The camp was nearly set. The sheltered outcropping was large enough, and there were a few patches without snow for the tents. Digger and Wind Chaser were pitching the last tent, Rainbow had just returned with a pile of firewood, and set it down with an exasperated sigh.
“Why did we let the Pegasus pack mule fly off again?” Rainbow whined, “He could totally carry way more sticks than me.” Twilight wasn’t sure if Rainbow was serious, or just being lazy.
“Did you want to stop him?” Wind Chaser called from his position by the tent, “He is bigger than you.”
“Yeah, well, I could still take him.” Rainbow snorted. “I just want him to do his fair share.” Twilight supposed it didn’t matter that Blaze was doing a part of the job, he was making sure they were far enough away from any entrances to the NMU hideout.
As if on cue, a showering of snow and dirt covered the party as Blaze came in for a hard and fast landing. His heavy breath made puffs of fog in the icy air.
“We have to get a message to Princess Celestia. They plan to attack on the first day of spring.” After speaking he gasped for air. Twilight wondered if there was something wrong, Blaze couldn’t seem to catch his breath.
Wind Chaser left Digger holding a tent line, “Where did this information come from? What did you find?” His commanding tone shook Twilight, and Blaze turned away from him.
“I found her, but I-I couldn’t get to her.” Blaze shook his head. “She warned me, I- There was no way to get to her.”
“You mean-“ Wind Chaser took a step back. “Story?” Blaze nodded, not meeting the older Pegasus’ eyes. Wind Chaser inhaled sharply, “W-was she alright?”
“Yeah, I think so, but she was trying to escape, and I couldn’t get her out. They- They- I don’t know what happened to her.” He brushed tears away gruffly. “She insisted I bring you the message. I’m sorry.”
The grey Pegasus wiped his eyes, then cleared his throat. “No. You did all you could. We’ll get that message back. We do have Spike with us after all.”
Twilight started to call for him only to remember that he was curled up next to her, the day of hiking and teleporting was wearing him out. She nudged the little dragon awake.
“What is it Twilight? I was having a nice dream.” He rubbed his eyes and yawned.
“I need you to take a letter.”
***
Two unicorns, both with very lean, but surprisingly strong, muscles and the slightly milky eyes, typical of these unicorns, dragged Story into the same chamber where she’d met with Dominus and his apprentice before. They both stood, Dominus’ face contorted with anger, and his apprentice eerily blank faced.
Story took a deep breath in, and waited for Dominus to begin. She would not give them any hint that she had been able to send a message. She couldn’t.
“You would try to escape?” Dominus’ voice was surprisingly even, though a tone underneath was all hatred and anger.
“Yes.” Story glared at him. She really didn’t have much to say.
“This betrayal cannot go unanswered.” Dominus’ horn started to glow a strange dark green. If it hadn’t been for her captors, Story would have backed away. Dark magic was not what she had been expecting.
“Master,” The apprentice spoke, “I believe there may be another way of persuading her.”
“Silence! I will decide what to do with this traitor.” Without releasing any of the magic, Dominus turned to his apprentice.
“Please, leave her to me,” The apprentice looked strangely protective. Story wasn’t sure what to make of this, but if it meant she didn’t die right now, she’d take it.
“No, I do not intend to kill her.” Dominus turned back to her. “I just need to make her a slave.” She did try to back away this time. This was bad, if she had to obey, she might have to tell them, and then they would change their plan, and Equestria was in trouble.
“But that would inhibit her magic, which is the key to get into the vault.” The apprentice sounded as if he were talking to an old relative, who didn’t hear or understand very well. Dominus’ horn stopped glowing, and he glared at his apprentice.
“Fine. Do what you will, but if our plans are ruined, it will be on your head.” Dominus stormed into a back room.
***
Story was dragged to a room after the Apprentice. As she was thrown in she instantly noticed the cold and then as the two guards left, she noticed how well lit it was. The Apprentice was staring at a wall of stone. Only Story realized that it wasn’t stone, it was ice. This cave was actually open to the outside, only covered in a thick layer of solid ice.
It explained the brightness, and the cold. The straw bed in the corner and the stone chest at its foot said this was a bedroom, but Story wondered how anyone could live in a place so cold. She was shivering, but from cold or fear she couldn’t tell anymore.
To her surprise, the apprentice dropped a blanket over her. This one was a real, newish looking blanket, not a torn up rag, like the ones Relic had. It did help with the cold, but Story continued to shiver. She could not read the expression on the apprentice’s face.
“You do not need to fear me, Crocea. I do not wish to harm you.” He sat opposite her, and stared directly at her. He appeared to be nearly blind as well, and yet he seemed to see fine. Story couldn’t puzzle it out.
“What do you want?” She tried not to sound rude, in case she offended him, but this had to be some kind of ruse.
“To leave this icy place, take our rightful one in the fertile lands, and hopefully have you by my side.” He was more matter-of-fact than Story expected.
Then she heard what he’d really said. “Wait, what?” She started to shiver again. Surely he was just trying to get a raise out of her, she what she’d do.
“Do you not understand?” He brushed his mane out of his eyes, “When Dominus is gone, I will be the next Dominus. I wish for you to be my queen.”
Story almost laughed, but held back. Was this his brilliant plan for convincing her to help? Make her queen? “You can’t be serious.” It was the only think she could think of to say.
“But I am.” He walked next to her, too close for comfort. And he looked at her, with what could only be described as a leer. “You would make an excellent queen, and after you aid us, the others will offer no quarrel.”
“I don’t think I could do that.” The strange shock of it had rendered Story slightly baffled and tongue tied.
“Oh but you could,” The apprentice walked back up her other side, “You are intelligent, educated, and,” he ran his eyes up and down her, “rather lovely. Or is this what you doubt?”
Story actually thought about what the apprentice had said in spite of herself. Did she think she wasn’t pretty? She’d never paid much mind to it, but she’d never considered herself a great beauty either. This was the first time a stallion had told her though, except for Blaze, and he didn’t really count. It wasn’t like he was in lo-
Except that he was in love with her. He’d said so, and he’d kissed her. Really well, actually. Story started to blush thinking about it. Blaze loved her! She hadn’t had time to actually process what had happened.
The Apprentice laughed, reminding Story of where she was. “Are you unused to compliments?” The apprentice was trying to flatter her into submission, and taking that blush the wrong way, given how close he was to her. It would have been sad, if Story didn’t find him so frightening.
“I couldn’t. I can’t, you-“ She stopped herself before she insulted him outright. That would not be wise. “I don’t even know your name.”
“Oh, it’s Commodus, but when I inherit Dominus’ position, it will simply be ‘Dominus’ as well.” A smug smirk crossed his lips and he seemed so very sure of this coming to pass.
Story saw an opportunity, “Ah, a very noble name, is that why you are Dominus’ apprentice?” She wasn’t sure if almost flattery would work, but maybe she could get more information.
“A little, but only in that I come from a noble family.” Commodus began to hold his head a little higher, “I was chosen because as a colt I showed the greatest potential for powerful magic.”
“Oh, I imagine that made some other families very upset.” Story decided to sit, like she was fascinated and had no intention of going anywhere.
“Indeed, you are very perceptive.” The comment made Story laugh internally. Perceptive, it came from the fact that Commodus behaved exactly every ego-maniac villain she had ever read about.
“Any one rival you bested in a particularly glorious fashion?” Story batted her eyelashes, or blinked a lot, she wasn’t sure if those were the same thing. Flirting was not in her repertoire of useful skills.
“Oh not really. We were all very young.” Commodus settled down next to her and started to tell the story, “Dominus had another apprentice, but he died unexpectedly of one of the many maladies that plague us here.”
“I see. So he had to choose another.” She put her head on her hooves.
“Yes. There was talk of making your father his apprentice, but his untimely death after your disappearance ended that campaign.” He put a hoof on his chin. “I think I was twelve.”
“That doesn’t sound so young.” Story didn’t want to reveal that she thought he was too old for her.
“I suppose it wasn’t. Still, there weren’t any real competitors.” Commodus rolled on to his back, “It was obvious that after Valerius died I would be apprentice.”
“I see.” Story wanted to just ask outright about a lot of things. She didn’t however want Commodus to figure her out. He rolled back over. She decided to leave well enough alone for the moment. Commodus sat in the silence as well. He seemed to be comfortable with it, but Story wasn’t so sure.
***
Blaze tried to keep all his emotions under some semblance of control. He couldn’t focus on actually solving any problems over the part of him screaming to just start fighting his way in. Also, seeing Story alive at least for now had removed a block in his brain he hadn’t realized was there. Suddenly questions he’d never thought to ask and answers that were just as odd flew through his mind. The underlying theme though, Why Story? Why Now? If they could smash their way into the vault, why not do it?
He paced in a circle. Normally he’d fly to blow off steam, but he knew he’d fly right back to that ledge. He’d explained everything to the rest, Spike had sent a letter, no reply yet. Now they just needed a plan. There had to be something he could do. Some clue he’d missed, anything. Clues! That was it. He was a detective. It was time to think about this like he would any other case. Twilight’s appearance was lucky. He needed to talk this out.
“If you keep pacing in a circle, you’ll melt the snow.” Twilight was making a joke but she didn’t sound jovial.
“I know.” He sat. “I’m just trying not to do something stupid.”
“That’s understandable. There’s a lot that doesn’t add up.” Twilight pulled out a piece of paper. “I’m going to make a list.”
“Not a bad idea.” Blaze nodded, “Start with what we know for sure.”
“Ok?”
“Trust me. It works.”
“Alright….” Twilight started writing, “We know that the NMU have Storybook. We know that there is at least one outside entrance to their cave, even if it is too small to use.” She sat and thought.
“We know that Story was born in those caves.” Blaze spoke and Twilight wrote, “She told me to find someone called Relic, or Vetus, once we defeated them.”
“But we don’t know who they are right?”
“Right”
Twilight made another list. “This is things we don’t know.”
“Vetus is son. My son.” Valerius was walking up to join them. “Is trea- Story’s brother. Relic I do not know.”
“Oh. Ok.” Twilight scratched Vetus off the list of unknowns and onto the list of knowns. “We have no idea how to get in.”
“I have not seen any old entrances. They have moved.” Valerius sat with them. “I do not know how Storybook travelled.”
“Travelled where?” Blaze wasn’t sure that he understood.
“To small room. I know not how she went.” Valerius’ equestrian was failing him again.
“I think I see.” Twilight tapped her quill, “He’s not sure how Story got from here to the old ruins.”
“I’ve been wondering that too. It’s lead to other questions.” Blaze looked around. He had a thought. And a way to start investigating. “Valerius, where are foals abandoned?”
“Over next peak. Why?”
“I want to see it.” Blaze shook out his wings. “Can you teleport there?” He aimed his question at Valerius, but Twilight nodded also. “I’m going to get Wind Chaser and Rainbow Dash. Can you bring Digger, Twilight?”
“Sure. But do you really want to see that place?” Twilight shuddered.
“I think it may have answers.”
***
A few minutes later, Blaze landed in a crater in the mountain side. Valerius, Twilight and Digger were waiting. They all seemed uncomfortable. Rainbow Dash and Wind Chaser landed behind him.
“This is the place, Valerius?” Blaze asked and the older unicorn nodded. There was a single pillar of stone that rose out of the crater a few feet. It had a bowl shaped top. Blaze could guess what it was for. “Twilight, are there any wild animals here?”
“Well, there might be a few, but it’s too cold for animals. I’m not sure about monsters though.” Twilight looked around, “Why are we here again? This place is spooky.”
“Yeah, and morbid.” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “I’m glad Spike stayed to watch the camp.”
“I promise, its important.” Blaze looked down, “We need to remove the snow.” He hoped he was right. His hunch was odd, but it was the only thing that made sense. Once all possibilities are eliminated, then the impossible must be the truth.
“Blaze. I get that your upset about this morning, but this is really odd.” Wind Chaser didn’t make a move to get any snow. Digger on the other hoof, was proving to have earned his nickname.
“Blue Pony is smart! I think iz on to somezing.” Digger continued to clear the snow. The rest looked at each other.
“Well, it can’t hurt.” Rainbow started kicking snow off the cliff.
With the help of some massive levitation magic, the crater was clear of snow in less than an hour. Rainbow Dash though it was odd that he didn’t want to move it all at once, because Twilight could do that. Blaze wanted to make sure only snow was tossed of the cliff. Blaze looked around. It was just like he suspected.
“Dude, there is nothing here.” Rainbow Dash whined. “We just moved all that snow for what?”
Blaze ignored her, “Valerius, how many foals are abandoned here a year?”
“There were few when I was young, one or two. When I left six or seven, one year ten.” He looked ashamed. “Still, always too many.”
“So, about six a year for goodness knows how long, no wild animals to speak of. This doesn’t add up.” Blaze looked around him again. There was just one more question “Where are their bones?”
***
Story was still in Commodus’ room when she sensed night was near. The wall of ice was darker, and she was tired. Commodus had disappeared after a while, stating that he had duties to attend to. She had looked around. There wasn’t much in the room. Even in the small stone chest there were only more blankets, and under them was nothing. This must not be where Commodus kept his secret things. This was clearly just where he slept. A bowl of the horrible mushroom mush was delivered about an hour ago and she forced herself to eat it. She was never ever eating another mushroom again if she got out of here.
The curtain that served as a door opened and Commodus appeared. He took off his cloak, and for the first time Story could see his cutie mark. It was a golden laurel wreath. She couldn’t help but think that if he’d been raised in Equestria he could have been a force for good. But he’d been raised here. He was poison. And a powerful one.
“No escape attempts while I was gone?”
“I don’t see what good it would do me.” She told him the truth. She knew that just enough truth and she could make him believe a lie. Not that she’d come up with one to tell.
“You are so much better off here.” He smiled a wicked smile, and there was a terrifying look in his eyes. He lit a fire in a well in the stone wall, “The nights are still quite cold. You should join me…”
Story’s face flushed instantly and ferociously. “I think- I mean- That’s not really-“ This was terrible, though she should have guessed. She just didn’t think this was one of those stories. It did fit with the ego-driven villain though.
“I suppose it would be your first time, I forget that you are younger than I am.” He stood close enough to her that she could feel his breath on her neck. He wasn’t so much taller than her, but the thought sent tremors though her spine, and not the good kind.
“I’d actually prefer that tonight not be my first time.” She took a step away from him then she decided one wasn’t enough, and kept backing away.
“Do I frighten you?” He closed the gap she’d made and nuzzled under her neck, she tried to step back again, but realized that she was against the wall. This was not what she had been going for. She didn’t respond to his question, though the answer was yes. She had to think of a way out. She didn’t think she could talk her way out of this one. It was clear by the way Commodus had started to nuzzle and nip at her neck that he was done talking.
Brute force it was. Story knew she didn’t have the physical strength to shove him of. Magic though… She gathered her strength and pulled as much magic as she could to her horn. If she aimed for his eye, she might surprise him enough to get away, and if she was lucky she would blind him. She let out all of her magic at once.
Commodus cried out in pain, and he jumped away. His right eye was smoking, and the rage on his face was more terrifying than his leer. He cursed and there was a bright flash of light.
***
“So explain that again, slower.” Rainbow Dash had her hoof on her forehead. “Why exactly did you make us move all that snow?”
The group was gathered around a fire back at their camp. Spike was asleep in the tent. The rest were listening to Blaze explain himself.
“Ok. So after finding Story and sending a message off to Canterlot, I tried to think.” Blaze hoped this would help. “But the only thing I could think about was Why Story? Why did she survive as a foal? Why did they want her back?”
“They want into the vault. It was either Story or a princess.” Wind Chaser was following at least a little.
“Exactly. They need into the vault to get the spells they need to take over Equestria.” He cleared his throat. “It’s just, they sound so lucky.” He could sense protests, “I mean the one foal who happens to end up in the wrong place and survive also happens to be the one that can get them what they want. There were too many coincidences.”
“There were a lot of chance happenings working in their favor.” Twilight had to agree.
“So I thought, maybe somewhere along the line it wasn’t an accident. Maybe they’d stacked the deck.” Blaze saw some recognition in Valerius’ eyes. “I thought it unlikely that the NMU somehow made it so that Story was the Head Librarian. They must have made it so that she survived.”
“That makes sense. But how could they guarantee that she’d end up being useful?” Twilight was starting to catch on. She was a smart pony after all.
“They couldn’t. They can’t control what happens in Equestria.” Blaze kept his own surprise at his revelations carefully hidden. Still it made sense now. If he had figured out their motives, maybe he could find their weakness and save Story before anything horrible happened, if he wasn’t too late already.
“But then why arrange for her to be saved at all?” Wind Chaser asked rather gruffly. Blaze knew that he wanted the same thing, to save Story, but maybe after this they could come up with a plan.
“That was my question. I had the thought that maybe this wasn’t the first time this had happened. Maybe there were other survivors. Maybe they’d just been waiting for one of their own to rise to a position of power.” Blaze shook his head. Story wouldn’t have considered herself in power. “But that would only work if they had sent at least dozens of others.”
“So you needed to find out first.” Valerius sat a little farther than the others. “It seems strange that they would not say that these children were to be sent afar. Our people would consider it noble sacrifice.”
“I don’t know. I just know that there are probably others in Equestria who come from here.” Blaze thought, “I wonder if more research would reveal other adopted unicorns who have gone missing. That would have to wait until we got back though.”
“I think I get it, but why not tell us all of this upfront?” Rainbow gestured back towards the crater. “We moved all that snow….”
“I know, I had to see how many foals had actually been abandoned. If there was evidence left of them then my hunch didn’t hold up. I can say I’ve never been so relieved to be right.” Blaze felt tired and sore all over. It had been a very long day. He found Story and lost her, he had no idea if she was still alive and alright, or not. They may not be able to save her at all. And he’d decided to have an epiphany mere hours after what was probably the most emotional thing that had ever happened to him, ever. He just wanted to sleep, except that there was still a warning going off in his brain that he had to get to Story…now.