He reappeared inside his cave and stood in silence for a moment, trying to contemplate the events of the last days. His discovery, their conversation, his brother... his last words to Celestia. He tried to calm himself, it couldn't be changed now. More importantly, a decision had to be made.
Slowly, he started to collect the void in his hands, forming the connection to the void, directing it around his blockades and executing the phase shift. Before the mediator on the other side had time to open her mouth, he interrupted her.
“Purveyor, identification number six-two-five-one. Clearance level A5.” his voice spoke impatiently, making the mediator shudder. To talk with a purveyor was always a rare and frightening experience for them. To talk with an angered one even more so.
"How can I be of..." she started.
"Set up a conjunction with the council, now." he interrupted her again.
"Of course, purveyor." she got to work immediately.
He waited for the conjunction to establish, what would happen next was decisive. Unknown to the alicorns or the ponies, a decision would be passed that would decide over their very fate. Slowly, the council came into his view and the old zealot stepped forward.
"Purveyor, we had not expected to talk with you again so soon." he said with surprise in his voice.
"The situation has changed..." he stated, "I have found a dissident in this world."
A murmur of unease passed through the council, troubled faces staring at his mask. The zealot motioned them to be quiet, "That is indeed a change for the worse. Has your work been compromised?"
"It has not, though the dominant species of this world are now aware of the intent of my presence."
"Will this cause a problem?"
"It will not, they have yet to take action against me and the dissident has been removed."
"Were you able to identify the dissident?" the zealot asked with worry.
"Former purveyor, identification number six-two-five-two." he replied with a bitter taste in his mouth.
A sign of recognition and grief passed the zealot's face, "Nathaniel?... That is... most unfortunate. I am sorry for your loss."
He shook his head, "There is no need for sympathy, it was bound to take such an end sooner or later."
"Still, he was your brother..."
"We chose our separate ways long ago, and I will mourn for him in my own way when there is time. Send a message to the other purveyors, they must be warned that their work may be compromised. Tell them to search the surface for any signs of interference."
The zealot nodded, "We will send out a message at once." he made a gestures to one of the notaries, "We have to inform you that the situation here has worsened, if anything. The current conflict is starting to spread at an alarming pace, and your discovery may explain the course of the latest events."
The purveyor raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"There is more than a religious aspect now, and demands are rising within the clans to... increase the yield of resources by more... drastic means."
A feeling of unease passed through him, "That is an unthinkable request. You believe that the dissidents may be involved in this?"
"It is a most troubling thought I agree, but a possibility we have to consider nonetheless. The elder council may be involved in this as well."
If the elder council was involved in this... it could mean war. Something that had not occurred in decades. The chaos that would follow would require the purveyors to return to the void to uphold order, which in turn would require them to abandon their work or perform the transfer earlier than planned. A very troubling thought indeed.
"Keep me updated on this, I wish to be informed should there be a clear sign of their influence."
The zealot nodded, "Of course, purveyor."
He paused for a moment, "In addition, I need the council to make a decision."
The zealot raised an eyebrow, "You are referring to protocol five-four?"
"I am. With their knowledge it is only a matter of time until the dominant species of this world will try to hinder my work in an attempt to save it, and with the dissidents on the move once more it could only be a matter of time until they try to corrupt my work again or the current conflict requires my... personal presence." Several members of the council swallowed, they still remembered the days when the purveyors had upheld order.
"You do realize that this is a very drastic step?"
"I do, but it would serve to put aside another issue..."
"Another issue?"
"The leaders of this world have asked me for my... help."
The zealot gave a surprised huff and another murmur passed through the council, "That is... unexpected. Do they realize what sort of compensation they would have to offer for something like that?"
"They are starting to realize it." he stated flatly.
"And what is your assessment of this situation?"
He thought for a moment, would he really consider giving the council this choice? He shook his head, his personal opinion did not matter here. He would abide the protocol like he had always done, but still...
"Either we let them talk before the councils, or have me execute protocol five-four within three days and end this before any new problems appear."
The zealot scratched his chin and contemplated the purveyor's words, "Something like this... has not happened before. To have a species from outside our own stand before us..." he passed a contemplating look over the rest of the council before turning to the purveyor again, "We will reach a decision on this matter within two days."
"Very well."
---
When the connection to the council was cut off, he stared at the walls of his cave in silence. It was an unethical move of him to demand this decision from the council, the alicorns were hoping for his help, after all. But the recent events were putting his work at risk at an alarming pace, and they had made clear rules for such scenarios.
If the council decided he should carry out protocol five-four or should the conflict in the void spread further, he would save what he could and end this world before new dangers of corruption could form. If they decided against it, Celestia would get her chance to bargain for her world. Even though he already knew that whatever she would be willing to offer, it would not be enough to sate the hunger of his own kind.
Suddenly, he felt a tug on the flow around him. He sent his mind out and traced the lines through the different dimensions, locating the source of the disturbance in Ponyville. What was happening there? He continued to scan the flow, there it was again... like a prodding... Something was trying to step outside of this world and passed the blockades to the void he had set up so long ago. When he understood what was happening he gave a huff of surprise. Where they really so foolish? Would they actually attempt something like this?
Slowly, the void started to form around him once more. He performed the phase shift and sought out the precise location, finding the source of the disturbance within a tree... A sneer formed on his lips, it seemed that he wasn't the only one trying to influence the course of events. Had his words not been enough to warn them of the danger they were putting themselves and their world into? This would not do. This would not do at all.
---
Inside the Ponyville library, Twilight let out a groan of defiance. "It's not working! Why isn't it working?"
"I'm sure you tried your best, dear." Rarity tried to sooth her troubled friend, "Maybe there really isn't anything we can do. We should trust in princess Celestia to..."
"No! Don't you understand? This is our world! We should fight for it too! If they are really inside the void they must hear us! They can't just decide over our fate like this!" Twilight put on a determined face, "Step back, everypony! I'll try to break through again!"
She concentrated again, sending her magic past her own world and searching what lay past it. The sheer strain it took from her to push her mind so far outside her own world was almost too much for her to handle, but she gritted her teeth and pushed on.
There it was, like an invisible wall surrounded by an impenetrable darkness. The blockade. Only the purveyor truly knew what would await her behind it. She focused her magic more, sending her mind against the barrier in an attempt to break through it. If she could just make one moment of contact, she could get a message to those behind it. And then, they would have to hear them. They wouldn't be able to ignore them, they simply couldn't.
In her concentration, she failed to notice the looks of shock and fear on her friends' faces as a black cloud of swirling shadows started to form behind her.
Stop leaving it on cliffhangers! The overall suspense is going to end up killing me!
Still, great chapter!
Yay! A new chapter!
Also I wonder what kind of sacrifice they will have to give. If it is like a percentage of the population or something else.
Ooooo, Twilight's messing with things she shouldn't be
Don't they understand that breaking trough would mean imidiate death and cataclysm?
I'm gonna guess he will sacrifice himself or Celestia and Luna will. Just a guess though.
What Twilight doesn't compreend is that the only reason Equestria hasn't been "harvested" yet is because this Pruveyor has been vouching for them in a way. If Twilight actualy reaches humanity I would see them imediately give the order to destroy the planet.
What I don't get is how they're all acting like the end is nigh. Everything dies eventually.
The Purveyor said that they wait until a world dies of its own accord before harvesting the accumulated energy. So, if there's only a few hundred purveyors left and one returns to the void on average once every few thousand years... do the math on how much time they spend waiting.
The end he's waiting for could easily not happen for hundred of thousands of years
2411681 I was just thinking the same thing
2411681
Exactly what I thought.
2411804
The point, if I remember correctly, was that he intervened and so the ponies learned of his presence and eventually his purpose, And so because they learned, the ponies would do everything in their power to not die, which would be bad for those humans that wait their already calculated death, which would be extended by the efforts of the ponies, giving a good reason for humanity to give the order to destroy the planet early.
Basically a hungry person is waiting for another person to finish making his pizza, but the guy making the pizza learned that he is paid by the hour so he does everything he can to last longer, but the hungry guy is hungry so he plans to take away the pizza early even if it means no more money for the pizza making guy.
So yeah.
2411804 The ponies are panicking. I think this is exactly the reason why the pruveyors DON'T reveal thesmselves to the worlds the watch.
2411841 I hope our friend talls Twilight that and makes her realise that in her panic and haste she almost caused what se is actualy trying to prevent. =D
2411599 Are you surprised by this fact?
2411953 Nah, not really. Just Twilight being Twilight,.
2411867
It doesn't help to know that there's a race that will feed on some parts of your world.
My question is, doesn't Pinkie break through the void on her own?
LOL, jk, but still. I never though that Twilight would be so naive as to attempt to contact a species that has already proven itself to be violent, hungry, and willing to do whatever it has to to get what it wants. Twilight REALLY needs to take a step back and look at the big pictu...
Nevermind, it's Twilight...
QUICK, SOMEPONY SLAP SOME SENSE INTO THAT BITCH!
2411600 they do not know anything about the void because they are too young of a species, and the purveyors and the council intended to keep it that way.
now, twilight's prodding will either get her killed (although i highly doubt that) or she will get her ass chewed out by the purveyor, or, he'll scare the crap out of her and tell her what would happen to her, and not to mention gain a few points on the purveyors 'ponies i resent' list which is something to say since he loathes everypony except for foals.
2411804 nobody wants to die.
if i told you that you had to flip a coin or i'd kill you would you not flip it?
for example:
tails = you're dead.
heads = you get to live.
you choose not to flip the coin = you're dead
everyone would flip the coin even if there was a very slim chance of survival
also, the ponies don't seem to be very familiar with death. and besides, i'm pretty sure everyone would act irrationally to something like this
2412017 that's what the purveyor is about to do
and so purveyor was born on this site
2411969 But that's the thing, they won't. The Pruveyor explicitely said that, unlesds something very wrong happens (Like Twilight revealing the humans to the entire planet for example); they are going to wait for the world to die by itself and they wil feed on the released energy of it's death. They are not trying to kill the world to feed themselves tey will only do it if they have no more choice. It's like 2411864 said. They are waiting for the pizza to be finished and they are willing to wait as long as necessary, they wil only take the piza by force if the cook, aka: the ponies, decides to stop making the pizza or something tries to steal it from them. If the ponies don't interfere theywill probabily live their entire lives totaly normaly and their world will probabily last thousands more years. It's more probable that Twillight's actions will shorten the lifespan of the world then the opposite.
2412398
Now Pizza has shown us...
09e12ulis.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/sym_0025-0802-2722-3828_cheese_pizza_slice_cartoon_character_with_welcoming_open_arms1.jpg?w=560
Pizza metafore FTW.
I find it interesting that the purveyor hasn't realized something. Humanity entered the void through what sounds like the use of ultra high technology. And the entering into the void wasn't neat, it completely destroyed their world. Here he finds a species that can enter the void not with technology but through magic (possibly biological).One well trained unicorn could potentially enter the void and most likely without the adverse world ending affects. Right in front of him the purveyor has what could be potentially the key to humanity finally being able to leave the void. For if one cannot leave the void once inside, maybe, just maybe, someone from the outside could pull you out.
Or I'm totally off base and humanity and/or Equestria are doomed.
2412440 I just remembered I had Pizza for lunch today... I feel blessed by it's amazingnessnessnessness.
Also .. *humans*
2412457 I think the reason that the Humans can't leave the void is not that they can't phisicaly leave but that they can no longer survive outside of it. That's the PRICE. Once you become a denizen of the void any other enviroment no matter how otherwize perfect it would be will kill you. But that's just my idea.
2411804
Pretend someone has to kill you, but would rather let you live. They follow you with a gun every day and night saying that they're only going to do it on your death bed when you're about to die naturally anyway, but the fact that someone is following you with a gun and the intent to kill you eventually is still going to scare you. There could be other circumstances in which he would be forced to kill you earlier (like if he's called off to war).
2412457
There's no reason why entering the void through magical means would make it safer than using technology. Why would the well trained unicorn be able to enter without tearing the world apart when a well trained scientist and his machines couldn't?
Another cliffhanger? How many cliffs are there in this mountain?!
It would be crazy if celestia decided to put the ponies to the void to save them, probably not going to happen, but a cool though none the less.
2412398
Except it was mentioned that if they cannot wait, they will begin draining it by force.
Twilight you are in so much trouble!
I'm interesting in figuring out how the Humans go into the void. If it was technology then I imagine an average human would be more powerful than any magic user, but of course I'm making guesses and implying a lot.
2412606
That's just it, he doesn't have to. He doesn't kill you on your death bed, he waits until you're already dead. His presence changes nothing about the fate of their world, it was going to die before he showed up, and it is still going to die now. Nothing about the time and manner of its death has changed. Unless something goes seriously wrong of course, but only Celestia and Luna know about that.
2414310
This being that they know almost nothing about has the power to destroy their world. He said he'd wait for them to die naturally, but he also said that there have been situations where worlds had to be ended ahead of schedule. That's why they are worried.
Oh Twilight, you done goofed. Besides, I suspect there's some sort of failsafe to stop others from seeing into the void... I wouldn't be surprised if the last line of "shielding", was designed to kill you if you somehow broke through.
I hope I survive to see the next chapter, the suspense is killing me.
It just keeps getting more and more interesting.
2414332
And that's understandable. But that's not what they're asking. Even before he told them about the possibility of their world being prematurely ended, they immediately asked if he would help them. Help them prevent the natural death of their world, going directly against the interests of his people in the process. Rather than being worried about him intervening, they in fact want him to intervene in the natural course of events, they just want it done in their favor.
fuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyou
CLIFFHANGERS
2415365 media.tumblr.com/8801eef99594ea74f721dd3b795bb34e/tumblr_inline_mij8xw2JdQ1qz4rgp.gif
2415741 you little evil creature
2412457 Well, she's not trying to enter the void; she's trying to contact it. As an example, a person's voice can be carried much faster and easier than they can carry themselves.
2414623
I have the AED in case your heart stops.
it would be funny if he took away twilight's ability to use magic for trying to enter the void
twilight trying to go past the fourth wall or something phff
Great chapter quick thought though.
If the Purveyor measures time in eons, and says that the last war wasn't for decades. Doesn't that mean they like JUST got out of a war a very short time ago?
2439772 Considering the Void being a place out of normal existence, time may run differently?
For once, being heroic and determined to save everyone is a bad thing. Huh.