A Game of Chess

Warning: In roughly two weeks, I will unpublish every chapter of this story in order to edit it. I'm sorry for any inconveniences I am causing through this, but I feel the need to make this story better.

Canterlot seemed alight with a mixture of excitement and relief. As Snowfall had celebrated its liberation from Wendigo, the creatures of Equestria's capitol seemed alight with excitement due to the fall of yet another threat upon them. Then again, Checkmate could hardly blame their joy; he, himself, felt ecstatic at the prospect and felt as if a massive weight had been lifted off of his shoulders the instant the beast had fallen.

The gates to the royal palace swung open with a strange jubilee that had not been present any other time that he had visited Canterlot, allowing the eleven creatures entrance. Although the guards wore expressions that could easily be compared to stone, their eyes seemed to shine with the joy that the other ponies of Canterlot, Ponville, and Snowfall had all showed.

The group stepped down the hallway toward the throne room, and Checkmate found himself looking over the guards that lined the walls. One in particular seemed to stand out to him: a unicorn stallion with an off-white coat and blonde mane. Under normal circumstances, that would merely be seen as ordinary; many of the guards, Twilight had said, dyed their coats in order to look identical to the others. However, it was his armor that truly drew Checkmate's attention: whereas the others wore suits of golden-bronze, his was light-blue, and the mark on his side was that of a golden sword. A sign of authority, perhaps.

Said stallion stepped up to them as they approached Celestia's chamber and bowed low. "You are Checkmate Vigarde, correct?" he asked. His voice -- in spite of his powerful, if somewhat small, appearance -- sounded youthful, with a fairly high pitch. The formality of it sounded rather forced as well. The unicorn looked towards Twilight and nodded. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Miss Sparkle. I am First-Lieutenant Lustrous Blade."

Twilight cocked an eyebrow. "'First-Lieutenant?'"

"I was given a promotion while you were all away. Now... I understand that you are all here to visit the princess, correct?"

Checkmate nodded. "Yes. We're here to share the success of our journey."

The lieutenant nodded. "Very well, come thi-"

"Blade!" snapped a voice.

The lieutenant paused, his face somehow growing even more pale, although he didn't turn around. "Uh... Y-yes, Captain?" he asked, the formality seeming to fade from his voice. "What's... er... What seems to be the problem?"

Shining Armor stepped up beside him, glaring at Blade angrily. "When did you plan to tell me that Twilight was coming back? I only learned about it from Cadance this morning, and I had to book a train here, too!" His eyes narrowed, and Blade turned away sheepishly. "That money's coming out of your paycheck, Lieutenant."

"B-but, Sir, that's not-"

"That's not what, Lieutenant?" Shining growled. "Did Princess Celestia not say that they were returning to Equestria?"

Blade lowered his head, refusing to meet anypony's gaze as Shining chewed him out in front of the entire royal guard. "Well... n-no... but..."

Shining at last let out a sigh, before he place a hoof on the lieutenant's shoulder. "Listen," he said, "I understand just how difficult it may have been to remember, or you might've thought that I would be told either way, but that was a rookie error. A first-lieutenant should not be making mistakes like that."

Checkmate coughed loudly, prompting both ponies to look at him. "Excuse me," he noted, "but we're not here to watch you two hug it out. Would you mind leading us to Celestia, now? We have to tell her what happened, and of Snowfall's current situation. Otherwise, there are likely to be many pieces of information lost in translation..."

Lustrous Blade stood up tall and nodded. "Er... yeah, alright. I was going to open the gate for you, but I was interrupted partway through..." He smiled slightly, replacing the formality in his voice. "Yes, as I had been saying... Come with me."

The lieutenant turned towards the massive door behind him, and his horn lit. Unlike many of the other unicorns' horns when magic was about to be cast, his seemed to glow pure white. "Very well," he mused, "just allow me to open the way for you, and-" Before he finished that statement, a thin blast of light emerged from his horn and slammed into the door.

However, unlike he had claimed, the door to the throne room did not open; no, it simply exploded.

Shining coughed, choking on the smoke that poured from the entryway. "B-Blade!" he shouted.

"U-um... I, uh... I meant to do that..." Blade said sheepishly, before he looked over his shoulder. "Er... Hey, look at the time! I really should... uh..." He took a single step back, looked over the glaring soldiers -- and a very enraged-looking Shining armor -- laughed nervously, and immediately ran out of the area.

Rainbow trotted over to Shining Armor. "Hey, what's up with that weirdo?"

Shining Armor grimaced. "Let's just say that Blade's... interesting," he replied. "His magic is incredible, but his maturity... not so much."

"Don't seem like the brightest bulb in the barn, either..." Applejack murmured.

"And he's the one in charge of training the new recruits?" Checkmate asked, and he let out a sigh. "I'm suddenly kind of worried about living here..."

"Listen, can we just not talk about him?" Shining asked. "I know you're all here to see the princesses, and I don't want to hold any of you up for too long." He cast a quick glance over at Twilight and smiled. "You should all just go on ahead; I'll catch up with you later."

Checkmate nodded, and stepped past the wreckage of the door. "One of this place's doors is just always going to be destroyed somehow, isn't it?" he deadpanned, before quickly looking over at Applejack.

The farmer blushed and lowered her hat over her eyes. Apple Bloom, however, blinked in surprise. "Wait... when the front door was all broken up before the Winter Gala... th-that was you?" She looked her sister over in surprise before she nodded. "Huh, I gotta buck more trees..."

"Maybe apple-bucking's our talent...?" Scootaloo offered, and a look of excitement crossed the trio's faces before they opened their mouths and prepared to scream.

"No, not here!" snapped Rarity, giving the trio a glare that probably could have caused Solace to freeze over.

"U-ugh..."

Although Celestia and Luna did not look overtly pleased that their door had been completely decimated, the two still wore regal expressions of joy. On closer inspection, however, Checkmate could clearly see Celestia trying to keep the tears in, and she bit down on her bottom lip as if trying to keep from bursting into laughter.

"Elements of Harmony, Checkmate Vigarde, and friends," Luna said regally, "I welcome thee back to Equestria. Pray tell, was your journey a success?"

Checkmate nodded. "Indeed. Although I wish that all of us could be here to share the joy of our victory... Unfortunately, we were forced to leave several of our companions behind." Seeing the suddenly shocked expressions on the princesses' faces, he immediately amended his statement, "No... they're not dead, they simply did not feel as if they would be welcomed here."

Celestia cocked an eyebrow. "Why would they presume that? We would have gladly accepted them here for their aid in liberating Darkfrost... or Snowfall, I suppose."

Checkmate nodded to Twilight, and the alicorn nodded before she stepped forward. "Um... I'm sorry, Princess, but... Rolan didn't want to come here because he thought that it wouldn't be a good idea, given how sensitive the subject of windigoes is as of late... Valice didn't want to come here because she's a... uh..."

"'Valice?'" Luna asked. "That is an odd name for a pony..."

Checkmate Vigarde immediately coughed.

Twilight murmured, "W-well, it's because she's a..." The last word of that sentence was completely incomprehensible.

Celestia looked over at her. "What was that, Twilight?"

"She's... she's a... uh..."

"She's a what, Twilight?" Luna asked, obviously impatient.

Twilight swallowed. "She's a... a changeling, Princess."

Celestia simply stared at Twilight for a few seconds, before she spoke. "... Oh, I see," she said. "I suppose that would make sense, then..."

Rainbow Dash frowned. "Uh... you... don't seem too surprised by that, Princess," she pointed out needlessly.

"Yes... I do understand just why she would not want to show herself here, given everything that the changelings have caused," Celestia admitted, "but I've had the pleasure of meeting several friendly... or, rather, well-meaning changelings." At the confused expressions of the group, she chuckled. "Have none of you truly thought about it? Not all of the changelings live in the so-called 'Hive'; many of them live in Equestria's own borders. It just seems that nopony really thinks of the more friendly ones, given what they have caused in the past, yet..."

Twilight facehooved, letting out a groan. "... Why didn't you ever tell me that...?" she muttered. "I could've been over my anger at Valice so much faster if I'd known that..."

Celestia sighed. "I was worried that you would go on a spree of vengeance if I had told you, given what occurred last year at your brother's wedding... I didn't even know it myself until a short time ago, and I have been meaning to create a treaty with Chrysalis for a time..."

Nopony seemed to feel the need to state anything else on the subject. Instead, Luna simply coughed. "So..." she said slowly, "who else did not want to return with you?"

"Only one other pony, actually," Checkmate responded. "He was a mercenary we met out in the desert, and he gave us great assistance on our journey. It was actually him who struck the final blow to Wendigo in our duel, so I've no idea why he wouldn't want to return with us..." He met Celestia's eyes. "He called himself 'Dusk', and apparently used to be an alicorn. He seemed to know you, actually..."

Celestia's face went pale, and she looked across the faces of everypony in the area, and then to Twilight. "Would all of you mind if you leave here? ... Except for you, Twilight, I have a matter I wish to speak to you about."

The ponies all looked her over, confused, but decided to comply. They all seemed to realize that there was absolutely no point in arguing, and many seemed simply relieved to have the chance to finally go back to their homes. Even Luna wordlessly teleported from the chamber, likely realizing that whatever conversation was to take place had no place for her, and, along with the others, left the room for the two princesses to speak in private.

Rolan was still for a long time, looking away from the others as he lay down his hand, consisting of a king, two queens, a jack, and a two.

Lynar placed his own hand down -- two aces and three queens -- and let out a sigh. "I guess... back to the good old days, huh?" he murmured, although he did not sound especially convinced.

"Back to the good old days," Khaza echoed quietly. She stared down at the cards she had placed on the table, before gritting her teeth and slamming her hoof into the table. "Dammit!" she shouted. "Why the hell did all of this crap have to happen...?"

Cora grimaced, but did not look up. Instead, the queen of Solace lay down her cards wordlessly and sat in silence. Even Rolan was able to see the tears in her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to hide them.

"Why the hell are we all so sad?" Lynar muttered through grit teeth. "This is... isn't this supposed to be..." He was unable to finish that statement, however, as the sleipnir lay his head down on the table and stifled his sobs. "D... Dammit... This is such... such freaking crap..."

Illia sighed, placed all of her cards together and laid them upside-down. "No matter what has occurred," she said quietly, "the pain of what has transpired still runs deep..."

Rolan nodded, although he said nothing. No words could match Illia's statement, and nothing would change how any of them felt. Even if Wendigo had been a monster, the sixth chair still remained empty. Not even Deun could fill it anymore, where he now lay in his icy tomb.

"Crap... why...?" Khaza breathed, clearly trying to hold in her own tears. "What's the point in any of this anymore?! I don't even have any reason to act the part of the Glacius anymore... Wendigo's dead, Hecatoncheir's dead, and... There's just no point to any of this..."

Cora grit her teeth, finally managing to speak. "Why did you bother to call us here, Rolan?" she asked stiffly. "Was it just so that we could all get together again and play our game, and to pretend that nothing had occurred? If what you've said is true, then... then..." She hiccuped, finally letting the tears to flow. "W-Wendigo... you stupid, Chronos-damned... fool..."

"And Deun," added Lynar, gripping the cards so tight that they began to bend. "That blasted idiot... Why the hell would anypony go so far for something as freaking stupid as that...?"

Rolan finally looked over the quartet before him, and stood. "All of you," he said shakily, attempting to keep his voice steady, "I wanted you all to come here so that you could give me some help in what I'm trying to do." The four all looked to him wordlessly. "I... I'll need your assistance on two fronts: the first and foremost of which will be the reintroduction of Snowfall to the rest of the world, and I'll need all of you to assist me in order for this to work properly. But the second matter..."

Khaza gestured with her hoof for him to continue, and he nodded. "I... I want to know the truth about what transpired here over the last three-thousand years. I just... I'm sorry, and I understand if you all don't want to help, but... I... I have to..." He touched his chest, and looked down. "For the sake of everypony who suffered in Darkfrost over the course of the last several thousand years, I have to discover just what drove Wendigo to acting as he did. Again, I understand if you all don't want to help, but I--"

"Oh, can it," muttered Cora, wiping away the tears. She looked up at him and smiled, uneasily. "What, do you think we're heartless or something? Of course we're gonna help you. It's better than just sitting around all day, at least..."

"Besides," Lynar added, grinning, "somepony's gotta find the guy who screwed this world up, right? And then we can have Checkmate and Dusk and all of those others help us beat the crap out of it!"

"I'm with the rest of 'em!" Khaza declared, and looked down. "I thought something was off based on what Wendigo said to us before the fight, but... did any of you see his eyes? What was in them?"

Illia nodded, her face downcast as well. "Sorrow." She looked up and met Rolan's eyes. "I, too, will help. If there is anything that I can potentially do, I will. After all, I would rather like to know the monstrosity that created this nightmare."

Rolan looked between his friends, and smiled. "A... All of you..." He wiped a tear from his eye and nodded, taking on a more serious expression. "Alright, I do have a plan in regard to this, but I'll need you all to help me. We might not find anything, so I just want you all to be prepared in case that happens, alright?" The others in the group nodded. "Alright, then here's what I have in mind..."

Checkmate stared over the edge of the railing, his eyes affixed to the party gathered below. The dark sky of the night was illuminated by the moon and stars, all of which seemed to be focused primarily on the courtyard.

It all seemed so strange to him, the more he thought of it, as he continued to simply watch the creatures celebrate. It was almost as if he had awoken from a wretched nightmare, or perhaps he had fallen asleep and now lay dreaming of the beauty that now lay around him.

However, Checkmate knew -- through various tests -- that the world below was no mere dream. He had won -- they had won. Wendigo was dead, and all that he had wrought would heal in time. As much as his foe had claimed that the world would perish even after his death, the creatures of Snowfall and Equestria seemed to differ; several of them, including Heatwave -- who now walked without his cloak -- strolled about the party, and appeared to be mingling rather well with the ponies of Ponyville, and even some of Canterlot's richer ponies seemed interested in speaking to them.

Of course, he could see several instances of ponies stepping away from those who were heavily scarred, but they most certainly did not make up the majority of the creatures. If anything, very few of them were visible to him.

"Hey, Check, what's up?"

Checkmate turned to see Rainbow Dash flying near the balcony, likely attempting to avoid the hustle-and-bustle of the party down below.

He shrugged. "Not very much, actually."

Rainbow landed next to him, looking over the courtyard. "Heh, sorry about this. It's just a bit too cramped down there, and I needed a place to get away from all of the ponies..."

"Same for me," Checkmate replied, placing his hooves over the edge of the railing. "Well, sort of, I guess. I've just been thinking a lot since last week. It feels like it's been so long, doesn't it?"

"I guess," Rainbow mused. "So... what've you been thinking about?"

He sighed, and looked over at her. "Well... what am I supposed to do with the rest of my life? Yeah, 'Chief Tactician' is a pretty nice title, but... I was hoping that I'd be doing something less war-based." Checkmate blinked, and cocked an eyebrow. "Hey, why are you asking me this, anyway?"

"Oh, no reason. Hey, what do you think Princess Celestia wanted to talk to Twilight about?"

Ignoring the terrible segue, Checkmate grimaced. "I'm not sure; she told me that Celestia didn't want her to tell anypony, even her friends. Though she did say something about 'powerful creatures' and Dusk... I wonder if it has anything to do with..." Checkmate trailed off. He wanted to finish that statement, and say that name, Velios, but remembered vowing secrecy on the matter with Celestia.

Rainbow leaned over the railing as well and met his gaze. "Um... 'anything to do with' what?"

"Oh, it's nothing. So, why did you want to know what I've been thinking about?"

She let out a groan, placing her head on the railing. "Ugh... you saw through that, didn't you...?"

"Transparent."

Rainbow stood up and sighed, turning her eyes upward. "Really, it's nothing. I was just curious, especially since how terrible it was for everypony three weeks ago when you first showed up here..." She looked over at him again. "I mean, look at us then and now! You were all... Well..."

"Cold?" Checkmate offered.

"Yeah, and I was kinda a jerk, I guess..." Rainbow Dash grimaced. "What I mean is just that we got off on the wrong foot. Heck, I even stalked you into the Everfree Forest just 'cause I was so worried you were a spy or something..."

He nodded. "Not without reason. If I'd seen a creature covered in scars run go into a dangerous place and just start killing things, I probably would be fairly paranoid, myself."

"No, it was before that!"

"What do you mean?"

Rainbow Dash turned her head away. "I mean... The day I met you, Check, I thought you were gonna up and kill everypony in Ponyville, or at least Princess Celestia. I think the first day that I really started to doubt that was... well, when you told us that she'd called for an audience with you and you didn't do anything."

"And... you just wanted to see the rest for yourself?"

"Yeah. Something like that."

The two stood in silence, awkwardly avoiding each others' eyes, and simply watching the lights play out in the area below. Although Checkmate could feel the minutes passing, time seemed to have stopped everywhere except for where they now stood.

A moment of serenity, of peace, and of friendship.

Naturally, the moment was shattered with frightening speed. "Hey, Check, how's it going?" came the jovial call as Khaza appeared right next to him.

"G... What, Khaza?!" Checkmate gasped after getting over the shock of his friend appearing from nowhere. "Wh... Why are you here?!"

"Not merely her, I'm afraid," came the elegant voice of Illia, the sleipnir's form coming into focus near Khaza's. "My apologies if we... ruined the moment, but we simply wished to come here and tell you the good news."

Checkmate exchanged a glance with Rainbow Dash and looked back to the duo. He waited several seconds, before he managed to speak. "Good news? What would that be?"

Khaza smirked. "The two of us... yeah, we'll be sticking around for a while."

"Oh, well that's..." Checkmate blinked, realization dawning on him. "Wait a second... Why?"

"Sheesh, you'd think he'd be happier to see us..."

Illia coughed, causing the three others to look at her. "Rolan simply requested that we spend our time around you... In the case that another being attacks our world, it would be unfortunate to force you to brave the desert to Solace once more, and travel the distance to Snowfall -- or Lux, rather -- for the purposes of facing it."

"Yeah, so he wanted us to live here from now on." Khaza leaned on the railing, the smirk on her face only continuing to grow, until she realized her mistake. "Er..." she added, quickly, "I don't mean that we'll be living with you, Check. Just... uh... around here. Yeah."

Checkmate looked between the two spirits, and let out yet another sigh. "Of course," he added, and he smiled. "Well, I'm actually pretty happy; it'll give me a lot of time to practice, and I guess I won't have to worry about losing my edge... so to speak."

Rainbow Dash smiled slightly. "Well... um... in that case, I guess I'll just get heading out of here, and I'll let you three catch up... or something..." She turned and raised her wings, preparing for liftoff, and called back, "Hey, Check, I guess I'll see you later!"

"A-alright, I'll see you."

The pegasus flew into the air with the same speed that she had shown so often before, and Checkmate turned towards Illia and Khaza. "Well, I guess it's just us, then."

"I guess so," Khaza echoed. She looked down at the party below, and smirked. "Huh, two parties in such a short time? Guess I can't blame 'em." Her smile waned slightly. "Ugh, do either of you mind if I... uh...?"

Illia waved her hoof. "Go ahead," she said. "Just make sure that you do not get lost again. I would hate to have to venture down into that mass simply to fish you out once more..." The sleipnir grimaced.

"Hey, I'm fine with you feeling hatred," Khaza joked, and looked over at Checkmate smiling warmly. "Well... I guess I'll you tomorrow, Check. And... thank you, again... for everything."

Before Checkmate could say anything, the windigo had taken off into the sky, the wind splitting in her wake as she flew towards the courtyard below. While Checkmate could have sworn he heard the sound of a collision, he chose to ignore it for the sake of the worried Illia, who now stood next to him.

She, however, appeared to have heard it as well, and smiled at him weakly. "W-well, Checkmate, I would love to stay and chat, yet I must ensure that Khaza has not caused everypony down in that courtyard distress..."

"Don't worry about it; just go."

"Very well. Good night, then. And... as Khaza said, thank you for everything that you have done." Illia nodded toward him, and turned to fly down. "And not merely for Snowfall; for Solace, as well."

Checkmate simply nodded in reply, and watched as the final member of the group vanished into the light below, leaving him alone once more on the balcony, with only the light of the moon to accompany him.

"Farewell, Darkfrost," he heard himself mutter into the darkness, "and may your tenure in demise be eternal, as was your leader's life."

He turned to exit the balcony, and to rejoin the group below, before he bowed his head, and quietly murmured. "And farewell... to those who have suffered in Wendigo's hell, and may their eternities be great... as they all deserve... Farewell..."

Checkmate then began the descent back into the world below, knowing, with nothing less than fact, that the deed he had set his life upon, and what he had struggled for so many years to accomplish, at last had come to an end, and his life had only merely begun anew.

And so, with one last glance over his shoulder, Checkmate Vigarde turned and began to walk down the stairs, leaving the burdens, his guilt, and his fears of the past behind on that balcony, left only to be seen by the moon's light, and to be forgotten.

A lone figure stalked across the desert sands, hooves crashing into the dust that lay upon the flat plain. Upon his back was strapped a massive dark blade, although it did not appear to cause him any hindrance in the slightest.

You are Dusk... correct?

He froze, any movement immediately ceasing as the strange voice seemed to resound about his mind. He could not connect it with anything he heard in his life, but the sheer emotionlessness of it struck him.

For a moment he said nothing, before he responded. "Yes, that is correct."

Very well. I am here in order to grant you that which you desire: vengeance upon those who dared to force you into this position in which you now live.

Dusk grit his teeth. "Odd... You sound almost exactly like those barbarians who pushed me to this point. Besides, I gave up on revenge long ago."

And you would ignore the creatures now beset by the tyrant? Those who suffer due to the ones who thrust you into a world of death, despair, and loneliness? You would simply allow their plight to continue? They shall return soon, and all of Equestria... nay, this very universe shall perish under their might.

"And why should I listen to anything that you have to tell me?" Dusk responded. "As I said, I've no want for revenge; everything that occurred was-"

Her fault, was it not? Did she not say to you, "Dusk, disobey his orders, and strike down that bastard?" Did that not occur? And you would allow those so-called "barbarians" to rise once more, and to bring about an end of that kingdom you love so dearly?

"I don't believe you."

Believe what you will... I am merely proclaiming the truth of this matter. You can take the ones who destroyed your life and give them what they have long since deserved... or you can allow them to freely travel the world, unhindered as you are, and free to cause destruction and tragedy to every creature whom they so desire to slaughter, particularly the one who only recently broke his oath through the use of his off-hoof. The choice is entirely yours.

Dusk stepped forward once more, and lowered his head. "And let's say that I agree to your terms. What will you expect in return?"

That is not your concern, although I assure you that it will be nothing for you to fear. It is merely a... personal matter.

He stopped once more, and turned his gaze upwards. Dusk said nothing for several seconds, before he managed to speak. "What is your name?"

My name?

You may call me the Catalyst.

To be continued in What Once Was.