• Published 10th Aug 2012
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The Tears of Gaia - Redback Spino



Twilight and co. journey to find the legendary Tears of Gaia. Little do they know what awaits them

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13
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13. Prison Break

The fort of Maudhul was a simple construction. Built atop a small hillock, ramshackle stone walls formed a perimeter around a dusty courtyard. A few small buildings were built into the inside of the walls, with the keep standing tall among the others, built into the back wall. Scattered around the courtyard floor were many small trapdoors, leading to more chambers and buildings underground. Somewhere, also, in that underground network were the Pits. The Pits. Those were words that would send shivers of glee down the spine of any Blightling, or reduce any poor prisoner sentenced to them to a mewling, quivering wreck.

Above the gates, a single Blightling stood guard on the wall. Only a few dozen Blightlings remained in the fort, mostly just to keep it in good condition, and to guard the few prisoners in the cells down below, and a few unfortunate souls in the Pits who could barely be called living anymore. In the warm evening sun, her eyes began to droop as she leaned heavily upon the battlements. The fort had been quiet these past few days and she had been on guard duty for two days straight. Surely, she thought, a quick nap wouldn’t hurt…

“OPEN THE GATES! MAUGOTH’S TROOPS ARE APPROACHING!”

The Blightling’s eyes snapped open and she leapt to attention. Peering out at the landscape before them, she saw clearly a column of creatures approaching the fort. She hurried to the enormous bell that hung by her, and rang out the alarm.
Below her, the other Blightlings posted at the fort rushed about, gathering up weapons, donning helmets and uniforms, and lining up in front of the gate. Two particularly large, burly creatures took down the crossbar that held the gates shut, and pulled the massive wooden gates open.

With Maugoth, Laga and Shataz at the head, the column of Blightling troops filed into the courtyard, not bothering with marching or standing in lines. From among the stationed Blightling troops, the largest stepped forward. He had apparently been a griffon at some time, if the beak and clawed forelegs were any indication. But his wings had rotted away long ago, leaving only two frames of bone and sinew remaining.

“Maugoth. We heard you were coming. Welcome to Maudhul. Ashdautas vrasubatlat.” He hissed through a gnarled beak.

Maugoth grinned. “Nar udatsas, Shargoth. Hope things didn’t get too boring for you guys here. So what’s been happening?”

Shargoth shrugged. “Not a whole lot. We had a brief skirmish with some flatar kjani on our way here, but that’s about it.”

“Ah, sounds like fun. Any of them accept our gift?”

“Only two. Those beasts are tough, I’ll give ‘em that. We did away with most of the rest, but we’re keeping one of them down in the cells. One of his friends let slip that he’s apparently royalty.” The winged Blightling explained.

Maugoth’s ears perked up at this. “Royalty, eh? Well, that could come in handy.”

“And what about you?” Shargoth pointed to the three ponies among their midst. “I notice that you got a few prisoners of your own. Won’t you introduce me?”

All eyes turned to Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Rainbow and Applejack glared back, but said nothing, and Fluttershy huddled between them, trying to be inconspicuous.

Maugoth leaned close to his fellow commander. “Those three have information. Apparently they and their other friends were looking for something, an ancient magic artefact or a weapon of some kind.”

“Ooh, I’m intrigued. So lemme guess, you want them to tell you where this thing is, right? Regardless of how much they refuse?”

“You know me all too well,” Maugoth replied. “There were six of ‘em, but we lost the other three. Maybe with a little, ahem, convincing, they’ll tell us where they went off to.”

Shargoth grinned. “Well, sounds like ye got things under control. Have them taken down to the cells for now, and make yerselves at home. I’ll have my troops cleared outta here by nightfall.”

Before they could listen to any more of the conversation, the three mares found themselves being hauled away from the group by their chains. One of the trapdoors in the ground creaked open to reveal a flight of crudely carved steps snaking down into the dark.

“Down ya go, little things!” their Blightling captors guffawed as they dragged them down the stairs. They found themselves in a dank, dimly lit tunnel dug out of the earth, musky and damp. A quick tug on their chains and the three ponies were on the move again. Applejack and Rainbow Dash merely kept their heads down and struggled on, too tired and resigned to fight back. Fluttershy, however, glanced constantly around her. She thought back to Yarrow’s words as they echoed in her mind once again. Even if you can’t see me, I’ll be there. Did that mean he was somewhere in the fort? Was he watching them even now?

Her thoughts were interrupted as she was shoved bodily into a small cell dug into the wall. One of the Blightlings followed her in and hooked her collar and chain up to a loop in the wall, before doing the same to her other friends in their own cells. Once all three of them were shackled and locked up, he headed back out into the tunnels, leaving the three in the dark.

“Well this is just great,” Applejack’s voice muttered from somewhere on Fluttershy’s left. “You gals alright? Where are y’all?”

“No, I’m not alright!” Rainbow Dash’s voice came from the right. “I’m stuck in a tiny little cell, I’m chained to the wall and I can’t see a thing! Lemme out already!!”

“Rainbow, calm down! The last thing we need ta do right now is panic…”

“This is the perfect time to panic! I’m no good in tiny spaces like this!”

“Yes Rainbow, I know,” Applejack replied. “But we gotta stay calm if we’re gonna get outta here!”

“Yeah, emphasis on the ‘if’ part of that statement.”

All three ponies fell silent as they heard this new voice.

“Erm… Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked, “Did your voice change or something?”

“I didn’t say anything,” the pegasus replied.

“No, that would have been me.” The voice spoke again. “I gotta say, it’s nice to hear kind voices again. Who are you three?”

“Uh… Applejack’s my name. Where are you?” Applejack asked.

“I’m in another cell. Applejack… that’s an Equestrian name, isn’t it?”

Rainbow joined in. “Yep. And Rainbow Dash is my name. Ever heard of me?”

“Should I have?” the voice replied. “I’ve never been to Equestria myself. I’m pretty sure I heard a third voice too. Who would that be?”

Fluttershy squeaked as she heard herself being acknowledged. Nervously clearing her throat, she said “Erm… I’m F-Fluttershy. And who are you?”

“My name’s Gordon. I’m from a town northwest of here… I think. I’m not certain exactly where we are.” The voice replied.

“I do, sort of,” Fluttershy replied. “I mean, I know where we are in relation to somewhere else. We’re on the border of this huge forest, by the name of Cervidas.”

Applejack started. “Cervidas? Ain’t that the place Twilight mentioned back when we were travelling to Canterlot?”

“Yeah, that’s where the Deerfolk live, right?” Rainbow added.

“Great. So I’m trapped in here, and I’m miles away from home!” Gordon muttered.

The four prisoners were quiet for a moment, the only sound being an occasional dripping noise from the caverns, or the echo of somebody moving around outside.

“Well… It could be worse,” Fluttershy said.

Worse?” Applejack muttered halfheartedly. “Fluttershy, we’re locked up tighter than chickens in a coop, in a castle surrounded by tonnes of those Blight things, and we still dunno where Twilight and the others are! How could things be worse?!”

Fluttershy quailed slightly under the verbal onslaught, but picked herself back up and continued “Well, erm… at least the cells aren’t too small. They’re bigger than those ones that we were locked up in on the moon, remember?”

“Oh yeah, when we were up against the Nightmare Forces,” Rainbow Dash responded. “Yeah, I guess those cells were much smaller.”

“Heh, I dunno about y’all,” Applejack joined in. “but I wouldn’t mind seein’ old Jerome and Larry again right about now.”

“Yeah, and little Buffy too…” Fluttershy added.

“Wait… Jerome…? Moon… What?!”

Even in a situation this dire, Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle at Gordon’s confusion. “Long story, sugarcube… Still, I don’t think getting’ outta here will be quite as easy as it was then. We don’t exactly have Pinkie here to reveal that she’s got the key hidden in her mane.”

“Yeah…” Rainbow sighed. “I hate to say it, but I dunno if I we can rely on magic or Harmony this time.”

“Erm, actually, you might not be quite right, Rainbow Dash.”

“What do you mean?”

Fluttershy stood up by the door. “Well, I didn’t want to say anything while those Blight creatures were still around, but… well, I was talking to somepony while we were being brought here.”

“Wait, what? Talking to somepony, how exactly?”

“Well, in our minds… I think. I could hear his voice in my head, and I could speak back to him by thinking. I’m not sure how it happened. He said he was from Cervidas, and that he was going to help rescue us.”

“From Cervidas, huh?” Gordon said. “Sounds to me like you were talking with one of the Deerfolk. So what did he say?”

“He said that when we get to here, we would be close enough to the forest for him to come and rescue us with his people.”

“Huh, typical deer. Never wants to stray too far from his precious forest.”

Applejack spoke up. “Well, I guess that’s reassurin’, knowing that they’re plannin’ on rescuing us, but how long will we have to wait for them to show up?”

“He said he’d rescue once we’re in here,” Fluttershy replied.

A sharp bang came from where Rainbow was locked up, and the pegasus kicked against the cell door. “Then why haven’t they busted us out yet?!”

“For Pony’s sake Rainbow, we’ve only been in here about an hour! I know ya like to live yer life in the fast lane, but would a little patience be too much to ask?!” snapped Applejack.

Rainbow Dash mutinously muttered, “Yes mother.

“Well, whenever these Deerfolk decide to show up, I hope for all our sakes that it’s soon,” Gordon interrupted before an argument could break out. “Those yellow-eyed freaks are keeping us alive, which must mean they want us all for something. And I think it’s a safe bet it’s not gonna be pretty.”

The four prisoners were quiet once more, each alone with their thoughts.

“Hey, Gordon.” Rainbow broke the silence. “I keep hearing these Blight things talking about something called The Pits. You know anything about it?”

“Yeah, I was kinda wonderin’ myself. I’d heard them mention it a few times. Is it some kinda mine or labour camp or somethin’?”

Gordon was silent a moment before answering. “No, it’s much… much worse. I, uh, I don’t really think any of you really wanna know what it really is. Frankly I wish I didn’t know it myself!”

He paused again, and from his cell could be heard sounds of him shuffling around, no doubt settling on the floor.
Fluttershy spoke up again. “Please… It might be easier just to know.”

Gordon sighed. “Well, when these creatures catch anybird, they’ll do one of two things to you. If they think you’re strong and fit enough to help them, they infect you with their poison and turn you into one of them. If they think you’re too weak to be infected, then they send you down into the Pits for their… entertainment.”

“… Entertainment?” Applejack echoed. “What sorta entertainment do you... wait… you don’t mean-“

“Yeah.” Gordon replied. “Exactly that. And let’s just say that they’re in the mood for It a lot.”

“That’s….That’s horrible!” Rainbow spat. “That’s just sick!!”

While Applejack and Rainbow Dash continued to express their disgust, Fluttershy was still putting the pieces together in her mind. But when she realised the meaning behind Gordon’s words, Fluttershy clapped a hoof to her mouth in horror and revulsion. Does that mean that those Blightlings, those monsters… they’re going to…to… and to her…?!

Unable to hold it back any longer, Fluttershy could only curl up in a pitiful little ball in her cell, whimpering to herself. I don’t know if you can hear me, she prayed silently, but please. Yarrow, if you’re there, please… please, help us!

But there was no reply. She wanted to scream aloud, or hit the door or cry, but even that felt too exhausting for her. Scooting along the floor a bit, she huddled up in the corner of her cell, eyes clamped shut. But just as she finally felt the merciful veil of sleep falling over her mind, Yarrow’s voice spoke again, loud and clear in her mind.

We’re on our way.


Maugoth watched with a grin of satisfaction as his Blightling troops hurried to and fro about the fortress of Maudhul. With the outpost’s former skeleton crew out of the way, he could reshape this fortress into his own personal stronghold. From here, he could expand and send out troops to find more potential recruits to receive their Black Blessing.

And then there are their little pony prisoners. They would definitely be useful in finding those legendary Tears of Gaia. Maugoth could remember very little of his former life before the Black Blessing opened his eyes and made him what he is today, but he did know one thing about ponykind: They’re generally a very selfless race, rarely willing to put their fellow pony at risk for their own gain. It’s obvious that these ponies in particular were very close friends. They would do anything to keep their friends safe. Even lead us back to the Tears.

And with that kind of power in my grasp, The Blight will be mind to command. We’ll spread across the world and make it our own. Just like it should have always been…

His train of thought was interrupted as he felt a tiny pinprick in the back of his mind. His eager grin turned to a nervous frown; he knew just what that meant. With the rest of his troops busy, Maugoth hurried up into his new quarters in the keep of the fortress. Closing the door and the windows, he shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

As he breathed out, the noxious black smoke that always lingered around his mouth billowed out in swirls and plumes. The smoke began to circle around him as it formed into a massive dark cloud before him. Two yellow lights formed in the smoke, peering down at Maugoth like massive eyes.

The Blightling leader knelt down in reverence before the cloud. “You… honour me with your presence.”

“Spare me the pleasantries, Maugoth. What do you have to say for yourself?” A voice echoed from the cloud, sonorous, deep, rumbling. It was as if several dozen voices were speaking at once. And every one of them was furious.

“S-sire?”

“We bestow on you not only our Black Blessing, but we allow you to retain your own free will and your own mind. And this is how you repay us? We are ashamed. Did you think that your little playthings would go unnoticed?”

Maugoth raised an eyebrow. “I-I’m not sure I understand you, sire.”

“Your three little vogal kjani, Maugoth. Those ponies. You have every opportunity to welcome them to our ever-growing family, and yet you still deny them my gift! Are you really so selfish? Or is three how many it takes to satisfy your lust now?”

“That’s not it at all!” Maugoth replied. “I haven’t turned them to our kind, because they have something we could use!”

The voice was silent a moment, before rumbling, “And what would that be?”

“A weapon, sire. A source of near unlimited power! It could change our fortunes in this war. With it we could increase our strength tenfold, with enough power to spread our gift across the whole world!”

“Hmm… that changes things. And one of them has this weapon?”

The Blightling’s tattered ears fell. “Erm… not exactly. But one of their fellow ponies does. I can propose a trade: the safety and wellbeing of these three ponies, for the weapon.”

“And would they accept this deal?”

“They would, sire. Ponies of Equestria value their friends greatly.”

“Equestria…” The voice rumbled and growled with more intensity. “When our strength is enough, that nation shall be the first to receive our Blessing. If not for those accursed rulers of theirs, Celestia and Luna, I would have bestowed my Blessing upon all of the Others, and this universe would have been mine long ago…”

“So, may I continue with my plan, sire?”

“You may. Obtain this weapon by any means necessary. And when you have it, bring it to Burzkala immediately. That is all.”

And with that, the yellow eyes dimmed, and the black cloud began to swirl around again, before rushing back into Maugoth’s mouth. With one final gasp, it was gone, and Maugoth opened his eyes once more. He grinned.

“Dear Allfather, you old fool.”

Opening the windows once more, he watched as his soldiers milled about at their jobs. Not long now until I can have every creature in this world at my command. All I need is that blasted stone!

His gaze wandered around the courtyard, until it stopped at the trapdoors that led to the prison cells. Well, I guess there’s no time like the present.


The ears of the four prisoners perked up as they heard the door of the prison chamber opening again. Hoofsteps heralded the entrance of somepony, followed by a low chuckle.

“Now then, little ponies, how are we doing?”

There was no reply. Maugoth chuckled again. “Oh come on, don’t be that way. All I’m asking for is a little cooperation from you. Just tell us where your little friends are, and where they might be keeping that little jewel of theirs, and you’ll be free.”

“Even if we did know, we wouldn’t tell you!” Rainbow Dash snapped.

“I dunno what yer plannin’ to do with the Tears, but I’ll bet hooves to hindquarters that it’s nothin’ pleasant.” Added Applejack.

“Oh come on,” Maugoth replied. “You treat us like we’re the bad guys!”

“Gee, I wonder why!”

“All we want to do is make this world better. I’ve been blessed, my soldiers and I! Our Allfather has given us the great gift of perfection, and all we want to do is to share it with you!”

“Ya mean that poison inside of ya? That turned y’all into freaks of nature?!” Applejack retorted.

Maugoh chuckled again. “And here I heard that Equestrians were a tolerant nation.”

Rainbow Dash laughed humourlessly. “Yeah, there’s a limit to how much we can tolerate anypony. And we’ve heard about the Pits. You sickos don’t deserve any tolerance at all!”

“So you’ve heard about those, huh? Well then, I have a proposal to make. Nice and simple for you: You cooperate with us, or it’s down to the Pits.” There was no longer any humour in Maugoth’s voice. Only cold cruelty.

His proposition was met with silence just as cold. “I see. Very well then,” Maugoth sighed. “I guess I have no choice.”

In the centre of the prison chamber, there were four small levers. Hovering his hoof over the first three, he paused and pushed down on the middle one. It tilted all the way down until it was flat on the floor, with a resounding CLICK!

Fluttershy removed her hooves from her face as she felt the floor moving beneath her. A seam appeared across the floor from one end of the cell to the other, and began to expand. The very floor opened up beneath her feet.

“I’d say that this hurts me more than you, but I never tell a lie.”

The loop connecting her chain to the wall came undone. With a final earsplitting scream, Fluttershy tumbled through the opening and into the darkness below.


On the fringe of the woods of Cervidas, the bushes stirred. A head popped up from among the undergrowth, branching antlers glowing ever so slightly in the dark of the night.

“We can wait no longer. Tolo hi!” Yarrow called into the bushes. In seconds, about twenty Deerfolk were emerging from the forest, shaking the leaves from their antlers and dusting off their earth-coloured tunics.

“Marigold, you take twelve around the front and sides of the walls and divert their attention. The rest, follow me.”

The deer named Marigold nodded and her deer hurried of into the darkness. Yarrow watched as she headed off, before leading his own dozen troops towards the castle.


When Fluttershy opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was a pounding headache. Clutching her throbbing skull in her forehooves, she glanced around at where she had landed.

She was in the middle of a chamber, about the size of a small living room or a bedroom, but completely empty. Along the walls there were a few small loops and chains, terminating in shackles and collars of various sizes. A single door was the only way in or out, aside from the small hole in the ceiling above her, leading back up to the cells. The floor and the walls were dug crudely out of the damp earth, illuminated by a single burning torch by the door. But what struck her most was the smell.

It was a wholly unpleasant mix of smells. The metallic tang of dried blood, the earthy, musky scent of underground, the saltiness of sweat, and other more foreboding odours all combined together into some hideous miasma.

She started, jumping to her hooves, sending another jolt of pain reverberating through her skull, as she heard a noise outside the door. It sounded like a lock was being fumbled with and unlocked on the outside. Huddling against the far wall, Fluttershy curled up and closed her eyes again, awaiting her fate.

But there was no sound of the door opening or the lock unlocking. Instead, she heard some other commotion outside the door. Shouting, loud bangs and crashes, and strange pulsing, whooshing sounds.

Suddenly, there was a deafening crash as something heavy was thrown bodily against the door, knocking it off its hinges. As the dust cleared, Fluttershy looked up and saw a particularly large Blightling sprawled atop the fallen door, knocked out cold. Behind the fallen creature stood an odd-looking creature, in a very familiar tunic.

“I told you I was on my way. Now let’s get you out of here,” Yarrow said with a confident smile.

The cream-coloured pegasus needed no second bidding.


After what seemed like an eternity of navigating endless dank tunnels and caverns, Fluttershy and Yarrow pushed open the final trapdoor and found themselves on the surface, where chaos reigned. Blightlings and Deerfolk were running all about the place, chasing one another, crashing into one another and tumbling down from the walls. Every now and then a coloured flash of magic would whizz by, either fizzling out in the air, leaving a scorch-mark on the walls or slamming headlong into an unsuspecting target.

A slender young doe sprinted up to the pair, skidding to a halt. “Ah good, you found her. Juniper has the other three. So Yarrow, I think we gottheir attention.”

“Marigold, when I said ‘create a diversion’, I didn’t mean for you to storm the place!” Yarrow shouted over the din of the battle.

“Well, we were firing up at the walls, and it sort of escalated from there. But we have what we came for, so let us make haste!”

Yarrow nodded and the two deer headed towards the gates. But Fluttershy found herself unable to move, rooted to the spot by fear.

Yarrow nudged her none-too gently “Better get moving Fluttershy, no time to dawdle!”

The pegasus shook off the shock, and followed behind Yarrow and Marigold. The three kept to the shadows, steering clear of the mass-battles going on in the middle of the courtyard. “Marigold, did you say that you had the other three?”

The doe nodded. “Yes, two ponies and a griffon. Why?”

“A griffon?” Fluttershy joined in. “Oh, so Gordon’s a griffon! He was already in the prison cells when we were put in there, you see.”

Yarrow frowned slightly. “A griffon? Can we trust him?”

“Well, we either take him with us now or just fight him as an ulunn later!” Marigold replied.

Before Yarrow could reply, a bolt of magic burst against the wall just above their heads. The trio promptly hurried towards the gates, where a small group of Deerfolk were waiting, along wth…

“Rainbow Dash! Applejack! Gordon!”

Fluttershy took to the air and swooped into a tender group hug with the three. “Fluttershy, are you okay?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“I’m fine, I’m just so happy to see you all! I thought I’d never see any of you again!”

“Forgive me, but can we save the pleasantries for when we’re somewhere safe?” Yarrow interjected.

“I have to agree.”

A particularly large stag joined the group, his massive branch of antlers towering above the rest, four more deer following behind him.

“Ah, Oakwood, glad to see you’re safe.” Yarrow said with a respectful nod.

Mae G'ovannen, Yarrow,” Oakwood replied. He glanced around the fortress, as more and more deer began gathering with them by the gates. “We’re ready to back out whenever you are!”

Suddenly, a pair of Blightlings, tall skinny lizardlike things with bony spines along their legs, leapt down among them, latching onto Rainbow and Applejack. The pair of ponies kicked and bucked with all their might to get the monsters to let go as several deer helped, their antlers glowing as they grabbed them in magical grips. But to no avail, as the Blightlings just held on tighter, their claws drawing blood as they dug into the ponies’ fur.

“Now that is enough!”

Everybody froze as they heard the voice. It was rare that that voice, usually so quiet and demure, would shout that loud. But Applejack and Rainbow Dash had heard it before, and they knew what it meant.

The two of them clamped their eyes shut as Fluttershy rounded upon the two Blightlings. “You two let them go right now! I have been through a lot today, and I’ll put up with that, but you leave my friends ALONE!”

The reptilian beasts tried to attack her, but as soon as they looked at her face, they were frozen in terror. Her eyes were held wide open, glaring straight at them with nothing short of unbridled anger and dominance. It pierced their minds and rendered their every conscious thought meaningless.

The Stare has a way of doing that.

“Now you let go of them and leave us alone, open these gates for us, and don’t DARE coming after us when we leave. Got it?!”

They nodded feebly and let go of the two ponies, scuttling off towards the latches. In a matter of seconds, the massive wooden gates were being heaved open before them. Fluttershy watched them with a satisfied nod as she trotted out the gates. “Now that’s better. Thank you.”

Followed swiftly by a score of deer, two ponies and a griffon, all rather shocked and confused.


“Stop them you idiots! Don’t let them get away!!”

Maugoth pushed his way through throngs of confused and angry soldiers, cloak billowing out behind him. Booting beasts of all size aside, his focus remained on the gates as he watched them creaking open, and his prisoners streaming out.

“Close the gates! Afar Vadokanuk! Close those gates!!” he shrieked. “Who told anybody to open the gates?!!”

But by the time he finally fought through his own troops milling about and reached the gates, his quarry had long since departed. He could see them hurrying down the hill in the darkness, heading towards the forest border.

And before he could give any order to fire upon them, they were gone. The entire group, vanished before his eyes. No flash, no puff of smoke. Just gone.

Laga and Gadhup hurried to his side as he stood in the open gateway. But when they saw the face of their leader, they respectfully stepped back a bit. Maugoth’s entire body was shaking with silent rage, his face expressionless except for an ominous glint in his eyes.

Gadhup nervously cleared his throat. “Sir, if we hurry we might still catch them. It’s a safe bet they went into the forests…”

“Into Cervidas, where none of our kind who entered have ever returned? You really think it's a good idea to folow them there?” Maugoth interrupted, his voice dangerously steady.

Gadhup swiftly shut up.

“Who is responsible for opening the gates?” he asked.

The throng of Blightlings that was gathered around the gate parted, leaving the two lizardlike creatures standing rooted to the spot, their entire bodies quaking.

“Laga, if you please.”

A quick flash of yellow light, and their quivering stopped. The two Blightlings remained standing a few seconds longer, even as their heads fell from their shoulders and rolled away.


The din of the battle was gone. Indeed for a moment, all sound and sensation was gone, as if the ponies were floating in nothingness. Then they felt ground beneath their hooves again, and felt a gentle breeze caressing their fur. All around them were the sounds of the night in the forest, the chirruping of crickets, the whistle of the wind through leaves.

“You can open your eyes now.”

At Yarrow’s command, the three ponies opened their eyes, and found themselves standing atop a huge treetrunk, nearly 20 feet from side to side. Gordon was standing with them, just as shocked and disoriented, as well as the twenty deer that were their saviours. At the four corners of the trunk stood large white plinths, with ethereal blue fires hovering just above them, illuminating the entire platform.

“Where… where are we?” Rainbow asked, her voice echoing strangely.

“In the outer teleport hub. It was the easiest place we could reach from the fortress. We should be safe now, we’re just over Cervidas’ border.” Yarrow replied.

Juniper stepped out from the group, standing before them. Closing his eyes, his antlers began to shimmer and glow a bright white, lighting up the darkness that surrounded them. From the tips of his antlers, small globes of electric blue light broke off and began flying through the air into the darkness, stopping at certain points to light up the forest around them.

As more and more of their surroundings came to light, the four escaped prisoners could only stare with jaws (or beaks) agape.

"...Woah.” whispered Gordon. Even if they didn't understand what he said, the ponies could hear the reverence in his voice.

All around them were trees. Enormous trees, stretching hundreds of feet into the air, with a canopy of leaves obscuring the night sky far above. The blue globes of light cast the entire forest in a strange silvery light, revealing platforms built into the treetrunks all the way up, or among the branches. Small buildings and houses sat atop the platforms, and deer could be seen moving about in the darkness from platform to platform along narrow walkways that snaked between the branches or wrapped around the massive trunks. The trees stretched off into the dark before them with no end in sight, save for a mysterious golden light, glowing faintly in the distance.

Peering over the side of the platform, the ponies could see that the severed tree they stood upon was still around twenty feet off the ground, with a spiral staircase protruding from the trunk, twisting down to the leafy ground below.

“Behold, the Forest Kingdom of Cervidas. Homeland of the Aras, the Deerfolk in your tongue, and its mighty capital of Ostaure. Le natham hi.”

Author's Note:

Translations:

- 'Ashdautas vrasubatlat'/'Nar udatsas' - "Someday I will kill you."/ "Not today." A formal Blightling greeting.
- Ulunn - The Elkish term for the Blight. Literally, 'Monster'
- 'Mae G'ovannen.' - "Well met." An Elkish greeting.
- 'Tolo hi!' - Elkish command, "Come on!"
- 'Afar Vadokanuk!' - Blightling oath, "By all the dead!"
- 'Le natham hi' - Elkish greeting, "You are welcome here."

Other notes:

- Jerome, Larry, Buffy and the Nightmare Forces - See the Friendship is Magic IDW comics, #5-8. Long story short, Rarity was kidnapped by the same Nightmare Forces that turned Luna into NMM, who turned her into a new NMM. Larry and Jerome were 2 of the higher-up Nightmare Forces, and Buffy was one tha Fluttershy befriended.
- The Pits - Yeah, I think you can guess what goes on in there now.
- The Black Blessing- what the Blight call their infection.