Zzzzzzzzp! Logan tied a satchel shut.
"There..." He heaved the heavy pack over his flank, wincing slightly. "Mmmmmmyeahhhh..." A shrug of his shoulders, and he allowed his body to get used to the extended weight. "Pain and life... life and pain..." A dull grin, and he faced Rainbow. "Good to go when you are."
Rainbow's brow furrowed. "Are you sure you can handle all that weight, Big Show?"
"It's in the name, girl." He began marching slowly—steadily—towards Curveside. "Besides, I'm the only member of this posse who's built for this shit. It's worth it if we can preserve most of our stuff." He glanced over his shoulder. "By the way—Baldy—is this most of our stuff?"
Flynn sighed, scribbling notes into one of Kepler's notepads with a levitating pen. "We've still got food. Bows and arrows. Kepler's alchemic supplies. Runestones... a pair of boomsticks... and some stuff from Darkreach."
"How much stuff from Darkreach?"
"Down to one pack," Flynn explained. "Mana shards. Ranort's CAINE device. Some of the manuscripts we pilfered." He folded the notepad up and gazed woefully across the stone wasteland. "We now officially have less stuff than we did way back when we first set out from Wyvern Point with Mortuana... rest her soul."
"So we're moving light," Rainbow Dash said. "Cool." The barest hint of a smirk. "I can do light."
"You are light," Flynn muttered. "Me? I feel naked without a good assortment of gadgets at my side."
"You... mrmmfff... wanna carry all of the good stuff here?" Logan offered, sweating.
Flynn shook his head. "You enjoy the exercise, Big Show. Your fat ass could do with building character."
"Cute."
"Wait..." Ariel rushed in, blinking at the others. "What about the last bits of spare armor from Darkreach?"
"What about them?" Flynn droned.
"Well..." Ariel squirmed. "...I know we're all carrying just about all we can right now... but are we honestly leaving that behind?"
"Think about it, Ariel." Flynn sighed. "Would any of that had done good against shit like the hungry hungry deatherpillar we just ran into?"
Ariel bit her lip. She looked at Rainbow.
Rainbow exhaled. "I don't know about you guys, but I was never cut out for the knight-in-shining-armor schtick anyways." She gestured. "Leave it behind. We can only carry so much and we're already loaded with the absolute essentials."
"The swords, however..." Seraphimus twirled two Emeraldinian blades and sheathed them into makeshift scabbards hastily fashioned out of scavenged canvas and leather. "They certainly will prove useful. They already have, in fact."
"Go ahead, Sera." Rainbow nodded. "Hrmmmfff..." A slight smirk. "You seem to have grown attached to them."
"In a manner of speaking." Seraphimus' charcoal brown eyes narrowed. "What of the wyvern?"
Rainbow pivoted about. "Keps? How are you holding up, buddy?"
"Mrrmmfff..." Kepler squirmed, squinting without the aid of his glasses. The busted spectacles in question were strapped uselessly into a pocket of his bandolier. "I would be holding up betterr..." He winced as Wildcard shuffled around him, fastening the last strap of multiple packs to his shoulders. "...if I could see wherre all the pieces werre."
Wildcard gave the bags a final tug, then turned to face Rainbow. "I felt that the alchemy tools would be safest with him. He can only carry so much."
"I do hope he is not saying anything rrude." Kepler's nostrils flared. "I am in no condition to surrvey his Desperrado sense of humorr."
Ariel giggled, trotting towards him. "Who? Wildcard?"
"The Job Squad has always been a most efficient bunch. I suspect I know a fifth wheel when I see one... orr fail to see one." Kepler sighed. "I fearr that I am no longerr of much use to you, my frriends. Fitting that you should utilize my body as a packhorrse—no offense intended."
"He is not wrong," Seraphimus said. Upon receiving multiple glares, she calmly glanced back. "In the wyvern's latter assertion," she clarified.
"We're not leaving you behind, Kepler," Ariel said. She briefly frowned. "Unlike some ponies."
"But without my sight, I cannot keep my bearrings..."
"Then let me be the bearings for you!" Ariel trotted Curveside of him and flicked her tail into his claws. "Just grab ahold, lil' guy! I'll lead the way!"
"Oh, but Arriel, you poorr dearr!" Kepler protested. "How will you fly?"
"Quite steadily." She winked. "With a good counterbalance on my tail." A beat. "I... uh... I just winked at you a second ago."
"But of courrse! I had assumed as much. Bra-hah!"
"Heeheehee..."
Kepler sighed. "But I darresay my futurre herre on the Darrk Side is now imperriled by my visual handicap. I serriously... serriously doubt that therre is an optometrist within rreasonable distance of ourr currrent location."
"We'll find a way to get those glasses of yours fixed, Keps," Rainbow said. "Don't you worry."
"But Rrainbow One, I haven't even seen an inkling of the materrials rrequirred to fashion glass—"
"I said we're gonna get them fixed!" Rainbow frowned. "We'll bridge that gap when we get there! Right now, we..." She trailed off, fidgeting.
"Well?" Flynn craned his neck towards her. "What now? Don't tell me we're still following those sorry-ass flankholes."
Rainbow gulped. "Fluttershy still senses them. They're making a beeline towards Curveside. No doubt, if we follow them... ... ..." She trailed off again.
Ariel grimaced. "Do we really wanna go someplace where there are even more of those jerks?"
"The Bloodwings ain't after them," Logan said.
"Yeah... but we can't expect the Dihmers to give a shit about our lives even if they come after us!" Ariel frowned. "You saw what they do to their own kind!"
Rainbow shuddered. "About the Bloodwings...?"
The others looked at her.
"Yes?" Kepler blinked blindly, craning his neck in the mare's direction. "What about them?"
"... ... ..." Rainbow took a breath. "I'll tell you in a bit. Right now..." She pivoted and faced Curveside. "We gotta go where the Dihmers are going."
"Uggggggh..." Ariel's everything deflated. "Come onnnnn," she whined.
"You sure that's wise, Rainbow?" Flynn asked calmly. "I'm not looking forward to meeting more Dihmers any more than Ariel is."
"It's not the Dihmers I care about at this point," Rainbow said. "It's the Ocean... and what it'll mean for us once we get there."
The members of the Herald looked at one another.
At last, it was Wildcard who gestured, "Any haven is a safe haven compared to where we are now."
Seraphimus nodded. "Jordan is on point. It would be best not to ignore his wisdom." She sighed. "I've made that mistake once before..."
Wildcard stared at her.
She frowned. "Alright. Multiple times before."
Wildcard smirked.
"Works for me." Logan heaved the weight of his supplies and marched steadily Curveside. "Come on, everypony! Follow the bouncing balls."
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeugh..." Flynn telekinetically lifted his share of the weight and moved swiftly. "I'm taking point."
"Come on, Keps," Ariel said, guiding the wyvern along with her tail.
"Have I mentioned—fairr one—just how silky smooth your hairr is?"
"Well...!" Ariel winked aside. "At least someone appreciates my conditioning."
"Mrmmmfff..." Seraphimus glided forward. "It had better be a cold Ocean."
Rainbow lingered at the rear of the freshly re-formed Caravan, along with Wildcard. After sliding on her saddlebags, she turned and looked back. Her eyes dully reflected a pile of broken stones... where the Herald had quietly managed to bury the scant remains of the deceased Dihmers left behind.
A metal talon gently squeezed Rainbow's shoulder.
Rainbow took a breath, gave the Desperado a meager smile, then trotted side by side with him as they joined the rest of the team's diligent march.
Meow.
And away they go!
Off to the Ocean. Hopefully with minimum issues along the way till they get there. Though I suspect that is unlikely.
Well, Keps, I wouldn't say you're totally out of luck on the glasses front. If what we saw of the goblins on the Light Side was any indication they tend towards being industrial, so its possible Petra might have some possibilities in the lens manufacturing department. Until then, just enjoy sticking close to Ariel's well conditioned tail...
Wait, how is Ariel keeping her tail so well maintained? Is she hiding a freakin' tub of mane conditioner somewhere? Or is this just one of those laws of fantasy worlds where characters miraculously tend to maintain decent hygiene even when lacking any and all means to take showers or brush their teeth? NOPE! Nope! Forget I'm even typing anything. Already did this with the water situation. I'm just going to shelve this one before it goes any further.
Seraphimus x Logan Ship Confirmation Chapter Counter: 42
The Grand Choke had enough ocean for me, thanks.
Oh, it's funny how a few chapters can change everything. The Dihmers have quickly lost their appeal and the Herald may achieve more by talking to individuals like the Sarosian in Rainbow's last dream.
Don't break Ariel's fuzzy pony heart like that, Dashie.
Dude.
That wink was to Rainbow Dash, I take it.
Don't worry, Sera, I think it'll be plenty cold enough.
Well, now everyone can travel together, again.
Only Wildcard can have a conversation without saying a word. It's always funny.
I don't think anyone would have blamed Dash for losing her cool and hitting one of the Dihmers. Their complete disregard for their emotions would be infuriating.
It's also, quite possibly, the worst survival tactic you could adopt. Emotions are valuable tools for survival, be it alone or in a group.
-Through the path long forgotten, into the darkness long begotten. Ofolrodi.
Off we go, into the wild blu....
Wait, I've made that joke before, haven't I?
The way things are going, theres going to be an impassable drop down to the Dhimers camp near the ocean, out of range of the projectile spear fish, the rock headed land slammers, and the hyper extending neck whip whales. Never mind the slimes and tentacles. And the way of getting down is the water slide, and getting back is the geyser?
The Wolf Pack rules Darkseid, if she had grabbed the pack, it wouldve been Reighn Of Fire.
No glassmaking materials? I wouldn't be surprised if the entire area hadn't turned to glass with the meteor rain.
Of course she'd take the swords over armor. You can't kill people with armor.
...then again, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure Seraphimus could kill people with just about anything, including themselves.
... ... why does she need swords anyway?
Losing sight really has changed him. Not even his laughter is the same!
Back on the move once more, hopefully with less distractions this time around, as that would get rather dull eventually. As for Kepler, I have a feeling he will see again at some point.
On the road again, with a lot less than they started off with, and with a Kepler that can't see. Oh, I really do hope he gets his glasses back.
It caught up.
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it caught up.
They certainly don't call it the dark side for nothing.
The answer to kep's blindness is obvious.
Just use the loyalty pendant to perform laser eye surgery.
Love Keps and his honesty. But how does one shower/bathe on the dark side? Kinda surprised that Ariel's hair isn't a ragged/tangled mess, even after their little scuffle with the giant worm just a little while ago.
Ariel has enough conditioner for three months.
Kepler only brought one pair of glasses.
Makes sense to me.
What was that? I did a text search on the whole of Ofolrodi but that gave nothing. A typo in the acronym? I can't remember what that could be referring to.
8857025
8859327
8861797
One can read Ariel's comment on hair conditioning as sarcasm. If they're all actually just as unkempt as one would realistically expect after months on the dark side, Kepler's compliment comes across as all the more heartwarming.
8866645
It was a device they found shortly before leaving the emeraldian bunker. The spelling is right, but it might've had periods between the letters back then.
i’ll bet u did
I hope none of our heroes are still harboring any illusions about the Dihmers being potential allies. After the way we've seen them treat their injured, the only way the Herald will be getting any sort of aid from them is purely incidentally - like leading them to the ocean for example.
On the road again...
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They are no allies, but I don’t see them as a threat. They don’t care about anything and serve nobody. Just following them should be safe.
And are we really giving up on the bloodwings?! You guys need the shard, no matter how scary they are. So what is the destination after the ocean?
I’m going to take a guess here and say that the herald isn’t surviving this trip I’m assuming that they are all going to bite the dust noble team style by sacrificing themselves for the greater good it has already happened with bard and Axan and will likely happen until no ones left or there’s are few of them left rainbow and her friends are the only people with anything to return to her friends having their old lives and rainbow having roarke but even then I suspect that unfortunately rainbow will die at the end of this book she will likely sacrifice herself in order to save all of her friends and this world
Sorry for the poor punctuation in my last comment
Yeah, Kep really needs those glasses fixed. Which means the party needs Kep's glasses fixed. He's too useful.
Yeah, AWAY from Death Worm #4.
But yeah, we need to get Keps glasses fixed, or we're down a big part of our research team.