Belegrim Dipstick

by Praeco Nigrum

Let the Journey Begin

Harbinger and Shade were preparing for the journey to Salt Lake; it was going to take them a good two days to get there, so they were going to pack everything they could, since they were going through a desert they didn’t want to be stranded without enough supplies.

“Harby… what exactly happened in there… You died, epically I might add, and then your ass came back… So what the fuck man!?” They were under a make shift awning that housed several barrels of water and a few barrels of wine.

“Well, I remember laying there, listening to you kill that monster,” at that he grinned evilly, “And then I kind of blacked out and ended up in a white room… There was this white dragon serpent thing that decided to start a game of chess with me, saying that we are the pieces of a much bigger game… and then he asked me a question.” At that, he scrunched up his face in concentration, “I can’t, for the life of me, remember what exactly he asked me to do… but whatever it was he said that if I agreed he would bring me back that was after I had cursed at him and damned the world for killing me again.” Harbinger laughed, he then sighed at the thought of what the dragon called him. “Shade, since I trust you impeccably… I have a secret to tell you, My name, or at least what I used to be called…”

Shade looked at him in interest, he had quietly listened, held his tongue, and waited to hear more, but he did not expect to hear this. “Why would you trust me so, I do not trust you as much to have given you anything… yet you show me this kindness and trust as if I have earned it… but I have not. You put too much faith in others my friend.” Shade was blunt and to the point, but he still felt some form of thankfulness for this show of trust, even if it was unwarranted.

“That is where you are wrong my friend, you have saved my life on more than one occasion, and have been by my side since we ended up in this freak show of a place… And the fact that we are the only ones to have not fallen for the lands temptations I say we are still the only ‘sane’ ones left…” Harbinger paused and got up from his barrel. He walked over to Shade and extended his right hand, smiling softly as he did so.

“Greetings, My name is Cornelius, Crown Prince of Caliban, and it is a pleasure to have finally met you Shade of the ‘Void worlds.’” Shade took his hand, not even phased by his friend’s old title.

“I can understand why you would conceal something like that, but why would you want me to know such a thing?” Shade was truly curious about his friends reasoning behind it, it might later allow him better control over the man in front of him.

“I am telling this to you for a few reasons, it holds no weight on my soul for the fact it has no purpose here, I do not wish to lie to my only friend, even if it is not a lie in the first place. Lastly, someone needs to know who I used to be, what I once was, but also who I am now.” Harbinger, or Cornelius, sighed and sat back down on his Barrel.

“Well, it seems you have made up your mind, But when we meet the princesses, shouldn’t you use your old name, just for the sake of it?” Shade asked a hint of mischief in his tone.

“I might, it would definitely give us an advantage when talking to them, but we will just have to wait and see…” Shade nodded in agreement, the caravan was almost ready, and their journey would be one for the ages. In ages past, there have been many marches across the lands of Equestria, but none were as pure of tact and reason than this, the need to survive and flourish… the want to see another day, it fueled the ponies of Outpost Whitneigh. They were going to live, and nothing was going to stand in their way.

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“Shade Sir, Anubis Calif, Third Regiment, Sargent fourth squad, reporting for duty, Sir.” Anubis Calif stood before the towering form of Shade, Anubis was a black and white Unicorn, His mane was two tone and his coat was black. His eyes were a red-ish brown color and he had a set of crossed samurai swords as a cutie mark. He wore basic body armor and no helmet to speak of.

“… If you insist, pony, then take up position next to the lead wagon, you will be walking with me.” Shade looked down at the white and black unicorn for a few moments longer and then walked off. Anubis, saluting him all the while, just stared ahead until Shade had walked out of view.

“That was… interesting… Maybe he just doesn’t trust us yet… well, I’ll go find the rest of my squad and bring them… we don’t need a recap of what happened to that other creature…” Anubis shivered at the thought of seeing the torn chest of Harbinger, all of the blood and fluids leaking from his shattered form… it was devastating to moral to see one of their leaders like that… ‘Well, I wouldn’t say leaders… more like Heroes, they sure as Tartarus saved all our lives when the Manticors showed up… Buck…” Anubis shook his head to be rid his dark thought and went about finding his ponies.

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“My brother, the time has come… The men are ready and the supplies are secure… we should go.” Goff and Emerald were standing side by side, in an ‘at-ease’ posture, they had come to inform Harbinger of their imminent departure.

“Very well then… let us be gone from this place… it holds darkness and death in its grasps and shall take us with it if not left soon, so as said… let us be off.” Harbinger turned around, walked in between his two allies, and off towards the caravan staging area.

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“Harbinger… we are ready… The men and women are ready as well… let us be gone. We need to leave this place.” A dark figure moved out from under an overhang, revealing him to be Shade, He was wearing his usual garb of midnight blue and black garments, except that his mouth wand head were uncovered, revealing a youthful face and a long semi-braided head of black hair.

“Good… we will move out then…” Harbinger reached out and offered his hand to Shade, in way of parting.

“Good luck, we’ll need it.” Shade said as they clasped arms, after their friendly shake they parted ways and took to their pre-ordained positions.

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Five Hours Later

The caravan was at the edge of the great forests of the west, gaining little peace for what laid before them, they saw the great expanses of sand and dirt… it stretched for miles and miles in almost every direction. The winds were warmer, though they knew that was going to be one of their great hindrances by the second day. The sky was a lighter shade of blue than that of the skies over the forest, the air, even though they were less than twenty feet from the forest, was dryer and somehow heavier than it should have been.

“This bodes negatively for the rest of us doesn’t it…” Goff asked. All four of the humans had found a large rock to take vantage of. They were upon it to gain a better view of the lands before them. Among them Goff was the most nervous about their new location, for reasons he could not place he found it a foreboding scene to be a part of.

“No… I feel it as well, like a darkness that has yet to find its place in the cracks and crevices of the earth…” Emerald was no stranger to the darkness of the earth, he had seen many wars and many bloody conflicts… and this land reminded him of the after math of such conflicts… just with less blood. “We must be careful my friends… this place is dark… not even the evils of this world dare step here… tread lightly and keep your sword close… if not drawn.” He then made an about face and went to re-join his men in the caravan.

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The stallions and mares of Outpost Whitneigh had waited for almost an hour before their leaders gave them the go ahead to march on the desert… It was an order they had been looking forward to… and dreading, the desert held many dangers, like giant scorpions, large rattlers, Lion bugs the size of an adolescent dragon, and roaming bands of raiders. Most others would be loath to step in this place… but for them it was the only viable option.

“MARCH!” Four voices rang out over the din of clattering armor and light chatter. A resounding “HO” answered the call, and everyone went sword foist into the desert proper.