Chapter Five: The Trouble in Appleloosa and The Blacksmith’s Regret
“Can you keep a secret?” Comet nodded, unsure whether he should trust this man’s words. He couldn’t be dead, could he? “Alright! So, let me explain. You, my young friend, have or will have qualities that make a great hero. That’s why old man Death is keeping you here with me, in a state of limbo.”
“You mean I’m actually--!?”
“Ah-ah-ah, no. I just said you weren’t exactly dead. It’s more of a...near-death experience.” Emperor Starbirth stood once more, pacing back and forth around the room. “So, you say that Shadestone’s back.”
“That’s right.”
“Commanding legions of shadows, crushing everything in his path…”
“Not exactly legions. A small army, perhaps.”
“Arrogant attitude that just makes you want to lop his head off…”
“Yes! Exactly!”
“So overpowered that you lost to him in a matter of seconds.”
“I didn’t lose! This is just a minor setback!”
“THAT’S THE SPIRIT!” exclaimed the emperor. “That’s exactly the kind of drive that makes you my successor!” Starbirth grabbed at the sheathed sword on his hip and drew it before kneeling once more and presenting it to the blacksmith. “Do you know what this is?”
“It’s the Stardust Blade.” Comet reached for the emperor’s weapon, knowing full well that he’d be able to match Shadestone with it in hand. As he attempted to grip the hilt, his hand simply passed through it as if it were only an illusion.
“I’m afraid you won’t be able to take it with you, kiddo. I’m just what’s left of an ancient soul meant to guide you along the way.”
“So that means I’ll have to find the actual sword if I have any chance to drive him back.”
“Afraid so.” The emperor took his weapon back and sheathed it. “Listen to me. That girl who asked for your help? She’s going to ask for it again. I want you to join her and leave your home. It’s important that you say yes, but you can’t tell her you talked to me no matter what.”
“Can I at least ask why?”
“Because if word gets out that we’re still influencing our successors, he’ll hunt you down until the end of time. Even if he has to kill the rest of humanity before he gets to you.”
“But he’s already threatened to do that. That’s why I’m here.”
“And he’ll go through with it unless you and your new friends appear to be working without guidance.”
“Why are you even here? Isn’t there someone else more qualified.
“You’d like it if it was someone more capable, wouldn’t you?” Emperor Starbirth chuckled. “I’m asking you because it’s your job.”
“My job?”
“All that talk about you being my successor wasn’t a way to lighten the mood or give you false hope. You’re destined for great things, Comet Blade. Your father would be proud, I’m sure.”
The blacksmith was still doubtful of the emperor’s words. “What if you’re wrong?”
“Who, me? I’m never wrong!” he replied with a hearty laugh. “Well alright, I admit I was wrong about that chimera when I was seventeen, but only my wife can say that. Anyway!” Starbirth clasped his hands together and gave Comet a doting smile. “I wouldn’t have reached out to you from across the veil if I wasn’t sure.” Emperor Starbirth turned around to face the image again, smiling the entire time.
Comet himself studied it carefully. “Astra Starbirth.”
“Quite a woman, isn’t she? I’ve watched over her, you know. Ruling our empire all by herself. She never wanted to remarry.”
“She looks a lot like Twilight…”
“And I see you’ve got my good looks.” It took a second before the emperor assumed what Comet meant, facing him and laughing nervously. “Don’t worry, you two aren’t related at all if that’s what you’re thinking! Astra and I were both the only child in our families and we never left an heir!”
Comet had a surprised and embarrassed look on his face at the emperor’s outburst. “I was just commenting on the similarities! You’re the one jumping to conclusions!”
“Next time, be clear on what you meant instead of leaving me to fill in the blanks!” The chamber echoed with new voices, leaving both men silent. Starbirth stood up and walked toward the blacksmith, placing both hands on his shoulders. “Alright champ, looks like you’re up. We’ll be in touch.”
“No, wait!”
It’s been a day and a half since Shadestone reappeared in Arpeggio. The group was only an hour away from the town of Appleloosa, if Braeburn’s constant talk about home held true. Twilight was busy reading yet another book, this time on the history of the founders. Comet was deep in thought about his conversation with Emperor Starbirth.
“We’ll stay in touch, huh?”
“Did you say something?” Twilight asked.
“No, just thinking out loud.”
Twilight merely shrugged and flipped through the pages of her textbook. The blacksmith looked over to her side of the wagon, noticing the Astral Wand in her bag.
“Hey, when the regent handed the wand to you, did something happen?”
“Something like what?” Twilight placed her book down and picked up another, flipping to a bookmarked page.
“Remember what I told you that day in the workshop? The miner that was found injured in his home?”
“You’re asking if I experienced anything like it, right?”
“Did you?”
The scholar shook her head, then reached for the wand with her bare hand. Flicking it toward the back of the wagon, she fired off a few spells with ease before storing it again. “No matter how long I hold it or what the strength of the spell I cast happens to be, it doesn’t seem to respond.”
“Could it be his lack of spell knowledge?” Comet knew exactly what it meant. Twilight Sparkle was possibly a successor to Empress Astra.
“Or perhaps it’s the wand’s defense mechanism. It would make sense if the miner that found it wasn’t a spellcaster.”
“Defense mechanism?”
“There’s a reason why treasure hunting isn’t as popular as mercenary work or monster slaying.” She handed him an old tome which he opened to a bookmarked page immediately. “There’s an excerpt on warded objects in this book. It mentions how certain individuals place so much importance on their belongings that they imbue it with a piece of their own essence.”
“Meaning only they or someone like them can even hope to handle it.”
“Exactly. Now, let’s talk artifacts.” She sidled over to Comet’s side of the wagon, taking a seat next to the blacksmith. “Hope you don’t mind. The cider crates on that side and my luggage leave very little room to move around. Here.” She unfurls an old scroll, laying it flat on the wagon floor. On it, a drawing of six weapons arranged in a circle around a figure of a man.
“This reminds me of the story my old man’s always retelling. The sealing of Shadestone.”
“I’m glad you’re already familiar with it.” Twilight pointed to one of the magic-based weapons depicted. The wand. “This one here is the Astral Wand, which we already have. And these…” She moved over to the staff and bow. “The Rod of Light and Bow of the Night Huntress.”
“Any idea where we might find them?”
Twilight giggled at his response. “We could try the Canterlot royal vault. They’ve been stored there since the days of Radiance and Nocta.”
“Then that just leaves three more: the Axe of Gaia, the Stardust Blade, and the Shell of Darkness.”
As the two continued to pour over texts and maps, Applejack watched them discreetly through the gap in the covered wagon’s cloth. Braeburn, able to hear them as well, couldn’t help but chuckle at their exchange.
“Sounds like those two are makin’ a fast friendship, wouldn’t ya say?”
Applejack faced forward and took over the reins for Braeburn. “Ah think it’s because they’re plum stressed.”
“Right, right. Ah heard ‘bout the little lady’s big day. How’s she handlin’ it?”
“Like anyone else would. She simply can’t believe it, but at the same time she’s worried ‘bout messin’ up.”
“Well, it ain’t everyday that Equestria crowns a new princess. What with Princess Cadence rulin’ the Crystal Empire, what better time than now?” Braeburn takes a peek inside the wagon, Comet and Twilight still discussing their matters. “What’s eatin’ that feller, though?”
“Ya mean apart from leavin’ his home?” Applejack nudged the reins before continuing. “Everything, cus. Heck, you were even there.”
“Maybe, but ya sound like he’s got more’n just that worryin’ ‘im.”
“Ah don’t think it’s the truth, but that varmint Shadestone what caused everything says his pa’s kicked the bucket. Not only that, but Ah saw him bein’ brought in by them doctors. Must’ve had a run-in with ‘him.”
“Sounds rough. Think he’ll get over it?”
“Ah sure hope so, Brae. He could be the last o’ his family, fer all he knows.”
Braeburn looked into the covered wagon once more before pulling out a bottle of cider. “Least he’s got the little lady for company.”
“Appleloosa!” exclaimed Braeburn. “End o’ the line!”
Finally arriving at Braeburn’s hometown, the group disembarks the wagon and stretches their legs. Twilight packed her research notes before Comet and Applejack get to work on unloading the cider while Braeburn leads the oxen back into a nearby holding pen.
Comet is still clearly worried about the events that night in Arpeggio. Stopping the farmhand before she grabbed another crate, he sat on the edge of the covered wagon and asked. “What exactly happened back in Arpeggio? Did the city soldiers manage to imprison Shadestone?”
“Ah’m afraid no one knows, sugar cube”, she replied. “That slippery son of a gun gave everyone the slip. Ain’t no one seen hide nor hair. Them creatures with him left soon as he did, too.”
“Alright. Thanks anyway.” He jumped back down and grabbed another crate along with the farmhand and continued unloading.
“Hmm, that’s odd.” Braeburn surveyed the street, but it was too quiet for such a lively town. “Hey AJ, what time d’ya reckon we got here?”
“Should be close ta noon right ‘bout now. What’s--” The farmhand stopped short as she noticed the same thing as her cousin. “Now that ain’t right. Where’s everybody?”
On the other side of the street, a door opens. A man steps out onto the road before facing the occupant. “Now remember, keep the doors locked at night unless one of the sheriff’s deputies knock.” The man, clearly being law enforcement, made his way down the road toward the group. “As I live and breathe. Braeburn, is that you?”
“Howdy, Sheriff Silverstar!” The sheriff and Braeburn greeted each other with a handshake.
“I thought you and your cousin were deliverin’ cider, but it seems you came back with double the crew.”
“Oh, right! This here’s Twilight Sparkle. Purdy sure ya met durin’ them nomads’ stampede ‘cross town. And this feller here…” He grabbed Comet by the shoulder and led him to the sheriff. “Is Comet Blade. He’s from Arpeggio, the las’ town AJ and Ah stopped by.”
“I see”, the sheriff replied sternly. “Seems like we’re not the only ones thinkin’ of evacuation.”
Braeburn gave the sheriff a confused look. “Evacuation? What in tarnation’s goin’ on?”
“There were rumors that changelings have been raiding the outlying ranches and farms for quite some time now. I didn’t think they were true, up until last night.”
“Was anything important damaged or taken?” Twilight asked, ready to take notes on possible collateral.
“A general store near the edge of town and maybe a bushel or two from the apple orchard. No one was hurt, thankfully. At least not yet.”
“When’d this happen, sheriff?”
“About a couple of nights ago. They just came out of nowhere, almost as if they blended into the shadows of the trees over yonder.”
“That doesn’t sound like any changelings we’ve faced. Applejack, Comet, a word please.” The trio moved behind the wagon, leaving the other two alone.
Sheriff Silverstar pulled Braeburn aside, away from earshot of the other three. “Listen, Brae. You and your friends would be doing me a great help if you lend a hand to the volunteers patrolling at night. Is there any chance…?”
“Say no more, sheriff. Ah’m sure they’d be glad ta help.” He looked back at the wagon, the other three still out of sight. “Matter o’ fact, Ah think that’s what they’re plannin’.”
Comet crossed his arms and faced the two women. “Blending into shadows. Does that sound familiar to either of you?”
“Ya mean like what happened ta yer home?” Applejack scratched her head. “Ah don’t think it’s them, sugar cube. Sheriff himself said it was changelins.”
“I thought the same thing about the dead that rose in Arpeggio. ‘These are people’, ‘I know him’, ‘I know her”, I can keep going with this all day Applejack.”
“Not to mention it happened two nights ago, the same timeframe as Shadestone’s arrival.” Twilight gripped the wand in her bag. “I haven’t said anything about it, but ever since he appeared, the wand’s been...whispering to me.”
“I thought you said nothing was happening” chimed Comet.
“Nothing WAS happening. It just whispers. I don’t know what it’s saying either, almost as if it’s speaking in a dead language.” Twilight released the wand and opened the book in her other hand. “It doesn’t give any specific details, but some of the ancient texts describe each of the artifacts reacting in different ways whenever something threatens them.”
“What does this have ta do with changlins in Appleloosa?”
“We know for a fact that half of the artifacts have been missing for millennia. Remember what we discussed on the way here? We know that the Rod of Light and Bow of the Night Huntress are in Canterlot and the Stardust Blade is in possession of Uchu’s current empress, but that still means three of the artifacts are missing. Or at least, three WERE lost. The Astral Wand was recovered from that miner by your regent, though that still means two others are unaccounted for. That means that the leader of the changelings, Queen Chrysalis, has one of those two.”
Comet scratched his chin for a moment before adding, “Then it must be the Shell of Darkness.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Does a raiding party blending into shadows sound like something an earthen axe would do? It’s either Shadestone, which isn’t the case since the town would’ve been razed to the ground by now, or it’s someone with the Shell that has SOME knowledge on its use.”
“Y’all thinkin’ what Ah’m thinkin’?”
Both the blacksmith and scholar looked at each other before turning toward Applejack. “Nighttime patrol?”
Evening starting to creep on Appleloosa as the street lanterns came on. The few townsfolk that dared venture outside their homes started making their way back, scared of what they may face should they be caught outdoors. The ranchers began to lead their livestock into their respective barns, all except for one visitor.
A young seraphi woman in a long yellow dress stepped out of the holding pen near the edge of town. Closing the gate behind her, she waved at the ranchers and the animals inside. Some of them appreciated the gesture and waved in return while the animals stomped their hooves, almost as if they understood her.
“I’ll see you next month, Cranky” she said to a rather elderly mule. “Try not to chew on anyone else’s hair while I’m gone, alright?” The creature simply took a mouthful of hay from the feeding trough, but flapped its ears as if it understood her.
Making her way back to the inn, she began humming a calming tune. Walking along the fence of the pen, a couple of calves heard her song and followed her along the perimeter. As she noticed them, she went from a simple hum to outwardly vocalizing, her soothing voice causing the calves to moo along with her.
Giggling at their cries, she reached through the fence and patted them both on the head. “Now now, little ones should be getting their sleep. It’s almost bedtime.” She continued on her way, this time materializing her wings and letting the gentle winter breeze lift her from the ground. She danced in the air for a solid minute before softly landing back on the path.
“That’s a pretty song you sang there”, said a voice. “And a nice little dance to go with it too!”
The young woman quickly spun around, spooked by the sudden voice. There was no one in sight, but she was still frightened of what might be there.
“Aww, I think you scared her” said another. “We don’t want to traumatize the poor girl, do we?”
“I think we do.”
The shadows cast by the nearby buildings moved about on their own, covering the path in front of the woman entirely. Two figures rose from the darkness and took a step toward her, becoming more detailed with each passing second.
A clawed, human-like hand reached for her as the figures approached, their faces finally visible. Staring back at her were two pairs of eyes, slitted pupils focusing on her. “Now girly, come with us quietly. Otherwise, who knows what’ll happen?”
The young woman, terrified out of her wits, kept stepping backwards. As she was cornered, she took a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs.
“AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!”
Dusk approached as the blacksmith accompanied the farmhand on patrol around Appleloosa. The pair have been quiet since leaving Braeburn’s home, leaving Twilight behind as she studied more on the artifacts.
“So why’d we leave Twi behind?” Comet asked after a few minutes of silence. “Seems counterproductive if we wanted eyes on this patrol.”
“Ah wanted ta know how yer doin’”, she replied. “Ya know, ‘bout the stuff ya told me while Twi was asleep.”
“Is that all?” he returned. “I’m doing fine, really.”
“Oh, cut the tough guy act already.” She got ahead of him and faced him, crossing her arms and matching each of his steps with a backwards step of her own. “Ah don’t know what kind of life ya led ‘fore we met, but Ah want the honest truth.”
He kept his mouth shut, intent on walking faster to make her back off. She managed to keep up and stare at him the entire way.
“Comet…” she said in firmer voice.
“You want the truth? Alright, I’ll give you the truth. I’m on what seems more and more like a suicide mission the more I think about it with two, maybe three people from a foreign land that have nothing to do with it all because some ancient demon wizard, or whatever the hell he is, decided to rain brimstone on the only place I’ve ever known. Not only that, but most of the people I know are rotting in a mass grave while my father is missing, possibly adding to the body count in that grave while I wrack my brains trying to figure out if he’s alive or not.”
“See? Now don’t that feel--”
“And let’s not forget that now I’m playing nightwatchman for a town that looks and feels nothing like home only because I feel obligated to the people that helped save me from a similar fate as the folks back in Arpeggio, probably too afraid to step outside of their own homes out of fear of being infected with the same disease that took my mother and made my father’s life hell.”
“Alright, settle down, sugar cube. No need ta--”
“Oh! Not to mention that I’m patrolling while at the same time pouring my thoughts out to someone who asked for complete honesty, someone who I’ve never met up until three nights ago, as if we’ve been buds for years. Also! Also, there’s the fact that some ancient emperor nutcase visits me each night telling me that I’m destined for great things, be a champion for an entire planet of mindless assholes in seats of power doing nothing more than bicker amongst themselves. In fact, why don’t we add the fact that this booksmart girl reminds me what it’s like to love another human being that isn’t already part of my family? Toss in the fact that I will never live life the way I intended again no thanks in part to these sequence of events!”
Applejack kept quiet, not wanting to stop Comet from letting out his frustration. All she could do is walk along with him while he vented.
“I just wanted to live a normal life. Grow up normal, be a blacksmith, inherit the workshop, meet a nice girl to bring home to the family, then live peacefully until my time on this planet was up.” He kicked up a patch of dirt on the path as he finished. “I never asked for…” He gestured to the buildings surrounding the path. “This.”
Applejack stopped in her tracks and reached out to the blacksmith. Stopping him as well, he looked up and was greeted by a smile. “Finally got it all outta yer system?” Comet opened his mouth to say something in protest, but closed it again a second later and nodded. “Good. Now listen here, bad things happen ta good people more’n you think. Ya ain’t the only one, sugar cube.” She playfully punched him on the shoulder. “Just keep yer chin up. Who knows, maybe ya will get ta meet that nice girl. And as far as knowin’ each other goes, ya wouldn’t be on this trip with us if Twi didn’t trust ya. That’s good enough fer me, too.”
“I don’t know what to say other than thanks”, he added.“Do me a favor?”
“Sure thing, pardner.”
“Don’t tell Twilight.”
The farmhand chuckled at his request, crossing her heart as a gesture of promise. “Ah won’t. Promise.”
“AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!”
The two were startled by the sudden scream, whipping their heads in the direction it came from.
“That sounded like it came from the holdin’ pens. C’mon!”