In Pursuit of Chaos

by CeresBane

Night 120

Dear Arch-cleric,

Westward, ever westward I head towards the frozen hell that is the land of Tartarus. It seems with each passing day I miss the warmth of the Everfree forest, as the climate continues to grow harsher and harsher. My suit had done wonders to increase my survivability in this kingdom but it's gotten ever so difficult to endure the cold as the warming effects of the Mare-do-well uniform dim in effectiveness. I simply do not know how I can continue on, but spurred on my fellow clergy, I somehow do. The warmth of their hearts sparking a tiny flame in me.

The Everfree by this point is beyond the horizon I leave behind and yet I still find myself looking back every night, in some vain hope to see the glimpses of it's trees. But I now walk a frozen wasteland of grey stones and dirt, there was no way the Fluttershy's touch could extend to all the way out here. How the Lunar ponies survive out here is an impossibility I hope to be enlightened on soon when I see the city.

This journey had been full of stops and starts, and I regret to say that it was primarily on my own weakness. Suffering from the cold with stiff limbs and frost bitten flesh, I find myself being nothing more than nuisance to my fellow ponies. The offer was made for me to be carried for the rest of the journey, however I refused the offer on the principle that I wished to prove my worth and pull my own weight. This proved to be a fatal error as my weakness has had me pass out and walk so slowly that the rest of the group's usually rapid gallop has slowed to a canter.

I can see their patience of me wearing thing with each new moon.

However, we are here now before the gates of Tartarus. Given the importance of the land beyond to the republic, Cerberus alone has been deemed insufficient security for "the capital." Now a retinue of windigo familiars and a small group of dark unicorns were stationed at the gates at any given time and added occassionally by a small garrison of Night guards and pony rifles to complete the defence.

Knowing my imperial origins they first treated me with distrust as we Mare-do-wells opt to stay a night with the guard ponies, to while aware their hours with exchanges of stories and news. But mostly to help my weak body recover from the windigo magic. I told a few tales myself, though naturally I avoid divulging any real details regarding my mission. After hearing my story of me as a pacifist border patrol soldier, the ponies of the Tartarus gate had me become fast friend with them. Teaching me a few tricks with the Mare-do-well suits that I never knew about.

The ponies here certainly have a gift to tinker and soon enough, I had found that I could have saved myself alot of trouble if I had just adjusted the heat settings on my suit. Although it might have sacrificed much of the energy. I surmised the other solaris mare-do-wells avoided using such a feature because they wished to conserve the energy just in case of an emergency.

The night's stay did me a lot of good. I learned of trust that I had thought was impossible between our two races and friendship that I knew I could rely on. Plus given my knew knowledge of just the scale of the technological marvel I wore around me, I can be of better use to my fellow clergy.

I will be arriving into the outskirts of the city by the time you receive this. The chances of finding Pinkie pie here is uncertain, but I know I can do a lot of good here in the meanwhile.

-Piety