The Dark Side and Beyond
...and that's when her wings gave out—what was left of them, at least. And the rest simply plummeted... with the Gondola following.
CL-CLAKKKK! The sphere—now a squished, deflated shell of a thing—scarcely landed with its occupants intact. But they were intact. Lightning strobed as the alicorn vessel rolled, tumbled, and came to a long scraping stop against a dead flat stretch of midnight blue stone. When it ended, all was thunder and noise... so that it nearly masked the wet meaty thump of draconian flesh just a few dozen yards away.
It was not masked from Rainbow Dash.
She was the first to crawl out... but only the second to reach the Dark Side. Stumbling on bruised, bleeding hooves... she twirled to face the remains of the one who brought them there. "Axan!" Ignoring the pleas of her friends, she galloped away from the wreck—towards the very precipice of nothingness—where the disfigured carcass of a dragon lay against the stars.
Wildcard and Logan crawled out after. Looking on with worry, they helped Ariel and Logan drag the bodies of Flynn and Seraphimus into a new bleakness. There was no sun or moon overhead—only a dazzling band of neverending stardust. But they weren't paying attention to this.
All eyes fell on Rainbow Dash as she galloped to a stop—nearly slipping on a fresh layer of scalding hot dragon's blood.
She grimaced, panting and heaving. On trembling limbs, she knelt down by the only part of Axan she could still recognize. And when her breaths touched violet scales, a single eyeslit opened... followed eventually by a weak rumbling noise.
"Hrmmmmfffghhlll..." The battered Divine squirmed slightly... then shuddered into a soggy exhale. "Hrmmffffhhlll... carry on... Austraeoh..."
"Dang it... dang it dang it dang it!" Rainbow Dash gnashed her teeth, fighting the urge to weep. Failing. "Why did you do that, Axan?! Why?! We... we could have f-found another way, dang it! You didn't have to do that! We could have found another way!"
"Hrmmmmfff..." The first of two sets of teeth parted, exhaling vaporous hot breath. "Do you ever..." An eyecrest waggled weakly. "...ever stop being so stupid, mortal...?"
Rainbow spat. "Shut up! I mean it! You... you didn't..." She shook her head, bracing herself against the edge of Axan's scaley jaw-line. "Why?! Why, Axan?! Why did you—?"
"Hskkkkkkt..." Trembling, a massive hand lifted... and a single claw found its way to the tip of Rainbow's fuzzy nose. "Shhhhhhhh..." The sulfur faded, as did the flame behind the slitted eyed. "Like Mortuana, I once... grkkkk... caught a glimpssssse of hope. I thought... rrppghhh... that I had cr-crushed it... but..." She exhaled, the heat curling the hairs of Rainbow's mane. "I had only set it free. Like a hatchling... from its shell..."
Rainbow Dash gaped and gaped. Her friends hovered close, silent as stone.
The one eye narrowed. Burning. "You mussssst set the world free, Austraeoh. In all the ways that I couldn't. The scale of the eyelid lowered. The heat dwindled. "Hsssskkkt.... So many Divines... all demented and dying." One last breath. Vaporous and true, and the eye locked on something beyond. "...I only ever had one sister."
The light went out.
All was thunder and shadow.
Rainbow Dash hung her head. And as the rest of the Herald surrounded her in a halo, she wept quietly into a brand new darkness.
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Wintergate. Emeraldine. Darkstine. Silvadel. Ledomare. Searo. Gray Smoke. Xona. Archer Point. Lerris. The Frozen Sea. Stratopolis. Alafreo. Durandana. Val Roa. The Grand Choke. Kihutaja. The Nealend Atoll. Rust. Shoggoth. The Quade. Rohbredden. The Twilight Lands. The Edge of the World.
Imre. Simon. Khao. Aatxe. Changelings of Amulek. The Noble Jury. Quint. Mortuana. Bard. Axan.
Farewell Light Side, dark horizons beckon.
Rip in peace dragon bitch. You will be missed.
8171657
Beautifully stated.
Celestia, I've gotta read it all again soon.
Austraeoh has changed my mindset and I don't know how I'll handle the next book. I'm not ready for the strife our petite pony will have to go through, but I'll be there every hoof step and wing flap of the way.
Even if I was actually a puppet-corpse... gentlemen, it has been an honour.
o7
Fuck. The next installment is gonna be epic.
Rest in peace, Axan. You played your part.
Welcome to the Dark Side, everypony. It's...
It's gonna be a bumpy ride.
Heck, already has been.
It's over now...
And a much darker world awaits us.
So...
Well, I already knew going into this knowing that someone would die, but I didn't expect it to be two people...I suppose if it had to be anyone, I guess Bard's story was wrapped up. But dangit, I really liked the guy. It would've been neat to have him there kicking ass on the other side with everyone else.
What a trooper to the end.
Damnit...I wish I could happily say he's at peace and reunited with his wife and child, but SOMEONE reminded me of the bit where Mortuana said the souls aren't going where they're supposed to, so I can't get that closure. Damnit...
I half expected WC to be taken out as well since those two are an inseparable pair, and likely from sacrifice by removing Seraphimus at the end from that final attack on the gondola. But it looks like that wasn't the case. Instead they also lost Axan and "gained" Seraphimus. That was...pretty unexpected.
So, the early stages of Ofolrodi are going to be very interesting. They're gonna have to deal with Seraphimus pretty soon. I expect her to be momentarily confused when she wakes up as to "how in the hell is she still alive", followed soon by thoughts of either "DEATH MURDER KILL" or just more confusion and questions for the gang over why she was spared (or possibly some completely different turn of events I'm not expecting). I don't expect her to be an "immediate threat" issue for very long, but it's gonna be rough having her around for a looong time. There will be words, and I expect Rainbow and the gang (most of them reluctantly) are gonna be trying everything at their disposal to convince her to join their cause. I hope she at least wakes soon enough to see Axan's corpse, because there's at least some solid evidence there.
It won't be easy to convince her, though. We've all seen how set that gryphon is in her ways, but it's not like she has anywhere else to go. Heck, if their words don't change her, then the environment will. Seraphimus has never been outside of Rohbredden, and now here she is on the other side of the world. Plus, there are still baddies out there that the group will run into sooner or later...
And on a related note, I wonder if she'll still have her superdurableultraendurancegryphonherounit powers in the inevitable combat in this story, because holy crap. She went though a nasty battle with Enix, Wildcard, and then Rainbow and the rest of the group in the gondola and she was still kicking faces in. Good god.
Also, hers and Jordan's chemistry is going to be interesting.
And with this, Utaan is done. We lost far too many souls in this journey, but they can only press onward now, if not for those they left behind, then for those who gave everything to see this journey completed. They just started and already the Herald is down several members, that does not bode well. I guess I can only hope things improve in the next book. Which should be here TOMORROW
And thus ends the epic of the Light side.
And begins the Journey through the Dark
We've seen a lot of horrible places and we've met a bunch of horrible creatures, but we've had a hell of a good run while it lasted, up until the end, at least. We've met some of the greatest souls the plane had to offer, and seen most of the horrid places end up better.
To those companions who've survived, The Noble Jury, Talon, Herald, Tarkington and any others along the way:
May harmony light your paths until we meet again.
Rest in peace, Bard, Axan, Aatxe, Simon, Mortuana, and Imre.
Farewell Axan. You were one of the only constants that Dash had after the start of her adventure...
You were awesome one last time before you died.
But I mean... that is, once again, a beautiful mental image, Dash kneeling in front a dying dragon, while the remnants of the herald crawl out of the wrecked sphere and watch on, under a band of eternal night.
Methinks that second Logan should be a Kepler.
Mortuana
Kepler
Flynn
Ariel
Logan
Remna/Axan
Bard
Wildcard/Jordan
?Seraphimus?
5 companions remain.
-Through the path long forgotten, into the darkness long begotten. Ofolrodi.
Whatever issues I might have with the story, Rainbow Dash herself remains its best part. Even when she stumbles and fails, gets coated head to tail in the muck, she still damn well shines.
It'll be interesting to see what comes of sparring Seraphimus. Will the Dark Side and seeing Dash struggles to overcome it finally break through her deranged brainpan? I can only hope so.
Axan's death, hmm... hard for me to decide how to feel on that one. She was finally showing signs of growth in her character, and I really wanted her redemption to come full circle in Silvadel. While this didn't get under my skin the way Bard's death did, and it was a beautifully described scene, I'm still left kind of wanting more out of her character than this. Feels like potential lost.
So what else is there to really say? Its taken a long time to get to this point, and there's still yet more to go. Thanks for bringing it this far IC. I'm sure I'll find things to critique and complain about, that's just my way, but seriously thanks for keeping up with this story for so long and going even further. I'm sticking with it to the end.
Well, that said, let's just see what the Dark Side's going to have going for it. Its not a question of if Dash is ready for the Dark Side, but if the Dark Side is ready for her.
And thus this chapter of the saga comes to an end. Now it is on to the Darkside and the next part of our grand little adventure.
Overall this was a great entry in this saga. I think this one will rank highly on my list in the end once all is said and done. I still don't agree with how the stuff with Verlax ended, I think I have made that point very clear. The ending to this whole ordeal was well done, I can't wait to see where the Darkside takes us.
So we literally enter the dark side riding in on death, but also with death incarnate at our side, concussed and frothing-at-the-
mouthbeak nuts.Next book gon b gud.
I've pondered this possibility before, and I still gotta wonder if Sera will find some redemption, or just end up committing atrocities against the Herald and/or Dark Side denizens.
Why did you do all this for me? Why?!?
Alright. Everyone wipe the blood and tears from your screens, it's time for some more questions to be answered. Finally, the Shard will be revealed. The Dark Side is now our playground, to bring light and salvation (with a healthy amount of death) as Dash sees fit. A new story begins soon.
At this point, Ofolrodi's description could just be "Seraphimus."
And it would sum up what's to come just as well as RD flies east, in one fourth the words.
damn... after so long and after many struggles we finally arrive at the dark side... i wonder whats going to happen, especially with seraphimus.
in honor of bard and axan i shall play two separate characters in two separate games of d&d. bard shall be a flying creature of some sort and axan shall be a dragon born with the classes monk (or fighter) and wizard (or sorcerer) respectively
ON TO THE NEXT BOOK!
And that's it. We're there. "Dark Side, or Die Trying"... well, here we are, and more than a few died trying.
I'm excited for what comes next.
I'm afraid for what comes next.
The Dark Side is not a good place. If the Light Side was the easy part...?
What a ride this has been. Dash has contended with more than we ever would have even begun to expect when we set out on this long strange journey so long ago. I really like Dash's decision to spare Seraphimus, she has certainly done more than her fair share of wrongs... but Roark had been a heartless bounty hunter/ slaver all her life until she met Dash. I think we have enough evidence to show that in this story, anyone can earn a second chance at life if they fight hard enough for it, against not only those that stand between them and their goal, but also against the lifestyle and outlook that drove them to that point in the first place.
Ultimately, Seraphimus doesn't 'deserve' a redemption arc, but that is what a good redemption arc is for, allowing the character to earn it.
8171714 Not sure if that emote was to express confusion on the 'only have one sister' comment, but if so, it was likely referring to the one other divine that is still residing on the light side, on the far western edge, where Cadance and Shining are now, the one Axan contacted using some magic device a few months earlier to explain the situation about Dash's near death at her own claws. I suppose she has come to see kinship with the only one of her sisters who ever came to care about mortals as equals.
8171919
"Greetings, my name is Tiberius Stormwind, and I'm from Draconia."
Literally the first thing that came to mind.
How much time will be given to grieving before the worlds ANGRIEST BIRD wakes up?
We are finally Beyond Utaan.
But at what cost.
I once angrily hated Axan.
Now I miss her...
This ride has been crazy.
It's only going to get crazier.
heh... its been an interesting journey axan.. rest now till the moment that you are reunited with those you hold dearest..
Bard's dead. Echo and Nicole are gone. And now Axan's dead.
You're killing me here, man...
8171669
I sincerely doubt torture would've worked on Bard. Like, at all. Certainly torturing him for information would have taken a long time, perhaps hours. Dash and company here on that Gondola and heading for the Dark Side within minutes of Bard's death. Chandler couldn't have actually remained a threat at that point.
Sorry but I stand by what I said. I don't like that Bard died and I'm not glad he's dead, but I also just find his death to be ultimately pointless, and killing Chandler to be equally without merit. It was just didn't work for me from either a character or narrative perspective. If it works for other people I'm happy for them, but I'll still stand by my opinion as well, which is that Bard could have done a lot of better things with his last moments than adding more death to the final tally on the Light Side.
A little more exhausted and little less conscious, but man, she actually brought Sera along for some dark side reformation treatment. Super noble middle wing feather to Verlax and all but... hard mode may have just become hardcore.
And with Dash's longest "companion" jumping ship before things get especially grim. You did good, Axan.
8172077
If I counted these guys in a '2 live, 2 die' scenario, I would have expected it to go completely the other way. I'm certainty not Bard's biggest adherent throughout the last couple books but his death was both saddening (especially when factoring in Nicole) and ultimately took out the last person that Robhredden needed that this point.
So damn glad to see the fuzzier pairing make it though, and hopefully finishing their light side slog by the very end.
PLEASE INSERT DISK 2
8172145 Ha...ha ha ha.... Ah hahahahahahaha!
We just finished disc 2.
We're going to disc 3 now!
Just like the Odrsjot ending. Just like Half Life 2 Episode 2 ending. Just like Final Fantasy 7. A bittersweet victory, with big wins and big losses.
INSERT DISC 3
See you in the third act.
Would it be west-horsing now? From the Light Side's perspective, I mean.
8171822
Both?
I've been following this for years now, and I just wanted to say I really appreciate how much work you've put into it.
Utaan is finely finished.
Now, on with the next book...
It is done, congratulalations to ):( on the revival of such an epic story!
<speculations>
So, there we go, she is dead as well. Three down, two to go. My theory was, even before I read this chapter, that the journey of the Austraeoh seals the fate of all the dragon matriarchs. Especially because it is repeatedly stated that the matriarchs are dying. I didn't expect Axan to die that fast and in this way. I rather expected her to be doomed because being weakened by her pony form, but this ending was an interesting turn of events.
So who is left? Endrax is somewhere on the dark side. We don't know yet if she will be hostile or friendly, only time will tell. But I'm pretty sure one way or another she will meet her doom either by confronting Rainbow, or by protecting her.
We know about the whereabouts of Sturke, and she seems kind of friendly, but I don't think she should be trusted. It might be a coincidence that Cadance almost lost contact with Equestria, but it may as well have been an act of deception. Maybe since she learned about the Austraeoh and the harmonic prism she is planning to intercept Rainbow Dash on her way back and steal it from her.
If she is really friendly instead, then I expect something really fierce to follow Rainbow back to the light side (maybe Endrax?) and there will be the epic fight to end all epic fights in the last book. Whatever happens, I'm pretty confident that Sturke will be dead as well at the end of book 12.
</speculations>
Anyways, whatever happens only time will tell. I'm pretty exited for next book to start. Once again we have a new beginning in a completely different environment, let's see what comes out of that.
Well, here we are at last. It's been a long, long journey. It's been an honor sharing it with you, Jurists. Thank you. And thank you IC. Now, here's to the long journey ahead.
Rip Axan. You will be missed--which means there is hope for Seraphimus: She tried to kill Dash after she destroyed everything she had, yes, but remember Axan actually killed Dash after she destroyed her hoard and look where we are.
Rip Bard. This part of the Dark Side seems quiet, with any luck there will be a chance to mourn. But I know I'm not counting on it.
8171657
... Lime Tech. The whole freaking village of Lerris.
At least their souls get to rest in pea- oh wait, no they don't. They're trapped since the souls don't go where they should! But that does make me wonder if we'll get to see everyone a final time once Rainbow fixes everything and the souls are freed.
Damn, I can't wait for the next book. FINALLY ON THE DARK SIDE!
8171934
We're going to need a new sweatshirt.
It looks like Axan could to some extent change at will, if the foreshadowing on the platform was anything to go by. I wonder if her "one sister" is dash or... the friendly divine, whatever her name is.
We're on the dark side now. Radio Equestria has gone off the air. We're very far away from home, and the only thing we know from the last dragon to be here is that rainbow is going to have to do unkind things. If the adventure has been epic so far, who can say what will happen now?
Nineteen months in the making, Utaan is finally finished — and what a ride it was. Now, with the Gondola shattered, there's no going back. We only one way to go; towards the Midnight Armoury at the heart of the plane.
I can't wait.
8171730
Oh Celestia, I didn't even think of that. That's gonna lead to some awkward conversations — especially since they can't even talk alone, due to need of an interpreter.
Rest in Peace, Axan.
And Utaan, at 295 chapters and 919,294 words, is finally over. We have reached what we have aspired to reach since Book I, but at a cost.
Only question is...was that cost worth it?
Yet another under the belt, and quite a few more to go. Looking forward to next release.
-Minty
8171934 Might not be so bad. I mean the Dark Universe in Lexx wasn't so bad a place in my opinion.
8172389
Its pretty doubtful from my take on things that Chandler's authority could have lasted his own breaking mental state for much longer. If he'd survived, I'd have been surprised if he still would have had the loyalty of a single returning soldier from the fight. Once back in Rohbreadden how much longer could anyone have bothered listening to him, especially when he had no Rainbow Rogue to claim as a prize? No, he'd have returned a broken and defeated mess, and his authority would have vanished quickly as people, likely with Keris and Theanim's help, realized he wasn't fit or any kind of position of command.
To think that he could have actually driven the country to any kind of action after that seems far fetched to me. At best the guy would've been forced into resigning. More likely, he'd have ended up in jail or an asylum.
I largely just don't view either his death or Bard's as achieving anything of net value. A lot of people have tried to say that Chandler was this big threat that had to go, but it was practically stated in the story even before this that Chandler wasn't the real threat, Seraphimus was. Without her drive, its likely the Central Guard wouldn't even have followed Chandler this far. Without her, or Dash as looming threat to keep Rohbreadden's focus, Chandler had nothing to use as leverage for control.
I don't know, I can't see where I'm supposed to find satisfaction in that particular chain of events. Just seems like more wasted lives to me, and we're about to get plenty of that on the Dark Side.
What a ride this has been, finally at the dark side of the world... man I love this series
There are only two Devines left, the youngest... and the eldest. Lets see what is to be made of the dark dragon-gods plans.
And now, we wait.
So can we just take a minute to remember what the title of the next book actually means?
Ofolrodi, I believe it was translated as Dark Hatred, and Dash has brought Seraphimus with her..