“We were trained all of our lives for this moment,” Khao said. “The day the Harbinger would come, we would take our rightful place by her side and escort her to the Edge of the World.” She stood tall and proud, surrounded by rust and metalwork. “Austraeoh’s quest is a long and perilous one, and the fate of this plane depends on the completion of it.”
“Look…” Rainbow Dash waved a hoof around as she spoke. “I don’t know all that much about the ‘fate of this plane’ or whatnot, but…” She smiled nervously as she gestured aside at Pilate. “I already have my Eljunbyro. Pilate, his beloved, my friends--they’re helping me make this journey, for what it is worth.”
Khao’s nostrils flared. “I fear that you are sadly mistaken.”
Rainbow’s brow furrowed. “Excuse me?”
“A great tragedy has befallen you, yes?” Khao asked, leaning her head at an angle. “Something horrible that had stripped all harmony from your life, replacing it instead with utter chaos? At the start of your journey, you were lost in the throes of utter oblivion. Alone. Friendless.”
Rainbow Dash was silent.
Pilate tilted his head in her direction. “Rainbow…?”
She took a deep breath and uttered in a dry voice, “How could you possibly know all this…?”
“The Herald has existed for longer than most civilizations,” Khao explained. “In the Age of Dawning, when the Ring was whole, the Angelic Host befriended us. We were lowly mortals to their spectral radiance, and yet they imparted their wisdom, their magic, and their foreknowledge of the future events to come--both tragic and glorious.”
“Spectral… radiance…?” Rainbow Dash murmured.
Khao raised her forelimb, exposing the multicolored bands of her hoof in the dim light wafting through the window behind her. “They governed more than just the air in the wind. They gave it color, beauty, and purpose. This plane belonged to them, long before it ever belonged to earth ponies and unicorns, long before even the alicorns arrived. The Angelic Host has since vanished, and yet the essence of their glory still remains. The ancient texts speak of their spirits having been absorbed into the very rainbow itself. And then, of course, there are tomes such as the Relic, with which they have given us instructions to prepare for the coming of the Harbinger. Alas, you are here, Austraeoh, and it is time for the Herald--the Eljunbyro of prophecy--to assist you in your journey, as is the will of the Host.”
“Okay, look…” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “I always knew I was born with a ridiculously awesome fashion statement…” She tossed her mane for emphasis. “But this is just a stupid little coincidence! I mean, like, what if you were called the ‘Order of the Lime?’ Would you go all nutso if a lime green unicorn happened to prance through your cathedral?”
“You are the first of your kind to have crossed this continent in millennia,” Khao said. “We believe you are none other than the Harbinger.”
“And I believe that several thousands of years is a long enough time to make stupid errors in judgment!” Rainbow Dash grunted.
“She makes a good point,” Pilate said. “I’ve done some extensive studies into the ancient languages of this continent. Many of the texts I’ve perused could very easily be the same scriptures your order reveres so deeply. Terms such as ‘Austraeoh’ and ‘Eljunbyro’ and ‘Innavedr’ are very broadly defined. Even my beloved, Bellesmith, who has sequenced with several fossils of ancient pegasi has had a difficulty ascertaining--”
Khao suddenly snapped, “If she had her mind fused with the husks of Angels, then she is deceived! The Host’s spirit has departed this plane eons ago! All that remains has been defiled and corrupted!”
Rainbow Dash made a face. “The heck are we talking about now…?”
Pilate spoke out loud, “The winged pony fossils whom Nightshade’s foals were sequencing with. Perhaps they were a lot older than any of us thought…”
“The defilers of this land have no sense of decency,” Khao murmured in a calmer voice. “Those bodies were kept in our shrine to the north, our last physical refuge. After the demoness of Blue Nova raided our stronghold, we’ve been lost amidst the clouds, having to scavenge for food and resources in our quest to protect the ancient scriptures.” She took a deep breath, then said, “However, all of this only falls in line with prophecy. Eljunbyro would go through great trials and tribulations before crossing paths with Austraeoh in time to assist the Harbinger with her journey.”
“Look, Eljunbyro did go through crap!” Rainbow barked. “Bellesmith and Pilate here lost their livelihood, their homes, and dang-well-near their sanity! All because they had to get tangled up with me!” She reached a hoof out around Pilate’s shoulder, frowning at the mare. “But we’re doing fine now! Do you know why? Because we’re heading east together, and we’re looking after each other, and we don’t need no stupid, cryptic texts to help us along the way!”
“Is that so?” Khao leaned her head aside. “Then what is it that dwells within the engine room of the elk’s airship?”
Rainbow Dash bit her lip.
Pilate’s metal brow furrowed. “This… ‘Relic.’ You know how it works? Do you even know how to read it?”
“We most certainly do,” Khao said. “But it is not your place to ascertain it, zebra.” She turned to look directly at Rainbow. “This is the now and forever the task of Eljunbyro. The relic is ours to assist the Harbinger with. We allowed her to acquire it as a test, and now that we know that she is indeed Austraeoh, it is time that we combine our forces and perform the trip to the east.”
“Wait…”
“You have tarried too long in this place. We understand the cost of the chaotic energies that empower you. If you remain anchored in this landscape for too long, you will dissolve into dust, and then what will become of the spark needed to reunite the planes?”
“Just hold on a second…” Rainbow Dash took a few trots forward on the rusted platform. “I’m totally for speeding past all the bullcrap of this continent, but… what happens to my friends? Huh? I mean, if any of what you say is true, then you obviously got the power, ponies, and ancient book smarts to get the whole of us beyond the Xonan territories. Heck! You could even get us out of this continent, r-right?”
“No, Austraeoh.” Khao shook his head. “We cannot do that.”
“But, I thought you said--”
“Just you,” Khao said. “You and just you. Your… companions are unnecessary distractions. Much like the various misadventures that you have gotten yourself into--Ledomare, Foxtaur, and the wasteland of the Divine to the West--they only serve to distract you. They have even very nearly killed you on multiple occasions.”
Rainbow Dash frowned. “These are my friends. I need them.”
“What you need… what the world needs is for Austraeoh to reach her destination. This supersedes everything else. For a pony who has dealt with alicorns and Divines alike, surely you can understand the gravity of this journey.”
“Yeah, well, I happen to be pretty darn skilled at defying gravity!” Rainbow Dash spat. “But I don’t expect you to know that!”
“We are the Herald of Angels. We have eons of scripture to bolster our resolve.”
“You’re a bunch of punks!” Rainbow Dash grunted. “Maybe if you hadn’t attacked my friends and kidnapped Pilate and tossed grenades at my flanks, I’d be willing to hear you out! But face it!” She pointed an angry blue hoof. “Maybe you all started out as really cool guys! Maybe you were once the pets to a bunch of flying rainbow donkeys! But something since then has screwed you up super bad! Maybe it was the jokers who ran this continent since then, or perhaps something in the water, but I am totally not buying your sincerity! So you can take your whole ‘Herald’ schtick and shove it where the apples don’t glisten!”
“Rainbow Dash…” Pilate nervously stammered.
“And if you don’t like it, I’m more than happy to go tooth and muzzle with you right here and now!” Rainbow Dash growled. “I’ve dealt with minotaurs, dragons, and beret-wearing fodder! I could chew you up and barf out prayer hymnals for all I care!”
“Rainbow…” Pilate hissed, shuffling closer to her. The manasphere hanging from his neck flickered. “We’re not alone…”
“Huh?” Rainbow Dash flashed him a look.
He cleared his throat.
Rainbow Dash blinked, then looked over her flank.
Shadows emerged along the penumbra of the dim sunlight. Amidst the moving gears, belts, and pulleys, several figures stood in place, their cloaks spread over stretched leather gliders and metal steam parts. Several brass-tinted rifles and mana-bristling weapons were aimed at the rusted platform.
“Nothing can defy the absolute power of prophecy,” rang Khao’s voice with a newfound menace. “We cannot afford to let you waver from your true path. The world cannot afford it.”
Rainbow slowly, icily turned to glare at the mare.
“You are courageous, but also blind, Harbinger,” she continued. “You do not truly understand the sort of danger that you are flying into. There is something at play here. Something far more venomous and dastardly than Ledomaritan generals or Xonan zealots. There is a great evil in this land, a source of deceit and corruption that has planted seeds of discord within this very continent for one express purpose.” She narrowed her eyes. “To spring a trap for Austraeoh…”
Rainbow Dash squinted. “Spring a trap… for me?”
“We weren’t the first group to sense your coming, as much as it pains me to admit it,” Khao murmured. “Someone else is here. Someone ancient, someone powerful who wants to consume you and what you stand for. If you stay on this path, with these so-called friends of yours, you will surely perish long before you make it to your destination. It is our place as the Herald of Angels to make sure such a terrible fate does not befall you. For the greater good, you must relinquish the Relic to our hooves, and join us for the rest of the voyage. I promise you that we will get you past the danger that awaits you, and all eyes seeking to trace your journey with malicious intent.”
Pilate chewed on his lip. His ears twitched as he tilted his head towards Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash took a long, deep breath. Frowning, she blurted, “No deal, featherbrain.” She scraped her hooves against the ground. “I’ll take my chances.”
Khao’s responded a lot more swiftly than either the pegasus or zebra had anticipated. “We were afraid you would make such a foolish decision. Alas, we are prepared to teach you the consequences thereof.”
“If you mean to say that you’re ready to take me on with this little ‘posse’ of yours…” Rainbow Dash smirked as she waggled her ears towards the figures in the shadows. “You’ve got another thing coming.”
“You are the Harbinger,” Khao said calmly. “You cannot be defeated; merely persuaded.”
“Huh…?” Rainbow Dash’s face contorted.
“We allowed you to take the Relic because we thought you were ready to make a very serious journey,” Khao said. “Obviously, that is not yet the case.” She drew the hood back over her dreadlocks with finality. “As such, we are ready to take it back.”
“Take…” Rainbow blinked. “...it back?”
“Rainbow Dash!” Pilate hissed, his O.A.S.I.S. sphere fluctuating. “I’m sensing a surge of magic!”
Rainbow was confused, but then flashed a look at Khao. The mare was activating a crystal communicator on her other forelimb.
A gasp escaped Rainbow’s lips. “Awwww Luna poop…”
“Pow pow!” Kera chirped, strafing sideways across the deck of the Noble Jury with the empty slingshot in her telekinetic grasp. “You’re dead, old stallion!”
“In more ways than one,” Josho grumbled, hiding a smirk on his stubbled face as he continued fiddling with the managun. “But seriously, kid, you gotta learn how to find some decent cover to hide behind if you wanna really live long through a firefight.”
“Pffft! I’ve gotten three headshots on you already!”
“Sure you did,” Josho chuckled. “That’d be a lot easier to boast about if you’re using live ammo.” A ball bearing ricocheted off his skull. “Augh! Darn it! How’d you like to become the ship’s official pincushion!”
Kera stuck her tongue out and galloped away, giggling, with a barking squirrel in tow.
“It would please Floydien beyond spit if doughnut boomer and his anti-niece took their racket somewhere far away from the skull of Nancy Jane,” grumbled a voice from the cockpit.
“Right, right…” Josho sighed as he stood up and shuffled towards the stern. “I can take a hint. You have fun… nngh… playing with your antlers, or whatever the heck it is you do in the pilot’s seat.”
“Never you mind!”
“Ugh… I gotta find a way to clean this thing,” Josho talked to himself as he trotted down the stairwell at the rear of the ship. “Looks like it was put together in the rectum of a sperm whale. I swear to Ledo…”
Kera continued running little foalish circles, making zeppelin noises with her lips while chasing Simon. Unbeknownst to her and Floydien, several shadows shifted along the upper docking ports, growing denser and denser with the rippling of cloaked garments. Moving like one large serpent, the silent assailants closed in on the Noble Jury, unholstering steam pistols from beneath their garments.