//------------------------------// // 13 - Perspective // Story: Limits of the Horizon // by Beware The Carpenter //------------------------------// Twilight guided Obtrillion through streets of one of the poorer districts of Timbucktoo; her cocient beeping rapidly as they came to stop outside of a hotel. Mute Wind was inside, and with him an end to nineteen years of silence. Obtrillion followed close behind her, anxious that he might be recognized by any of Ragerrock’s spies, and more anxious of what was about to happen. Fidora had wanted to go with them but Obtrillion had told her that this was something he and Twilight needed to do alone. Twilight kept telling herself over and over that there had to be a reasonable explanation, knowing that if she said it enough times that she would eventually believe it. She needed answers for her own sake, but more than that she needed them for Obtrillion’s; she needed to show him that there was more to the world then what he had seen, she needed to show him that there were ponies who actually cared about each other and didn’t backstab each other at a moment’s notice. Mute Wind was going to give her that reasonable explanation about what happened in her blackout; and then Twilight was going to take her children home. Obtrillion and Fidora would be safe in Equestria, and Twilight could take care of them so they wouldn’t have to steal. She would enroll Obtrillion into her school for gifted unicorns, and he could see how magic should be taught. Twilight wasn’t exactly sure what Fidora would do there, but believed that maybe just being in Equestria, where mares and stallions were equal, could help her begin to see herself as more than just Obtrillion’s property. The hotel owner didn’t look up as Twilight checked the guest roster, compliments of Obtrillion’s magic, and Mute Wind's room was only too easy to find. Two voices were arguing inside; one sounded like Mute Wind, the other… was a zebra. Twilight hesitated; remembering why they had come to The Zaharren to begin with. If Twilight’s interruption threatened the hostages… maybe they could come back lat – Obtrillion knocked, and the voices went silent. Twilight stood her ground as the door cracked open for Mute Wind, who jumped back when he saw her, obviously horrified. “Twilight!” There was an earth zebra stallion in the back of the room, locked firmly in a set of heavy iron shackles who jumped bolt upright at the mention of her name, “Twilight!?” Mute Wind cast a dismayed glance behind him, and then stepped between Twilight and the zebra, raising his wing to block their view of each other. “Get away from here! Go!” Mute Wind tried to slam the door on her, but Twilight caught it in her telekinesis and pushed it wider. “What’s going on!?” she demanded. The zebra prisoner was shuffling across the room as fast as he could, “Twilight!” In a panic, Mute Wind tried one last time to slam the door on her and then the shackled zebra jumped on his back, trying to use his front chain to strangle him. Mute Wind twisted out of the headlock, threw the zebra to the floor, struck him across the face, snatched his lance from beside the door and raised it to strike the prisoner. Obtrillion dashed past Twilight and tackled Mute Wind before he could kill the zebra. Mute Wind pivoted and cracked Obtrillion on the side of the head with his spear; Obtrillion fell, and then turned the lance towards Obtrillion; that was where everything stopped. A lance was descending on Twilight’s son; that was all she saw, that was all that mattered. Twilight didn’t think, she didn't feel, she acted. Before she knew it, a beam of magic; thin, bright, powerful, shot from her horn through Mute Wind’s skull and bored a hole into the mud brick wall on the other side of the room. Mute Wind fell to one side, lifeless, a cauterized wound making an open hole through his brain. Obtrillion and the zebra both shuffled to their hooves, Twilight and Obtrillion both regarding the stranger with suspicion who looked back at Twilight joyfully; “Twilight, is it really you?” Twilight took a step back, “Who are you?” “It’s me, Zomar.” When Twilight looked at him in confused he added, “I’m your brother.” Twilight startled back, Obtrillion broke the silence; “Shining Armor and Celestia erased her memory of everything that happened in the years one thousand five to one thousand seven. She found the family village and the graves, including Zohan’s, but she doesn't remember who he is or how he died. Who are you?” Zomar looked between them, caution mixed with joy, “I’m Zohan’s younger brother; who are you?” “I’m Twilight’s son.” Zomar stopped, choked once then faced him; “You’re Twilight’s son? Zohan’s son? …My nephew?” “Yes, but please, we don’t have much time and we have to know; what happened? What happened to Zohan and the rest of our family?” Zomar practically spat the next words, “Shining Armor happened!” “What!?” asked Twilight. “Shining Armor came looking for you. When you refused to go with him, he tried to take you by force. Zohan tried to save you, and Shining Armor killed him. He’d come alone that day, and after he killed Zohan the entire family came out to fight him and he fled; but the next day he returned with soldiers and they began slaughtering the entire family until you agreed to go with him. It was the last time any of us ever saw you.” “No, there has to be some mistake.” “There was no mistake Twilight; Shining Armor ran Zohan through on his horn not three steps away from you. Zohan died with your arms wrapped around him as you desperately tried to cast a healing spell; even though you knew it was hopeless." “Who else was with him?” Obtrillion asked. “I don’t know any of their names; how could I?” “Describe them; please.” Zomar closed his eyes and tried to think; “There was… a pink alicorn… a baby dragon with green spikes, a blue pegasus with a six colored mane, a red unicorn with a black mane… a pegasus that didn’t say much… a few earth ponies…” Obtrillion turned to Twilight, “Do any of them sound familiar to you.” Twilight didn’t answer, she couldn’t, none of this could be true... it couldn’t. Zomar continued, “Those few of us who survived Shining Armor, fled out lands from raiders and dispersed into Timbucktoo, landless and-” “Shhh!” Zomar and Twilight both stopped at Obtrillion’s command and a moment later, they heard hoofbeats running across the roof above them, each bearing a peculiar ring to them. Obtrillion looked scared, “Temple Assassins.” He whispered, “They found me.” Zomar indicated his chains; Obtrillion swung towards Twilight, “Run to the hideout! I’ll be right behind you as soon as I get Zomar’s chains undone!” “No I’m not leav-” “We don’t have time to argue! GO!" before Twilight could protest she felt her body teleported and then next thing she knew she was on the street outside, facing in the direction of Obtrillion’s hideout. She should go back! No-by the time she got back they would just argue and then they would die. She should run. If she ran, the assassins might chase after her instead of Obtrillion. Twilight took off at a headlong gallop, taking an indirect route towards the hideout as she tried to remain visible. It worked. She’d barely made it to the corner when a powerful blast of energy missed her by centimeters and shattered the wall behind her. The shockwave sent her skidding on her side with the air knocked out of her in a singular feat of agony. Dust was around her; in her eyes and in her lungs, the ravaged wall began collapsing onto her. It was too late to raise a shield; she had just enough time to clear her vision, to watch herself die, when there was another energy shield around her; and the silhouette of Obtrillion standing over her. The collapsing wall crumbled around Obtrillion's shield, and then another energy blast hit, shattering the shield as the blast deflected sideways, striking the next building over, and summoning a deluge of smaller rubble that showered over them. Without enough time to cast another shield, Obtrillion threw himself over Twilight, momentarily mindless of the indecency as he used himself to shelter and as much of her head and torso as he could. After the shower of gravel passed, Obtrillion returned fire and then rolled Twilight to her hooves. There was a teleport, and then another, with a third bringing them near the entrance to Obtrillion’s hideout, which they had come out earlier. “Zomar… didn’t make it.” panted Obtrillion, “Are you…all right?” Twilight stood, trying to get her bearings, struggling with the idea of gaining and losing a brother within minutes of each other; then she noticed a thin trickle of blood dripping down Obtrillion’s chin. Thinking Obtrillion must be cut on the other side of his face, she moved for a better look, and then let out a small scream. The entire right side of his face was caked in blood, flowing from an open wound through his mane. Obtrillion swayed for a moment and then collapsed onto his left side as his wounded left side, slick with blood, reflected the sun’s red glare like molten lead. He began coughing, struggling to remain conscious; “Fidora... she's... a healer.” As gently and quickly as she could, Twiilght wrapped Obtrillion in frantic telekinesis and galloped down the steps into the den. When Fidora saw Obtrillion, her eyes showed horror deeper than her own, but acted with professionalism astonishing for one so young. Sweeping them both into the master bedroom where Fidora asked Twilight to lay him down on the bed and then threw her out, saying she couldn’t work with her there. It all happened so fast that before Twilight knew what was happening she was standing outside of a locked door. For about thirty seconds there was nothing but silence, and then Twilight heard the operation begin in earnest. Twilight could do nothing but stand at a rigid attention; she knew something about shaman healing techniques, but only in theory. If a skilled Shaman treated a wound within minutes from infliction, they could deliver seemingly supernatural results; taking someone from the gates of death to complete recovery within an hour. Flesh was melted and welded together, without a scar, bones were frozen together without a fracture, and if the operating shaman made the slightest miscalculation in timing, dosage or administration, if the shaman fell for even the slightest distraction, it was over. Nineteen years ago, Twilight's husband had died in her arms and then she forgot about him. Now, not four meters away, her son was dying, and she was powerless to help him. Inside; Twilight heard Obtrillion groaning in pain; Fidora groaned with him, her breath coming in hard gasps as she almost seemed to cry. Maybe she was using some shamanic spell that split the pain between them, or maybe she just felt his pain as her own from the feelings they shared, but the situation was just as it had always been. Fidora was by Obtrillion’s side, sharing his pain and helping him, and Twilight was outside, useless just like she had always been! Twilight should be in there helping Fidora, but there was nothing she could do. Unicorn healing spells and Shamanic arts didn’t mix well, and when he was hurt, Obtrillion wanted Fidora to help him. He didn’t trust Twilight to there when he needed help, and why should he when she had never been there for him? After nineteen years she had finally found that she had a son, and now she was losing him on the same day. He was a thief, he was a con-artist, but that was just what he had been forced to become in order to survive. Underneath, he had a good heart and loved Fidora even though she was his slave, and that loved Twilight enough he was willing to die for her, even though he'd only just met her. She should have died for him! If Obtrillion was a criminal, it was her fault. Twilight had never been there, to teach him, to nurture him, to keep him safe. If his father hadn't been murdered, if he hadn't been stolen from his mother Twilight was sure Obtrillion would have been honest. Obtrillion had made the best life he could with woefully inadequate materials, and Twilight wouldn’t let anyone condemn him for it. Inside the room Twilight could hear Fidora’s operation becoming more and more frantic, like she was trying to resuscitate him. Twilight almost ran in to share her son's final moments but if her interruption disrupted a critical moment of Fedora’s work and cost Obtrillion his life she would never forgive herself. Then, in a terrible moment, Fidora cried out his name in rapid succession, “Obtrin! Obtrin! Obtrin! Obtrin!” and then... all was silent. Twilight waited at the door, horrified that if she went in there, she would find Obtrillion dead from his wound, and Fidora slumped over him, dead of a broken heart. There was no movement, and Twilight wept. She’d killed him. If she’d never come to Timbucktoo, Obtrillion would still be alive. If she hadn’t made that stupid Cocient he would still be alive. If he hadn’t followed her, he would still be alive! Obtrillion had trusted her, loved her, and in return she'd led him to his death. The floor around Twilight became moist with tears, and then, the door opened and Obtrillion was standing there. He was standing weakly, as though he’d lost a lot of blood, but he was alive, and brimming with elation because of it. Twilight took several moments to be sure she wasn't just seeing things then threw her hooves around her son's neck, drawing him into a deep embrace. Behind Obtrillion, Twilight saw Fidora, positively glowing with satisfaction. “Thank you!” she sobbed “Thank you for saving him.” “It was my pleasure” Fidora smiled peacefully. Twilight's had lost her friends, her family and her country. She had her son. She had missed every day of his life before now, but now she had found him and wanted to spend whatever was left of her life knowing him. If sharing his life meant leaving Equestria, and living on the run with him as a criminal; then so be it. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… Obtrillion crouched at the door beside Twilight, listening to the voices inside; he was certain that the Equish one was Mute Wind; the Zaharren one… sounded like Zomar. His presence here surprised and disturbed Obtrillion, he thought he’d found everyone from that family. Obtrillion amplified the doubts in Twilight’s mind to make her hesitate, and listened; as a patiently exasperated Mute Wind, ordered the Zomar to at least read Shining Armor’s side of the story even if he didn’t believe it. Zomar flatly refused. When he knocked on the door; Obtrillion felt Mute Wind’s surprise at the interference; when he saw Twilight, Obtrillion was able to take advantage of his shock. Obtrillion had never dealt with Mute Wind’s mind before, but was still found the trigger to amplify his natural panic; causing his need to protect Twilight from Zomar to eclipse all tact or reason. When Zomar was thrown to the floor, Obtrillion tackled Mute Wind, foregoing eleven different ways he could have killed him, and then let himself be knocked down. He fed more energy into Mute Winds combat trained reflexes, watched his lance descend upon him, and made sure Twilight saw it. As expected; she killed him. Obtrillion didn’t know if his mother had ever killed Equestrians before. He didn’t know what she would have done in normal circumstances; but here, she made an irrevocable decision to choose him over Equestria; and set the precedent that Obtrillion was worth killing for. During the conversation with Zomar; Obtrillion had to fight to keep quiet the part of Zomar’s mind that said this was all a trick by Shining Armor. Instead he focused his emotions on the loneliness and hatred he’d carried most of his life, and the hope that with Obtrillion and Twilight there, he would have a family again. As the conversation progressed, Obtrillion played with his memory verbal cortex; he couldn’t directly ‘control’ Zomar, but he could direct the focus of his subconscious mind to help choose which details of the massacre bubbled to his conscious mind, what order they came in, and most importantly, what phrasing Zomar used with each piece of information. Zomar however, would never have time to contemplate his bizarre choice of words. When he had told Twilight everything Obtrillion wanted her to hear; he reached out with his magic and grabbed several large pots he had seen on the roof of the hotel, on his way in. He shattered them, and rattled their shards across the roof. “Shhh!” he whispered, “Temple Assassins; they found me.” Zomar indicated his chains; Obtrillion swung towards Twilight, “Run to the hideout! I’ll be right behind you as soon as I get Zomar’s chains undone!” “No I’m not leav-” “We don’t have time to argue! GO!” Obtrillion teleported Twilight out of the room, and then turned to Zomar. He flipped his own mane over to fall on the left side, picked up Mute Wind’s lance and used it to slash three jagged lines across the left side of his uncle’s neck. As he used his magic to silence his uncle’s dying screams, he pressed the right side of his face against Zomar’s neck to get as much blood on himself as possible. As Zomar’s corpse dropped to the floor, Obtrillion glanced over the papers spread out over the back table; copies old family photo albums from when Twilight and Shining Armor were foals, a long heartfelt letter from Shining Armor to any member of Zomar’s family he might encounter and several other similar objects. Obtrillion burnt them all to ashes with a flick of his horn. Obtrillion knew the story behind his birth; Twilight didn’t and, for the moment, it needed to stay that way. Moments later, Obtrillion teleported to the roof of the hotel, saw Twilight as she made a dash for it, and shot her with a magic missile. It was a direct hit, only slightly grazing her back but shattering the wall behind her. As Twilight fell, Obtrillion launched a second missile, then teleported beside Twilight and summoned an energy shield just strong enough to break as he deflected his own attack Obtrillion threw himself over his mother to protect her from the rain of debris and then shot three energy blasts back at the hotel he had just been in, decimating the rooms around Mute Wind’s. He rolled Twilight to her hooves and cast several teleports, bringing them to the eve of one of the entrances to his hideout. “Zomar… didn't make it” he breathed, pretending to be hurt, “Are you... alright?” Obtrillion turned, allowing her to see his blood soaked right half and then collapsed, hyperventilating, “Obtrillion!” “Fidora... she's... a healer” he gasped as he convulsed and began flickering his eyes for theatrical effect. Obtrillion let his mother carry him into the sanctuary, during which he cast one final hex over her, enhancing the nature that resided in nearly all creatures, to interpret what she heard in the context of what she expected. As soon as Fidora shut the door Obtrillion sat up, took a wet towel from the water basin, wiped his face, tossed it on the floor and then turned to Fidora; whose bereft shock was quickly turning to intrigued amusement. “We need to make my mom think your performing frantic surgery to save my life.” He whispered, “Whatever we do, there should be a lot of heavy breathing, some moans and maybe even a few yelps might be appropriate.” He scooted over to the other side of the bed, “Do you have any ideas?” Chapter Fourteen >>> When Siblings Collide Chapter Seventeen >>> Slavegirl to Continue with Twilight