrix muttered and paled, unable to imagine how such a person could become so horrid. “B-but he can't be coming back, right? And even then, why would he want Abadonna?! She's still a child-”

Oona shook her head and exhaled. “He exists in th' realm ov Pathos, whair souls who cannot escape their mortal vices go tae suffer. Four ov which embraced their insidious nature, becoming Vice Lords. They sought tae help him return thro' something called th' Omega Prophecy…. Ah don’t know th' details or why Abby is involved. But if th' Burning King brings th' End o' Days, all life will be extinguished.”

Lady Ewe reached for her pupil’s hand, squeezing it tightly while gazing at her with frightened eyes. “That is why we battle th' Vice Lords, wherever they appear. Tae prevent his imminent return. Yet it's a battle ah fear we will lose…”

“Don’t say that, Oona,” Beatrix spoke firmly, clasping both hands over her lover's. “We’ve fought plenty of terrible monsters before. What’s one more for us to handle?”

“Ye don’t understand, Ceann Oga!” Oona shook her head, panic in her voice. “This isn’t like wit Zeloph or Shadow Scythe! If th' Burning King comes back, he will be unstoppable! He cannot be defeated!”

“Okay, okay..!” She sighed. “I’ll help, you know I will! But my priority is getting my daughter back safe and sound. And, who knows! Maybe this library will have something to prevent the Burning King from ever coming back! But we gotta get there first. So…let’s not let some awful dream rule us, okay?”

While the dream faun looked too distraught to agree, she let out a wry sigh before nodding her head. “Alricht, Beatrix. Ah understand. Ah just hope this isn’t a bad omen… what wit sae much at stake already!”

“Me too, Oona.” The witch exhaled, pulling her into a comforting hug, which she returned. They walked back to find Dion had fallen back asleep in the hammock before entering the forecastle to make a bed for themselves. The two lovers fell back to sleep comfortably in a tender embrace, hopeful this peace would not end anytime soon.

As dawn broke through the horizon, the ship reached the outer borders of Equestrian territory, arriving by the docs. Beatrix and allies gathered their belongings as they prepared to make port. The witch materialized a new hat to wear, wondering if her daughter actually managed to grab it.

“It micht be possible,” Ewe answered, perplexed by this bizarre development. “Dreams are often th' windae tae th' soul. Sae if given enough power, one could pull something out upon awakenin'!”

“If that’s true, then maybe Abby isn’t as far away as I thought!” Beatrix stated hopefully.

“Wishful thinking, Lassie,” Trom interjected. “The sun may look close, but it be much farther away. Not that ye want to shoot right to it, harharr!”

“No, you’re right,” Beatrix sighed, smiling sadly while looking up at the walrus captain. “Thank you so much for your help, Trom.” The violet mare wrapped her arms around his ample belly and hugged him, and the others did the same to thank the ferry spirit.

He returned the embrace with colored cheeks. “Nawww, I’m just doin' me duty! Carryin' lost souls to where they belong. Now best ov luck to ye! I 'ope ye all 'ad a pleasant stay! The mystic fortress lies just beyond the cliffside; ye can't miss it!”

“Thank you, Trom,” Lady Ewe called as she, her brother, her lover, and the married couple reached the shores and waved farewell. At the sound of his magic whistle, the ship departed back to sea, into the mysterious mists. Everyone gazed at one another before nodding in unison, ready to undertake the next portion of their journey.

It was a steady climb towards the cliffs, needing to catch their breath once they reached the tops. The highlands shimmered refracted sunlight, the wind howling gently, carrying the salty air of the sea.

“Wow…. I didn’t know Equestria could look this beautiful!” Midnight clamored.

“Micht want tae take another look, laddie,” Dion dejected, pointing towards tarnished terrain, where a battle had clearly taken place. Instantly, Beatrix rushed over to examine the aftermath, her heart sinking upon recognizing the baleful sparks of white fire, still flickering on the ground.

“Zeloph was here!”

Midnight asked, “A-are you sure?”

“She’s sure,” Cerise defended, glaring intensely into the ghastly pale flames. “I’d recognize that bastard’s work anywhere…”

“An' it looks like he wasn’t alone,” Oona pointed out, noting the different footprints in the dirt. “Thair was a skirmish.”

“Shadow Scythe?” Midnight proposed, to which Beatrix cupped her chin in thought.

“Might be…. Knowing her, she probably used Zeloph for any info about the library and tried to murder him the moment she could. One can only wish she succeeded…”

Cerise agreed with the sentiment, nodding firmly as she seethed at the reaper.

“But then, that would mean she’s closer tae th' library an' yer daughter. That’s nae somethin' tae be hopeful about,” Dion reminded, much to their begrudgement.

Beatrix said, “Then we can’t waste time! C’mon, I see the fortress up ahead!”

Eagerly, the group continued to follow up the trail, where the runic castle awaited. Vines and wild growth covered the stone structures, the drawbridge having remained down for millennia. Stepping through, the group found themselves in the courtyard, a long table with forgotten bowls and tableware ahead. The wind blew through a series of chimes, where a large pillar with ancient markings protruded from the stone tiles. A massive fountain stood in the center, trinkets of water still pouring out slowly.

“So spooky…yet so cool!” Beatrix complimented quietly, looking around with twinkling eyes. And this was just the outside! Who knows what they could find inside!

“Ease yer heart, Ceann Oga,” Oona politely suggested, smiling as she touched her shoulder. “This is not a place tae go explorin'. We are tae council wit th' spirits. An' we need tae mak' yer trial convincin'.”

“B-but what if they don’t agree..?”

“Have faith in me,” the sheep shaman assured, rubbing her cheeks tenderly while staring through to Beatrix’s wavering spirit with confidence. “Just as Ah have wit you.”

While her mentor’s words swayed her to believe, Beatrix still couldn’t help the nervousness. With a nod, she and her friends settled down at the table. Oona took to the head, her dreamcatcher staff glowing with magic, as she closed her eyes and called out,

“𝔸𝕙 𝕔𝕒' 𝕦𝕡𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙' 𝕞𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕠' 𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕤 '𝕟' 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕖, 𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕘𝕥𝕙 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕚𝕕𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖, 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕖 𝕦𝕟𝕨𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕.
𝕀 𝕔𝕒' 𝕦𝕡𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙' 𝕞𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕠' 𝕤𝕜𝕚𝕖𝕤 '𝕟' 𝕨𝕚𝕟`, 𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕗𝕒𝕤𝕥 '𝕟' 𝕤𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕥, 𝕕𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕦𝕟𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕕.
𝕀 𝕔𝕒' 𝕦𝕡𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙' 𝕞𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕠' 𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤 '𝕟' 𝕤𝕖𝕒, 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 '𝕟' 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕗𝕦𝕝, 𝕡𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕦𝕟𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕.
ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣 𝕞𝕖, 𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕤, 𝕗𝕦𝕣 𝕒𝕙 𝕣𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕪𝕖𝕣 𝕘𝕦𝕚𝕕𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖. ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕒𝕝 𝕪𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕝' 𝕥𝕒𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝕖𝕖𝕟!”

Slowly, the wind began to blow more harshly, the earth started to rumble below their feet, causing the group to cling onto the table. Violet energy erupted from the stone pillar, forming into a colossal bear spirit, who released a thunderous roar upon arrival, causing Beatrix and Cerise to yelp in alarm. Emerald gales brushed through the chimes, swirling around the table until it twisted into shape. Once the pale wolf spirit fully materialized, he loosed a howl with the bear.

Shimmering water began to pour from the old fountains, bubbles hovering out before another strange spirit jumped out. It was a seal-like woman, wearing a white fur coat while her round body bounced onto the table, knocking stuff off as she slid and splashed Beatrix and friends with water.

“B-baah! Not again!” The witch complained. The seal held her flipper to her mouth, giggling before she jiggled her way towards her fellow mystics. Each of them was marked by symbols similar to Oona's and Dion’s. The bear wore study designs in yellow, the wolf sported green slashes, and the seal spotted pink teardrops.

“Who dares disturb the great Storbjorn’s slumber!?” Bellowed the bear, glaring down at the party with one glowing yellow eye. The stone helmet and battle braids reminded Beatrix of fabled warriors from human history; Vikings. “Who has the gall to-'' But he soon gasped upon seeing Lady Ewe, quickly scooping her up in one claw, smiling widely.

“Minn goð dóttir! It’s been ages!!” He laughed, nuzzling the giggling sheep who hugged his nose.

“As Ah’ve missed ye, Dia athair!” She looked back at the startled group before explaining. “Storbjorn is an old friend ov th' clan. He an' mah faither go way back. ”

“An' 'oy is yer father, Dion?” The wolf asked in a soft-spoken voice.

"Wouldn't know. Haven't gone back tae th' village yet," The ram replied with a snort. "And how's Naoi?"

"As vexin' as a vixen can be," the gale spirit chuckled. “So ye 'aven't returned ter scrap for chieftain?”

“Oh, lay off him, Gaoth! It's bin tae long since Ah got tae plooter these kids!” The seal woman snickered, sliding closer to jump into the burly ram’s arms and cuddle him.

“Heh! A'm barely a kid anymair, Suela!” Dion chuckled before laying her back on the table.

"Nonsense! Ye'll always be yer mother's boy, na matter how old ye grow."

Cerise got up to look over her fur coat, marvelling at how soft it looked. “Oh, that looks so cute! Where can I get one in my siz-- oww!” Her attempt to reach for it earned her hand a slap from Suela.

“How rude!” She hissed. “Don’t ye know better than tae take a selkie’s jacket?”

“N-no, I didn’t! I’m sorry, okay,” she pouted with flat ears, rubbing her sore knuckles. “And what’s a selkie, anyhow?”

“Oh, that’s what Ah am, lassie! ” Suela said proudly, slapping her belly in quick succession. “Mah coat allows me tae donder on land. But if someone were tae tak' it, A’d be stuck wit no way home. Though, funny enough, tis how Trom an' Ah came tae be Matanams. ” She winked at her.

“Oh, wait! You're... Awww, that’s so cute!”

The selkie gave a bashful smile, her small nose sniffing the scent of fish and seawater off their clothes. “Ah miss th' muckler. Always workin' wit his heart on his sleeve. A’ll have tae reward him wit more cuddles~!”

“Nigh is not de time,” Gaoth reminded, leaping onto the table while looking over Beatrix and her friends, the wolf's greenish-yellow eyes shimmering brightly. “We were summoned 'ere for a purpose.”

“Aye, onto business,” Storbjorn nodded, clearing his throat before gently placing Oona back onto the ground. “What requires oor presence, Oona? I know ye wouldn’t caa us ere if it were terribly important.”

“Please,” the dream faun began. “Ah come askin' ye fur a way tae th' stoatin library ov Enock. Beatrix Belladonna,” she motioned to the witch, who nervously waved at the mystics. “Has come in search fur her missing daughter, th' Child ov Lightendark herself!”

The three spirits backed away in surprise, looking between one another.

“But that can’t be possible,” Storjborn exclaimed. “The Child o Lightendark isn’t prophesied te be born for anither hundred years!”

“Unless somethin' caused her birth by mishanter,” Suela proposed with pursed lips before turning to ask, “Who's th' faither?”

Oona answered, “A demi-human named Zeloph. He, too, seeks th' library, fur it's th' only place Abadonna can stabilize in.”

“Ahh. That must be the lad who made a mess outside my stone walls,” the bear spirit growled. “Demis, pha! Think they’re sae hot.”

Lady Ewe turned to the group, noting the bewildered expressions. “Before we learned ov his origins, we referred tae Zeloph an' Moxxi as demi-humans or ‘demis’ fur short. Mostly based on their humanoid shape while sporting different animal features.”

“Ahh! Makes sense,” Midnight nodded and scratched his spiky mane. “A lot better to remember than nefull...uhm, nephilia?”

“Nephilim,” she corrected, giggling.

“...yeah, that!”

“Regardless,” the pale wolf spirit cut in. “We can’t afford ter share Enock’s locashun!”

Storbjorn stubbornly nodded. “We made a solemn vow te the curator, te niver reveal the portal unless absolutely necessary!”

“It’s a great risk,” Suela agreed, looking back to them with saddened eyes. “Countless worlds would be at stake if th' wrong person got access tae untold knowledge!”

“But someone already has!” Oona countered, desperate to hold her plight. “Zeloph likely knows how tae get thair. If we dae not get tae Enock in time, Ah dare not dream what he’ll dae wit infinite knowledge at his fingertips! Please, Ah beg ov ye! Tell us!”

“This doesn't look good,” Dion whispered to the married couple, arms crossed over his bare chest and his a drawn face.

“Don't tell me we came all this way just to be turned away?” Cerise asked, clutching her hands together. “That’s not fair!”

“We'll convince them somehow,” assured Midnight, wrapping a large, feathery wing over his wife to draw her closer. “We have to pay you back after all you've done for us, sis, and I can't think of a better way! Maybe-”

He was interrupted when Beatrix pushed her way past and interrupted the debate, slamming her fists on the table. Each mystic paused their commotion to gaze at the witch. She leaned over the table between the guardians, palms planted on the surface, her eyes watery. “Please,” she implored as silence fell between them, their attention drawn to her. “Without your help, my daughter could be lost forever! I’ll handle the consequences if it means Abby will be safe in my arms. I can't abandon her! I won’t lose her to Zeloph! I couldn't bear it if...if...”

She closed her eyes, unable to hold back the tears that ran down her cheeks, a quiver as her knees threatened to buckle. All she could think about was little Abadonna, all alone, convinced that her mother had finally given up on her. Despite that she had sworn to upturn heaven and hell if necessary to locate her, she again felt powerless and bristled with frustration, that despite how hard she'd worked and what she'd learned, her fate lay in the hands of people she'd just met.

“Ceann Oga,” said Lady Ewe, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder to reassure her.

The guardians exchanged a glance, quietly debating their course of actions before nodding in unison. “Verra well, Oona. Beatrix Belladonna,” Storbjorn spoke, a softened look on his large face. “We hear yer cries. We will show ye the way te Enock’s library. Unner the condition that ance ye git ther, you’ll come hint onlie wit Abadonna an nae newfound wisdom.”

“Y-yes! Of course!” Beatrix sniffled, rubbing her eyes clean while giving a gracious smile. “You have my word; I will respect Enock and not attempt to steal their knowledge!”

“Gran',” Gaoth nodded, a small gust of air swirling around the unicorn mare. “Ter break a promise wi' spirits is ter sentence yer soul ter be 'unted. Oi can sense lashings av darkness deep within yer,” the wolf sneered, yellow eyes narrowed with suspicion.

Yet Oona stood in her way, shaking her head. “Crafty an' sneaky as she may be, Beatrix haes a good heart. Ah trust her tae know she’ll dae th' richt thing.”

“Oh! Speakin' o' darkness,” Suela interrupted, putting on a warmer smile. “That is th' foremost requirement fur th' portal. A great energy source blacker than what most sorcerers can conjure. An' luckily fur ye, Beatrix, you’re Onoma is packed tae th' brim wit it!”

“Seriously?! Then we’re already one step closer!” Cheers erupted from the travellers. Beatrix embraced Lady Ewe, Cerise hopped, and her bells jingled as she cheerily laughed; Dion and Midnight made a fist bump at the first decisive victory. The mystic guardians couldn’t help but smile over their joy.

“Okay, okay!” Beatrix said, calming herself down before turning to address the guardian spirits. “So that’s one down, thanks! Now, what are the other requirements?”

“A single shard from de Crystal 'eart, currently 'oused in de Crystal Empire,” Gaoth stated, his nose pointed towards the west of where they were.

“The Crystal Empire?!” Midnight exclaimed. “T-then that would mean...”

“W-we could potentially see our dad,” Beatrix nodded. In so many universes, she had encountered many versions of Shining Armor. The witch wondered what this variant would be like. Oona, however, sported a frown while keeping out of her lover’s vision.

“Lastly,” the selkie continued. “You’ll need blood fae a pure alicorn.”

“A pure alicorn?”

“I think she means one who was naturally born and not altered by magic to become one. So neither Twilight Sparkle nor Cadance.”

“An' unfortunately, Celestia An' Luna are no longer alive at this time, ” Dion noted.

“But Flurry Heart still exists, right?” Beatrix asked hopefully, to which her mentor nodded. “Great! Then that means we just need to get to the Crystal Empire, find my sister, and we can potentially get to the library way earlier than expected!”

“Beatrix,” Oona politely interjected, pulling her lover towards her. “Ye must understand, things are different here an'-”

Suddenly, Storbjorn released a mighty roar, once more shaking the entire room. A vicious sneer adorned his face.

“What is it, Storbjorn?” Suela asked nervously.

“The mountain! My stone sentinels ar awakening frae thair post. Someone’s been climbing, aamaist at its peak!”

“That’s gotta be Zeloph!” Cerise exclaimed.

“Or Shadow Scythe,” Midnight proclaimed. “But why would either of them-”

“No…” Oona gasped, nearly falling onto her knees, shaking her head back and forth in terror. Dion started breathing heavily, fist bawled tightly as he looked away.

“Oona? What’s wrong?” Beatrix asked, holding her mentor gingerly while staring with concern. The sheep sage looked back with teary honey eyes.

“W-we must intercept th' intruders quickly! Before they reach… him!!”

“Him?”

At the summit awaited many stone golems. The guardians were silent and impassive but immediately creaked into motion the moment they sensed the arrival of intruders. Wasting no time on warnings, the sentinels rushed to intercept, created to attack on sight since few could hope to reach this spot, and it was unlikely anyone that did so had noble intentions in mind.

The earth shook under their movements. A solid fist smashed toward Shadow Scythe, who floated before them. The reaper melted into her own shadow reappeared in the one cast by her attacker from behind, and her crescent sickle flashed in a blurred arc.

The protector froze, and its lopped-off head slowly slid off until it toppled with a thud. She chuckled evilly at her work.

Another had its bulky chest blasted open by a ray of light. The stone crumbled, dust rose around the defender, and it crumpled, deactivated. Zeloph's fingers burned, another spell already prepared in his hands and on his lips to deal with their adversaries.

An ethereal light show erupted from the Nephilim's wings. Cackling sounded each time the reaper popped in-and-out of looming shadows, her scythe arcing out from all directions to carve through solid rock. She summoned a storm of smaller sickles that floated around her, wrapped in her aura as her horn lit up, and let fly in a whirlwind of death as the crescents carved up solid rock.

With their newly discovered abilities, the pair made quick work of their foes. It was almost a game to them, as the travellers tested their powers out some more, almost disappointed that the mystic automatons were so quickly and easily felled between them.

By the time it was over, the duo had found themselves pressed back-to-back as they huffed. Before, Shadow Scythe would have pulled away, but she lingered by him despite the unpleasant stickiness of sweat they had worked up at the moment. Tattered white robes lined in black clung to her tall, wispy frame, one that was coldly beautiful but built more for efficiency than its aesthetics.

They took a brief moment to savor their rest, their shattered enemies reduced to scattered rubble at their feet. The reaper summoned her scythe back into the hand, and the sickles followed, banished back into the ether until needed as they slipped into her shadow. Another bitter reminder she and Beatrix had more in common than she liked, now that her Onoma had been unlocked.

“You’re handling yourself well,” Zeloph complimented with a wry smile. “Not even a day has passed, and you’re using Thanatos quite masterfully. Not bad~.”

“Hmph.… I’m surprised you can even keep up with me,” the reaper huffed, unable to deny Zeloph’s own advancing skill.

“As if I would allow you another chance at my throat,” he scoffed, letting his heart rate stabilize once he surveyed the sealed door. “So...should we try knocking?”

“Stand aside. Allow me...” She narrowed her icy eyes in determination and carved through the barrier to the stronghold. With the last defenses out of the way, the reaper and nephilim pulled open the stone doors, making their way inside. Zeloph’s body illuminated the dark passage, providing vision down the carved steps. The duo kept close if only to remain on constant alert, should they run into further resistance.

“Quit shaking; your feathers are tickling me!” Shadow whispered harshly.

“I can’t help it,” Zeloph quivered, ruffling his wings as the eyes twitched. “There is so much immense pressure here! How could one person conjure so much… evil?”

Grunting, she pushed him aside to take the lead until they entered a small room, hollowed out from within the mountain’s peak. Runic stones glowed around, magic pulsating through chains, binding a titanic figure who kneeled in the center. Shadow Scythe narrowed her gaze at the shadowed creature, a sense of familiarity eluding her.

“Is this...a prison cell?” Zeloph quipped.

A low grumble came from the prisoner, lifting his head to glare at his ‘guests.’ And upon meeting his intense stare, Shadow Scythe felt her blood instantly freeze. How could she ever forget those sinister crimson eyes, withered blue coat, sickly white hair, and the large, curved horns?

Braced with gold around his neck, adorned in tattered black robes, there was no mistaking his familiar shape and posture. Two fangs protruded from either side of his lower jaw, forming a grim frown.

Before her in chains was a version of the very creature she served in her home dimension before she beheaded the would-be tyrant to claim his soul. She dropped her sickle while Zeloph looked between the two with a worried expression. Her eyes remained wide, full of dread, her voice trembling as she spoke the creature’s name.

“... Grogar?”