A Game of Chess

Several hours had passed since the trek had begun once more, and Checkmate felt anxious. After all, how close were they to Darkfrost, now that so much time had passed? It looked as if there were only a few minutes left, and Rainbow had left to talk with Dusk (something about how terrible losing the ability to fly must be, based on what he overheard).

And yet, the more he walked, the more excited he felt, as well. It was likely because of how close they were to bringing down the tyranny that Wendigo had painstakingly crafted, and restoring Darkfrost to how it was millennia ago, before the bastard could sink his fangs into its history and alter it to his will.

But what could they even do? If they stopped Wendigo -- if they brought and end to his horrid agenda -- would that truly solve any of their issues? Certainly, the production of the Zephyr would completely cease, and that wretched creation of wind and ruin would forever vanish, its denizens free to rest in peace after so many years of torment, but what would it truly do?

Could they truly end the hatred, the horrid anger, that lay so deeply embedded within Darkfrost's history? If Rolan were to become the king, would the ponies of the land -- and the other windigoes, for that matter -- truly accept him, or would his rule be seen as but a repeat of Wendigo's, and the windigoes rebelled against?

Checkmate shook his head, then, and sighed. None of those questions would get them any closer to Darkfrost, and doubting, now, would only bring about their own ruin. He had to act, and there was nothing anypony could claim to change the facts of the matter.

Wendigo had to die. Otherwise, there would be no peace within Darkfrost. All that would remain would be sorrow, and despair, and hatred. No, even if the hatred remained in the aftermath of his destruction, even if nothing changed, Wendigo had to fall.

If he didn't, then the Zephyr would be completed, and the whole world would become like Darkfrost; cold, empty, and filled with pain and sorrow.

The more thought he put into it, the more Checkmate's resolve increased. He knew what had to be done, and he knew what his role in the matter was. The two blades that lay at his sides attested to that fact, even as they lay, silent, watching the events unfold.

Roughly thirty minutes passed before Darkfrost began to come into view. The place was just as Rainbow had remembered it; cold, dark, and filled with snow and ice. The same gray clouds hung overhead, and those high winds still blew at the high altitudes.

"So..." Twilight whispered, "this is Darkfrost?"

"An apt name, indeed," Rarity said, stepping forward to the point where the snow and grass met, and looking at it with disgust. "To think that something this horrendous exists so close to Equestria's border..."

Checkmate nodded. "Horrendous is right," he muttered, before turning back to all the others. "This is the point where our journey is about to reach its peak. As soon as we step onto the snow, and beneath these clouds, we're in Wendigo's domain." He paused, then, and let out a sigh. "If any of you want to just stay here and-"

"No, we don't," interrupted Valice, her voice unsurprisingly deadpan. "I probably speak for everypony here when I say that we all just wanna get in there and help you any way that we can, regardless of the cost. I mean, it's not like I'm gonna enjoy walking into what's basically a place filled with the bane of my existence, but it's better than just sitting around here."

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah," she said, and flew up into the air, "we didn't come all this way just to sit this out! We came here so we could watch you kick Wendigo's flank, and possibly do something to help, too!"

"Same with me," responded Applejack. "'Sides, it ain't gonna be all that bad. Considerin' what we've all had to deal with, t'ain't gonna be nothin' but another journey."

Ignoring the blatant double-negative, Rarity smiled primly. "I feel the same," she said. "After all, you may need a pony with the ability to heal your wounds, and one who can sew up any gashes that may occur. Indeed, in spite of the painful darkness and the affect that this cold shall have upon my beautiful mane, I SHALL TRUDGE ONWARD!"

Fluttershy opened her mouth as if to let out her own mini speech, only for foul laughter to emanate throughout the area.

Oh, my apologies, came a voice, foul and cruel. Am I interrupting anything?

Instantly, everypony whirled around towards where the voice came from, watching as a massive figure materialized in front of them. "How absolutely droll," Wendigo said, smirking. "I never imagined your group to be so poised with such drama, Checkmate."

Nopony spoke as the figure stepped around them, his body stepping from the snow to the grass. And there, in the light, for the first time, Rainbow noticed that something appeared... off about his form, compared to the other windigoes she'd seen in bright areas. She hadn't seen it due to the darkness at the gala, and she'd barely noticed it when they were in Solace, but his flesh seemed almost as if it reflected the light as it hit him, like a mirror.

Could that have been the barrier Checkmate had told them about?

"I must say, I'm impressed that you've made it this far," Wendigo continued, the others watching him warily. "Perhaps you deserve a reward for being so persistent in your approach, and even going so far as to proclaim your desire to continue." He smirked. "I was almost inclined to let you all finish, but I grew so bored with watching you all spout of such useless information. So I prepared a little... something for you."

Again, he was greeted with silence.

He laughed, then. "Truly, it's a shame that you all are so silent, now. Very well, then, I'll show you precisely why I've come here. After all, Checkmate, you must appreciate this, I'm sure."

And then, behind him, a massive... thing began to rise up, and Checkmate's face paled, and Dusk's, as well. "You... no, why would you show anypony this?!" screamed the earth pony, his eyes wide.

"Don't you agree that it's time," Wendigo started, "that I show them the true beauty of the Zephyr?"

The massive, shapeless thing rose up, then, until it was positioned in the sky. It was the height of an average house in Ponyville, and the width of the entire royal palace. It was colored a disgusting mixture of gray, silver, and black, all mixed so that the shimmering of the latter two contrasted with the blandness of the first.

But then, as she looked closer, the truth of the matter struck her. On its sides were things that were forever burnt into Rainbow's mind: faces. Faces that were the same color as the mixture around them, all screaming, with no eyes and mouths agape. Around them were several other appendages that hung out of the blob randomly; legs, tails, horns, wings...

All of them, horrifically, hung off of the monstrous titan's body, but no sounds emerged from it.

"Th-that's the Zephyr...?" gasped Twilight, one of her hooves clamped over her mouth. "You... you would do this to so many ponies...?!"

Valice screamed, then, and fell to the ground, her eyes wide with terror and pain as she wrapped her forelegs around her body. The others ran over to her, then, and she gasped. "Th-this thing..." she coughed, then, "there... there's nothing in... in it but... but hate...!"

"I know," said Wendigo, and his smirk only deepened. "Isn't it absolutely beautiful?"

Rainbow's anger flared up, then, as she stared at the creatures who were undoubtedly suffering. "You... you heartless bastard!"

The lord of ice simply yawned at that. "Is there nothing more you can claim?" he asked. "That's such a tired title that I'm beginning to grow bored of hearing it..."

"You sick son of a bitch!" hissed Dusk. "To desecrate so many souls... Just what the hell do you think you are?!"

Wendigo laughed, then, and his eyes flashed. "Oh, isn't that obvious? I'm a god, and this shall grant me the power to rule this entire world, and everything beyond it!"

"Wendigo!" Checkmate cried, "I promise you this: I'll not stop... I'll never stop until you lay dead!"

The monstrous king's smirk only grew. "Good," he said, "I look forward to our encounter. Once you have mustered up the courage to end me, why not return to the Hellgate Mines? I'll await you within the chamber where all of this began." He turned, then, and began to walk away. "Oh, and in case you're curious as to why I would bother revealing the Zephyr now... I should thank you for all the hatred you have granted me. The power that runs through me now has made me nearly invincible! So come, Checkmate Vigarde! Come and see if you can truly end all of this!"

And then, there, before their eyes, Wendigo vanished once more, his body joining with the air around him, and becoming one with the icy wind. And with him went the Zephyr, the monstrous titan becoming like a black mist before it, too, vanished into the darkness.

"Dammit," hissed Checkmate, before he turned around.

"So that was the Zephyr..." breathed Rarity, her eyes still wide. "I cannot believe such an abomination exists, and those ponies looked like they were in such pain..."

Twilight grit her teeth. "That's disgusting," she muttered. "I don't care anymore if... if... Ugh, that monster!"

"I... ugh... agree with Sparkle's eloquent statement," muttered Valice, still looking as if she was in pain, although managing to keep her voice flat.

Rainbow flew over to the changeling, then, and looked her straight in the eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked, genuinely concerned. Even if Valice was a changeling, and even if what had happened during the wedding still made her feel guilty, she refused to let that stop her from looking at the scout as if she was a monster.

Valice worked her way up, then, her legs shaking. "Y-yeah," she said, "I'm just a bit... a bit shaken, is all."

"Right. Shaken," Twilight muttered. "Valice, you look completely exhausted!"

Valice rolled her eyes, evidently feeling much better. "Don't worry about me..." she said, although she let out a gasp at the end. "I'm just... I'm... I'm fine."

"You sure 'bout that?" Applejack asked, stepping over to her. "That was an awful large amount of hatred fer you ta take."

"Seriously," Valice said, sounding much better, "I'm... I'm alright."

Checkmate sighed, then, and looked back at all of them. "Will you be okay to come along with us?" he asked. "I don't want to risk this again."

"Like I said," snapped Valice, "I'll be fine! Don't worry about me, okay?"

Checkmate shook his head. "Alright, if you say so," he stated, and looked back at Darkfrost, and at where Wendigo had been prior to his exit.

"So," Dusk said, stepping up beside him, "this is it. The final leg of our journey. Are you ready for this, Checkmate?"

Rainbow noticed that he appeared to be contemplating his response, standing still for just a moment before he spoke. "... Yeah," he said, at last, "let's end this, once and for all."

She grinned, then, and flew over next to him. "Like I said, Check --" she grinned "-- I'm gonna be here all the way to the end!"

"Same," said Twilight, "and I'm not about to let anypony change that fact. I made a promise to Princess Celestia that I would accompany you, and I'm not going to back down now."

Rarity stepped up to him, then. "A shame that I already used my own statement that I'd been preparing," she muttered. "However, let it be known that I shan't run. After all, I wish to bring that ruffian to the ground, in order for him to condone for what he has wrought."

Huh, Khaza murmured, I'm wondering why she and Illia haven't spoken, yet.

Because even I can only take a certain portion of politeness, came the reply.

Point taken. Say, I wonder if Rainbow Dash is still looking forward to our race? I should ask her on our way to the Hellgate Mines. Khaza's voice let out a small giggle, then.

Checkmate rolled his eyes. "If you two have something to say, why not say it to all of us instead of using your powers to just talk to me or each other?"

Because this is more fun, remarked Illia. Even regarding Dusk, I am not entirely sure just how much has been altered over the past two millennia. Although I do desire to figure out more of him and what has occurred, I do not feel as if it is the correct time at the moment.

Checkmate didn't have time to respond to that statement, as the three fillies walked up to him. "Yeah!" Sweetie Belle claimed. "This isn't about us trying to get our cuti... talent signs anymore!"

"It kinda is..." Apple Bloom started, only to get cut off by a glare from Scootaloo.

"We're here to do whatever it is we can," said the little pegasus, standing up straight, "and we're gonna do it right!"

Pinkie bounded over to him, then. "The same is with me, Checkie!" she giggled at the rhyme. "I mean somepony's gotta give these Darkfrost-ians the bestest, most funneriffic party that they could want, and I'm just the mare for the job! So let's get this guy good, and let's make this whole town smile!"

Spike and Fluttershy, like on the night he had entered Ponyville, awkwardly swayed from side-to-side. The former coughed, slightly, before he spoke. "Well, I'm not sure what I can do to help," he admitted. "All that I've really done is stand around, sit out battles, and play a game of poker against Lynar." He smiled, slightly, at that memory. "But that doesn't matter, because I'm gonna do what I can, just like how everypony else is. If that involves sitting out any battles, then fine, but if I can do anything to help, then I will!"

Checkmate felt a small grin on his face. "You've really matured, Spike," he said. "I remember when you couldn't even introduce yourself last week because I have all these scars."

"It didn't help that you were pretending you couldn't feel anything," pointed out the baby dragon.

"Yeah, I guess it didn't..." Checkmate shook his head, then, and looked at Fluttershy. "What about you?"

"I-I don't know..." admitted the pegasus. "I-I... What... wh-what can I even do...?"

"You tamed an antlion," Dusk said, helpfully.

"I-I guess, but what about... here?" she glanced, around, her eyes wide with fear.

"Please, the Element of Kindness?" Checkmate asked, stepping around her. "You're just what these ponies need. They need sompony who's strong, and smart, and who can truly care for them."

She blinked at this. "Do you really think that I can...?"

"I'm sure of it," responded Checkmate, warmly. "Like I said, you're just what they need at this time, so I'm sure that you can be of help."

"Th-thanks," Fluttershy said, quietly, "I'll... do my best..."

"That's all I can ask for," Checkmate said, nodding, before he turned back to the other twelve, all gathered, and all looking like they were ready to move out.

"Alright, all of you," he said, "this is it. This is what the past several days have lead up to. We're about to face off with our greatest foe yet, and to bring about peace to Darkfrost. This will be our final battle!"

And then they began, again, on their trek, their hooves now hitting the snow that lay beneath them, and walking towards where the shadows beckoned.