Gathering Pieces

by Random_User

Unexpected Finds

Grayson glanced down at the stone in his paw, sighed, and sat down. “I know where it is now.”

“Glad to hear it. I was beginning to fear that thing was on the fritz.” Fierce stood beside the gray feathered griffon and looked at the stone. His ears perked and he tilted his head.“Good fellow, how can you know where our quarry is if the whole stone is glowing like that?”

Grayson took a draw from his canteen and wiped his beak. “It's in the Sister's Castle. That maybe why we're getting all the magical interference.”

“What a rotten turn of luck.” Fierce turned his head in the direction of the ruins. “It is a frightful place, from what I have heard of it.”

“Twilight has been scavenging in there, without an escort, so it can't be that bad,” Puca said, moving to stand on the other side of Grayson.

“What could she want in there?”

“Old books owned by the Sisters, for the most part. She and her friends have been hauling them and other relics out of the castle for the last little bit. They stopped coming when star spider season started getting bad.”

After tucking the stone away, Grayson stood. “We should head back and tell Bonsmara what's going on.”

The three turned their heads as a crashing sound came from the undergrowth.

“I believe that we are about to have company.” Fierce placed a paw on the hilt of his sword and put himself between the oncoming noise and the two with him. “Whoever it is, they seem to be in quite a hurry. If they are not in an agreeable mood, I will entertain them and give you two time to fetch Bonsmara.”

“Look, you two legged hound, you're the one that's supposed to do the fetching.” Grayson spread his wings in an aggressive display. “I can't fly much under the canopy, but I'm not leaving you to fight alone.”

Puca let out a relieved sounding breath. “It's alright. It's Bonsmara.”

The minotaur pushed her way through the undergrowth and almost collided at full speed with Fierce.

As she staggered into him, he caught her in his arms. “Steady on there! What is all the fuss about?”

“The timberwolves are after a couple of ponies.”

Fierce patted her shoulder. “There is nothing to be worried about. The wolves will just run them out of the forest. They will be a bit winded by the experience, but unharmed.”

She shook her head. “They are not running. One of them is hiding in the roots of a tree, a little one, and the other is fighting the timberwolves off.”

“Just what we need, more complications,” Grayson said.

Puca darted from the game trail. Using the gaps that Bonsmara created in the vegetation to cut through the undergrowth, she sped deeper into the forest.

“I have never seen the lass move like that before,” said Fierce.

“Horse apples!” Grayson swore. “What is she thinking?! Bonsmara, take point and get us through this mess! We have to go after her!”

Bonsmara angled her shield in front of her body and pushed aside any branches or vines that got in their way as she led them the way she had come. “Either of you have a clue what lit a fire under her tail?”

“I don't know what's going through her head, but I know she and I are going to have some words after all this,” snarled Grayson.

The sounds of a pitched battle could be heard. Blows struck against wood, growls, grunts, yelps, and battle cries from a pony resounded through the vegetation.

“Sounds like whoever is out there is holding their own.”

“Stop it! All of you!” Puca's voice cut through the forest. “You don't have to fight!”

Bonsmara, Grayson, and Fierce pushed their way into a clearing. A young earth pony, in armor that was almost too big of him, was fighting with a dozen timberwolves. The timberwolves' wooden teeth could not penetrate his armor, and his blows did nothing but break the bodies of the wolves apart, spilling their green, misty essence. In moments of being rendered from its body, the essence of a wolf would pull together another form from the forest debris and renew its assault.

Fierce’s sword cleared its sheath with a menacing, metallic hiss. “Ah! A melee! What is our strategy?”

Bonsmara bellowed a war cry, drew her axe, and flung herself into the fray. Each powerful swing of her axe scattered the wolves' bodies in arcs of wooden chunks and splinters. Her shield proved a fordable weapon in its own right, as she used it to bludgeon any wolf who came too close to her or the young pony.

Fierce shrugged. “While not the most elegant plan, rushing to render aid does have an appeal to it.” He walked into the fight as if stepping onto a ballroom floor and struck down a wolf who came within his range. “We will have to find a more permanent manner in dealing with these things.” His sword blurred through the air, and another wolf fell. “Cutting them down again and again is sure to become tedious.”

Puca ran into the middle of the combatants. “Stop!” She raised up on her hind legs and stomped down. As her hooves struck the ground, a gout of green flames formed around her and raced towards the forest's canopy. “Stop right now!”

All movement in the clearing ceased. After a couple seconds of silence, Puca pointed a hoof at Bonsmara. “Put your axe away, you're scaring the wolves out of their minds!”

Bonsmara slowly put her axe back in its harness. “Fine. But if they so much as twitch, it will be back in my hand.”

Fierce drew a handkerchief from his vest and used it to clean his weapon. “Tree sap! That cannot be good for the blade.”

Puca turned to the pony. “Please, don't freak out. I'm going to have to change to be able to talk with the wolves.”

He nodded.

Puca closed her eyes, and the green flames engulfed her again. After the flames dissipated, her appearance was that of a changeling mare. “Cousins, please, let me Share with you.”

The wolves made a circle around her.

Grayson pulled his mace from his belt. “You hurt her, and...” His words fell off, as the wolves released their wooden bodies and flowed around and through Puca.

“That is quite the way to get to know someone,” Fierce said, sliding his sword back into its sheath.

“Changelings and timberwolves are elemental in nature and can share thoughts and feelings directly,” Bonsmara said. “I envy them in a way, but I like the fact that my thoughts are my own too.”

The essences of the wolves left Puca and returned to their constructed bodies. One by one they nodded to Puca, turned, and walked into the undergrowth.

Puca's knees trembled and she sank to the forest floor.

“That was awesome, Puca!” A voice called from a tangle of roots, under massive tree at the edge of the clearing. A blue coated colt, raced from his hiding spot, dragging a pair of saddlebags far too big for him, and hugged Puca around the neck. “Thank you so much!”

“Cobalt, I thought I said for you to stay hidden until I said everything was safe,” the armored pony chided.

“We're safe now,” Cobalt said.

The older pony's eyes lingering on their weapons and equipment. “I'm not too sure about that.”

“My good lad, I assure you we mean you no harm.” Fierce stepped forward and bowed. “I am known as Fierce Watch. My companions are Bonsmara, Puca, and Grayson.” He offered a paw to the young stallion. “May I have the pleasure of learning your name?”

“The dog wants to shake, how stereotypical,” said Grayson.

“If you would quit being catty, you would have more friends.”

The pony's helmet settled back on his head, as he looked up into the face of the diamond dog. “My name is Corner Stone.”

Bonsmara knelt beside Puca and rubbed her back with her free hand. “Are you okay?”

Puca swallowed and nodded. “Sharing with the timberwolves isn't as easy as Sharing with other changelings. I'm just winded.”

“How do you know Puca, Colbalt?” Stone asked.

Cobalt released Puca. “She's Kevin's friend. You remember him right? He was changeling that was at Cranky's wedding that I told you about.”

“So she's a friend of a friend?”

“Yep!”

Puca smiled. “You did very well yourself. It's not easy to stay hidden when you are feeling that scared.”

Stone titled his head. “You could feel he was scared?”

“I can feel most ponies' emotions. I'm sorry that I'm causing such conflicting feelings in you, but I understand.”

Stone looked embarrassed and his ears folded back. “I've been taught to be careful of changelings. I never thought I would have one help save me and my brother.” He extended a hoof to her. “Thank you.”

She took his hoof. “You're welcome.”

As Stone helped Puca to her hooves, Bonsmara said, “Puca is a dear friend. She won't harm you.”

“I don't fear her as a single changeling, but an army of changelings attacked Canterlot not too long ago. Father owns a construction and repair business and was called in to help with the rebuilding. He said the damage was horrible.”

Puca swallowed and looked away from Stone. “We didn't hurt anypony.”

“You were there?”

“I was.” She tried to pull away from Stone. “I was part of one of the infiltration units.”

Stone, not letting go, gave her hoof a gentle shake. “Princess Twilight talked to all of us in Ponyville about what happened. She told us about how you changelings were starving and not in your right minds.”

“She's being kind. We knew what we were doing. We never wanted to feel hunger like that again and came up with that mad plan to capture a permanent source of food.”

“The plan was desperate, not mad, and, in an odd way, it worked,” Fierce said. “The incident opened diplomatic relations between the changelings and ponies.”

“You're one of the changelings that Twilight said would be staying in town? I didn't know that. Who have you been living with?”

“I've been staying with Cranky.”

“As much as I would like this conversation to continue, we need to travel on. Our business has to be concluded before nightfall,” Fierce said.

“Why are you two in the forest anyway?” asked Grayson.

“It's because of me,” Cobalt said. “I've been having these dreams about a unicorn mare trapped somewhere in the Everfree Forest.” His ears folded back and he looked towards his hooves. “I know I'm going to sounds even more nuts, after you hear this, but every time I have one of the dreams it feel's like she's trapped in something and trapped in the forest at the same time. The last couple of days, something has been pulling me into the forest. I think it's her.”

Stone locked eyes with Grayson. “I know it sounds impossible, but I believe him. Cobalt never makes this kind of thing up, and his description of the mare and what he feels is too detailed for it to just a regular dream.” He took the saddlebags from Cobalt and slung them over his back. “He was leading us through the forest, when the wolves attacked.”

Fierce grinned at Grayson. “Looks like the 'complication' may be our solution to finding what we have been looking for.” Fierce nodded to Cobalt. “Lad, you have no need to doubt your sanity. We are looking for the same thing you are. However, since we are so short on time, we will have leave the full telling until later. We need to make our way to the Castle of the Two Sisters with haste.”

Grayson sighed and gestured at Cobalt. “Get it over with, Bonsmara. Just don't embarrass him too badly.”

Cobalt looked up to Bonsmara. “What's he talking about?”

Bonsmara fidgeted. “Would you mind if I carry you?”

Cobalt sat back on his haunches and spread his forelegs as if readying for a hug. “Sure.”

Bonsmara smiled, scooped Cobalt up, and nuzzled the top of his head. “You will be safe with me.”

“You two will serve as our guides. I'll be right with you, in case anything else in the forest wants to get nasty.” Grayson looked to Fierce. “You'll be the rear guard.”

Fierce nodded.

Grayson looked to Puca and Stone. “You two are in the middle. Stone, you seem level headed and looked like you can handle yourself in a fight. Keep an eye on Puca. She's compulsive and gets herself into trouble.”

Stone moved to stand beside her. “I won't let anything get near her, I promise.”

“That's not what I'm worried about. She is quite the fighter herself, but she lets her emotions get the best of her and she does things without thinking.” Grayson looked towards Puca. “We're going to have a discussion about you running off like that, later.”

Puca's ears fold back and she nodded. “I understand.”

Stone took a step forward. “She saved our lives.”

“The wolves would have harried you until you couldn't fight and then dragged you and your brother out of the forest is all.”

“They seemed pretty determined to chew us to pieces.”

“Think for a moment. Can you remember ever hearing or reading about a pony actually getting mauled or killed by timberwolves?”

Stone paused, before answering, “No, I can't.”

“They're not killers, they just don't like visitors. We'll talk about the importance of group discipline later, colt. We don't want to be in the forest during the night. Then, things come out that will eat you.” Grayson turned, flicked his tail at Stone, and walked away.

“What a jerk,” muttered Stone.

“He's right. I could have gotten myself or someone else badly hurt or killed.” Puca sighed. “I deserve the chewing out I'm going to get.”

“I'll be standing there right with you, when he does. It's the least I can do.”

“Thanks.”

*****

“Everything's fine.” Grayson waved back to the group, from the other side of the gorge. “The bridge is new and the gaps between the boards are small. You can come across without any problems.”

“I'm scared of heights.” Cobalt buried his face in the crook of Bonsmara's arm.

She held Cobalt tighter as as she stepped on to the rope bridge. “To be honest, I am not fond of them myself.”

Cobalt said, his voice muffled, “But you're so strong.”

“Might of the body allows you to move what you can touch. Strength of mind is something entirely different.”

“Well spoken,” said Fierce. “We all have things that give us troubles. Being skilled or strong does not make them go away. You have to learn how to overcome them so that you can perform with your full ability.”

Stone adjusted his helmet. “Let's take it one at a time. We don't want the bridge swinging all over the place.” He nodded to Puca. “Mares first.”

“Thank you, but I'll just fly over.” Puca spread her wings, hopped into the air, and hovered off the ground.

“You don't have to stay with us. We'll make it.”

“I'm not going to leave you guys to make the trip by yourselves.” She grinned. “In fact, I may be able to help.” Puca flew ahead of Bonsmara. Keeping a couple of ponies' height above the boards, she flew backwards at a slow speed. “Keep yours eyes on me and put one hoof in front of the other.”

“Thank you for giving me something to focus on, rather than the gorge.”

“You're welcome,” Puca said, guiding Bonsmara on.

“She's nothing like I thought a changeling would be,” Stone said to no one in particular.

“Thought she would be a nasty piece of work?” said Fierce.

Stone nodded.

“You will find that those in our little group do not match the typical descriptions of our kinds.”

“Except for Grayson. He's fits the grouchy griffin stereotype.”

Fierce laughed. “He just needs to warm up to you a bit. Go on, lad. I will be the last across.”

Stone took a few tentative steps on the bridge. “It's not quite as bad as I thought I would be.”

Puca flew back across the bridge to him. “Keep looking at me and talking. You'll be across before you know it.”

“Whoever worked on the bridge knew what they were doing.”

“Twilight and her friends were the ones to rebuild the bridge. Those mares can go anything, from what I can tell.”

“You know a lot about what Princess Twilight does.”

“Celestia wanted me to keep an eye on her, while I lived in Ponyville. It's kind of my part time job.”

“You work for Celestia?” His hooves met solid ground rather than wooden boards. He looked down as if surprised then looked up and grinned at her. “Neat trick.”

“Glad to help.”

Fierce strode off the bridge. “Marvelous view. Pity that you cannot see the entrance to the cave that holds the Tree of Harmony from the bridge.”

“The bridge didn't bother you at all, did it?” asked Stone.

“Of course it did. Any sane being, unable to fly on their own, would have misgivings about stepping onto a swaying set of planks held up with rope strung over a chasm.” He grinned. “The trick of it is to give the appearance that it does not bother you. If you can fool others into thinking that you are not concerned, you can sometimes fool yourself that there is nothing to worry about right along with them.”

“I'll be on point with Cobalt,” Grayson said. “Bonsmara, you'll have to put him down now.”

Bonsmara put Cobalt on the ground. “We will be right behind, watching out for anything nasty.”

“Everyone, listen up.” Grayson pointed toward the ruins. “The castle is rigged with traps. From what I have found in descriptions, they are are the non-lethal, diversionary type, but you do not want to become separated from the group. We are here on a rescue mission, let's not have to be rescued ourselves.”

Cobalt raised his hoof.

Grayson smirked. “I take it you have a question.”

“What is our mission?”

“That's right, you don't know.” Grayson lay down so that he was eye level with the sitting colt. “We are here to help save a princess of the Crystal Empire. She was turned into a crystal statute by the evil tyrant Sombra and then shattered.”

Cobalt's eye's grew wide. “Is she the one that's been in my dreams?”

Grayson nodded. “If I had to bet, she is. Sombra used his magic to send shards of the statute all over Equestria. Our group is helping bring the pieces back together so she can be restored.”

“She can be turned back?” Cobalt said, his voice catching.

“The Princesses think so, but we need all the pieces for it to work.” Grayson reached into a pouch hanging from his equipment belt and pulled out a glowing stone. “This was supposed to guide us to shards. But for some reason, it's not working. That's where you come in.”

“Me?”

“You'll be able to guide us to the shard, if I had to bet. I won't force you to help us, since things could get dangerous, but we need a guide.” Grayson tucked the stone back into the pouch from where he got it. “I should have asked whether you wanted to help before saying we would be on point together or bringing you here, for that matter.”

“I want to help. That's what my brother and I am here for.” Cobalt put a hoof over his heart. “I will listen to whatever you tell me to do. I won't get myself or anyone else in trouble. I promise.”

“I take it your brother asked you to do that for him before you came into the forest.”

Cobalt nodded.

“You have a good brother.”

Cobalt grinned and looked towards Stone. “He's the best.”

*****

“What is he doing?” whispered Stone.

“Checking for nasty surprises, like ambushes or traps.” Puca whispered back. “He's an expert at both.”

“Everything looks clean, but don't touch anything that you don't have to. We don't have enough time for me to check everything.” Grayson looked to Cobalt. “Which way now?”

“Down. It feels like we have to go down.”

“There is a stairwell just down the hall,” Fierce said. “It heads deeper into the lower levels of the castle.”

Stone said, “You've been here before?”

“I can smell it.” Fierce tapped the side nose with a finger. “There is air coming up from the lower parts of the castle. It has earthy tones in it.”

“That's impressive.”

“Being able to smell this well has its uses. However, I get to experience the scents of things I would rather not. I have to say that the bouquet of a tazelwurm is something I would not like to experience again.”

Grayson led them down the hall and the stairs.

“This way,” Cobalt said, pointing down the hall.

“Grayson, keep on your toes.” Fierce inhaled deeply through his nose. “I cannot name what I am smelling but I do not care for it.”

“Something big and nasty?”

“Nothing so simple. It has a touch of magic about it.”

“You want me to take point?” asked Puca. “I know my magic isn't that great but I may be able to sense something.”

“Join me up front,” Grayson said. “Cobalt, keep just behind us.”

They moved further down the hall. The sound of Fierce’s sniffing echoing in the halls. “It is a might bit more dusty here. Mind the cobwebs. Nothing quite like having a web stuck in your coat.”

Puca's horn gave off a soft green glow. “I not sensing any spells, but there is something here.” She shook her head. “It's not focused in one spot, though. It's like magic it all over th-”

A flash of light lit the hallway and Stone let out a startled shout.

The group drew their weapons, and Puca's horn glowed brighter. The light from her horn cast the hallway in stark black and green contrasts.

“What happened?!” Grayson asked. “You alright?”

“I'm fine,” Stone said. “I just got a shock from somewhere.”

“That did not seem a trap to me.” Looking up and down the hallway, Bonsmara turned her back to the wall and slowly walked backwards. She yelped, and jumped into the middle of the hall. She wrapped her tail around her body and looked at its tip. Her tail's brown tuft was tipped with white hoar frost. “Something just tried to freeze off my tail.”

“Everyone, don't move.” Grayson looked around the hall way. “Stone, how close were you to that sconce when you got shocked?”

“What's a sconce?” asked Cobalt, from his hiding place under Grayson.

Grayson looked between his forelegs at the colt. “The metal things on the walls that hold torches.”

“I wondered what those were called.”

“I was pretty close, but not close enough for static to get me,” said Stone.

“It was too strong a bolt for that too.” Puca pointed a hoof towards Stone's back. “His armor is scorched.”

“He's hurt then,” said Grayson. “Don't be stoic, we need to know how bad it is.”

“I'm fine.” Stone rolled his shoulders and shook himself. “It stings, but I can move without any trouble.”

“What's going on?” Cobalt asked. “If someone was going to attack us, why haven't they? If it's traps, why are they nasty like this? I thought the traps were just to confuse.”

“I have a feeling I might know.” Grayson reached to his belt and drew a throwing knife from its sheath. “Puca, could you shine your light down the hall?”

“Sure.” Puca turned her head. As she directed the light, the shadows in the hall slid with eery grace in the green light.

Grayson threw his knife towards the upper right of the hall. A series of electrical flashes, balls of flame, and puffs of falling snow marked the path of the knife. A metallic ring came from the darkness, as the knife hit the stone floor, and a single pop of electricity lit the hall.

“Star spiders,” Grayson spat. “Everyone, look out for webs. If you touch them, you're not going to like it. If you touch a large enough tangle of them, you might not survive.”

“Are those the spiders that like to get into unicorn's houses?” Cobalt said.

“They are. They feed on magical energy and capture in it their webs. If the webs gather enough magical power, they can release dangerous magical effects when touched. The Everfree Forest is naturally full of wild magic, but the castle is a particularly strong point for it to gather. Luna used to work on all kinds of magical experiments here too. I bet the artifacts left here drew the spiders in.”

“There is something that has been bothering me,” Stone said. “Why would the fragment be here in the castle?”

“The spiders will construct colonies around magical things.” Fierce looked down the hall. “If enough of the blighters get together, they will work together and create collections of magical items much like ants gather food.”

“They dragged the fragment here!” Cobalt said.

“Now, we have to venture into the heart of the colony and get that fragment.” Fierce shook his head. “That will be no mean task.”

Stone said, “Can they hurt the fragment when they absorb its energy?”

Cobalt's eyes grew wide. “She could be in trouble!”

“No, lad.” Fierce smiled. “They absorb magic like you would get heat from a fire. You getting warm does not hurt the fire, and they do not hurt the things they gather. I do not understand the ins and outs of it myself, but I have it on good authority that is all they do. Adventurers see finding a few star spiders as a sign they are close to strong magical artifact.”

“We have more than a few here,” Grayson said. “That is going to make things dangerous and slow.”

“We do not have time for a slow pace.” Bonsmara sighed. “We might be able to get this done in a day. We might have to return after getting the right gear.”

Cobalt moved out from under Grayson. “We can't turn back now! We've come too far!”

“We don't have to worry about making noise, right?” Stone said.

Bonsmara shrugged. “With all the spiders here, I doubt there is anything else around that will give us trouble.”

Stone smiled. “Great. I have an idea, but it's going to be loud.”

Cobalt hopped up and down. “What is it?”

“You know those suits of armor that we saw while we were coming this way?”

“Yeah.”

“We're going to need a few of their helmets.”

After a moment, Grayson started to laugh. “That's perfect!”

*****

“This a wonderful idea, but the noise is making my ears ring!”

“Sorry, Bonsmara. We can't use cloth or wood. The magic would ignite it.” Stone rolled his helmet along the floor, setting off a number of low strung webs.

Cobalt threw a helmet down the hallway. The resulting eruption of magics from the broken spider webs lit the hall. “The webs are much thicker now. I think it means were heading the right way.”

Fierce threw, and the helmet smashed against something solid. “I believe that was the sound of a helmet hitting a door.”

“We're really close,” Cobalt said. “I bet it's in this room.”

“There is something odd here. Where are the traps we were to fear?” Bonsmara used her shield to brush the spent webbing from the door. She tried the door handle. It was locked. “This is the first door to be sealed. If it is braced with magic, we could be in trouble.

Grayson examined the lock. He reached into another of the pouches on his belt and withdrew a set of lock picks. “This lock has crystal components. If I had to put bits on it, both the door and the lock were enchanted. I don't know what did it, but the spells are gone.” Grayson slid the lock picks into the lock. After a couple of deft movements, a metallic click came from the lock. “Fine piece of work. After all these years, the lock is still smooth.”

Grayson pushed open the door with caution. “Lots of webbing in there.”

After four helmets were tossed at different angles through the door way, the group stepped into the room.

“If I had to bet, this was Princess Luna's study.” Grayson looked around the room. “Lots of artifacts, books, a high domed ceiling, and it looks like old drafting and measuring instruments on that desk over there too.”

“So that's where the spiders are,” Stone said, looking up. “I wondered why we hadn't seen any. It looks like they've covering the whole ceiling, there's so many of them.”

“Puca, please put out your light,” Bonsmara said, putting a hand on her shouler.

Puca stopped her magic, and the room went dark.

“That's amazing!” Cobalt said, in awed whisper.

The ceiling was lit by the glowing marks on the spiders. The light from the spiders also illuminated the strands of webbing, giving them a slight glow of their own.

“It's gorgeous,” said Puca. “Now I see why they're called star spiders.”

“There! The fragment is in there!” Cobalt pointed a hoof toward a round mass of thick webbing stuck to the wall.

“Of course,” Grayson growled. “It's at the center of the nest.”

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading my story. If you were kind enough to add it to your favorites, please consider giving it a positive vote as well.

Remember, comments are like authors' food, they give us the fuel to keep writing. Constructive criticism is always welcome. It's what allows me to improve my writing skills.

Comments

[Fome]

I haven't read the story (it's incomplete, and I have a backlog), and this may have already been asked, but: has this been shaken up by the ending of comic #37? Will it be an alternate universe where Sombra's resurrection(?) plays out differently? I hope you don't plan to abandon or try to rewrite it just because it contradicts a story that's widely disliked and hard to reconcile with other canon anyway.