//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: Onyx Skies // by SupaSqueegee //------------------------------// Light from a small candle cast itself over the small room, illuminating the table in the center and the few other bits of furniture within. A tall, brutish looking unicorn stood off to the side, seemingly lost in his own thoughts as a soft breeze blew in from the window, making the candle’s flame flicker harshly. He wore a simple enough travel cloak, his alabaster hooves muddy from the journey with only hints of his equally white fur to be seen beneath the edges of the brown cloak. He was content to wait, just as he’d done so many times in the past, knowing they only ever called him in when circumstances were dire and there was no other pony who could be trusted to handle a particular task. This seemed to be no exception. He’d received a scroll three nights prior, delivered to his residence in Canterlot by one the organization’s many unknown agents, and had rushed to the disclosed meeting place as quickly as he could, leaving his guard detail with little more than a vague recollection of him thanks to a well placed memory spell. When he had arrived that morning, he had been escorted to the rather dismal room and told to wait for further instruction. That had been nearly eight hours ago. The door opened, the soft creak of worn hinges signaling the entrance of another. “I see you arrived faster than expected. You’re doing much better at responding to my summons.” The unicorn turned and nodded quietly to the other, but made no further move to approach. The mysterious figure pulled back the hood of his jet black cloak, revealing a wave of solid white mane, and an equally pale palette of fur. A scar ran from his chin, down his neck and chest. “I suppose you’re wondering why I brought you here, hm?” After a consenting nod, the scarred unicorn continued, “Very well. Your time to wait is over.” The white glow of magic pulled back the hood of the traveler, revealing a striking blue mane and a chiseled visage. “What is it you want, Damascus? You know it’s difficult enough to hide my identity from the guard without being pulled away like this. I’m starting to fear they’re onto me as it is!” The stallion stepped forward, moving to the table with barely concealed contempt in his features. “It’s already straining enough keeping tabs on the various ponies you ask, you know. And having to leave the patrol while near the griffon kingdom to come here wasn’t particularly easy.” Damascus merely nodded and set a forehoof on the table, straightening out the map a little as the other spat his words. “I trust that you’ll be back to your regular duties in a timely manner. This shouldn’t be too much of an issue with your skills, after all.” The older unicorn pulled his hoof down from the table and cast his steely blue eyes back to the other, “You are to hunt down Swift Shield’s wife and her two companions. They’ve made it into the dragon territories, after killing the last agent I sent after them. You’ll have whatever resources you need for this mission, the same as always. They do, however, have a three day headstart on you, though I doubt that will make much of a difference.” The unicorn nodded, “Very well, consider it done.” He drew his hood back over his brow, the garment casting enough shadow to conceal his features before a distinct aura of white magic surrounded him. A moment later, he was gone, and Damascus was left alone in the room once more. A smile sliced across his face as he turned and left the room. He hated coming to places like this. Dives were the common name for them, he believed, and they were bad enough in Equestria. But in the dragon territories? They were even worse. From what he could see of the hobbled building from the outside, this was quite possibly the lowest of what the territories could offer. Thick billows of smoke rose up from a stone chimney set off to the side, and a cacophony of noises, from raucous laughter to bellowed brutality, could be heard coming from within. It didn’t help that it stood as massive as any castle from his homeland, either. It made sense to him, though. After all, it had to be large enough to house several dragons at a time. After casting a spell around himself, one that would, hopefully, keep the beasts’ aggression towards him to a minimum, he made his way inside. Luckily the door to the establishment was already open, and so he was able to make it in easily enough. There were at least half a dozen of the large beasts around the place, either hunched over the bar, or sitting off in various shadowy corners. Not a one looked towards him as he ventured around. He was about to shrug off the tip he’d been given, thinking it another false lead, when he saw the one he was looking for off to the far side of the bar. It was a dragon, pitch black in color, and much smaller in comparison to the other brutes around the place. He was only half a length longer and taller than the average pony, though the air about him hardly suggested weakness. Even the other dragons, whom easily stood over ten times his height, avoided him. The only exception to this was the bartender, who occasionally brought him a drink. As the unicorn approached, he couldn’t help but find it slightly humorous that the smaller beast was sitting on the bar instead of around it like his brethren. “I don’t care who you are or what you want, pony, but I’m not interested.” The dragon hadn’t even cast his eyes down to the stallion as he was approached. With more determination than was probably healthy for him, the unicorn levitated himself up and set down on the bar, his hooves clicking softly on the wooden surface. In a blur of movement, faster than he could follow, the dragon had a blade pressed against his throat. “I thought I said I didn’t care?” The unicorn merely tugged his hood back with a bit of magic, and met the dragon’s fierce yellow gaze. “I think you might be interested, considering the amount of gold that I’m willing to offer.” The dragon considered this for a moment, then smirked and pulled the blade away from the pony’s throat, sheathing it back into his belt a moment later. “Thank you.” A hoof was brought up to his throat, and when he pulled away there was a small line of blood from where the blade had made contact. “You’re a mercenary, and from the rumors I’ve heard, you’re the best in the territories. You’re discreet and efficient, which is why I have need of your talents.” The dragon rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, you’ve got enough of that right, I suppose. Though I can’t help but wonder who’s been talking about me?” The dragon’s voice was raspy and dark, and the laugh that followed was equally such. “Though I suppose it hardly matters. It’s obvious you’ve come a long way, little pony. Why don’t you go ahead and save us both some time and tell me what it is that you want done, hm? We can discuss price later.” A bit of magic sparked at the point of the unicorn’s horn. What insolence! A lower creature such as this speaking to him that way? He kept his composure, though, and continued on as if the offence hadn’t been noticed. “Very well. There are three illegal ponies traipsing about the edge of the territories. A pegasus, a unicorn, and an earth pony. I want them dealt with.” He took a step closer and lowered his voice, “The pay will be high, of course. Your weight in gold plus a bit extra. The only stipulation to this is that I have to accompany you. This is something that I must see done with my own two eyes.” The dragon cocked a scaly brow and let out a snort. “You have to come with me, eh? If we’re going to the outskirts, and I have to track this trio, then I can’t promise your safety. I hope you’re capable of defending yourself with that fancy bone on your forehead.” “I’m well enough equipped, yes.” “You’re awful eager to get your hooves wet, aren’t you?” The dragon leaned forward and snarled, revealing his teeth just inches from the muzzle of his company. “Look, I know who you are and what you stand for. What in the name of Tartarus makes you think I’m going to help you? You’d rather kill me than look at me, and frankly, I feel the same about you.” The stallion furrowed his brow and leered right back. “I could give two apples what you think about me. The job is simple enough, and the pay is rather generous. I didn’t think mercenaries had such a high moral code. Are you in or not?” The dragon rolled his eyes and pulled back. “Give me a night to think about it, fancy hooves. Come find me here tomorrow and I’ll give you my answer.” Just like that, the dragon turned and focused on his drink once more, apparently quite done with the conversation! The unicorn, his rage already barely being held in check, stomped a hoof on the bar. His magic flared into action, and the dragon suddenly found himself face to blade of a spear made entirely of white magic. “I’ve played enough of your games. We need to leave.” The blade poked forward threateningly. “Now.” The dragon merely scoffed and cast his eyes back to the pony, and it was then that the stallion noticed every pair of eyes in the establishment were on him, and not a single noise was made. “You’re a gutsy one, displaying your magic like that. You do know that we dragons have a higher tolerance to magic than most species, right? That little spell of yours that you cast before you came inside didn’t work. The only reason you weren’t torn to pieces the moment you came in was because I was mildly curious.” In another flash, the dragon had moved from the unicorn’s line of sight, leaving the stallion staring blankly where he had been a moment ago. He blinked, then felt the presence of the mercenary beside him. When he whirled around, the tip of the dragon’s blade lodged itself under the hook of his jaw. “You’ve got spunk. So yeah, I think I’ll accept your little job. The name’s Jet.” Another day had passed for the trio, and they were in the process of setting up camp in the seemingly endless forest. Vertigo, in particular, was starting to get more than a little restless at their apparent lack of progress. “We’ve been trouncing through this damned forest for three days now,” she spat, glaring at the trees in front of her as if they were to blame. “Are we ever going to make it out of here?” She cast her gaze to Starshine who was in the process of gathering dry wood for a small fire. “This is a big forest, Vertigo.” He shook his head and stopped what he was doing, looking up at her and meeting her eyes. “From what I can understand of Mammoth, we’ve still got a bit before we reach the end.” Mammoth grunted and Starshine turned his head to him. The earth pony pointed to the east of them and shook his head, then motioned in a big arc in the direction they were heading. “Apparently we’re going to be coming up on something soon.” Mammoth walked over to them, pulled a roll of parchment and a pencil from his saddlebag, and began to scrawl something on it. Vertigo and Starshine moved a bit closer so they could get a better look. When he was done, Mammoth stepped back and pointed a hoof at what he had written. Starshine levitated it up and read it, then grimaced visibly. “He said there’s a rather large swamp up ahead, full of some rather nasty things.” He floated the parchment back over to Mammoth, who took it and stuffed it back into his bag. “Things that make the hydras in the Everfree look calm. So long as we avoid the eastern end of the swamp, though, we should be able to make it through without much of a problem.” The next day was just as slow as the previous, and Vertigo was starting to wonder just how dangerous this forest could be. They had been traveling through it for almost a week and they hadn’t come across a single danger since they'd arrived. If anything, Vertigo was starting to grow more anxious. Miles and miles of forest lay behind them, and even though they were finally coming to the edge, it still felt like they had made little progress. Sometime after noon they came across the first tellings of the swamp. The ground was starting to grow softer, the dank smell of fetid water filled their senses, and a heavy fog was settling around their hooves. The further they pushed on, the more their footing became unsure. Their hooves sank into the muck, and the cold water rushed around them with each step. Even the soft sounds of nature began to fade away, replaced by an eerie silence that was occasionally broken by splashes off in the distance. The farther in they managed to get, the more Vertigo felt uncomfortable. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them, studying them, like a predator would its prey. What was even more disturbing was the stench of sulfur that mingled with the smell of the swamp. She could only guess that they were getting closer and closer to the dragon territories. Mammoth stopped them after they had walked for nearly an hour in the swamp, bringing a hoof up and looking about cautiously. Starshine moved up to Vertigo’s side, and the tip of his horn began to spark with magic. “What is it?” Vertigo asked in a low tone, “Is something out there?” Starshine nodded, and Vertigo watched his features harden. She hadn’t noticed anything, other than the eerie feel of the place. But she didn’t have the training that both Starshine and Mammoth did, and if they said something was out there, then she was going to believe them. Everything changed in that next moment, the stillness of the swamp erupted into a clash of steel, hooves, and spells whizzing through the air. Vertigo was at a loss as to what was actually happening, flashes of black and blurs of white magic all she could really make out in the sudden chaos. Mammoth grunted and seemed to phase in and out of the fog around them, the bursts of movement making it swirl high enough to cover them. Starshine called out in fury and sent bolts of his own magic hurtling into the fog and surrounding brush, aiming for their attacker with each mighty burst. Vertigo was in a daze, watching as the two stallions fought for their lives against these unknown assailants. From the constant slinging of spells from Starshine and the other unicorn, whom she still hadn’t spotted, to the fearsome clash of Mammoth and whatever sort of beast that had been sent after them, she heard the calls of their attackers through the din of battle, and soon the smell of blood rose to her nostrils. Her eyes went wide before she ducked down, unsure of what she could possibly do in such a situation. Starshine had moved a few feet away from her, and Mammoth was darting in and out of the fog directly in front of her. Her eyes still couldn’t make out what it was he was fighting, but the glint of steel in the dim light was definitely recognizable. “Starshine! What do I do?!” She looked around for him desperately, only to see him running towards her a moment later. “We have to go! Now!” Starshine grabbed Vertigo by the scruff of her neck and shoved her in front of him, pushing with body as he cast a protective shield over them. The white flares of magic bounced off the shield as they ran, each one cracking the barrier threateningly. They kicked up mud and muck as they fled, hooves growing ever more splattered with grime by their hurried retreat, bolts of magic arcing wider and wider around them as they ran. “Wait! What about Mammoth?” Vertigo tried to dig her hooves into the soft earth, but Starshine kept pushing her ahead regardless. “He’s strong! He’ll catch up to us when he can!” His breathing was harsh and ragged, and she could see streaks of blood across his flanks and shoulders. Foam was forming at the corners of his mouth, and the sweat under his saddlebags was turning white as well as he continued to push them forward. “We just have to keep moving!” Vertigo nodded and pulled away from him enough so that she could run on her own, and she pushed herself as hard and fast as she could. She could still hear the cacophony of battle being fought behind them, and even as the sound started to fade with the growing distance between them, she couldn’t help but to worry about their guide. They fled for over an hour, then two, and when the third was finally creeping up on them Starshine brought them to a stop. The swamp around them had grown darker, and the brush had grown thicker. At least where they were before, she could see bits of sunlight coming down. She didn’t have that luxury here, and she doubted they would be able to see more than a few feet ahead of them at a time if it wasn’t for Starshine’s horn illuminating the area. The smell of fetid water was even stronger here, and there was a deep silence that gripped at Vertigo’s chest. This place wasn’t somewhere she particularly wanted to be. “We’re in the Eastern area of the swamp, aren’t we?” She backed up a little and then turned to Starshine, who merely nodded. “Yeah. It was the only way we could go to lose them properly, whoever they were.” Starshine motioned to a small clearing to their left, where the ground was high enough that it was mostly out of the water. “We’ll wait here for Mammoth. He’ll find us.” Once they reached the small rise of earth, Starshine let the light from his horn darken to the point where it was just a small glow. Vertigo didn’t question this, she knew better than that. If something were to see the light, it would grow curious and come to investigate, and if what she felt about this area of the swamp was right then that was the last thing she wanted. A deep chill was settling into the air, and the moisture in her fur was causing her to shiver. Without thinking twice about it, she scooted over to Starshine and pressed her body against his. He wordlessly accepted this, and continued to cast his eyes about the darkness of the swamp around them. The hours ticked by, and the darkness of the swamp around them only became more oppressive. The day was coming to an end, and Vertigo had just about given up hope of Mammoth returning when the lurking earth pony seemed to materialize out of the fog to their right. She only had a brief moment of relief before she noticed the many wounds adorning his body. There were long gashes along his shoulders and barrel, and blood ran from various cuts along the rest of his form. She rushed over to him immediately as he came to rest on the small island with them. He sank to his haunches with a soft grunt, and Vertigo wasted no time in pulling out bandages from her saddlebag in an effort to get him cleaned up. Starshine moved over with them and helped with what he could, using his magic to wipe at the wounds and clean them out as best he could. Mammoth just sat there, his gaze focused on the direction he’d just come from as they worked. He was silent as ever, and Vertigo couldn’t help but wonder how he could endure the pain of his wounds. “That was a dragon.” Starshine and Vertigo both froze when they heard their traveling companion speak, looking up at him with no small amount of confusion. “A mercenary. One that I’ve had encounters with before. We’re lucky to have escaped with our lives.” He looked back down to the two of them, his features stoic and emotionless. Vertigo shook her head, “A dragon?” She cast her eyes back in the direction they’d come from as well, her confusion only deepening. “That doesn’t make sense. I thought they were a lot bigger than that?” Starshine merely sighed and went back to work on Mammoth’s wounds. “They usually are. But, just like ponies, they have different sub races. I can’t say that I’ve ever personally heard of one that small, but there’s nothing we can do about it now.” He looked back up to Mammoth and furrowed his brow, “Why are you talking now? What’s going on, Mammoth?” The red earth pony sighed and looked back out into the fog. “Because things have changed.” He pulled away from them and stood, making his way to the edge of the small mound of earth they were on. “The rumors you heard about me were false. I wasn’t attacked by timberwolves back then, but by a cult of unicorns that followed some misguided belief that the only magical race in the world should be ponies.” He looked back to them and shook his head. “I was sent by Princess Celestia to investigate the Castle of the Two Sisters because we had gathered information that this cult was holed up there. I had the most specialized training, so I was the one that was sent. When I arrived, I was ambushed.” “I managed to take a number of them out, but the majority escaped. When I returned to Canterlot, I was debriefed by Celestia herself. She decided to let the rumor spread that I had left the guard after being attacked by timberwolves.” A light smirk pulled across his lips, then. “She ordered me to investigate this cult the best I could. And so I did. I spent years tracking them down across Equestria and the territories. I could never pin them down, but I learned a good bit about them in the process.” He motioned around them with a hoof, “It’s why I know so much about the dragon territories. Anyway, from the information that I've gathered, these unicorns believe that Starswirl the Bearded wanted the only magical life in the world to be ponies. They use examples of him banishing creatures to other universes as their mantra. Since they can’t banish these races themselves, they hope to instigate a war with the other races so that the Princess will banish them.” He stopped there for a moment, and looked pointedly at Vertigo. “When I found out about you wanting to leave to find your husband, I brought it up to Celestia. I thought Swift Shield’s disappearance might somehow be related to this cult, even though they haven’t shown any activity in years. She agreed, and ordered me to offer my services to Starshine. I wasn’t sure about what we were up against until they tried to kill you in the border town. But this? They’ve recruited the help of one of the most powerful dragons in the territories. He’s a mercenary by the name of Jet, and he’s not one to be taken lightly.” Mammoth shook his head, “I thought that the attempt at your life in the border town was just a fluke, that they might just be trying to keep ponies out of the dragon territories. But this proves that they know who you are, and what you’re trying to do.” He held up a hoof to silence the question Vertigo was about to ask. “I don’t know what they’ve done with your husband, but we need to find him soon. For now, though, we need to rest. We can’t go back the way we came, so we’re going to have to press forward from here in the morning.” Vertigo stood and walked over to the larger pony, meeting his eyes as she did. “Why didn’t you tell us?” When he didn’t say anything, Vertigo brought a hoof up and slammed it against his chest. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, her body shuddering from the silent sobs. “Why? I thought he might be dead! I’ve been tearing myself up inside this whole time. Why, Mammoth?” When he didn’t reply, Starshine came over and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “I’m sure he has his reasons. Let’s just get some rest.” He cast his eyes to Mammoth, then shook his head and guided Vertigo over so she could lay down. “I’ll take first watch. You should get some sleep, too.” And with that, he stepped into the fog and vanished from sight. Mammoth laid down where he was and closed his eyes. Vertigo fell asleep after a while, her mind racing over the different scenarios her husband could be facing right now. She didn’t stop crying until she finally managed to drift off to sleep. “What do you mean we’re camping here for the night?” Jet rolled his eyes and continued his preparations of the camp, “Look, you don’t know this area like I do. The part of the swamp they fled into is extremely dangerous, especially at night. I can navigate it easily enough, but you wouldn’t be able to.” The dragon smirked and looked over his shoulder at the cloak clad unicorn, “Unless you just want to die. But then I wouldn’t get paid, so let’s not argue, hm?” The unicorn bristled visibly and took a threatening step towards the dragon. Jet merely went back to focusing on getting the fire lit and setting out his meal for the night. The unicorn couldn’t believe the nerve of the beast! Speaking to him in that manner. If they were in Equestria… but they weren’t. So for now, it was best to do as advised. Jet wouldn’t have to be tolerated long. “We wouldn’t be having this problem if you hadn’t let them escape.” Jet snorted and stabbed a slice of meat with his dagger, putting it over the fire and occasionally rotating it with small turns of his wrist. “If I hadn’t? And here I thought I wasn’t alone in that fight.” He snorted again, “Besides, that earth pony is a lot stronger than I thought. More resourceful, too. We’re going to have to be more careful the next time we go after them.” The slab of meat was pulled from the fire and Jet took a large bite from the smoking protein. “I’d dare say that he’s almost as skilled as I am.” The rest of the chunk was tossed into the back of his mouth, and he spent a few moments chewing before he swallowed and looked back to the unicorn. “That unicorn she has with her is fairly powerful as well. I know that your organization wouldn’t send a rookie on a mission like this, so I’m pretty sure that you’re no pushover.” Jet’s yellow eyes drifted back to the fire, “There’s only one way out of the swamp in that direction, unless they’re suicidal, so I have a pretty good idea where they’re going. We’ll circle around and meet them. This time, we’ll have something a bit more exciting waiting for them.”