Only after the sun sank and the moon rose to take its place did the fae finally stop talking. Their meaningless ramblings slowly lost their bite as their voice began to waver and drop until her yawns were replaced by soft snores. Nature was just as quick to notice her silence as I was and in short order the chorus of the night started to take hold over the garden above. Crawling through my burrow and raising my head to look around the garden I chuff softly when I don't see anyone. Pulling myself the rest of the way out of my burrow I take a moment to stretch before spreading my wings and launching myself into the air.

Climbing straight up to a small cluster of clouds that seem to be unable to move past the edge of the mountain I flare my wings in a panic to stop when my chest starts to burn. Twisting in the air I try to turn around but my right wing slams into something solid and is quickly engulfed in arcing bolts of mana. Howling in pain I flare my own mana and force it into the invisible barrier holding me. Lighting up in a large and chaotic discharge I’m thrown away from the small explosion as a massive dome starts to shimmer into existence before me.

Smoke trailed off of my scales as I righted myself in the air. Glancing over my body I’m relieved to see no visible injuries, though the painful throbbing in my right wing does not fill me with much confidence. Snorting a cloud of frost I close my eyes and reach out cautiously towards the barrier with my mana. Thanks to accidentally running into it I knew what to look for and was able to easily find and connect to my target. Ironically enough I found the sigils keeping the barrier active were not even hidden but just brazenly etched into the main body of the barrier at equal intervals.

“What idiots…” Holding up my paw I pour mana into my claws and with a quick twist of my wrist grab the nearest sigil and shred it. Opening my eyes I see the barrier reappear in front of me and start to collapse in on itself where I ripped apart the sigil. Flapping my wings I shoot forwards through the new opening just as it starts to correct itself and slowly reform into a solid wall again. Looking over my shoulder as I pass I’m actually surprised by how quickly it closes fully behind me.

I hum softly as the heavy winds of the mountain pick up under my wings and carry me into their currents. Twisting around in the air once more I angle myself north and begin to scour the inky black between the stars only for a frown to grow on my muzzle. None of the stars are the same.

Growling and shaking my head I refocus on the night sky and swivel my head around until I can find something I recognize. No matter how much time has passed the Hǫrgr star will still lead me home. A pale blue sphere of light that shines brightly in contrast to its yellow and white brethren. A star so easy to spot any hatchling worth their spines can spot it after only a few tries.

“You know I should have expected something like this would happen.” Snarling I whip around in the air and slash at the fool that managed to sneak behind me. Instead of my claws rending flesh however I hit a solid wall of emerald green and am thrown back by a powerful gust of wind. Hissing in pain I pull my arm back and cradle my aching paw against my chest.

“Leave me alone fae!” The fae I thought I had left in my burrow sighs and shakes their head.

“I can’t do that Gaia. I need you to come back to the castle with me though. I will only be asking you this once.” My spines bristle as my anger boils in my stomach.

“Don’t make me kill you bug!” They only frown and light up their crooked horn a second time with their magic.

“I know you are just confused and angry so I won’t hold that against you. I am sorry for having to do this to you Gaia.” Before I can react the golden band still on my horn is engulfed in her magic. I scream as a horrid pain erupts from the back of my head and clutch at my horns.

“GAIA!? Chrysalis what happened!?” Looking around with teary eyes I’m back in the gardens and cornered. Besides the fae that forced me back all three of the Æsir from earlier today are now surrounding me. Letting my dominant paw drop back to the ground I hold myself up on three legs and snarl at my attackers.

“Gaia calm down. Everything is going to be al-” Luna screams and narrowly jumps out of the way of my flames. A long trail of ice coating the ground and spreading out from beneath the path of my attack. Surprisingly everyone then rushes to the downed Æsir and I waste no time in turning and hobbling away as quickly as my three legs can carry me. I unfortunately do not get far.

“Gaia stop!” Celestia lands in front of me and flares her wings.

“Leave me alone Æsir!” Flashing their horn I flinch as their magic washes over me. Instead of an attack however the pain radiating from the back of my head starts to subside.

“Gaia relax. Everything is alright, we all just want to help.” Letting my left paw drop back to the ground I lower myself into a proper fighting stance.

“I don’t care what my mother said. I do not trust you Celestia and I never should have been fooled. If it wasn’t for the poor drake you claim to be your son I might have actually been tricked.” Celestia opens her mouth to speak but stops when her sister holds her wing in front of her.

“If you do not trust my sister will you at least listen to what it is I have to say Gaia?” Admittedly curious and with little chance of escape considering the capabilities of the four equines surrounding me I loosen my stance.

“Do I have a choice?” Luna snorts and folds her wings back to her sides.

“I suppose not. I will make this simple Gaia, you are unwell. Not physically but mentally.” Luna takes a step towards me making me take a single step back in response. Humming softly Luna nods her head and steps back to where she was before she moved.

“I know that I don’t speak draconic so I can’t understand you Gaia, but Princess Luna is right. Being what I am, it's easy for me to literally feel what you are feeling and I’ve never met someone in my entire life who switches through so many emotions so quickly.” Craning my neck over my shoulder I peer at the fae as she starts to move around me to stand next to Luna.

“I do not say this as an insult or out of malice, Gaia. I say it out of personal experience. I suffered for a long time in silence because I not only thought that I could take care of myself but also because I refused to be a burden to those I cared for. In the end I only hurt myself far worse.” Taking another step back I snort a puff of frost.

“We only want to help you. I get that you don’t trust us, mind you I’d actually be more surprised if you did considering your past.” I narrow my gaze at the fae and growl.

“No, I don't trust any of you. I fucking hate all of you for keeping me here against my will.” Luna steps forward again.

“Truly? Do you hate Chrysalis too? She has had nothing to do with anything that has happened to you over the course of your stay other than being your doctor.” Luna advances on me again making me stumble back and hiss.

“Stop talking. I don’t want to hear anymore of-” The fae named Chrysalis buzzes her wings and steps up besides Luna again.

“Hate me if you must Gaia but I couldn’t have left you by yourself after I saw you hurting yourself in the gardens.” Celestia and Cadence start to trail behind Luna and Chrysalis as I’m quickly being backed into a corner. Flaring my wings and whipping my tail I snarl.

“Stop!” Luna shakes her head as she takes the lead of the group.

“We can’t do that Gaia. For your own safety we can not leave you unsupervised. In your current state you are not only a danger to others but also a grave danger to yourself.” Blasting a quick burst of mana fire at the ground before their hooves the ground freezes. This ultimately does me no good however as Luna lights up her horn and in a flash we are transported to a very familiar part of the castle.

“Princess is everything alright!?” Blinking away the spots in my vision I see a few ponies and even a griffon running up to us. Whirling around in a panic I try to run from the new group but am held firm by a golden glow.

“Ancestors damn it Fenrir stop! I never intended for you to come back like this but you need help that I can no longer give you.” Celestia barely manages to hold back tears as she collapses to her knees making Cadence rush to her side. Luna however marches directly up to me and rests her hoof on my shoulder.

“Forgive us Gaia but this is for your own good. Until further notice you are going to be placed under medical watch and held here in the castle.” Luna sighs.

“I know you don’t care for a single thing that I have to say so sleep.”

Author's Note

A bit of a more drastic change to this chapter than some of the others but I felt it was necessary with a lot of the other changes that I have planned. I do however plan to keep most of the story and plot the same as stated in prior notes and blogs.

As a side note I am going on a business trip for a few days so the next update will be slightly delayed.

Hǫrgr - An Old Norse word that means sanctuary or grove.