Song of the Sirens

"The more brilliant the lightning, the quicker it disappears."

• Ibn Sina

The three sisters were weightless for the most fleeting of moments as they crossed dimensions.

Then, with a trio of screams, they came plummeting down to the earth below, striking hard ground in a cacophony of grunts, whines and yelps. The forest clearing they had landed in was silent as the night sky above, save for the hooting of owls and ominous snapping of twigs.

For a few fleeting, peaceful moments they laid still. Then, Sonata Dusk took one look at herself and screamed.

"Sonata!" Adagio groaned, clutching her ears. "Will you please shut up?! My head is... killing... me?" Adagio faltered then ran to a stop as she glanced down at her hooves - or where her hooves once were. Giving the strange, squid-like appendages at the end of the odd limbs her new body had given her a single look of horror, she promptly rolled over and vomited.

Aria, too, was sitting upright and gazing at her new form in catatonic shock. Glancing up at her sisters, one doubled over and leaned into a pool of her own vomit, the other still holding her head and screaming, she allowed herself a moment of pure scorn before helping herself to her new feet, wobbling unsteadily. As she dusted off the thick, poorly made wool dress she had found herself stuffed into, she grimaced at the itchiness of the garment. It was the kind of thing a pony peasant would have worn on formal occasions, but tailored carefully for her new body. Striding over to Sonata, she seized one of her new limbs and pulled her around to face her.

"Huh? Ari?" Sonata whimpered, still wide eyed and jumping up and down on the spot. "Oh my gosh, what are we gonna do, what are we gonna do, what are we gonna - "

"Sorry, Sonata."

With a great swing of her palm, Aria slapped Sonata across the face, sending her younger sibling flying to the ground in a yelp of pain. In an instant, she had jumped to her feet, on which she swayed uneasily, doing her best to fix her sister with an intimidating stare.

"Ari! What did you do that for?"

"Because you were freaking out. Feel better now?"

"Well... I guess..." Sonata conceded reluctantly, shuffling her feet in an attempt to keep herself upright. "Woah. How come you're not gonna slap 'dagi?"

"Because she'd kill me." Kneeling over her older sister, Aria gave her a gentle pat on the back. "Feeling okay there, big girl?"

"Fuck... ugh... f-fuck off." Adagio groaned, still kneeling over on her palms. "How can you... hugh... how can you be so relaxed? Oh, fuck... look at the little tentac-hugh!" With that, she retched once more, causing Aria to wrinkle her nose and pull her arm away.

"I'm pretty sure they're called fingers, Adagio. Hands. I remember seeing a minotaur who had things like these." She stretched her hand out, giving her fingers a wriggle, raising an eyebrow in surprise at how responsive they were. "I always thought it'd be neat to have my own pair."

"Speak for yourself, Ari!" Sonata glanced down at her body, trying to make out its new features from beneath the thick woollen dress she had also been given. "I miss my wings. Oh, and my tail! My fins!" Her face crumpled. "Oh Ari, I look so ugly!"

Adagio pulled herself upright and wiped her mouth with a murderous look on her face as Sonata began to sob in the background. "Enough. Aria, you remember how to make portals, don't you?"

"Yeah." Aria lowered her arm wistfully. "Give me a second and I'll have us back in no time."

"No more Pony villages!" Adagio snapped, turning her back on her sister. "Pick somewhere far away from Equestria this time. I don't want to encounter Star Swirl and his colt-scouts ever again."

"You're the boss." Aria swung her hand, then scowled. "I thought..." She swung her hand again, eyes narrowing.

Adagio slowly and awkwardly lumbered her way over to Sonata before resting her arm around her shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting gesture, grimacing slightly at the sight of the fleshy appendage. "Come on, Sonata. We'll have you back to normal in no time, I promise."

Sonata sniffed, staring up at Adagio with her big, puppy-dog eyes. "You promise?"

Adagio smiled back. "I promise."

"I wouldn't promise too quickly, Adagio."

"Why?" Adagio snapped, pulling her arm away. "Where's the portal? What's taking so long?"

Aria turned around, looking pale and slightly sick. "I... I can't do it. I can't make one."

"What?" Adagio made to move towards her, only to almost trip and land face-first in the dirt. Steadying herself, she placed her hands on her hips and glared back. "It's never been a problem before!"

"Well, it is now! This place, this world... There's no magic here." She held up her hand. "Go ahead, try it."

Adagio raised her arm and tried to lift a rock. When nothing happened, she tried again. Then again. Then she turned an unpleasant shade of green.

"He didn't..."

"He did. Star Swirl must have known this world had no magic, and he trapped us here because he knew there was no way we could get back." Aria shook her head in confusion. "But I can feel it. I can feel some magic around. Maybe if we travel for a bit, we'll find a real source of magic we can tap into?"

Adagio closed her eyes, searching for any trace of nearby magical power. As she did so, she became aware of a small humming of magical energy, located at the top of her torso. Reaching down her dress, she pulled out a small amulet inlaid with a glowing red gemstone, identical to the life crystal all Sirens wore in their chests.

"What the..."

Aria and Sonata both produced matching amulets, and the three of them held the gemstones aloft in wonder. It was Adagio who was first to state the obvious.

"These things, these amulets... they have a little magic left in them." She gave hers a shake, then glanced at Aria. "Is it enough?"

Aria examined her own closely, then hung her head and groaned. "Not even close. It's just enough for us to perform the spell we use to drain power from negative emotions - you know, the singing spell?"

"That's it?" Adagio repeated incredulously. "We're only just able to perform the spell we need to feed?"

"What?" Sonata chimed in, looking aghast. "You mean we're stuck here? For good?"

"I... I think so!" Aria responded, now shaking her amulet with alarming force as her voice rose into a panic. "This is it! I can't do shit without any magic in the air!"

"Fuck!" Adagio roared, stuffing her pendant into her dress, only for it to immediately slip out and fall to the ground. "Agh!! What's with these clothes?!" Gripping the collar of her dress, she began to pull at it aggressively, only to blanch and kneel over once more when she caught a glimpse of what laid underneath.

"'dagi!" Sonata yelped as she ran over to her older sister and wrapped her arms around her neck in what was meant to be a consoling hug, but ended up being a strangulation grip. "Are you okay?"

"Don't... take... off..." Adagio groaned before dry-heaving. "So... gross..."

Sonata frowned at that, before stepping back and pulling out the hem of her own collar. Rolling her eyes, Aria followed suit. For a moment, she squinted in confusion, then shrugged.

"It's not as awful as it could be. Get a grip of yourself, Adagio."

Adagio let out a foul stream of abuse before retching once more and rolling over onto her side, shuddering slightly. Sonata knelt down next to her and stroked her new hair consolingly.

"She's right, 'dagi. It's really not so bad!"

Adagio slapped Sonata's hand away and rolled over, causing her younger sister's lower lip to tremble slightly. Aria glanced upwards at the night sky, feeling a rush of reassurance at the sight of the familiar, solitary moon. A frustrated sigh slipped from her lips as she watched the scene unfolding before her. Once again, it fell to her to be the sensible one.

"We should make a fire if we're going to sleep here tonight." Kneeling down, she traced one of her new fingers through the mud. "Not too wet. If we look around, we should find some good firewood. Sonata?"

"On it!" Sonata's sing-song voice chirped back, and she began to slowly pace over to the nearby treeline, wobbling precariously with every step. "Sheesh, can't I take this thing off? It's not very aerodynamic."

"I don't think that'd be fair to Adagio." Aria smirked. "Just bear with it, Sonata. The portal probably gave it to us for a reason."

"Okie-dokie!"

As her sister ambled off in the distance, Aria knelt down and picked up two promising-looking rocks, sharp and smooth, just like Equestrian flint. Striking them together at great speed, she smiled triumphantly as she saw sparks fly out from between them. Glancing back at her older sister, still lying in a heap inches away from a pool of her own vomit, she sighed and tossed the stones down by her feet.

"Come on, Adagio. You're gonna have to get used to it sooner or later."

"I won't."

"You sound like a child. You gonna spend all night sulking while me and Sonata do everything?"

"I look like a cow."

A particularly caustic remark came to Aria's mind, and she had to bite her tongue to keep it there. "No you don't. We all look weird, but I bet there's lots of creatures here who'll think we look normal. Imagine what they'd think if we turned up looking like our old selves."

Hidden from view, Adagio allowed herself a grin at the thought. "Heh. We'd terrify them. Aww, now I miss that already."

"Then get off your butt and give me a hoof. Or a hand." Aria pointed towards a dark clump of... something in the middle of the clearing. "Go and check that out."

Adagio grumbled, but rose to her feet and dutifully shambled over to the pile. As Aria stooped to pick up the rocks once more, she heard a rustling from the trees in front of her. From forth the darkened branches burst a blue ball of energy with a cluster of logs and sticks in her arms, skipping and beaming like a madwoman.

"Ari! Look what I can do, look what I can - woah!"

Just before she reached Aria, Sonata's foot caught on a tree root and she went sprawling. The cargo she'd held in her arms flew through the air and landed by Aria's feet, and in a second Sonata was back upright, grinning madly at her through a face and mud and leaves."

"Did you see, did you see? I bet that was twice as fast as walking, at least!"

Aria knelt down and inspected the collection, nodding in approval. "Yeah, I saw. Well done, Sonata. Anything on your side, Adagio?"

"Yeah." Adagio leaned in and pulled something long and bladed from the pile. "An axe. We're not alone."

"Maybe we shouldn't stay here tonight, then." Aria glanced over her shoulder at Adagio, who had begun to take a few practice swings of the tool. "I don't want to attract any attention."

"Relax. It's all old and rusty, I bet it hasn't been used in weeks." She gave it a final swing, burying the head into a nearby log. "We'd be taking more of a risk if we went wandering off in the dark. There could be snakes out there."

"Snakes?!" Sonata repeated, voice quivering. "No way! I vote we stay here."

"Two against one, Aria. Sorry."

Aria grimaced and returned to the task of rearranging the fire. It was fiddly, but every twig, branch and log improved her dexterity slowly, and by the time the campfire had been built, she was more confident than ever. Raising the rocks over the fire, she began to strike them together furiously, sending warm sparks splashing over the lightest twigs. Sonata and Adagio slowly converged upon her and stared silently at the cluster of wood as Aria continued striking.

"How much longer, Ari?"

"As... long... as... it... takes..." Aria scowled through gritted teeth. "This was so much easier with magic."

"I'm staaarvinng. 'dagi, I'm hungry!"

"Sonata, just... just give it a rest, all right?" Adagio stared down at the miserable campfire-to-be with a borderline look of hysteria on her face. "Aria, have you ever done this before?"

"What do you think?" Aria snapped back.

"I think we're going to freeze to death. If I ever get my hooves on Star Swirl, I'll... I'll..."

But what Adagio planned to do to Star Swirl they never found out, for at that moment, the fire smoked as the faintest kindling caught on and burst into a cluster of warm orange flames, much to Aria's delight.

"Yes! Quick, pass me some of those leaves! No, not the wet ones! The dry ones, you idiot!"

Within a few minutes, the fire was blazing, and the three of them were huddled close around it, clutching their sides as each tried to sink further into their wool overcoats. For a short while, they each said nothing, enjoying the warm flames that slowly ebbed away at the cold that bit into their extremities and numbed them.

Eventually, Adagio was the first to break the silence. Retrieving her amulet, she held her arm out and allowed the gemstone to dangle from between her fingertips, gazing at it in wonder.

"They do look just like our life crystals. I'm willing to bet they work the same way."

"You think?" Aria retrieved hers and turned it over in her fingers before lacing it around her neck. "So all we have to do is charge them with negative emotions, and we'll..."

"Never die." Sonata chimed in, her voice quiet, yet full of wonder. "I remember our mother telling us that when we were young." She sighed. "But where are we going to find negative energy to drain in this world?"

"We'll find some." Adagio said confidently, tying the amulet closed behind her neck. "Doesn't matter what dimension we're in, we'll always find some creatures willing to argue and fight. They just need a little... push."

"We'll have to be careful." Aria cut in. "We don't have our magical powers any more. If we go around stirring up trouble openly, we won't be able to fight our way out of it so easily."

"Then we'll be careful." Adagio responded. "Like we were before we were grown. Remember?"

"Oh, I remember!" Sonata chirped. "Like when we used to sing for the pegasai princess!"

"Exactly." Adagio nodded, a nostalgic look warming her features. "What a month. We must have gotten her through fifteen different suitors before Clover the Clever saw through us."

The three of them cackled at the memory.

"This world is ours for the taking, girls. We just have to play it cool and take it slow. Find out who's got the power, get in close, and then, when they're not looking..." Adagio smashed her fist into her open palm. "Take it."

More cackles as Sonata tied her amulet around her neck, joining her sisters in their triumphant cheers.

Adagio was the first to be woken by the gentle chirping of birds, the soft rustling of the trees in the morning wind, and the fierce glint of the sun beating down on her eyelids. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she yawned and stretched her arms outward, before rubbing the grit of the night's sleep out of her eyes. Blinking through her hazy morning vision, she could just about make out...

"Aghh!!"

Adagio scrambled around on the floor as the sight of a man with a wild beard and loose-fitting clothing phased into view. He was sat atop a pile of cut logs, cradling the axe between his knees, and seemed just as startled by her reaction as she was by his appearance. All of a sudden, she felt furious, and, rising to her feet, began to bellow.

"Why are you watching us sleep like that, you - woah."

As the woodcutter rose with her, Adagio's voice broke off, and she took a step back and felt a surge of panic rush through her as she realized just how tall he was, his long legs closing the distance between them effortlessly. She'd faced creatures several times her size before, but never without her magic to fall back on. His bulging muscles, wild beard and axe-wielding did nothing alleviate her fear.

"I'm sorry if I gave you a fright. I didn't want to wake you all up, is all." The woodsman raised his hands, axe still tightly clutched in his right fist. "I usually chop wood here in the morning, but I've never seen you around these parts, so I figured you were travelling people. Are your men out hunting? It's awful dangerous for three young ladies to be left alone."

"I... me and my sisters, we're going to... going to leave now." She aimed a kick at Sonata, who merely whined and rolled over in her sleep. "Sonata!" Adagio hissed, not breaking her gaze with the woodsman for a second, who finally realized Adagio had been staring at the axe he was holding the whole time, and let it fall to the floor, a sheepish look on his face.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to - "

"Just... just go, all right?" Adagio took another step back as the woodsman took another step forward, a look of bewilderment on his face. "You're scaring me, all right?! Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Miss, I'm trying to help you - "

"I said fuck off!" Adagio screamed, startling both of her sisters awake. Sonata blinked stupidly as she raised her head, before letting out a yell of surprise and scrambling to her feet at the sight of a giant towering over her. Aria reacted much the same way, but unlike Sonata, had the foresight to grab the axe before she bolted.

The woodsman looked bewildered at this sudden turn of events, and began to step back, eying Aria with some unease.

"All right. I can take a hint. I'll leave you alone." He raised an eyebrow at Aria, who was doing a poor job of looking like she knew how to use the weapon. "Can I at least have my axe back, so I can get my work done?"

"Wait." Adagio stepped forward, emboldened somewhat by the shift in power. "How were you going to help us?"

"There's a village only a few miles from here. Maybe an hour's walk." He pointed towards a break in the treeline, which Adagio could make out in the cold light of day as the continuance of a pathway. "Food and supplies, whatever you need. I was going to offer to lead you there once your men get back. Still can, if you'd give my axe back. I'm easy forgiving."

Adagio's eyes narrowed. "How do I know this isn't a trick?"

The woodsman laughed at that, a deep booming laugh that sent the birds above scattering. "Miss, if I wanted to hurt you, I'd have done it when you were asleep."

Adagio considered this, and as she did, her stomach rumbled. "Fair point. But you don't have to worry about anyone else. It's just us three."

The woodsman frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's just us. There's nobody else."

"No men?" He shook his head and glanced over her, as if expecting to see them standing behind her. "Your husbands let you go alone?"

"We're not married." Adagio replied icily. The woodsman's brow furrowed even deeper.

"Your fathers let you go alone?"

"Nobody lets us do anything, prick!" Aria shouted, still trying to balance the axe in her hands.

"I... I just thought, seeing as you were all so well-spoken... I mean, usually..." The woodsman scratched his head. "Where are you three from?"

"Equestria." Adagio pronounced the word slowly, hoping to see some recognition in his eyes. "No? The Pony Kingdom?"

"Ponies? As in... little horses?" The woodsman sounded more confused than ever. "You three have some strange customs. I'm sorry, I don't know much about the world. Maybe you should speak to the priest, he's a real smart one. Reads a lot, all these big thick books. Gosh, I wish I could read."

Adagio sighed and pinched her nose as realization dawned. Of course, she would have been dealing with a simpleton the entire time without knowing it.

"Give him back his axe, Aria. I want to speak to this... priest as soon as possible. Maybe he can show us where we can find some magic."

"Some what?" The woodsman's jaw fell open as he gawped at her.

"Magic? You three, you are... you're witches?" Suddenly, he began to back away as if burned by their very aura. "Get - get away from me!"

"Oh, for the love of - we're not going to hurt you, idiot. And also, we are Sirens. I wouldn't expect you to know the difference."

The woodsman didn't look remotely comforted by the revelation, but he paused momentarily. "You three are evil. I heard about you. Devil worshippers, that's what they told me!"

Adagio glanced back at Sonata, who merely shrugged and twirled a finger next to her head. Her stomach sank as she realized her next meal was dependent on the good will of this superstitious cretin, and tried her best to give him a warm smile.

"We're not... devil worshippers. We've just fallen on some hard times, and would really appreciate your help." She spread her hands out in what she hoped was a gesture of good faith. "Isn't that right, girls?"

Sonata nodded gleefully, flashing the woodsman a wide, genuine smile. "Sure is!"

"Aria?" Adagio glared at her middle sister. "Isn't that right, Aria?""

"I... I... Oh, fuck this!" Dropping the axe to the floor, Aria raised her hands and began to wiggle her fingers. "Hubble bubble, boil and trouble..."

The effect was instantaneous. The woodsman screamed and fled on the spot, leaving the clearing empty in seconds save for two furious Sirens and their sister, who had collapsed from laughing so much.

"Aria!"

"Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! Aw, lighten up, Adagio!" Aria blurted out between cackles. "Did you see the look on his face? He must have thought I was going to turn him into a toad!"

"Well, I hope it was worth it, seeing as you've just scared off our next meal ticket!"

"Oh, what does it even matter?" Aria pulled herself to her feet, still snickering. "I didn't like him anyway. He gave me the creeps. Let's just hit the road, we'll run across civilization sooner or later."

"But I was hungry nooww!" Sonata chimed in. "I haven't eaten for three days, Aria!"

"You could have had some of that manticore last Friday if you weren't such a picky eater!"

"That thing? It was growling mould! I don't know how you - "

"SHUT UP!" Adagio exploded, eyes bulging in fury. "Am I going to have to play mommy to you two forever? Sonata, stop being such a kid, and Aria, stop being such a teenager!" Both Sirens fell into a sullen silence as she took the deepest breath of her life.

"Let's get moving. Aria, you can carry his axe, seeing as how all this was your idea."

Aria sighed and heaved the axe over her head so that it rested across her shoulders. "It's so heavy. Did you see the size of that guy? You're lucky I thought to grab this thing."

"I noticed." Adagio glanced around their makeshift campsite, but nothing jumped out at her. "I think that's everything."

Pushing past the few lingering branches that blocked the pathway, the three sisters set off into the unknown.

Three hours.

Three hours in the unforgiving sun that baked down upon them like a torch, burning their unscaled, fleshy skin and glaring in their eyes. To add to their miseries, flies and other insects buzzed furiously around them, and for every one they swatted, ten more seemed to appear. Mercifully, few of them were biters, most content to land for only a few seconds before taking off, but in their numbers, they were just as unbearable.

What little water they had been able to come across had been fetid, contaminated with filth and mud, but they drank from it gratefully, grimacing through the grit and occasional amorphous blob. They had been creatures of hardship before; this was nothing.

Food, on the other hand, was much harder to come by. The few animals they came across deftly avoided them whenever they attempted to pounce or give chase, their swift reflexes and speed easily outmatching the still clunky and awkward movements of the Siren's new bodies. As the day drew onwards, they grew hungrier and angrier, and what had once been dirty looks turned to angry snipes.

Aria and Adagio had been in the middle of a particularly harsh bickering match when Sonata had come to a sudden stop, a hand instantly flying to her side.

"Shh!"

Adagio let out a low noise somewhere between anger and outrage. "Don't tell me you're going to take her side - "

"Not that! 'dagi, look!"

Adagio rolled her eyes and squinted into the distance where Sonata had pointed. At first, she saw nothing, and began to prepare a scornful retort, but her eyes widened as she caught sight of something moving in the distance. Crouching down, she motioned to Aria to do the same, who complied with a look of confusion on her face.

"What is it?"

"There's some... things over there."

Aria's stomach turned, and she chanced the slightest glance over the grass around them. Sure enough, she could make out a couple of figures making steady pace in the near distance; two men with poorly-fitting leather tunics, their hair long and wild, matted with filth. Even as they turned around, her eyes widened as she made out the patchwork of scars that mottled their faces. As slowly as she could, desperate not to draw attention to her movements, she lowered herself.

"Fuck that."

"Couldn't agree more." Adagio tapped Sonata on the back. "Let's head back the way we came."

"Are you serious?" Sonata whined. "We just spent, like, hours walking for nothing? I drank mud, 'dagi!"

"You'd rather take your chances with those two?" Adagio hissed, pulling her by the arm. "Leave it, Sonata. Sonata!"

Adagio cursed as her younger sister pulled away from her and went stumbling, then tripped over her own feet and went falling backwards into a bush of thistles, letting out a yell as she felt hundreds of tiny knives stab into her skin. She immediately clapped a hand to her mouth, but the damage had been done. In the distance, the two men's heads whipped around, and one of them pointed directly towards them.

For a fleeting moment, Adagio considered fleeing, saving herself as she should have at the expense of her own sisters. Then, what little constitution she possessed kicked back in, and she fell to her knees, extending her hand to Sonata.

"Get up. Come on!"

Sonata's eyes brimmed with liquid gratitude for a moment, then she reached out and grabbed Adagio's hand. As soon as her younger sister was back on her feet, she gave her a shove, and the pair of them set off as fast as they could, with Aria following closely behind.

Very quickly, they realized they had done nothing but lose the element of surprise. They were as stiff and inflexible as ever, and it wasn't long before they heard the sound of approaching footsteps behind them. Without warning, Aria came to a sudden halt, digging the heels of her feet into the ground as she swung the axe from her shoulders. With a roar, the head flew through the air and missed one of their pursuers by inches, saved only by a quick fall into the dirt. His companion closed the gap in no time, striking Aria across the forehead with a poorly-aimed punch that was still enough to send her flying to the ground.

"Aria!"

The two sisters froze in shock for a moment, and that was enough. Adagio and Sonata felt a great force lurch them through the air as their arms were seized and they were shoved to the ground alongside their sister, who laid in a dazed heap, half-conscious and half-unconscious. A harsh laugh echoed somewhere behind them.

"I told you it would be worth it."

"Worth it? I almost got an axe in the head!" His companion snarled. "I could have died!"

"Ah, but, you didn't, did you?" Adagio struggled as her captor turned her over, his eyes lighting up as the glimmer of her pendant caught his gaze. "Now that's a bonus. What are three wealthy ladies like yourselves doing alone like this?"

"Maybe they aren't." The other man's head whipped up as he glanced around. "There might be others."

"Nah, they wouldn't have ran if they weren't alone." Gripping the amulet in his fist, he began to pull at it. Feeling a sense of panic surging through her, Adagio began to struggle as she began to spew a foul torrent of abuse and spat at him, earning herself a coarse, rough hand striking her across the cheek.

"Ahhhhhhhh..."

The noise came from the ground, a single, heavenly note that seemed to run through the two men like a bolt of electricity, rooting them to the ground, shaking their heads with a stunned look. Aria was staring directly at the two of them with a meaningful glare, and after a few seconds of confusion, Sonata and Adagio caught on.

Ahh ah-ah, ahh,

Ahh ah-ah, ahh,

Ahh ah-ah, ahh

The song was an old lullaby they had known since they were frail hatchlings, but it was more than potent enough. The men released them and fell back into their knees, staring transfixed into the distance. Adagio was the first back onto her feet, and wasted no time in sending her shoe crashing into one of their heads, eyes flashing in pleasure as she watched him crumple to the ground silently. But before she could sink her foot into the second assailant, Aria waved her off, staggering to her feet.

"Wait." Crouching down, she clapped her hands in front of the second man's head. "How far away is the nearest village?"

"Twenty... minutes..." Dreamily, he pointed his hand in one direction. "That... way..."

"Give us everything you've got. Any weapons, food, money. Now!"

Dutifully, the man reached into his tunic and produced a large knife, a flask of water, and a pouch that rattled with the unmistakable clinking of coins. Scooping the loot into her arms, Aria took a step back and nodded at Adagio, a sadistic grin cutting across her face.

"Go ahead."

The dull thud of leather on bone was followed by a roar of pain as the singing charm wore off at the last second. Adagio stepped back, but to her relief, the second man made only a feeble token attempt to get up before collapsing into unconsciousness. Adagio glanced at Aria with a grateful smile that quickly vanished to be replaced by an pompous, approving stare.

"You - thank you, Aria. Quick as ever." Her eyes slid down to the bounty in her arms. "How did you know that would work?"

"I didn't." Aria stared down at the two bodies below her feet with fascination as Sonata struggled to her feet, whimpering. Brushing as much mud as she could off her dress, she glared down at her incapacitated assailants before aiming a kick between the ribs of the one who had grabbed her, screaming in anger as she continued to lay into the unconscious body. Aria took a step closer, but Adagio reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder, bringing her to a halt.

"Leave it. It'll be good for her to get the anger out."

"Don't fucking touch me." Aria's voice dripped with malice. "I'm going to join her. I don't think they were planning on mugging us, you know."

Adagio grimaced. "I had an inkling. But don't spoil it for her."

Aria looked back at Sonata one last time, then sighed and stuffed the knife in between her belt.

"Did you see how quickly they went under?" Aria muttered, more to herself than Adagio. Raising the flask to her lips, she took a long swing before tossing to her older sister. "I don't remember it being that easy back in Equestria."

"Well, why shouldn't it be?" Adagio mused, shaking the flask in her hand. "They're not exactly magical creatures." Something flickered in her eyes as a thought struck her. "You know, if they're all as easily swayed as this..."

"Yagahhh!!"

Sonata aimed one final kick at the now badly-bruised figure at her feet and backed away, panting slightly. "Aghhh!!"

"All done, Sonata?" Aria called out cheerfully. Sonata snarled and stormed towards them, grabbing the flask of water out of Adagio's hand and draining it all in one swift motion.

"Village. Twenty minutes. Come on!" Throwing the empty pouch back into Aria's arms, she turned tail and began to march off, fists clenched. Adagio smirked and lifted the purse of coins from Aria's hands, tying it securely to her own belt.

"Come on, Aria." Silence. Adagio glanced over at her shoulder. "Aria?"

"Give me a minute."

Adagio stopped and turned around, eyebrow raised. "For what?"

Aria walked over to the axe and slowly picked it up, hefting its weight from arm to arm as she glared at the dull blade.

"I'll catch up."

As the village loomed into sight, the axe only seemed to grow heavier in Adagio's arms. Every step was effort, and had it not been for how intolerable she knew Aria's victorious crowing would have been, she would have dropped it fifteen minutes ago.

The village was like any the three sisters were used to, a small scattering of homes blended into gardens, the smell of smoke and waste burning their noses as they made their way inwards. Chickens, ducks and small children scattered before them, and every eye in the vicinity swivelled to eye up the unusual, heavily armed newcomers.

Adagio let the axe fall from her shoulders and strike the ground blade-first with a thud, swinging her burning shoulders with a groan as she glared at everyone around her, relieved to see they were all fully clothed.

"Ugh. Look at these fucking inbred peasants. I remember when they used to run for shelter at the first sight of us." Stretching as far as her new arms would allow, she snarled at a young girl who had been staring at her, a smirk playing it's way onto her lips as the child screamed and fled. "Let's get to work, girls. Who do you think's in charge around here?"

Sonata and Aria glanced around, and in a few seconds they were both pointing in the same direction. Adagio followed their fingers to land upon a large building, made of a mixture of stone and mud like the rest, yet easily twice as large and decorated with ornate symbols.

"Well, well, well." Adagio ran her tongue over her lips. "I wonder how - "

"Shhh!" Sonata suddenly burst out, jabbing her elbow into Adagio's side. "Look over there!"

Adagio turned around once again, this time gazing at... nothing. Sonata was pointing pale-facedly towards a nondescript corner of the village with nothing of notice. Squinting, Adagio frowned and glanced around.

"Sonata, what exactly am I looking at?"

"Ponies!"

Adagio followed her stare this time, feeling the blood in her veins pulse slightly as she realized what Sonata had been pointing at. Two stupid-looking, obviously non-sapient horses were taking turns at dunking their muzzles into a trough filled with a mixture of hay and water.

"Sonata, those aren't - "

But she was already off, sprinting across the village space as fast as her dress would allow her, Adagio and Aria following closely behind. As soon as she was within distance, Sonata grasped one of her horses by their muzzle and pulled them around to face her.

"Can you understand me?! Oh, please please please get me out of here! I don't care what you want, just get me home to Equestria, I promise I'll totally stop attacking you guys and - and I'll even become vegetarian if you want!"

"Sonata, don't..." Aria started, then faded away in second-hand embarrassment as her younger sister continued.

"I'll give you the other two, I promise! Just. Get. Me. Home!" With every last word, she shook the horse's head, and when once the beast had been gazing nonplussed at her, now it whinnied and reared it's forelegs, causing Sonata to jump back.

"Wait! I don't have my magic, that's no fair!"

"What the hell are you three doing?!" A thunderous roar sounded from within the house the horses were tied to, and Sonata's eyes widened as a large, stocky woman erupted forth from the entrance, clutching a particularly violent-looking short stick.

"Nothing!" Her arms fell to her sides as she stared up at the skies, doing a bad job of fake-whistling. The woman continued to advance on her before striking her in the legs with the stick, causing Sonata to yelp and hop on one leg in pain, quickly losing her footing and falling into the dirt with a scream. The woman wasted no time in rounding on her and striking her repeatedly with a good mix of curses and kicks.

"Ow - ow! Ari, 'dagi, help!"

Her sisters waited a few seconds before stepping in, Aria gently pushing the two of them apart with a firm arm, grabbing Sonata by the scruff of her collar and pulling her painfully to her feet.

"You three! How dare you harass my animals! You just wait until my husband gets here, he'll - "

Simultaneously, Aria and Adagio let a short hum escape their lips. The woman's eyes lost focus, and she lowered the stick slightly.

"I... that is, I meant..."

"You're confused." Adagio pushed Aria and Sonata away, gazing down at the woman with a commanding stare. "Go inside and get some sleep."

"I... yes, of... of course..."

As the woman stumbled back inside, a concerned look on her face, Adagio rounded on the thoroughly-ashamed looking Sonata.

"Well, that's a nice repayment for saving your skin back in that field. Anything to say for yourself?"

"I'm... *sniff*... I'm so sorry, 'dagi..." Sonata's bottom lip quivered slightly. "I was just..."

"Save it, Sonata." Aria grabbed her by the ear and pulled her to attention will a yell of pain. "It's a good thing you're so dumb, you wouldn't know a farm animal from a real pony."

"Leave it, Aria." Adagio glared at Sonata with dislike. "Listen to me, Sonata. I'll let this slide because we're sisters, but you'd better not give me any reason to doubt you again. Understand?"

Sonata stared at her feet, shuffling as she blinked back tears. "Y-yes, 'dagi. I-I won't."

The enormous building was filled with row upon row of benches, and on each wall was a mess of poorly-made metal icons. It had been apparent from the outside, but once inside, there was no mistaking the hallmarks of a religious institution. Back in Equestria, many ponies had worshipped the Princess of the Sun as their god, alongside the smaller cult to the Night Sister, but the icons of devotion around them took the form of what appeared to be little more than an ordinary man. Above their heads, flickering candles suspended within a contraption of chains and iron provided the only illumination, their dismal light flickering in the darkness, perpetually at the threshold of extinguishment.

At the head of the building, standing before a small stone altar knelt an elderly man in a simple black robe, eyes closed and hands wrapped together as he whispered to himself. Adagio hesitated, but when she sensed no magic, her confidence returned, and she continued to advance upon the stooped figure.

The sound of their footsteps growing steadily louder caused him to pause, before turning around and greeting them with a solemn look, doing an excellent - but not perfect - job of hiding his surprise at their appearance.

"Good evening, my daughters. How may I help you?"

Adagio pushed the other two aside and gave the man a lazy grin. "Good evening. Me and my sisters are travellers from a distant world. We wish to know more about this land, and we were told a priest could help us. Would you happen to know where we could find one?"

The man clapped his hands together by his waist, a warm smile waking upon his features. "Well, seek no further. My name is Sky Wreath. I am the priest you seek. But I must say, it's been many years since we've seen travellers in this town. Most would make pilgrimage directly to the city. I'm afraid I may not be as much help as you seek."

Adagio took another step forward, summoning her sisters to follow her with a wave of her finger. Sky Wreath smiled uneasily as the three advanced on him.

"I'm sure you'll be all the help we need. You see, my sisters and I are looking to return home. We believe this land holds latent pools of magic we could make use of. And you're going to tell us where they are."

Sky Wreath glanced nervously at them before letting out an uneasy laugh.

"I have to say, you're quite demanding. But I'm afraid I can't tell you where any magic lies. In truth, it's because I don't believe in it myself."

"What?" Adagio stopped, surprised. "You don't... believe in magic?"

"I might count myself as the only one amongst my flock, but... yes. In my many years of study and travel as a missionary of the church, I have yet to find any." The kindly smile returned. "I am sorry to disappoint. I can see you have travelled down some challenging roads to see me. Perhaps I can provide you with supplies, and directions to the city? There are men there more learned than I in these matters."

Adagio did a double take, confused. "You'd... you mean, you'd just give them to us?"

Sky Wreath laughed. "It is a blessing to share that which I am blessed with."

"He's lying." Aria jumped in. "Let's do it now."

"I - " Sky Wreath began, but Adagio got there first.

"Fine. Sonata, pay attention!"

"Sorry!"

The three Sirens began to hum once again, opening their mouths in perfect synchrony as they began to sing, causing Sky Wreath to stumble backwards in alarm at the bizarre turn of events.

Hear our voice, let us in,

Give it up, it's no sin,

Stay your sword, kneel to us,

Surrender now, make no fuss,

Ahhhh, ah-ah, ahh, ahh.

Ahhhh, ah-ah, ahh, ahh.

The demonic lullaby had just the desired effect; Sky Wreath's eyes clouded over and his pupils narrowed as the song drew him in, each note a hook that clung to him and refused to let go. As the song wound down and the three Sirens approached, he fell to his knees, his legs no longer able to support him.

Smirking, Adagio strode forwards and gripped him by the chin, tilting his head upwards and forcing him to face her.

"Let's try that again. Where is this world's magic?"

"I... don't know." Sky Wreath murmured, transfixed. "I know... of no magic... except you."

Adagio stared intensely at the priest before letting out a low sigh.

"What a waste. This one's useless." Releasing the priest, she turned around as he collapsed to the floor with a groan. "Let's take everything he's got and hit the road."

"What?!" Sonata shrieked. "Again? 'dagi, I'm tired!"

"We'll get some rest when we're out of angry mob range. What are we going to do about him?"

"What?" Aria glanced down at the unconscious priest. "Just leave him."

"We can't just leave him behind to tell everyone what we look like - or where we're going."

"Why not?" Aria waved her arm dismissively. "He's an old religious kook. Nobody will believe a word he says."

Adagio glanced back at the comatose body and felt an unusual pang of conscience. "We don't have a choice."

"What?" Aria glanced down at the unconscious priest. "You mean..." She paused, then shook her head. "But... but he tried to help us. He told us the truth. He even offered to give us some food. Can't we just let it slide?"

"What are you talking about?" Sonata's eyes widened in realization as she caught of Adagio staring at the knife tucked into Aria's belt. "Wait, what?!"

"Stay out of this, Sonata!" Adagio barked. "Go and find some food, or... I don't know, some spare clothes or something!"

"You can't hurt him!" Sonata yelled back, flushing red with indignation. "Aria's right, let's just take what we need and go!"

"And then what? What do you think he'll tell everyone when he wakes up, Sonata?" Adagio frowned as Sonata paled. "What?"

"I could tell them... about the spirits who... visited this hallow ground."

Adagio span around and took a step back as she watched Sky Wreath pull himself upright, clutching the altar for support. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin white as snow, but there was no mistaking the wonder in his pupils.

"I... I have prayed, so many times, to be shown proof of the profit of my devotion..." Without warning, he fell to his knees and bowed to Adagio, who could do nothing but stand there, mouth agape at the completely unexpected turn of events. "Oh, Father, thank you. Bless these angels you have sent to me."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Adagio muttered under her breath. "Please don't..." A muffled shriek of laughter caused her to whip her head around in fury as she glared at Sonata and Aria, trying to figure out which of them had laughed first. "Listen to me, we are absolutely not angels. If you don't get up right now, you'll find our exactly why."

Sky Wreath slowly stumbled to his feet, still sallow-looking and unhealthy, but his vision seemed to have refocused. There was a slight tremor in his hand as he reached out and rested it on Adagio's cheek.

"An apparition, perh - ugh!"

He hadn't finished his sentence before a fist flew out and struck him in the stomach, causing him to double over with a yell of pain. Scowling, Adagio seized him by the collar and drove him back to the altar, pinning him against it with a murderous glare.

"Hands to yourself, scum."

"F-for-forgive me. I am not worthy to touch such a perfect creation of my Lord." Adagio released him and he quickly righted himself on the altar once more. "For what reason has he sent you to me? That singing..." He whispered the word with rapture. "I have heard nothing so beautiful, so captivating, in all my years, nor shall I until I die."

"Aww." Sonata clasped her hands to her heart as Aria rolled her eyes.

"You know, Adagio, I kind of like this guy." She smirked as she saw Adagio tremble slightly with frustration. "You sure we can't keep him?" As the pair of them burst out into a new fit of laughter, Adagio bared her teeth in a snarl.

"Don't forget, we're not finished here. We still have to decide what to do with him."

That wiped the smirk off their faces. Sky Wreath, on the other hand, smiled warmly at the statement.

"You have been sent to energize my flock with your voice, I am sure of it." He clasped his hands together wistfully. "So many of my followers are illiterate, that I am often unable to inspire in them the true devotion our Lord deserves."

"We're not singing for... wait." Adagio held up a hand. "Go on."

"In my journeys, I have visited cathedrals and seen great works of art devoted to our Lord that stirred my spirit in a way that the written word could not - and yet, few of my flock have even the word to rely upon. You will be that work of art. You will sing for them a song of beauty that will cause their souls to burn with the light of the Father." He once again reached our and grasped Adagio's wrist, pulling away seconds later as if burned. "I... I am so sorry - "

"Forget it." Adagio smiled warmly, the cogs in her brain already turning. Spreading her arms out, she threw her hair back as impressively as she could. "Me and my sisters would be happy to sing for your crowd. You will assemble them for us tonight, at the rising of the moon."

"Of - of course." Sky Wreath stammered. "I'll.. I'll go and let them know right now!"

Grabbing a short, stocky cane that rested against the altar, he hobbled past them with alarming speed and in a moment was gone, out of the grand entrance and yelling at the top of his voice. Beside Adagio, her two sisters immediately began to complain.

"For realsies? 'dagi, why'd you tell him we'd do that?"

"Uh, yeah?! Adagio, what the fuck are you doing?" Aria rolled her eyes. "Please tell me you're not starting another cult."

"Not this time. Well, maybe. I haven't decided. Think, you idiots!" Adagio shot back, glaring at the pair of them. "All those people in one room, listening to our singing? Think of the power we could gain!"

"What power? They're just ordinary creatures, 'dagi. There's no magic to take!"

"I can't believe you're making me agree with Sonata, Adagio. This is a waste of our time."

"Who cares if they've got magic or not? All we need to do is stir up some trouble, feed off the negative energy, charge these, and we're on our way." She shook her amulet. "And while we're at it, we can take what we need from them."

"What if we're not powerful enough to control that many?" Adagio countered. "We might just be inviting an angry mob our way."

Adagio scowled. She hadn't thought of that, but she wasn't about to admit it front of Aria.

"I... I just know we can. Trust me on this."

Aria didn't look happy, but beside her Sonata had entirely different concerns.

"I don't care if it works or not. I'm starving." Striding past the altar, she pushed her head around a doorway and seconds later let out a groan. "Ugh, what's with all this bread?"

"Make me a promise." Adagio murmured to Aria. "If we do end up with an angry mob after us, we both trip Sonata and bolt."

"Deal."

"You guys ever seen anything like this stuff?" Sonata reappeared from the pantry clutching a bottle of an opaque, blood-red liquid. She fiddled with the lid for a few moments before letting out a growl of frustration and smashing the neck of the bottle against the altar, where it broke clean off. "Ugh, it smells weird." She took a sniff. "I think it might have gone bad." A pause. "I'm gonna drink it."

"Sonata, that's..." Adagio trailed off as Aria jabbed her in the ribs. Turning around and shooting her a glare, she was surprised to see her sister wearing a broad grin.

"Don't. I want to see how this turns out."

Adagio rolled her eyes.

"Never mind. Go ahead, Sonata."

Sonata took a swig from the bottle before her mouth curdled and she spat the drink out, spraying the floor.

"Gross!" She began to scrape at her tongue with her fingers. "Ew, ew, ew, ew..."

Aria shook in fits of silent laughter and Adagio felt a smirk form on her lips despite herself.

"I think it's an acquired taste, Sonata. Give it a another try."

Sonata glanced at the bottle with suspicion before taking another swig. Once again, she grimaced, but forced it down. Aria leant against the altar, barely able to keep herself composed.

"Any better?"

"I... guess." Sonata took another swig. "I'm gonna see if they've got any meat." Clutching the bottle, she pushed her way back into the pantry as Aria let out a snort.

"This should be good." Catching sight of Adagio's unamused stare, she sighed. "You're no fun."

"Yeah, I know. You tell me every day." Adagio drummed the fingers against her thigh, deep in thought. "Come on, let's see what else they've got around here."

As the moon slowly rose in the sky, Adagio and Aria returned to the altar. Sky Wreath was already waiting for them, clutching a bundle of cloth in his hands. His eyes lit up as he caught sight of them, and he strode forwards with a beaming smile.

"There you are. Here, I bought these for you to wear." He thrust one of the cloth bundles in each of their arms. "Where... where is your third?"

Both sisters exchanged meaningful glances.

"I... she might not be able to make it."

Sky Wreath's face fell slightly, but in seconds his usual smile was back. "I understand. Just one of you would be blessing enough." He gestured towards the door behind the altar that Sonata had disappeared behind. "You can change in the storeroom."

"Storeroom?" Aria muttered. "I thought it was a pantry."

"Ah, you've been inside?" Sky Wreath sounded amused. "It might look that way to an outsider, but the bread and wine within are of immense importance to my flock. You see..."

"Yeah, yeah." Adagio pushed past him, cutting his explanation short. "Come on, Aria. I don't want to spend another second in this dress."

The robes they had been given were wonderfully comfortable in comparison, hewn of silk that was wonderfully cool and soft against their skin. Adagio would have preferred her scales any day, but these were easily the next best thing. Examining herself quietly in a barrel of cloudy water that showed her reflection as clearly as any mirror, she smiled slightly at herself.

"I guess it's not that bad." She glanced over her shoulder. "Aria?"

"Get over here, Adagio."

"Why?" Adagio's eyes narrowed. "I swear, if you've got some stupid prank planned..."

"No, I've... I've found Sonata."

Adagio paced over to Aria, and the pair of them looked down in disquiet at their passed-out sister, surrounded by five empty wine bottles.

"For the record, I blame you for this."

Aria nodded. "That's fair."

"Come on, let's get out of here. And make sure you don't wake her up."

Hear our call and heed us,

Submit, and you need not fear,

Hear our song and love us,

Rejoice, for your queens are here.

The two Siren's eyes glowed a sinister red as they swayed in time to their words. Even without music, the effect was instantaneous; most members of the congregation became transfixed, staring into space, while others began to shoot angry glares around them. Beneath their feet, glowing tendrils of green light swelled and snaked their way towards Adagio and Aria. Spurred on, the Sirens changed tempo and continued to sing.

You will bow to us,

You will obey us now,

You serve us gladly,

On this, a sacred vow...

Throwing their hands in the air, the sisters allowed their voices to raise until they were but a thin scream. As they threw their arms down, their amulets began to shine brighter, enveloping them in a eerie red glow. The crowd had all but descended into anarchy; only the strongest had resisted their charms this far, and were busy wrestling with each other in a frenzy of rage.

To love us is to live,

To fail us is to die,

Our word is your divine command,

Never question why!

With the final note of their song, the two sisters rose into the air; crimson ribbons of light burst from their chest and wrapped themselves around their bodies. Wings ripped out of their backs and thin ears sprouted from their heads as a new level of power surged through them. Thin, cruel fangs ripped from their gums, and when they opened their eyes, all that was left were orbs of glowing red light.

A new note burst from them, this time higher in key and chilling. The parishioners all fell to their knees, unable to stand as the last tendrils of green light seeped into their amulets.

A low hiss escaped from Aria's mouth, and she began to advance on the closest human, Sky Wreath. All empathy and reason was gone from her as she wrapped her hands around his head with an evil grin, but before she could crush his skull...

"I - *hic* - I'hm not... not late!"

A crashing sound and splintering of wood broke her concentration, and Sky Wreath fell to the ground with a thud and a yelp of pain. Both of the Siren's focuses were broken as Sonata staggered onto the stage, hair wild and eyes bloodshot. Staggering slightly on the spot, she began to howl an awful tune, sounding more like a cat in the process of being skinned than an angel.

The momentary distraction was enough. Aria's wings shattered like glass, and in seconds, she fell from her hover and landed face-first on the ground, saved only from breaking her nose by Sky Wreath breaking her fall. Back on the stage, Adagio gracefully fell to her feet, striding over to Sonata and clapping a hand around her mouth as she glanced around nervously at the crowd slowly returning to their senses.

Most parishioners began by looking confused, but in seconds their minds seemed to clear and they began to - cheer. Adagio straightened upright and gave her best winning smile in response, repeatedly stamping on Sonata's foot so she couldn't open her mouth and ruin things.

Amongst the stands, Aria climbed off Sky Wreath with a humiliated look on her face before returning to her sisters and mimicking Adagio's smile. Through her gritted teeth, she began to hiss.

"Sonata, you are dead. I mean it, the moment I get my hands on that axe..."

"Shut it, Aria." Adagio hissed back. "Let's focus on getting out of this first."

"Wonderful!" Sky Wreath turned to his flock. "Did I not promise? We have been visited by patrons of heaven, send to deliver us to eternal salvation!"

The cheering continued, and Adagio let the smile slip from her face. Striding forwards, she pushed Sky Wreath aside and cast a commanding glare across the crowd, who immediately fell silent.

"That's right. We are angels, sent from the skies to guide you all. In return, we demand tribute. You will feed and house us - the freshest meat and finest clothes you can muster!" Sensing hesitation in the crowd, she bared her teeth and roared. "NOW!"

That did it. The crowd leapt into action, and in a second there was a stampede out of the doors, each of them rushing to grab whatever fine gifts they could lay their hands on. Before them, Sky Wreath fell to his knees once more.

"I... I am your faithful servant." His eyes glittered in wonder. "However I may serve you, I will."

Adagio's nose wrinkled as Aria cackled.

"I bet he'd love it if you kicked him in the - "

"Thank you, Aria." Adagio paused, weighing up her options, then strode forwards and sent a boot crashing into Sky Wreath's chest. The priest flew backwards, toppling down the steps to the stage before he landed in a heap with a howl of pain.

"Leave." The word was curt yet carried a deadly threat. "You stand upon hallowed ground. It is not fit to be inhabited by a lowly creature like yourself. From now on, we and we alone will live here."

The priest scrambled to his feet, clutching his chest in agony. A glimmer of fear entered his eyes as he stepped backwards, Adagio advancing on him menacingly.

"Of... of course." He stumbled slightly during his retreat, eyes fixed firmly on Adagio. "I... I will find shelter elsewhere. May... may I retrieve my belongings first?"

Adagio pretended to consider the request.

"As a token of our mercy, you may."

Bowing low in a gesture of gratitude, Sky Wreath scurried through a side doorway and returned moments later with a wooden chest. Wasting no time, he left through the main entrance without so much as a backwards glance, just as the first parishioner returned, clutching a large, gutted pig and a thick fur coat.

Adagio grabbed both from her arms with a sneer, then slammed the front door in her face. Draping the dark black coat over her shoulders, she took a moment to admire the intimidating figure she struck in a nearby glass window before striding over to the altar and tossing the pig carcass at Sonata's feet, who stared down at it hungrily, eyes still hazy and unfocused.

"Sonata?"

"Y-yesh?"

Adagio shot her a withering glare.

"Never doubt me again."

A knocking at the door caught all of their attentions. Collapsing into a nearby seat, Adagio clicked her fingers at Aria - with some difficulty - and smirked when her sister shot her daggers.

"Go get it."

Sky Wreath's quill hovered an inch from the parchment. His hand shook, and it took all his focus to steady himself.

He had to let the outside world know. The coming of angels... it was the first chime of the bells that would ring at the end of the world. His quill began to fly across the paper, tiny flecks of ink flying from it and splattering against his nose.

As soon as he was finished, he tied a ribbon tightly around the letter and enclosed it with a simple wax seal. Tucking the scroll into his robes, he grabbed a torch from a bucket next to his doorway and held it into the fire until it had caught alight.

The courier had just been mounting his steed when Sky Wreath caught up with him. A small pouch of silver and the letter passed through his hands, and he watched the courier set off with a loud beating in his chest that stopped his very breath in his throat and made him tremble.

Casting a troubled gaze to the darkened sky above, he began to return to his shelter with an uneasy sense of trepidation coursing a current of ice through his veins.