When Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy are sucked into a portal, they're thrown into a world that's the polar opposite of their own. Now, with their new friends, they must find a way to leave. But they must also save the world from an evi
When Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are sucked into a whole new world, they soon realize that they may be in over their heads. With only half of Harmony here in this war-torn world known as Azeroth, will they ever be able to get home? Or will they try and stop all the bloodshed happening right in front of their very eyes. One can only hope harmony will prevail here.
“How exactly is the portal useful now? It isn’t exactly open,” Rainbow whined as they descended down the spiral staircase below Canterlot Castle. She was flying directly above Applejack’s head, swatting at her hat, much to the farmer’s annoyance.
“I think it’ll be fun-a-fun fun!” Pinkie squealed happily as she bounced past Applejack, nearly knocking her into the wall. Applejack shot Pinkie a quick glare, before quickening her pace to catch up with Twilight.
“Er, Twiligh’? Why does Princess Celestia an’ Princess Luna wanna meet us down there anyway?” Applejack asked, her eyes fixed on the darkness of the passage, which was slowly being pushed back by Twilight’s glowing horn.
“She wants to discuss the portal that took me to Canterlot High. We might be able to use it to our advantage,” Twilight explained, smiling at her friend. She knew she hadn’t done much to prepare her friends while they had been in Ponyville for this, but now was the time. After all, the summons hadn’t left her enough time to explain.
“Why must we do such a thing, darling? Can’t Celestia and Luna deal with it without our opinion?” Rarity called from the back of the group, where she was keeping Fluttershy from fleeing back up the stairs. The darkness, despite the lights from the horns of Rarity and Twilight, was still dark enough to scare Fluttershy.
Twilight leapt down the last couple stairs, stood on solid ground, before giving her answer, “Well, I went through the portal once, and Celestia thought it would a good idea that I had a say in it. Plus, I wanted to bring you guys along.” She turned to smile at her friends, who now all stood beside her, before she lead the way down the stone hall, eyes scanning the torches dotting the bricks and the moisture seeping through rock. This place hadn’t been renovated in years, but that might actually be a good thing. It would keep curious ponies and unwanted guests away from the conversation Twilight was about to have.
Turning the corner, the six friends fun themselves in a circular room lined with old racks of rusting armour, ancient weapons hanging off the wall, and the purple mirror, shining brightly in the light of the unicorn’s magic, sitting in the centre, looking extremely out of place.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stood to one side, Celestia conjuring balls of bright golden light to hover around the room. Twilight and Rarity extinguished their horns as they approached the Princesses. The Mane Six bowed, except for Twilight, who inclined her head. Luna and Celestia repeated Twilight’s gesture to the others.
“It’s good to see you. All of you. Please make yourselves comfortable,” Celestia said, spreading her wings. She then frowned and added, “Well, as comfortable as you can.”
Princess Luna followed on her sister’s words, her modern day speaking having much improved, “As all of you know, this mirror can take us to another world, where ponies do not walk, but creatures called humans do.” She nodded at the mirror and continued, “We don’t know what to do with it, but it could prove to be an advantage to us. We wish for you to enter the portal and learn what you can from them, see if we could form an alliance between the two. They would be valuable assets to us, just as we will be valuable assets to them. Magical disruptions and evil creatures will not be able to stand before the might of two combined armies.”
Twilight’s jaw dropped, along with the rest of her friends. Princess Luna wasn’t saying the word directly, but they were pretty sure Luna was talking about something that hadn’t happened in over a thousand years, and hopefully wouldn’t.
War.
No, not the little skirmishes against the Changelings who had attacked one city or Tirek, who had been decimated by a single alicorn. This was where all of Equestria fought for their very survival against another force with ambitious intent. Twilight had not read about one in Equestrian history, but who knows… It was quite possible that violent and dark story had been erased.
“Well, er, I suppose we could,” Twilight muttered, still trying to comprehend what Luna and Celestia were asking of them. It was quite a bit to wrap her mind around, since Luna nor Celestia had ever spoken of war and Twilight had never expected to have to fight one. Not with the Elements of Harmony close at hand.
Celestia gave her student a soft smile and said, “Twilight, I know it is a hard decision, but you must make up your mind soon. The portal is due to open again soon. I know you only have three days, but we could easily make it last endlessly with the right technology.”
Twilight looked up eagerly at that thought, wondering if she could be the one to open the portal permanently. That would be a fun project that would require science and magic. A smile flickered across her lips as she thought about what she could do. The thoughts about war were briefly shoved to the back of her mind.
She opened her mouth, ready to ask if she could work on such a project, but the words never came. Instead, her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the mirror. Behind her came a very high-pitched squeak.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both furrowed their brows, wondering what in the world the Elements of Harmony were staring at. They both exchanged odd looks with each other, and then their own eyes widened.
In a slow (horror movie slow) movement, the two alicorns turned to look at the mirror, eyes fearful.
Only there was no mirror.
In its place was a gaping hole with shadowy tendrils seeping out like many arms. They grasped at the air in front of them, slowly inching forward through the air, seeking out anything in the room. Celestia, who was closest, jumped back multiple bounds until she was next to the Elements, followed quickly by Luna.
“Run, my little ponies,” Celestia cried as the tendrils suddenly darted forward, strange whispers beginning to sound from them. They grasped at empty air, heading towards the various ponies. All of them spun around and stampeded towards the exit.
Except one.
Fluttershy just stood there, paralyzed with fear. Her pupils had dilated to mere pinpricks. The tendrils could sense their frightened prey. They slithered across the ground towards her like snakes and grabbed her hooves.
Then, she screamed. Fluttershy started struggling, desperately trying to free herself from the tendrils, but they had a strong grip. They began to pull her towards the portal, reeling her in like how a fisherman would catch, well, a fish.
“FLUTTERSHY!” Twilight cried, charging forward, horn glowing. She fired a beam of magenta light at the tendrils, hoping to free the Element of Kindness. No avail. They simply reformed immediately after.
A rainbow blur tore past Twilight and grabbed Fluttershy, trying to fight the shadows with physical strength. Instead of actually accomplishing anything, more wrapped themselves around Rainbow’s torso, before both yanked the two pegasi with one final pull through the portal.
“NO!” Twilight screamed and dove straight through the portal after them, wings spread.
The portal slammed shut, leaving two Earth Ponies, a unicorn and two alicorns staring in shock, trying to process what exactly had just happened.
. . . . .
Lysandre was in a pretty good mood. The young paladin had just helped clear out an infestation of Blackrock orcs that had been trying to sneak in from Blackrock Mountain. They had all fallen to his huge battle-axe.
Lounging on the side of Lake Everstill, Lysandre ruffled his short brown hair and sighed, leaning back. His silver armour, from his boots to his chest-piece, were bundled up in his room at the Lakeshire Inn alongside his royal blue cape and heavy battle-axe, a gift from his father in Theramore. He was now garbed in a leather shirt, a pair of cream leggings and laced-up boots. His ice blue eyes scanned the lake. Just the other day, he had dove into its murky depths to search for a girl’s lost necklace.
This place was Lysandre’s first assignment. After years of vigorous training, the Cathedral of Light had finally sent him to his first post, where he would work as a soldier until he had proven himself.
How?
Lysandre honestly had no idea. No matter how many other paladins he had badgered, bribed and blackmailed, none had told him how to prove himself. It was a little infuriating, really. Was he supposed to wait for something to just fall out of the sky?
SPLOOSH!
Jumping to his feet, Lysandre stared at Everstill’s rippling surface. Unless he had been very much mistaken, something had just fallen out of the sky.
Lysandre looked left and right, wondering if anyone else had seen it. The guards on the bridge didn’t seem to have reacted, and there was no one around this evening. Turning back to the lake, Lysandre shrugged to himself and promptly dove in.
It was murky, but Lysandre could make out a shape at the bottom. This part wasn’t very deep, thank the Light. Lysandre kicked out and made his way downwards.
There, resting on the mud, was… a pony?
Lysandre had to stop and stare, but only for a moment. He was halfway through his supply of air after all.
Lunging forward, Lysandre scooped it up, before getting a good push off the ground and skyrocketing back up to the surface. With a splutter, he stroked out to shore once again, and dragged the pony up onto land.
Now, he could have a closer look at it. Its fur was a lilac and its mane was beautiful, with a main purple colour and magenta highlights. Lysandre couldn’t help but marvel at it. He reached out and stroked the wet fur, gazing at the more startling aspects of this already-strange creature.
It could have been a pony or horse, except for the horn spiralling up from its forehead. Lysandre pondered over this, wondering if it was like those zhevras from Kalimdor he had read about. It also had two feathered wings on either side, splayed limply beside its body. Lysandre was really stumped on what it was. Certainly no species he had ever learned or read about.
The most unusual aspect so far, and it really was unusual, were the two star-like markings on her flank. Were they tattoos? Lysandre reached out and touched one, only to feel wet fur. No, whatever they were, they were a part of her. He’d never heard of tattooed fur.
Lysandre looked up at Lakeshire, wondering what to do now. He had to help this pony… thing, but how? He didn’t know the first thing about it! Lysandre decided it would be best to return to his room at the inn and take care of it there. However, he would draw a lot of attention to himself.
Sending a swift prayer to the Light, asking it to stop anyone from stopping him, Lysandre stood with the creature in his arms and took off at a sprint towards the inn. He was fast, the world blurring slightly around him. Those few outsides stared, but Lysandre refused to slow. He was at the inn in moments, and had soon vaulted the stairs and into his room, slamming the door behind him.
Hopefully no one would question him afterwards. He carefully set the pony down upon his bed, petting her mane. Now that he had gotten over her strange appearance, he really found her quite beautiful. He obviously wasn’t in love, but it was rare to see such beauty in Lakeshire, where orcs and murlocs were plentiful, but beautiful creatures like this one was not.
Lysandre took a seat next to her, raised one hand, and placed it on the pony’s side. He closed his eyes and focused, allowing the Light to flow through him. His hand began to glow and a golden light covered the pony, then faded. Lysandre lifted his hand just as the creature’s eyes shot open.
Her eyes, like her fur, were a lovely lilac.
Her breathing was short and quick, eyes wide with panic. She looked Lysandre right in the eye, and suddenly jumped to her hooves, horn beginning to glow a strange magenta light. Lysandre leapt off the bed and fell on the floor, raising his hands as sign of surrender.
“Hey! Hey! I’m not going to hurt you! You fell in the lake!” he cried, scrambling backwards towards where his axe was propped up against the wall. He was desperate to have something in his hand. He did not want to be killed by a pony creature.
That would be a very disappointing death.
Just as his hand wrapped around the hilt of his axe, the creature stopped. The glow of her horn faded and she looked less like a wild beast. In fact, she now looked curious, and extremely intelligent.
She, Lysandre thought. Is it female? He leaned forward, now curious as well. She definitely looked female, and held herself in a regal manner, like King Varian or Prince Anduin. Lysandre’s grip loosened on the axe. Perhaps she wasn’t hostile after all.
. . . . .
The woods of Darkshore were silent. There was no birdsong, only the harsh cry of the occasional crow. A couple bears were wandering around the ruins of an old, Night Elven town, with a battered dock, an inn cracked in two and water flooding through half of it. The only piece that was actually intact was the moonwell, and even then, it still held an ominous aura. It was, after all, filled with the bracers of corrupted Cyclones.
Walking slowly through the remains of the town, Adrelaria nimbly leapt from one side of a small crack to another. She was grateful Lor’danel had not been completely destroyed like this place. A couple fissures here and there, but those had been easily made traversable with bridges. Auberdine, on the other hand, was done for.
Adrelaria made her way inside the inn and sat down underneath the ruins of the stairs, staring at out at Auberdine’s remains. Her hair glowed faintly in the light, as white as the moonlight that fell down from Elune. It fell to her waist. She never put it up. Adrelaria didn’t see any need to. Most of her combat was done in bear form after all.
Her skin was a periwinkle colour, purple-blue. It might look like she’s dead, but Adrelaria never felt more alive. She was one with nature. She even had claw-mark tattoos over her eyes, each one a beautiful lilac colour. Her armour was leather, made of of black leather that cut off above the stomach. It had red lining around it and the sleeves fell to her gloved hands. Her pants were black and there was a silver dagger at her side.
Reaching into a pouch at her waist, Adrelaria pulled out a hearthstone. The last place it had been set to was here. Now, she would have to find a new place she could pull back to after long days of questing through Darkshore, eliminating the various threats and such. Lor’danel was too far north for her liking, and the Grove of Ancients had no inn. She sighed, wishing the Cataclysm had never struck.
SPLASH! Adrelaria leapt to her feet at the sound, bashing her head on the bottom of the stairs as she did so. She winced and grabbed at her head. At least no one was around to see an all-powerful night elf nearly knock herself out with a broken staircase.
Once the world had stopped spinning, Adrelaria gingerly made her way to the inn’s exit. The splash hadn’t come from the small rivers running through Auberdine. It had come from the Moonwell. Adrelaria wondered what had been stupid enough to jump, or fall, into a sacred place.
Stepping outside of the inn, Adrelaria turned her gaze over to the pool. It was still filled with the Cyclone bracers she had thrown in earlier, but now… now it appeared something pale yellow and pink was in there, too.
And they were alive.
Adrelaria shot forward, throwing her arms into the pool as soon as she reached its edge. Her hands gasped at fur and she gave a hearty tug, pulling the creature out of the glimmering water. Adrelaria pulled the creature onto dry land, then adjusted her grip so she could carry it into the inn. It would be safer in there than out here, where a Cyclone could come forth at any given moment, along with patrolling Twilight Cultists.
Once inside of the building, Adrelaria made her way to the top level and set the creature onto one of the unbroken beds in the room. Its fur was now matted to its skin. It had yellow fur and a long, flowing pink mane. It was a pony.
Adrelaria stared at it in wonder. Strange markings of three pink butterflies were found on her flank. She also had a pair of wings. Strange. Adrelaria had never seen such a creature, but she was quite certain it was female, now that she got a closer look..
Sitting down on the other bed, Adrelaria propped her chin in her hands, placed her elbow on her knees. She closed her eyes and focused, using a bit of her nature magic to funnel a healing spell into the pony.
With a gasp, the ponies cyan eyes shot open. She lifted her head, looking around with wide panicked eyes. Adrelaria lifted her chin out of her hands, surprised she had recovered so quickly. The pony turned to look at Adrelaria and screamed. . . . . .
“It isn’t my pet! I just watched it fall into the moat around Gilneas! I had nothing to do with it!” Caine cried angrily, waved his hands in the air. The huge tauren was extremely angry with the undead rogue who was standing in front of him. The two had been arguing about how Caine had two pets instead of the standard one.
Snorting angrily, Caine muttered, “You know what? I hope you die again.” He stormed off, causing the ground beneath him to shake slightly. A Deathguard walking by, carrying a ton of precariously-stacked crates, lost his balance and the crates.
Caine didn’t stop to help. He stormed over to a rock overlooking the Northern Headlands and sat down. His skin was a rich dark brown with a couple of pale brown stripes on his snout. He had a white belly, but that was hidden behind his brown leather armour. A red cloak was slung over his shoulders along with a wooden bow with wings carving out of the tip.
Trotting back was his pet wolf Claire. She had a beautiful golden pelt and intelligent blue eyes. Caine had tamed her when he had been sneaking around through Elwynn out of plain old curiosity. Not the smartest idea, but he’d made it out alive, hadn’t he?
On Claire’s back was the strange creature Caine had been arguing about with the rogue. It was a bright blue with a rainbow-coloured mane. It was, in fact, some sort of winged pony with a weird tattoo on its flank. A tattoo of a cloud with a yellow, blue and red striped lightning bolt shooting out of it. Caine thought was pretty cool.
Scooping it up, Caine set it beside him, stroking its flank. He wished he had some healing spells, but being a hunter, all he had was bandages. Unless…
Suddenly, Caine stuck a hand in his pouch and tugged out a small healing potion. He had been saving it for a serious injury to him or Claire, but he could always buy more. He popped it open and tipped it gently into the creature’s moth.
He only had to wait a few moments before he was staring into the creature’s rose coloured eyes.
Then, in a rather abrupt fashion, it kicked Caine square in the jaw.
Twilight stared at the human boy before her, who’s hand was clasping a huge battle axe. Had she and her friends been sucked into the mirror? No. This place looked nothing like Canterlot High. This place had a more rustic look, and the boy was definitely not dressed in the colourful attire of the high school. He was also holding an axe, which was definitely not used, or even allowed, in Canterlot High.
The big question was: where was she? It was a world like Canterlot High, but… Twilight gasped and looked down. She had kept her pony form! Hooves! Wonderful, marvellous hooves! She hadn’t been transformed into a human again. She had her horn, her magic, her wings.
Without thinking, she jumped into the air and gave a cry of joy. She even danced a little bit on the bed, having completely forgotten about the human, who was watching her with a very amused look.
Once Twilight had calmed down, she turned to the human boy and asked, “Where am I?” She was a little breathless and the faintest of smiles still lingered on her face, but she was beginning to realize that she wasn’t in Equestria anymore.
The human blinked and said something in a language completely incomprehensible to Twilight. She opened her mouth, ready to speak, then shut it and furrowed her brow. Did she know any language spells? She began to shift through her magical inventory, searching desperately for something that could help her understand the human. Her worry on how to get home was increasing by the moment.
Ah ha!
A spell that could permit her to speak and understand any language. Thank Celestia she had this in her arsenal. Twilight closed her eyes and poured her magic into her horn. She felt the familiar tingle and the magenta light pulsed through her eyelids. She felt the magic trickle through her and the strangest feeling of someone cleaning her ears with a metal rod before it all stopped.
Opening her eyes, Twilight asked the human, “Can you understand me now?”
The boy’s mouth fell open. It was a full thirty seconds before he managed to get out a weak, “Yes,” before sinking back against the wall, trying to get a grip on himself. Twilight frowned, wondering why he was acting in such a peculiar manner. Surely he’d seen a pony before.
“Well, I’m Twilight Sparkle. From Equestria,” she said, hoping to strike up a friendly conversation. Twilight even hopped off the bed to approach the boy. He shuffled back nervously, hand tightening on his axe. Twilight stopped, realizing she was probably scaring him.
But the look on his face was anything but fear.
It was suspicion.
“You’re from another planet,” he blurted out. It wasn’t a question. His eyes narrowed and he slowly began to rise to his feet. Twilight shrank back, now realizing just how tall this guy was. She was hardly even up to his chest.
Lifting his ask, the human whispered in a dangerous ton, emphasizing every word, “The last time we had visitors from another planet, it took a lot of magical power to stop them from destroying our entire world. I have never heard of you, Twilight Sparkle, nor of Equestria, but you had best leave before I kill you. We cannot afford to take any chances.”
“No, you don’t understand! My friends and I were discussing what to do with our portal when another one opened up and sucked us in! We come from a peaceful planet! I’ve never heard of this place before either! I don’t know where my friends are or where I am or… or if I’m ever getting back home,” Twilight said in a high-pitched voice, which ended in a dry sob. She looked at her hooves, shivering.
Clunk!
Twilight looked up to see the human had dropped his axe and the ground and covered the distance between the two. He placed a hand on Twilight’s head and murmured, “Look. This isn’t a peaceful place, Twilight Sparkle. Here, there is war and chaos. Here, there are enemies. Here, death is around every corner. I pulled you from the Lake Everstill. You fell out of the sky. I suppose if you had wanted to invade, you would have brought more forces.”
He stepped back and added, “My name is Lysandre Collin of Theramore.” Lysandre inclined himself into a bow and shot Twilight a quick half-smile. Twilight reluctantly grinned back.
Twilight’s mind was buzzing. Theramore? Lake Everstill?These are definitely new places. How I wish I could go to a library! The books of this place would hold so many answers! Maybe she could learn about this world and, as Lysandre had said, about the chaos. Twilight knew that she and her friends could definitely save this place. Even without the Elements, they knew enough about harmony to put an end to it.
Her friends…
Twilight gasped and turned to Lysandre, “My friends! I have to find them! Did you see them? They look like me, but without the horn…” Twilight stopped talking. Rarity hadn’t been sucked in by the portal. Neither had Applejack or Pinkie Pie. It seemed it was just her, Rainbow and Fluttershy. The Mane Six separated… Twilight slumped back onto the ground, realizing it was hopeless. Without all of the Elements, could they really save this world?
Lysandre flopped down next to Twilight and stared at the wall opposite them. “I haven’t seen them, but I think I know where we can start looking. Stormwind isn’t that far from here. We could ride on over. I’ll just have to tell Magistrate Solomon where I’m going. I’m not necessarily supposed to leave my post.” He grimaced.
Throwing her hooves around his neck, Twilight cried, “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” She laughed and stepped back, letting Lysandre rub his neck. The hug had definitely thrown him off guard.
Lysandre patted her on the head and said, “I’ll grab my gear and we’ll be off. We’ll find your friends before you know it, you’ll see.”
. . . . .
Once Lysandre had garbed himself in shining, silver armour and a royal blue cape, he and Twilight headed down to Lakeshire Town Hall to speak with the leader of Lakeshire, and Redridge Mountains in general, Magistrate Solomon.
The walk was short, but it was the line that stretched outside that caused a real issue. Many citizens of Redridge seemed to be here to complain about something. Twilight listened with interest as people yelled about disappearances amongst the community. Lysandre managed to bypass the line with ease, since many civilians stepped aside in awe at the sight of a paladin.
Twilight attracted attention, too, but not as much as Lysandre. Twilight wondered why. Surely none had seen the likes of her. She continued to wonder until someone said, “Nice pet, sir.”
In shock, Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but a hand on her head stopped her. “Thank you.” Lysandre shot Twilight a warning glance before he headed up towards the Magistrate, who was muttering under his breath and staring at a book.
He was most certainly not helping the people who had lined up to see him.
What kind of world is this? Celestia would never leave her ponies without an answer, Twilight thought, shocked by just how different this world could be. She desperately wanted to find a library in hopes of getting as many information as possible. Hopefully Stormwind could provide something like that.
“Ah, m’boy. How can I help you?” Solomon said, looking up from his book as Lysandre approached.
Lysandre gave a short bow before he said, “I need to return to Stormwind. I have received an urgent message that requires me to go back.” He glanced at Twilight as he spoke.
Solomon arched an eyebrow, “I see… What sort of… urgent message are we talking about?” He, too, eyed Twilight.
With a nod from Lysandre, Twilight stepped forward and said, “Greetings, Magistrate. I’m Twilight Sparkle and I’m looking for my friends. Lysandre said that Stormwind is a good place to start looking for them. We were separated from one another.”
Solomon removed his monocle, cleaned it in his shirt, put it back where it belongs, before he said softly, “Of course, of course. It would be a shame to lose you, Lysandre, but for this… pony, I understand. You have my permission.”
Lysandre bowed again, “Thank you, Magistrate.”
Twilight and Lysandre swept out of Town Hall. Once outside, Twilight felt relieved, “He was acting very weird.”
“He usually does. I think all the complaining is driving him mad,” Lysandre said as he began to head towards the bridge across the narrowest part of Lake Everstill.
“How are we getting to Stormwind?” Twilight asked curiously. If they planned on walking… Twilight couldn’t see any form of castle spires around them. Only mountains and the vast lake that stretched out everywhere.
Lysandre grinned, “Gryphon ride. Fastest way to Stormwind, since I don’t have a mount, yet.” The two crossed the huge stone bridge and made their way to a woman wearing square goggles and a strange outfit. Twilight couldn’t help but stare at her as Lysandre passed her a couple pieces of silver into the woman’s hand before he made his way to one of the great beasts behind her.
Twilight gasped, “Griffins?” She approached one in excitement, but it snapped its beak at her, golden eyes glinting. Lysandre laughed.
“Careful! They could probably eat ponies like you.” Lysandre scooped Twilight up into his arms, much to her protest, and eased himself into the saddle. He then set Twilight down so her front hooves were draped over one side and her back ones over the other side.
“I could fly, you know,” Twilight said indignantly as the woman Lysandre had payed walked up to them and slapped the griffin on the hindquarters. The griffin reared onto its hind legs, wings flapping angrily.
“I’d like to see you try and keep up with a griffin!” Lysandre yelled as they shot up into the air as quick as a Wonderbolt. Twilight gave a shriek of surprise and nearly fell off the beast, but Lysandre kept one hand on her, preventing her from falling.
Twilight managed to choke out as they sped out across the Redridge Mountains, “Ok… You have a point.” She narrowed her eyes against the wind, watching for any sign of a castle. Stormwind must have a castle if it was the first place Lysandre thought of. Perhaps it was like Canterlot, though Twilight was pretty sure it wouldn’t be able to match Canterlot. She had never seen any place, in Canterlot High or Equestria, that could match its majesty.
Rolling his eyes, Lysandre didn’t respond as the griffin passed the last few mountains and began to fly over an emerald-green forest. Twilight’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden change of scenery. A blue roof peeked out over one of the trees, but the griffin swept past it.
In fact, it was beginning to angle itself into the forest. Twilight’s lilac eyes took in everything, amazed by the beauty of this place. Lysandre looked around, too, but only because he was making sure nothing would try and attack the griffin, as rare of an event as that was.
“Is that it?” Twilight suddenly said, pointing to a small cluster of buildings in between the trees. She was very convinced that Stormwind was pathetic compared to Canterlot, especially with Lakeshire being the apparent capital of the mountain range. Besides, Twilight also didn’t want anywhere to be better than where her mentor lived.
Lysandre burst out laughing, “Ha HA! Goldshire? That place is for the Alliance members who don’t mind sleeping in a tavern filled with very… vulgar events.” He coughed hastily into his fist as the griffin sped by.
A couple minutes later, white bricks could be seen through the trees. Twilight narrowed her eyes and asked, “Is that Stormwind? It looks like a single castle.”
With a smile on his face, Lysandre whispered, “Wait for it…”
The griffin flapped its wings and soared up above the trees. It kept going higher and higher, giving Twilight a view of Stormwind.
It took her breath away.
It was nothing like Canterlot. Heck, Canterlot could learn from this place. A huge entryway with a white stone path flanked with different statues leading up to another wall, and beyond that was the most organized and beautiful place Twilight had ever laid eyes on here in this new place so far.
Different-coloured roofs were separated by crystal-clear canals. A tower with a purple roof spiralled up from the left and Twilight could make out paths made of grass weaving between the buildings. To the right, a rather rustic, slightly beaten-down community could be seen. To the front were blue roofs where Twilight could see various humanoid forms milling around.
Away from that was a huge, white church who’s spires towered above the city. If Twilight could guess, it could probably be seen from everywhere within Stormwind’s walls. Beyond that, Twilight could make out the shimmering sea and a lighthouse as well as a ship sailing into a dock.
Then, to the right, was the palace. It was massive and looked extremely fortified with walls and a couple thick towers. Everything here was built in white stones.
But even with all its beauty, Twilight could see that war griped this place, or some form of chaos anyway.
Not far from the dock was a huge, charred piece of land that seemed to have shattered and cracked. Some of it seemed to have fallen into the sea and a couple paths ended abruptly due to it. Twilight wondered what had once been there.
“Welcome to Stormwind!” Lysandre exclaimed, spreading his arms towards the city as the griffin dipped down to a small place within the second wall where a bunch of griffins were resting in nests. Before the stood a man dressed like the woman from Lakeshire, with a red beard and a warm smile.
“Enjoy your stay here,” he said cheerfully as Lysandre and Twilight disembarked from the griffin. It seemed happy to be able to rest despite the short flight.
As pony and paladin made their way down the stairs into the Trade District, as Lysandre called it, Twilight asked, “How will we know someone’s seen my friends? There must be tons of people here!”
Lysandre smiled grimly, “Oh, don’t worry. We aren’t going to interview everyone in sight. No, we’re going straight to King Varian Wrynn himself.” His smile faded and he added gravely, “Be on your best behaviour.”
Twilight gulped, wondering just why Lysandre looked so sombre.
. . . . .
As Twilight soon learned, King Varian wasn’t a terrible ruler. Lysandre’s sombre look had been because he had never met the king before, or any of the higher ranking people either. He was incredibly nervous. Twilight was grateful she was a princess and had had some experienced with this sort of thing.
The two crossed the drawbridge and found themselves in front of an immense statue of a man dressed in armour, holding an odd-looking sword in front of him. He had a scarred face, a long pony tail, and shoulder armour in the shape of the head of an eagle and a lion.
“That’s King Varian,” Lysandre muttered, more to himself than anyone else. He looked at the ground sheepishly and added, “This is the closest to the keep I’ve ever been. I’ve never even looked inside before.”
Twilight touched her wing to Lysandre’s side. “It’s ok. I can do the talking if you want.”
Lysandre nodded, “Alright, but watch your tongue. King Varian isn’t someone to disrespect. He’s a war hero.”
Twilight shuddered at the word “war.” This place seemed to be extremely violent. How could someone be a hero for fighting in a war and probably killing other people. Twilight wondered if she could ever do such a thing.
With a small sigh, Twilight began to head up the stairway to the left. There was one to the right, too, but she felt that either one lead to her destination. Lysandre trailed behind rather reluctantly, his eyes darting back and forth. It looked as if he was expecting to be attacked at any given moment.
Soon, Twilight and Lysandre were making their way down a hallway with stone walls and a blue carpet leading up a small incline. Guards lined the edge, immobile. Twilight was a little frightened. She couldn’t see their faces. For all she knew, they could be empty suits of armour.
“Who do we have here?” A voice boomed out as Twilight and Lysandre entered the throne room. Twilight looked up to see a grizzled man with grey hair and beard. His eyes were sharp and weary. Lysandre stiffened beside Twilight. Was this Varian?
“Um, well, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and this is my friend Lysandre. I was hoping you could help me,” Twilight stuttered. If this man was King Varian, Twilight could understand why Lysandre was afraid of him.
The man grunted. “I can’t help you, whatever you are. I’m King Greymane. From the way you talked to me, I assume you thought I was Varian, but you’re wrong, girl.” He stroked his beard before continuing, “I suppose I could consider your request until he returns. Pass on the message.”
Twilight was a little confused now. If Greymane was a king, than where was his kingdom? It couldn’t be Stormwind, like Lysandre said.
Stepping forward, Twilight decided she ought to learn something about this place. Plus, she’d rather wait to give her message directly to King Varian. She wasn’t sure she trusted this man. “You see, I’m not from around here. I was just wondering… If you’re a king, then where’s your kingdom? Why are you here? Stormwind can’t be yours because it belongs to King Varian.”
King Greymane arched an eyebrow at Twilight, and then grinned. His eyes flickered to Lysandre and he said, “Paladin, you have a very interesting companion. Is she a pet or a friend?”
Twilight was taken aback. The king had ignored her question! How rude!
Ruffling his hair, Lysandre said, “She’s a friend. She fell out of the sky into Lake Everstill.”
King Greymane laughed. “Interesting story, Twilight Sparkle. Even with wings, you still fell. Much like my own kingdom.” His happy attitude faded and was replaced with a sombre expression. “No, my kingdom was lost to the Forsaken and that wretched banshee, Sylvanas.”
Lysandre gritted his teeth, while Twilight stepped forward and asked rather cautiously, “Who are the Forsaken? Who’s Sylvanas?”
King Greymane’s eyes flared and suddenly, a feral presence filled the room. Twilight felt afraid as the king started to growl. “You’ve never hear of the Forsaken? Where have you been, hiding under a rock? Or… are you a spy… for the Burning Legion?”
“Please, Your Majesty! She came from a different world entirely. She has no idea what’s going on. Her knowledge about Azeroth is limited to what she’s picked up around her,” Lysandre exclaimed, stepping forward. Twilight couldn’t help but notice that his hand was hovering not far from the handle of his battle axe. Would a simple meeting really start a battle?
King Greymane relaxed, though his face was still hard. The strange presence faded and Twilight shuddered. Who was this man? No, what was this man?
“The Forsaken are a group of undead who managed to break from the will of the Lich King a while back. They fight for the Horde, our sworn enemy,” Greymane explained, the hint of a growl evident in his tone. “Sylvanas is their queen.”
“So, they’re a bunch of zombies?” Twilight gasped and immediately pictured a bunch of shambling bodies with lolling tongues and blank expressions.
Lysandre laughed, then turned serious again, “They look like zombies, but their minds are intact. They are ruthless and cunning. Gilneas fell because they used a plague of death upon the capital.”
“And Gilneas was your home,” Twilight murmured, looking at King Greymane with sympathetic eyes. How could any creature, living or undead, do such a terrible thing to innocents? This world needed to learn a serious lesson in harmony and friendship.
“What’s more, Sylvanas herself killed my son, Liam,” Greymane snarled, teeth barred. “I couldn’t stop her, and she will pay with her own life. Or what ever the hell you call living, when you should be rotting six feet under.”
Twilight huffed angrily, “Why is this world filled with war and death? It isn’t right! How can you talk about killing someone!”
King Greymane reared his head and gave another wolfish growl. He opened his mouth to speak, but a new voice cut in, deep and powerful. It resonated with authority Twilight had never heard, not even from Celestia.
“Death is a part of life. It is inevitable. We’ve always had to fight for our survival, especially when the Horde invaded our lands.”
Twilight spun around to see a smaller, coloured version of the statue outside coming up the hall from which she and Lysandre had come. The man lion and eagle shoulder pads. The scarred face. The long, brown hair tied into a ponytail.
Fluttershy was absolutely terrified. She had no idea what this thing was in front of her, but it was no pony. Fluttershy wasn’t even certain it was human, the creatures Twilight said dominated the world beyond the mirror. She cowered back against the wall, hoping it would go away.
The creature raised a paw and swept white hair behind one of its long ears. Its white eyes stared fixedly on Fluttershy, who wished it would stop. Whatever this was, Fluttershy was certain it was going to eat her.
It tipped its head to one side, opened its mouth, and began to speak in a language Fluttershy couldn’t comprehend. But now Fluttershy was certain this thing was intelligent. It could speak. Foreign language or no, Fluttershy knew by now that hostile creatures attacked straight away.
This one looked mildly curious, though mostly concerned. It sat on the bed opposite Fluttershy, who was now taking in her surroundings. She was in some old, beaten-down building that appeared to be slanted to one side. Fluttershy wondered just what had happened here, and where she was.
The creature stood, stared at Fluttershy for a moment longer, then appeared to make up its mind. It pointed at itself, pointed at the stairs, pointed at Fluttershy, and pointed at the stairs again. Fluttershy looked back and forth, using her skills of communication to get the message.
“You want me to… follow you?” Fluttershy whispered. The creature tipped its head to one side in obvious confusion, before it walked to the edge of the stairs. It turned to Fluttershy, and gestured for the pegasus to follow.
Fluttershy gave a small “eep” and leapt off the bed, walking after the creature with her head down. She didn’t want to anger it in case it attacked, so Fluttershy decided to do exactly as it said (or gestured).
The creature seemed satisfied, because it said something in a rather happy-sounding tone before making its way down the stairs. Fluttershy, relaxing in the slightest bit, tailed after her, wondering just where the creature intended on taking her.
“W-What h-happened here?” Fluttershy asked in shock when they entered the main part of the building, forgetting that the creature couldn’t understand her.
The building had a huge crack down the middle of the stone floor, and Fluttershy could really tell the building was sitting at an angle. There were various objects such as bottles and crates scattered everywhere.
But what was most unnerving was the body.
A creature that looked quite similar to the one that had lead Fluttershy down here was lying on the ground, clearly dead. Its body was beginning to rot, and Fluttershy’s delicate nose picked up the scent of decay. She whimpered, causing the living creature to look at her in concern.
Suddenly, a harsh noise came from their left. Both Fluttershy and the creature spun around to see another creature standing there, its fists clenched. Fluttershy took a moment to realize that it matched a description Twilight had given her.
A human.
Am I in that very same world? Fluttershy wondered. Then, maybe I can find someone who’ll help me! Maybe I’ll find my friends! That thought gave her hope. They wouldn’t be her exact friends, but Fluttershy knew they would help her.
A cry of pain brought Fluttershy back into reality. She turned and gave another scream.
The purple-skinned creature had dropped to one knee, a hand on its arm. Blood seeped through its fingers. A dagger lay on the ground beside her. Fluttershy turned to see the human was in a position that indicated he had thrown the dagger.
How could he? That’s so mean, Fluttershy thought, but she was mainly too petrified to move. Her eyes were only on the human, who was now advancing on Fluttershy and her wounded companion.
But the purple-skinned humanoid wasn’t giving up. It stood straight again, then darted to the side and grabbed Fluttershy around the waist. Fluttershy cried out in shock, feeling warm blood seep into her fur. If she wasn’t so scared, she would have found that rather gross.
Then, the creature who held her began to change.
Its body twisted and contracted, black feathers sprouting from her limbs. It shrank in size and its face elongated into a beak. Beady eyes looked at Fluttershy as the pegasus stared at a rather large crow.
“FLY!” the crow shrieked in a voice that was distinctly female with a rich accent. Fluttershy didn’t need to be told twice. Usually, she would be too scared to fly, but something forced her wings open and she took to the skies. She heard a commotion behind her, but she didn’t look back.
Darting out of the building, Fluttershy found herself soaring over the remains of what looked like a village. Many buildings were in ruin and strange, tornadoes seemed to be moving about on their own accord. But Fluttershy didn’t have the time to watch them. She had to fly.
“Wait up!” a voice cried out from behind. Fluttershy hovered in midair to see the crow flying up to her, her wings beating frantically.
Once the crow had caught up, she said, “Do you understand me now?” Her voice was a little shaky, and Fluttershy could see the pain in her eyes. Though there were no visible wounds, Fluttershy wondered if the one from before was still affecting the crow,
“Y-Y-Yes,” Fluttershy stammered, now beginning to understand why. “I-I c-c-can t-talk to a-animals.” She ducked her head, avoiding the crow’s gaze.
The crow nodded slow, “Let’s land. I need to tend to my injuries. That Twilight Cultist was no laughing matter.” She folded her wings and dove down towards the forest surrounding the village. Fluttershy hesitated, her heart skipping a beat when she heard the word ‘Twilight,’ then followed.
Once the crow landed, it shifted back into its humanoid form. Fluttershy landed nearby and gasped in shock and pity. The creature had acquired new wounds on top of the previous one. The impalement on her arm still bled, and another cut on her cheek was apparent. A third lash on her thigh bled through the pants she wore.
Reaching down, the creature pressed one hand to the wound on her thigh. She hissed angrily, but as she did, a soft green glow pulsed from her palm. The blood trickling down her thigh ceased, and when she pulled her hand back, there was no wound at all.
Fluttershy gasped, Healing magic? I don’t think even Twilight can do that.
She watched, captivated, as the creature healed the rest of her wounds before she shifted back into her crow form.
“You are a strange creature. I’ve never seen one like you before. I have seen horses, but I can tell you are not a horse,” the crow said, her eyes fixated on Fluttershy.
“I-I’m a p-p-pegasus,” Fluttershy muttered, scuffing a hoof against the ground. Feeling like she ought to say more, she added, “I-I’m F-Fluttershy.”
The crow stared at her for a bit longer before she said, “It’s nice to meet you, Fluttershy. I can see you name tells me quite a bit about you. I’m Adrelaria Shadeheart. A night elf and a guardian druid.”
Fluttershy looked up curiously, “W-What’s a d-druid?”
“Someone who strives to become one with nature,” Adrelaria said, gesturing one wing at the trees around her. Fluttershy gave a tiny gasp. This was something that intrigued her. Becoming one with nature itself… Would she be able to communicate even better with her animal friends if she did?
Fluttershy opened her mouth, ready to ask another question, when Adrelaria suddenly held up a wing, her head turning towards the ruins.
“We must fly. Someone is coming,” Adrelaria whispered before she spread her wings and took to the air. Fluttershy took off after her, not wanting to meet the human from before. If he had done such painful things to Adrelaria, who could probably defend herself, Celestia knows what he could do to Fluttershy.
The two glided up over the trees, giving Fluttershy a bird’s-eye view of the forest below. It was a little gloomier and looked a bit dead, but Fluttershy could see bears and stags through the foliage.
“This is Darkshore. It was recently torn asunder by Deathwing, so it’s not much to look at,” Adrelaria said, her eyes surveying the landscape. “My hometown’s up ahead. Lor’danel. We’ll stop there before we head to the night elven capital, Darnassus.”
“That’s a-alot of names,” Fluttershy managed to say, grateful her voice wasn’t shaking as much. Perhaps Adrelaria’s friendly nature was helping or maybe because Fluttershy hadn’t remembered flying being this wonderful.
Adrelaria gave a harsh caw that sounded like a laugh. “Oh, trust me. You’re going to learn a lot more when I’m through with you. Are you interested in learning about the art of being a druid? You seem like someone who could master it, pegasus or no.”
Fluttershy looked up in surprise, her cyan eyes meeting Adrelaria’s eerie silver ones.
“I-I’d love to!”
. . . . .
This is Darnassus? It’s… beautiful.
Fluttershy had been awe-struck when she found out the night elves like Adrelaria made their home on a giant tree called Teldrassil. She was even more impressed by the tree that had teleported them up to the crown, where Adrelaria said even rivers flowed.
But the city was the best part. Fluttershy had always marvelled Canterlot, but Darnassus might have knocked Equestria’s capital into the trash heap. It’s elegant stone structures and buildings that appeared to have grown out of trees. The fact that the city sat upon a lake who’s water was coloured periwinkle.
The most majestic part was the Temple of the Moon, which Adrelaria had pointed out when they had first arrived.
“It’s where our rulers live. We’ll go there afterwards. I just have to speak with someone first,” Adrelaria had said, a strange glint in her eyes. Fluttershy wondered what was up, but since she had relayed the story of how she had arrived and the fact that she was separated from her friends, Adrelaria had been acting weird.
The two of them landed in front of a giant tree, which definitely didn’t look like the ones surrounding them. Its bark was dark grey, and caught within its branches were the remains of a well, its glowing water cascading into pools at its roots.
“Don’t be alarmed. The Howling Oak is very much alive,” Adrelaria said before shifting into her night elf form. She smiled at Fluttershy, who managed to return the gesture, before the two walked inside.
Fluttershy was surprised to see humans within the hollow tree. They wandered about, speaking to one another in a language very different from the flowing words Adrelaria used. They were harsher, but pretty all the same.
Simply standing there, Fluttershy listened to the new noises until there was a sound behind her. She turned to see Adrelaria returning with an old man garbed in a grey cloak. He had the hood pulled over his head and a flask in the other.
Adrelaria took the flask from the man and said something in the language the humans here spoke, though her voice, even with a new language, sounded different from the ones Fluttershy had been listening to.
Kneeling down next to Fluttershy, Adrelaria uncorked the flash and held it to Fluttershy’s lips. She hesitated, then allowed Adrelaria to pour the contents down her throat. Fluttershy them grimaced, finding the taste to be very bitter.
“Apologies. I don’t often use this potion so I never bothered to perfect the taste,” the cloaked human said in a gruff voice. Fluttershy looked up in surprise.
“I-I can understand you,” she whispered, eyes wide.
“And we, you. The potion allows you to speak and understand our language. It only lasts a week, so come back for more. Unless you find a permanent spell,” the human said, winking at Fluttershy. He bowed to Adrelaria before he vanished amongst his people again.
“Now that you can communicate properly, shall we visits the rulers of Darnasus?” Adrelaria asked, the faintest hint of a smile on her face.
Fluttershy gave a determined nod, feeling a bit braver than she had before, though not by much. She was still shivering. “Yah, let’s go.”
Adrelaria clapped her hands together, “Excellent.”
The two heads out of the Howling Oak and into the streets of Darnassus. The night elves that walked by looked at Fluttershy with polite interest, but for the most part she wasn’t the centre of attention. Which was fine with Fluttershy.
“They must think you’re my pet,” Adrelaria mused. Fluttershy looked up, feeling a little insulted, but Adrelaria winked at her. “Never fear, Shy. It’s better this way. If you didn’t look like that, some of the stealthier ones might follow you.”
Fluttershy shuddered, “I-I hope that d-doesn’t happen.”
Adrelaria gave a musical laugh, “I jest.”
The two didn’t have another conversation until they reached the Temple of the Moon.
Once they reached the entrance, Adrelaria stopped and held out a hand. “I sense both rulers are present. Be respectful, Fluttershy. Both of them have lived for thousands of years and seen much. They have wisdom beyond many, though I do have a close level of experience.”
“W-What’s that s-supposed to mean?” Flutteshy whispered.
Adrelaria smiled knowingly, “Oh, you know. I’m only eight thousand and five hundred years old. Give or take a couple centuries.”
“More than ten thousand. I honestly don’t count,” Adrelaria muttered. She tucked a strand of white hair behind her ear before she entered the temple. Rather reluctantly, Fluttershy followed.
The inside was quite a surprise. A huge statue glowing white loomed out of a pool. It was a female night elf, her arms held above her head. Around her, sloping downwards, were grassy hills. Fluttershy could detect the faintest scent of flowers.
A few night elf females walked about, all dressed in pristine white robes. Another creature with blue skin, hooves and a tail stood speaking with an armed night elf next to a strange, floating blue portal.
“A p-portal?” Fluttershy asked.
“To the Exodar. Where the draenei live. Like the one speaking with the Sentinel. Oh, sorry. The female night elf in the armour,” Adrelaria explained, her eyes fixed on the statue. She muttered something that sounded like a prayer under her breath.
The two headed to the left, where a white ramp lead up towards what looked like a balcony surrounding the perimeter of the temple. Fluttershy looked up at the statue, and noticed an owl that appeared to be made of stars flying around the top.
They ascended the ramp, and made their way around the balcony towards the opposite end. Fluttershy noticed a couple hallways, blocked off by blue curtains, branching off from the wall. Night elves garbed in armour stood at regular intervals around the balcony. A couple nodded as Fluttershy and Adrelaria passed, but for the most part they were ignored.
At long last, they reached the other end of the balcony. There, Fluttershy got her first look at the rulers of Darnassus.
The male was a strange sight to behold. He looked like a night elf, with silver eyes and purple skin. His hair was long and dark green. The same went for his beard. He wore simple clothing that reflected the fact that he didn’t need anything elaborate to show his connection with nature. Fluttershy could feel it, thrumming in the air around him.
It also appeared to have taken its toll on the night elf. His arms were beginning to grow dark grey feathers in a wing-like pattern. Instead of feet, Fluttershy made out cat paws. Growing up from his head was a majestic rack of deer antlers.
To his left was a female, and Fluttershy felt a sense of peace wash over her when she looked at the second night elf ruler.
She had the same purple skin and the same silver eyes, but Fluttershy could see tattoos on her face, though they blended in quiet well with her skin. Her hair was a green colour with mere traces of blue in it, styled up neatly. She wore a gown of a soft white, which shimmered like a pearl when she moved. Yet Fluttershy also spied a wicked-looking star-shaped weapon leaned against the wall behind her, along with a beautifully decorated, winged, silver and white bow.
“Adrelaria. Why are you here? Has something happened to Darkshore?” the male night elf asked, his gaze focused on the druid and Fluttershy. Fluttershy gulped and looked away. She could feel the female’s gaze fixated on her instead of her companion.
“Nothing of a sort, Archdruid,” Adrelaria said, giving a short bow to him and the female. “I simply have run into a slight problem. But to my friend here, it’s a large one.”
“Oh?” the Archdruid said, “And who might your friend be? Can she introduce herself?”
“I-I’m F-Fluttershy,” Fluttershy managed to squeak out.
The female gave a light laugh, “A pleasure to meet you, Fluttershy. My name is Tyrande Whisperwind. High Priestess of Elune.”
“And I am Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage. It’s nice to meet such a unique creature as yourself,” the Archdruid said in warm voice.
“Come with us. We’ll find a better place to have this discussion,” Tyrande said, gesturing towards a hall across from them. Fluttershy nodded shakily and waited for the two rulers to pass before she followed them.
“Don’t be scared. They haven’t tried to kill you yet, have they?” Adrelaria said in a friendly manner.
Oh, dear, Fluttershy thought and trotted after the night elves.
Rainbow Dash backed away from the beast, her eyes flashing with suspicion. What the heck was this thing. She reared up onto her hind legs and punched at the air, narrowing her eyes at the minotaur-looking creature.
“Well? Come at me! I can fight you!” Rainbow yelled, bouncing back and forth on her hind hooves.
To her surprise, the creature made a low rumbling noise that sounded like a laugh. He shook his head and stood, rubbing his jaw. His amber eyes flared and Rainbow faltered. The beast was huge. He loomed above Rainbow, who dropped back onto all four legs.
With large hands, the beast grabbed Rainbow around the waist and pulled a crystal vial from his pouch. It was filled with a glowing white liquid. The beast pried open Rainbow’s mouth despite her protests and poured its contents into her open maw.
Rainbow tried to splutter, force it out of her mouth, but it slid down her throat. She coughed as the disgusting liquid went down. The beast released her and Rainbow Dash charged him right in the stomach. He grunted and fell backwards.
“Watch it!” the beast muttered, rubbing his torso. “That’s the second time you’ve hit me.”
Rainbow’s moth dropped open, “What? I can understand you now?”
“A language potion. I can’t talk to the Forsaken without Gutterspeak, and it’s a pain to learn it when you’re alive,” the beast explained. “My name is Caine and I am a tauren hunter. This is my friend Claire.” He gestured at the wolf, who continued to growl at Rainbow.
“Well, I’m Rainbow Dash. I’m a pegasus. Where am I?” Rainbow said, throwing her question casually at Caine, tossing her rainbow mane back.
“Pegasus? No matter. You do have an odd name,” Caine commented and rubbed his chin. “Anyway, we’re on the outskirts of Gilneas City, attacking on behalf of the Dark Lady.”
“What? Where’s Gilneas? Who’s the Dark Lady? And that hardly answers my questions,” Rainbow rambled, her mind swimming. Everything this… tauren said made no sense to her.
Caine’s eyes opened wide, “You don’t know? Are you from Azeroth at all?”
“Azeroth? No, I’m from Equestria and… MY FRIENDS!” Rainbow suddenly shrieked and shot up into the air, hovering above Caine’s head. Claire started to bark at him, her teeth bared.
“WHAT?!” Caine roared, ripping the wooden bow off his back. Rainbow Dash suddenly felt fear clench her chest. The anger in Caine’s eyes was apparent.
“Wait! Wait!” Rainbow Dash cried.
“Any creature from another world could work for the Burning Legion!” Caine yelled angrily, raising his bow and aiming at Rainbow.
“What? I don’t know what this Burning Legion is or where I am or why I’m here, but I need to find my friends! They could be anywhere,” Rainbow said desperately, waving her hooves at Caine’s face.
Caine narrowed his eyes and lowered his bow slightly. “You don’t look like a demon, and Claire hasn’t attacked you outright. Perhaps I can trust you… No, you will come with me to the Dark Lady to confirm it. Her apothecaries could tell us whether you’re a pegasus or demon.”
Rainbow protested, “But what about my friends? I need to find them!’
“So? Right now, we need to make sure you have no harmful intentions,” Caine growled angrily, before he marched off. Claire raced off after Caine and, after a moment, Rainbow followed. She had no idea where she was and this creature, no matter how hostile, was her only hope.
Glancing around, Rainbow took in her surroundings. She noticed that the sky was covered in grey clouds and a city rose up in the distance, its black buildings outlined sharply against the pale background. Rolling, dark green hills rolled out towards a river flowing in from the sea. A large wall loomed up to her left, cracked and broke in some places.
For the first time, Rainbow noticed the fighting. Huge, wolf-like creature lashing out with sharp claws at hunched figures that smelled like rotten flesh dressed in deadly armour.
Rainbow raced to catch up with Caine and asked, “Why is everyone fighting? That ain’t right!” She frowned at a pair fighting close by, both who were evenly matched.
Caine snorted, “Because the Forsaken wish to take Gilneas, but the Gilnean worgen obviously won’t let that happen.” He spat out ‘worgen’ as if it tasted like the potion Rainbow had just ingested.
“What’s a worgen?” Rainbow asked. “And the Forsaken?”
“Honestly, you have so many questions,” Caine grumbled. “The Forsaken are the undead who broke free of the Lich King’s control. The worgen are the wolf-like creatures that live in Gilneas.”
“What?” Rainbow said, still completely dumbfounded by the world she had landed in.
Caine rolled his eyes, “Whatever. You’ll learn more soon enough. Come on. A bat is waiting for us. We’ll fly to the Undercity.”
“I can fly, you know,” Rainbow exclaimed, flapping her wings.
“Suit yourself, but those bats are pretty fast,” Caine said as they approached a camp of purple tents. Many of the Forsaken were here, restitching wounds, reattaching limbs, sharpening weapons or carrying half-rotten supplies from one spot to another. Rainbow shuddered, but she couldn’t help but find them just the slightest bit cool.
With a trade of some silver coins, Caine mounted a huge, red and grey bat. Claire leapt up behind him, sniffing curiously at the bat’s wings. Rainbow spread her wings, ready to fly.
With one strong movement of its wings, the bat was airborne and spun around towards the huge wall in the distance. Rainbow shot after him.
“Still think you can fly?” Caine called over the sound of rushing air.
“Oh, yeah,” Rainbow replied and increased her pace, shooting ahead of the bat. Caine smirked and urged the bat forward, levelling with Rainbow. Rainbow grinned and kept going faster, feeling the wind flow through her mane.
But Caine’s bat was quick. Its muscled body tore through the air after Rainbow Dash, giving her a challenge she hadn’t felt since her days at flight camp. The pine forest below them flew by, occasionally dotted with dark buildings and glowing green vessels filled with goo.
Eventually, the pine forest acquired a purple hue. A huge ruin of a city rose up in the distance and Rainbow turned back to see Caine waving frantically at her. Rainbow frowned and slowed to the bat could catch up.
“We’re gonna stop in Brill and walk to the Undercity. I have to replenish my potion stock and there’s a good apothecary there that doesn’t smell like plague,” Caine explained as he continued through the air, aiming for two towers that loomed above the forest.
Rainbow nodded and asked, “Where are we?”
“Tirisfal Glades. It used to be part of the human kingdom of Lordareon. That ruin over there, that’s the old capital. But when a huge plague the Lich King concocted up struck, the majority of its inhabitants were killed and became Scourge,” Caine ranted as the two of them flew between the towers and down towards the small town below.
“That’s pretty creepy. Is the Scourge some sort of zombie army?” Rainbow questioned.
“Indeed. The army of the Lich King,” Caine replied.
The Lich King… What I would give to kick his ass. No one should be killed and resurrected against their will. How could he destroy an entire kingdom? Rainbow thought as Caine had his bat land next to a Forsaken who’s hair shot towards the sky like a pillar. Rainbow had to hold back a laugh. It looked ridiculous.
Caine and Claire disembarked and began to head into town, Rainbow trotting after them. With her brightly-coloured mane, she felt sorely out-of-place in the gloomy town of Brill.
“Be careful around here, Dash. I’m going to brew us a potion that dulls our sense of smell and permits us to breath normally in the Undercity. Let me tell you, that hellhole is not meant for the living,” Caine muttered softly as they entered the first building to the right. It was circular, dark and filled with vials, most of which contained the same glowing green liquid Dash had spied on their voyage here.
“What’s in those vials?” Rainbow asked curiously.
“Plague,” a hoarse voice replied. Rainbow jumped and spun around to see a Forsaken eyeing her from a huge cauldron. Caine wrinkled his nose from where he stood beside the zombie and Claire made a low growling noise. Rainbow took a step back, much to the Forsaken’s amusement.
“Heh. Don’t worry. It’s all sealed up. Anyway, tauren, what can I help you with? I assume you need a couple vials and some… mageroyal? Stranglekelp?”
Caine gave a disdainful sniff and said, “Silverleaf will do. And a couple vials.”
The Forsaken bowed and bustled off to gather the necessary ingredients. Caine sighed and leaned over to say to Rainbow, “Usually, an alchemist like myself would know how to gather herbs, but I never found the time to learn.”
“You have to learn how to gather plants?” Rainbow asked in disbelief.
Caine nodded, “Don’t want to pick the wrong thing and make a potion that causes you to shrink instead of grow in size.”
Rainbow shrugged. “Fair point.”
Rushing back over to them, the Forsaken handed over the ingredients to Caine and asked, “Anything else?”
“No. Thank you, sir. May the winds be at your back,” Caine said in farewell.
“Beware the living, tauren,” the Forsaken replied with a leer. Caine snorted and herded Rainbow and Claire out of the apothecary, Rainbow shivering from what the Forsaken had said.
“Don’t worry. That’s their usual farewell. Well, one of them anyway,” Caine muttered under his breath as they entered the streets of Brill once again. Claire raced off towards a Forsaken standing away from the rest, surrounded by cages.
“Oh, dear. Looks like Claire wants to see the pet vendor. Hang on while I make these potions, then we’ll be off to the Undercity,” Caine said. Rainbow nodded and decided to look around. She trotted after Claire, staring at the different Forsaken who stood around her. To be honest, she found this place pretty awesome.
After a good fifteen minutes, Caine finished up his potions and went to find Rainbow. Claire had long since returned to his side and was now curiously sniffing at the flasks in Caine’s hands.
Rainbow, meanwhile, was listening intently to a Forsaken who was explaining how to care for a skeletal horse, which she had found towards one of the entrances into Brill. Intrigued, Rainbow had asked the nearby Forsaken on how they had come back to life and had received an explanation on how it had happened.
“Rainbow! I hope you don’t plan on killing yourself so the val’kyr can make you one of those horses,” Caine teased as he approached.
Rainbow turned and grinned. “No way. I like being alive, but they look so cool. Just like this place. I really like it here.”
The Forsaken arched what was left of an eyebrow, “Really? Never heard that from the living before.”
Caine shook his head. “No matter. The Undercity awaits, and I’m pretty sure you’ll find it looks… better than Brill. Here’s your potion. Drink it.” Rainbow opened her mouth and Caine poured its contents down her throat. He uncorked the second one and did the same to himself.
Saying a swift goodbye to the Forsaken, Caine, Rainbow and Claire wove their way through Brill and out a gate leading towards the ruins of the capital city. Rainbow frowned. Was the Undercity inside the ruins? It had looked pretty abandoned to her.
“There’s a reason it’s called the Undercity,” Caine said lightly as they entered. The vast, strong structures rose up from half-dead grass. Moss and lichen crawled up the once marvellous architecture. Rainbow shuddered, for her ears were picking up the faintest sound of whispering, yet there was no one in sight.
“So… the Undercity is underneath the ruins,” Rainbow said slowly as she glanced around nervously. A couple huge white creatures who’s stomachs had burst open to reveal the organs within stood guard. Rainbow shrank away from them.
Caine nodded, “Yes. We’ll have a word with the Banshee Queen and hopefully she’ll help keep an eye out for your friends.”
“Banshee Queen? Is she a ghost?” Rainbow squeaked out.
“Hah! She was a ghost. Now, she’s an undead high elf. You’ll understand when we meet her, but be warned. She’s bitter, ice-cold and has absolutely no sympathy for anyone except herself. We’ll be hard-pressed, getting help from her,” Caine said softly, his eyes narrowed. Distaste filled those amber orbs.
“Why can’t we meet your leader?” Rainbow whispered, feeling like she’d rather meet someone like Caine over someone like… like that.
Caine shook his head, “I wish, but the High Chieftain sent me here to keep an eye on the Banshee Queen by order of Warchief Garrosh. No one trusts her except the Forsaken. Besides, my home capital is on Kalimdor, and that another continent entirely.s”
Rainbow shuddered as the two stepped into the ruins of the castle at the centre. They crept through an empty throne room, where the whispers were loudest yet. Rainbow strained her ears and found that she could understand what they were saying.
“What is this… What are you doing my son?”
“Succeeding you… Father.”
Rainbow heard a sudden grunt and all was silent. “What was that?” she breathed.
“Arthas Menethil killing his father,” Caine replied. “If you want to hear that story, you’ll have to leave this place. It was Arthas who killed the Banshee Queen. Tortured her. Made her his servant.”
Rainbow felt a pang of sympathy. Once again, she was someone raised from death against their will to serve forever. It was wrong, just like all this fighting and killing.
The Elements of Harmony could set things right, Rainbow thought, but she knew that was impossible here. She was separated from Twilight and Fluttershy, while Pinkie, Rarity and Applejack were all still in Equestria. And right now, Rainbow wanted to focus on her friends instead of this place.
The two companions stepped onto an elevator and were sent deeper underground to where the Undercity lay. As they stepped out past two more abominations, Rainbow gasped. She had expected the Undercity to be cool, but it was so damn small.
Caine chuckled at Rainbow’s face, “Don’t worry. There’s more surrounding the outside. This is the centre of the city.” He headed off down a ramp and Rainbow ran after him, her rose eyes darting from one place to the next. A bank loomed in the centre, small alcoves in the side of the wall revealed places where stores had been set up. There were even moats of glowing green goo.
Making their way down a hall, Caine lead Rainbow past more shops, over a bridge that spanned across another moat and past a place filled with vials, blood splotches, cages, chains and many other objects hidden in the shadows.
“There. That’s the hall that leads to the Banshee Queen,” Caine said, pointing to an archway flanked by two Forsaken garbed in red armour over the standard purple Rainbow had seen so far.
They approached the guards, one who stepped forward and asked in a guttural voice, “What business have you with the Dark Lady?”
“It’s my business with her, not with you,” Caine replied snappishly.
“Hm. You’re the tauren sent by the Warchief. Don’t think the Dark Lady’s blind to your true intentions,” the guard hissed, but he stepped back to let them pass. Rainbow scurried into the hall, unnerved by the hostility in the Forsaken’s voice.
Caine seemed even more uncomfortable. His tail lashed about and his nostrils flared every so often as they descended even deeper underground to the chamber of the Banshee Queen.
Rainbow felt the cold beginning to seep into her bones and she shuddered. She tightened her wings against her body, trying to keep herself warm.
When the hall opened up into the throne room, Rainbow nearly ran right into Caine, so distracted as she was by keeping warm. Claire gave a warning growl, and Rainbow peered around Caine’s legs to see what was going on.
Caine was standing there, rigid, with the blade of a short sword pressed to his throat. The sword’s holder was a tall, slim figure garbed in dark armour, feathered shoulder pads and a hooded cloak. Piercing red eyes gazed straight into Caine’s amber ones, revealing so much anger, so much hatred. Long, ice-blue ears poked out from underneath the hood, which reflected the rest of her skin colour quite well. Dirty blond hair fell to her shoulders from underneath the hood.
“I should have known something was up when a tauren was sent from Orgimmar,” the figure hissed, her voice echoing, commanding and stone-cold. Rainbow shrank back.
“Lady Sylvanas, it was not my will to act as a spy for the Warchief,” Caine said smoothly, though Rainbow could detect the fear in his voice.
Sylvanas tipped her head to one side and said, “Oh, I’m sure. How many lies have you told him?”
“None, m’lady.” Cain replied.
“Really? Because I’ve been asked to go to Ogrimmar because of some rumours that the plague is still being used, despite its ban,” Sylvanas said darkly, her eyes boring straight into Caine’s. Even though she was so much smaller than the mighty tauren, Rainbow watched as Caine flinched back, one hand twitching instinctively, as if he wanted to grab his bow.
Caine bowed his head as best he could with a knife at his throat and said, “Please, m’lady. I said nothing of the plague. Nothing at all.”
“No matter. You, your mutt and your newfound rainbow companion will be coming with me,” Sylvanas commanded. “You’re under my command, tauren. Don’t forget it.”
Caine glanced back at Rainbow, then turned to Sylvanas and said, “We will obey.”
Rainbow felt Sylvanas’ eyes turn on her. She stared into those amber depths and, for the first time, Rainbow spied, in those abysses of hatred, the tortured gaze of someone who had been to hell and back again.
One month ago, three winged ponies fell from the sky onto various parts of Azeroth. One month ago, they met five leaders of both the Horde and the Alliance. And one month ago, they learned the Lich King had awoken.
All three learned about him. How he raised the dead as his army. How he planned on destroying everyone on Azeroth and adding them amongst the ranks of the Scourge. And how he was once the crown prince of Lordaeron before the original Lich King’s voice invaded his mind and took control.
In Stormwind, Twilight lived within the keep at Varian’s invitation and learned the art of arcane magic from a man known as Archmage Malin. She had parted ways with Lysandre, for the paladin had been asked to head to Northrend to fight with the Lich King’s armies. Malin was a patient and kind teacher, showing Twilight ways to use magic that she had never dreamed possible. She could fire beams, blasts, bullets, balls. She could conjure food, turn humans into sheep and make herself invisible. Her teleportation was a lot faster and her skill over magic increased tenfold. She was soon heading out into Westfall and Duskwood to test her abilities, bringing back news of how she had settled disputes. Of course, being an Element of Harmony, Twilight knew how to do this, but the greatest dispute between Alliance and Horde had yet to be solved.
Fluttershy was brought under Adrelaria’s wing to be taught druidism. She chose to follow a healing path, since it was the one that rarely engaged in combat, yet Adrelaria still taught the shy pegasus how to cast spells that related to the celestial bodies above, how to transform into a ferocious cat, a roaring bear, a swift raven and a sleek otter. But above all, Fluttershy learned how to communicate better than before with the nature around her. It was beautiful and Fluttershy loved every second of it.
It was Rainbow, however, who was having a little trouble. She had travelled to Ogrimmar and back to the Undercity under the Dark Lady’s command, only to be thrown under the tutelage of a blood elf paladin who worked with Sylvanas. The experienced warrior had sensed the Light flowing through Rainbow and had asked Caine if he could teach her. Caine agreed and remained in the Undercity to keep a close eye on his friend. Rainbow learned how to call upon the Light, wield a sword in between her hooves and purge the darkness from all those around her. However, she was forced to train far from the Forsaken, due to their extreme sensitivity towards the Light.
The skills of the three ponies improved and their knowledge increased over time, yet none had seen each other for over a month and neither had been contacted by the leaders who had promised to find their friends. They were growing worried.
But fear not, friends, for the three will soon find themselves in the northern part of Kalimdor, where a war wages between the Alliance and the Horde.
. . . . . . . . . .
Twilight couldn’t help but marvel at the large tree known as Teldrassil. She had spent the majority of the trip reading up on the night elves, who’s home she would be visiting the moment she stepped off this ship. Twilight wondered if Fluttershy was here. The night elves loved nature, and Fluttershy loved animals. It seemed fitting that they would be together.
Closing her book with magic, Twilight closed her eyes and opened a small opening into the storage plane. She dropped the book inside and closed the hole. It was convenient, the storage plane. She could pull out anything in there in the blink of an eye.
“Twilight Sparkle? We’re here,” a voice said, though Twilight could tell the boat had stopped moving.
She smiled the dark-haired soldier and stood, “Thank you.”
The man grinned back, “A pleasure, ma’am.” He gave a short bow and walked off, whistling to himself. Twilight’s smile widened and she hurried off onto the dock. Varian had told her to speak with the high priestess Tyrande Whisperwind, but Twilight had no idea where to find her.
Perhaps I should ask a night elf, Twilight thought to herself. They’ll probably know where the high priestess is.
Sweeping back her mane, Twilight trotted into Rut’theran Village, her gaze fixed on the strange tree on the top of the hill. It was covered in runes and its roots pushed it up off the ground, leaving a space underneath that glowed with a pink light. On either side stood two creatures who could only be night elves, with silver eyes, purple skin and long ears. They stood taller than even Varian Wrynn and both were female.
Twilight approached the one to the right and asked, “Excuse me, do you know where I can find High Priestess Tyrande?”
The night elf smiled softly, “Indeed. She resides within the Temple of Elune. If you step underneath that tree, it will take you to Darnassus. The building made of white stone to the right is where she resides.”
“Thank you,” Twilight said, dipping her head. She hastened into the portal and felt the familiar sensation of teleporting, where space squeezed in around her before spitting her back out into an entirely new location. Now, she stood before a vast city, who’s buildings of wood and rock were far more elegant than Stormwind’s, though Twilight found that the human capital beheld a more majestic air.
As the night elf below had said, a large building to the right loomed above the rest, made of pristine white stone. It did indeed look the part of a temple and reflected the night elven architecture Twilight had seen so far.
Twilight began to trot down the paths and across bridges, trying to find a scenic route that would lead to the temple. She passed many night elves, whether they be Sentinels, druids, priestesses or commoners. All of them, strangely enough, did not give her a second glance.
Perhaps I was right and Fluttershy really is here, Twilight thought, excitement springing up in her chest. She increased her pace and raced through the Tradesmen’s Terrace towards the Temple of Elune.
“TWILIGHT?!” a voice cried out suddenly, louder than the alicorn remembered.
Spinning around, Twilight turned to see Fluttershy, a happy, healthy Fluttershy, flying towards her as fast as a Wonderbolt. She collided with the alicorn and sent the two of them rolling along the path and into a tall patch of grass.
Twilight couldn’t believe it. She had found her friend. She threw her hooves around Fluttershy, who returned the gesture in kind. Twilight couldn’t help but feel a unique magical aura drifting off the pegasus.
“Oh, Twi! I was so worried!” Fluttershy said in her normal, soft voice. To Twilight, it was music to her ears. The best of music, better than the Pony Tones. She hugged Fluttershy tighter and refused to let go.
“I’m so glad your safe. I can’t believe you’re here. Oh, Fluttershy,” Twilight whispered and finally released her friend. The two stood facing one another, both with the same happy, relieved looks on their faces.
“Have you seen Rainbow?” Fluttershy asked, looking beyond Twilight as if she expected to see the cyan pegasus appear at any moment.
Twilight’s heart dropped. So Rainbow was still out there, away from them. “No, I haven’t. I was hoping you had.”
Fluttershy briefly looked dejected, but then she said confidently, “Well, she’ll be fine. It’s Rainbow we’re talking about. No way she’ll get herself… killed.” She glanced away.
“Well, um, Fluttershy, do you want to come meet Tyrande with me? I was asked by King Varian to help her in Ashenvale,” Twilight said hastily, trying to change the subjects.
“I’ve already met her, but sure. Maybe I can come with you. To Ashenvale. Just let me find Adrelaria first,” Fluttershy replied.
Twilight frowned, “Who?”
“Me,” a musical voice said lightly from behind Twilight. She spun around to see a night elf with moon white hair and silver eyes. She had deep purple scratch-like tattoos over her eyes and a black and red leather outfit. A small dagger hung at her waist.
“Oh, hello,” Twilight stuttered, uncertain of what to say. Just like Twilight, Fluttershy had met someone in this world who she had befriended. Twilight wondered how Lysandre was doing in Northrend. He had contacted her via an enchanted mirror numerous times and Twilight felt he was her closest friend from Azeroth.
Adrelaria dipped her head and greeted Twilight, “Ishnu-alah, Twilight Sparkle. My name is Adrelaria Shadeheart of Lor’danel.”
“Nice to meet you, Adrelaria. It’s an honour,” Twilight replied smoothly, having accustomed herself to the different dialect used in Azeroth.
“Lari, we’re going to have a word with the high priestess about Ashenvale. It would be good experience, wouldn’t it?” Fluttershy said, approaching Adrelaria on soft hooves.
“Certainly. But it’s a disputed land. The Horde is attacking the Alliance as we speak in those leafy forests,” Adrelaria warned, her eyes never leaving Fluttershy’s.
“That’s why I’m here,” Twilight said somewhat coldly. Why was Adrelaria preventing Fluttershy from going with her? “To help put a stop to them.”Twilight turned and began to head towards the Temple of the Moon. “Come on Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy trotted after Twilight and said softly, “Don’t be mean. Adrelaria’s been really nice to me.”
“I wasn’t being mean, but we have to hurry! Ashenvale could fall at any moment! And she doesn’t seem to want me near you” Twilight hissed back.
“The night elves aren’t that incapable of defending themselves. And she knows I can’t fight. I’m a healer and she’s a tank. We work well together. Apart, it’s harder,” Fluttershy pointed out, a hint of anger in her tone. Twilight looked at Fluttershy in surprise. One month in Azeroth and she had changed.
“Oh,” Twilight mumbled as the two of them ascended the steps along the side of the Temple of the Moon. The large building loomed up to their left, tinted purple from the leaves of trees.
The two ponies remained silent all the way to the Temple’s entrance, which was when Adrelaria had caught up with them and taken the lead, walking towards one of the ramps spiralling up to a balcony rimming the dome above. Twilight admired the beauty of the Temple. The church in Stormwind had a holy aura, this one was more ethereal.
They made their way up the ramp and around to where the high priestess and the archdruid usually stood, but only Malfurion was there, his silver eyes scanning a piece of parchment in between his hands. He looked up as Fluttershy, Twilight and Adrelaria approached.
“Archdruid,” Adrelaria said, bowing deeply. Fluttershy did the same, lowering the front half of her body to the floor. Twilight dipped her head politely before she stepped forward and spoke.
“Where is High Priestess Tyrande? I bring word from King Varian,” she said sharply, her magenta eyes fixed on Malfurion.
Malfurion, unfazed by Twilight’s tone, smiled and replied, “She left a few minutes ago for Ruth’eran Village. She is going to Ashenvale, and would like you, Fluttershy, and you, Adrelaria, to accompany her.” He folded the parchment and added, “As for you, ambassador of Stormwind, I can only assume you are Twilight Sparkle, a friend of Fluttershy’s?”
“Indeed I am,” Twilight said, turning to smile at Fluttershy. She returned the gesture with her own and stepped closer to the princess.
Malfurion chuckled and added, “Well, let’s hope you find that Rainbow Dash of yours, eh? Is there anything Varian wished to tell me?”
Twilight shook her head, “Nothing, Archdruid. It’s for Tyrande about Ashenvale as well as Northrend.”
Malfurion frowned, “Northrend? Well, I suppose the Lich King will affect us all. I understand. May Elune guide your path, friends.”
The two ponies left, noticing that Adrelaria had vanished. Fluttershy frowned and said to herself, “Where’s Adrelaria?”
Twilight shrugged and said nothing. She spread her wings and took to the air, diving down towards the exit. Fluttershy followed, a little slower. The two were lost in thought, specifically about the changes each one had gone through. Fluttershy was braver. Twilight was harsher. So what about Rainbow Dash?
. . . . . . . . . .
“So, young paladin,, you and this hunter are to head to Ashenvale and retake those forests filled with resources in the name of the Horde,” Garrosh Hellscream commanded, his amber eyes bring into the magenta ones of the blue pegasus, garbed entirely in silver armour.
“Yes, Warchief,” Rainbow said sharply, standing at attention. Beside her, Caine bowed his head low and rumbled his own assent.
Garrosh grinned, “Excellent. You two have truly become exceptional additions to my army. Why I sent you to watch Sylvanas, Caine, is a mystery to me. Your talents were wasted on her.”
Inwardly, Rainbow winced. Despite her pledges to the Warchief, she had done a lot in the name of the Banshee Queen. Sylvanas had found a paladin trainer for Rainbow, given her a place to stay where she wouldn’t die by plague. It had been an unusual act from the Banshee Queen, and very appreciated.
Garrosh dismissed the two and they left Grommash Hold, Rainbow still frowning under her helm. Claire and Caine strolled next to her, both on high alert for any suspicious activity. Many had not liked Rainbow’s brightly-coloured fur, since it distracted those who entered from the terrifying structures of Orgimmar. Caine had then bought armour for Rainbow in order to hide her.
“So, are we flying to Ashenvale or are we walking?” Rainbow asked as Caine veered onto the path and started to head towards the elevators.
“Flying’s fastest, but we can always enjoy the scenery. I mean, it’s flat plains or destroyed forest,” Caine replied drily.
Rainbow rolled her eyes, “Alright, alright. We’ll fly. D’you think we’ll get in a real fight? Not like those mindless undead. I mean Alliance members.”
The two boarded the elevator as Caine replied, “Probably. The night elves live in Ashenvale, and they’re a part of the Alliance. No doubt there’ll be a skirmish or two.”
“Awesome!” Rainbow exclaimed, leaping into the air, wings flapping. “I can’t wait to put my new powers to the test.”
Caine laughed, “Don’t get cocky, now. The night elves are still trained warrior, and they’ve had way more experience than you or I.”
“Whatever. We’ll still beat ‘em,” Rainbow said, but in the back of her mind, she wondered if she could actually stand against sentinels who had been fighting since before even Celestia and Luna had existed.
Twi, Flutters, where are you? Rainbow thought, suddenly feeling a tug at her heart. She wished she could see them again and wondered where they were in this war-torn world.
