//------------------------------// // VI: Wartorn // Story: Gates to Renascence // by Material Defender //------------------------------// C h a p t e r 6 : W a r t o r n Faith and fire. Blood and steel. Integrity and courage. A shining hope during times of encroaching darkness. We stand strong. We stand vigilant. We guard mankind. -Renascent Imperial Legion creed “You speak of these Renascent years...” Twilight asked Artim. “So, what year is it now in the Empire?” “As of right now... it is 1515 RY,” Artim said, looking up at the line of sunlight trailing above them as the weather stone walls of Fort Kahir began to take shape. “Then... if the Renascent Empire hasn’t had contact with Equestria for so long, how come you can speak the modern Equestrian language?” she continued, quill and paper primed for his answer. “Interesting question, really. Though we did not have any contact with Equestria itself, there were certain elements within that sought us out on their own. The one in particular who introduced us to the Equestrian language of today was a unicorn by the name of Star Swirl the Bearded.” “Star Swirl?!” Twilight exclaimed. “But... but he never wrote anything about visiting the Empire before... and I’ve read almost everything that he’s written!” Artim nodded. “The Empire went through much more turbulent times than now, though I believe that may soon be topped by our oncoming war. When he visited Renascence, the town’s entire economy nearly came to a stop because everyone wanted to see him, or so the story went. I do recall the tale told to new initiates at Lherren state that the information he was given was kept secret by Princess Celestia.” Twilight’s face scrunched in confusion. “Secret? But the humans weren’t hostile towards Equestria at the time... why keep it hidden from the public eye?” “That’s something you’d have to ask her yourself, I’d wager,” Artim said, knowingly meeting her eyes. Twilight felt conflicted; she’d never thought that Celestia would keep such important information hidden from her... even the maps of the known world kept in the Canterlot Royal Archives omitted the existence of the Empire; a most elaborate ruse. “I’ll have to keep that in mind,” she determinedly noted to herself. “In any case, how did the Equestrian language catch on in the Empire?” “Quite simple, really. Back then, and even now, our reverence for the Paragon and Protector was ingrained so heavily into our culture that when an actual pony showed up speaking our language, it was only fitting that we beseeched him to teach us his. And when it caught on, it caught on quick; the entire Equestrian language became standard teaching in all educational institutions within three years.” “Wow, that’s really impressive for an entire language shift,” Twilight noted, scribbling down the fact in her notes. “And that’s how you all became familiar with our language?” Artim nodded at her question. “But how is that possible? Star Swirl would have most definitely been speaking Old Equestrian like Princess Luna did when she first returned. How come you can speak like... well, me?” “We had contact with specific envoys sent by your princess up until two hundred years ago.” He mumbled to himself, counting off years in his head. “Yes, definitely two hundred years ago. The Equestrian dictionaries at Lherren stopped updating roughly around that time.” “What happened two hundred years ago?” “War,” Artim simply stated. “With the griffons.” “Oh...” “Wasn’t our first time, mind you. And it certainly won’t be our last. For their safety, we closed off our borders and Princess Celestia agreed to send no further emissaries. Since then, it’s been a deluge of problems raining down on our fair land. At this point, things will become hellishly worse before it gets better, if recent news has shown us anything.” Twilight squinted at the dull brown walls obstructing their path ahead of them. “Is that Fort Kahir in the distance?” “That it is,” Artim confirmed. “Sits right at the entrance to the pass. Quite effective security, if anything.” He looked to Kandro. “My liege, since we’ve not bothered discussing it yet... what is to be our first course of plan when we reach the fort?” Kandro broke out of his stupor to look at Artim, surprised, before quickly collecting himself. “Hmm? Oh... we ride for Renascence immediately. I presume our sandrunners are still stabled within Kahir. We will use them.” “A shame,” Artim said, returning his attention to Twiilght. “And here I had hoped to visit several settlements on the way to Renascence, or perhaps even stop at Lherren. All things in due time, I guess.” “How long’s this trip supposed to take us, anyway?” Applejack asked, directing her question to Kandro as she caught up beside him. “From Kahir to Renascence... better part of a day and a half. But we will not stop, so I assume our trip will take us only half a day to do so. I expect the legions to expedite our journey as best as they can,” Kandro replied, looking ahead to see Tyermos and his rangers leading the way with Reugas among them. “Ugh, can’t I just go there ahead of you guys?” Dash whined. “I mean, I can fly once we get out of this pass, right? I’ll just meet you all there!” “Rainbow, you don’t know where the city is,” Rarity pointed out. “And besides, it’s dangerous out there! You could get hurt or, dare I say, killed! We are better off being escorted by these fine warriors to ensure our protection and enjoy their company,” she ended. “I’m fine with it!” Pinkie said, still sitting on Tehin’s shoulders since their journey began. “Big T here has been telling me all sorts of stories about his home, and, boy, do I want to try out some of their drinks and food! Especially this whole wine-infused pastries! I really want some of that!” “You will absolutely love the prairie berry fruit tarts, Pinkie,” Tehin mentioned. “Prairie berry fruit tarts?!” she exclaimed. “Oh, my good golly gosh, just the name just makes me want to eat a whole bunch of it!” Her smile diminished as she grew serious. “That is, of course, after we save your land and all that. Can’t forget priorities!” “Are there... any animals in the Empire?” Fluttershy asked, trailing behind Tehin and Pinkie. “Oh, plenty of them,” Artim said. “We have all sorts of native wildlife, although I’m afraid to say that a good deal of them are not friendly. We have predators like lions and cheetahs, herbivores like antelopes and giraffes. We also have bovines, though they’re not the same as they were in Equestria. Ours are more... empty-headed than yours.” “Empty-headed? How so—” Twilight asked, but was cut off abruptly by Artim’s terse response. “They can’t think. Not in the way that you and I can. We are an omnivorous species, Twilight; we cannot be picky about our food in a land whose bounties steadily dwindle as the years go by, and so this food source is as viable as any other... and besides, I’m sure you are all well aware of the griffons’ dining habits by now. Ours mirror theirs, if not with a larger focus on non-meat sustenance than they do.” “Ah, I see,” she noted, marking it down. “Humans are omnivorous, then... I’m sure history will have to come later. Not that I mind, of course, I just find it easier to digest through books.” “I can agree with that,” Artim said, stopping with her as the entire group approached the gates of Fort Kahir. “Who goes there?” a sentry shouted. “Ranger Tyermos, under orders from General Tiraen.” He gestured to the group gathered around him. “I return with the prince and company in hand, along with aid granted to us by the Paragon. Let us in.” “Ah! Welcome back, ranger. Much has happened since your departure. Open the gates!” Tyermos looked at Kandro, who in turn returned his gaze. “Tiraen has been waging this war for the past several days, and almost half of the Legion was called to arms on short notice, ordered to rally at major cities and stem outwards to aid towns and smaller settlements.” “But it is the Legion,” Kandro said. “Our numbers are certainly vast. Do you not believe they can hold the line?” “Against an enemy that can strike from anywhere, my lord?” Tyermos said, shrugging as the gates behind him finished opening. “It is hard to hold a line when you do not even know where it is. Now then, enter. Our mission is finished, and my rangers and I will certainly be needed elsewhere. Ancestors and the First watch over you, Prince Kandro.” “And they to you, ranger,” Kandro said, nodding to Tyermos as the ranger ordered his men to regroup for immediate departure. “Best of luck to us all.” “Things grow worse, sire. We’re going to need more than luck to get us out of this mess,” Tyermos said, throwing a look over his shoulder before walking off. “Commander, it’s good to see you again,” Kandro said, shaking hands with Kahir’s garrison commander inside the war room on the top-most floor of the keep. “And an honor to have you here again, my liege.” he said, looking out the window as Tyermos and his rangers departed Fort Kahir due west, traveling further into the Empire to aid in their war efforts. “What a horrid state things have become. The Eastern Legion has taken up residence within Talon’s Reach, and the fighting has been going on non-stop since nightfall fell three days ago. And then the maelstrom yesterday...” “If only I were notified sooner...” Kandro said, clenching his fist. “I could have rallied a defense and perhaps retaliated against the beasts, and push them back.” “That would not have been possible, sire.” The commander rubbed the tuft of his beard. “As I am sure you are aware of, the nature of chaotic beasts prevents them from spawning in any one location. They...” His lips curled into a unknowing frown, and he shook his head. “...seemed to appear out of nowhere, and in numbers far too great for any militia or city guard contingent to deal with.” “A thousand...?” Kandro muttered, feeling his face grow hot as his blood boiled. If he had been around, he could have rallied a search effort... his own combat capabilities equaled at least, three, if not four, soldiers, and would have given his search parties a greater edge in deterring threats as the civilians evacuated. “It’s not your fault, sire,” the commander merely said, in an attempt to assuage his worries. “You had greater things to worry about with the trip beyond Kahir Pass. None of us could have foreseen what was about to happen... and we would have all been worse off had you been caught within Renascence as the clouds fell upon it.” “I know,” Kandro said. “But it does not make me feel any better for it.” “I see you’ve brought new company back with you,” the commander digressed, looking over Kandro’s shoulder at the ponies standing behind the Pillars. “Soldiers?” “No... not soldiers, unfortunately. They are the bearers of the ancient artifacts that the Paragon used to weaken the Trickster before. It is in our hopes that they can be used once again to defeat the Trickster before he returns to full power.” “A wise course of action,” the commander approved. “Fort Renot is still sending out orders and reports via messengers, so the Crown Legion still holds fast. I have your sandrunners as well as those of the Pillars’ ready to leave on a moment’s notice.” “What news have you heard of my father?” Kandro asked him. The commander stopped, looking torn as he opened his mouth several times but found no words. Kandro watched him as the ponies and Pillars watched him in turn, waiting for a response. “He is... dead... my liege...” the commander slowly said. “But I am sure Tyermos brought this news to you. His death was... peaceful, but the whispers are all ablaze saying that the Trickster somehow used your father as a catalyst for his return.” “Then I will make the Trickster regret that decision,” Kandro said curtly, turning around and storming out of the room as his entourage quickly followed. Applejack quickly pushed forward past the group, marching down the stairs and catching up to Kandro as he treaded across the courtyard. “Uh, you alright, sugarcube?” Applejack quietly asked. “I am fine. I simply required a reaffirmation of my motives before casting my decision to stone.” He led them to the stables, where his sandrunner happily squawked at him as he unhitched it from its post. “My father was a strong and happy man. It pains me to know that he died like a feeble candle’s flame blown out in the dark. He still had many years ahead of him.” “Losin’ family is tough, I know that,” Applejack said. “I’ve been through that myself. If you ever need someone to talk to... I’ll be here.” “I appreciate your offer, and I will keep it in my thoughts,” he said. For so much to happen within the span of several days... at another time, it would have been unthinkable. But now he was here, staring into the jaws of calamity with nothing short of the fate of the world resting on his shoulders. A lone prince and his empire, standing off against an ancient foe; a foe that rare few still living on this world could comprehend fighting against. And it was a foe that his people have long since held a vendetta against. Failure was not an option. That was, to him and his kin. To the ponies... what true stake did they have in all of this, for him to seek them out? That they held six magical stones that somehow held the ability to hold back the teeming hordes of darkness, chaos, and death? With such high stakes, doubts that it would succeed, especially after changing hands from Paragon and Protector to lowly ponies, were brought to the fore of his mind. So a final act of mercy had to be offered to calm his mind. He took a deep breath, signaling them all to stop as he looked into the eyes of each of the ponies before starting. “This is the end of the line for you, ponies. It is no surprise that during end times, the thing one wishes for most is to be with family and true friends. There are none here, save for the other ponies standing beside you, for you are delving into a land of strangers and deadly beasts, all of whom fight for their bid to bring about their desired outcome of this war. “You are not warriors, and I know that. As gallant and brave you may be, you have not proven your mettle against a foe who does not wish to harm you, but to kill you, to end your life in this realm of the living and weave your tale of glory into one of tragedy. I would never dare to subject any being—human, pony, griffon, or otherwise—to this horribly grim task. So I simply offer you this choice, after having contemplated sending six good ponies to their deaths: you may return now, with an escort under my orders, back to Equestria, or you may stay here and aid us in our mission. “But know that if you stay here, there is no going back, not until either we are victorious... or we are all defeated—nay, killed. There is no defeat in a war like this, a total war to which we commit all our resources, our hopes and dreams, our people, our very survival into. You may wonder why I have voiced this offer: it is because you may find yourself at a point in this war where there will be no one to defend you or come to your aid. It is in that time that will determine whether you live or die, to rise above your limits and do what must be done, or to lose hope in that last moment and wish dearly that you were anywhere but here. “I don’t believe any of you have ever been in such a situation before, and therefore, I cannot, in good faith, fully expect you to act the former. That is why our mission holds such great risk, for all of us involved. The Elements cannot function without a single one of you. Should one of you fall, we cannot rebound from such a loss and we must carry on without the Elements, except now we have now sacrificed a willing life and brought sadness upon those who did not have to be here. A focused goal quickly falls apart, and we are forced to rely upon fighting against the enemy in the only way we know how. “It may have become obvious at this point what I am asking you to do: to perform the act of taking a life—to kill something, of your own volition without hesitation or clouded mind—when the situation demands it. This is a harrowing experience for any who encounter it, especially for those uninitiated in the fires of battle. Should you decide to aid us, you must be prepared to kill to protect us—we who protect you—and your friends. “This is not a choice to make lightly. From what I understand from your reputations in Equestria, the threat of defeat was always there, but never death, for there were always situations where you could outwit the opposition. There will be no such occasions here. Chaos beasts are not fools, nor are they privy to falling prey to tricks like children, and the Trickster’s more elite servants will see joy in toying with you. “I will give you time to speak amongst yourselves. Until then, we shall prepare for our journey.” He turned away, going back to checking his sandrunner’s saddle and straps as the ponies walked off aways, discussing things with no hidden anxiety in their tones. “Expressing doubt?” Artim said, putting a hand on his shoulder as he looked at the ponies. “I think anyone would have been terrified to be told that their next choice made after such a casual entrance would be life or death. Truth be told, it certainly didn’t feel much like that way to me, either, but you’re quite the persuading speaker.” “No untruths here, Artim,” Kandro said grimly. “They need to know what it is exactly that they’re getting into. Just look at them; do you think any of them have ever witnessed the sight of blood before? The ponies seem to have built themselves a very complacent life, one where the strife of war is never just over the horizon. They may not react favorably when the first sight of blood may possibly be their own. Curse my lack of foresight: I should have done this before we ever left Equestria.” Artim nodded, walking over to his own sandrunner and patting it on the side, before climbing on and bringing it out of the stable. He smirked at Kandro as he pulled up in front of him. “You didn’t really have to scare them that badly, though now I feel as if you’re pressuring them into this choice. End of the world and all that if we fail...” He chuckled. “That’s a hard selling point if I’ve ever seen one.” The other Pillars all stopped in their activities as the ponies returned to them, again standing together as a group. Twilight stepped forward first, but faltered as she simply stared at Kandro for several tense minutes before finally gaining the courage to speak. “P-Prince Kandro... I would... first like to preface my statement by saying that I completely understand your concerns about us... getting hurt here, but we’re not foals. We can take care of ourselves.” “I know...” Kandro said, rubbing the back of his head. “But I wanted to make it clear to you all what it is we’re dealing with here.” “I’ve never fought, yes, or at least not in the way that you all have,” Twilight said. “But it’s as you put it: the world is going to end if we don’t help. Princess Celestia seems to have good faith in you humans if she’s willing to send us away to do this. My brother is a captain of the Equestrian Royal Guard, and I know he’d be proud of me for helping you all stop a major threat to the world... and I really want to see the libraries at Lherren and learn about everything there is to know about the Empire. So, knowing that, I won’t let you do this alone. I stand with you.” “Pursuit of knowledge is always admirable,” Artim interjected cheerily. Twilight stepped back into their group as Rarity came forth, dramatically waving her mane around as she gave the most exaggerated intake of air before loudly sighing, and sharply turning her gaze to Kandro. “My dearest prince, I am no fool when it comes to danger, having been abducted once myself and forced to worked in mines whose conditions I dare not mention. There always was that underlying danger, that tense flip of a coin, where things could have gone horribly, horribly wrong. I thank Celestia it did not. But it was a moment where I could understand what you spoke of: to do what must be done to protect our loved ones.” She sighed again before continuing. “The thought of such a land full of interesting people, all with their own dazzling fashion styles and beautiful fabrics, to fall to such an evil that holds malice towards all that we know and love dearly does not sit well with me. I will do everything within my power to aid your cause as best as I can.” Fluttershy was next, nervously glancing between Kandro and the ground before speaking up in her soft-spoken voice. “I... um, I don’t have much to say. The poor animals and creatures here are defenseless against the monsters, and the people of the Empire are also going to be suffering through these times of darkness... I want them to know that there are others out there that care about them, and want to help.” Her gaze hardened and she mustered her bravest look. “So I’m staying here to help, to help everyone I can!” “She does have medical training,” Rarity pointed out, giving a pointed look at the saddlebags marked with a small red cross on her sides. “Oh! Yes, I’m also trained in medical aid,” she confirmed, “but that’s mostly for ponies and animals... I’m not really sure how well I can work with humans... but I’ll try my best.” “Oooh, great speech!” Pinkie Pie complimented, as she hopped forward, jumping around Fluttershy in a loop before landing in front of Kandro. “Prince Kandro! As the Element of Laughter, I feel that I should spread all the happiness and joy this world has to offer to everypony I come across, and this is no different! I get that you totally have a meany-weany totally trying to cause some serious problems for your people, and now everybody’s all sad and mopey. And this Trickster is trying to end everything! Do you realize just how boring things would be if there were no more parties?!” She collected herself before continuing. “So, that’s why I’m totally with you guys. If those monsters really want to take a bite out of us, then they’ll have to deal with my party cannon first. Or rather... just a cannon now, actually.” “You have a cannon?” Tehin asked. “But we did not bring one with us...” “Yepperoni! See, right... here!” she exclaimed, reaching her hooves behind her and pulling the party cannon out of thin air and smashing it into the ground in front of her. “I present to you: the party cannon!” “How did she...?” Artim asked, looking at the ponies as Twilight shook her head. “Don’t bother trying to figure it out,” she said. “Even I couldn’t learn how Pinkie’s able to do all of that stuff, and it nearly drove me mad in the process of doing so. Trust me, you’re better off just chalking it up to Pinkie being Pinkie.” “Hmm, can she pull out anything from thin air?” Reugas asked. “I think I’d like a drink of wine right about now.” “Totally!” She dug her hooves into the empty space behind her, deliberately stuffing her hooves into her puffy tail before withdrawing a red bottle of Equestrian wine, and tossed to Reugas. “There you go!” “Haha, excellent!” he said, uncorking the bottle and was about to chug it when the bottom half of the bottle, complete with the vessel’s entire contents of liquid, fell to the ground and spilled across the sand floor. The sound of a blade being sheathed was heard as they watched Yhimit’s hand slip from his sword’s handle back to its passive position. “Looks like someone doesn’t approve of your drinking habits,” Sehyia joked. “Now’s not the time for it, anyways...” Tehin said, frowning at Reugas, who merely shrugged and stared sadly at the drying puddle at his feet. “How... did he...?” Twilight asked. “I didn’t even see the sword at all!” “Combat magic,” Artim said. “Enhances reflexes and strength to levels that would normally be unobtainable through regular training and physical exercise. Ostensibly restricted to magic users, and is the reason why Pillars of the Obsidian Spire are usually chosen from such already elite ranks.” “Ah, speaking of the Spire, will we be visiting that, too?” “Highly doubtful,” Reugas said. “It sits far west of the capital in the canyons next to Kradrin, and I highly doubt we will have much reason to go there.” “Don’t worry! After we all save the world and stuff, there’ll be plenty of time to go sight-seeing!” Pinkie said, rearing up to her hind hooves and pulling the cannon with her as she stepped back into the group of mares. “Okay, Dashie, your turn!” she whispered into the pegasus’ ear. With a small nudge, Pinkie moved her forward, putting the pegasus in front of Kandro, who awaited her affirmation to stay the course. “Well... in pegasus history, there were always great tales of those who fought in the name of Equestria, like Commander Hurricane, or Latyia Starseeker. They were ponies who would do everything it took to ensure the protection of Equestria and its citizens, and I feel that I should uphold that tradition by helping you guys kick some serious flank here in the Empire. “Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m not trying to be... uh, shoot, what was the word for it...? Uh, reckless, yeah, that’ll do—reckless and rush straight to my death. I might try a little bit too hard at times, but I won’t just stand by and watch when you guys fight. I want to help; I know the risks, but I want to be useful. I can fly, and I’m pretty sure that counts for something. So don’t count me out when things get tough, because I’d never abandon my friends, or ponies, or you guys, or anyone fighting against this evil chaos dude. I’m sticking with you.” “Wings are nice,” Reugas said, nodding in agreement with Dash’s speech. “Can you use a bow? It would be nice if you could fly up high and rain down arrows on our enemies.” “Wouldn’t be surprised if they had winged combatants; the tales certainly told us of such,” Artim said. “Don’t get your hopes up just yet.” He shrugged with a half-hearted nod. “Ah, right. Well, you can fly. You would be fantastic as a scout.”’ “That, I can do,” Dash said, smiling. “That just leaves you now, AJ.” Applejack nodded, solemnly stepping forth and shuffling around on her hooves. “...I can’t rightly say that I know for sure what we’ll all be gettin’ into. And I sure as hay can’t say that I can stand up to one of those monsters if I ever have to go hoof-to-hoof with one... but I sure as hay can give ‘im a bloody knee or two before lettin’ the real warriors take over. T’ain’t right just lettin’ folks like you go ‘bout this on your own, especially not when things are startin’ to get outta control and everypony will be dealin’ with this within the week’s end. “And that’s where I put my hoof down: Your Excellency, you’re dealin’ with the loss of family. I’ve been there, and I know that; my ma and pa died when I was still a filly, and it still pains me to know that I never got to know them as much as my brother did when we grew up. I should count my lucky stars that I didn’t end up gettin’ sent off to save the world as soon as they passed away. But you?” She scoffed and shook her head. “I ain’t lettin’ you do this alone. I’ll see this through to the end, for better or for worse, and I can’t imagine havin’ any better group of ponies beside me.” All the Elements murmured in agreement before joining Applejack, who merely smiled at Kandro with her honest smile; he couldn’t help but smile back in turn as the ponies all clumped around him, standing on their rear hooves to embrace him in a hug. “Aww...” Sehyia said, covering her mouth to hide her widening smile. “Oh, gods...” Reugas said, barely able to stifle his broken laughs. “We’re in this together!” Rainbow Dash said. “Yeah!” Pinkie shouted, a small explosion of confetti and streamers mysteriously blowing out from her mane. “Let’s go save the world, everypony!” “Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Kandro said, hugging them tighter, and looked to the Pillars with renewed motivation. “We ride for Talon’s Reach.” “Of course, sire,” Artim said. “How will we divide the ponies?” “Twilight goes with you, Pinkie to Tehin, Rarity to Sehyia, Rainbow Dash to Reugas, Fluttershy to Yhimit. Applejack will be coming with me,” he said as they all dispersed, embarking upon each of the sandrunners as Kandro helped Applejack onto the back of his before climbing onboard himself. “Now then... let’s ride!” The dusty road leading to Talon’s Reach was covered with soldiers on patrol every step of the way, all either giving amazed looks at their passengers, or otherwise saluting when they realized that it was Prince Kandro who led their group towards the city. Several sandrunner groups on the fringe of the roads quickly readjusted their patrols to ride with them on the flanks, guiding them towards the city. Unfortunately, the city was not their destination. As the current headquarters of the Eastern Legion, the city was well-fortified, and there was a great lack of actual strife and combat around the city’s outlying territories. The Crown, Northern, and Southern Legions were most likely the most hard-hit due to their proximities to the capital, and the Western Legion had to remain within the savannahs and canyons to protect the scattered cities and settlements in their region, Kradrin among them. “These things can run pretty fast!” Applejack shouted, clinging onto her hat with her free hoof as she had her other wrapped around Kandro’s torso as they approached the walls of Talon’s Reach. “No better way to get around the Empire!” he shouted back to her, cracking the reins as they passed a checkpoint and veered right, embarking on the northward road that would lead them to Renascence. “They’ve been a mainstay of our lands for generations!” They broke over a small hill and continued on, taking in the full breadth of their view from the northern side of Talon’s Reach: farmlands as far as the eye could see, small lines of irrigation sectioning the fields as a multitude of roads continued beyond, leading to the mountains that the Empire shared with the Griffon Kingdom. “Are those the mountains that take you to griffon lands?” she asked. “Yes!” Kandro said, pointing as a small gap in the mountain line. “Fort Sibhim is located there, and serves as the gateway further north! No reason for us to use it, though!” “Lots of farmland ‘round here!” she continued, staring in awe at the acres of farmland situated around them. Not even Equestria largest farms could compare to the operation that the Empire had running here. “Don’t get too used to it!” he said, cracking the rein as the sandrunner’s speed increased. “Between here and the next city, there’s nothing but desert! I’d suggest using that hood of yours, otherwise it’ll catch in your mane and ears!” Applejack nodded, stowing away her hat in her saddlebags and pulling the dark red cloth of her hood over her head. It felt scratchy, but Applejack put it behind her; it was probably the best Rarity could come up with on such short notice, and she was never one to ignore what was needed. It would last. Just then, a small rumble seemed to shake the world itself, starting out low but growing ever more disconcerting as birds seemed to take off by the flock from the fields. Soldiers standing about began to organize into groups, grabbing their swords and shields for an impending attack. “What’s going on?!” Applejack asked. “We’re about to come under attack, obviously,” Kandro stated, drawing his sword as he continued to guide his sandrunner. “From where... we shall see.” Swords and shields made way for bows and arrows as archers along their road fired into the skies; the clouds steadily grew black and the skies reddened as a quick flash of lightning and a roaring thunder seemed to split the heavens themselves. Bloodthirsty screeches from behind Kandro put his hair on end. “Winged demons!” he heard Reugas shout, just as the first demon was felled. The creature gave a final roar of defiance before smashing into the ground in front of Kandro’s path, but his sandrunner deftly hopped over it, dodging the arrows closing in to pelt the demon. “The sky...” Applejack said, her mouth agape as her eyes remained fixated above. “Like the old times,” Kandro said grimly, before another flash of lightning passed by their eyes and returned the sky to its normal blue state. “The bleeding of the Trickster’s realm into our own... ‘skies that seemed like an endless ocean of blood and sinister clouds that only forbade the darkness of the coming days’.” “And all those birds up in the skies...” she pointed out. Kandro watched as his sandrunner growled and looked up into the sky, and he frowned. “Those aren’t birds,” he said, looking up himself as the blots steadily grew larger. “Those are all demons!” “You don’t say, milord?!” Reugas said, riding up alongside him as Rainbow Dash held onto him for dear life, eyes clenched shut. “See, I told you there’d be winged ones! I hope the archers are up to par, because they’re going to need all of their training for this one! These assholes might just plague us all the way from here to Renascence!’ Kandro had to do a double take as they passed by an intersection as groups of people, all clinging to their belongings frightfully their way south to the city. The surprise attack had left more than a few settlements unprepared; chaos was going to fall upon them and there were still people out there that needed to be saved. “I thought the civilians were all evacuated?!” he shouted at Reugas. “We aren’t gods, sire! Our legions can only work so fast!” He fired an arrow into the sky, hitting the chest of a demon as it began to spiral downwards into a field of wheat. Archers hid behind stone walls and fired as their shield-bearing brethren guarded them from sweeping dives by the demons. Kandro found himself the target of several such dives. The beasts descended from the skies faster than he could react, but his sandrunner instinctively dodged, weaving its way through the crowd as it protected its riders from harm. The breathing space also meant that Kandro could retaliate now, and he did so with gusto. Riding combat was never really one of his strong suits, and such a fact was applicable to his entire group save for Reugas and Artim, who had the advantage of engaging at range. The most Kandro could do was jab at the air in small strokes in hopes of achieving a glancing blow on the creatures’ legs. Martialswords did not have a doctrine for fighting against winged creatures, unfortunately. They passed the northwestern tower of Talon’s Reach, as their escort began to break off. Kandro frowned: most likely stuck with orders to remain near the city, no doubt, but he expected that there would be more soldiers out west as they exited the farmlands and entered the scorching desert that made up a great deal of the Empire’s lands. And right he was. Legion soldiers continued to be present as they continued westward, as plant life began to dwindle to nothing. Most were already on alert after the sky’s strange behavior, and did not waste time acknowledging Kandro’s group as they were far too busy dealing with the threats themselves. Several of them died in rather gruesome fashion as the odd checkpoint became overrun by the beasts, tossing the unlucky soldiers into the skies or simply tearing them apart on the ground. That was in the case where they’d arrived at the checkpoint too late, elsewise Reugas and Artim showed no restraint in felling the beasts by the dozens from the skies through arrow and lightning energies. And from Talon’s Reach, there were at least six other cities they had to pass through or by on their way to Renascence. With the Crown Legion headquartered at Fort Renot and the Eastern Legion at Talon’s Reach, the Legion presence would be nowhere near as great at these cities compared to the major population centers. “Reugas!” he shouted over his shoulder. “How many arrows do you have?” “Not enough!” Reugas responded. “I’ve burnt through most of a quiver already and we’ve not even reached the next city yet!” He fired a trio of arrows into the air, all three finding purchase inside the chest cavity of another demon. “I expect to be dry by the time we reach Tandreat!” Kandro knew of Tandreat well: its more common name was the City of Hope, known for its shrines dedicated to the Paragon and Protector and known in history for being the home of many refugees during the Trickster Conflict. Later generations of those refugees still lived there today, enforcing a more stringent training regimen for their city guard compared to others. After the events of the past, they were not willing to rely on the Legion for their protection. And it was situated halfway between Renascence and Talon’s Reach, no less. Kandro had merely been to the city several times when he was a boy, mostly traveling as an apprentice to a Lherren scholar when he was still learning how to control his own magic. The City of Hope and Lherren were sister cities, both founded in the aftermath of the Trickster’s defeat before Renascence was constructed. “Then we’ll make a stop there! If our journey is delayed, it will be the safest haven we can manage!” he told Reugas. “I approve, milord! It’s easier to sleep soundly with the city’s damned warrior-monks standing on guard!” Reugas said before checking on Rainbow Dash to find that her terror phase had passed. He whispered something to her and she nodded, and he returned his attention to the reins. Artim came up on Kandro’s left, waving at the prince to get his attention. “My liege! I propose a plan to keep these creatures off of our backs!” “What do you have in mind, Artim?” “Twilight says she can cast a shield to physically deflect their advances upon us!” Artim said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder at the unicorn sitting behind him. “She claims that her brother has done it before, so she sees no reason why she cannot do it here and now!” Kandro looked at Twilight. “Have you done this before, Twilight?” “No, I haven’t! But I can try!” she said. “You aren’t your brother! I will let you try, but if you cannot sustain doing so, you must let Artim know!” Kandro said, wary of putting Twilight at risk. He’d never seen any show of her magic other than the teleportation she’d done for them. For all he knew, shields could be more magically consuming than any other spell there was. Twilight nodded as her horn, protruding out of the hood she wore, began to glow. “I’ll try my best!” “Now, I’m curious: do you mean to put up a shield during our entire journey?” he asked her. “Nope! I’m simply going to calculate when one of them is going to strike! Taking their speed of descent into account, I can accurately predict when they will reach us and conjure up a shield wall to block their approach! It’s much less energy intensive this way, and I can cast multiple shields at the same time!” “Interesting,” he said, watching as Tehin rode ahead of them and clubbed a demon out of his way as if it were nothing but a fly. “And how effective are you at focusing on multiple targets?” She smiled at him. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia... and one of the smartest and most organized mares around! I think I can manage,” she said confidently. “That’s great—because there’s a whole bunch coming for us right now,” Artim said, pointing ahead of them. Over the obscuration of the blowing sands, several flapping figures could be seen quickly approaching them. “Think fast, Twilight!” “Eh?!” Twilight gasped, stuttering out incomplete responses before she refocused herself. Her eyes stared forward as the air in the path of the demons began to shimmer. Her horn began to glow brighter, and the creatures grew closer, until... “What the—?!” Reugas shouted, staring in incredulity as his arrow bounced off of a glowing purple square in front of him. “What is this?!” “It’s Twilight’s magic!” Dash said. “I’ll bet you can’t conjure a shield out of thin air like that! You go, Twilight!” She whooped and cheered as Applejack laughed. “What does your detection sense tell you, Artim?!” Kandro asked, curious as to whether the incursion was intentional. “Good point, milord! I shall see...” He closed his eyes for a moment, searching into that torrent of magical energies and feeling the ebb of chaos slowly appearing before his mind. It was him, surrounded by a sea of riotous essences all scrambling for a single objective: them. Yet no other signatures could be felt beyond that sea. The hum and pings of demons bouncing off of Twilight’s shields were quickly phased out of his mind as he delved in further. Perhaps it was simply the limited range of his senses, but... that was it. There truly was nothing out there. A circle of chaos had dropped itself upon them and sought to harass them at every opportunity on their journey. This was no random event. Artim opened his eyes and returned to the fold, turning to Kandro and shaking his head. “This was not just another simple occurrence, my liege!” he shouted back to him. “All these beasts are following us!” “What?!” Kandro shouted. “All of them?!” “Yes, sire! I say nothing but the plain truth: there is a funnel of chaos energies bleeding through the sky, and it’s focused entirely on us! Wherever we go, these beasts will follow, yet they will only appear around us!” “You mean to say that we are endangering lives simply by being around them?!” Kandro asked, as Applejack tapped his shoulder and pointed forward. “What is it, Applejack?!” “City!” she said, pointing ahead of them. “Damn!” Kandro said, realizing that the settlement was already burning, no Legion soldiers in sight. “We will have to ignore this one. Keep moving!” “Where are the soldiers?!” Sehyia echoed as they neared the city gates. Their question was quickly answered when they saw a small mass of beasts attempting to reach the gates, only to be pushed back with a push of steel and a swift jab of spears into their unprotected abdomens. Grunts of confirmation and the shouts of soldiers could be heard from within as the familiar sight of archers on the walls became apparent, raining down arrows onto their foes. “Looks like they’ve managed to get everyone inside!” Kandro said. He pointed his sword at Artim and nodded towards the beasts. “Can you do anything to help them?!” “Nothing that they can’t already do, milord!” Artim said. “They will do fine on their own!” Kandro nodded as they continued off to the left, averting their route from the main gates and taking the road that led along the south sides of the walls. How many men had the soldiers here already lost? How many did they have left? Could they weather another assault? What if their passage by the city would only make problems worse when the demons fell upon them? Would they be able to hold out any longer? He dearly wished that they had the capacity to travel through the desert straight for Renascence instead of traveling on the roads, but to do so was suicide. Reugas was a fine tracker, but uncharted treks through desert took time and supplies that they did not have. If the land were still green, it would have been manageable... “Tandreat is still further aways,” Artim said, zapping a beast that had dodged Twilight’s shield with a crackle of electricity from his hands. “Let us hope its walls still stand when we arrive...” “Twilight, careful now,” Artim cautioned, helping Twilight off of the sandrunner as he ignited a small scrap of weeds in an attempt to get a better look at her face. “How do you feel?” “I feel... just fine...” she said, her eyes slowly following the wisp of flame as Artim moved his hand. “Never... felt... better...” She leaned against the side of the sitting sandrunner and flopped to the ground, before closing her eyes and softly snoring against it. “She’s completely out of it,” he said, tossing the makeshift light to the dirt and stamping it out with his boot. “Best to let her get her rest now, with all she’s done. Right, Reugas?” “I missed that shot on purpose,” the ranger begrudgingly admitted. Performance in combat was never guaranteed, and Twilight’s shields had been his only line of defense otherwise he would have had a faceful of talons instead. “Should we make a fire?” Sehyia asked, sighing and rolling her eyes when Rarity started to worry over her mussed mane. “It seems like the demons have backed off...” “For now,” Reugas said, staring into the darkening skies. “They’re keeping their distance, and I don’t know why. That bothers me.” The sight of the moon was faint, an almost distant glow in place of the strange purple miasma that now stretched across the skies. “No fire. If we’ve lost them, I don’t want to give our position away.” “That is not natural,” Tehin commented, dropping his staff on the ground next to his resting sandrunner. “Though I cannot say that it does not look nice. But to supersede the beauty of the moon and its sudden appearance now...” He shook his head. “Bad omens.” Pinkie hummed to herself, trussing up her travel garb before hopping off. Her hood was no match against her poofy pink mane, and so she had chosen to leave it down... and yet there wasn’t even the smallest bit of sand in it. “Ooh, that’s pretty! Kind of like those pretty lights that we saw in the sky when we visited the Crystal Empire that one time!” “Crystal Empire?” Kandro asked aloud, arching a brow at Applejack. She waved her hoof at him. “Long story. Pretty sure Twilight can probably explain it better than I can, bein’ the one who found all them secrets, anyhow.” Rainbow Dash accosted her shortly after, sitting down next to her and discussing what had happened so far. “More to this world then I originally thought...” Kandro said to no one in particular. Withdrawing several dried meats from his sandrunner’s pack, he tossed them to the mount as it eagerly munched down upon them. He gathered his canteen and took the first sip of water he’d had since the beginning of the day, glad to have the refreshing liquid pouring past his lips and nourishing his body. They were on the last stretch of road leading to Tandreat, far from any known civilization and were simply sitting off to the edge of the road. Cause for the delay was from Twilight herself, who began to voice her concern shortly after they’d defended a squad of archers from their untimely deaths. It certainly didn’t help that the sun was beginning to set, and it was almost pitch-black and the moon’s light was not available to guide their way. Darkness fell upon them and the roads would be hard to follow. Fortune—or bad luck—visited upon them saw the beasts disappearing as they continued on, until none lingered in the skies any longer. He finished off the canteen and let out a content sigh, moving to check on their supplies only to be stopped by Sehyia. “Something wrong, Sehyia?” he asked, pulling out some flatbread and biting into it. “Should we not keep moving?” she asked quietly, stepping next to him and turning him away from the rest of the group. “We should find shelter before it’s too late.” “We are not in any clear and present danger at the moment,” he said. “Our sandrunners have been traveling for the better part of a day now, and I’m sure we’re all saddle-sore at this point. Tandreat lies beyond a small set of dunes that would be foolish for us to traverse with this visibility. We must wait until tomorrow.” Her lips curled into a frown, and she sighed. “I wish we could make this faster... what will we do if the demons return? We are stationary and exposed. The most we could do is bring the fight to the skies, which we can easily do, but that would leave the ponies vulnerable on the ground.” “Reugas and Artim can remain grounded while the remainder fight off the attackers. At most, we can inflict losses upon them and give them reason to reconsider attacking us... and perhaps then we will have time to rest. The moment the sun’s light breaks over the horizon tomorrow, we will continue.” “They’re all gone,” Reugas called back to them. “Not a single trace of them in the skies. Unless they’ve all somehow turned invisible, I don’t think we’ll be seeing any more of them for a while, and I’m not detecting any signs of their presence. Tehin, start up a fire. I’d rather not end our quest prematurely by freezing to death in a desert.” Tehin acknowledged Reugas’ order, simply reaching into his gargantuan travel pack and withdrawing a clumping of firewood tied together with rope and some kindling, assorting them into a campfire on solid sand. Standing back staring at the unassuming gathering of wood, Artim flicked his wrist and lit it on fire, bringing about the warming presence of fire to combat the lowering temperature. “What happened with Twilight, anyway?” Dash asked. “She’s not normally this tired when we’re doing this sort of stuff... you know, saving the world and all that.” “Magical exhaustion,” Artim said. “Clear signs: tiredness, muscle fatigue, and inability to concentrate or articulate coherently. She’s fine. All she needs is some rest. We cannot go any further since it looks like sandstorms are picking up in the dunes to the west, so I guess we can consider this fortunate.” “Favor some food?” Tehin said, pulling out a small cooking rack and dropping it over the fire, and fetching a small pot to cook with. “Dried foods are always no fun, and I believe we can do much better with some stew instead of something unsatisfying. It will take some time to cook, though...” He chuckled. “If it weren’t for the situation, I’d say this would have been a very enjoyable outing.” Applejack let out a snicker. “I’d say it’s a right nice place to be out campin’ under the stars. Probably brighter than anywhere in Equestria. And just layin’ here on the sands... it’s kind of peaceful.” “Yeah...” Dash said. “So, how does camping work in the Empire, anyway? Do you guys tell campfire stories?” “That we do...” Tehin began, pouring water into the pot and snapping apart some vegetables and tossing them in. “Hmm, no meat. Oh, well. The sandrunners probably need it more than we do.” “It isn’t a proper outing without a good drink,” Reugas said. “Honestly, can’t you ever stop thinking about alcohol, Reugas?” Sehyia asked, sitting down next to Rarity and helping the unicorn comb her hair. “Not once. Alcohol can make any situation more lively, and that’s a truth,” he responded, sneaking a gulp from his own canteen. “Oh, this is water, by the way. As if anything could best the sweet nectar that is water itself, after all.” “Speaking of stories...” Rarity said, taking off her hat and placing it on the ground. “I have heard you mention this thing called the Wrathmarch before. What is it?” “Ah... the Wrathmarch,” Artim said, sitting down across from Tehin and staring into the depths of the flickering flames. “An old tale, forever written down in history as its greatest last stand against a greater evil. One that your princesses played a great part in, as I’m sure you’re now aware of.” “It sounds... sinister. What happened?” Artim scratched his cheek, running his hand over his bandaged cheek in thought. “Well... practically everything paramount during the Trickster Conflict culminated into that massive battle at Fortress Tyehl, the location of the last stand. Though losses were inflicted over the course of the Conflict, the Wrathmarch was in itself the largest amount of lives lost within such a short timespan: the course of two days. “Over the course of the war back then, it was told that civilian groups eventually banded together and began raising their own militias; guards, if you will, that became the basis of each of our settlements’ guard today. The Renascent Imperial Legion took after much of that organization and training due to the fact that the Legion as it was known back then was completely wiped out, and with it, all of its forging techniques and training discipline.” Dash gasped. “Whoa. All of them?” Artim nodded to her. “Down to the last man, the First Emperor among them.” He took a sip from his canteen, unwilling to let himself start off the story parched. “Well, where does it begin? No one honestly has a clue where, but the general consensus is that when the First began to amass the remainder of the Legion at some forsaken spot on the desert sands, it was there that he outlined his plans. “This was back when the Legion was a far, far greater force of power than anything ever imagined by today’s standards. Whereas warriors like the Pillars are the exceptions today, for the Legion of old, they were the rule. Every single one of them were veterans, tried and true in the arts of war and deadly trade of combat magic, transcending even the best that any of us can provide today. The equipment they used was second to none, and they could wipe out entire hordes of beasts and emerge from the battle without so much as a scratch. “So it was by the time of the Wrathmarch that the Legion, its original numbers unknown, was dwindled down to a group of ten thousand. Every single one of those soldiers was recalled back on orders of the First, to amass in a decisive battle that would end the war. All of them answered the call, at which point it was outlined to them that it was a very real possibility that none of them would emerge from this alive. They accepted that risk. “Ten thousand Legion soldiers marched that day to retake Fortress Tyehl, needed to complete their plan and win the war. Accounts from there were mostly based upon pony testimonies, since none of them survived, and the results were only witnessed by the Equestrian forces once they’d found what was left of the battlefield. And their accounts were very much grim. “By the assumed body count in the aftermath, nine thousand soldiers fell during their advance towards Tyehl. The Trickster had seen his defeat coming, and called down his own hordes in an attempt to stop them from reaching the fortress. Their numbers were great and too much for the Legion to contend with, and so they fell. By the time the First reached his destination, only a thousand soldiers remained.” “Sweet Celestia of Equestria...” Dash said. “That’s pretty... brutal. Not even pegasi history can compare to anything that you guys have been through. So that’s when the First did all that magic mumbo-jumbo and sealed the Trickster away, right?” Artim nodded, pulling out a pendant hidden within his own robes. It was a circular object made of dulled gold containing a crescent moon embedded within a sun, and a ring of stars around it. “The arcanists,” he said, “agreed that six of their most powerful would accompany the First and aid him in performing his ritual. What that ritual was, well... no one knows about it. Not even the princesses.” “A seal of banishment?” Rarity asked. “Though I am not the most well-versed in the nature of spellcasting, it was one of the general spells that we learned about in my Spells and Ancient History class.” He waved his hand and shook his head. “No, it wasn’t a spell like that. A seal of banishment means that you’d be sealing an entity within this specific realm. What they did was different... like taking something that had a presence here, and ousting it from our world entirely. As far as I’m concerned, such a spell no longer exists. It would be far too powerful to keep around... imagine any mortal capable of magic being able to seal away the princesses to another realm, and being allowed to cast that spell from any location in the world, so long as you had direct access to the skies. It’d be very much like that.” “Well, Princess Celestia did banish Princess Luna to the moon once, when she was Nightmare Moon,” Fluttershy said. “Maybe that was what he did?” “Again, not the same thing,” Artim replied. “The moon is still within our realm of influence, able to be controlled as easily as we can look up into the skies and see it there. What the First did was open a portal to another dimension itself, where the Trickster had once come from, and sealed him away within that accursed place. The physicalities of a banishment, however, seem to still apply, as external forces are still capable of weakening the seal.” “And you mentioned this spell requiring some sort of focus?” Rarity continued, gesturing at his pendant with her hoof. “An item of some sort, to do... what?” Artim flipped the pendant around, dragging his hand across the weathered back, where his name was inscribed with the date he’d been inducted into the arcanists. “To do exactly that, Rarity: to focus. Magical spells can be amplified when given the right focusing object, which is why only extremely powerful relics or artifacts are used in this school of magic. Scholars believe that the one used in particular was his crown, which has since been buried with him.” “And so, believing that it still held magical power, that was why the Lost Expedition was launched...” Rarity said, nodding her head in realization. “Goodness, I hadn’t realized that it was so powerful. I can only imagine how well the Elements will work...” “Okay, well, that’s enough of storytime,” Tehin interrupted, pouring some of the stew into a small wooden bowl and taking a sip. “Ah! Well, there’s nothing better than having a warm stew on a cold desert night. Here, Pinkie, have a sip—” “Ahhhh!” Twilight shouted, her eyes opening as she suddenly grasped at her chest. She panted as she looked around, and calmed down slightly after realizing she was in safe company. “Artim, there’s... I feel... magic!” “Magic?” Artim confusedly looked around. “That’s strange. I don’t feel anything. Are the demons returning?” “No, not that... it’s... it’s...!” she managed, before pausing to take in gulps of air as Fluttershy flew over to help her stand up. “It’s... what?” Artim shook his head and shrugged. “Reugas, do you feel anything?” “Nothing but dust and sand out there. If there was something sneaking up on us, I’d be the first to know about it,” Reugas said, sitting atop his sandrunner and staring out into the empty horizon as he drank from his canteen. “It’s quiet, but the desert’s always like that.” Twilight gasped again, shooting an impatient look at everyone around her. “No! There’s someone coming, but I don’t know who it is! They’re using... a teleportation spell, but that kind of magic... I can feel it... I know it... it’s Princess Celestia’s!” “The Paragon is joining us?” Kandro asked. “No!” Twilight’s eyes clenched shut as she groaned, her horn glowing purple as she encased their position in a shielded bubble. “It feels like its Princess Celestia’s magic, but it’s not! It’s different somehow, and they’re trying to cast it on us!” “A teleportation call?!” Artim said. “Can ponies even do that?!” “No!” Twilight shouted in response. “This sort of magic should be... argh, impossible to do! All unicorns require a line of sight in order to cast any sort of spell, for both safety and efficiency!” Calm yourself, Twilight Sparkle. She gasped as she looked around. “Who is it?!” “Who is what, Twi?” Dash worriedly asked, trotting around her and checking on her physical state alongside Fluttershy. “You don’t look too good. Maybe you should just sit down and rest.” “Maybe the Trickster is playing his games again,” Kandro said. “Are you hearing things, Twilight?” “I heard... a voice!” Twilight said. “It told me to calm down.” Please, you must understand. You must let me aid you. Prince Kandro’s presence is required immediately at Tandreat. I am trying to teleport you all to my position. “No, I’m not letting you teleport us anywhere, who... whoever you are!” Twilight shouted into the skies, struggling to maintain her hold on the shield. “Can’t you help her, Artim?” Sehyia quickly asked. “I don’t even know what’s going on!” Artim said. “Twilight, what in the name of all that is holy is going on here?! Are we being attacked?!” “I... don’t... know!” she angrily responded. “I can’t keep it away for long!” Very well. If you will not allow me to teleport you, then it seems that I must be the one to visit you instead. Tell Kandro that the Champion of the Sun will be in his immediate company soon. “Champion of the Sun?!” Twilight blurted out. “He’s... headed this way!” Kandro let out a visible sigh of relief. “It’s alright, Twilight. Just lower your shields. I know who this Champion is. If my assumptions are correct, then I’ve gathered that they’ve grown tired of waiting for us, and have seen fit to bring us to them instead.” Twilight untensed, sitting down as she lowered her shield and rested her head on the ground. “Why didn’t he just tell me who he was in the first place...?” she bemoaned loudly, closing her eyes. Her breathing slowed and she returned to slumber. The night continued undisturbed for several moments, leaving them in a state of unsettling calm. Exchanging worried glances with each other, they all remained as calm as possible, looking to Kandro for some form of guidance. He gave none, but simply waited quietly... waiting for a sign. A sign that came quickly. Winds began to swirl on the road next to their encampment, slowly growing into a small twister when it exploded into a sphere of brilliant golden light, growing in size and intensity when it suddenly stopped. The sphere fizzled out and returned their sight to the normal night to see a man standing in place where the sphere had once been. At a glance, he might have been assumed to be another soldier, yet closer inspection revealed that his attire was far more ornate than any Legion soldier. Bearing the same deep reds and golden yellows that the Pillars had, but his armor was different, marked with the golden symbol of a golden sun across his chest’s crimson tabard. His sabatons clacked as he walked towards them, his helmet tilting in curiosity as he looked at the ponies, at the Pillars, and then finally, at Prince Kandro. The greatsword on his back went unused as he folded his arms, giving cursory glance at Twilight before he spoke. “Greetings, Prince Kandro. Tandreat sends its regards.”