//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Dungeons, Dragons, and a Little Friendship // by Lawrence Gander //------------------------------// Dungeons, Dragons, and a Little Friendship Chapter 5   Andur thundered through the night, barreling past concerned looking ponies who were on their way home after a long days work. Concern was spread across his face, I know these are all good beings that live here, but if Ted got himself in a mess with them... I'm not sure if I’ll do. Andur slowed when he reached the town square, he saw a fancy carriage being drawn by a team of ponies out of the town as he surveyed for the large town hall structure which looked like a small tower. Andur approached and was greeted at the door by Cartanis, “What exactly is Ted up to?”   “Apparently he's busy being kidnapped by a gang of cutthroats who have him at a yet to be disclosed location,” Cartanis opened the door for Andur, who stepped inside, “Luckily we got our hooves on a member of their gang who should know where he is, that's where you come in.” As they rounded a corner from a hallway to the main area of the town hall Andur noticed the four ponies waiting for them.   Andur whispered to Cartanis, “Quick, what’s your alias?”   Twilight spoke up, “Wow Cartanis, you were right. Andur is huge, maybe bigger than Celestia, if only by a little.”   Andur shot a questioning look to Cartanis, who replied, “They know everything Andur, the two Pegasi are Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, I think you can figure out who is who based on the names.” both waved to Andur, who returned a smile.   “The purple unicorn is Twilight Sparkle, who I must recommend to NOT frighten.” Twilight smiled at the small quip and greeted Andur, who reciprocated the greeting.   “And the pink one-”   Pinkie Pie dashed over to Andur, grasping one of his hooves, and then shook it with fervor. “Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie. I thought you were kind of cool before when I heard you were all big and stuff. But now that I know you can heal ponies, shoot ray beams, and even turn undead into ash just by being near them! You're AWESOME!” Pinkie Pie then tagged Andur, “I call dibs on Andur as my Zompony Apocalypse survival buddy! No take-backsies.” Pinkie Pie then hopped back over to where she was before.   Andur shot a curious eye to the others, “Don't worry about Pinkie Pie, she's just excitable like that.” Fluttershy replied   “wel' naow tha'ght wi gut tha'ght outta' th'way, whar' is this poneigh whu has infur'mation.” Andur looked from face to face to see them bewildered.   Cartanis spoke up, “What Andur said wa-” but was cut off by Andur placing a hoof in front of him.   Andur took a deep breath, calming himself, and then spoke again, “What I said was. Well now that we got that out of the way, where is this pony who has information?” It was a little slower than last time, and his accent was still there. But he was obviously speaking common this time.   “I didn't think you had it in you Andur.” Cartanis said rather proudly.   “Lots of practice, just don't get me excited and I can stay concentrated enough to speak normally. Now let’s go to this informant of yours.” Andur followed Cartanis to a tied up brown Pegasus that was out cold, in a small corner of the large room.   “He was knocked out thanks to some quick thinking by Rainbow Dash, but I cast a sleep spell on him, when I deactivate it he should come to his senses.”   “Then wake him.” Andur commanded.   Cartanis put his hoof to the forehead of the Pegasus, in a scant moment it groaned and stirred. Opening his eyes in a rush, he struggled against the ropes around its midsection and hooves. “Oh come on, I can't be this unlucky!” Boulderdash looked about and saw Andur, his mouth half fell open, “Of course, of course. First that zebragus hands my haunch to me, then I fall for the oldest trick in the flier's hoofbook, and now I get to be interrogated. BEST-DAY-EVER!” Boulderdash shouted with sarcasm in his voice.   Andur laid down in front of Boulderdash, “Alright pegasus-”   “Boulderdash, you going to interrogate me? At least use my name!”   “Fine, Boulderdash. I'm going to start this off easy. Where is Ted, the zebragus?”   “Or what? You ask me more and more sternly until you get all 'out of control' and start beating me up? Please, I got what you want, I know the rules. Now what are you going to give me in return?”   “I am giving you a break Boulderdash, I have no idea what my powers will do to you. This is your chance to leave here as you came, a villainous scumbag who holds up good ponies who are too nice and well meaning to try and stop you.”   “Oh, no! The big bad brownie has powers! What are they? Confusing accent and anger management?”   Andur sighed, “Let's just hope you don't disintegrate.” Andur stood himself up, and closed his eyes.   “What do you mean 'disintegrate'?” concern flashing across his face for a split second.   Andur opened his eyes, the pupils glowed with the color of a sun. “Your lies shall be like hot coals on your soul, the darkness and shrouds you use to hide the truth from yourself will be swept aside.” Andur then gazed into Boulderdash's eyes, he felt the link to his soul connect. He could make out the stallions life before him, he picked a recent memory. “The pegasus colt, Archie. You were the one who captured him.”   “Yeah so? That Ted zebragus beat the snot out of me and he got away.”   “Not at the archery range, in the forest.”   Boulderdash flinched a little, “I wasn't there, I flew after that blue Pegasus. It must have happened after...”   “LIES!” Andur said, his voice booming against the quiet of the town hall. Boulderdash felt a sting over his body, but it did little more than make him twitch. “You tailed Ted into the Everfree, and you watched the colt follow. When the chance arrived you captured him, and passed him on to your compatriots. You had the opportunity to simply tell him to leave. Why didn't you?”   “That foal was going to get himself into trouble anyway! He was miles into that forest, besides, if I hadn't the boss would've had my hooves on a platter.”   Andur could feel the concern Boulderdash had, I must look deeper into his past, there is good in this one. Andur searched deeply into the soul of Boulderdash, going back a few years. Not too far, the older the sin, the greater the repercussion. “Back a few years, the day nightmare moon was freed upon the land. You saw to the ransacking of a business. WHY!?”   “They owed protection money, boss wanted it early on account of a possible apocalypse.”   “What else?”   “There is no what else! Why are you even asking me-” Boulderdash was cut off by a burning pain through his body.   “Something happened that night in the store, you found the owners. What did you do with them!?”   “I didn't do anything!”   “WHY!?”   “The boss sent some veterans with me, real nasty ponies, and we didn't find hardly any bits in the register. So we went looking for them, I found them in a supply closet. They were huddled in there, all scared, so I took their bits before the vets got curious.”   “Do not test my PATIENCE!” Andur did not wish to harm Boulderdash, but the powers within him screamed for the sinner to repent or be damned. A wave of power coursed though the pegasus, causing him to curl and twist in pain. “You never took any bits, why didn't you rat them out?”   “IF I DID THEY WOULD'VE BEEN KILLED!” Boulderdash was getting emotional, tears welled up in his eyes, “I can't just let good ponies like that get killed for no reason, besides they could still make money for the boss and pay him later.”   Andur could feel he was getting closer, to the event that started him down this path. He is so close, the next one will either save him or his body shall be an empty shell. Andur dug through more memories of Boulderdash, almost a decade ago, when Boulderdash had just passed initiation with the Thunderheads. “What happened to Lily?”   “How do you even know this!?”   “What happened to her?” He repeated calmly   “She was killed.” Boulderdash wouldn't meet Andur's gaze.   “Who killed her?”   Boulderdash was sullen and still not meeting Andur's stare.   “WHO!”   “I did,” Boulderdash grew quiet, “She wouldn't give in, she just wouldn't let the gang take over her store; so... so I gave her the whole nine yards. Sent her off to pasture, whatever, can we just stop this! It has nothing to do with Ted!” Boulderdash finally met Andur's eyes. His open defiance screamed heresy into Andur's soul, his power swelled and screamed for vengeance.   Andur had to make use of all his will to stop his power from flooding over into the Pegasus, “What happened that day?”   Boulderdash's defiant gaze ceased as he once again drew into sadness, “It was my first gig after being made official. We were going to move out into Manehatten, I was sent into some saddle bag makers place with some other Thunderheads. That old mare Lily was there, the owner, so we laid into her a bit. Tried to scare here at first, all she did was get angry with us. So we took her someplace quiet, started to beat her up, make her scared for her life. I don't think I’ve ever seen somepony that strong in the face of danger, it was like she believed in something, and she wasn't going to let us win.”   Boulderdash was starting to weep a little, “I hadn't done much, I was just supposed to watch out for ponies. But I just kept looking at that battered old face, bruised and scarred but defiant. Why wouldn't she just give in, make it stop!” he was crying a little harder, “So I thought, maybe if I scared her a bit, really laid into her. She would just give in and let us stop. So I grabbed a mallet, and I... I broke her kneecaps.” Boulderdash met Andur's look again, “And you know what, her old heart couldn't take it. She passed out, dead, on the floor of a basement out in the middle of nowhere.”   Andur's power was fighting for a chance to end him, but he allowed him to continue. “It was an accident, I mean, I know I did it on purpose. But I just wanted that poor old mare to live, to stop getting hurt, I didn't want her to die. It sounded like a good reason for doing it, we could just get it over with and leave. I'm sorry, I can't make it right, it was wrong, just take my apology and get on with it!”   Andur could feel the genuine guilt within Boulderdash, he had come to terms with the truth. Accepting the knowledge of his wrongdoings, but still sought to make things right, he had saved that family and possibly Archie from certain doom. His power waned and receded into the deep well within himself, he has repented. Andur looked at the curled up weeping Pegasus, “You can't make what you did that night right, but that doesn't mean you have to keep going along doing bad things. You're not a bad pony, you have still helped others.”   Boulderdash looked up from his curled up position, noticing Andur's eyes had ceased glowing.   “My friend is in danger, and knowing your organization, they will probably use Archie against my friend to get what they want. You can still save him, you can save them both. Tell us where they have them.”   Boulderdash casually looked about, and rested his head on the ground, “The old depot out at the Bucking Bronco station.” Boulderdash felt the ropes at his mid-section and legs become unraveled, he looked around curiously.   “Now go, and steer clear of the dark path of sin.” Andur walked back over to the group of some rather stunned ponies. Boulderdash stood, looked at the entrance, and was on his way to a better life.   “What did he just do Cartanis?” Twilight asked.   “He's better at explaining it than me.”   Andur met the curious gaze of the ponies, “I usually don't have names for what I perform, they are mostly miracles and acts of my god; Pelor. They most often take on similar forms, healings and 'ray beams' as put so nicely earlier. That one in particular though, is a type of soul link, all of its types are dangerous. The one I used is called Repentance, I can glean information from the one whom I link to. But the power has a mind of its own, the purpose of it is to make the target repent for what he has done... or die.” Some of the ponies grew concerned or gasped, “It isn't one I use lightly, you can never really shake it from you when a person... or a pony, is smitten by such power, simply because they won't come to terms with what they have done.” Andur looked out a window to make out the silhouette of Boulderdash in the sky, “But there are those times when they don't let you down.”   Cartanis spoke up, “Anyway, would anypony happen to know where this supply depot is?”   Twilight answered, “It's an old supply stop for trains moving around Equestria, it isn't in use anymore thanks to some more efficient railroad route designs which made it obsolete in supply routes. It’s just a few miles north of Ponyville.”   “We better ge-” but Andur was cut off when he saw a rather unhappy orange pony in a cowboy hat at the door of the town hall, “-sigh-, Applejack I thought we had an understanding about what was going on.”   “What’s goin' on here is a bunch of hog-wash, and I want to know what’s at the bottom of this cider barrel sooner rather than later.” Applejack stomped a hoof in protest, then a new voice joined the party.   “Applejack what are you doing?” Rarity appeared next to Applejack giving protest to her friends action, she then noticed everyone else. “Oh, why hello girls. What are you all doing here?”   “We're all here trying to help our friends, help out another friend who is in trouble. Is there something amiss between you and Andur?” Twilight asked with a hoof pointed at Andur.   “So you're not even really called Mud Mouth are ya? That's one strike mister and I ain’t about to start just handing those out willy-nilly.”   Cartanis coughed a little to call attention to himself, “I am sorry but, Applejack was it? We don't have the time to have a petty squabble, how about you just get whatever is in your system out of your syste-” But Cartanis was cut off when he noticed that Rarity was eying him strangely.   “Oh, darling, whoever made your ensemble!?” Rarity galloped over to Cartanis   “Wha-”   “Just look at the fabric, even the color matches your coat tone perfectly. And those strange markings on the undercoat of the robe, they make you look so mysterious, oh you must show me how they did this!”   “Uh Rarity?” Dash spoke up.   “Yes Rainbow Dash, what is it?”   “We're kind of in the middle of something here.”   “Oh yes of course.” Rarity took a step away from Cartanis and settled down, but he was still a little uneasy because Rarity looked like she was trying to draw a blueprint of his suit in her mind. Applejack looked back over to Andur, “Alright then, no drama, I want that answer you promised me and the family. What powers do you have, you're no earth pony, but you're also not a unicorn.”   “I'm not a pony at all.” Andur replied.   Applejack's eyes grew wide for a second, before her steely look returned, “Well than what are you?”   “In my world I was known as a human, I had a different body there as well, the details are not important. Now... you wish to know of my power?” Applejack nodded, “Then give me your hoof.” Applejack shot a suspicious eye towards him and his outstretched hoof.   “Please Applejack just take a leap of faith, one part of you knows he is a good pony.” Rarity interjected.   Applejack sighed, and put her hoof on Andur's, “Just no funny business ya hear?”   Andur closed his eyes, and called to the power hidden deep within the well of his soul. He heard its answer as it swept through him, its light both comforting and strengthening. He reached out with it and felt the soul of Applejack, a dim star amidst the blackness around him, he sent his power out and connected to her. “Now just close your eyes Applejack.”   As Applejack closed her eyes, the familiar blackness was replaced with a small light she could see in front of herself.   “That is me, my soul. And this-” the light that she saw then began to glow intensely, waves of it extended outwards in all directions. Applejack could make out the walls of the town hall, but that was not the amazing part. As the wave of light passed over her friends, their souls could be seen flickering in the distance, each singing with waves of light and varying intensities of glow. She could feel the air around her hum with life, even outside the hall she could make out the feeling of other ponies walking about the town minding their own business. “-is my power. With it I can channel the will of my god, his miracles and powers allow me to make use of my own gift to help those around me.”   All of the information flowing to her mind was getting to her, so Applejack let go of Andur's hoof. With the connection lost, the world was once again a quiet village in the middle of the night. She was left speechless at what she just saw.   “With that power I aided your family in their time of need. I understand a fear of an alien force, don't be surprised you're easier to read than you expect. You are very loving and protect your family with all your heart, but you must be careful. If you let that protective side of you take too much control, it will fester and turn into suspicion, and from there you will be a good friend to no one.”   Applejack scratched at the ground, “I just wanted to know my family was safe, we've been together for a long time... and with the disaster and all... Well shoot, guess I owe somepony an apology don't I?”   “Accepted, now please we must get moving.” Andur looked back to the group of ponies behind him, “seeing as how Cartanis and I don't know the way, I'll assume one of you wants to show us the way. The others will protest that they may be of help and come along anyway, in protest to the danger and my concern.” Andur chuckled a little at the ponies bewildered or shy faces, “I can read people, and ponies, much easier than you all think. And yes it is fine, you're with The Dungeon Masters now, and we can deal with any foe.”   Off the large group went, out of the town and northward towards the Bucking Bronco supply depot.   [/][/][1][/][/]   “Hey boss, Ted wants to speak with you.” a large earth pony said to a groggy Reginald.   “This soon? I thought he was going to be the holdout till the last minute type.” Reginald pulled himself out of bed and went downstairs to the main lobby of the old train station, out the windows he could see his ponies shifting around various bits of cargo to and from Thunderhead trains that used it as an out of the way illegal market. The small depot had a few other places to store things in, and made a convenient place to set up as a half-way house for Thunderhead operations into southern Equestria.   Satisfied with the efficiency of his workers, Reginald went over to the cellar door within the room, opened it and walked down the stairs. He continued past the various cells with other captives, until he came upon the one reserved for Ted and Archie. “I hear you want to talk to me?”   “Yes,” Ted replied, “I was wondering, are you a gambling pony?”   Reginald chuckled a little, “I have been known to, what was on your mind?”   “I set the stakes, you select the game.”   “Hmm, well it is rather boring around here. Let’s hear about those stakes.”   “If I win, Archie here goes back to his family a-”   Reginald began laughing uncontrollably, “oh please, please, stop you can't be serious. Why on Equestria's soil would I ever relinquish a potential asset that would net me a business and your bow technique?”   “Maybe if you remembered your manners, and didn't interrupt me you would know. You have been slipping up an awful lot tonight, did you get your beauty sleep?”   “Oh I am sorry, I was in the middle of it when you wanted to make this silly wager. But oh please go on.”   “If I win, Archie here goes free, back to his family. AND,” Ted quickly stated to cut off the snickering of Reginald, “I show you how the bow works.”   “Well my fine hero, that is a little more acceptable. But what would I get if I won. The bow demonstration anyway? I'm not going to risk something like that, when I can get it the hard way without losing anything.”   “If you win, I’ll MAKE you more bows.”   “Come again?” Reginald had just gotten interested.   “I made that bow you are so curious of, if you win, I'll make you more bows. Who knows, you might actually learn something from my craftsmanship.” Ted held his head up high with pride   Reginald let out a hearty chuckle, “The kinds of ripples I could make in the underground if I had that kind of producible power. Mercenaries, kingpins, even countries would pay through the nose for that kind of thing. Oh I have not been an iron monger in a long time. But, this is rather interesting, I wonder if the griffons are still attempting to expand?”   Reginald realized how much he was trailing on and stopped himself, “Fine then Ted, you do like to make things interesting don't you? You'll be escorted upstairs in a few minutes, I’ll be ready for you with my little game. Now excuse me if I leave you in the dark as to what, but with potential gains like this I prefer to... stack the deck a little.”   Ted retorted, “Just don't stack it too much, or the scales are liable to break.”   Reginald trotted back off up the stairs snickering.   [/][/][2][/][/]   Upon a rocky cliff away from the station. Andur concentrated and placed his hoof on a stone, he felt the ghostlike appendages and lifted the stone. “Why I’ll be, that's just so simple it’s devious.”   Cartanis smiled, “I know I thought something similar when I figured it out,” Cartanis looked back to the Bucking Bronco station, “Hey, we got movement in the station house again.” Cartanis drew a circle in the air in front of himself with a feed from his magic. He snapped some power into the circle he drew and the air condensed and warped into a makeshift magnifying glass, which was large enough for the group to see through. “Someone's coming out the front door.”   A silver unicorn trotted out the front door and down the train line, ponies seemingly giving salutes or formal greetings as he passed them. Twilight gasped, “That’s Reginald Silvermane, one of the Thunderhead's top under-bosses.” Reginald disappeared within a shack that was being used for storage.   Andur turned to Twilight, “Do you know what he could be up to?”   “Well he's like one their top lieutenants, you don't just send them to a-” realization struck on Twilight's face, “Their making a move on Ponyville, it’s one of the few places where they don't operate normally. They've been slowly making their way south, and Ponyville is the last natural stop between them and the colonies to the south and west. If they can get it under their hooves, the Thunderheads will have a free pass to the colonies!”   Reginald reappeared thereafter with two heavy saddlebags as he walked back into the station house.   Cartanis drew concern on his face, “I didn't like the looks of those bags Andur.”   “Whatever they have planned for Ted they must be getting ready to start,” Andur stomped a hoof in frustration, “I was hoping we could wait until that train left with some of their grunts, but they're nowhere near done unloading that thing.” Andur sighed and resolved to what they would have to do. He began taking his armor out of his bag of holding, and putting his clothes into it. His armor's metal slabs and emblems shimmering in the moonlight.   As he began fitting it to himself, he spoke up to Cartanis, “Cartanis, I know you don't like it but you're going to go in first, I’m far too large to do much without attracting attention. Once I go in, all hell is going to break loose. You just need to get into position on top of something, that way you can concentrate on casting. I'm going to go in the front, make a scene, attract attention. Whatever I can do to keep them guessing where you are if they can even find you.”   Cartanis sighed, “I always did hate skulking, but if I can get somewhere relatively safe and in range I should be able to do some damage,” his makeshift magnifying glass darted around the depot as Cartanis looked for places to go. "Cartanis." "Yes?" "Are you sure you can cast without it backfiring anymore?" "Almost positive." "Almost?" He said with some worry. "As long as i don't do anything too pwoerful or showy i should be fine. I had some time to think out some work arounds and compensations for this... unicorn magic or whatever you want to call it." Satisfied as he could be with his friends answer Andur became lost as he thought of ways to get out of this situation if it went south.   Dash spoke up, “What are we supposed to do?”   Andur looked back at the six ponies who came with them, “I was honestly hoping you would stay out of this one.”   “Oh come on,” Dash protested, “there's got to be like... fifty of those ponies out there, and there's only two of you! Can't we help like AT ALL?”   “I know you all want to help, especially you Dash,” Andur looked back to the station, “but these are not standard circumstances. If I could think of a plan that involved you, any of you, I would definitely make use of your talents. I can feel the potential within each of you, but you all also have almost no real combat experience. Cartanis and I on the other hand have been through dungeons, the elemental planes, and even war.” Andur looked back to see Dash was saddened.   Andur Continued. “I can tell that you want to save Ted, Dash, but you've got to realize that you may have already. You have done everything that was required of you today, admirably. You were the one who thought up how to capture Boulderdash, you were strong enough to trust in Ted's plan.” Andur put a hoof on her shoulder, “Now it’s up to us, and we can do this, he's as good as saved. Trust me.”   Dash sighed and looked to Andur, “OK you got a point there,” she then poked Andur's chest plate, “But if Ted doesn't make it-”   “Oh he'll make it.” Cartanis interrupted.   “How do you know?”   “You do remember that fight he had at the range don't you?”   “Yeah, of course I do.”   Cartanis interjected, “It's a good thing those Pegasi listened to reason. I know Ted, and if he really saw you as a threat, you would be picking up pieces of yourself off the floor when he was through with you.” Cartanis remembered a few times the elf surprised him with his skill, “The Ted I know from the war, is much like the Ted that cleared those skies for you. He managed that even when severely wounded, for all we know he could be in that station house mopping up the floor with their faces.” Cartanis noticed Dash cheer up a little. “So Andur, Standard rules of non-war engagement?”   “Non-lethal until they try to get lethal first.” Andur said as he walked toward the road that lead into the depot.   “If you really want to still help, bring whatever passes for law enforcement here. To help clean-up, one way or the other.” Cartanis then galloped off into the hills toward the depot.   Twilight took a note out of her saddlebag, “Dash, do you think you could fly this to Spike? I really should've done this before we left, but it should explain enough to Celestia so she'll send some of the Equestrian guard this way.”   “I can do that,” Dash grabbed the note out of the air, “in ten seconds flat!” Off she shot into the sky, back towards Ponyville.   [/][/][3][/][/]   Scamper sighed to himself, I hate shipment days. He picked at some loose dirt at the ground in front of himself, its either stand around in one spot for a few hours duty, or lift a bunch of heavy crates and organize them properly duty. Scamper looked down the road, Why do I even bother? I’ve been doing this grunt work for years, and for what? A good handful of bits here and there? Scamper then noticed a silhouette in the distance. He was slightly surprised just to see movement this far from anything, the shape became clearer as it neared. A pony this far from... Scamper's thoughts were brought to a standstill when he saw a very large, armor clad, earth pony marching down the street towards him.   “Hey get up you lazy colt,” Scamper bumped his watch partner who had fallen asleep. His partner awoke with a snort, looked around a bit and saw Andur marching up the road.   “Whoa” was all he said before they witnessed what happened next.   Andur waited patiently before the two guards, waiting for Cartanis to give him the signal. Then he heard it, a voice whispered next to his face, “Go have some fun.” Andur searched deep within himself for his power, he summoned it from its slumber and let it flow into his being. His pupils began to glow, an aura seemed to surround him, and his armor reacted to his gift; the sun embellishments igniting and blazing in their glory.   Scamper only stood mouth agape, What the-who-huh? “I ain’t being paid enough to deal with some sort of envoy of Celestia!” So Scamper, Scampered off into the night, soon followed by his partner.   Andur raised a questioning eye, so they think me some envoy of their ruler? Just makes things easier for me then. Andur continued on into the station, rounding a corner he could see the main bay they were using to unload the train. As he continued more and more Thunderheads began to hear his approach.   One draft pony in particular approached him rather calmly, “Look buddy, I don't care who you are, what fancy designer you pegged to make you that silly armor, or if you even actually serve Celestia. But, you are not just wandering around in here unless you're expected.”   Andur met the gaze of the pony, “I'm here to save a friend, you leave and go about your lives, or you stay and become... an obstacle.”   “Oh a troublemaker ah? Thunderheads! Let’s show what we do to troublemakers around here!” As the draft pony backed away, Andur could see a handful of Pegasi in the air with bows ready, other earth ponies with various implements he guessed were weapons. He also thought he saw the glow of unicorns among them but wasn't sure.   “Make your move Thunderheads!” Andur taunted to them.   So they did, first a few earth ponies charged at Andur haphazardly, attacking only from the front. As they closed Andur half turned and readied himself, as each closed he whipped one of his powerful hind legs at them. He cleanly hit one, then another with a second swipe, knocking them both unconscious and away from himself. The third jumped upon Andur, and attempted stabbing him with a dagger. It did manage to slip between the metal plates and break his skin, but Andur retaliated with his power. He rushed it to every fiber of his being and sent it out in a shock-wave, letting loose a small nova of light, as it touched the soul of beings around him his power sensed their evil intent and did smite them. Earth ponies near Andur recoiled in pain as for a split second as if their souls were on fire. The first wave had fallen, and Andur saw the second was going to be a lot more serious.   Cartanis waited atop a warehouse for his opportunity to help out before he could be discovered. As Andur just dispatched the first wave, Cartanis knew from his display of power the Thunderheads would step up their attack. The first thing they did was have their Pegasi launch a volley of arrows, Cartanis prepared a spell, let’s see how you like a good Thunder-ball. As the arrows approached Andur, a wave of light appeared overhead and seemed to cause the arrows to cease their flight as they passed through it. Cartanis tossed the orb of compressed air that boomed with the power of thunder, as it flew into the center of the Pegasi flock it detonated. A concussive force knocked many out of the air; the few that remained seemed more concerned with their own lives now than listening to orders. Cartanis took the moment of panic and fired dozens of arcane missiles down into the crowd of ponies, a few found their marks, exploding into arcane shrapnel that tore at the surrounding area of impact. But many more were deflected or detonated early by barriers of force, BAH! Unicorns, even if they can’t use my magic they can still disrupt it. He sent a message to Andur once again with an old spell, ghost sound.   “Andur! I won't be much help until those unicorns are out of the picture.” Andur heard his message from Cartanis.   Then let’s break some concentration, Andur charged headlong towards the remaining Thunderheads. He saw the glow of a Unicorn's horn and raced towards it, as he began to make out the terrified face of one it shouted.   “It's after me you foals! Protect me or that other one is going to start raining death on us again!” A group of Earth ponies then surrounded the unicorn.   Oh please do group up so nicely for me, As Andur closed the distance he drew his morningstar off his back. Quickly righting himself to stand on two hooves, he arced the weapon like a golf club, with a flow of his power he concentrated it into a blast of righteous thunder which scattered the tight group of ponies. Even with his best effort Andur lost his balance momentarily and found himself back on all fours, loosely holding onto Morellia like a walking cane. I still don't have the hang of fighting in this new form. Andur then felt a force around him, attempting to make him move. He looked around to see a unicorn concentrating, its horn aglow. I've got to stop him, as Andur attempted to move the force slowed his advance. As the distance closed, the power almost doubled, now Andur had to resist just to not be thrown about. He saw a second Unicorn backing up the first. Then Andur began to levitate into the air, for a third unicorn had joined in. As he was taken into the air, his weapon floated from him. It weaved around in the air, before it began to wind up for a strike.   There must be something I can do! Andur once again welled up his power around himself, concentrating it into a spear of righteous fury. Lighting sparked around him, but to no avail as it streaked across an unseen force. Cartanis must be trying something. Andur looked to the three unicorns, he could feel their souls and their intent, his power burned to smite them. So he let it free, the bolt he had formed shot off and squarely hit one of them. As the unicorn fell over screaming in agony at the pain to his form, Andur could see the strain on the other two as they picked up the slack. Andur was still floating, and his weapon was still getting ready to swing, “Now or never Cartanis!” Lightning once again arced through the air, hitting the remaining unicorns, as they convulsed from the electricity they passed out onto the ground. Andur managed to land upright and then yanked his weapon out of the ground where it fell and left a divot.   Cartanis hopped down off the roof of the warehouse, “The rest are scattering off into the hills, I think we redefined what “hazard pay” means to them.”   Andur looked to the train house, “Just one left then, you think he's ready for us?”   “He might be ready for some pony, but he isn't ready for us.” Cartanis looked to Andur, “So how will we be making our entrance?”   “Front door, we already wasted enough time playing footsie with these louts”   “Right behind you then.”   Andur charged with all his might at the door into the station house, as he collided with it the force of impact shattered the old door and most of the surrounding frame. Cartanis leaped through the hole that was made, spells of various types swirling through the air around them. He then joined Andur in his shocked gaping stare at what they saw.   [/][/][4][/][/]   Ted shouted at Reginald, “Cummon you bigs baby! Down that cuu *hic* cube!”   Reginald was sitting across from Ted at a long table, a stack of small white cubes in between them, “Na-na-no, you win, please jus *burp* please just no more, no more.” Reginald said shaking his head slowly and listlessly.   “You shaid we were going at thisss, until one of ush was out cold!” Ted quickly grabbed another three cubes and downed them, “There look, I downed another three *hic*, so you can down that one shilly cube. Now come on, come on you big baby you!” Ted shouted as he stomped his hooves on the table.   Reginald looked over to the door, to see Andur and Cartanis stunned, “Pleesh *hic*, get this un-cultured Zebragoose away from me!” he said as he fell over from where he was sitting and started crying on the floor.   “Un-cultured? I'm un-cultured!? You're the one crying on the floor in frunna two perfectly good strangersh.” Ted realized he was staring at Andur and Cartanis, “Oh, hi guy-sh, you stoppin' by to... to... umm, wait why are you heresh?” Ted asked as his ears lazily flopped around on his head.   “Cartanis, what is all this?” Andur asked.   “Hmm,” Cartanis walked over to the table, picked up a cube, smelled it, and then liked it. “Salt? Surely it has to be spiked with something. Maybe Twilight will know what.” Cartanis sent out a ghost sound out to where the others were waiting, which stated that it was all clear and to meet them at the station house. “Now Ted would you mind explaining all this?”   “Ha-hang onto that thought for a minute.” Ted wobbly stood up and attempted to move to the other side of the table, but was stopped by the collar at his throat as it tugged against the iron ball. “Umm, could you please, Cartanish?” Cartanis walked over and undid the lock around the color with a few quick applications of kinetic force in the proper places. As the collar clanked to the ground Ted hobbled over to Reginald, “Where’s my bow?” “Crate, right over there.” the crying unicorn stated as he pointed towards a crate in the corner of the room.   Ted hobbled over to the crate and unpacked his bow, “Oh honey, don't ever run offsh without daddy again OK?” Ted then hobbled over to a cellar door, “OK kiddiesh, let’s go free some scared little ponie-sh'all we?” Ted said in a slur.   Andur walked over to Ted and stopped him falling over as he stood on two hooves, “Maybe you should sit this one out, you've been through a lot.”   Ted weakly smiled, “Ishn't that always like you Andur, being so nishe to me even though I call you names. I'm really sorry about thoshe, I'm just pokin' fun because you gotta lighten up a little buddy.” Teds eyes then dilated immensely, “Whoa, when Thoshe things hit ya, it’s like a ton of briiiiii-” Ted trailed off as he fell over unconscious.   Andur quickly checked on Ted, he was still breathing and alive, so he didn't think too much of it. “So what do you think was down there?”   “I suppose we should find out,” As Cartanis walked over to the cellar door, five ponies galloped up to the hole in the wall. “But first we need to figure out what’s wrong with Ted.” Cartanis walked over to the entrance, “Its fine, building is still stable. Twilight, would you mind helping us with Ted? He seems to have ingested a rather curious product.”   “Oh no.” Twilight said as she walked through the wreckage over to the unconscious zebragus, “Is there anything left of what they forced on him?”   “Well they didn't really force it on him, I don't think. But here is a cube of it.” Cartanis handed her a cube from the table.   Inspecting it Twilight gave it a curious lick, “Well he should be fine, it’s just salt, although it’s usually diluted with some sugar in the cube to stop well... this.”   “Excuse me Twilight but I'm not sure what salt does to ponies here, in our world it’s little more than a seasoning.” Andur asked.   “Oh, umm, it basically causes a lack of inhibition in the brain and the user to get kind of goofy.”   “I think I get it,” Cartanis said with realization on his face, as Andur turned a questioning eye, “It's like alcohol. Ted is just drunk.”   Andur also sported a small grin as he realized it, “Well nothing I can do about that, he'll just have to sleep it off then I guess. Now let’s see to these bandages-” but Andur was interrupted by Rainbow Dash soaring through the hole in the wall.   “I got back as soon as-” She saw Ted on the floor, “What’s wrong with Ted?” Worry on her face.   “I was about to remedy that situation Miss Dash,” Andur said as he closed his eyes and prayed to his god for deliverance. Light bathed over Ted, after the light passed Dash went over and lightly tapped at Ted, “Hey Ted you OK?”   Ted lazily opened an eye, “oh hey Dashhh, glad to shee you're alright. I'm kind of tired though, so I think I'll jushhhhht-” and just like that Ted was back out cold.   “Hey, HEY! Don't you quit on me you hear!”   Andur stopped Dash from shaking Teds head around, “He'll be fine, he's just drunk, or salt-licked, whatever you call it.”   “Well, as long as he'll be alright.”   “Now let’s figure out the mystery of the basement shall we?” Cartanis walked over and opened the cellar door, Twilight went down with him. Cartanis cast his light spell and saw the row of cell doors, a few stray ponies in each. “Apparently they weren't just trafficking ill gotten goods.”   “Hey I recognize some of these ponies.” Twilight looked through some of the cells, “We've got missing posters of them up at the town hall newsstand. They must have nabbed them after the disaster and planned to ransom them.”   Cartanis went about sabotaging the locks on the cell doors, and letting out the captives, they thanked them as they walked off upstairs. When Cartanis got to the last one, only a single pegasus colt was let out. “Hey are you one of Ted's friends!” he asked excitedly.   “Why yes, yes I am.” Cartanis stated.   “He said you were going to save us, thanks!” the colt buzzed around and eventually walked with the others upstairs.   “Well I guess we better get back to Ponyville.”   “Twilight, do you think you could come up here for a moment dear?” Rarity could be heard shouting down into the cellar.   As both the ponies left the cellar they noticed what all the fuss was about. pegasi clad in silver armor were descending upon the old station depot, “Looks like the Princess got my letter, say hello to the Equestrian guard.” Twilight said.   One of the guard-ponies landed near the group, “We were told to expect resistance but it looks,” the Pegasus continued as he looked about at the various unconscious or wounded Thunderheads, “like you've already dealt with that yourselves.”   “I trust we can expect you sirs to deal with the clean up?”   “Yes ma'am.” the Pegasus gave a salute.   “One more thing though,” Andur dragged a nearly conscious Reginald out to the guard, “I believe you know who this is?”   “Why if it isn't Reginald Silvermane, you've been rather crafty before. But I think we got you pegged for this one.”   “Whatever, just take me away. Today's been just a little too much for me” Reginald groaned.   As the other captive ponies were led out of the building the guard Pegasus spoke back up, “We'll have our hooves full locking up these criminals and taking account of the goods, would you mind helping us out a bit and escort these ponies back to their homes?”   “Doesn't seem like too much trouble, so we might as well.” Andur responded   Andur had the others put Ted on his back, since he was unconscious. Then the guard Pegasus thanked them for their assistance in the matter, and asked them to be safer in the future and not be so brazen. So off The Dungeon Masters and company went back to Ponyville.   [/][/][5][/][/]   Cartanis approached Andur after he had set down Ted in the top floor bed, “You do realize what all this means don't you?”   Andur sighed, “We've gone through stuff like this before, and these ponies are just like any other alien or unknown civilization we have encountered before. The circumstances are just a little... different.” Andur stated as he looked at his hooves.   “I realize what it means to be here, what I mean is the ripples we are sending out Andur. One doesn't just take down a crime lord and have nothing happen. Our names may be spreading across Equestria at this very moment, even if we did ask nicely to try and stay anonymous to all those grateful families, gratitude is something that doesn't stay quiet for long.”   “We'll deal with those bridges once we get there. For now, I would just like to enjoy what is left of the night in bed, if I can manage to even fall asleep.”   “That message Twilight got from Celestia is eating at you too?”   “I'll admit, being visited by a form of deity is a little intimidating, but I can't help but think. Are we the only things that made it through the void? If anything else made it out here Cartanis, those ponies have to rely on a far off military force just for protection from a band of hooligans.”   Cartanis rubbed his temples, “I know, the chances are astronomical, but with that much matter directed this way... it might only be a matter of time.”   Andur looked back to the sleeping Zebragus, “At least we got Ted back, hopefully we can figure something out tomorrow after the meeting. I still owe the Apple Family that explanation.”   “I think you mean 'we' at this point.”   Andur gently smiled, “I guess I do.” Andur walked down the stairs and to the large bed that waited for him, quickly removing his arms and armor he crawled into bed.   Cartanis trotted over to a couch set up in the room, let’s just hope we have more time than I think we do.   [/][/][6][/][/]   “Is everypony here?” Applejack asked to the small crowd gathered within her family's home, it was a few hours after dawn. All of her friends had come over to hear from The Dungeon Masters, as well as her family, they even expected Princess Celestia to arrive at any minute.   “All we are waiting for is Cartanis and his friends, are they up yet?” Twilight asked.   Applejack looked out the window towards the worker's cottage, she saw the door open and three figures leave, “Oh, here they come now.” Cartanis seemed to be speaking with them as they walked over, concern on Andur's face and a weary frown on Ted's   The trio entered the Apple Family residence, they exchanged greetings with everyone and took places around a table that was set up. Ted spoke up as he rubbed his temples, “Please tell me there is a treatment for salt infused hangovers in this world.”   Ma Smith got up from the table, went over to a faucet and poured a glass of water “Water can help, dear.”   Ted took the glass and sipped some, “You're an angel, Ma Smith was it?” Ma just nodded her head and went back to her seat.   Cartanis spoke up, “Well with that out of the way, are we all set over here?”   “I just need some dice and I'll be all set,” Interrupted Pinkie Pie, who garnered some awkward stares.   “We are all just waiting for Princess Celestia to arrive.” Twilight said.   With that a chariot descended out of the sky being pulled by a team of Pegasi in gold armor. Slowing to a stop next to the Apple Family abode. A tall and slender pegasus unicorn in royal attire stepped off the chariot and was followed to the house's door by her team of gold armored praetorian guards. When she entered the house, her guards stayed outside and manned the entrances against intrusion. Everypony in the house then stood and gave a quick bow, Cartanis and Andur imitated this gesture, but Ted did not as he was too busy being physically ill.   “By the rather formal treatment I take it you are the famous Princess Celestia?” Andur asked, who was rather surprised to see a pony he could meet eye to eye when he stood. Celestia seemed equally so.   “My, my, what strange visitors we have indeed.” Celestia stated, “You must be Andur, if I am to be correct, I was honestly expecting somepony as large as Applejack's brother.” She looked around the table, “You are the scarred one, so you must be Cartanis.” Cartanis tipped his hat to her, “And this curious creation of Zebra and Pegasus must be Ted.”   Ted looked up from between his front legs as he tried to hide from the light, “Hello your majesty, I would say something clever... but I got nothin'.” He then tucked his head back between limbs on the table.   “If we would all have a seat, we,” Cartanis gestured to himself and company, “can get started on answering questions.” As they all had a seat around the table Celestia was the first to speak up.   “I am rather curious as to what your 'home world' was like, and how you managed to get here?”   Cartanis answered, “Well our home world is a place of danger and adventure, the very elements themselves have places they call home, and all manner of bipedal sentient beings stalk the world of mortals. There are also glorious cities, made with the toil of great nations, or even greater wizards. I myself herald from a town called Belliron, a rather large city with a prominent school of the arcane, which I had a hand in destroying and then rebuilding.” He gestured to Andur, “Andur here hails from a little out of the way place in the hills of the highlands, Manderton I believe was its name. He was driven from there by forces not of his control and raised an army from almost scratch to combat the evils of that force.” Cartanis then pointed to Ted, “Our dear little Zebragus here hales from a place even he won't tell us. But we met him at a port town and hired him as a guide, he sticks with us even though the contract ran dry years ago, he thinks we are fun apparently. He is also a half-elf, half-eladrin, who-”   Ted spoke up, “prefers to be known as an elf, because the Eladrin are all a bunch of stuffed shirts who don't know how to have a good time! With the exception of my father, but that's beside the point.”   “Yes well, in our world we were fighting a war with a terrible nation known as the Tiefling Theocracy. They lived by a doctrine of racial superiority, their 'theology' was that this superior race could bring about the glory of all the others through ruling them. However if you asked one of their recruiters I doubt they would be so bluntly honest and add some slant and propaganda into the mix. At one of the more important battles, our forces collided over a fortress city that could decide the fate of the war. Andur, Ted, two others, and I successfully breached the defenses of the enemy’s main camp. After a fight with a horrid beast of unholy construction, I believe we created the necessary reaction to breach the world veil. The thing that separates a world from the void and vice versa. When we barely managed to traverse this great bleakness we found ourselves here, pony-fied, so to speak.”   “Do you think you can get home?” Fluttershy asked.   “That's just it, I am not sure if we can at the moment. I could reopen a portal to the void, but that is just dangerous and silly to do without the proper reasons. Unless I want to endanger the safety of this dimension we might be better off just stuck here for a while.”   “Hey you said you had two other friends, where are they?” Dash spoke up.   The trio seemed to become slightly depressed at the question, Cartanis was the first to speak up. “Don't know, we got split up when the void sucked us out of our world. They might still be floating around out there, time travels differently in the void, not necessarily in all directions as it has a constant of forward; but at different speeds. I am more concerned with other beings from our world making it here. If my math was right, then the size of the inverse portal created by the unstable veil break was about twenty miles in diameter. That is far enough to pierce the underdark of our world, where there are plenty of nasty things that don't like being woken up. Not to mention if any of the pieces of land mass survive and fall like a meteor into your planet... let’s just not go into detail.”   Andur spoke up, “That was something we wished to ask of you Princess Celestia, if anything from our world makes it over to this side the results can be catastrophic. When we three fell through the veil of your world, the resulting snap from the veil sealing itself caused all the devastation in Ponyville. Besides the devastation of another tare, I've noticed there is not much of local law enforcement or some form of protection for civilians outside of the Equestrian Guard who can be far from a disaster like that; let alone if a creature from our world starts running rampant. If there is any way you could step up possible measures against such things.”   Princess Celestia sighed, “I can see the wisdom in your words Andur, but there isn't much I can do. My land has known peace for centuries, while it did have a scare when my sister returned, she was vanquished before it got out of control. All of the forces at my disposal at this time are mostly volunteer. I’ll try to set up more outposts for the guard around my country, but it is simply a very large task for a force that is already stretched thin.”   “I would like to ask you a question Celestia,” Cartanis received her attention, “You are well over a thousand years old, have their ever been occurrences like this in the past?”   “No, when I heard of the disaster at Ponyville I was concerned because there had never been anything like it before. The notion that such an event could occur again is worrisome at best.”   Ted spoke up, “Is there any word of us around Equestria yet? I would really prefer to know if they are getting the stories right and that my image is secure.”   “I'm afraid news of your deeds is already starting to spread, I’ve heard whispers of you amongst my court and Cantorlot. Although the details are rather sketchy at best, I doubt you're going to stay a local legend for long.”   “Well I think that’s all the questions we have, anypony else have a question?” Cartanis stated.   “So what are you going to do now? Seeing as how trying to play it incognito doesn't seem to be too viable anymore.” Rarity asked.   “I was planning on staying in Ponyville for a while, the library you have is a treasure trove of information that I still need to sift through.” Cartanis stated.   “If the farm will still have me I would prefer to do some work, I'm still formulating what we should do next.” Andur asked   Pa spoke up, “That would be fine Andur, there are always a few things that need doin' around here.”   Ted took a long drink of water, “I would really like to call out the greatest flier in Equestria on that flying lesson she owes me.” “I owe YOU!? I practically saved your life.” Rainbow Dash shouted.   “Yes you have miss Dash, but last time I checked the score is about two to one.”   “Well fine if you want to play it that way, let’s see what you got hot shot.” Rainbow Dash trotted out the front door.   Ted soon followed, “Oh she is just too much fun to not play with, I love it when people... ponies whatever, have buttons to just push until they go nuts.”   Cartanis looked about, “Well I think we just adjourned our meeting, it was lovely meeting you Princess Celestia.”   “The same can be said of you, if you need anything don't hesitate to contact me through Twilight.”   “Twilight if you wouldn't mind having an old fool over at your library again, I would be honored.” Cartanis stated with a grin.   “As long as the old fool doesn't trip me down a flight of stairs again, I would be honored.” Twilight got up from the table and trotted off with Cartanis.   Everyone began saying goodbyes and started to leave, Andur stated something to the group, “There is one thing I wanted to mention, Cartanis spoke to us this morning about the possibility of another breach event. While time does move differently out in that place, the void, a new event could be around the corner. So if you see anything that looks like a wrinkle just floating out in the middle of nowhere, get away and contact one of us.”   “Will do Andur.” Applejack stated.   Celestia then got up from the table and let herself out of the house, soon enough she was off in her chariot back to Cantorlot. As the other ponies left the farm to go about their day.   So out the door Andur went as well, to work in the fields and tend to seedlings amongst other farm related chores. He took note of the lovely day, finest day I've seen since I got here, but I can't shake this feeling of something familiar. It’s like something is in the air, fouling and permeating. Andur drew the thought from his mind when he was called over by Big Mac to help with a cart full of apples. For now I can at least be of help to them.         End of Chapter 5