//------------------------------// // The Noose Tightens: Drachenberg // Story: Imbalanced: New Age // by Nameless Narrator //------------------------------// [Blazing's Entry] The train arrives in Drachenberg soon. My journey is close to an end. No matter what lies ahead, I feel like I can take it on with Crom by my side. Bounty hunters, my taint, Corrupted, saving Guiding, anything. Speaking of the mercenaries after me, the ruse with Barley worked wonders, although the griffoness was a little too much into it for my liking. Veronica's mercenaries either left the train or spent their time somewhere inconspicuous. I definitely didn't go around looking. For safety, I kept Suitie on myself as a dye. Unfortunately, as I suspected before, the weird dreams are the Corruptor's doing. Not the ones about Void, but their tainted endings and small details like goo ponies absorbing others from time to time. It's still easy to discern, even when not awake, what is real and what is the Corrupted's influence. So, the more freedom I allow my tainted companion, the more power it gains over me. I don't know whether it's intentional or a side effect, but how long I can stay sane remains a question. Heh... "stay". It's good Suitie doesn't realize my divine power is still gone. Aside from the quiet and deep bubbling of true death, I'm completely out. As things stand, I might be mortal again. If that's the case, Crom would be the unaging one while I will grow up and wither eventually. Nah, with my kind of enemies, death of old age is the last of my problems. After overhearing Veronica's plan, I'm sure there will be a trap set up in Drachenberg for me as soon as the train stops. However, when Barley explained the Redtalon situation to me a bit more closely, it seems to me that she and her mercenaries are taking a considerable risk hunting me openly in this part of the Empire. Maybe I can use it to my advantage if need be. I can't let anyone stop me this far. [End Entry] "Did you wish to see me, sister?" I look at the red-maned, white-coated alicorn in front of me. It was a strange request for Faust to want to meet with me in the middle of a desert. Place where higher forms of life are scarce usually don't interest her that much. What is even stranger are the two alicorns by her side. I know the green-maned brown one - Granite, the alicorn of Earth, Harvest and the patron of earthponies. After Zephyr, the second of the elemental alicorns. He's not much of a talker, but a hard worker who helped my sister build wonders in the city where she planned for alicorns to live together. The other one is a grey, black-maned female with red eyes. She isn't as broad and built like a mountain as Granite is, but she's definitely a muscular one. "Yes, I did," my sister looks at me with a dark expression, "Your involvement in current events has to stop." "What do you mean?" "I... recieved information that you, Scream, and Magnus have been researching the plague decimating the planet. In doing so, you are endangering far more than you can ever save. Our creators have plans of their own, plans we can't stop no matter how hard we try. Our best bet is to stay out of the way, let the plague run its course, and-" "And let everything die?" I yell, completely incredulous. How can the alicorn of Life say that? How can she say that? "WE can start over. We now know which lifeforms work and which don't," she pleads, "What the three of you are doing is making us alicorns a target. This isn't a fight we can win. I don't know why the gods are doing this, but we can't stop it. If we stay alive, though, we can rebuild everything easily." Gears start grinding inside my head. Things fall in place. "You knew all along, am I right? That is why you forbade new alicorns from helping the lesser races." She sighs. "Yes, I did," she admits, "Discord told me not to oppose what is to come. It is a wish of both your and mine creators, Void. The plague will take what it is supposed to. Don't make it take us as well. I already ordered Magnus and Scream to stop their research. I destroyed mine to prove I'm not a threat long time before." "And did they?" I raise an eyebrow. My defiant tone makes the two other alicorns shift nervously. "No, they did not, which is why I had to ruin everything they gathered so far." My sister... the one who should hold all life sacred, sentenced every living being to death with that. "You fool!" I yell, "We successfully cured parts of soil here and there. It was once again able to sustain crops and life. We even managed to slow down the plague's progress inside ponies. A year or two more and Magnus would have had the cure. He is a genius. Even if the creeping death is divine in origin he would have discovered what to do." "You are the fool, Void," she shakes her head, "But I should have expected you not to understand. You are too involved, too personal. You can't keep your head cool. What value do easily replaceable lesser creatures have to us, Void? What are they but a result of our experiments?" "What value, sister?" I hiss, "The same as us. They craft, they create, they love, they live. The fact that they don't have the same amount of POWER as us means nothing!" She shakes her head. "So you are willing to risk us for them? You truly are destruction incarnate. Nightmare's creation down to the core. Doombringer." She can't mean it... she's just desperate... and she's thrown everyone to the wolves... Maybe... maybe the avatar of Life lives in such abundance that... that she doesn't understand the real value of her own aspect. Or I was the problem all along. Here it is... my choice. Join her, wipe the slate clean, and recreate everything from scratch... ...or risk everything to fight for everything. I feel the guardian souls inside me shift and boil. They trusted me with their power, their final wishes, everything that made them who they were. I can't betray them for some... some elitist. "Sister, I know that deep down you are only afraid. We are outmatched, we know little about our enemy, but what we do now know is WHO our enemies are. I will not stand down, I will never sacrifice others for my safety, and I will NEVER EVER bow down to anyone who will!" "Then you are our enemy, Void," she nodded to the other two, "I can only hope the next alicorn of Death isn't as stubborn." I spread my wings and let out a burst of power to scare the trio. Grains of sand turn to dust as any life they possessed is sapped away by me. "I am not mindless force of destruction like Nightmare, sister. I am Death. I am the real end of everything. Even they have to fear my power." "You are full of yourself," she spits on the dead ground, "Kill him." Three horns aim at me, and everything explodes. I remain standing, three alicorns scattered on the ground around me, dazed but recovering quickly. Looking around, I see them. The hundreds of see-through blue spirits of ponies, griffons, minotaurs, dragons, every soul that has ever pledged itself into my service. "Do you understand, sister? These are your creations you are throwing to the wolves. If you do not care about them, then in their final rest I will. The anger of the betrayed, the despair of the hopeless, the deathwish of the lost. The gods will one day feel the pain as their plans shatter, as their schemes crash and burn, and as we finally gain our freedom." "DIIIIIIIIIIIIE!" she screeches, and- Three alicorns burst into black, purple-tipped flames and leave nothing but ashes. I look up at the sky where clouds slowly float, undisturbed. The legions of dead behind me follow my stare. "This is just the beginning." Our war against the heavens starts here. We might not be the ones to end it, but we are the first step. Our future WILL belong to us. We will not be just playthings anymore. *** "Mpmhm?" I mumble, feeling talons scratching me behind the ear. "Rise and shine! The announcer just said that we'll be in Drachenberg in ten minutes," says Barley, "I think I've gotten to know you well enough to guess you have some kind of plan other than waiting for the train to stop." Yawning, I stand up and gather my bags. My best bet is to leave train either early, or late. Late would mean waiting for the train to leave the town and then fly back, early would mean getting out in few minutes. The first option is safer, the second one is faster. Well, the sooner I get to Crom the safer I'll be in the long run. If worst comes to worst, true death is always an option and some permanent damage to my body is worth the reward at this point. Alright, let's hope Veronica's mercenaries got bored and aren't checking the roof after a week of nothing happening. Now, you can't open the doors or the hallway windows enough to get out of the train but the sliding coupe windows have no such limitation. Maybe because the passengers able to afford coupe seats are trustworthy? Who knows... All I know is that the train is gradually slowing down, meaning even if I mess something up I'm not going to break all bones in my body. Climbing up on the windowside table, I slide the window fully open and shove my head out to get used to the rushing wind. The landscape is dry this close to the Great Southern Desert, but there is enough vegetation and overall greenery to make this part of the Empire a place to live. I have to hold the window frame while balancing the rest of myself on the table and slowly pushing myself through the much too small window. "Not even gonna say goodbye?" I hear Barley, barely. Before I can yell out an answer, talons openly squeeze my plot, making me both blush and stabilize, "Nevermind, this will do." Damn pervy baker. She was a great company, though. Bending myself into a U shape and looking back inside, I stick my tongue out at her and smile. "THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!" Yes, I do realize we should have sorted the goodbyes out before this. "If you ever visit Hawk's Hollow," her voice is almost drowned out by the noise of train and wind, "feel free to ask for me. My husband is often away on a business trip. Oh, one last thing," she grabs my behind again and pulls me backwards. "YAAAAAH?!" my eyes bulge as I feel long tongue run up my taint and buttcrack. On reflex, I shove myself outside... ...bent in a shape definitely not meant for flying. Rolling in the air, I spread my wings and try to get some sort of lift before I become a living example of tumbleweed. Holy hellfire, I actually got lucky for once? A gust of wind from the rushing train sucks me in closer to the wheels, but also does so legs first which means the next flap of my strained wings sends me directly upwards. No longer a confused ball of flesh and feathers, I hover several pony heights in the air as the train passes by and watch Barley's waving foreleg get smaller and smaller with the growing distance. The good thing is that I don't see any griffons leaving the train with me. With the flat square houses of what I suppose is the edge of Drachenberg in the distance, I pick up the pace and start flying towards them. I don't care that my legs are almost touching the dry and cracked ground, it still counts as flying! From the train tracks I can guess that the train station is somewhere in the middle of the town, which means my best chance of remaining unnoticed is to approach from the south, and I should do it quickly. I definitely misjudged the train's speed and now I have to rush as fast as I can to get to the first houses before Veronica sends someone to fly high up and check out the area. "Owwww," I massage my strained wings after I land in the shadow of a small alley between two box-like houses. This place is definitely much different than anything I've seen from the Empire so far. It almost looks like the towns back from my time. Aside from the town center with some modern multi-story buildings sticking out, the rest of the town are these sand-coloured upturned boxes with doors and windows. Peeking out into a larger street, I spot several stalls with griffons selling vegetables and one store with pieces of meat behind a window. Yep, familiar old layout. That means there will be a bazaar somewhere near the center of town, possibly in a circle around the high-tech business core itself. Anyway, that's not my concern. Time to get some directions before the inevitable unlucky encounter with Redtalon mercs. With my robe covering my wings and black strands of corruption staining my face and neck, I look like a normal unicorn. After checking my reflection in a nearby window, I notice the taint has grown significantly and it's about half on half with my bronze coat. On the bright side, when I pull my hood over my head, anyone not looking too closely might see more black than bronze muzzle. Last time Veronica recognized me I still looked mostly like the description in the letter. Thankfully, my white robe doesn't pull much attention, mainly because everone around is wearing white clothes. Makes sense this close to the desert. Evening is encoraching and the air still wobbles from the heat of the sun. Damn, butterflies are having a ball in my stomach and are setting for an active afterparty. Oh well, no reason to just stand around and delay things. I walk over to a vegetable stall and buy some carrots. The griffon vendor is giving me an uninterested stare as I start chewing one. Apparently, visitors of my kind are common enough even on this edge of the Empire. "Oh, one more thing," I pull out the paper with Cromach's supposed address and show it to him, "Do you know where this place is?" He thinks for a second, then points his talons further south. "The southern residential area. Just take the next road left and follow it till you get out of town, then go along the eastern edge of the town. That's the street you want. The housing out there is less dense and most griffons living in that part of town own fenced off gardens, but if you follow the house numbers you should be fine." "Thanks!" I toss him a coin for his trouble, and leave. Griffons are walking around, minding their own business. I wish I could tell them apart but I'm not too used to recognizing them from a distance. My tracing spell doesn't show anyone following me directly either, but I can't get rid of the feeling of eyes on me. Looking up at the sky, I can see something that might be a black dot far high up but that might also be a mote of dust in my eyes. Griffon eyesight is significantly better than that of ponies, and especially mine, but the possible shadow up there is still far too high. I just wish all griffons didn't look same-y aside from their colours. Racist... Checking the sky as inconspicuously as I can while I walk, I don't spot the black dot anymore. Neither does my tactical vision spell show any griffons gathering around. Granted, the houses all around don't allow me to see too far, but there is no suspicious activity in any alleys I pass by. In the end, I arrive at a picket fence surrounding a small garden area with a one-story house in the center. Walking around the fence towards the decorative gate, I- No. Why didn't I think of that? It makes perfect sense. For safety. But they all said he waited. I saw his office. Everypony was there. What was I thinking? I can't... To keep them out of danger. What now? -I freeze, thoughts scattered and mind blank. The garden in front of the house is well-maintained, currently being tended to by a brown, red-headed female griffon in her forties. A young, white-coated and red-headed griffon foal, kid, chicub, or whatever the small things are called is playing some game involving throwing and catching a ball with- "Gonna get you this time, dad!" the little griffon calls out to one vastly bigger, more muscular, and still incredibly handsome. Pure white griffon. I don't need to be close to remember the sparkling emerald eyes. Of course he has a fucking family. Of course they are tucked away in some backwater town. Of course he can't allow his Black Ops and Order business to catch up with them. Of course no one knows but him. And of fucking course I am here, thinking nothing has changed in past two and a half centuries. His office in Manehattan was full of memories, and that's what I am... just a memory. I shouldn't be here, in this age. Nopony needs me. I have no power to offer. Times have changed. "Oh hi, Crom, ditch these losers and come back to Manehattan. My butt is ready," I quietly mock myself, "I have so much to offer, after all. You must have missed the constant depression, bleak outlook on life, and danger chasing me at every step. Yeah, just leave the kid here with your wife and send money from time to time. Who cares about them, right? Not me, not Blazing fucking retarded idiot Light." I can't move. I'm just standing there, hidden behind a tree and watching Crom play some ball catching game with his son while his wife tends to a flowerbed. What am I still doing here? Honestly, I'm glad my body is smart enough not to let me take the wrong step forward. You know, now I understand. I'm not afraid of failure, of rejection. I'm used to that. I'm afraid of success. I'm terrified of what my return might spark in him, of even the smallest divide I can bring into his family. Come on, Blazing, you are both adults. You can talk this out. I am sure he will be happy to see you. Cromach is a responsible griffon. No, he isn't! Crom has always been emotional just like I was, only not that bad. So you believe him to be the kind of griffon who would leave everything for you. Look, I don't know, right? I just need... time. Just some time to think. Come on, that's old Blazing talking. That isn't you anymore. You've grown. That's exactly why I need to relax and think about it first. I'm not going to do anything, risk anything right now. I'll be back later or, at worst, we can talk when he returns to Manehattan. Just go talk to him. He cannot be the griffon you knew. You were dead for all these years while he lived through the fall of pony civilization and changes within the world. You can't know how he'll react. It's just fear talking, Blazing, as always. I KNOW! DO YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW? DO YOU THINK I CAN CONTROL IT? Knowledge means nothing, 'Bob'. My body isn't listening to me. All I can do is stand and watch him as he is happier than I've ever seen him be with me. I just need a little time. Just... a night in some out of the way hotel or something. Anything. Blazing... No. There is... too little to gain for him and too much to lose. And everything to gain for you and very little to lose. The day I put myself forward is the day I become the selfish piece of shit I've always despised. No, I was chasing a dream long dead. I need to plan this out now, what to say and what to do in case- "Can I help you, mister?" a squaky voice comes from behind, "You sound sick." I realize I'm sweating and gasping for breath with my legs paralyzed. Quickly wiping my eyes, I turn around, hiding myself completely behind the thick tree trunk from a random glance. There is another griffon foal, this time female, emerald-eyed and completely white just like Crom. The colour scheme can't be a coincidence. He has two foals, a son and a daughter. "Spy- spying on ponies is wrong, squirt," I force a chuckle and look at her. "Just like you are spying on my dad?" Cheeky little thing. Just like I remember him be, only not so little. "I'm not... I'm just... having a rest before heading to town. This tree is shady, you know?" "Lying is wrong." "You're right, it's not that shady." "I'm gonna call dad." "Nonononono!" I put my hoof to my muzzle and withdraw my hood, "Look, I used to be friends with your dad long time ago. There is something I need to talk to him about, but I don't want to bother him with business when he's with family. Understand?" "Mhm," she nods, pokes my chest, and stares intently at my face. "Umm, is there something wrong?" "Can I see your cutie mark? Dad told me griffons don't get one so when a pony comes by we make a game of guessing what they're good at." I shrug, levitating the back of my robe over my black and white interlocked rings. "YOU'RE FROSTFIRE! YOU'RE REAL! I MET REAL FROSTFIRE! I KNEW DAD WASN'T MAKING THE STORIES UP!" "Quiet!" I hiss, pressing a hoof against the bouncing feathery ball's beak, "Gee, calm down." Frostfire? I used that name for a short time after Harmony ascended me into alicornhood. I ended up in a Griffon Foreign Legion fortress back when the Imperial Legion and Black Ops were interested in me. Ah yes, right before you returned to Equestria and helped with the Order. Well, makes it clear that Crom didn't forget you whatsoever. "So, you're real?" she continues in a hushed, conspiratorial tone. "Before I say anything, you seem to know me but I don't know your name." "Feenie!" she smiles, "As in phoenix. Dad always says it is because I warm him up inside and brighten his day." Alright, Blazing, how delusional do you have to be not to understand why she's named like that? Kinda not helping here! "Look, Feenie. How old are you?" "Eight." "I'll humour you for a while, but you must promise me you won't tell your dad I was here. As I said, I don't want to ruin his vacation with business." "Mhm!" she nods enthusiastically. "Alright, ask away." "Are you really an alicorn, all immortal and godlike?" Grinning, I stretch my wings under my robe a little to show her. Her eyes go even wider, which is something I didn't think possible. "I don't have much power, Feenie, but I'm here after a very long time so I guess that counts." "But dad said you punched out a bad alicorn with your bare hooves." "I did, I did," I recall the incident with Holy Light possessed by Nightmare. I probably should have gone out of my way to find the ascended unicorn's real name, but my life at that point was kinda hectic, "He assembled a force that invaded Equestria from Zebrica. While princesses Celestia and Luna led the army to stop the enemy, I rallied minotaurs to help me deal with the alicorn himself." "The whole story was real? Wooooooooow!" "I'm sure Crom made it a little over the top, but it's a real event in history." "And when you saved my dad by kicking the butts of a secret agent and Legion soldiers, then switched his parachute bag for a fake one, and kicked him off of a super secret airship from another world?" Agent Jones. Crom's worst nightmare and the guy who murdered his parents after first lying to them and making them denounce and betray their son. I did something a little different from Feenie said - I gave him fake hope before crushing it. "I didn't kick him anywhere. I let him go, broke or tied his wings up, I don't recall at the moment, and gave him the fake parachute bag. He thought he was safe and free for a moment before he dropped like a rock." "Nastyyyyy," Feenie looks extremely satisfied rather than horrified, "And the time when you-" "FEENIE, DINNER!" I hear Crom calling out. "You should go," I pat the tiny griffoness's head, conjuring a small black flame on my raised hoof. Just a flicker of true death for effect. It'll make my underhoof numb for a while but that's about it, "Don't want to make dad mad or he might call Frostfire on you." "Eep!" she jumps. I pat her head again. "FEENIE!" we hear again, "WHERE DID YOU RUN OFF TO THIS TIME?" "Go home, and don't tell dad I was here, right?" "Okay. Bye, Frostfire," she runs off. "Bye." I put my hood on again and wait until my tracing spell shows Cromach and Feenie entering the house. When nopony can see me, I stand up and start walking away. "You're a nice kid, he deserves that," I whisper, "He deserves that so much more than he deserves me." Time to find a room for the night. At this time of the year the sun is still up even now in the evening, but I'm ready for bed and a bath. Seeing Crom happy and with family has sapped away all the energy fueling me until this point. I should be ecstatic for him, but I just feel hollow.