//------------------------------// // Chapter 12:Unknown Enamy // Story: Hearthfire The Sands Of Time // by Predman1227 //------------------------------// Chapter 12:Unknown enemy Summer Haze Haze watched on in horror as the table Lilly landed on splintered and fell apart under her impact. It was now clear who these two were after. They wanted Haze and Violet. “Get them!” The Unicorn yelled and Haze realised it was a mare. They only got one step forward when Violet picked up her mug still full of the magic drink and threw it at them. The Unicorn shot a bolt of lightning at the mug and it exploded but not like broke apart into toothpicks, it like actually exploded into a cloud of bright white lightning. It also exploded with a flash and a shock wave that smashed multiple bottles on the shelves and knocked everyone on their flanks. Haze felt dizzy and heavy as she lay on the floor wondering what just happened. Despite her dizziness she pushed herself to her hooves and shook her head to clear it. In the confusion and shock Haze had reverted back to her original form but know was not the time to worry about someone seeing her. The two goons were struggling to there own hooves when Violet, laying beside her screamed. “HAZE RUN!!” Haze didn’t argue for even a second, her only thought now was running. She didn’t think when she ran past the hooded thugs and she didn’t think when she headed for the stairs. “Get after it!” The Unicorn yelled at her companion. “On it!” He answered and Haze could hear his massive size right on her tail. Haze heard another sound, like wood breaking but she didn’t look her eyes were on the stairs. Her mind was a blur with fear and the Earth pony goon was almost on top of her. At the last second she buzzed her wings and shot up the stairs faster than she could handle. The goon smashed head first into the stairs, the sound of wood splintering was audible. Haze on the other hand lost control of her speed and hit the third last step hard. Dazed and terrified Haze willed herself to her hooves and claimed the last two steps as the goon came charging up the rest, growling loudly. Haze bolted for the room and was glad to find it was still open but not for long. The moment Haze was inside she slammed it shut with all her little might and she felt the vibration as it hit the goon in the face. He yelled in pain and was swearing at the top of his voice. Haze thought about hiding under the bed. “No too obvious.” Haze thought quickly. She thought about going out the window. “No I’ll freeze to death.” She jogged on the spot, looking around franticly. “The Bathroom!” She bolted inside and shut the door just as she not only heard the door open but felt it as the goon burst inside the main room with a loud bang. The lamp on the wall fell off and smashed on the floor, engulfing the room in darkness. The only light left was the light coming through the gaps on the door and Haze could hear the goon walking inside now. “Come out, come out where ever you are you little insect.” Haze backed up all the way to the back of the bathroom and her tiny flank bumped off the wall. She jumped and looked behind herself to find she could see the wall very clearly. It was at that moment Haze realised she could see in the dark and wasted no time taking advantage of that. There were many things the goon could trip on but the one thing Haze knew would work very well was right beside her. A shadow past out side of the door and stopped in front of it. “Found you.” His voice echoed from the other side. The door bust open, letting light pour into the room and reveal Haze standing ready. Almost immediately he stood on a part of Violet’s clothing and his hoof slid away from him. Haze used her magic. “Leave me alone!” She threw the bucket. The bucket and it’s contents landed dead on, covering his face in filth. “Aaaaa why you little shit!” He fell over and Haze saw the chance to bolt for it but just as she past him she tripped over one of his back legs and fell to the floor. Dazed and driven by pour adrenalin Haze tried to move her legs but could only mange a crawl as she tried to get away. “Come here you little brat!” He was on top of her in seconds and Haze screamed. She kicked him and got him in the eye. He reared back and Haze tried to get up again, panic and fear taking over her mind. He managed to trip her again and she fell on her back. They were at the side of the bed now near the couch and Haze did everything to stop him from grabbing her. She kicked her legs, she buzzed her wings and screamed at the top of her lungs. “Stay…still!” The goon snarled. Haze was so confused and scared. What did this pony want with her, why was he doing this? She could see his face now, he had taken off his mask and had thrown back his hood letting her see his features. His coat was a kind of bluely grey and his mane was pour white. His nose was bleeding and he was baring his teeth in anger. Haze saw a glint of something shiny in the corner of her eye and she took a quick glance. Theran’s saddle-bag had fallen off the couch and many of his things had spread out on the floor, one of them being a dagger. Haze knew if she wanted to get out of this alive she needed to get it, she just needed to get away from him. He tried to grab her shoulders to stop her from moving so she sank her fangs into the unprotected part of his hoof for his trouble. He reared back and cried out in pain. Haze let go and crawled for the dagger but just as she was about to touch it the goon grabbed her leg and pulled her back. “Let me go…leave me al…” He flipped her onto her back again and pressed his hooves hard onto her throat and begun to choke her. Haze’s eyes went wide with shock and horror as her airway was cut off and she couldn’t breathe. Heat and pressure begun to build up in her face as she was deprived of oxygen. She kicked her back legs franticly as pressure also begun to build up in her chest and the irresistible urge to gasp became unbearable. “You’ve pissed me off for the last time.” The goon snarled with blood lust in his eyes. “So am going to make sure you never piss me off again.” Violet As soon as Haze ran for it, Violet shook off her dizziness, grabbed a chair and ignoring the pain in her shoulder she leaped through the air and brought the chair down hard on the Unicorn’s head. The chair splintered on impact but the Unicorn had moved at the last second and Violet missed, hitting the ground instead. The Unicorn goon tackled Violet to the ground and in seconds their limbs got all tangled. They rolled around on the floor, kicking and punching each other, both not seeming to get more control over the other. In all the rolling the Unicorn got the upper hoof by hitting Violet in her wounded shoulder. The pain was huge as she screamed in agony. The Unicorn managed to be the one on top when they stopped rolling. Violet looked to her side and found a part of the chair again and managed to garb it just in time as the Unicorn pulled out her dagger. She tried to thrust the blade down but Violet struck her in the side of the head with the chair part and sent the goon tumbling off of her. Violet rolled to her hooves, her body was so pumped with adrenalin all her pain was gone and was replaced with anger. Anger of the thought of her just starting to get good evening was now ruined. The Unicorn had already sprung to her hooves and with a quick flick of her hoof she threw the dagger at Violet. The goon was going to have to try harder than that because Violet managed to block the dagger with the part of the chair she was holding. “You gota try harder than that bitch!” Violet swore at the goon. The Unicorn huffed and begun to charge her horn. “Oh shit.” Violet swore again. Violet dove over the bar just as the Unicorn spat a bolt of lightning and missing her back by mere inches. “Bitch I’m going to fry so hot there will be nothing left for even the crows to pick off of.” The Unicorn sneered. Violet hatted fighting Unicorns for two reasons. 1. They could use magic and 2. Every time she fought one she nearly ended up dead. More bolts of magic spat over Violet’s head as she lay on her belly behind the bar and was surrounded by bottles. Seeing them gave Violet an idea as she started searching through them. She knew what she needed but she couldn’t read the words on the bottles. “Damit, which one is it?” Violet muttered to herself as she hoofed her way through many bottles till she found one that looked similar to the one Lilly had used. She tried to read it. “Gh…go…gound…snuf? Oh sod it.” She held the bottle in her right hoof and sat up. Slowly she peeked over the bar to see where the Unicorn was, only to have an energy bolt sizzle over her head and char the top of her mane. Violet got ready to throw the bottle and hopped if she managed to cover the Unicorn in this Good stuff that’s if it was the stuff. It would explode when she attempted to use her magic. Violet took in a deep breath and with out really looking she threw the bottle in the last spot she saw the goon. There was a loud smash and Violet was sure she had hit her but when she looked over the bar again the Unicorn was nowhere to be seen. “Huh, where she go?” Something hard hit Violet in the back of her head and the next thing she knew she was on her back. Her vision was blurry and her head was spinning. “Surprise bitch.” Violet shook her head to clear her vision but she saw nothing. When suddenly the Unicorn magically appeared in front of her and from under her mask Violet could see she was smiling. She charged up her horn and asked. “Any last words before I fry you into nothing?” Violet’s eyes widened and she clenched her jaw. Violet didn’t want to die but if she was going to, she wanted to die knowing why. “Why are you doing this? What do you want?” The Unicorn narrowed her eyes and chuckled. “Its not you if that’s what you’re thinking.” “Then who, who?” Violet wanted an answer and if she didn’t get one she was going to rip off the goon’s horn and shove it in her eye. All she need for that was not to die. The unicorn snickered and her horn brightened. “What’s the point in telling, you’re going to be dead in a few…” Suddenly a chair came out of nowhere and hit the Unicorn goon right on her back sending her falling forward onto her knees. She tried to stand but Lilly came jumping over the bar with another chair and with a battle cry she brought it down harder than the first. It smashed into bits on impact and the Unicorn fell flat on her stomach with her head on the floor. Violet sprung to her hooves, reared back on her hind legs and with all her weight she brought her forehooves right down on the Unicorn’s horn. The screech that came out of the Unicorn’s mouth was un godly loud and Violet cringed as she screeched some more. The Unicorn goon rolled from side to side, clutching the jagged, bloody stump that was once her horn. In all her cries of pain the goon’s mask had fallen off her nose and now she could see her face. She kept on screaming till Lilly hit her in the head with what was left of her chair and knocked her out cold. “You ok?” Lilly asked in a pant. Her nose was also bleeding and she had a chard patch on her chest. Violet’s heart was still racing so fast she couldn’t feel anything until Lilly asked. The pain in her shoulder flared up and she fell on her side holding it so hard her hoof went numb. “I’ve had better days.” Violet groaned behind clenched teeth. Lilly looked around. “Where’s ya little girl? Ah don’t see her anywhere.” Violet’s expression turned into one of horror as she remembered Haze running up the stairs. “Haze she’s up stairs with that…Oh shit!” She tried to stand but the pain had taken over. “I can’t get up, please go find her I’m begging you Lilly please!?” Summer Haze Black dots were starting to appear in Haze’s vision as her life was slowly being squeezed out of her little body. Her kicks were getting weaker and her gasps getting louder as the Earth pony goon kept a tight grip on her throat. “You know I’m supposed to bring you in alive.” The goon sneered as his grip got tighter. “But you pissed me off so now they’re going to get a corpse.” Haze felt her life starting to slip away as her vision got darker and her chest felt like it was going to explode. “Is this…the end?” Haze thought as the darkness closed in. “Am I really going to die? I don’t wanna die.” She made one last effort to kick her legs but it was all for nothing. The darkness got closer and closer, all sound starting to fade all her senses leaving her mind. “LET UM HAVE IT RICKY!!!!!” A small high pitched voice suddenly shouted and something large, brown and covered in steel armour slammed head first into the goon and sent him flying off of her. Haze breathed in all the air her little lungs could take and felt all her senses come flooding back. As she coughed and wheezed loudly on the floor the high pitched voice kept on shouting. “Right hook, left hook, break his jaw, cave him in, come on smash his head into breezy dust already!” The armoured pony was much bigger than the goon and the goon was trying to move away from the giant but the room was too small. The bigger pony had massive steel shoes on and when he hit the goon in the face, Haze swore she heard bone break. He staggered back all the way to the window and the little voice shouted. “Time for the finisher, LET HIM HAVE IT!!!!” In a quick motion the big pony spun around and with both hind legs he buck him hard in the chest and sent him smashing through the window. “Whooohooo nice one Ricky!” The one called Ricky slowly came back around the bed and towered over Haze like a mountain. He wore a helmet but it didn’t cover his face. Haze’s throat hurt too much to gulp so she just stared wide eyed up at the Stallion’s plain face and quivered in fear. “P…pl…please am not what you…” “Oh you can relax lassy he won’t hurt you.” The tiny voice said and it wasn’t coming from the giant. “Who…who said that?” Haze looked around but she saw no one. “Up here bug wings.” Haze looked up but she only saw Ricky looking down on her with his dark green eyes, when she saw something tiny on his head. “Hello you see me now?” The tiny figure waved at her. She had to squint her eyes just to make it out. It had bug wings like a butterfly but much too big for its skinny body. It also had a what Haze guessed was a light green mane. “What ar…” Haze tried to ask but the tiny figure came fluttering down and hovered just in front of her face. She could see him better now and could see he was light grey, with pink eyes and some tiny clack clothing. He also had little antennas sticking out of his mane. “Thee name is Marven and this lump of muscle is Ricky, he can’t talk cause he has no tong, a long story but…” Haze put a hoof up and silenced him. “Wait slow down, what are you?” Marven gave her the “Are you kidding me” look. “I can ask youuu thee same question pip squeak.” He coughed into his tiny hoof and looked her in the eye. “I’m a Breezy and pretty much the voice of this big lumics.” Ricky looked at Marven and narrowed his eyes. As if on queue Marven looked up and frowned at him. “Don’t give me that look, without me how are you going to call ya Mother, he has a very needy Mummy.” Ricky growled at him and Marven put his hooves in the air. “Ok, ok sheesh you’re worse than my Mommy.” Haze sat up and tapped a hoof on the floor while she held her throat with the other. Her heart was still pounding and she was shaking all over from shock. “Why…why did you save me?” Haze asked. Marven looked shock. “What that’s it, we…” Ricky coughed. “He saved you and all you can say is why?” Before they could speak anymore, Lilly came rushing through the door and stopped when she saw Ricky. “Haze where is she is she all…” She completely went silent when her eyes fell upon Haze. Her face was plain of expression as she stared wide eyed at her. “Oh um…Hi Lilly.” Haze Nervously smiled and knew she was in deep trouble. Theran Razorblade “Come on Daddy wake up!” Theran was laying in bed sleeping with Ashtrid and now their 4 year old daughter had come jumping in the room and now she was jumping on the bed. Theran groaned, as he was still half asleep. “Ahhh Ash make her stop?” Ashtrid was smiling with her eyes closed and chuckled happily. “She’s your daughter too dear.” Theran groaned some more. “Yeah but we agreed before sunrise she’s your problem.” Ashtrid rolled on her side facing away from Theran. “The sun has already raised.” She sighed softly. Theran opened his eyes, sat up and looked away from his bouncing daughter. He looked at the window and light shown through the gaps in the curtains. “Great.” He sighed and flopped back on his pillow. “Come on Dad you said we could go to the wall today.” Theran just grumbled with his eyes shut. She jumped up in the air and landed on his stomach, making him open his eyes and look at her. “You promised.” She narrowed her big blue eyes into his with a frown and he gave in. He took a moment to look at her with a sleepy smile. She looked a lot like her mother but her coat was a darker silver, almost the same as Theran’s. She had Ashtrid’s eyes, nose and horn. She also had some of his looks to. Her ears were wolf like and she had some pointy teeth like him to but apart from that she looked more like Ashtrid. There was one feature that was unique to her. Her mane was a mix of his and Ashtrid’s. The main colour was the same as Ashtrid’s, light silver almost white. But she had very thin lines of his colour and when the light shown on her, her mane turned red. She was in all sense of the word, special. “Ok Trisha am up, am up.” He said with a yon. “Yeah!” She jumped off the bed and ran around in circles. “I’m going to see the wall, I’m going to see the wall!” Theran sat up in bed and stretched his forelegs out and groaned from his stiffness. “By Terrato’s back side how dose a four year old get so jumpy so quick?” Ashtrid sat up with him and stretched too but with a little more grace than Theran. “Weren’t we the same when we were her age?” She asked happily. Theran felt a little down cast from hearing that. “You know I don’t like talking about my childhood.” He said calmly. Ashtrid smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “I know I’m sorry.” Theran smiled and kissed her back. “Its fine Ash.” He glanced at Trisha who sat on the floor wide eyed and was waging her tail with excitement. “Come on lets have some breakfast first, then we can go to the wall.” ………. After some breakfast Theran had put on his snow-steel armour and wore a fur cloak over it to fight off the cold. Ashtrid helped Trisha wrap up for the cold and then she wrapped up as well. Theran had also clipped his sword to his belt and strapped on his helm. Being the General of the Snow Rock legion Theran had a fitting helmet for his role. It covered his forehead and cheeks while a black mask covered the rest of his face, though he didn’t have it up this time. The top of the helmet also had a long black plume, to help identify him as the leader. Ashtrid put out the fire in the living room and Theran opened the front door. The cold blow in and Theran could see his hot breath. “Ok let’s be off.” Outside Trisha bounced about in the snow near her mother while Theran locked the door. “Now you be a good girl for Daddy while I go to work ok?” Trisha gave her Mum a hug. “I will Mumu, I’ll do every thing Daddy tells me.” “That’s my girl.” Ashtrid said as she ruffled her daughter’s mane. She then looked at Theran who was just smiling. “You look after her you hear?” Theran did his cocky half smile and gave her a hug. “You know she’s safe with me, dinny you worry.” Ashtrid hugged him back and then she stepped away. “Well see you two at dinner time, be safe.” She said then walked down an ally-way she used all the time to get to work. Theran watched her go with a smile till she went past the corner and was out of sight. He then brought his gaze back to his daughter who was waiting for him. “Come on, let’s go see the wall.” “Yeah the wall!” Trisha cheered and with that they made their way to the Great Ice wall. Along the way Theran was greeted by many of his fellow legion, getting salutes or respectful nods his way and some of them stopped what they were doing to greet Trisha who loved meeting the solders of Snow Rock. They also past many shops, venders and the common pony. The city was mostly populated by Unicorns which as a result made Snow Rock become the legion’s source of powerful magic users and it also meant this part of the legion was strongly magic based. Snow Rock was also one of the most secure places in the Barrier Lands do to a massive ice wall which was set between two impassable mountains. Nothing could get through it and all that have tried have all failed. Theran and Trisha exited the city’s main stone wall and had to get a ride on a carriage the rest of the way to the wall which was only 400 meters away across a snow covered valley. Theran relaxed in his seat and looked ahead. Trisha was sitting on the other side of the cart rubbing her shoulders. This was her first time leaving the city and he could see the joy on her little face. Theran smiled. “ You ok Trish?” He asked. Trisha looked at him with a beaming smile. “Ahuh its just a little cold.” Theran chuckled. “It’ll be colder on the wall, oh and there it is.” He pointed of into the distance as the top of a gigantic wall appeared. Trisha looked to where Theran was pointing and her eyes went wide and she gasped. “Wow….its bigger than I thought it would be.” Theran chuckled at his daughter’s amazement. “Now do you remember how high it is?” He asked her. Trisha looked lost in thought. Even at 4 years old she had the ability to think and consider things. Theran pined it on his Wolven side. They may live longer than ponies but their young grow up fast. A Wolven can be 10 years old and almost be fully grown but he doubted Trisha would grow that fast, maybe a little faster than the other fillies. Trisha tapped her hoof on her little chin for a moment. “Uh…I dinny remember the numbers but you said it was big really big.” Theran smiled. “Its around 300 meters tall and 500 meters wide.” Trisha looked on in awe. “Wow, who made it?” She asked. Theran leaned forward and ruffled her mane. “I dinny know but I can tell you it is very old. Some even say it was formed by Prince Terrato himself but I dinny think so.” “What do you think made it?” Trisha asked. She really loved to question things. Theran just shrugged. “I have no idea sweetie.” Theran looked ahead again and saw a small snow cloud coming their way. “Ah damit, Trish sit beside me.” Trisha moved from her side and sat on his right. “What is it Daddy?” She asked, looking up at him. Theran pulled his mask on and covered Trisha in his cloak. “Rouge snow cloud, hug me close sweet heart.” Theran’s horn glowed blue. “Alright driver here it comes!” In seconds the snow cloud hit and Theran put up a protective shield around them all. The snow in this cloud was so hard it hit off his shield with the force of small stones. Trisha yelped and hugged Theran tighter. “Aaa Daddy I’m scared!” Theran let out a hearty chuckle. “Ah come on Trish this is just a little fun.” Trisha didn’t look convinced but she tried her best. “If you say Daddy.” “I know so.” He said with another chuckle. “Trust me sweetie it’s a lot worse outside the wall.” Not long after the snow cloud hit it was gone and Theran let go of his spell. “See that wasn’t so bad.” Trisha stopped hugging him and just sat there, looking around in amazement. “Wow how’d ya do that Daddy?” She asked. Theran pulled down his mask and smiled. “Magic Trish and I’m gonna teach you it when you’re older.” “Oh but I want to know now.” She was practically jumping in her seat. “One hoof step at a time Trish, we havny even got to the wall yet.” Trisha laughed. “Whatever you say Daddy.” Theran happily huffed and they went the rest of the way in silence. When they finally got there the driver spoke to Theran. “Thanks for the cover, would have been nasty if you hadn’t.” Theran nodded to the driver. “No problem.” He said as he and Trisha got off. The driver pointed somewhere behind himself. “I’ll be here when you get back.” Theran smiled. “Thanks.” With that the driver left them and Theran looked up. “Now that’s what you call tall.” The wall was so high he couldn’t even see the top. Trisha gasped in awe. “Its even bigger up close.” She looked at Theran. “Um…how do we get up there?” She asked. Theran pointed at a cut in the wall. “There’s a stair case built into the wall but we’re not going up that way.” He then pointed at a platform. “We’re going the VIP way.” Both he and Trisha moved to the platform and Theran walked up to a lever. He glanced back to his daughter. “Trish, you know how Daddy knows best?” He asked her. Trisha looked confused. “Um…yeah?” Theran grinned. “Take my advice sweetie, don’t look down.” He pulled the lever and with a quick jerk the platform began to move. Trisha squealed and curled up into a small ball in the middle of the platform. She had her hooves over her eyes and Theran chuckled. “Its ok Trish we’re pretty safe.” He went over to her and let her hide under him. Theran looked down in between his forelegs and looked at her upside down. “Hay you wanted to see the wall.” He reminded her. Trisha took her hooves off her eyes and looked at him. “Yeah but you never said anything about this.” Theran just smiled. “Ah its fine, we’ll be at the top soon enough.” Theran and his daughter rode the platform for a good 5 minutes before they reached the top. The air was so clean and fresh Theran inhaled deeply and let the purity fill his soul. He let it out slowly and spoke to Trisha. “We’re at the top now.” Trisha came out from under him and looked around. She gasped slowly and suddenly coughed. “The air, it so…clean.” Theran walked forward and onto the wall proper. He gestured for Trisha to follow. “Come on I want to show you something.” Trisha took small carful steps and lightly tapped the icy floor with one hoof. “Its not going to break is it?” She asked. Theran laughed and extended his hoof to her. “This is thicker than the city walls I think it’ll hold.” Trisha slowly took his hoof and he helped her stand on the ice floor. “Its not slippery. Why is it not slippery Daddy?” Theran just rolled his eyes happily. “Oh you and your questions, come on at this rate it will be too late to show you the good spot.” Theran started walking along the left side of the wall and Trisha squeaked and followed him. Theran was glad there was no way his daughter could fall or trip off the side do to they were walking in a cut in the top of the wall. It was also wide enough for ponies to walk past each other with no problem so Trisha had a lot of room to move. They past a few guards posted on the wall and they paid no attention to him or his daughter, just kept their eyes on the land below. “What are they looking at?” Trisha asked Theran. “They are looking for anything bad that might be down on the other side of the wall sweetie.” Theran answered. “What are they looking for?” She asked again Theran was about to answer when a gruff voice yelled. “Hay what is a filly doing up here!?” Theran turned his head to look at the pony who said that. A Pegasus in full Snow-Steel came flapping down and Theran could tell from the gold bars on his shoulder pad he was a Commander. “This place is strictly off limits to any and all…” He stopped yelling when he realised who he was yelling at. “Oh shi…I.I.I apologise General Razorblade I didn’t know it was you.” He stood up straight, eyes forward and chin up. “Are you here for an inspection Sir?” Theran knew this pony and he smiled. “You can relax Commander Hawk-Eye I’m not here for an inspection, I’m here to show my daughter the wall.” Hawk-Eye’s eyes widened at the word daughter. “Oh my I didn’t know she was your…” Theran put a hoof up. “I said its fine.” He looked at Trisha. “Hay Trish come and meet the sharpest eyes on the wall.” Trisha had been hiding behind Theran and she slowly came out and walked up to Hawk-Eye and extended her tiny hoof. “H…hello, my name is Trisha Rosen Razorblade.” Hawk-Eye seemed impressed at how well she was able to speak and extended his own hoof and lightly tapped heir’s. “Nice to meet another Razorblade. I’m Commander Hawk-Eye leader of the watch and pretty much the only thing standing between you and a army of Wolven.” “Not if I’m there first.” Theran stated with a cocky smile. Hawk-Eye cracked a smile and nodded respectively at him. “Well I won’t keep you standing here any longer, duty calls. Good day Sir.” He gave Theran a salute and Theran returned the gesture. Hawk-Eye flapped his wings and flew off to another part of the wall. Theran looked at Trisha. “Come on the spot is just ahead.” They walked for a bit till they came out into an open area with crates and a couple of ponies milling about. “This is the centre of the wall. Come and let’s see the view.” Theran and Trisha walked to the edge and were stopped by a small wall of ice. Trisha was too small to see over it so Theran let her hop onto his back. He took off his helm to let her lean on his head and when she saw the other side her big blue eyes went even bigger. She was silent with her mouth hanging open and her eyes sparkling with wonder. “Well Trish, what do you think?” He asked her. “Its…its…” She gulped. “It’s so big and white and are those mountains?” Theran looked at the massive mountains in the far distance. “Yep they sure are and do you know what?” He asked. “What?” Trisha whispered. “I’m tasked with protecting all of this you see before you.” He made himself sound all amazing like. Trisha gasped. “Really, all of it?” “That’s right all of it.” Trisha looked all around in complete astonishment. “Wow that’s so cool.” She leaned over his ear and looked at his eyes. “Can I protect it all too?” Theran was surprised. “You’re a little young for that Trish.” She was still leaning over his head. “Oh well...maybe when I’m older I can be just like you.” Theran was a little shocked that she said that. “Come on Trisha you dinny have to be like me, being in the legion is no pick nick and once in there’s no going back.” She was now laying on his head. “Oh but I want to be. Being in the legion sounds so…” She slipped and fell forward. Theran’s heart almost skipped a beat when he used his magic to grab her and hover her away from the edge. He then turned around and glared at her in anger. Trisha gave him a weak smile. “Haha…oops.” Theran sighed and let her down. “Be more carful you could have fallen to your death.” Trisha looked down cast and she rubbed her left hoof over the other. “I’m sorry.” She said in a sad tone. Theran shook his head. He sat down beside her and gave her a hug. “Its ok, I just don’t want to lose you.” Trisha hugged him back. “I know I’m sorry I’ll be more carful next time.” “What’s all the yelling about?” A deep rumbly voice called out to them. Theran looked up and saw an Earth pony in full, battle scared and dented grey steel armour. Theran smiled when he realised who it was, his dear friend Storm Runner. “Storm what are you doing up here?” Theran called out to his friend. “Uncle Storm!” Trisha called out as well and she ran over to him. Strom bent low to the ground and wrapped his forelegs around her, giving her a big bear hug. “Why hello there my little angle. What are you doing all the way up here?” Trisha wriggled out of his hug and bounced on the spot. “Daddy was showing me the wall and now I want to be in the legion!” Storm gave Theran a suspicious look and Theran just shook his head and shrugged. Storm looked back at Trisha and he smiled. “Oh is that so?” Trisha nodded. “Well let me tell you a story.” Theran facehoofed. “Have you ever heard…of the Wolven?” He asked Trisha in a mysterious sort of way. Trish nodded. “Yep they’re uh…big shaggy dogs.” Storm stopped grinning and looked rather serious but Theran could tell he was play-acting. “Oh no,no,no dogs are nice and fluffy, Wolven oh they are very nasty. They can grow to sizes as big as a house and have claws as big as knives.” Trisha gasped and looked pretty scared. “They have mouths big enough to gulp you down in one bite and they have eyes as red as blood.” He looked her in the eye. “And there is a story of one Wolven that stalks the land at night and do you now what he dose?” Trisha shook her head. “What do he do?” She whispered. Storm leaned in close and whispered in her ear. “Eats little fillies.” He wrapped his hooves around her and growled into her neck. “Grrrr he’s going to eat you.” Trisha wriggled in Storms hold and squealed with laughter when he growled into her neck. “Daddy help me.” She called to Theran. Theran laughed and made himself be all heroic. “Dinny worry little one I’ll save you.” Theran walked over, unclipped his still sheathed sword and tapped Storm on the helmet. “Oh no he got me.” Storm acted and played dead. Trisha rushed over to Theran and hid under his legs. “Haha victory his mine.” He clipped his sword back on his belt and said. “So how’s the eye?” Storm got up and brushed some snow off of himself. “A little itchy and am still getting used to the eye patch.” Storm had a black eye patch on his left eye. He lost it to a Wolven that would have killed him if it were not for his wife’s swift action in saving his life. “At least you only got a scar, mines is jelly.” Theran laughed and then became more serious. “Why are you up here Storm?” Storm looked a little offended but even then Theran could tell he was putting it on. “Why? Can’t I just come up here and just enjoy the view?” Theran narrowed his eye at him. “You never come up here, you told me it was too boring.” Storm smiled. “True, I’m not up here for the view. I’m up here because Ashtrid told me I could find you here.” Theran raised an eyebrow at that and said. “Oh, she did now?” Storm just shrugged. “I didn’t find you at your office so I went to Ashtrid and she pointed me here.” Theran was confused, what was this about. “Funny I haveny been here long. How’d you get here so fast?” Storm walked up to Theran and he had his game face on. “Well when you got something important you get to where you need to go as fast as you can.” “And what’s so important that you had to come all the way out here just to tell me.” Theran asked, getting annoyed. “It’s a need to know message which means only…” He glanced at Trisha. “You can hear it.” Theran narrowed his eyes in thought. He considered this was serious so Theran turned to a guard and gave her orders. “You there?” The legion mare who was sorting out ammo crates looked at him. “Me sir?” She pointed at herself. “Yes you, I want you to escort my daughter to the lift and wait with her there is that understood?” Theran gave the mare a look that promised bad things if she didn’t comply. The mare straightened up and saluted. “Sir yes sir, I’ll look after her as if she was my own.” “Good.” Theran looked down at Trisha who was still under him. “Go with the mare and I’ll be along shortly.” Trisha looked confused. “But Daddy I…” “No buts.” He stood to the side so she wasn’t under him anymore. “Do as you’re told Trisha, this is important legion stuff now go.” Trisha didn’t say another word and drooped her ears. Theran watched her go and hated himself having to do that. He looked at Storm. “This better be important Storm because if this is a waste of my time I’ll…” “It’s the Prince, Theran. He has something he wants to tell you.” Strom said, cutting off Theran’s rant. Theran’s eyes widened. “What did you say?” He asked, almost in a whisper. “He wants to talk to you, he’s in Snow Rock waiting for you at the castle. I don’t like it there’s something off about this Theran, something bad.” Theran scratched his chin with his hoof in thought. “Yeah well looks like we’re going to have to find out.” ……. Theran opened his eyes and found himself in a cage. Everything except his under layer clothing was gone, taken. “Wh…wa?” Theran muttered as his eyes adjusted to the low light. He was in some sort of cave a dank dripping wet cave and now and then he could hear a single drop of water fall from the cave roof. How did he get here? The last things he could remember was reaching the doctor’s home, opening the busted door and then nothing. Except the feeling of a sharp pain in the place just blow his right ear. Now the question was, why was he here? “Well mate good to see you finally awake.” A sudden deep voice said to Theran and for some reason he recognised that voice. “Who said that?” Theran growled. His night-sight was kicking in but it was still too dark. Suddenly a light was lit and Theran had to squint his eyes to protect them from the brightness. “Right here silly.” The voice said again with the same cheeriness. Theran’s eyes had some trouble readjusting but when they did he immediately recognised the pony’s face. “Big B?” Theran said, not quit believing what he was seeing. “Oh I’m happy you remembered my name.” Big B mused. He was standing in the middle of the chamber with a black clothed and masked pony behind him, holding a torch. Theran tried to use his magic but nothing happened. He felt his horn and sure enough there was a horn lock there to drain his magic. “What’s the meaning of this?” Theran asked in a low tone, glaring right into Big B’s eyes. Big B chuckled. “Its business mate, nothing personal but the work I do pays well.” “I dinny follow.” Theran stated in the same low tone. Big B grinned and walked a little closer to Theran’s cage. “You’re an oddity mate, you and that filly of yours are going to make me very rich.” Theran growled low and deep. “You stay away form her, she’s just a harmless child.” Big B kept on grinning. “And that child is going to fetch me a handsome price.” How did he know Haze was half changeling, he only saw her nose and eyes not enough to tell she was different? Theran tried playing dumb. “Haze is just a normal harmless filly, she will get you nothing.” Big B actually laughed. “Ha now that’s where you are wrong. Yes I only saw her eyes and nose and I thought nothing of it then but my friends…” He gestured to the hooded and masked pony behind him. “Said when you came out of the doctor’s the filly had a tanned coat and then I though, but she was black before and now she’s not.” He smiled smugly at Theran again. “So unless she was painted another colour or she has the ability to change her appearance.” Theran still didn’t get it, what was the reason for this. “Why are you doing this other than filling your pockets? Are you a slaver?” Big B laughed again and put a hoof to his face. “Oh my you are dumb haha, but I’ve said enough.” He turned to the hooded one. “Keep an eye on him.” Theran couldn’t see the hooded ones face at all in this shadowy cave but Theran guessed he was being smug when he said. “Not sure if you noticed but he is in a cage, he ante goin any where.” Theran felt his anger grow when Big B started moving to an entrance to a tunnel and he had to shout. “Wait you said you’re getting paid, paid by who!? B who’s paying you!?” But B was already gone and Theran roared in pure rage and smacked his hoof once off the iron bars.