The World Without Shadows

"If I could give you a means to escape from here, would you take it?" He muttered.

The question stopped me cold as I reached to grab the bowl through the cell door. I looked up and met Jorlan's deformed face and one functional eye. His other eye—the right one—was pale and milky, and the horrendous scarring covered much of what I saw on that side of his body. Half of Jorlan's right wing was missing and cut off after the second digit, and small holes littered the remaining part of the membrane.

His left side told me that this stallion was once very handsome with a chiseled jaw and sharp cheekbones, but the other half of his face… It looked melted. I had dabbled with using concentrated acids for delicate experiments while in school, and the professors always showed us photos of what could happen if we did not follow proper safety protocols. The hoof holding the bowl, an empty bowl I had now noticed, had part of its keratin missing. It was more burns or maybe a partial amputation that hadn't grown back in yet; I wasn't sure.

Jorlan was also an older stallion, perhaps my father's age, but the injuries made it hard to tell. His singular eye locked me in his gaze as his lips peeled back in a contemptuous snarl, and the glint of fangs knocked me out of my shock.

"What…" I almost shouted but lowered my voice to a whisper. "What did you say?"

"Hülye felszínlakó," he growled and spoke in a heavily accented Equestrian. "If I could give you a means to escape from here, would you take it?"

I frowned and eyed him suspiciously. From what I'd gathered, Jorlan was one of the higher-ranked lieutenants of the outpost, and he was once second-in-command directly beneath Ilvara. Buppido said he had lost his position to Shoor after some awful accident. Based on the injuries I could see, he would have been medically retired if he were in the Royal Guard, yet here he was, delivering food to prisoners.

Why would he help me? Jealousy and revenge were likely motives if he was trying to discredit his replacement. The blame would likely fall on the inexperienced officer preemptively given command if we escaped. Then again, this might be a trap or a ploy to provide us with false hope. These denever were cruel for the sake of cruelty, and that kind of irrationality was challenging to plan around.

Then again, an inside agent was invaluable. We only knew and could only do so much from our limited observation. And… what else did I have to lose? I and the rest of the prisoners were dead anyway if we didn't escape. That is, if they didn't have some other horrible fate in store for us when we reached their capital.

"... Yes," I finally answered. "But why would you help us?"

"I merely wish to create an embarrassing incident for Mistress Ilvara and Lieutenant Shoor," he said quickly and quietly, confirming my theory. "I can leave the gate to the slave pen unlocked and create a distraction during the shift change. That will give you a few minutes.

"Your best bet will be to jump to the webs below and then into the pool beneath," he explained, glancing furtively to the side. "After that, you can swim to shore and make your way out of the cavern from there. There are three passages you can choose from: north, south, and east."

I nodded and took careful mental notes. "Right. Jump, webs, pool, shore, passages. What about supplies?"

"There is an armory in the guard tower right across from us. As for your belongings, you've already figured that out, yes?"

He sneered, and I paled. Somehow, Jorlan knew we had gone into the chambers beneath the shrine. Yet, he hadn't said anything. Otherwise, there would've been severe consequences besides a few of us missing a meal. I gulped, and the twinkle in his eyes told me he knew that I knew that he knew.

I nodded and changed the subject. "Do you know how close we are to the surface? How do I get back to Equestria?"

"I have no idea," he laughed. "And neither would I be inclined to tell you if I did. Neither your survival nor success mean anything to me. This is all I can do. Do we have a deal?"

I clenched my teeth and swallowed a growl. For a moment, I forgot that Jorlan was still an enemy. It's that, for this instance, our goals aligned, and we were able to use each other. Still…

He wasn't hiding his contempt from me. Jorlan likely wouldn't bat an eye if any of us died trying to escape, but neither was he being actively malicious. There were likely things he wasn't telling me. I was already grasping at straws, though.

I wanted to discuss this with the others, but I needed to decide here and now. They were counting on my leadership, whether I liked it or not, and I doubt I'd get another opportunity like this again.

"Okay," I said and took the empty bowl.

Jorlan nodded, and I stepped away, allowing the next person in line to get their food. I hobbled to a back corner of the chamber and found Jimjar sipping from his bowl. After I told him about my encounter with Jorlan, he sat silently for several minutes. In the meantime, Shuushar approached me and offered half of his mushroom broth. I declined initially, but I relented after he insisted and the gnawing in my belly reminded me of my hunger.

I needed my strength if we were going to escape soon.

"It's a dangerous gambit," Jimjar said.

"Do you think we can trust him?"

"No, but I think we can trust him to help himself. The fact it seems he didn't rat us out is promising, too."

"How do you think he found out?"

"I'm guessing either Asha or one of those three guards let it slip that they found you in the shrine, and I suppose Jorlan made an… educated guess."

"Buppido said the other day that he saw Jorlan and Asha together a lot. Maybe he found out from her and put the pieces together from that. If so, then he's very clever. Why isn't he still in charge despite his injuries? He would be much more effective in an administrative role."

"The matrons are fickle creatures," Jimjar scoffed, "and their favor is as arbitrary as their goddess. Denevér also value strength, and a denevér stallion who can't fight is barely worth the air he's breathing. I'm sure he's still dangerous, otherwise they would have quietly retired him, but that danger is born out of decades of experience."

"That's so stupid, though!"

"Yes, it is, but right now it is good for us. This has created a wedge that we can exploit."

"Alright," I rubbed my forehead. "We should get everypony together and figure out a plan."

It didn't take long to get everypony into a huddle. Even Sarith begrudgingly joined us, though I suspected it was more out of curiosity and a desire to stay in the loop than actually to help. A generous spray of Stool's spores later, and I retold my encounter with Jorlan to everypony present.

"We shouldn't trust him," Eldeth growled. "He's a bat and probably setting us up."

"I'm not saying that we should trust him," I replied. "But we can still use him. That's why we're here to come up with a plan."

"He mentioned armory, yes?" Ront bobbed his head. "We will need armor and weapons. Journey home will be very dangerous. Though… Not sure if any mail will fit me."

"Don't forget food," Shuushar's thoughts gurgled. His mind felt twisty yet serene, like a gentle snaking river. "We can forage some along the way, but there are many mouths to feed."

"Supplies will be important," I nodded. "Okay… Ront, since you mentioned it, I want you to make your way to the armory. Use your best judgment and try to get something for everypony, and take two others with you to carry everything. That's our first team. The second will hit the main hall and grab as much food as possible. Can you handle that, Shuushar?"

Ront and the kuo-toa nodded, the latter giving an enthusiastic gurgle.

"Great, take two others with you for that. Our last group will hit the big tower so we can get the chest in the lower chamber. It has things I need in there that will help us survive when we leave. I'll take Derendil, Jimjar, and Stool with me. Once we have everything we need, let's meet back up near the bridge leading to the big tower."

"I can always hear skittering when we cross those bridges," Topolya shivered. "The webs down there is probably where they keep all of their giant pet spiders. We'll need to deal with those."

"Right," I nodded. "It'll probably be a good idea to send one or two of our heavy hitters down there first and make sure the spiders don't bother us. Hopefully, since there'll be so many of us, the spiders will stay away. Our next order of business are our restraints."

"I've been thinking about that," Jimjar hummed. "It shouldn't be impossible to either slip out or break the manacles, at least if we partner up. Tomorrow, once we wake up and are rested, we should try to remove the restraints from the diamond dog, gryphon, and quaggoth. Then our more nimble members like myself and the twins here."

"I like it. Then we can distribute some of the things we scavenged. Now… For a more difficult question. Once we're free, where do we go? I'm afraid that I'll be useless at navigating this place. I need to get back to the surface along with Ront and Derendil, but I think the rest of you live down here, right?"

"I'm not familiar with this part of the Underdark either," Eldeth sighed. "My home is far to the west, but I'm sure there are other places that are closer. We should find the nearest non-denevér town so we can rest and resupply."

"My lady…" Buppido hissed. "We should journey to Gracklstugh, the home of my people. I can guide us there from the southern path. It is a wonderous city, well defended, with markets for buying and beds for resting. The denevér do not dare assail us there, so we would be safe."

"I'm not too keen being in a city full of derro and dour folk," Eldeth grimaced. "There's bad blood between mine and theirs."

"If we go north…" Jimjar hummed. "I could guide us to Blidgenstone. It is far, about a month's time, but you'll be able to find someone there that knows a way to the surface."

Topsy turned to her brother Turvy out of the corner of my eye, and a silent conversation passed between them. Their ears flattened at the mention of their home. That was something to unravel later but now wasn't the time. Stool suddenly shifted in my lap.

"I don't really know where to go… or really know anything about where we are, but I really want to go home. If you bring me back to Neverlight Grove, my people will be really grateful and give you help! Sovereign Phylo is very smart, just like you Twilight! He'll know what to do to help you get home, too."

"I know you want to go home, Stool," I replied, hugging the little mushroom creature. "But I don't know how to get there, and I'm not sure anypony here does either."

"That is not entirely accurate," Sarith interrupted.

I tried to hide my surprise at him speaking, but he must have seen it on my face if the mirthful glint in his eyes was any sign. He brushed some of his silver mane away from his face. The denevér stallion shifted his gaze across the group and huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"Is it such a surprise? I am denevér. I could guide us to almost any place in the Underdark, including this foal's grove, and I favor accepting his people's offer of hospitality."

"Why?" Topsy glared. "I would think you'd want to go back to some denevér colony. Why would you want to go hang out with a bunch of mushrooms? Also, how would we know you won't just lead us into an ambush to get us captured again?!"

"Why…" Sarith rolled his eyes. "It's almost as if I am destined for the sacrificial knife as much as you are. Is it so surprising that I'd want to get as far away from my kin as possible? The myconids do not care for politics outside of their groves and would see me as nothing different from the feathered simpleton over there. They prefer to keep to themselves. A decent retirement, I think."

"Sloobludop is close," Shuushar gurgled.

"What was that, Shuushar?" I turned from Sarith and Topsy glaring daggers at each other.

"Sloobludop, my village, is close. Less than a ten-day away, I think? I can guide us there when we get close to the Darklake. They are savages, unenlightened but teachable. You are welcome to stay in my home as long as you need."

[Twilight makes a History check with disadvantage. She rolls 17 + 9, for a total of 26!]

From what I'd read, the Darklake was less of a lake and more of a massive system of underground rivers and water basins that covered hundreds of square miles. It was home to many animal and sapient species, but it was perilous to navigate if you weren't familiar with it. There were many stories of pony adventurers getting lost in its countless twists and turns, drowning in its depths, or being eaten by some monster swimming just beneath the surface.

It didn't surprise me that an aquatic species like Shuushar's probably lived on its banks or that he could navigate it. I wondered if he grew up swimming or sailing on those dangerous rivers in the same way some old frontier ponies lived on the edge of the unexplored wilderness their whole lives and knew it like the backs of their hooves.

"I'm not in too much of a hurry," Jimjar said as he flicked a coin with his hoof and caught it. "I wouldn't mind playing the role of a tourist for a bit while we get some of these other fine people home."

"I can find Gracklstugh from the Darklake if need be," Buppido nodded. "Stopping by the fish village for respite would have merit before moving on."

"I agree," I sighed. "While a lot of the other suggestions have merit, it sounds like… ahem… Sloo-bloo-dop is the closest and would make a great spot for us to get our bearings. I think we should go there first, and then we'll figure out the plan from there. All in favor?"

There was some grumbling, but almost everypony else agreed with my reasoning.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully and with just as much back-breaking and humiliating work as every day before, but there was a new energy in my step as I labored beneath the watchful eyes of the denevér. I lay in my spot as my eyes drooped closed, and I was comforted that we would be free by that time tomorrow.

I might not have been so optimistic if I knew what awaited us in the dark.