CHAPTER TWELVE
TERRA
Hospital beds are not best known for their comfort, only their practicality, and this one was certainly no exception. Runcy groaned as he tried to adjust himself to try, fruitlessly it seemed, to make himself a little less uncomfortable. Nothing was working. Whether it was the bed, his body, or whatever the hell it was, he just ached everywhere. Of course, what he was going through now was infinitely preferable to being trapped inside that cursed iron death trap, but...goddesses…he was hurting in places he didn’t even know you could hurt. Above him a blue glow began to build, its presence tingling up and down his body and was even starting to make his hooves itch for some reason. Still, it did feel...rather nice really. Runcy sighed, “Thank you.”
The unicorn mare looked at him with an expression that he couldn’t read. All she said was, “You’re welcome, sir. I am happy to serve.”
“Well i’m happy you did.” Runcy breathed a deep sigh of relief. Dear Celestia, what a nightmare. The ship, the screaming, the sheer terror of it all and then the fever – it never rained but it poured, his father had always said. Luna’s arse, as much as the old fellow had liked spouting proverbs he’d been right on the money with that one. Runcy watched the grey coated unicorn move down to his flank and, once again, her horn began to glow.
“Hold still, please sir.”
He did. The medical pony in the sky carriage had been good, but not as good as this girl. In fact, not even a patch on her – great goddesses, he thought he was falling in love. “That’s...wonderful...” he groaned happily, letting the warmth and gentle waves of magic soothe the pains away, “You’re a miracle worker...miss?”
“My name’s Terra, sir” the mare replied.
“I’m Runcy, Terra, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Runcy gave her a smile and she suddenly paled, her eyes going wide in apparent fear.
“Yes...sir” she acknowledged quietly.
Runcy blinked in surprise. He felt a little deflated after that! What was wrong with her? Did she think he was coming onto her or something? Well that was just wonderful wasn’t it; there he was, thinking he could still woo the mares and this one treats him like he’s come to bloody well murder her just for thanking her! Did he… had something happened to him? He lifted his muzzle and looked into the small bedside mirror – no, everything seemed the same as it always had. Right then, he wasn’t going to stand for any more of this nonsense! “Have you worked here long, Terra?” he asked directly.
“I...I was born here, sir” she replied.
“Runcy” the silver-grey stallion corrected.
“Y…yes sir” the mare swallowed, “Runcy, sir.”
“Don’t you find it hard working on earth ponies?” Runcy asked.
“I...” Terra seemed a little shaken, “Not really sir.”
“But we have a natural resistance to magic, don’t we?”
Terra nodded, “Yes sir, Runcy sir.” She blinked and added, “There is a way around it, or through it, but yours...”
“Mine?” Runcy smiled gently, “It’s alright, Terra, I know i’m a bit grumpy sometimes but i’m not a bad pony. I have a foal and a wife, so you’re quite safe.”
The grey mare seemed to relax, if only slightly. “Your magic feels...familiar” she said quietly.
Runcy’s ears perked up, “Familiar?”
Terra suddenly backed away, “I’m sorry sir! I shouldn’t have said anything, please!” To Runcy’s amazement she abruptly dropped to the floor and bowed, nearly scraping the tiled floor with her muzzle, “I beg your forgiveness for my-”
“Stop that!” Runcy sat up and slowly, carefully, got down from the bed and put a hoof under the frightened mare’s chin, “What’s wrong with you girl, I’m not going to hurt you!” He lifted a hoof and took a breath to calm himself, “Look, I know I'm not a unicorn but at least we have the same coat colour so we’ve got that in common, right?” Runcy gave her a cheeky wink, “Come now, am I really that scary?”
“N...No, sir.” Terra closed her eyes, “...Runcy...”
“And there we go” Runcy said jovially, “No world shattering surprises, no demons popping out of holes in the ground or dragons munching on your fetlocks!” He gave himself a pat all over, “No, looks like saying my name didn’t cause any ill effects at all. My compliments to my nurse.” He bowed dramatically.
Terra took a step back, half looking towards the door to the small room, but then, unexpectedly...she smiled.
“Thank you, nurse.” Runcy said quietly. He got back up on the bed and leaned back with a sigh, “Seeing a smiling face is as good a medicine as anything a physician could prescribe.”
The grey unicorn bobbed her head, her expression softening ever so slightly, “Thank you...Runcy.”
Behind her the door opened and the nervous creature leaped to one side, bowing as Sunny, beaming from ear to ear, walked in, “Good morning my boy! And how are we this fine morning?”
Runcy rolled his shoulders and was relieved to find that not only did he have no pain, he actually felt quite invigorated, “All things considered, pretty damned fine, Sunny.” He jumped down off the bed and reared for emphasis, “Clever things these unicorns.”
“Hmm? Oh! Yes, they are.” Sunny pulled over a chair and paused, “Up for a wander or do you fancy staying in here for a touch longer?”
Runcy snorted, “Bugger that! I’ve been sat on my haunches longer than is decent, old fellow.” He reached over and took his jacket off the back of the chair. It had been freshly laundered and although still showing the odd scorch mark, it was remarkably intact. “Good tailors you have here too by the looks of it.”
Sunny shrugged, “You’d be surprised at what we have her, my boy. Very surprised indeed.” He passed Runcy a small package, “You’ll be needing this.”
“What…?” Runcy opened the parcel and, “My watch!” He flicked it open and breathed a sigh of relief. Of everything that he’d lost in the sinking of the Queen of Waters, other than the bottle of tears this was the one thing he’d hoped he’d be able to save.
“Mmm, we had it fixed for you” Sunny nodded, “The case had quite a dent in it but our technicians worked their wizardry and the results speak for themselves.” He turned for the door, “Ah, nearly forgot!” He took a book out of a pannier and put it on the beside table, “You left this behind in the palace too.” He sighed, “You need to be careful Runcy, could be going a little soft in the old grey matter what with you leaving things around all over the place the way you do.”
Runcy stared at the book in confusion - It was Starswirl’s diary, the one he’d been given by the Primus. Had he really left it behind in the palace? He set it to one side and shook his head, “I don’t even remember packing” he said honestly, “My memory’s all over the place still.”
“I just wish we had some more clothes for you” Sunny said opening the door, “You’ll be stuck with those until we can get you some more ordered, I’m afraid. I think my tailor in Saddle Row should be able to get you something by Friday if we’re lucky, but I’ll have a word with our procurements division and have something whipped up for you in the meantime.”
“Sunny, wait.” Runcy lifted a hoof in consternation, “This is all happening too quickly. Before we do anything else, I have to tell Lark I’m safe or she’ll be beside herself.”
The green stallion nodded, making his distinctive golden mane shimmer vibrantly, “Fear not my boy, it’s all in hoof.” He motioned Runcy to follow him into the corridor, “I had one of our pegasi whip up a telegram to tell her you were safe and with friends the moment we landed. Now, never mind all that – I have such sights to show you.”
Runcy’s hooves resounded off the wooden floorboards, lending a hollow echoing to his surroundings that peaked his curiosity. The wood lined hallway they were in was spartan and functional, completely unadorned with nothing other than numerous magical lanterns which cast their familiar clear white light making everything seem uncomfortably bright. He’d never found the things attractive. Yes they were useful, yes they were modern and definitely practical, but give him the old oil lamps of home, the smell of paraffin, the warm glow of a… Goddesses, he hoped Lark and Silver were alright.
Lord Aura put his hoof on the door handle and fixed Runcy with a look that made his bright blue eyes sparkle, “Time for your eyes to be opened, my friend...”
The door swung open.
Runcy’s eyes went wide as a riot of colour assailed him. Pinks, blues, purples – shimmering, changing, and yet holding their form in a way that made your mind reel. He blinked and rubbed his muzzle in amazement; It was… crystal, a tunnel of pure crystal that stretched off into the far distance. There was no artificial lighting here, or at least none he could see. Instead everything simply glowed with a deep inner luminescence that made his heart skip a beat and his knees go weak. Woodenly, Runcy turned to his friend, but his mouth went dry as his words failed him.
Sunny burst out laughing, clopping his front hooves together in delight, “I knew it! I knew you’d be impressed!” He leaned closer, draping a foreleg over Runcy’s neck, “You know what this is, don’t you?”
“I...” Runcy paused, taking in the scene before him. Crystal, acres of it, seemingly natural and random, but nowhere in Equestria did crystal just appear like this. No, it had to be ‘grown’, subjected to the combined magic of unicorn and earth pony alike. One was the seed of the magic maker, one the planter and one the grower – so the old proverb went. And how true it was… “I’ve seen places like this before,” he breathed, “mostly in books, but there are places: traces, memories of what had once been.”
“Quite poetic there, Runcy my boy!” Sunny gave him a friendly nudge and walked away, waving his hoof as he talked, “We are walking through history, through time itself. We searched for years, following clues and hints in books that were so old they were as fragile as a spiders web, and each tiny fragment, each piece of the puzzle, was a tiny thread that eventually lead us here.” He took a breath, “This, my friend, is the northern most outpost at the very tip of the Crystal Empire.”
“My goddesses,” Runcy breathed, “so more did survive.”
“Oh, yes” Sunny nodded, “And not only the outposts, but some of the ponies themselves.” He shrugged, “It’s not surprising though, the empire was a huge trading entity in its own right, so when the empire itself vanished, many were left outside in what we know as Equestria.”
“And over time they became...just like us.” Runcy breathed.
“So far as we know, they always were.” Sunny snorted, “Their appearance seems to have had something to do with what was known as the ‘heart of the empire’, a magical device that protected it from harm – or so the books say.” He clucked his tongue, “It could be a fairy tail of course, but I’ve found it best not to discount such things before one has exhausted all the possibilities.”
Runcy stared wide eyed at his surroundings as they walked, “When you have exhausted all the impossibilities, what is left, no matter how improbable, is probably the truth.”
Sunny raised an eyebrow, “Ah, a quote from Sherlock Pones?”
Runcy’s voice was a bare whisper in the huge space, “But so true.” He licked his lips, “Sunny, why are we here? Why bring me here?”
“Well, that’s the big question, isn’t it.” The green stallion gave Runcy a wink, “Who is the best quarrying expert in Equestria, do you think?”
Runcy snorted, “For what?”
“For this!” Sunny waved his hoof, taking in the crystal around them, “We’ve tried everything, Runcy, everything! But nothing will break through it; but I know… I know that you do – don’t you.”
“Can we please stop with the bloody mystery tour nonsense Sunny?” Runcy gave himself a shake and huffed, “You didn’t bring me all the way up here to show me some bloody crystal, did you? And I also know, as you damned well know yourself, that there’s bugger all money in trying to dig this out. Ponies wont touch it because they think its cursed and only archaeologists find it valuable – and only from a research perspective.”
Sunny barked out a laugh, “You got me there old friend.” He gave Runcy a wink, “No, the real treasure lies beyond this hallway.” He motioned to what was a huge set of double doors in the distance. But… they weren’t crystal, they were...something else. Runcy stared up at them in awe. Tall doors of what looked like pure ice inset with gigantic iron fittings emanated both taste and power combined. Sunny pulled the handle and carefully watched his friend’s reaction as the door slowly and effortlessly began to swing open.
“Celestia’s mercy...” Runcy breathed.
It was… it was huge! Streets, houses, buildings, street lamps, business premises, parks...it was… this was no outpost, it was a city! Well, no, maybe not a city so much as a large town – a town completely underground, but the sheer scale of it was… Runcy licked his lips, his eyes and mind trying to take in such an unbelievable and impossible sight.
“Impressed eh?” Sunny said chirpily.
Runcy sank to his haunches, still trying to take it all in. He’d never, never seen anything like it in his entire life! Books, paintings, artists impressions – he’d read them all, but… dear Celestia, none came even close to...to this! “It’s incredible” he breathed, “Does...does anypony live here?”
Sunny shrugged, “The ponies from the empire? No. My guess is that when the empire fell the demand for the crystal died with it, and being so far north this place was on its own. The layout of the outpost seems to suggest that the bulk of their food was brought in by sea or air. Without the supply chain the empire provided, anypony living here would soon starve, so they just up sticks and left.”
Runcy descended the long winding steps that lead down to the street below. Every step, every breath, was like walking through time and history, his lungs filled with the same air those ancient ponies had breathed. He, like so many other ponies, knew so little about them. The empire had been lost before even the war with Nightmare Moon and surviving records from that time were scarce to say the least. All that survived now was more conjecture, guesswork, and the usual Equestrian disinterest in anything that wasn’t grounded in the here and now. So few bothered with history, and even fewer seemed to be capable of learning from it. The latest fiasco with the changelings had shown that all too clearly. Perhaps this place...maybe… Runcy turned to Sunny and swallowed, “Are there there docks here?”
Sunny laughed, the sound echoing in the now empty streets, “Expecting to find something there were you?” He gave Runcy a wink, “Sorry old friend, no sky galleons here.” Sunny clopped him on the shoulder, “But don’t worry, we have something that may...just may...help us bring all your dreams to fruition.”
Runcy tore his eyes away from staring at the statue of a stallion in a robe and crown holding an enormous sword. “My dreams?”
Sunny nodded, “Soon, my friend.” He walked up to the statue and stared up at it, “And so fell the mightiest and noblest of them all.” The old stallion took a breath:
No by axe nor sword fell he, but heart of darkness swallowed.
Thief of the gods, his power bold, strength immortal borrowed.
Avenge his love and hearth so dear the world would with fear quake, as earth, sky and sea did
howl and shake.
War did come and war he made, bringing sword and axe and mace.
Upon his foe the bringer of the end, our time did chase.
His a voice a song of eternal death, the cries of longing and pain upon his breath.
Sombra, king of the world, his name was death.
“It’s been a few years since I heard that” Runcy said quietly. He nodded to himself, “Wheat Halls, if I remember correctly.”
“Not quite senile yet then, eh?” Sunny chuckled, “Ah, I remember that old passage from when I was a foal.” He stretched out his hind legs and shivered, “Seems like yesterday that miserable of sod of a teacher was hammering us with old equestrian drivel and bloody ‘language studies’. I’m amazed any of it ever stuck, but that poem always did for some reason.”
“Sombra...” Runcy intoned.
Sunny nodded, “We know so little about him, other than the folklore that said he was a monster unparalleled throughout history.” He shook his head, “If you believe what you read, not even Nightmare Moon came close to his cruelty.”
“Only Celestia or Luna could tell you the truth” Runcy said quietly. He looked at the noble statue, the chiselled features and calm yet robust features carved into the crystal. Whoever had made this clearly cared about the subject matter – there was a certain sense of passion about it, a feeling of dedication by the sculptor that went far beyond merely a commissioned piece. No, whoever had made this was not, at least in their eyes, making a representation of the pure evil that Sombra allegedly became. Besides, what was evil in one pony’s eyes could be seen as an act of good in another. Doubtless the changeling queen was revered by her people, so why not Sombra? Runcy trotted over to one of the buildings and glanced about inside; it clearly hadn’t been lived in for a very, very long time. He ran a hoof along one of the tables in what appeared to have be a restaurant of some kind and huffed in surprise. There was no dust, not even a speck. Was this some sort of spell to keep the area clean? Ponies shed hairs, especially in the summer months and cleaning was something that was essential, but when a property was abandoned surely there would be a layer of dirt, dust or other windblown detritus? Runcy closed his eyes and listened; there was no wind here. Fresh air had to be coming from somewhere, but the silent outpost it was as still as the grave. Suddenly a shiver ran down his spine; this place, as old as it was, as fascinating as it was...didn’t feel right.
“We don’t belong here” Runcy whispered, “We’re not welcome.”
“Effective, isn’t it?” Sunny gave his friend a clop on the shoulder making him start, “I felt the same way when I first came here. Our unicorns say it’s a ‘wide area effect spell’ that looks to be as old as the outpost itself.” He waved to Runcy to follow.
“So it doesn’t effect you now?” Runcy asked in surprise.
Sunny shook his head, “You get used to it. Some of our workers wear wards against it, but for the most part it’s just irritating. I imagine it was a lot more potent back in its day, eh?”
“That’s quite a burglar deterent,” Runcy replied shaking his head, “When you think about it, what better way to protect your property than to make the burglar feel he doesn’t want to enter it in the first place.” He took a breath and stared about him at the solid yet elegant carving on the crystal buildings, “You can make a fortune with something like that.”
“Already working on it, my boy!” Sunny laughed, “See, I told you it was going to be interesting!”
They walked on. Building after building, many with tools, books, paintings and scrolls, all left where they had been abandoned countless years ago. Some signs of property being removed was still evident: a nail on the wall with the outline of where a picture had once hung, a cupboard with its drawers and doors open, yet whether that had been by the original inhabitants or Sunny’s people he couldn’t tell. Here and there the signs of equine life remained which seemed to pull at Runcy’s heart. It was the little things, the small details and artefacts that spoke of a life, and a home. A hoof care shop, a bath house, a pram no different from the one little Silver had been in when she was a foal, all spoke of a life little different from the one he knew back home. Runcy felt that same tingle from earlier run down his spine once more. How in Equestria could Sunny put up with this feeling of being unwelcome? His hooves itched horribly, sending a tingling sensation up his legs to the point where he felt as though he had to get out. It was at its strongest inside the buildings though less so in the streets, but it was always there like a mosquito stuck in the room with you with its incessant whining that came and went. Unfortunately this was something you couldn’t swat at, no matter how tempting it was. Runcy followed Sunny as he headed off down a long, wide set of steps that had apparently once held flower borders long since turned to dust. Dust...probably the only dust you’d find here was in the cemetery, and this whole outpost was like one - one where the dead had simply just got bored one day, stood up, and walked out leaving a very attractive crypt in their wake. Runcy snorted, receiving a knowing grin from the older green stallion. Damned nuisance! He gritted his teeth; that old sod was enjoying this wasn’t he? Runcy rubbed his ears furiously; damn it, it felt like the infuriating buzzing was coming from inside his own blasted skull!
“Come on, I’ll show you a trick.” The older stallion lead Runcy along a pathway beneath the skeletal remains of trees and the contrastingly crisp statuary and colonnaded walk, to a fairly ordinary looking building. “In we go!” Sunny opened the door and lead them into a room where a grey unicorn mare was waiting for them. As they entered she bowed low, her muzzle nearly touching the ground. “You know what to do” Sunny said to her levelly.
The mare stood back up and curtsied whilst Runcy frowned in confusion; his hackles were going up more than he‘d ever thought possible, even more so now that Sunny was standing there watching him being lead away like a lost lamb by the silent mare. His hooves clopped hollowly on the floor behind… “Terra?” he asked. The mare didn’t respond. Runcy scratched his head; ah, of course! The cutie mark was different, if only slightly – not that he’d really been paying that much attention of course, it didn’t do to stare at any ponies flank let alone a mare. But really, other than that the two mares looked nearly identical: grey coats, black manes, and rich yellow eyes. Probably twins then. Runcy noted the silver-blue representation of a snowflake on the mare and tried to remember it for later reference. The two of them continued to walk through the crystalline building, ever deeper into the interior until finally they arrived a room with a raised stepped platform.
“Please stand on the dais, my lord” the mare intoned.
Uncertainly, Runcy complied. There more signs of life in this room than the others he’d encountered so far. In the centre was a raised dais, with a couple of tables and several chairs around the outside, several magical lamps that looked a lot newer than the rest of the décor and a few faded tapestries. If nothing else, the ‘crystal ponies’ as the people of the empire had been called, must have been sick to bloody death of the endless red-blue-pink colour scheme. You could see here and there where they’d covered it over with pictures, tapestries, shelves of books, vases – all manner of items. Some of the buildings gave the distinct impression of being official, while others were homes, but throughout it all the sheer amount of crystal was unfathomable. According to what he’d been able to read, the crystal would change colour with the seasons, as well as the distance to the heart of the empire where the influence of the kings magic was at it’s strongest. Runcy shuddered; what he wouldn’t have given to have seen this place when it was in its heyday! Still, like many places he’d been to over his lifetime, it would probably be a nice place to visit, but not to live. All that crystal, as beautiful as it may be, would likely give a fellow migraines after while. Nearby, the mare was fiddling about with something on a small lectern while her horn glowed blue with magic. Across from the odd creature, a large tapestry hung from the wall suspended from thick gold chains. It was enormous! Whoever had made this had spent untold weeks, months, maybe years even, crafting this magnificent scene. Runcy felt a tingle run through his body from his muzzle to his tail; it was...a galleon. He gave himself a shake and focussed on it. The scene was undoubtedly one of the empire, or part of it anyway. Buildings, docks, the sea and sky were all rendered here as a panoramic image of sheer unimaginable beauty. Light sparkled off the water where the galleon lay at the dockside with tiny workers picked out in thread depicting the unloading of the vessel as others transported the wares to one of the many warehouses. Under normal circumstances he would have been intrigued if for no other reason than the fact he loved old ships, but there… there in the distance, was the real prize. Her sails snapping in the unseen breeze, her captain bringing her in to land as gently as a butterfly’s wing against the cool waters, the sky galleon was coming home. The amethyst fleet…
“Safe to come in now?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Jolly good.” Sunny approached the dais and called up, “Hoy, Runcy! Wake up, stallion!”
“Wha…? Damn it!” Runcy staggered but recovered quickly, focussing on his friend, “Goddesses almighty, I think I had a funny turn there.”
Lord Aura barked out a laugh, “We all have those, comes with age old boy!” He reached out a hoof to help Runcy down the last couple of steps, “How do you feel?”
“Feel?” Runcy closed his eyes a moment and quickly opened them again, “That blasted buzzing’s gone!” He took a deep breath and rubbed his foreleg over his muzzle, “Thank the goddesses...”
“Very clever isn’t it?” Sunny said in his usual matter-of-fact manner, “The outpost’s spell has the ability to recognise ponies who are, shall we say, ‘welcome’ here.” He nodded back towards the dais as the two walked back outside, “The dais was used to add ponies to a kind of ‘magical register of citizens’ who would be unaffected by the spell.” he shrugged, “So far as we know anyway.”
“So far as you know?” Runcy’s eyes went wide, “You mean you just...experimented with this place?”
Sunny raised an eyebrow, “Not many read old equestrian these days you know, and it wasn’t as if there was an instruction manual just lying around waiting for us.”
Well, ask a stupid question… Runcy sighed and followed his friend along the street, noting every now and again, little flashes of colour, of movement amongst the withered trees or structures. This place was either driving him round the bend or there was something else at play here. Taking a breath, he nodded to himself; he had to know more. “Sunny, who else is here?”
“Veritas members, and trusted staff.” Sunny replied.
“The staff that are all grey unicorns you mean.” Runcy nodded towards where yet another of the grey creatures was hurrying into one of the silent buildings across the street.
Lord Aura grinned, “All in good time, my dear boy.”
“I seem to keep hearing that a lot lately,” Runcy huffed, “and I don’t appreciate being left in the dark, Sunny.”
“Were you always so impatient?” Sunny sniffed, and then chuckled as he relented, “Yes, I suppose you were – just like your father.” He nodded towards an archway that was flanked by large magical lanterns and…
“A changeling detector?” Runcy asked in surprise, “Here?”
“A little overcautious perhaps,” Sunny admitted, “But you know what the Primus is like.”
“You don’t think the security spell, or whatever it is, will keep them out?” Runcy asked.
Sunny shook his head, “Didn’t keep us out.” He reached the archway and stopped, “The spell would make you feel uncomfortable of course, and eventually you’d want nothing more than to leave – you experienced that yourself – but to a determined intruder?” He shook his head, “No.” Sunny stood on his hind legs, “This place… this place is the past, but it is also the future for our people, Runcy. We cannot, must not, allow even one of those creatures in here.” His voice dropped, “Or it could be the end...of all of us.”
Runcy’s ear twitched; it was probably best to dismiss Sunny’s comment until such time as any of this began to make sense. The older stallion had always had a penchant for the dramatic, and at least for now, Runcy wanted to see exactly what was going on in this mysterious place - to observe, listen, and to learn. Standing quietly before him, his friend gave himself a shake, apparently gathering his thoughts and slowly pushed the door open. For the second time that day, Runcy’s mouth hung open in shock and amazement.
Unphased, Sunny dashed ahead down the enormously wide steps, the steps that lead down to what Runcy could only really describe as a cavern – but not of crystal, or at least not the same type of crystal as the outpost was made from… Ice? He ran a hoof over it: it was cool, not cold, but tingled with a gentle inner energy and a blue-white light that made the whole cavern sparkle like diamond. The steps before him were the full width of the cavern and made of the same material as the walls, lending the entire space a mystical quality that was at the same time both beautiful and unsettling. Most unsettling of all however was the enormous crystalline ovoid structure that sat in the centre of the cavern’s smooth floor like a spider patiently awaiting its prey. To Runcy it looked for all the world like some bizarre dragons egg, a crystal that glinted with every colour of the rainbow – and more, much, much more.
Sunny stood before it, holding his hooves up dramatically, “Welcome, Runcy, to the very heart of our operation.” He waved the grey stallion closer, “Come! Look inside, and see...”
Hesitantly, Runcy peered into the smooth surface of the enormous object. Mostly all he could see was his own reflection, the reflected light of the crystal and...something...something else – but it was so hard to see! He shook his head and tried again, blinking his eyes to try and focus on what Sunny was obviously trying to draw his attention towards. “Right then” he muttered to himself and took a deep cleansing breath, willing himself beyond the crystal shell and into the… “Archway?”
Sunny clopped his hooves together, “Yes...” He breathed a sigh of relief, “I wondered if you would see it, but of course you can.” He tapped the side of his head, “Earth pony magic, you see?”
“Ha!” Runcy tapped his muzzle, “You use eyes, Sunny, nothing more.” He nodded towards the crystal egg, “What’s the significance of the archway?” Sunny went to speak but Runcy stopped him with an outstretched hoof, “No more mystery my friend, no more cryptic answers – truth, Sunny. You want me to help you, you tell me the truth, that’s all I ask.”
Lord Aura snorted, “Do you think you can handle it?”
“Try me” Runcy replied, “Besides, you wouldn’t have brought me here if you didn’t think I could, would you?”
Sunny raised an eyebrow quizzically, “Really?” He suddenly clopped his hooves together and nodded to himself, “Very well then. You are aware of the recent kidnappings in the news?” Runcy nodded. “You will also have noted the sudden and unexplained development of devices known as ‘firearms’ in Equestria.”
“It was a technological breakthrough” Runcy agreed, “Ideal for the armed forces and law enforcement.”
“I’m surprised to hear you say that with your passion for history” Sunny said levelly.
Runcy snorted, “When it comes to our armed forces, Sunny, I’m willing to think a little outside the box and the better armed those ponies are the better for all of us. I do have a daughter to think of.”
“Exactly, exactly!” Sunny prodded his friend in the shoulder for emphasis, “But doesn’t it strike you as strange how our civilisation progressed from sword, spear and crossbow to advanced projectile weapons almost overnight?”
Runcy shrugged. It had struck him as strange at the time, but then it hadn’t seemed to be that much of an issue. A small footnote in the newspaper had stated that the army had developed a replacement for the archaic crossbows and said that the newly designed firearms would be distributed to law enforcement authorities and military over the coming year as part of their modernisation programme. There didn’t seem to be anything that out of the ordinary really, especially in a world where magic could conjure up all manner of peculiarities including the also newly designed ‘focussed energy weapons’ that had begun to be developed by the intelligence agencies. “I assumed it was part of Celestia’s planned modernisation of the army” Runcy reasoned, “Granted, these ‘firearm’ devices began to appear before the changeling invasion, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the princess had known about the potential threat from these creatures much earlier and had begun to take precautionary steps. She’s a lot cleverer than some ponies give her credit for.”
Sunny just smiled, “No doubt, my boy, no doubt at all.” He gazed up at the large crystal egg and let his voice echo around the room, “But would it surprise you to learn they are not from our world?” The green stallion leaned his hooves against the crystal, “Veritas have known of the existence of portals for as long as I can remember, Runcy, further even. They are a door, my friend, a gateway to places and possibilities that were once viewed as such an everyday part of life that their existence became as mundane as buttering bread. But now...now they are little more than a footnote in a history book or a foal’s fantasy novel.” He snorted, “Until now.”
Runcy lifted a hoof, “The firearms are from another world?” Good goddesses, he felt sick. “So, there of these gateways out there...”
“Originally, yes” Sunny said calmly, “The gateway to that particular world however, has gone – possibly forever.” He shrugged, “Of course we were able to reverse engineer these alien weapons and alter them for equine use. A spin off of this was the development of magical energy weapons – a favoured sidearm of the Celestian Bureau of Investigation, as i’m sure you are already aware.”
Runcy’s blood ran cold as realisation knocked upon his consciousness with all the subtlety of a battering ram. “We didn’t trade for these did we,” he breathed, “we exchanged the kidnapped ponies for them.”
Sunny nickered, “Drugs and firearms for ponies and gems.” He lifted a hoof, “A despicable criminal enterprise, and one that was rather ruthlessly, and crudely, expunged.” He clopped his hoof down hard, “In case you are wondering, Runcy, I can tell you now – Veritas was not involved in that debacle.”
Ponies… sold to beings from another world. Dear Celestia, what had become of Equestria? He closed his eyes and tried to clear away the image of Silver and Lark vanishing through one those damned ‘gateways’, never to be seen again. “You think this gateway is another of these portals then?” Runcy asked, “Another way to this ‘other world’ you mentioned?”
Sunny shook his head, “No, not there. We believe this may give us access to something of far greater importance – a gateway to the nether world.” At Runcy’s blank expression he smiled, “You may know of it as the Wither World.”
“The Wither World?!” Runcy barked in horror. A freezing cold jolt ran down his spine, “Goddesses forgive us, have you gone mad?! Do you have any idea what lives there, Sunny?” He gave his friend a prod in the shoulder, “Do you remember a little incident around a thousand years ago involving Thestrals? Nightmare Moon? Minotaurs?” He shook his head, “There is a reason the princess locked them away there, and i’m damned glad of it too. Never mind the bloody changelings; If those things came through now we wouldn’t have a hope in hell, firearms or not.” Runcy stopped and stared at the green stallion before him, “I fail to see what’s so damned funny!”
Sunny held up a hoof, trying to control his mirth, “Oh, Runcy, do you really think we would actually try to contact thestrals?” He rubbed a foreleg over his eyes, “Luna’s arse, boy, do you honestly believe Veritas are so blind? We are the keepers of history, the guardians of lost knowledge and the ways of our forebears.” He gave Runcy a stern look, any vestiges of humour vanishing like morning dew “This is why you joined us, is it not?”
“Yes, however I-” Runcy began, but Sunny cut him off,
“Come with me, Runcy.” The green stallion turned round and walked up the steps and out the door, leading them both along halls of blue crystal until they reached a set of winding steps that took them up to what was clearly a viewing gallery of sorts. An earth pony stallion watched them approach curiously, his hooves leaning on a long-arm of some kind. Runcy wasn’t overly familiar with them, but the eyes of the stallion left him in doubt that the burly fellow most certainly did and would be more than willing to use it if provoked. The guard nodded his head to Sunny but watched Runcy warily as they passed into the wide gallery beyond. In here was a complete contrast to the deserted outpost below; it was a veritable hive of activity. Earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi were all hard at work at various desks and tables that had been neatly arranged around the large room. Curious apparatus glowing with magic sat beside bubbling bottles and flasks of coloured liquids while huge blackboards sporting myriad calculations were tended by lab-coat wearing ponies deep in heated discussion. If Runcy hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it. Veritas was no mere luncheon club for wealthy ponies, this was highly organised and also...disturbing. Sunny walked up to a very familiar mare who was sitting in a large chair reading a clipboard, “Barbary, I’ve brought a friend to see you.”
The terracotta coated mare turned and looked up at the two stallions. Suddenly, her eyes went wide, “Run? Oh, thank the goddesses!” She jumped out of the comfortable looking chair and rushed to embrace Runcy tightly, “Run...I thought...when the Queen of Waters went down...” She sniffed and pushed her muzzle into his mane, “I’m so glad you’re safe.” Gradually she released him and backed away a step, looking behind him, “Where’s your young friend?”
Runcy swallowed before answering, “I don’t know.” Curiosity suddenly took control of his tongue, “Barbary, why are you here? And why weren’t you on your ship?”
The mare flashed her large yellow eyes at Sunny who waved a hoof at her to continue. She turned back to Runcy, “I…” She took a breath, “I heard somepony was after Sunny and thought I’d accompany him on the airship.” She tapped a slight bulge in her blouse pocket, “I’m quite capable of using one of these, Runcy, and Sunny is my friend after all.” Barbary Nights paused, her face taking on a hurt expression, “You don’t care, do you? You’d rather i’d been on my ship?” She shook her head, “I know you and I have never had anything ‘special’ between us, Run, but I never thought you’d rather i’d...” She sniffed and hung her head dejectedly.
“You can drop the act, Barbary” Runcy said levelly. He lifted his muzzle and huffed, “I know you a lot better than that.”
The sniffling mare froze and slowly looked up, a demure smile on her face, “You always did.”
Runcy ignored the comment and pressed on, “You knew about the bomb onboard the ship, or at least suspected there was one didn’t you.” He closed his eyes a moment and tried to steady his racing heart, “Dear goddesses, Barbary, you could have had the ship checked before it left port, or at least done something. You left those ponies to-”
Barbary’s hoof struck like lightning, the resounding crack as it his Runcy’s jaw causing several of the lab coat wearing ponies to look up in surprise. “How dare you!” Barbary’s face darkened like a thunderhead, “Do you seriously believe I would let my best ship be sunk by a bunch of… of murderers?” She jabbed the grey stallion in the chest with her hoof, “The Queen of Waters was the pride of my fleet, Runcy, she was my personal ship! MINE! Now she’s rotting on the bottom of the ocean, and you...YOU think I knew about it and did nothing?!”
Sunny stepped in quickly, “Barbary, please...” he sighed, “Runcy, we thought the assassin was the one you ‘encountered’ on the ship.” He closed his eyes and nodded, “Yes, we know about her. You see, I was, as painful as it is to say it, expecting to be shot – not blown up.”
And yet not one thought spared for the ponies who had been on that ill fated ship, Runcy thought to himself bitterly. He rubbed his chin and winced – by the goddess that mare packed a punch! Still, he supposed he’d deserved it.
“Now, if you two are quite finished causing a scene, perhaps we can continue?” Sunny raised an eyebrow and the other two, with Barbary letting out a loud huff, following in silence.
The entourage walked between the busy lab coated ponies while Sunny pointed out the various tasks being undertaken. An observer could have been forgiven for thinking that the hive of activity was this way because their employer was walking amongst them, however to Runcy’s surprise the three of them appeared to be all but ignored; the lab coated ponies were without exception, deep in a world of their own, lost in the realm of research and discovery. For a moment, Runcy felt a tinge of jealousy burning through him; this was something he would have like to have been involved in, not all this bombs, assassins and… conspiracy. He frowned in thought; was this a conspiracy? Was what they were doing an act that would pit them against the crown? The possibility flared in his mind and then disappeared in an instant. They had to act. Golden hadn’t hesitated, had she? She had done her duty and fought hoof and tail for her people, for Equestria. As odd as all of this was, there was a reason why he had agreed to take part in it: Silver.
“...convergence of the two worlds.”
“Dimensions.”
“Oh, of course...dimensions. Are you listening, Runcy?”
Runcy blinked and gave himself a shake. He nodded, “My apologies. This is rather a lot to take in, i’m afraid. What was it you were saying about dimensions?”
Barbary snorted loudly, but Sunny ignored it, “We were saying that the princesses appear to have constructed a spell that acted rather like a portal, but on a massive scale, designed to rip the empire into another dimension.”
“As little as I know about magic, is that even possible?” Runcy scratched his chin, “Wouldn’t it leave a huge hole in the ground where the empire’s capital city used to be?”
“How else do you explain nopony has ever found it?” Sunny asked, “Surely a city, even one that vanished over a millennia ago would have left some trace?”
“We don’t even know where it was!” Runcy replied, “It could have been on the other side of the world for all we know. The scant records we have suggest it was to the north certainly, but north of what? Half of it is conjecture, the other half fantasy stories for foals. Canterlot didn’t even exist back then, Sunny, and the war of the three tribes was-”
“Runcy, listen,” Sunny placed a hoof on his friend’s shoulder, “We’re both earth ponies, you and I, we know little about magic and what it’s capable of, correct? But look about you, do you think we would be doing all this if we thought it was a fable?” He snorted, “The empire was, and is real.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t real, Sunny” Runcy said a little irritated at his friend’s attitude, “All I’m saying is that I find it hard to believe how an entire civilisation can simply vanish and leave no more trace that a few outposts at the arse end of nowhere.”
“Ahem, If I may?” A pewter coated mare wearing a lab coat and spectacles raised a hoof. Sunny nodded to her to continue. “We believe the empire’s capital is still exactly where it was, but moved out of phase with our dimension, thus leaving behind what we call ‘the reality bubble’.” She levitated over a beaker of water in her magic and placed it on the desk before them, “Let’s say the water in this glass is the world we know, and the empire is one portion of that.” Her horn suddenly glowed and a ball of ice began to form in the middle of it, floating on the surface of the water. “If we simply remove the empire...” The ball of ice floated out, “the world, or more specifically nature, will eventually flow back in and begin to reclaim the land where it had been.”
“But there would still be evidence that something had been there surely” Runcy interjected.
The mare nodded, “You will notice the level of the water has dropped?” She levitated the ball of ice before her, “Such an act would certainly leave a trace: a crater, ruins, or some other physical remnant that would suggest where it had once been.”
“But after this length of time?” Runcy shook his head, “If the empire was destroyed, it has been over a thousand years since then. It’s plausible to believe that the princesses simply wiped it out and nature, as you said, would have reclaimed what scraps they left behind.”
“But that it not what history tells us” Sunny said, stepping in, “We know the empire existed, and we know more than you’d think about what happened to it. We’ve found books here, Runcy, and records by those left behind after the empire was ‘removed’ and they all tell of their subsequent attempts to find a way home.” He shook his head, “They never succeeded.”
The scientist nodded her head, “We began to suspect a dimension spell after reading the records left behind in the outpost, so we started conducting field tests for thaumaturgical variation and geographical dislocation.” She adjusted her spectacles, “Observe.” The unicorn mare froze a ball of water in the beaker once more, “Let’s say this ice is the empire’s capital city.” Her horn glowed, encompassing the ball of ice, “now we surround the city in a reality bubble...” A thin skin of magic surrounded the ice and suddenly, with a flash of magic, it appeared on the bench beside the beaker, “The empire’s capital is now outside the ‘real’ world – in this case, the beaker of water – and yet the level of the water has not changed. In other words, the world, our world, still behaves as though the empire is there when in reality, it is here in another dimension.”
“That would still leave this ‘bubble’” Runcy observed.
The mare shook her head, “We do not believe so.” She motioned to several ponies working on a table near to a map of Equestria surrounded by gauges and mechanisms the function of which Runcy could only speculate. “Have you ever been on a journey and you can’t remember the journey there?” she asked, “One that is so familiar, one you do every day, that you just simply...get there?”
Runcy nodded, “Of course. It’s just your mind switching off because you’re not paying attention.”
The mare smiled, “Is it?” She waved at the map, “What if a spell could do that? What if the magic could make you, and everypony around it, simply forget it was there?”
“I don’t see how that could work” Runcy huffed, “I know bugger all about magic, but most of what i’ve seen is levitation and making interesting gadgets.” He thought for a moment, “I suppose some of the more accomplished unicorns can teleport, but as powerful as Celestia and Luna are, is something on this scale even possible?”
“Before Celestia lost her a large portion of her power? Before Luna became Nightmare Moon?” Sunny asked nodding, “Why not? How much do we know about how powerful they really are? Or were?” He shrugged, “Starswirl tells of how during the battle at the first battle of River Valley, Celestia opened a portal to another world to save herself. If that is true, and we have no reason to believe it isnt, then she has magic the likes of which no mortal pony would normally have.”
“Starswirl dedicated most of his life to researching portals” the mare added, “A lifetime to learn what Celestia completed in the blink of an eye.” She shrugged, “Conjecture, perhaps, but all the research we have conducted so far points to this being the case.”
Runcy felt a shiver run down his spine. He nodded his thanks to the mare and turned to Sunny, his voice low, “Sunny, can we speak a moment.” Sunny nodded and two walked over to a quiet corner of the vast room, “Why, Sunny? What is this all for? Are you trying to find the empire for some reason? For Celestia’s sake, this is madness!”
Sunny shook his head and chuckled, placing a calming hoof on his friend’s shoulder, “No, that’s not what this is for. This...” he waved a hoof encompassing the busy ponies, “this is research, nothing more. The portal, Runcy, can take us anywhere...with the application of a little more power of course.”
Runcy glanced back at the scientist who was now talking with Barbary. “That’s what the whole seventh element thing is about, isnt it” he said, “You want to use that to power the portal somehow and reach...whatever it is you’re trying to reach, right?”
Sunny raised an eyebrow, “Very astute of you. Yes.”
“But why?” Runcy couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “What the hell has this got to do with protecting Equestria from the changelings?”
Lord Aura smiled, “That, my friend, is for the next part of our tour.” He waved over to Barbary, “Come, let us show you...everything.”
They walked over to the observation deck Runcy had seen earlier and looked down into what at first glance looked like a field of blue and white ice. Runcy rubbed his eyes and stared; there were ponies down there, moving around between structures that looked like small domes, but that wasn’t what really caught his eye. “They’re all unicorns...” he said quietly, “grey unicorns.” He turned to Sunny, “The ones we saw earlier in the outpost...”
Sunny nodded, “You asked if anypony lived here earlier.” He closed his eyes, “That was… not entirely accurate.” He nodded towards the mares flitting between the domes far below, “It’s true there were no empire ponies here when we arrived, but the outpost was not entirely...unoccupied.” Sunny motioned for them to follow him once more, “The grey unicorns...” he sighed, “They are a remnant, an echo of a time a thousand years in the past. It is from them, Runcy, we harvest a crop that will help bring salvation to our people.” He nodded towards a smaller door at the rear of the observation room, “Follow me.”
The trio trotted down stairs, along corridors and through hallways, past more of the grey unicorns, more guards, more ponies in lab coats, until finally reaching another of the changeling detectors that was flanked by heavily armed guards. Sunny was allowed through with little more than a cursory nod. Runcy, and indeed Barbary, were watched as if they were thieves in a bank vault.
And a vault it was.
“My...goddesses...” Runcy’s heart was in his mouth as his eyes went wide in astonishment. Here were row upon row, aisle after aisle, of… jars, jars on shelves that stretched to the ceiling and into the distance. Occasionally a grey mare would appear carrying a basket, others pushing trolleys, while a plethora of lab coat wearing ponies with clipboards walked up and down checking their stores. Runcy walked up to one of the glass jars in a virtual trance; it was… “Tears” he whispered. Hundreds, no, thousands of jars of the most precious thing he’d ever ever held in his life: the medicine that kept his beautiful daughter alive. He had been down to the last few, the last hoofful, always living with the cold fear of the day they ran out – the day his daughter would… Runcy swallowed and turned to Sunny, “How…?”
Sunny motioned to him to follow, “This way. The final truth lies just beyond those doors.” For a moment the green stallion hesitated and turned back to his friend, “Runcy...you know, you’ve always been like a son to me. Your father too was much more than my friend, he was like my own brother. Before he died I promised him I would do everything in my power to protect you as you grew into the stallion you are today, and I know how proud he would have been of you and all you have accomplished. I know you may think me a sentimental old fool, perhaps even overly idealistic, but I truly believe that our families are linked by something that transcends familial bonds, and that is our love of tradition, honour, and friendship – traits that are all too rare these days.” He smiled sadly, “I don’t want you to become any more involved in this than you have already if you’re not absolutely certain you-”
“Sunny!” Barbary stepped up and pushed her way in between the two stallions, “For Celestia’s sake, don’t try and put him off now, we need him!”
Sunny gently, but firmly pushed her out of the way, much to the sputtering mare’s annoyance. “If you see what is behind that door, Runcy, you can never go back. Both I, Barbary, and all the ponies here are a part of this, but you still have a choice.” He nodded to Barbary and closed his eyes, “Please, Runcy, I know it’s unfair of me to ask, but...”
“I’ve already made my decision” Runcy said with a snort, “If what you are doing here will help safeguard our homeland, if it will protect my family and our people, then I will not be the one found wanting when the bugle calls and the drums roll.”
Barbary peered at Runcy curiously, opening her mouth to speak but then stepping back as Sunny stepped forward and embraced the grey stallion, “Thank you” he said in whisper, “Thank the goddess, Run. For a moment I wondered if I was doing the right thing, but in my heart, I never doubted you.” He smiled, “You are truly your father’s son, and the descendant of one of Equestria’s greatest. Her blood and spirit runs in your veins...” Sunny clopped Runcy on the shoulder, “Hold your head high, Runcy, for beyond this door, history will be made.”
The room around them faded into near darkness, drowned out by the intense light spilling from between the heavy doors as they slowly swung open to reveal yet another cavern. Runcy shielded his eyes; this one, with it’s blue and white architecture - if that was the right word to use - was strangely familiar. And then he realised it: it was the doors themselves, the doors that had lead from the outpost – this was same material! He blinked in the light, letting his eyes readjust to the ethereal sight before him. There were buildings here, albeit smaller and far less ornate from those in the outpost, and not made of the same material that the empire had used at all but rather that strange ‘ice that wasn’t ice’. Runcy stared at it in wonder; that inner light, that otherworldly blue-white glow, it was almost identical to the tears in the jars in the last room, and contained that same strange sense of familiarity that made his knees quiver. How could something so alien seem...oh, he didn’t know! It was… he scratched his mane, trying to put his hoof on the elusive thoughts that danced away from him everytime he drew near like a frightened kitten.
“Runcy?” Barbary Nights gave him a nudge, causing the stallion to start.
Sunny smiled, “Strange isn’t it? So… ‘alien’ to everything we know of the world.” He walked down the small flight of steps onto the narrow path which descended down to the floor of what Runcy could only describe as a...village. A subterranean village. Sunny leaned on the carved ice-like ballustrade, “This is where we found them. Unicorns: all of them near identical, save for their cutie marks. Most of the staff have taken to calling them ‘the grey ghosts’ would you believe.” He chuckled, “Hard to believe these were once some of the most powerful and feared creatures in Equestria.”
Runcy frowned in thought and rubbed his muzzle, “These...ponies, these unicorns, they’re wendigo?” He shook his head, “It’s not that I doubt you, Sunny, it’s just...” Runcy’s words failed him.
“Not scary enough for you, eh?” Sunny suddenly barked out a laugh, “And you know, I thought exactly the same when I first came her too.” He pointed down to the grey unicorns walking around, apparently oblivious to their unannounced visitors as they continued with their various tasks. “They are descended from the tribe of wendigo, the so called ‘four winds’ tribe that fought the Celestian forces in the war. We thought they were all extinct, Celestia certainly did, but Starswirl...” Sunny shrugged, “He didn’t think so.” The old green stallion stared down at the village and took a cleansing breath, “Somehow, with the loss of the connection to the nether world, they can no longer become true wendigo as far as the legends describe. That does not however, mean that they are mere unicorns – oh, no.” He gestured to the room behind him, “They are an unlimited source of the ‘tears’ young Silver needs to stay well.”
Runcy snorted, “And this is where that jar you gave me came from.” He waved a hoof, “From these unicorns?” Sunny nodded. “But what use are they, Sunny?” Runcy asked, “So far as I know, only Silver has this affliction and it has been passed down through my family for generations.”
Sunny gave his friend an understanding smile, “I know. It took your father well before his time. I can still remember the look on your mother’s face, the way she held him as he lay In the doorway to the manor.” He shivered, “I never want to hear that sound again, Runcy… never. We should give thanks to the gods that at least you were spared its bitter taste.” He gave his friend a clop on the shoulder, “Plenty here for the little spoon though, eh?”
He was right. Goddesses, how he was right. A flush of relief burned through Runcy’s body, his ears tingling and his heart feeling as light as a feather. It was like a weight, an unfathomable suit of lead that had been cast around his very being, had simply… ceased to be. Was this how pegasi felt as they soared through the heavens? Runcy lifted his muzzle and he breathed in, tasting the air as though for the very first time. Goddesses, he felt like bucking and screaming with sheer joy! An urge to run caught him, dragging at his legs – he had to run, he had to neigh and shout and- A thought popped into his mind derailing his moment of jubilation. Why? What was all of this for? He looked at Sunny who just smiled in reply to the unspoken question.
“I know what you’re thinking my boy, and the answers are here...” Sunny waved a hoof, encompassing the entire village. And then, once more, the enigmatic Lord Aura set off, heading along the path with the still silent Barbary in tow.
Runcy brought up the rear this time and caught the faint hint of jasmine in the air. It was deliciously enticing despite his knowing full well where, or rather ‘who’ it was coming from. He let it tickle his nose and smiled to himself; he’d have to find out what the blend was and buy some for Lark. She loved perfume and to be honest, this one appealed to him too. It was certainly a lot better than that bloody awful rubbish she’d bought off that pretentious ‘rep’ or whatever she was who came along to Lark’s sewing group. Dreadful mare! Always flogging expensive tat that was probably concocted from cat piss and goats ears or something equally bloody awful. Celestia’s buttocks, it smelled like arse as well. How Lark actually thought it smelled ‘appealing’ was anyponies guess.
Speaking of arse…
Runcy watched Barbary’s hind quarters swaying as she walked. It was almost hypnotically mesmerising the way her hips swayed in time with her tail swishing left, right, left, right. She truly had excellent form and kept her body in trim too – a lot more than could be said for many other mares her age who had a disturbing tendency to break out in spontaneous cats and musty clothes from charity shops. Not so Barbary Nights; she was a mare who had impeccable taste, yet wasn’t afraid to wear clothes that were...different. Today was definitely one of those ‘different’ days. She was wearing a loose fitting blouse that covered her forelegs down to her hooves while her hind quarters were swathed in a tight fitting elastic fabric that emphasised her curves and musculature as subtly as a fog horn. Runcy tried to focus on Sunny, but on the narrow path his traitorous senses were now completely filled with the scent of mare and the rhythmic swaying of Barbary’s rump. He swallowed; what was making things infinitely worse was that he knew she still had feeling for him too, and it would only take that one slip, that one mistake and his whole world would come crashing down around him like a house of cards. How many stallions had fallen that way? Fallen to the allure of a mare, for a single evening of bliss and a lifetime of regret? He gave himself a shake.
Barbary was looking right at him, “Like what you see?” she asked.
Runcy cleared his throat, “I was wondering what your perfume is” he said neutrally, “It’s jasmine, isn’t it?”
“Mmm” Barbary nodded, “It’s called ‘A night under the stars’. I bought it in Canterlot from the outdoor market.” Her mouth curled up slightly, “You like it?”
Runcy nodded, “I thought I may buy some for Lark.” He felt a sense of relief run through him at that.
Barbary sniffed, “Of course, dear, we mustn’t forget ones obligations, must we?” She nickered slightly, “I wondered for a moment if you were admiring my rear. I’m sure dear Lark wouldn’t approve of wandering eyes, but don’t worry, I won’t tell.” She winked at him cheekily, “It’ll be our little secret.”
Runcy groaned, “I wasn’t admiring your rear, Barbary.”
The mare laughed, “Your eyes betray your words, my fine stallion!” She raised a beautifully formed eyebrow, “I can’t blame you though I suppose, the jodhpurs really do emphasise ones figure, don’t you think? They’re refreshingly comfortable against the fur and feel… wonderful to the touch.” She stretched and subtly licked her lips, “You wouldn’t know that though, would you?”
Runcy rolled his eyes, “Barbary, stop it.”
She nickered in reply, “Oh, but Runcy, why should I? You’re so much FUN!”
The three of them continued through the bizarre scene. The neat houses of the wendigo were as much carbon copies of one another as their owners: plain, unadorned, and most of them single storey abodes that gave off a peculiar aura of loneliness that toyed with Runcy’s emotions. Everything here felt precise and clinical, with the buildings arranged with almost geometric precision on either side of what would normally be considered to be a road, if a road were as smooth as the surface of a frozen lake. Throughout the village the grey unicorn mares carried on with their daily business as if the three newcomers simply didn’t exist, as if Runcy, Barbary and Sunny were no more substantial than the air around them. Runcy remembered the name Sunny had given the unicorns: the ‘grey ghosts’. But...what if the unicorns weren’t the ghosts? What if it were the three of them, walking through time, through a village occupied by living, breathing creatures and they themselves were no more substantial than wandering spirits. The strange light didn’t help with his sense of unease either; that blue-white glow was everywhere and never ending. It was in the walls of the cavern, the ground, the walls of the buildings, and above it all the hard sky of equally blue-white crystal. Runcy shivered, feeling his hackles going up in alarm. This place felt far more alien even than the outpost had. Hell fire, that abandoned town had at least felt warm! Here, the chill bit through his fur and seeped into his very bones, and yet inexplicably there was no physical sensation of actually being cold. Goddesses, he didn’t like it here at all.
A grey mare walked by carrying a pair of wickerwork baskets on her back. For a moment, for just the most fleeting slivers of time, she glanced up at Runcy and their eyes met. Almost imperceptibly the strange unicorn looked forward once more and carried on walking as if nothing had ever happened. Runcy’s heart leaped into his mouth; what was it with this place? Why did he feel so damned nervous? He paused and looked down at his hooves; bloody hell, were his legs actually… trembling?!
Barbary gave him a concerned look, “Run?”
“Barbary, I...” Runcy closed his eyes and gave himself a shake, “Forget it, I’m fine.”
Sunny glanced back at them as they continued around a corned and headed down a long winding passageway. “You’re not the first one to react like that, my boy” he said in his matter-of-fact voice, “Scared many a pony I can tell you.”
Runcy gave his mane a shake, “What are they doing here, Sunny? The war was over a thousand years ago and they look just like any regular unicorn.”
Sunny shrugged, “Because as odd as it may seem, this is home to them.” He laughed quietly, “If you can call it that.”
As always, Runcy had more questions than answers. Unfortunately for now at least, he found himself all but brimming with them. It was infuriating! What made it worse though, was that every time he tried to recall what had been said it seemed to clash with what he had been taught in the past or had read in his history books. Much of what he knew about the empire, and indeed about wendigo, didn’t mention a fraction of what he’d learned in the short time he’d been here. No wonder there were so many scientists and researchers here: the place was a goldmine of information – a treasure trove of wonders from an earlier age. He wondered fleetingly about the princesses; the wendigo had fought for Nightmare Moon – Luna, in another guise. Surely if Celestia could forgive her and the horrors that monster had unleashed upon the land, then these grey ponies had little to fear from the princess of the sun? And yet...here they were, trapped in time after a thousand years of complete isolation. Everywhere he looked he kept seeing those yellow eyes, those frightened, yet fathomless deep yellow eyes as they stared at him in fear. Terra, the unicorn mare, the wendigo. Suddenly, and completely unexpectedly, he felt a warm glow flush through him. He’d never spoken to a wendigo before, and indeed, who alive ever had? He couldn’t wait to tell Silver and Lark when he got home!
Through another detector, past more guards, the passage finally ended in a huge door. No wendigo nor empire made door this time – this one was made of thick steel and wood, and looked to have been designed to stop a siege engine. Hinges that would have been more at home on the steamship were driven into the very rock itself. Bolts, straps and bolts studded the great door, before which two heavily armed earth stallions stood silently watching the three as they approached. Sunny bobbed his head and the guards on either side took positions flanking the great iron and steel construction. Runcy watched as each of them produced a large black iron key, inserted them into locks set into the rock wall and nodded in silent agreement to one another before counting,
“Three, two, one.”
The two keys turned.
Runcy watched in fascination, listening to the whir and click of the lock mechanism before finally, with a reverberating ‘clunk’, the bolts drew back and the door, as quiet as a breath and as light as a feather, swung open. Without another word Sunny walked inside followed by Barbary, and finally Runcy. The door boomed shut behind them.
“Security measures” Sunny said in reply to Runcy’s wide eyed expression, “We can’t contaminate the rest of the facility should things... ‘go wrong’, shall we say.”
“Contaminate?” Runcy hurried past Barbary and caught up with his old friend, “Sunny, talk to me. What is all this?”
The green stallion just smiled, “Patience, my boy. You’re about to find out.”
Runcy swallowed. He didn’t know how much of this his heart could take. Every moment there was something new, something completely alien, and this newest sight was no exception. No warming pink crystal nor ghostly blue-white light here - this was Equestrian made. They were surrounded by rock, cut by hoof and magic, with steel and wood – materials he knew and understood. This, as austere as it may seem to some, especially after what he had seen already today, was something that felt more like… home. But home had one significant difference: there were no cells. Runcy had never seen a prison before except from the pictures in the newspapers, and indeed there were precious few of them in Celestia’s kingdom as it was, but this… this was something simply beyond comprehension. The three ponies walked along the passage between the cells, passing by the empty eyed and hollow stares of the occupants. Runcy swallowed; they were unicorns: grey, yellow eyed unicorns - and they were all stallions. They simply sat there in their cells, just sitting and staring, watching the ponies walking by in absolute silence. Runcy couldn’t stop himself from staring back, his eyes seemingly drawn to them helplessly, taking in their plight, their sense of utter hopelessness. He closed his eyes and forced his vision back to his front. Dear Celestia… Did she know nothing of this? Was this… this terrible place all the making of Veritas? He watched Sunny and Barbary walking ahead of him. The two ignored the cells, walking by them as if on a jolly Sunday stroll in the park while Runcy’s heart felt as cold as ice. Finally, the three of them reached something that screamed of modernity, of civilisation: a lift. The door opened and the three entered the small oasis of familiarity. Runcy breathed a sigh of relief as Sunny pulled the metal security screen across and pulled the lever. A second later the lift shuddered and began its rattly ascent. It was only then, as the lift bore them ever upward, that Runcy could see, finally see, the extraordinary extent of the operation here. There wasn’t just one row of cells – there were dozens, hundreds maybe. He felt his chest tighten and closed his eyes, willing the view to go away. He’d given Sunny his word, his honest and heartfelt word of honour that he would do what it took to protect his home and family, and that was true, so, so true… but this? “Caveat emptor” he muttered.
Sunny snorted, watching Runcy with a look of… not so much sympathy or understanding, but… bemusement. He pushed the lever forward and the lift slowed to a halt. “We’re here.”
The lift’s screen door clattered open and the three of them stepped out into a white tiled and red carpeted hallway. Paintings of equestrian country scenes lined the walls while magical lanterns hung down from the ceiling bathing everything in a comfortingly familiar light. Runcy couldn’t believe what he was seeing; as much as this was familiar, it was such a contrast to the dreadful scene a mere stones throw from where he stood, it didn’t seem real. He came to a halt behind Sunny who pushed the large double doors open into what was clearly an office – and very well appointed it was too.
As if on cue, a white uniformed pony with a short black mane appeared and bobbed his head respectfully, “Welcome back, my lord. May I take your overcoats?”
Sunny, and a stunned Runcy, hoofed them over without a word. The uniformed pony bobbed his head again and trotted away to what Runcy presumed would be a cloakroom of some kind. Nothing would surprise him now after all the other things he’d seen today.
“Can I offer you a drink?”
“I’m sorry?” Runcy looked back at Sunny in surprise but caught himself quickly, “Yes...yes, please.”
“Black griffin for you, isn’t it Barbary?”
Barbary nodded, dropping into a thick velvet lined chair, “No ice this time please, Sunny.”
Runcy took his proffered drink in a haze of confusion.
“Is that alright, Runcy?” Sunny asked in concern, “I know you like a scotch, but I thought you might like this brandy instead. It’s vintage west county gold.”
“Huh? No...no, it’s… it’s fine.” Runcy stared into the glass and habitually began to swirl the golden liquid around, taking in its floral fragrance and promise of a warming journey into his stomach. He obliged…
“Good?” Sunny asked.
Runcy nodded, “You have excellent taste, as always.”
“Naturally.” Sunny chuckled and waved Runcy to a seat, “Please, make yourselves comfortable. We have much to discuss.”