Vallorith

The next morning, the two Ponies continued their journey. They walked towards the mountain pass.

Sweetie saw the snowy peaks of the mountains. The road was going higher and higher. She started to get cold.

They walked through the road for some time. Sweetie didn't feel very talkative. Instead, she appreciated the scenery. The forest was quite nice.

After walking for some time, they finally reached a village. Apple Bloom decided it would be a good idea to rest.

The tavern was easy to find, being located in the center of the village. Its symbol was a pair of silver pincers. The name was written as three strange symbols that Sweetie didn’t know how to read.

The two Ponies entered the tavern. They looked around. The tavern was decorated with strange symbols. The atmosphere was also strange. There were paintings, some abstract, and some were portraits. Sweetie Belle saw one painting that showed a black Alicorn. She thought she had seen her before.

"Welcome, travelers," the Crab tavern keeper greeted them. He wore a strange medallion.

"Hay, apples and water for me and my friend," said Apple Bloom. The Crab wrote the order.

“I see you have a portrait of Luna in your tavern? Didn’t know that non-Ponies also worshiped her,” said Apple Bloom.

“Yes… Luna... She guides us in the dark,” said the Crab.

“Where did you learnt Ponish?”

“I have many Earth Pony friends. I hope you will be my friend too. My name is Gin Penchi.”

“Apple Bloom,” the Earth Pony said, and shook her hoof with the Crab’s pincer.

Sweetie Belle sat by the table. Soon, Apple Bloom sat next to her. The waitress brought them the food, and they started eating.

Sweetie looked around. She noticed a Minotaur walking to the tavern. He talked with the Crab in foreign language. Sweetie also noticed they were drawing some symbols on the desk, and were looking towards the Ponies from time to time. She had her dagger at the ready.

“Let’s rent a room here. There’s still a long way through the mountains,” said Apple Bloom.

“Haven’t you noticed that this place is kind of… strange?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Well, Gin seems like a nice Crab, I doubt anything could happen here. Sleeping on the road in the mountains might be more dangerous.”

Sweetie Belle looked at the tavern keeper. Maybe she was slightly paranoid? “Okay, let’s stay here for the night.”

Apple Bloom walked towards Gin, and paid for the room. The two Ponies went upstairs.

Sweetie Belle woke up in the middle of the night. She tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't. Eventually, she got out of bed, and walked to the window.

She saw something suspicious. In front of the tavern, there was a Crab. He was masked, and was completely covered with cloth. She wasn't sure, but she thought it was the tavern keeper.

What is he doing? the Unicorn thought. She wasn't going to sleep tonight anyway, so she decided to follow him.

She opened the window, and threw out a rope. She slid downwards. Then, she used telekinesis to get the rope back into her room, and to close the window.

Sweetie managed to track the suspicious Crab down. He was leaving the village, and heading towards the mountains. Sweetie followed him. Lucky for her, he did not notice her.

They eventually reached a cave entrance. There were two masked Minotaurs there. In the light of the full moon, Sweetie managed to see that they had symbols on their clothes, the same as the crab had.

"Ave Aeterna," the Minotaurs greeted the Crab.

"Domina Noctis," the Crab replied. Sweetie recognized the voice of the tavern keeper. The Crab made some symbols with his pincer, and then entered the cave.

Cultists, Sweetie thought. She knew she wasn't going to sneak past the guards. She decided to walk back to the tavern and confront him tomorrow.

"Hello Sweetie. Where have you been?" asked Apple Bloom after Sweetie got back to the room through the window.

"I found out that the tavern keeper is a cultist."

"Cultist? Are you sure?"

"He walked into a cave guarded by some weird Minotaurs."

“I don’t think he is a cultist. If you mean this strange portrait of Luna in the room, I will let you know that we Earth Ponies also worship Celestia and Luna.”

"It’s not that. They weren’t praising Luna. They praised somecreature named Aeterna."

"Aeterna? Haven’t heard of such Alicorn. Well, I don't think that is our problem. Besides, I don't want to lose my jam if they get angry."

"Okay, I will do that myself."

"I would advise you to not accuse others without proof."

At dawn, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom got their belongings. They walked downstairs.

“Thank you for the room. What is the best road to Sir Mantu?" asked Apple Bloom.

"By the Corner Pass," Gin said, and drew a symbol with his pincer. Sweetie looked with suspicion.

"I am going for the cart. It was nice to meet you," said Apple Bloom, and left the tavern.

Sweetie Belle looked at the tavern keeper.

"Did you sleep well, Unicorn?"

"I have a question for you."

"What is that?"

"What did you do last night in a cave?"

The few Minotaurs in the tavern looked at Sweetie.

"You must have dreamed about this," the Crab replied.

"No, I saw it with my own eyes. You are a cultist!"

There was a murmur in the tavern. Minotaurs said something in their own language.

"Look, Gekko no kishi-dan was defeated long ago. There are no cultists in Frankania anymore. I am a loyal servant of the duke, even if I am a Crab."

"Yeah, so who's Aeterna?"

At that name, the Minotaurs went up and walked towards Sweetie. The Crab raised his pincer and stopped them.

"There are no cultists in Frankania. I ask you to leave my tavern."

Sweetie looked at the angry Minotaurs surrounding her. She was good with a dagger, but not that good.

"I should go," she said, and left the tavern.

"May the Lady of the Night guide you," she heard the Crab say when she left.

She walked towards Apple Bloom.

"How did it go?" the Earth Pony asked.

"I think we should leave this village, quickly," Sweetie answered. The two started driving the cart away. Sweetie thought a bit about the tavern keeper. She decided these cultists were not her problem.