//------------------------------//
// Through the Fringe of Madness, and Beyond 
// Story: The Cantering Isles 
// by DerpyZebra 
//------------------------------//

Author’s notes: Shivering Isles content © Bethesda Softworks Inc. , MLP © Hasbro Inc. No infringement is intended in any way. I used some of the original Shivering Isles dialouge, courtesy of http://www.imperial-library.info


The Cantering Isles 
(A Crossover Tale by DerpyZebra)
Part II.
Through the Fringe of Madness, and Beyond



Derpy Hooves trotted down the meandering path before her, quietly observing the cobblestones overgrown by fluorescent moss, took some glances at the frivolously colorful, eerie flora and fauna on her way, then the overly bright, blue sky beset by purple clouds. In the distance, she saw the outlines of a small settlement, which appeared to be hazily built, as if a number of houses  were haphazardly placed near each other. Not knowing better, she decided to enter the village and ask for directions. Obviously, they would know where their ruler resides. – she reasoned to herself.

Upon entering the settlement, a zebra dressed in garish red clothes approached her:
„Hi, you must be new around here. My name is Sheldon, and I’m the Mayor of this wonderful town, Passwall . This is the only place where travelers can take a rest when traveling through the Fringe, the borderlands of our Lord’s kingdom. I suggest you visit our inn, we have the finest lettuce ale in stock..”
„Wow, thanks, but what is this place? ”
„Why, it’s my town, of course. It took me long years and my hand’s labor to start building it from scratch. The place was pretty deserted when I got here. Of course, once I was here, others followed. Can't say I blame them.”
„How do I get to your Lord Discorath?”
„I don’t think there’s a way you could. You’d have to pass through the Gates of Madness.”
„And?”
„There’s a Gatekeeper guarding the gates. They say the keys are sewn up in the Gatekeeper's body. Basically, that means you're not getting in. Now hush, let’s drink a couple bottles of ale and watch the Gatekeeper rough up a party of adventurers.”

Derpy followed the zebra into the tavern, proceeded to buy a bottle of ale for herself and waited for her newfound acquaintance to finish his purchase, then they dashed up a series of stairs leading up a hill. They stood on the edge of the cobblestone platform on the hilltop. Derpy was flabbergasted by what she saw there. On the other end of the platform, near the gates, a huge horse stood ground, larger than perhaps any creature the grey mare has ever seen. It seemed to be sewn from different parts, its flanks and chest were marred by eldritch shapes and symbols etched into its hide. It had a sharp blade intsead of a hoof on its right foreleg. A herd of perhaps 3-4 ponies in shining armor rushed towards it, only to be sliced and diced in mere seconds by the monster. Their leader, who odered the charge, ran away screaming:
„He's too much! Killed all my soldiers! Get out of my way!”
„Now that’s how you scare away them varmints” – remarked Sheldon in a tipsy manner after drowning his third ale .
„Is there any chance of getting past that..creature?” – Derpy inquired
„Dunno, better ask around the village, somebody must know how to get in. Now if you’ll forgive me, I must go attend the snail race. My money’s on Slimey, so he’d better win or else I’ll grind him in my salad” – with that, he polished in a bottle of hard apple cider.
The grey mare watched as the now drunk zebra groggily went about this business. There were a couple of other villagers, still cheering for the Gatekeeper, chucking empty bottles all over the place. Whoa, these guys are pretty loose. Are they right in the head? – she pondered.
Our heroine flew up above the village crowd, and noticed a middle-aged  blue mare with a retort cutie mark approaching the guardian. She was not only unharmed, but in fact the Gatekeeper cuddled up to her!
The blonde-maned pegasus knew by instinct that she had to talk to her, so without further ado, she flew up and landed next to her, careful not to get in the Gatekeeper’s way.
The  elder mare noticed her, and walked up to her:
„Well, what have we here? Another hopeful whose blessing hasn't fully taken root? No, I don't think so. You're an adventurer? How disgusting. Why don't you go back the way you came?”
„What? ... Sorry, no can do. I’m on a quest to find Lord Discorath. You seem to be close to the Gatekeeper. Can you help me pass through?”
„I’ll tell you what, you must be a proper jackass. You’re a pegasus and still you didn’t realize that you could fly over the gates and spare the time. But that’s okay. Lord Discorath likes fools. And in a place such as the Isles there is a ritual for everything. So I’ll have you know that the Gatekeeper is my child. He was spawned by my Lord’s will and conceived in my alchemical womb. I programmed his mind not to hurt mad ponies.Go ahead and give him an offering to secure his friendship.”
Derpy slowly pulled out a muffin from her saddlebag and carefully sneaked towards the guardian. She put the muffin near his feet. Much to her suprise, the eldritch horse ate it quickly and responded in a gravelly voice:
„A gift… for me.. how very nice. So.. do you want to be.. my friend?”
„Of course I do, silly, after all, friendship is magic!”
„Fine.. take these keys, they gave me nothing but.. pain”
Having said that, he cut up his left front thigh with his blade. From the bleeding wound he produced two keys, one for each gate.
„Welcome, enjoy your stay.” – he crowed.
The nearby crowd started cheering the newest addition to the Isles.
„Wow, you’ve impressed my child. This is no small feat, my little pony. Allow me to introduce myself. Reinmyna Marenim, sorceress.”
„I’m Derpy Hooves, nice to meet you. Now what?”
Before the blue pony could have replied, Mackill teleported to the spot with a bright flash.
„So, you've managed to befriend the Gatekeeper. Marvelous . Well, you'll now be able to enter the Realm proper. You'll notice there are two doors. One leads to the lands of Mania. The other to Dementia. Enter through either one. The lands are quite distinct, but both are Discorath's domain. You'll want to seek out Lord Discorath. I believe He has plans for you. Try not to disappoint Him.”
„Fine, I knew most of that already. Where do I find him?”
„You will find Him in New Diskkh, in His palace. It is best not to make Lord Discorath wait. His whims are fleeting, and should He decide you are no longer necessary, it would be to your detriment.”
„New Diskkh?”
„It is, of course, the capital of the Cantering Isles. It is divided into Bliss, Crucible, and the Palace districts.”
„And what’s the difference between Mania and Dementia?”
„The lands of Dementia reflect the darker side of its residents. It is easy to get lost among the tangle of roots growing out of the ground. The lands of Mania are bright, vibrant, and full of color. You'll find its inhabitants reflect the land itself. Take care, though. Though the citizens and creatures of Mania are colorful, they can often be quite deadly. I'm sure you can handle it, though.”
„Which side do you propose I should enter?”
„Well, I find that New Diskkh is a bit easier to approach from the Dementia side”
„Cool, then I’ll go at once”
„Fine, see you soon” – said Mackill, still not amused.

The others waved towards our heroine, wishing the best on her journey. She passed through the huge archway before the actual gate, committing to memory the incantation known as the „Blessing of Dementia” painted on the bleak stone walls. She opened the large, creaky metal gate, then trotted to the other side. She saw a landscape completely different from what she experienced in the Fringe. Dull, grey skies stretched over the land, itself dark and drab in colors. Huge roots burrowed into the ground, making the whole scene nightmarish. Derpy flew as high as she could, and noticed the lights of New Diskkh in the far distance. She flew as fast as she could, and in 10 minutes flat she arrived at the southern gate. There she decided to ask for directions from the guard, a strange animal akin to a zebra, but with grey stripes instead of white ones, and odd, cat-like eyes. 
„Excuse me, which way leads to the palace?”
„It’s no big deal, young lady, just go straight for about 3 blocks, then turn to the right. It’s so huge that it’s almost impossible to miss”
„Thanks. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what sort of creature are you? No offense, but I’ve never seen someone quite like you.”
„None taken. I’m one of the Mazzeb, the most faithful servants of Lord Discorath. Unlike the selfish Owleals, we really do protect the Realm’s citizens.”
„Good to know. However, I really need to get going now. Goodbye!”
„See ya.”

Derpy cantered across the streets of Crucible, up the inconveniently built stairs to the Palace. It was a grand, impressive edifice built in a style emulating Classicist architecture. On the Dementia side, blue, on the Mania side, red flames were burning in large stone vessels. Two smaller gates served as an entrance, on the right side, a Mazzeb, on the left, a creature that Derpy identified as an Owleal stood guard. It looked roughly like a tan pony dressed in golden armor, but with owl eyes and ears. The steadfast mailmare entered from the right. She found herself in a gigantic throne room. The walls were lavishly decorated, and certain items, most likely the owner’s relics, were showcased around them.  Right before Derpy was a small coffee table, carved from the finesh mahogany. She couldn’t make out the rest of the interior as she approached the throne, bowing her head deeply to the monarch as she was taught as a filly on etiquette classes.
“Greetings, my Lord, I am Derpy Hooves of Equestria, how may I be of service?” – she rotely spoke
“Ah, what a nice young mare. Cut that formal crap out, you’re boring the buck out of me. You may stand.”
Having straightened up, she realized she was standing in front of a mighty throne, built from stone upon the roots of a huge tree, its stem supporting the seat. Near the it stood the ever loyal servant Mackill.  Upon the royal seat sat a large Draconequus, a creature that seemed oddly juxtaposed from at least a dozen distinct animals, such as a horse, a goat, a dragon, a deer, an eagle, and so on. Derpy was astonished at first, then her face convulsed into an angry mess.
“Discord! How dare you trick me like that” – she roared, stomping a hoof on the ground.
“Calm down, my little brat, or I’ll have to rip out your intestines and coat them in chocolate. Mmm, yes, sweet chocolate. Firstly, it’s Discorath for you. This is the what I’m called here in the Isles. Secondly, let’s get your facts straight. As you might know, I used to be the ruler of Equestria in the ages of myth. In fact, I created it. Of course, back then it was called Discordia. Do you know anything about cosmogony?”
“What..?” – asked Derpy, confusion gleaming in her crossed eyes.
“Geez, don’t they teach you ponies anything? Is a proper education too much to ask nowadays? Anyway, I’ll enlighten you myself. Do you know how the world was made?”
“Um.. no?”
“Listen closely. In the beginning there was only the Void. In the heart of the Void there existed an universal Will, my Dread Father, Sithis. He created thoughts for his own pleasure, then dissolved them faster than lightning. In this eternal, swirling wind of thougths the world slowly started to shape. I was brought to life from such a thought. My Father was pleased, and he gave me the power of creation, tasking me to become the embodiment of Chaos and set up a world, controlled by My whims, to test the limits of creation. This I did with joy, and created a planet in a galaxy formed by the slowly cristallising matter found in my Father’s newborn universe.  I set out to create life, and formed the ponies, the zebras, and whatnot. They lived happily, or so I think, in my ever-changing world, savoring the tastes of madness. I cared about them deeply, until two of my favorite ponies, Celestia and Luna rebelled against me . They used six ancient Void crytals, dubbed the Elements of Harmony, to banish me from my own world, and expelled me to swim in streams of the Void for aeons. Harnessing the magic of the elements, the two transformed themselves into deities. In fact, they are false goddesses[1].”
“Don’t speak of the Two Divines like that!” –frowned Derpy.
“Divines schmivines. Hush now, my child, look into my eyes, and forget everything you were told. Let me finish this story up.”
“Okay, sorry to disturb you. If what you say is true, then I’ve been deceived all my life.”
“Indeed you were,child. But don’t worry about it. Now, on to the story.  After being exiled to the Voidstreams, I established this place, as a refuge until I could return to Equestria. It was no small effort to carve out  a world from the empty waves of nothingness instead of the universal matter, but I made it. I decorated this place with some new life forms, as you may see. Slowly, more and more creatures trickled in as they found the way to travel between planes of existence, to enter My realm. The way to enter is through madness. Only those with the sparks of chaos in their minds can enter unphased. “
“Why did you open a cosmic gate in Equestria?”
“Actually, it was Mackill’s idea. I need a Champion, to run my errands, and eventually save this world from the upcoming crisis. I knew someone would show up and make it here eventually.”
“What crisis?”
“You see, I’m not the only spirit created in those early times. There are others like me, solidified thoughts of the Creator. Together we are known as Spirit Lords. After creating the Isles, my forces started to multiply rapidly, bringing entire galaxies under my domain. The other Lords became jealous, and cursed me with that bitch Jyggalestia, who comes at the end of every era to destroy the Isles in the event known as the Greygallop.”
“I can’t seem to grasp that. How do we measure eras?”
“Simple enough, my dear. Each time something remarkable happens in a mortal world, they call it an end of an era. The destruction of Nightmare Moon by the your Mane Six was such a happening.”
“When did the previous era end?”
“Just after the banishment of Luna to the moon, about a thousand years ago.”
“Wait, I heard something about this back in history class. Was the.. Ponyblivion crisis also your doing?”
“Heavens, no! It was the work of Mensroom Dagobah[2] , the Lord of Destruction.”
“And why did you choose to return to Equestria at the end of this era?”
“I felt the Greygallop drawing near, and as a desperate attempt I tried to break the cycle by retaking what was once mine. I know now it was a mistake.”
„I see. Who is this Jyggalestia?”
"The Spirit Lord of Order. Or cupcakes[3] ... No. Order. And not in a good way. Bleak. Colorless. Dead. Boring, boring, boring. And not a fan of My work, I can tell you. I don't think ANY of the other Princes like her, actually. I mean, Mulecath is more popular at parties. And Mulecath is NOT popular at parties.” 
„Mulecath?”
„Another Spirit Lord. He’s the chosen deity of the mules and the self-proclaimed protector of the ugly beings. Boring no-lifer, that one.”
„I guess Pinkie Pie would still throw a party in his favor” – chuckled the grey mare
„Enough chit-chat, my filly. Hold your tongue. Or I will. You’re to go to Xedilian, one of my favorite spots in the Isles. It's a little place I use to take care of unwanted visitors. And some are more unwanted than others.”
„Why Xedilian?”
„The Gatekeeper takes care of most of the unwanted, but he's overworked. Anyway... there are those that have other ways into my Realm, and they're on the move. We don't want them here. Trust me. So, you're going to get Xedilian up and running. Here's a little book to tell you how, and the Attenuator of Judgement. You'll need that, too. Of course, you can always get more details from Mackill. He's a detail-oriented type of person. A big help. And a snappy dresser. Now, get going. Before I change my mind. Or my mind changes me.”
„If you insist, Lord Discorath..”
„Oh, and one last thing before you go. Take this trinket of mine. Perhaps it will serve you well. Or look lovely on your corpse.” 
With that, he gave her a shiny gold amulet, known as the Charity of Madness. It had many powerful enchantments woven into it that protected the owner from various threats found in the strange realm.
“Mackill, treat the lady here to dinner. And explain her how the stuff in Xedilian works. My head is splitting from so much talk.”
“As you wish, my Lord” – said the dutiful butler, and proceeded to set the table for Derpy. He served her a plate of fungus stalk soup, a dish known as Withering Moon, and some Alocasia fruits for dessert. The tired mailmare ate with great gusto, then trotted up to him to talk about the details of her quest. Before she could say anything, he nonchalantly observed:
“The Madgod has given you a task. Surely, someone of your copious talent should be able to handle it.”
„Yeah, could you spare me some details about this place and what to do there?”
„Yes, I could. It’s quite an amazing place really. Wonderful for relieving one's tension as you watch those troublesome adventurers suffer... no offence. I'd say your next move is to head to Xedilian and get it reactivated.”
„How do I go about that?” – asked the mare with a derpy expression on her face.
„Ah... silly me. The book has no pictures. Can't really expect you to read that, now can I? To reactivate Xedilian for my Lord's pleasure, you'll need to find three Focus Crystals and return them to their resting place. Each crystal has a matching receptacle called a Judgment Nexus. Even you can't miss them. Without the crystals in place, the Resonator of Judgment, Xedilian's power source, cannot be restored.”
„I think I understand. Find crystals, put them into their place. Piece of cake.” – giggled the pegasus
„Exactly, but be wary of the Grummites. Nasty creatures, do not underestimate them” – admonished Mackill.
„Okie dokie, I’ll be on my way now. Goodbye, Lord Discorath. See ya later, Mr. Mackill.”
„Always a pleasure. Farewell.” – said the tedious chamberlain, letting out a small yawn.
„Ta! Come visit me again, or I’ll pluck out your eyes!” – said Discorath in a humorous tone.

Derpy flew in a comfortable pace over the Isles, until she saw a large maze built of stone on the far horizon. She slowly started to lower herself until she landed near it and finally caught a glimpse of Xedilian..


-TO BE CONTINUED-
 

[1] I find that Celestia and Luna in MLP canon acted pretty much like the AlmSiVi deities in TESIII. They harnessed the power of magical items (in the first case, the Elements of Harmony, in the second, Kagrenac’s Tools) to make themselves „living gods” and rulers.
[2] Reference to TESIV. Personally I'm proud of this spoof name, reminds me of Bigus Dickus..
[3] Oh bless you please, Pinkamena Pie :)