Synthesis of the Atheist

by BlackRoseRaven

Zugzwang

Chapter Fifteen: Zugzwang
~BlackRoseRaven

The night was cold and dark, the temperature plummeting and making Luna shiver in disgust beneath her armor. She, Twilight Sparkle, and Scrivener Blooms were all sitting at a table of the tavern, which didn't seem to have much in the way of insulation or heat. Celestia was at the pool table with Shining Armor, Big Mac, and Rainbow Dash, and it seemed to be doing a world to help calm the nerves of the ponies of this layer to have the golden-armored mare simply playing an easygoing game of billiards against them. It probably also helped that the strange storm had finally settled in the distance, and for now things seemed all quiet.

Applejack was with Braeburn, Apple Bloom, Scarlet Sage, and Discombobulation, who were all currently back at the ranch with a few ponies and buffalo and grumbling, sour Tex. And Antares, Meadowlark, and Pinkie Pie were with the sheriff and the two ponies in total who had been brave and capable of stepping up to helping out with a patrol of the town.

The population of Appleloosa was resting fitfully: most ponies had locked themselves away back home. The only real exception to the rule seemed to be the bartender behind the counter, looking calm and stoic in his starched clothes as he cleaned glasses, served ponies, and hid how nervous these armored and armed ponies made him quite well.

Celestia, after all, had her sword set out atop one table, and Luna had cut herself a nice staff out of a tree branch, hardened it with magic, and then fused a large blade she'd taken from a broken pair of shears to form an ugly but undoubtedly-dangerous spear. The mishmashed weapon sat in a corner, with a few scattered, homemade explosives that Apple Bloom had put together while talking wryly about how she'd never imagined learning about Cowlick's 'hobbies' would end up being so helpful.

Then Rainbow Dash cursed as Celestia sank the eight ball, before glaring over at her in frustration and saying sourly before she could stop herself: “I get this feeling that you're good at almost everything, for some reason.”

“Aye, that describes my annoying big sister well. Give her a stick and she will conquer a country of knights.” Luna paused meditatively, then added thoughtfully: “Well, the stick does not really factor into the equation in that example. Celestia enjoys burning things.”

“I do not.” Celestia gave her younger sibling an amused look, then she shook her head and gazed over the billiards table, adding softly as she set down her pool cue: “And it's all just math and momentum. Simple applied physics.”

“I'm sure that makes them feel better, Celestia. Thy attempts at humility are only insulting to us who can see that 'tis really just Celestia talking about what a genius she is again.” Luna Brynhild said dryly, and the ivory mare sighed before her sapphire sibling added thoughtfully: “Still, I suppose thou art, and I am often less than humble myself, so... I am not one to complain. At least not on a night where there is bloodletting of the vile to be had.”

Scrivener shook his head slowly, then all the ponies present glanced up at a particularly loud rumble, the stallion murmuring: “The storm must still be going on... and that noise... it must be earth-shattering up close.”

“Not necessarily.” remarked the bartender, and all eyes turned curiously towards the stallion, who shrugged and calmly began to wipe down the bar as he explained: “The mountains might be magnifying the sound, and the desert is nothing but open space. Sound travels faster and further in a desert.”

The stallion glanced at Celestia, who nodded once before the mare added quietly: “Either way, we'll find out what's at the root of this tomorrow evening, whether or not we find out what's going on tonight.”

Luna grunted in agreement, grinning slightly as Rainbow Dash and Shining Armor both looked up, before the Pegasus asked hesitantly: “Hey, are you... are you sure that you don't want us coming with you? I mean, okay, so maybe we won't be the greatest use to you guys depending on what's out there, but... we aren't weak, either.”

Celestia only smiled at this, then she shook her head slowly, saying quietly: “If I thought you were weak, I wouldn't have allowed any of you to come with us at all. But your duty is to protect your people, your Equestria. We don't know what's out there, and there's no guarantee that while we're mounting an attack on the enemy base, whatever forces have been preying on Appleloosa will all be drawn to us. It's even possible that whatever's happening out there in the wild has nothing to do with what's been happening here in town, little as I like to imagine that possibility.”

Shining Armor grimaced, but he nodded all the same before finally tossing a salute to her. “And you know it's my honor to assist however I can, ma'am.”

“Freya. Just Freya is fine. Or I suppose Celestia works as well, as the Princess herself isn't here.” The ivory mare paused, then she glanced over at Luna as the sapphire mare gazed up warmly. “But it's funny how used I've already gotten to Freya again.”

Luna looked delighted as Twilight Sparkle gazed up with a soft smile, and Scrivener shook his head with a quiet laugh. And for a few moments, there was a peaceful silence, before Big Mac asked quietly: “What do we do if something... happens to y'all?”

Shining Armor and Rainbow Dash both winced, but Big Mac looked steadily across at Celestia, who met his gaze with her own soft amethyst eyes. She understood what he meant, and why he was concerned, even if it was a question no one wanted to ask and no one wanted to consider... but if anything, that made her respect him all the more for asking it. “I don't mean any disrespect by what I'm about to say, first of all. But if my friends and I fail, and none or few of us return... you must evacuate Appleloosa immediately unless instructed otherwise. You must go to Canterlot, and warn Princess Celestia, and prepare for the worst.”

“But we are not going to fail.” Luna stated quietly, looking up with confidence and nodding firmly once. “We are not about to be defeated by a group of mechanical puppets too stupid to understand their puppeteer is long dead.”

Oh, if only life were so simple... Valthrudnir mocked inside Scrivener Blooms' mind, and the earth pony shifted uncomfortably as he caught a vision of the Jötnar reclining calmly back in a silver throne, a cold smile on his features. Tell me, Scrivener Blooms. Would you like me to tell your fortune? Or how about you abandon the trivialities of the real world to test your philistine mind in a short, entertaining, and... shall we say... life-affecting game against me?

You don't seem overly concerned about what's going on in this layer. Scrivener Blooms thought back clearly, keeping his eyes down as Twilight Sparkle looked at him intensely, and Luna's own eyes were drawn slowly towards her husband even as she continued to boast. Here I thought you'd be telling us all how screwed we are.

Valthrudnir chuckled quietly... and then Scrivener felt a painful static tear through his mind before his blood turned to ice in his veins as he felt a pair of cold hands grip into his shoulders, and his mouth went dry as he slowly looked up with a tremble to see the Jötnar was standing behind him. All fourteen feet of Valthrudnir loomed over him as the giant leaned down, down, down, to whisper softly in his ear: “Pathetic little mortal... did you ever consider that the reason I'm not proclaiming my inevitable victory in the game of war... is because these pawns you're already so terrified of are not from a game of my design?”

“What?” Scrivener whirled around and almost toppled out of his chair, getting surprised looks from the other ponies, but Valthrudnir was gone. Of course the Jötnar had never been there, it had all been an illusion, but it had seemed, felt so real...

Scrivener gritted his teeth as Valthrudnir laughed loudly in his mind, and then the earth pony shook his head quickly and headed towards the door, muttering awkwardly: “I just... I just need some air for a minute, sorry, I'll... I'll be right back.”

Without waiting for any response, Scrivener shoved out through the doors and stumbled into the street, breathing hard... and then he flinched as he looked to the side and saw Valthrudnir leaning calmly against a wall. The vision was almost perfect, only the faintest hint of distortion visible when the ivory dragon moved as he remarked: “I can't believe I'm actually pointing this out to you, idiot mortal. I can't believe I'm being so generous as to not simply let you flounder and die a miserable death somewhere out there in the desert, with Freya and Brynhild and all the other whores...”

“Shut up!” Scrivener hissed, fighting back the urge to yell as he stormed towards the illusion... then cursed in pain when Valthrudnir reached down and seized him by the scalp, yanking the earth pony's head back to glare down into his eyes before slowly pulling upwards.

Or rather, it felt like pulling, as his nerves cried out and his skin crawled, but his mane wasn't torn out of his scalp and he wasn't lifted onto his hooves. Yet all the same, Scrivener found himself trying to stretch his head higher, as if that would quell the agony in his skull as the dragon said distastefully: “Do not raise your voice to me. It's becoming easier and easier for me to manipulate your physiology, especially as you grow more anxious and your oh-so-volatile feral little emotions start to get out of control. And with how violently you react when I so much as choose to speak to you, it's almost as if your undisciplined mind desires for me to break it into little pieces... or perhaps it's more a betrayal of your body, which while animal and crude still recognizes the abuses you lead it into on a regular basis thanks to the guidance of your faulty mentality.”

“You could have spared yourself about fifty words there by just saying 'you're stupid...' stupid.” Scrivener retorted... and then Valthrudnir snarled and slammed a loafer-clad foot up into Scrivener's throat, and the earth pony choked as he felt a blast of pain run through his neck and his throat clench.

He stumbled a little, but no force had accompanied the blow, only pain: it was like Valthrudnir had learned to affect his nerves, to make him feel things where he struck, but of course there was no real force behind any of them. It was just pain, it was just his own nervous system being hijacked and rewired by the monstrous Jötnar as Valthrudnir asked icily: “Now would you like a demonstration of what it feels like if I reach into your chest and squeeze your heart? Your nervous system is very, very primitive, and very easy to tamper with. To me, you're nothing but a set of piano keys I can play however I want to get what I desire.”

Scrivener glared up at him the Jötnar, who looked back down at him darkly, before the stallion lowered his head and muttered: “So you can hurt me. Big deal. Everyone already beats on me anyway. Besides, the imagery of you wanting to play me like a piano is much more disturbing to me.”

The dragon wrinkled his muzzle in disgust, but then he took a slow breath before calmly crossing his arms, saying softly: “I think you fail to grasp one important piece of information here with your insectile mind, and your inability to work through the simplest of logic problems. If I so desire, I can take away your sight. I can remove your ability to hear. I can nullify your emotions-”

“No, you can't.” Scrivener muttered, and when Valthrudnir narrowed his amber eyes dangerously, the stallion looked coldly up and said quietly: “If you could really modify my emotions however you wanted, you wouldn't be working so hard to put me in stress circles, or screwing with me like this. You'd just break my mind and take over.”

“Well, very good, you graduated to making preschool level logical deductions.” Valthrudnir said sourly, spreading his arms wide and leaning down with a look of disgust. “Would you like a gold star for that, mortal? Or how about an extra five minutes of nap-time?”

“I'll just take an extra cookie at recess, thank you.” Scrivener replied acidly, and the two glared at each other before Scrivener took a slow breath, then closed his eyes and muttered: “You won't kill me. I know you won't kill me. And I know it's not just because you're too egotistical to allow yourself to die, even if killing yourself took out me and Luna and Twilight. It's because you want me to suffer.”

“Yes, those are two of my primary reasons for keeping you alive. That, and when I do escape...” The Jötnar visibly bit back his words, then he cursed in disgust before muttering to himself. “No, enough. Believe it or not, pony... I'm coming to you with olive branch extended.”

“Are you going to whip me with it? Because I'm not into that.” Scrivener said dryly, looking moodily up at the dragon. “Also, any branch you bring me isn't real, so it's a nice gesture and all but... I'll pass.”

Valthrudnir visibly twitched, a seething snarl spreading over his face before he clenched his hands into fists. “It's a metaphor, you pathetic, ignorant little wretch!”

“Yeah, I know. And I was responding to your metaphor, actually.” Scrivener replied, looking moodily up at Valthrudnir, who stared at him before Scrivener asked in a falsely-kind voice: “Oh, did I go over your poor head? Here, let me explain. I said 'any branch you bring me isn't real,' yes? Well, that's also a metaphor, and it's for you being a big fat liar. Just like when I say 'I'll pass,' what I really mean is fu-”

Valthrudnir backhanded the earth pony, and the pain that blasted through Scrivener's mind was so savage it made him cry out and stagger to the side, tripping over his own hooves and falling to the dirt with a curse. His entire brain felt afire with agony as he shivered violently on the ground, gurgling weakly before his eyes widened in shock as he realized that while every part of his face and head and brain felt like they just been shoved through a wood chipper, his tongue had gone completely numb.

It felt like a dead worm in his mouth, and Scrivener shivered and moaned weakly before he slowly forced his head up... and while the pain from his sparking nerves was slowly throbbing down, his tongue remained limp and stupid, the pony accidentally biting it and only noticing because his jaws refused to close all the way.

Then he stared up at the dragon as Valthrudnir smiled coldly at him, polishing his claws against his suit as he said derisively: “What's wrong, Nihete? Don't you have some witty remark to make? Some sophisticated banter? One of your ever-famous intelligent points about how you're not actually a drooling little maggot happily gorging yourself upon the feces of society?”

Valthrudnir cupped one side of his head as if pretending to listen, and Scrivener glared furiously up at the dragon before the Jötnar snorted derisively and straightened, adjusting the lapels of his suit and saying dismissively: “But I've wasted enough time generously entertaining the foolish notion that you are worthy of even my ridicule. Rather, Nihete, shut up like a good little puppet and listen to me.”

Scrivener Blooms snarled... or rather, he tried to. What came out instead was a gurgling, half-choked growl around his useless tongue, and the dragon simply ignored this as he continued calmly: “You see, Nihete... while we do not share the most tenable position in the Nine Worlds, and loathe as I am to admit this, I would rather be alive – even trapped in an ignorant and stupid philistine like yourself, whom I have such delight in debating – than dead and gone. And unfortunately, I cannot currently think of a better place where to safeguard myself. After all, here I maintain some important control over your – rather, our, as it unfortunately has become – shared body, and I am also safe from the Valkyries and other unpleasantries.

“But as you and Brynhild continue to throw yourselves mindlessly into danger, putting yourselves at risk for complete strangers...” Valthrudnir didn't try to hide his disgust or disdain, which just made Scrivener snarl further. “Unfortunately, I am faced with a paradox. Do I assist you, the pony who would so arrogantly hold me as his archnemesis, even though by no means is a wretched, cheating little mortal animal worthy of being called my antithesis, no matter whether or not his bride is a Valkyrie whore-”

Scrivener spun around and began to stride off, cursing in a muffled voice and shaking his head angrily back and forth, and Valthrudnir only snorted in disdain before he began to quickly stride after the charcoal stallion, saying disgustedly: “I am inside your mind, moron. You cannot simply walk away from this discussion.”

The earth pony turned with a muffled roar around his numbed tongue and flung himself at Valthrudnir, but he only passed uselessly through his legs, doing nothing but distorting the illusion slightly before he flopped to the road with a grunt, shivering on the dirt street before he clenched his eyes tightly shut. And as he lay there, aware of the Jötnar's image standing behind him and looking down at him coldly and impatiently, he had to fight back the tears wanting to form in his eyes and swallow down pain far worse than the physical agonies the monster had put him through.

Here he lay, beaten by a ghost in his mind that wouldn't stop talking, wouldn't shut up, and held some mysterious agenda over him and his family. Here he lay, unable to do or say anything to save himself, or fight back against this goddamned monster. He couldn't even scream properly now, he couldn't hurt him, he couldn't escape him, he was powerless. And feeling powerless again made him feel like the little worthless foal he had been. The little stupid, useless child that Bramblethorn had told him again and again he was, and behind him was standing his tormentor, a stupid bully who thought he was better than everyone else, just like his father... and just like his father, someone who no matter what Scrivener did, would always see him as scum, he would always be beneath, and he would be made to feel that way each and every single day.

There was no escaping it. No escaping the garden shop, or his childhood. No escaping the fact he was just a stupid slave hoof. And whether he was Scrivener Blooms, published warrior poet from Looking Glass Equestria, or Nihete, tyrannical Clockwork Pony created by Valthrudnir for who knew what ends... either way, he was just goddamn... worthless.

He clenched his eyes shut... then twitched in surprise as behind him, Valthrudnir said quietly: “I would not create a worthless object.”

Slowly, Scrivener looked silently over his shoulder, and the Jötnar looked moodily down at the stallion, his amber eyes regarding him coldly and strangely before he reached awkwardly up and rubbed slowly at his neck. Then the dragon bared his teeth in a frustrated look, turning his eyes away and saying disgustedly: “Oh, glorious, Nihete is crying. Yes, that goes to truly prove what an incredible success you have been.”

Scrivener slowly picked himself up, shaking himself out as he realized the pain had faded away and he could feel his tongue again. He worked his jaws a few times slowly, looking nervously up at Valthrudnir, and the dragon only looked contemptibly back down... but there was discomfort in his amber eyes as well, as he said irritably: “Just get up on your wretched little hooves, pathetic little pony, keep your mouth closed and your ears open, I do not have the time or energy to deal with your weak little emotional outbursts.”

The stallion grimaced, shivering once as hatred and fury and despair all tangled and twisted inside of him, before he finally forced himself to take a slow breath and calm down. He had almost lost it there for a moment, and it wouldn't've done anything but make his situation worse. And yet even in the depths of his pain and frustration and all the other stresses Scrivener was feeling right now, he felt... confused, too. He kept looking at Valthrudnir in the corner of his eye, and the dragon – for once – wasn't monologuing even though there was clearly nothing Scrivener could do to stop him. He was just silent, looking like he was gathering his thoughts, maybe even struggling with something.

They looked at each other warily, and then Valthrudnir suddenly said abruptly: “I am not a bully. Ymir was nothing but a bully, always pushing his ideas and disregarding all my own, no matter how superior they were. I will not be compared to him.”

Scrivener frowned slowly, and then Valthrudnir added disgustedly: “And in the interests of survival, I seem to have no choice except to warn you, insect, in the smallest words I can muster: this is not my doing. Whatever is out there... it is not of my personal design. My designs do not attract attention unless attention is meant to be attracted.”

The stallion was silent, and then Valthrudnir reached up and adjusted his bolo tie. Scrivener frowned as he studied the figure of the Jötnar, and then he asked finally, as the white-scaled entity's hands drew away from the wolf-head clasp: “Why do you still wear Ymir's seal if you hated him so much?”

Valthrudnir's only response was to moodily raise a hand and snap his fingers, vanishing from sight, and Scrivener sighed tiredly as he slumped a little. He began to turn towards the doors... and then his ears pricked up and a chill ran through his body as he heard... something.

There was something carrying through the night air. Something that he couldn't quite lock on to. Something that sounded like... a voice, the words rising and falling in pitch, but inaudible. And whatever the hell it was, it sounded like it was coming from the other side of town.

Luna ran out the door a moment later, spear at the ready, followed by Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. Shining Armor was the next to run out after them, the stallion frowning worriedly as he asked: “What is it? Is something here?”

“Quiet.” Celestia instructed, and Shining Armor fell silent even as Big Mac and Rainbow Dash both appeared in the doorway, before the ivory mare closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards. Luna and Scrivener looked at her apprehensively while Twilight stared out towards the source of the noise, as the mare took a slow breath, concentrating on the sound.

“It's coming from... yes. If Antares is on schedule, his patrol will encounter it.” Celestia said quietly, and when Luna gritted her teeth and began to step forwards, the ivory mare immediately reached out and caught her by the shoulder, saying softly: “No. We have to wait here. We don't know what they're up against, but trust in your son. He's strong.”

“It is not that I do not trust in him, Celestia... it is that I do not desire to see him hurt, or leave him without assistance, should he need it.” Luna replied sharply, and Scrivener shifted uneasily before the sapphire mare cursed under her breath, looking up at her sister almost pleadingly. “He is my son! I must go to him and-”

“And you are my sister. You were all my sisters, when I led the Valkyries. Yet sometimes I had to stay back and let you fight alone, and couldn't interfere. Some things... we must do on our own. Give him a chance.” Celestia said gently, and then she looked up silently as a loud scream echoed through the night, Luna's eyes blazing and Scrivener gritting his teeth as Twilight Sparkle trembled. “I know it's hard. But he needs this chance.”

Luna cursed under her breath, but closed her eyes and nodded even as Twilight bit her lip and looked fearfully forwards again, and Scrivener didn't know what to even think as he gazed almost desperately down the street, towards the source of the noise... towards, where on the far side of town, Antares Mīrus was standing at the ready in the middle of the dusty street, a weathered church on one side and an abandoned schoolhouse on the other.

Meadowlark swallowed thickly, but held her own as Pinkie Pie looked back and forth fearfully, breathing hard. The sheriff and the two ponies they had rounded up to help were staring around and trembling in terror, and Antares cursed as that screaming sounded again, the horrible voice rising and falling as it howled incoherent words, seeming to come from everywhere around them at once.

“Defensive formation!” Antares ordered sharply over his shoulder, and then he grimaced when the sheriff only looked at him stupidly. “Draw your weapons, turn around! Back-to-back, form a circle, keep your eyes open!”

The sheriff fumbled his rifle off his back, breathing hard as he did so, no longer questioning the stallion or his youth with the crispness of Antares' voice. The other two stallions did the same as well: one of them had his own carbine, while the other had a crossbow. Meadowlark, meanwhile, quickly reached up and adjusted the rawhide and wood bracer around one foreleg, ensuring it was secure before a thin, dangerous needle sprung out of the top, the Pegasus grimacing as she looked apprehensively back and forth.

Pinkie Pie, meanwhile, was trying to shrink back a little, but Antares quickly leaned towards her, saying quietly: “Just keep your eyes open, and I won't let anything happen to you. But all of you, we have to keep our eyes open, and-”

“How my blood boils in my veins, thirsting for revenge! Oh, pale moon, grant me strength, and shine down your curse on those who have wronged me!” the voice screamed, and Antares snarled at the jagged rhythm of its words, suddenly distinguishable, suddenly... close. It's close, but where the hell is it? “Oh, for, f-for love, they say, but it was not love, but the filthy ego that did compel him to s-s-steal her from me!”

The last word broke off into a scream, and then lunatic, raving laughter that echoed all around them, and then Antares cursed under his breath before he shouted: “Come out, whoever you are! Surrender peacefully and you will not be harmed!”

He was only greeted by silence... and Antares frowned as the entire world seemed to go still for a few moments. The stallion's eyes flicked back and forth, and then he nervously took a few steps away from the group, reaching up a hoof at the same time to signal for them to stay in position.

The silence spiraled out for almost a minute, and then Antares looked up with a curse as a loud clanging filled the air, and the stallions jumped, the sheriff firing off his rifle into the air and falling over as Pinkie shrieked. But it was only the bell of the church, ringing loudly away, and Antares glared at this, striding towards the broken fencing around the church and looking up at the listing tower.

Then he shook his head slowly and turned around, seeing Pinkie and Meadowlark, and the two stallions, and...

Antares stumbled, then his mouth fell open and a shiver went through his body as one of the stallions slowly looked to the side, before falling backwards with a whimper. Meadowlark looked just as shocked, and Pinkie paled, shaking her head wildly as the last stallion only looked blankly around.

The sheriff's rifle lay on the ground, but the stallion himself was gone... gone, except for a splatter of blood on the ground. No one had heard or seen or sensed anything, despite him being right there, next to them, and Antares breathed hard in and out as he felt a cold shiver of fear run through his body, whispering as the bell continued to toll: “That... no... that can be possible...”

But all that greeted him in return was silence, and the sight of the fallen, blood-smeared rifle; the undeniable reality of what had happened, no matter how impossible it seemed.

The morning preparations were silent, after a long, sleepless night spent searching the town on high alert. But there had been no sign of the sheriff, or his attacker, or the thing that had come screaming through the night. Just the cold night, lit by the pale moon and stars above, that watched the events unfolding below with their twinkling apathy.

No one could comfort Antares, but the stallion had at least started channeling his frustration as he helped Apple Bloom finish packing the equipment that would be necessary for the trek across the desert. He was anxious to get moving, and to try and prove himself again, and Luna couldn't blame him: she was anxious to go herself.

The sun had just begun to rise, and Celestia and Shining Armor were currently at the train platform with Princess Luna, waiting for the arrival of the platoon of soldiers Princess Celestia had sent them. Once their own Celestia gave them their orders, she would join Antares, Scrivener Blooms, Twilight Sparkle and of course Luna Brynhild on the trek across the desert. Scarlet Sage, Apple Bloom, and Meadowlark would be staying back to assist with defending the town, as would the ponies of this layer.

Scarlet Sage was grouchy at being left behind, but knew it was for the best: Meadowlark also didn't like the notion of having to stay, but considering what had happened last night and the hard march they would be making, she knew they didn't really have a better option. She could do more here in town, and while the others were gone, she could begin making salves and medicines, just in case.

It wouldn't be long now before the military train arrived... a train loaded with Royal Guard, the soldiers on board calm and unaware of what they were getting into. All they knew was that they were being sent to Appleloosa, where they would be placed under the command of Captain Shining Armor to assist with defending a frontier town against outside incursions. None of them understood the seriousness of what they were approaching, and all of them were relaxed, chatting easily with each other. It didn't seem any different from any field exercise they had done, after all.

There was more than one platoon: sixty troops in total filled the passenger cars of the armored train, as it rumbled at high speed through the wasteland. The engines were amplified by magic so it could move faster than the regular steam engines like the Friendship Express, so the engineer didn't have to work as hard to keep the furnace burning as he checked the time, then returned his gaze to watch through the windshield.

Then he frowned curiously as a vibration ran through the train, approaching a side window and looking out into the desert: there wasn't much to be seen, though, and he shrugged after a moment, blaming the old tracks before he turned around just as something hammered viciously into the roof. He had enough time to begin to look up in surprise before a black claw ripped through the metal like it was paper, and then he saw no more.

There was a faint banging and a crashing, but none of the soldiers paid any attention to it: the train rumbled and jounced often as it was, after all. They continued to talk until a lieutenant strode up through their cabin, calling clearly: “Come on, colts, enough gossiping like fillies! Get on your gear and get ready to move out, we arrive at the destination in ten!”

The lieutenant reached the sliding door leading to the engine, shoving it open... and then freezing as he saw a massive, awful thing in front of him. Slowly, his eyes roved upwards, an undeniable, terrible fear curling through his system as all chatter stopped behind him, drawing his eyes weakly over the beast until he was staring up past the drooling, grinning jaws of the godawful monster and into its violet eyes...

Celestia cocked her head curiously from where she stood outside the terminal so she could watch for the train. It was just on the horizon now, approaching... very quickly, she thought. She frowned a little at this, feeling like something was off as she narrowed her amethyst eyes... before they widened in horror as she realized that the smoke wasn't just coming from the stack on top of the train. The train itself was on fire, and if anything, it wasn't slowing down... it was accelerating.

The ivory mare spun around and charged into the station, heading straight for where Princess Luna and Shining Armor were looking curiously up before the ivory mare's horn began to glow as she shouted over the howl of the approaching train: “Get down, now!”

The two stared in shock for a moment... and outside, the train bounced and shrieked along the track, almost dislodging itself before it tore into the terminal and smashed into the empty train car that had been left behind, striking with such violence it reduced the car to shrapnel and the engine all but exploded. Chunks of metal flew in all directions as burning and wrecked passenger cars were flung like toys into the terminal, crashing through the half-finished building as they crunched and warped like cans from the sheer force they had been thrown by.

As the building collapsed in a blast of smoke and rubble, one empty passenger car flipped violently through the air, sailing in a high arc before it crashed down on the edge of the road leading into Appleloosa with a clang. Other pieces of train littered the area, the remains of the abandoned passenger train car smashed more than halfway through one wall like a broken bone jutting through skin.

Slowly, the dust settled as smoke wafted upwards, twisting and curling towards the sky... and then there was a flash of light and a burst of sound and force, a crater blown in the wreckage as Celestia snarled and arched her back, then trembled once and slumped, panting weakly. Blood dripped from her mouth and one of her ears as Shining Armor and Princess Luna both slowly stood with shivers of horror, and the ivory mare shook her head slowly as she murmured: “It seems we have... a problem.”

“This... this... no...” Shining Armor whispered, shaking his head in disbelief before he looked over his shoulder at Princess Luna, who had the same shellshocked expression on her face. “No... they can't... the train, but... the train was...”

“Something clearly happened. Someone didn't want any interference here...” Celestia stopped, then spat a stream of blood to the side, her vision going blurry for a moment before she steadied herself. She had used up a lot of strength shielding them from the crash... of course, the fact that one of the train cars had hit her shield head-on hadn't helped her conserve her energy. “I need to investigate and... Shining Armor, please escort Princess Luna back to town.”

“No, we have to look for survivors! These were my soldiers, Celestia, I...” The unicorn stallion was cut off when the ivory mare reached up and touched his shoulder silently, looking down at him with amethyst eyes that understood his pain all too well.

“And if you want to honor them, then you have to continue to do your duty.” she said softly, and when the stallion gritted his teeth, she said quietly: “If something attacked this train, and it wasn't just some accident... that something might still be out there right now. Either heading into town to attack Appleloosa or perhaps retreating through the desert. I'm in no shape right now to make the journey, but my sister is only waiting for word to leave. If we move quickly, she might be able to catch up to whatever did this.”

Shining Armor hesitated for a moment longer, looking back and forth through the rubble of the station, and then he swallowed and saluted sharply before turning to Princess Luna. The sapphire mare looked up uneasily at Celestia, but she nodded herself after a moment, saying quietly: “I'll send a message to my sister and tell her what happened. She'll figure out a way to help.”

“I hope so. Now go.” Celestia said quietly, and the two ponies nodded before turning and hurrying away. The ivory mare watched them run towards the town, and then she closed her eyes and said quietly: “You should go with them.”

“No, Tia. I'd rather stay here. One wounded little pony is always a better target than two healthy ones, after all... that's the law of the savannah. Assuming they have ponies out there.” Discombobulation replied softly from where he was now quietly sitting behind her. Celestia smiled faintly as she looked over her shoulder at him, and Bob cleared his throat a little before rubbing at his neck awkwardly and murmuring: “I've learned to put my discomfort aside. It's not much harder than giving up my pride, which of course I lost long ago along with my dignity and self-respect when I was enslaved by silly little Twilight Sparkle.”

“You were never a slave.” Celestia said softly, and Discombobulation smiled a little as he hopped to his feet, walking over to her and looking down at her silently.

“I was a slave to you.” he replied after a moment, and then he awkwardly looked away even as she reached up and touched his waist gently. “But... well, let's put things aside for now, shall we, and... you can pretend you're a crime scene investigator from the land of sunshine and oranges, and I'll pretend that I'm a mentalist, and together we'll crack this case, Agent Lisbon.”

Celestia nodded slowly, and even as emotion lingered in her eyes, she asked in a quiet, serious voice: “What do you sense?”

Discombobulation opened his mouth, then slowly closed it as he met her eyes before smiling faintly. “Something bad enough that even I think a joke would be inappropriate right now. What does that tell you?”

“That things are more dangerous than I would like. I only hope that...” She broke off as he realized she wasn't sure exactly what she hoped: all her desires felt conflicting, with the unknown they faced and the worries that danced through her mind, before she smiled faintly and closed her eyes. “Well, I'm sure you understand.”

Discombobulation nodded, and then the two turned, striding side-by-side towards the smoldering wreckage of the ruined, melted engine as Celestia thought of her sister... her sibling, who the moment she received the message from Shining Armor, tossed one of their equipment satchels on and levitated her makeshift spear beside her, calling quickly: “We move out, now!”

Scrivener Blooms grunted as he picked up the other satchels, and Twilight's horn glowed as she glanced at him and tightened the clasps and belts quickly around the stallion. He nodded in thanks as Antares looked up in surprise even as he shared a quick goodbye with Meadowlark, then the young stallion winced and stumbled into a run when his parents took off, hurrying after them as Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom both called 'good luck' to the group.

He fell in pace with his parents quickly, however, following behind the three as Luna ran in the lead, Scrivener and Twilight on either side as they ran down the street, the young stallion managing out: “Wait, where... where are we...”

“Straight to the mountains, to the enemy's lair.” Luna replied sharply, her eyes focused on the horizon and spear floating beside her. “We run as far and hard as we dare, then march the rest of the way... with the hope that on the path, we overtake whatever enemy did this so we may punish it first for its treachery.”

Antares looked back and forth, breathing a little harder as he followed in the wake of the three ponies, before he asked almost desperately: “But... wait... what about Aunt Tia-”

“Celestia will be fine... if anything, only disappointed that she will have to stay behind to help keep an eye on the town, but time is of the essence now! The enemy may be vulnerable, and we must strike while the opportunity presents itself!” Luna replied immediately, and Antares nodded a little, still feeling a twitch of unease... and yet excitement, too. Here he was, with those ponies he looked up to, and being given a chance to fix what had happened last night and prove himself for real this time...

But after almost an hour of pushing themselves as hard as they could, they caught no traces of any enemy even as they crossed the desert on the straightest path towards the ominous mountains in the distance. There were dark thunderheads brewing around the mountains, but no rumbling, and no flashes of light, at least: merely splotches of thick blackness swirling against the otherwise blue and cloudless sky.

They slowed their pace as Luna cursed under her breath, looking back and forth with both frustration and incredulity before she glanced at Twilight Sparkle, who nodded hesitantly before her horn began to glow. Antares looked dumbly at his parents, then sighed a little as Luna looked at Scrivener, and the stallion shrugged as they traded some communication, before the glossy-black unicorn said clearly: “Mom.”

Luna looked over her shoulder in surprise, frowning a little... before rolling her eyes in understanding with a grumble. “Oh damnation, I apologize, Antares. I do not mean to neglect thee, but 'tis of little importance. I asked Twilight to scan the area before and ahead of us with magic, that is all... I cannot believe that something would outpace us through all this accursed land. I do not care how familiar it is with the terrain... we were moving at great speed, and with how flat this great sandbox is I expected to at least be able to see our opposition.”

“Yeah. I understand.” Antares glanced nervously over his shoulder, sensing what his mother implied: that if they hadn't been completely wrong about their enemy returning to base, maybe it had expected them to follow or spotted them somehow and was now trying to sneak up behind them, or laying in ambush.

Or maybe they had just been wrong... but Antares didn't think so. And even if the enemy took a rambling, wider path back to what was likely the position of its stronghold... all around them was reddish sand and dirt and cacti, with precious few landmarks and ridges to hide behind. Unless their enemy was tireless as well as faster than them, he couldn't imagine how the hell it could escape being seen.

“I... no. I thought I caught something...” Twilight said hesitantly, and Luna looked up sharply before the Lich shook her head slowly, frowning nervously as she looked out into the distance. “But it was just there for a moment, only a short distance in front of us...”

Luna growled in frustration, looking back and forth, but there was no sign of anything... and finally, she sighed tiredly and dropped her head, muttering: “Perhaps 'twas some desert creature then, bolting into hiding.”

Twilight nodded hesitantly, and then the glow died out from around her horn as the four continued onwards, Antares shifting uncomfortably back and forth. But for the most part, their march was quiet, with only the occasional moment of conversation, and usually it was to ask for one of the canteens so they could refresh themselves.

Luna Brynhild was thinking hard, doing her best to ignore the growing, sweltering heat as Scrivener kept his eyes forwards, breathing hard but not letting himself slow down. Antares didn't seem to mind the desert air too much, and Twilight only grumbled on occasion when the sand irritated her stitching.

Around mid-afternoon, Luna looked over her shoulder at her son, who glanced up curiously before the sapphire mare nodded once and said quietly: “We have made good time. The desert distances are hard to judge, but... the mountains feel close, do they not?”

Antares looked up after a moment, studying said mountains, and then he nodded slowly: they didn't look that much closer, but all the same, like Luna said, they didn't feel so far away. And as he studied them silently, he couldn't help but say quietly: “I wish Aunt Tia and Scar were here.”

Luna smiled faintly at this, looking ahead and replying softly: “This may surprise thee, Antares, but so do I. But Scarlet Sage... she is a Blood Seer. And from what Celestia has gathered, this enemy's blood may be poison.”

Antares nodded slowly, thinking of his sister's powers: inherited from an ancestor who had made a deal with a demon, Scarlet Sage could affect the vital essence of another person. Both that of herself, and that of others, able to exert tremendous influence over those that she actually tasted the blood of. But while she was immune to most blood-borne diseases and poisons, corruption similar to the stuff that ran in Scrivener's veins would drive her insane or nearly kill her if she accidentally made contact with it.

Then the sapphire mare added sourly: “And I hate to admit this, but I always feel better with my big sister at my side or back. 'Tis good to know that should the battle seem lost, after all, thou has a pony on thy side who can simply burn the entire battlefield to ashes. Or summon meteors. Meteors are most fantastic.”

Twilight Sparkle sighed, but she was smiling a little despite herself before Scrivener said dryly: “And you pretty much are a meteor, Luna. All you do is run into things, after all.”

“Oh shut up, Scrivener Blooms. Besides, thou art one to talk, I fling thee into the face of monsters far more often than I fling myself.” Luna replied pompously, and Scrivener sighed tiredly before the sapphire winged unicorn suddenly stopped and stabbed her spear down into the ground, and Antares winced and staggered to a stop beside his mother as both Twilight and Scrivener halted to look at her curiously. “Come, I think we have only two hours of travel left, and we must keep up our strength. Break out what rations we have brought, we shall eat a good meal and rest for a moment before finishing our march to the mountain, and hopefully we shall make the pass and find the enemy stronghold by evening.”

Scrivener nodded as Antares smiled a little, and Twilight glanced apprehensively towards the mountains before she asked quietly: “Are you sure that it's a good idea to attack this place at night? I mean... normally darkness is our ally, but if these things are nocturnal...”

“Then we meet them on an even battlefield.” Luna glanced towards the mountains in the distance, nodding slowly before she smiled grimly. “But Twilight, thou forgets that I do not seek the advantage. I seek vengeance. Let the enemy know I am marching on them, I care not: let them prepare, and we shall spring whatever traps they throw in our way. Let this be a battle of darkness matching darkness; we shall see who truly owns the night.”

Scrivener smiled a little despite himself as Antares gazed over at his mother, feeling both pride and unease. But he couldn't help it: her confidence inspired him, but the ruthlessness he heard in his mother's voice, the way she could be so... well... almost cruel...

Slowly, Antares looked over his three parental figures: Twilight, who was compassionate and caring, but he had seen her power and her anger, and knew both could be fearsome. And he didn't miss the way that she sometimes tickled her own stitches; how even now, her hoof was rubbing at the front of her gemstone vest, almost like she was eager.

And of course, his father, who he respected and admired... but Scrivener had a darker side Antares could see all too well, even beneath the earth pony's calmness. Then again, Antares' acuity meant he all too often saw what lurked inside ponies, what they wanted to keep under masks and armor and lock and key...

The young stallion shook his head hurriedly, turning his eyes down with a blush... then he glanced up as Scrivener held out a box to him with a smile, saying quietly: “Here, this one's for you.”

Antares took it, opening the box to find a full meal: dried apple slices, nuts, a sandwich and a bottle of water, all of it only slightly-squished and neatly packed into the box. He glanced up with a lame smile, and Scrivener only shrugged as he said finally: “Sorry. There's no meat or anything in easy access around here.”

“Aye, I did see a deer, though. But 'twas walking around and talking to the ponies, so I thought it would be rather rude to kill, dismember, and gorge myself upon it.” Luna said blandly, and Twilight gave her a flat look as Luna paused meditatively. “But I do sometimes wonder. Would an intelligent deer taste better than the ones back home, their lacking, animal counterparts?”

“I would never eat another pony.” Scrivener said mildly, taking an apple in each hoof out of his bag, and then he easily tossed one of these over to Luna, who caught it with a slight smile to the stallion as Antares began to eat his sandwich. “My problem is less with eating another sentient being, though, and more with the fact that ponies tend to eat all kinds of sugar and candy and alcohol and weird things. And I really don't want to be absorbing all that stuff second-hoof when I already eat enough junk food with you as it is.”

“So thou art saying... ponies are junk food?” Luna looked thoughtful at this, then she slowly looked over at Twilight Sparkle, grinning slightly and asking: “Thy body parts grow back, correct?”

“Go away, Luna.” Twilight grumbled, and Antares laughed despite himself before he quickly finished off his sandwich, then smiled as he picked up his bottle of water.

The young stallion slowed as he ate the rest of his meal, taking the time to study his parents. Scrivener and Luna ate only their apples, and Twilight only took a drink from the canteen when it was offered. Antares, meanwhile, had eaten almost everything in the box and only recognized too late that while his parents had given him so much to eat... they kept almost nothing for themselves.

Even if they didn't have to eat, it still provided them with energy and settled the pangs of hunger, whether that hunger was real or not. He knew that even Twilight sometimes felt like she had to make herself a meal, or liked to snack on something... even if as the living dead, she clearly didn't really need the food. And here he was, the only one with a real meal, and he understood all too well that the real reason Luna had called a halt was just so they could feed him, and give him the time to rest.

He felt... it was hard to put into words. Yes, he appreciated it, and he knew how much his parents cared about him... but he was a strong adult too, not a kid. And he didn't need all this special treatment, even from his parents... and dammit, it simply made him feel embarrassed and ashamed of himself on top of everything else, especially since he should have understood right away what was going on.

The glossy-black unicorn shifted, looking down into the box before he said finally: “I think I'm done. Do you guys want...”

“No, we can save it for later.” Scrivener answered, and then he reached out and took the box, closing it up and putting it back in one of the saddlebags as Antares forced a lame smile. “You ready to go, Luna?”

“Aye, I am.” Luna stopped, then glanced slowly up at the mountains, saying hesitantly: “I think I see something in the mountains... 'tis perhaps because of the angle of the sun, the way it shines down... it passes enough light around those murky, looming clouds I see something glinting strangely. Come, let us continue the march, now that we have some heading.”

Scrivener nodded as Twilight stood up, and Antares threw off his worries and discomfort as he looked up, focusing once more on the task at hoof and telling himself that if he really wanted to prove he didn't need to be treated like a foal, he would prove it with how he handled himself on this mission alongside his parents. And when the others looked at him and Luna yanked her spear out of the earth, he simply nodded firmly, then fell in pace behind the three ponies as they turned and strode towards the dark mountains that loomed on the horizon, as if waiting eagerly for their approach.

Comments

[Shirohige]

Damn. More Antares stuff where he's treated like a kid still. I'm wondering how long this is going to go on for. I get what he means. I'd probably feel bad in that situation too- still, he can't blame himself. Luna, Scrivener, and Twilight have been in and are used to harsher conditions than he is. He still doesn't like being babied, though.

[BarrenBaron]

That awkward moment when the antagonist might actually be a better father than Scrivy's original father (if only by the quality that he said Scrivy can't possibly be worthless because he doesn't make worthless things, kinda more of a self glorification but it's still there)

[Koekelbag]

would always be see him as scum,

That... read pretty weird.

Huh, Val (not in the mood to spell his entire name out every time) actually showing something even remotely resembling kindness?
Then again... that might just be him stoking it's own ego up, not so sure.

Also... it was pretty stupid of Celestia and Luna to not assist Antaras on that patrol, considering it very well could have gotten him killed (I assume, at least) instead of the sheriff.
Even more so since, last chapter, Celestia herself, you know... discovered traces of a creature that could make reality itself tremble. (I absolutely love that line.)