Verve

By the time Pumpkin snapped awake - thankfully unharmed, back in her body - her plate had already been taken away, and the group was preparing for the inevitable voices of angry deer. Following lunch, the senators gathered for Court - fifty six bucks and does, all of which were already starting their usual bickering even as they lined their pillows. Luckily, a lot of the ire wasn’t focused on the group in this case; instead, it seemed to be between themselves.

Alone, Aster wouldn’t stand a chance to quell this kind of chaos - luckily for him, he had a Princess on hoof that was well suited for the job, having dealt with more problems than he could ever hope.

“Bucks and does of all boughs, please - be seated. Court is now in session once more, and as such, I require silence.”

Of course, few actually paid attention to the gentle buck, but for a surprising change of pace - his voice came in a loud roar; like thundering leaves in a storm, he called - “QUIET!”

That… was definitely not like him. Tempest leaned over to Pumpkin, the ambassador having once again taken her proper place at Aster’s right. In the call to find seating, the commander made extra sure to snatch a seat closest to her mare. “I don’t suppose you gave him Zerker Pedals?”

Pumpkin shook her head at the question, a bit worried at the change in demeanor; he was usually a lot more… sensitive. But the confidence was welcome, as many eyes that once challenged their King now fell back in a curious fear.

“I have led our deer trails for thousands of years; and I will not sit idly by as your voices ignore me like a flower in the wind. We are here to discuss solutions, NOT create more issues!” At this demand for peace, the usually quite gold-flecked buck simmered down, easing his shoulders with a deep breath.

“My guests have spent their time here wisely, preparing themselves for the battle to come. I count among my boughs fourteen heads of noble houses, with their senators in check. I expect that by tomorrow, I will have fourteen battalions fit for battle at my General’s command, as we stand on the precipice of disaster. We can not let this night become eternal. If we falter, the Entity WILL claim us, our souls - and breach Mount Celeste in a bid to drain the astral bodies of all creatures, deer included, of their light.

“The winning conditions for our enemy are simple. If the Lunar Halo, as Arin calls it - touches the far horizon, the sun will most likely fall beyond the reach of magic. It will be impossible to restore the light. Furthermore, if too many creatures die in this battle, the miasma of the Shadowfell will take the Mountain - and the Entity will have the strength to punch through the fabric of our reality.

“Our guests have prepared a way to counter this second condition. Through the use of enchantment, Vee - who I once believed was deranged in some manner, had crafted a spell capable of reversing a creature’s astral body with their physical one. This magic allows us to incapacitate creatures without rendering them liable for circumstantial deaths; taking enemies out of the fight until the lunar magic is expelled. It also prevents the Nightmare from simply rendering them unconscious again, and at her control.

“Now, we are awaiting word of the return of Rainbow Dash, who happens to recall the location of the Breezy’s secret hollow. With any luck, we will have their magic to keep the White Tail alive, until we can either restore the Feywilds - or acclimate permanently to settle in the Prime once more.” He ended this statement with a bow of his antlers, giving the floor up for questioning.

“This is madness! The Entity has long since been destroyed - your words are as empty as your promises for peace! I studied the matter, to be sure of it!” One of the golden haired bucks called, gray strands lining his short beard. Celestia nodded to Umbra, as the duo stood to confront the room.

The shadowy mare spoke first - a plan quickly forming to take down any doubts. “What you read was simply outdated; understanding changes with time and study. If you had recalled our previous meaning concerning these issues, you would not have been so daft as to proclaim this as insanity. Princess Celestia, if you will, summon for me the illusion of Equis’s known lands.”

The Princess nodded, and did just that - her golden aura twinkling as she willed the sight into existence. It was exceptionally well detailed, a floating half orb that showed Canterlot in the dead center. Arin instantly recognized it; the very same image you’d see from the moon. She had seen it for thousands of years, when caught in endless nightmares - of course it would be a perfect, pristine recreation of the half sphere they stood upon.

Even Umbra was a bit surprised to see just how detailed it was; several unsure voices piping up from the crowd of gathered White Tail she walked quietly around it.

“Let’s start historically, from every threat we’ve been able to note across all of Equestria. We’ll begin with the oldest, and move onwards from there.

“As Equestrians settled into Equestria, Grogar - a powerful lord of dark minions, stalked the land. Drawn to peace, he sought to inspire fear in every single pony’s hearts - for what reason, none knew at the time. He was eventually subdued, as his power came from the Bewitching Bell - a powerful artifact that could turn even the most vile of nightmares into reality. As I see it, these abominations are likely pieces of the Entity itself; and Grogar wielded a calling charm of its power to try and claim as many lives as he could for the Entity.”

She tapped her hoof to the far east; where his kind likely came from, close to Griffonstone.

“Next, we have the Pony of Shadows; a small pony had inherited the might of darkness to challenge his once friends. The Pillars of Equestria channeled a spell to seal him in purgatory, saving the land from darkness. Likely, the Pony of Shadows had the same goal - wreak destruction unbidden in revenge, in spite… in envy. This cost six great lives their peace; and Hollow Shades was completely wiped out. Attempts to recultivate the land in the Prime have failed; the darkness is simply too strong, and its ties to the Entity beckon darkness.”

Another point on the map that Celestia marked with a glow.

“Discord is said to have appeared here, first - in what we call the San Palomino Desert. His control of Equestria was immense, yet his final battle - with Celestia and Luna both - was held in the far, far south, past the Appaloosan Mountains. While he is now an ally - none have caught sight of him for the last several weeks, as he appears to have temporarily receded into his home in the Elemental Chaos.”

A soft flick of Celestia’s horn, and another point gleamed on the half sphere.

“A thousand years later, Nightmare Moon’s first defeat in the Everfree Forest.”

More points were added, as Umbra began to rattle off villains and locations.

“The Umbrum in the North, the Changelings in the Everfree, Aramaspi’s abandoned lair, the shadow bugbears in the far North East, the Carnival in Copsevale, Driderhold, Deepwoods - every single one of these places, either has a direct tie to the Entity and its power, or saw an odd, nearly unexplained event occur in the past few thousand years. Look at this map, all of you - tell me, where is the one spot where an event has not occurred?”

There was quiet murmuring among the deer, a discontent that roused steadily from their voices. Of the senators, one eventually spoke; “Mount Celeste.”

“And in nearly every single one of the newer attacks, the goal was to take this Mountain. Would any of you have the faintest clue why?” Umbra pointed a hoof at the single peak in the center of the world, awaiting a response.

“Get on with it! What’s your point?” The bearded buck glared, crossing his forelegs.

“Mount Celeste is in the dead center of what’s left of Equis. Every single point on this map is a place the Entity may have marred with its touch. The points grow closer with time, each showing a trail that falls ever onwards to the center of our world. The Entity is burrowing up. It was not destroyed, as Queen Astra likely banished it instead. It was simply too powerful to be incinerated by a single Alicorn. Instead, her final flash cast it into the Shadowfell, as her magic evaporated billions of beings - from trees to rabbits, birds and bees - in mere moments. The intended effect of her magic was death - and the closest she could manage was the realm of death.

“In the Shadowfell, heat is unnatural - even in the depths of Equis, where the molten core blossoms in the prime, it is nothing but a demented hollow. I may be one of the few beings alive who naturally know this, from my time as an Umbrum. It dug its damaged roots back in, spread its tendrils wide and unseen - and began to creep through stone and bedrock, upwards through the other side. Why, we can only assume is the draw of life - or perhaps to root itself on the centerpoint of the remaining world, to spread its creeping tendrils far and uncontained.

“Regardless, a great evil is situated here - unseen to the naked eye, but growing stronger as the world suffers and dies to the cold. If the sun is completely ripped from the world - nothing can contest the lunar magic flowing, and it will finally sprout into the frozen prime, to claim its prize. Every soul, every tendril of life - sucked dry, and left to rot.”

“Then what can we even do about it? Charge in, die to the latent magic - and feed the Entity its meal?” A senator broke in a panic, as much the same emotion started to well from the crowd. King Aster’s voice called with authority, speaking over the clamoring White Tail with power.

“I vote we wait until the Breezies arrive, before committing to battle. Charging in to die to the toxic air is simply going to free this creature from its prison. The White Tail have the resources and time to spare for this endeavor - and it will give our reserves days to prepare for war. Under the guise of the Feywild, we can travel quickly to Canterlot - and stand against the dark.”

Celestia was quick to speak, even as ten cloven hooves shot up to agree - “Aster, for my party, we simply can’t wait. Every day we spend here, is minutes we need to dismantle the gates, and give your bucks the chance they need to get into position. Canterlot is mostly tamed fauna; the Fey simply wouldn’t exist there. As such, you would likely phase into the Prime along one of the mountain paths - putting you and your deer in our time.

“By my understanding, we have eight hours remaining in the Material Plane - allocating time for travel in our airship, we should arrive with simply three hours to challenge Nightmare Moon. If we had hours more, we could take a safer, stealthier approach - but that simply isn’t the case. If we spend another week here, our hours to fight will shrink by a third, as traveling up the mountain - even at a gallop - could take hours depending on when you’re forced into our world.”

The King was soon cornered by fate, and found it hard to come up with the words to soothe their worries. “There is much truth to your words, but there is little else we can do to aid you. Additionally, our magi need time to create the enchantments necessary to join you in your battle, once Vee produces the schematics - lives must be preserved at all costs. We are forced to meet you halfway; If we are lucky, and by my branches I hope we are - our appearance will be opportune.”

And with that, a final vote was held - and the first ever count of fifteen hooves broke the chatter in mild excitement; or, seventeen votes - as Aster’s counted as three. Surprisingly, every single deer gathered could agree on this: fight when it was safe to do so. Even the lavender horned buck, quick to speak for Aster’s demise - reluctantly submitted to saving the world.

From this point on, the last of their stay was dedicated to three things; Vee sharing her enchantments with the Court Magi (and staining their robes with coffee), the party members receiving their final sets of gear and equipment for the fight, and Tempest constructing the final variation of their battle plan.

To start it off simply, Arin had to undergo a few major adjustments. Since he was no longer going to stand in the front line, he turned Sun Song over to Tempest; who gratefully accepted it, after the Princess reorchestrated the knighting ceremony. Instead, he was gifted a new sidearm he could appropriately use - an arming sword. An upgrade to Sonata was soon to follow as well. Astral String; a costly material that prevented blades and most magic from snapping it. Other than that, his armor would have to carry him. The final improvement came in the form of a shield, fitted along his left arm; it traveled from shoulder to wrist in overlapping segments. Smaller than a buckler overall, but suited for parrying errant blades that may close in on him.

Shields were uncommon among ponies and deer alike, as it often blocked the eyes when held in the muzzle. But when clasped in a hoof, it was also less effective - as blades often required two hooves to swing; a small shield like Arin’s was the most common. Unicorns also had little use for shields, as magic barriers were more effective. The only time a full sized shield could be useful, was during a front line march, or when a pony had no combat ability what-so-ever.

Oarkin had little use for deer weaponry and protection, and simply requested that Calia be taken care of in his absence. King Aster obliged the request, promising to keep her safe in Silversun Castle until his return. Regardless, the armory managed to produce a few massive pieces of Feyglass armor for him, which fitted snugly against his body - but avoided the wings to grant him movement for the battle to come. Incorporated into his old armor, and with a few pieces spared to increase his resistance to refined magic - he was near indestructible.

Celestia was granted a new set of leather and plate, specifically constructed to insulate against Nightmare Moon’s freezing lunar magic. She no longer needed a foci to channel spells, as she carried essentially three thousand years of sun energy inside of her - but outside of the touch of the solar plane, casting her magic would be costly. It would quickly add up, so a simple golden halberd was rendered for her personal defense. It reminded her of a time long past, the buck in charge of the forge even spent an evening to garnish the pommel with her cutiemark; a detail she didn’t miss.

Tempest had a few modifications to her armor; she would be facing unicorn, earth pony, and pegasi alike - so a helmet was crafted to essentially make her a walking tank. It trailed down her neck, connecting with her chest piece in a new set of shoulder guards. Along with the damage to her winter iron pieces repaired, it was further insulated against the cold and Nightmare Moon’s magic with leather - and four armored slots were quickly fitted to host the Banishment Orbs she crafted with the aid of Pumpkin and Umbra.

With Sun Song at her side, she was likely to catch more than a few eyes on the ground. Carrying the blade basically marked her for death, as she would be seen by the guards and soldiers as a personal guardian to Princess Celestia. In their twisted minds, all fighters present would want to claim this victory for themselves - to achieve the praise of their queen. This wasn’t even an assumption; from Rainbow Dash’s accounts, obedient ponies were given the most beautiful dreams in their rest, and killing her would likely award them high praise.

Umbra had a simple request; leather and winter iron armor, much like Tempest’s, save a much higher focus on mobility. Tempest’s strength came from her vertical movement, while Umbra’s came from her shadow form - and weighing her down both slowed her rolling shadows, and made the spell more costly. She also requested a simple weapon, one that held great importance to her; a mere farming tool. A scythe.

For whatever reason, few were sure of her choice - save Celestia, who saw the heavy curved blade resting upon her shoulder once more. To the Princess, it was almost daunting to see her in full combat gear, as it reminded her of their battle in the Crystal Empire, centuries ago. And at Umbra’s defeat, she banished the realm into the Shadowfell with the use of the Alicorn Amulet. It was only by the graces of the Crystal Heart and the hope of the ponies there that it survived for so long.

Pumpkin had her position completely reconsidered; instead of generic leather, she was fitted with highly magic resistant cloth; it would be hard for an earth pony or pegasi to grab her, but a Unicorn could snap her up with ease otherwise. A set of mithril chainmail fitted snug under her shirt, and her bandolier was filled with oddly constructed bottles. All she had to do was pop the cork down past the rim - which would puncture the thin glass layer between the two chemicals - and throw it. The majority were smoke inducing sizzle potions, but several were designed to flash and blind ponies. She carried one last concoction at the end of her belt; a rolling black bottle, with flames appearing and stifling in waves. Highly explosive, wherever it crashed. And one final blue flask, which she stored in a necklace around her neck; a gift from Vee herself, in case of emergency. What it was, the Purple wouldn’t say. ‘It’s not even for you, Smol-fry. You’ll know when to use it, and who to give it to.’

Vee was a curious feat; much like Pumpkin, she carried several bottles, but these were stored in a small plated bag at her side; she intended to be in the middle of battle, or at Celestia’s aid - as Arin would be tending wounds on the ground. Because of this, she would likely receive injuries from the front; so keeping highly dangerous alchemical components close to her heart was a death sentence. And nothing would upset Nightmare Moon more, than seeing Vee flapping around unbothered by her terrifying aura. So she was considered a second high profile target; much like Celestia, she was gifted magically resistant armor to block some of the worst of it, but any direct attack would likely be fatal.

Magic or not, the Pegasi had brittle, hollow bones as is her birthright, and one concussive bolt of power could shatter her ribs and send her tumbling - even if she bore a heavy plate cuirass. Instead, a bracelet of protection was gifted, from the royal armory itself - one click of the jewel, and an ethereal barrier would spring up from her hoof to serve as a short lived shield. Pointless for long encounters, but it could save her life in the moment she needed it.

With this new gear, General Falon made sure to catch Arin’s attention - and guide him out to the training field one more time.

“I want to review what I’ve covered with you before you depart tomorrow, my son. Do you feel comfortable with the grappling hook yet?” he asked, his soft green eyes catching Arin’s golden irises. The inch-smaller Seraph nodded.

“I think I have a good handle on it, but… I’m worried. What if my mind locks up, and I forget what to do? And I just… crash into a wall, or worse - knock myself out?”

“There is a point in one’s understanding where your confidence falls, and insecurity shines. When you approach a new skill, most deer tend to grow confident in their own ability to do it well. Yet once they actually work in the field, they quickly realize how bleak their knowledge is on the matter. From there, confidence begins to grow again - as they learn new techniques, and master the finer points of the craft, their insecurity falls away and one would soon master the art.

“I call this the Novice’s Valley. You start off with burning confidence, and quickly fall into a void of insecurity - before rising steadily with your experience. You are well past the deepest point of the valley now, my son; you just said so yourself. Have a little faith in the skills you’ve developed; I know you’re a quick learner. Because on your first day, I lied to you.

“One of the harder techniques is combining a grappling hook with the use of your bow. I intended to crush your confidence early, so that we could work on building it back up - but you are a natural at this. Compared to some of the deer I’ve trained, you’re quite possibly the most adept; as few had the hoofwork necessary to combine two weapons into one.”

“But… I’ve broken several bones, shattered a dozen branches, and I’m pretty sure I concussed the ability to do simple math out of my mind. And you’re really saying I’m a natural?” Arin scratched his head, as the buck laughed quietly to himself.

“The training for the Thicket Battalion spans over three years. If we had another week of practice, I would say you’re eligible for promotion into my own ranks. You’re a very fast learner. I know you may think I’m a wonderful teacher, son, but in truth, I’ve been gifted an astonishing student.”

Arin couldn’t help but give a genuine smile, before throwing his arms around the tall buck. Falon was quick to hold on to his adopted family, the Seraph thanking him for all he’s done.

“Thanks Dad. I… I really needed to hear that.”

A small chuckle soon followed, as Falon’s eyes turned towards the snow-stifled fauna all around.

“Now, let’s see your branch bolting in action. Then, we’ll move on to bush bounding, and tree turning. Alright? I’ll stay with you, every step of the way.”