//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 
// Story: Dungeons, Dragons, and a Little Friendship 
// by Lawrence Gander 
//------------------------------//


Dungeons, Dragons, and a Little Friendship
Chapter 6

 
Now where did she get to? Cartanis thought to himself. He wandered about the library looking for Twilight, he eventually found her in the lab downstairs. “There you are Twilight, I need to ask a favor of you.”
 
Twilight looked up from her workstation, “Already? You haven't been here for more than an hour, you already finished all the library's books?”
 
“Well you see I remembered after I collected a few necessary books that I still need to repair Heratio, and some books, thanks to the events of last night.” Cartanis' nose curled at the thought of that silly third person pony, “And I could really use your talents, if you wouldn't mind.”
 
Twilight smiled at his proposal, “Of course I’ll help, I’ve been a little curious about what the inside of your hat is like.” 
 
“Thank you my dear,” Cartanis said with a smile, “Now please join me upstairs, it’s far too stuffy down here in this dreary lab.”
 
“It isn't stuffy, it's just, not well looked after is all.”
 
“Whatever puts your mind at rest.”
 
So Twilight followed Cartanis upstairs, where he had set up his hat flattened upon the floor.
 
“Now if you would,” Cartanis stated as he widened the brim of the upturned hat once again, “follow me.” Cartanis hopped down inside the hat. “Oh yes before I forget,” he said as he caught himself on the brim, his head out of the hole. “Spike, if you should need us, just shout in here, sound carries quite well in the hall.” he stated before disappearing back into the hole.
 
Twilight looked into the brim of the hat, all she could see was darkness, “So how far is the fall?”
 
“Oh it’s really not that bad, it’s just a little dark in here, you're eyes will adjust.” Cartanis laughed a bit, “Just be prepared for a little gravitational shift.”
 
Twilight raised a curious eyebrow to the last statement, Well, let’s get this over with. Twilight then jumped into the hat, all four hooves falling through first as she went in parallel to the floor. As the rest of her followed, something happened. Instead of continuing to fall down, she began to fall... forward. Huh? Was all she could think before she began to quickly gain speed in the new direction. She almost began to scream, but before she committed to the idea she had stopped. Floating in the air a few inches from a wall.
 
“You were never in any danger you know.”
 
Twilight looked along the wall to see Cartanis standing against it
 
“Just right yourself and the magic will set you down.” He said as he made a circling gesture with his hoof.
 
Twilight twisted and turned in the air until she was parallel with Cartanis; she felt herself ease to the ground and heard her hooves clop to the new floor. She looked around the rather large space “So um-” 
 
“A small contained dimension within the confines of the Hat, technically we are in another world but it is directly connected to the hat, and exists because the hat does. So for all intents and purposes we are inside a world which lies inside the hat.” Cartanis pointed to a bright hole in the wall a few yards above them, “No matter what direction the hat is in, that hole will always be there and the gravity of this place remains the same. So to prevent what happened the first time I found myself in here, I engraved some feather fall spells into the surrounding area for just such occurrences.”
 
“How do you get out?”
 
Cartanis simply moved Twilight aside, took her place, and gently hopped. Even though he obviously put in very little force to his movement, he jetted up a few yards almost immediately and was floating in front of the bright hole. After he did nothing for a few moments, he quickly fell before gently slowing as he neared the floor.
 
“Guess that answers the question. But what about the damage you spoke of? There doesn't seem to be anything wrong here.” Twilight noted as she looked about the cube-like room of stone they were within.
 
“I realize it may look rather unimpressive, I thought so too the first time I was here, but when you get trapped you are rather bound to figure another way out.” He gently tapped a wall, “Oh he doesn't look like much from the outside, we are only at the gates.” Cartanis journeyed over to a far wall, “Just take a stone here,” Cartanis removed a stone from the wall, “Put it over this one.” As Cartanis continued removing stones and placing them over others, Twilight could make out a symbol that was forming as Cartanis moved around more stones on the far wall.
 
“This, my young Twilight, is what I found,” Cartanis put in the last stone, a large ornate H read across the wall. It flashed brightly for a moment, then stones began moving, twisting, and turning in upon themselves. Revealing an archway that lead into a much larger room. “Welcome to the Halls of Heratio.” Cartanis stated as he gave a grand gesture with his hoof around the large room. “Before we get started on the tour I must attend to a small matter.”
 
Cartanis walked over into the center of the large circular room, and approached a small dimly lit crystal that floated in the middle of a gap in a circular table. “You've been asleep a while Heratio, but I think you're ready for a jump start.” He outstretched a hoof and from it an aura of brilliant light cascaded into the crystal. As it contacted the crystal, its shattered surface began making snapping sounds as cracks began to heal. Eventually it was once again an immaculate surface, Cartanis cut the flow of power, as he did so the crystal gently floated a little higher into the room and began to glow ever brighter. Bringing light to the relative darkness of the circular room.
 
Twilight noticed that various pieces of shattered glass from across the room began to float and assemble in front of Cartanis, slowly making the shape of a large circle. As the final piece fell into place, a slight golden hue emanated from its edges, “Hello sir.” it stated in a rather monotone voice.
 
“Glad to hear from you again Heratio, I’ll admit I thought when that careless rocket flew through here you might be gone.”
 
“Next time, please make sure to close the doorway.” The floating monocle hovered a few feet into the air, “I detect that the library may have lost approximately thirty percent of the collection to fire.”
 
“Yes I know Heratio, that's why I am here.”
 
“I shall prepare the library for you.” Heratio hovered off into an archway that had the symbol of a book upon it.
 
Twilight spoke up, “If that's Heratio, your hat, then why didn't you just fix him last night?”
 
“The damage he suffered was much worse than some surface scratches when you saw him. He had to shut himself down and slowly repair, if I had attempted to jump start him then I probably wouldn't have been able to do anything else for a week.” Cartanis pointed towards the library archway, “The rocket slammed into the gemstone that held his consciousness and flew into the library before exploding, lost a good amount of the collection to the resulting fire.”
 
“So what is Heratio?”
 
Cartanis thought for a moment, “In my world he is known as a 'living relic' something of great or ancient power that is truly monumental. Heratio himself was a great wizard who wished to keepsake knowledge from across the lands and continue that gathering, so he created this sanctuary within the confines of the hat. After he was satisfied with the result he transferred everything of himself that he could into that gem floating there.”
 
“Well he seems to act rather strange for something that's supposed to be alive.”
 
“That's just it, he isn't truly alive. The consciousness of the relic is more like an automaton, it takes a set of rules created by Heratio combined with what the relic has of his memories and makes a kind of... sentience.” Cartanis chuckled a bit, “There were a few times I could've sworn the relic was the real Heratio, but there is always something off about it. It doesn't like to think on its own, mostly contacting its current master to various occurrences and taking orders.” 
 
“Current master? You're not the first?”
 
“Not by a long shot, I only know what I do thanks to a journal Heratio left behind in the library. Basically as I satisfy codes of conduct set forth by Heratio when he made this thing, the relic grants me access to more of the Hall's rooms. Each time it’s been rather extraordinary, I have access to an alchemy lab, a forge, ritual chamber, various storage rooms, and the library.” Cartanis looked back to Twilight, “Now I loved this tour as much as you did but let us get on with the reason I brought you with me, shall we?”
 
“OK, don't blame me for being curious.” Twilight followed Cartanis towards the library, taking note of the light sources that had recently activated. As they passed through the archway, Twilight was in awe of the vast vault of knowledge that she beheld, “Cartanis this is amazing! Why would you even need to use my library if you've already got all of this?” Books stood upon shelves that extended for as far as the eye could see, moving up among floors of other bookcases.
 
“Oh well I haven’t had the pleasure of reading all of them, when I use Heratio's ability to 'book copy' I only know the ones I myself have copied. I am nowhere near done with these.” Cartanis approached a series of lines and glyphs written upon the floor, “Now the reason why I brought you here Twilight is that I need to ask for some of that power you are able to muster.”
 
Twilight frowned upon the idea. “Are you sure that's wise? Last time that happened I nearly killed you.”
 
“Last time, you were running on adrenaline and fear. This time, we will be using a very safe, control and source ritual. You are the source, I am the control.” Cartanis gestured to piles of dust around them, “If you decline, I will be able to restore these books myself, but it would take years. This happens to be a very convenient set of circumstances that I want to... exploit if possible.”
 
Twilight sighed, “Cartanis, I know you are very experienced in the ways of magic in your world. But are you SURE you know what can happen if you attempt magic from your world on the magic of my world?”
 
The old pony looked insulted. “Don't take me for some newly trained wizard who wants to break the barriers of known arcane study. There is a process for this, the ritual I have here is designed to not ask for any more power than what is needed to restore a page. Something you would be capable of doing easily if you knew the spell, this is more of an experiment to see if I can harness the power of unicorn magic. Now if you would please Miss Sparkle?” Cartanis said as he gestured towards the square design on the floor.
 
“Fine,” Twilight walked over to the square.
 
Cartanis was pleased and walked over to the circle on the floor. “First to establish a communication link.” he flicked a hoof outward, and a spark of arcane energy snaked through the designs on the floor. As it made its way to the square, it fizzled out, Cartanis stood puzzled, “That shouldn't happen.” another spark made its way across the floor and fizzled out at the same spot as before. “I can feel it, I know the power is there. Why won't it answer my call?”
 
“Well have you ever tried using your own unicorn magic? All I ever see you do is your worlds 'arcane' magic.”
 
Cartanis thought for a moment, “No I guess I haven't. Well until I can chances are this ritual isn't going to get done.” He then looked over to Twilight, “You wouldn't mind showing an old pony a new trick would you?”
 
“I would be honored to Cartanis, but first we need to get back to the library. That’s where all the 'young' unicorns in training books are.”
 
“Oh I think I’ve already read them.” 
 
“Whether or not you have Cartanis, I would really like to get out of this dank sanctuary of yours.”
 
“Dank?” Cartanis sounded flabbergasted “It isn't dank... it’s just... properly aged is all.”
 
Twilight laughed at Cartanis' insecurity “Whatever puts your mind at rest.” she retorted and made her way to the exit with him.
 

[/][/][1][/][/]

 
A small paperweight floated a few feet into the air.
 
“No, no, no. Cartanis that isn't how you do it.” Twilight scolded.
 
“Well what’s the difference, I made the paperweight float didn't I?” Cartanis set down the weight with his power.
 
“There is a difference. Here let me show you.” Twilight concentrated upon the core of magic she had within. As she did so her horn began to glow, as did the paperweight as the magic found its target. The weight then floated a few feet in the air, “Now what's different between your levitation and mine?”
 
Cartanis scratched at his chin for a moment, “I do notice the aura, but I fail to see-”
 
“The difference... is that your levitation spell does not make use of your unicorn magic, it makes use of your arcane power. If it used your unicorn magic we would see an aura not only around your horn, or what’s left of it, but also the object of your attention.”
 
Cartanis lost himself deep in thought, Why is it I can always sense her power whenever she uses it? In fact I can sense any unicorn that uses their magic, my own power can even interact with it. But it never heeds my call. “It is most strange Twilight, I can feel the world hearing your call and responding, but when I call to it or shout even, it just lies around dull and lifeless as if I am not even really here.” Cartanis had an idea, “Would you be willing to try and use my magic?”
 
“I doubt it will work, but nothing ventured nothing gained.”
 
“Now keep in mind I am a wizard not a sorcerer, but I should be able to have you perform something that's fundamentally similar.” Cartanis stuck out a hoof, and a small plume of fire formed on top of it. “This is the simple act of calling forth fire from its primordial home in the plane of fire. As a wizard I use my ability to call to the fire and summon it forth, but as a sorcerer one would access the power of fire that resides within oneself. Contorting the arcane energy within into the fire.”
 
“So I did this before, when I lost control?”
 
“No that was unicorn magic, you made natural fire appear, you essentially told the air around me to combust. But the world was fueling your own power like a sorceress would, you were not summoning it forth, at least not consciously.” Cartanis let the fire wither and die in his hoof, “Now you try.”
 
Twilight held a hoof out the way she saw Cartanis do, she searched within her for the power that he talked about within her. She could easily make out her unicorn magic, but she had trouble even telling if any other power resided within her. “I'm not sure if I can even do this, we are from different worlds Cartanis. Maybe we are just different.”
 
“Well I can't blame you for not having my power, but I am a unicorn, I should be able to do something.” Cartanis was lost in thought again, rubbing his temples.
 
“Maybe we should take a break from this, I know a good place to have lunch if you want to go with me.”
 
Cartanis sighed, “Well I would prefer to take a breather, I need some time to mull over the details anyway.”
 

[/][/][2][/][/]

 
“Alright Ted, you ready for this.” Dash said to Ted excitedly.
 
“Just watch out for crosswinds and compensate for updrafts, I learn quickly Miss Dash. You don't pick up on as many things as I have in one hundred and forty years and don't learn when to listen.” Ted prepared to leap over the cliff.
 
“Alright, the Ponyville circuit-”
 
“-something even the best can screw up!” Ted interjected
 
“That was an accide-”
 
“-3-2-1-go!” and Ted was off over the cliff.
 
“HEY!” Dash soon jumped after him.
 
They both plummeted towards the ground, gaining speed, whatever distance Ted had was soon caught up by Rainbow Dash. As they neared the valley floor, they both spread their wings, arcing back and pulling themselves into the sky. As they neared the outskirt of Ponyville, once again they dived. Dash was definitively a faster flier than Ted, the one area that Ted had hoped would aid him in the race was his ability to corner and suddenly shift direction with minimal speed loss, but Dash seemed to have other ideas in mind. 

What Ted thought was a good turn ended up being a lazy excuse for a crash when compared to the sleek effortless turns of his teacher, her expertise was only flaunted in his face more than once as he had narrowly avoided a wall or signpost that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. 

Even with this it was a close match, thanks to a lucky break here and there. His biggest boon was perhaps when Dash decided to fly backwards to blow a raspberry his way, only to collide with a wall she had not seen. However their flying continued through the streets as they darted around alleyways, circled around the town square, and eventually back out to the main road which lead to the Whitetail Wood. 
 
Rainbow Dash blurred past him just as they reached the clouds edge, skidding across the surface with a triumphant yes. “I'll admit you had me for a minute there Ted, that was probably some of the most fun I've had all d-” As she turned expecting to see Ted behind her on the cloud, she was surprised to see she was alone on top of it. “Ted?”
 
Then Ted appeared from over the side of the cloud, “I thought you said I would land on it like it was any other piece of land?”
 
“What?”
 
“Just watch,” Ted fluttered over the cloud in front of her, and then snapped his wings shut. He then fell straight through the cloud, not leaving much of a disturbance, simply fading straight through it.
 
“Well, maybe half-pegasi can't cloud-walk.” Dash stated
 
“Maybe, I just feel like I should be able to.” Ted sighed, “I was so curious what it would be like.” Ted looked about over the wood, “Well I should get back to ground, I am getting ti-” but he froze as he looked over the wood.
 
Rainbow Dash looked puzzled at the fear on Ted's face, “What’s wrong?” Rainbow Dash looked over the Whitetail Wood, she then saw something funny looking over the woods in the distance. “Ted, what is that?”
 
“We need to get out of the sky. We need to get everyone out of the sky NOW!”
Dash was scared at the serious tone the otherwise aloof Ted had taken.
 

[/][/][3][/][/]

 
Andur galloped to the apple cellar, Applejack approached him, “Is that everyone?”
 
Applejack made a quick recounting in her head, “Yeah, we should be fine down here. What are you going to do?”
 
“Cartanis messaged that he didn't know how bad it was going to be, so I'll bunker down with you until it passes. Then I’m going to go into town and meet up with the others.” Andur then looked her in the eye, “And no, you will not be joining me. If it’s the wrong kind of thing from our world you won't even see it rend you in twain.”
 
Applejack followed Andur into the cellar, he had always been kind of serious, but this was like another side of him. Like he was afraid of something repeating itself.
 

[/][/][4][/][/]

 
Cartanis escorted the last of a family into their house, “Now you stay in there until you get an all clear alright?”
 
The stallion of the house responded, “Alright, thanks again for saving my filly.”
 
“I know, please just stay safe.” Cartanis then galloped away, he looked around at the dead quiet streets. Houses repaired with their thicket rooftops creaked in the silence. He made his way to the library, as he ran inside he met the faces of more than a few worried looking pony of every type. He waded his way through the crowd, looking for Twilight, he spotted her and closed the distance, “Twilight, is there anywhere we can get these ponies that is deeper underground?”
 
Twilight thought for a moment, “There's the old book repository, past my lab.”
 
“Get as many as you can down there, I’ll be up in the study”
 
“Up? But we need to get away from this thing.”
 
“I need to watch the tear, if anything drops out of it I need to be able to see where it lands.” He looked over to her, “Now I’ll send for Ted when it is finished. Don't worry about me, this has to be done.” Cartanis made his way up stairs as Twilight funneled ponies down into the repository.
 
Cartanis burst through the glass doorway used for separating the indoor study from the outside balcony. Seeing clearly over the tops of the houses of Ponyville Cartanis could make out the distortion over the eastern skyline. Its wrinkled form twisting and distorting the area around itself. It’s increasing in size, slower now than before. That's both good and bad. The distortion had taken to the size of a carriage and was still slowly turning and twisting.
 
Cartanis watched with his makeshift magic telescope, cracks began to form along the edges of the distortion. It’s breaching! Cartanis made out an orb of light slip through the distortion, a wave of contorted air speeding towards the town. He raised a barrier of arcane force around himself, I must be able to see where that thing lands. He watched the glowing orb of force plummet through the sky, unable to make out what was inside it. As the wave of force finally crashed into the library, Cartanis was relieved when it was little more than a boom that had shaken him a little, Twilight told me when we breached it had knocked them unconscious and they had been inside, that was little more than a rough wagon ride. 
 
Cartanis' mind was not put at ease however, as the distortion remained in the sky. Cartanis knew that it meant more was coming, well at least it won't be simultaneous. Sure enough another glob of light broke through, with it another shock-wave. The same as before, but still the distortion remained. More and more began to fall through the tare. eight, nine. Cartanis continued to do his best to keep track. Each glob of light brought a different level of shock-wave; he had taken to lying down as he was on more than one occasion shaken from his feet. 
 
Then Cartanis made out a feint glob of light, much smaller than the others beforehand. As it passed through the distortion, it finally slammed shut, Cartanis could feel the wind rushing towards him, and he knew this was going to be the big one. He made a quick mental note of the area he believed the intruding forces had fallen, and then prepared himself for the shock-wave. As he watched it rampage down the streets he noticed the buildings groan and sway from the wave of force, it then passed over the library. Cartanis' ears ringing in pain as the loudness of it hit him, he felt the balcony below him creak and move. The world felt tipped on its side as he lost his balance and fell.

As the force finally dissipated Cartanis could feel his hearing return.
 
He went inside to find that many things had been shaken from their places, but no major damage had occurred. Windows were slightly cracked if not touched at all, at least I can rule out most advanced life. Cartanis made his way to the basement, Twilight met him halfway down.
 
“Is it over Cartanis?”
 
“Yes for now, where is Ted? Oh there you are.” Cartanis noticed Ted had followed Twilight up the flight of stairs.
 
“Ready for action.” Ted was covered in head to hoof in his armor, bow slung over his back. “Is my messenger book repaired?”
 
“No and mine won't work for you, but you need to head out east over the forest. Whatever breached can't be more than a few miles out, I lost count at-”
 
“Lost count! But that's why you were up there.” Ted said with some anger.
 
“I had at least thirteen events recorded, each of varying intensity, but after the shocks started knocking me from my feet it was getting hard to keep track. So somewhere between thirteen and nineteen.”
 
Ted grew slightly grim, “That's a lot of stuff to fall through in a minute or so.”
 
“Just remember Ted, we have no idea what these things could be. They can't be too high on the level of life we are though, except for the last one none of them had the same kick we did. So I can assume that we are dealing with some form of animal at best, even that being said, it’s still dangerous to go alone. The second you figure out what they are, you get straight back here and we devise a plan of action.”
 
“Wait you said the last one had some kick to it?”
 
“Yes I did,” Cartanis looked into the concern on Ted's face, “I don't know if it was Leria or Rash, and don't let that cloud your judgment when you're out there.”
 
Ted had anger written on his face, “I understand Cartanis, but I wouldn't have them give up on me. So I won't hold my breath until I am there myself.” Ted raced past Cartanis up and out into the world before taking off into the air.
 
Cartanis looked back to Twilight, “We best send out the all clear, or at least let the town know the first step has been crossed.” Cartanis advanced up the stairs, “Now the real challenge begins.”
 

[/][/][5][/][/]

 
Ted didn't like what he was seeing, he had been flying over the Whitetail wood for a while now. He looked at the concentration of torn up land below him, for about fifty feet there was tilled soil, cratered and pockmarked with devastation. But no other sign of trouble, he had landed in a tree or two to better scout out the edge of the scarred area. But to no avail, for amongst the trees the forest looked immaculate except for the area of devastation. He could make out no footprints or anything, he had wondered if it was something that could fly, but that didn't add up either.
 
Looks like I’ll have to provoke this situation a bit. Ted flew down to a tree. He drew his bow and fired a curious bolt into the center. As it hit the ground its concussive detonation drew little attention. Was it all just dirt? Ted carefully made his way to the bottom of the tree and hopped to the ground. He patrolled the outside area of the devastation, taking note of the toppled trees within. They didn't look like they had been hit by whatever fell, or even blown over by the waves of force. 
 
He wandered a few steps into the area, the ground was soft and it smelled as though someone had just plowed the fields for a new planting. He then made out something on the ground, claw marks? Ted had found a few loose piles of dirt alongside the markings. Something in the back of Ted's mind was eating at him, he knew he had seen these before. But it had been so long, what would tear down a few trees, plow up the ground, and then disappear? 
 
Ted felt the ground beneath his feet move, immediately his flight response took over and he leaped into the air. But was too late, he felt something clamp down on his outstretched wing, swinging him around in its jaws. Ted couldn't get his sense of direction as he was being tossed and turned as the thing shook him about. Eventually he felt the feathers in his wings give to the forces, and he was flung out towards the trees. He barely manage to catch himself and land on his feet, he turned and drew his bow, only to see a screen of dirt and dust flying into the air as whatever just hit him returned underground.
 
Ted didn't like his chances of another surprise attack, he made for the tree line, as he moved he once again felt earth moving about him. This time in front of him something burst from the ground, whatever it was it was going high for his face, so Ted quickly rolled under it. Leaping back to his feet he met with a tree, he could hear something behind him, so he scampered as quickly as he could through the branches. Looking back he finally met eyes with one of his attackers.
 
Its rocky flesh scraped against itself with an earthly tone, it growled and bared rows of serrated teeth, claws scratched at the bark of the tree in a futile attempt to lift its great weight upon it. Small beady black eyes gave one last look up at Ted before it let out a defeated snort, turning around and once again going underground, tearing at the dirt with its powerful front feet, pushing itself through the earth easily with its smoothed arrow head and hind feet.
 
A BULETTE!? Ted was still feeling the pain in his wing, he checked to see a sickly looking appendage without the feathers that used to adorn it. Well at least it’s just a Bulette, they are solitary anyway, but what else was there. Cartanis said he had about thirteen or more other things that fell with it, did it kill them all for me?
 
Ted saw the earth move once again, this time it entered from outside the area of devastation. More than one? But then that means. Ted watched as the Bulette that burst from the ground, shaking the dirt from itself, and then wandered into the torn up earth and began stomping eagerly at the earth. Several other heads popped out of the ground as it began to chatter and bark at them. The others seemed to get interested and followed the newcomer as it headed west. Each of them breaking ground as they neared the tree line. 
 
That wasn't an adult that hit me, these are juveniles. Have I really shrunk that much in this world? Ted then noticed a larger one the size of Andur burst out of the ground, yep definitely shrunk on my end. Ted could make out other bulges in the ground as well, it was spring in our world, they must have made a joint nest to help take care of each other and raise the juveniles. That's the only time they group up like this. Ted realized how serious this could get, he had gotten lucky finding them in the forest, the roots would slow them down. But Ponyville was built upon an open hilly plain, I need to move, now.
 
Ted began making his way through the trees, gaining ground on the Bulettes who were slowed by the constant need to surface to get around thick tree roots. Let’s just hope I can give them enough warning to make a difference.
 

[/][/][6][/][/]

 
Andur and Cartanis stood out past the edge of Ponyville, near where they had first entered, looking off into the nearby Whitetail Wood. “How long has he been gone Cartanis?”
 
Cartanis checked the clock tower of the town, “I would say about twenty minutes, I saw him land about ten minutes ago from the library when you arrived.”
 
“He gets another five before we go in after him.” Andur double checked the fasteners of his armor, “Cartanis there is something I have been meaning to ask you.”
 
“That is?”
 
“How did we even tear the veil of our world in the first place, you mentioned something about creating paradoxes for it to occur.”
 
Cartanis thought back to that day, “Well, if we are to believe Ulanon. That abomination we destroyed was undead in some manner, and made from highly unstable material that would not react positively to being killed or destroyed. So when we did kill it, it was going to release the pent up energy it had used to keep itself alive and stable.” Cartanis looked over to Andur, “But, I believe you may have accidentally caused a paradox.”
 
Andur's face contorted with confusion, “How would I do that?” Andur realized what Cartanis had just insinuated, “How would a phylactery cause something like that?”
 
“That thing we killed was pure un-death, an abomination unto life if there ever was one. While it lay dying you threw, into its energy release, something made of life. Liches may epitomize the power of one who seeks immortality through un-death, but they require their soul to still exist in the plane of mortals in order to be alive and retain who they are. That one concentrated orb of life you tossed into the sphere that day, mixed with the reaction somehow. Which caused a paradox for the resulting veil tear.”
 
Andur looked back towards the town, taking note of the citizens of Ponyville that milled about the streets, all happily conducting business. “So it shall fall to one who has the power of my office to conduct himself in a manner befitting the role of a Peloric messenger. To guard the peoples from mortal suffering and prepare for the inevitable fights against evil as it gathers in the darkness.”
 
“You're not about to go about quoting scripture again are you?” Cartanis scoffed as Andur chuckled a bit.
 
“Just reminding myself why I fight is all.” He looked over to Cartanis, “Would you be prepared to give these ponies your life Cartanis? If that was called of you.”
 
Cartanis sighed at the question, “You know me Andur, I don't want to see anyone else go through what I did thirty years ago. There are some lovely families here that make me think about what could have been, I won't let whatever followed us here do the same to some other being.”
 
Ted then suddenly broke from the tree line, galloping across the fields towards them, “Its bad guys, really, really BAD!”
 
Andur noticed he was missing a wing, “What is it you excitable little Zebragus?”
 
Ted closed the distance to his friends, “We got Bulettes, a colony, they must have joined together when winter started to survive the ground frosting over. Now it’s spring, they have their juveniles, and they haven't fed yet.”
 
Ground at the edges of the Whitetail wood began turning and sifting, as though some invisible plow was moving about the hills. 
 
“Gah! I thought I had a better lead.” Ted readied his bow, trained on the disturbance as it moved across the ground.
 
“We keep them out of the town, no exceptions.” Andur said as he brandished his morning star with a hoof.
 
“I got an idea.” Cartanis leaped atop a boulder that was just outside of town, now where are you my old friend? Cartanis searched his mind for the appropriate power sources and incantation, his call eventually found it. The air in front of him coalesced into a ball of soft blue light, hissing at the sudden extreme change in temperature. Cartanis willed the energy into a tight beam, as it raced to its target, the air around it crackled and ground beneath it frosted over. On contact with the disruption of earth the beam bathed over it, the ground froze into a solid mass of ice, a fine mist over the top of it.
 
A Bulette burst out of the ground roaring in pain as its rocky hide was frozen solid and made brittle from the extreme cold.
 
Ted took the shot he was granted, his bolt of energy finding its mark. With a thunderous explosion the Bullete lay broken upon the ground, cold brittle pieces of its hide scattered around itself.
 
“How many more are there Ted?” Andur asked.
 
“Cartanis may have overestimated, I saw about nine more juveniles and three adults.”
 
“Wait... MORE juveniles, that thing was a youngling?”
 
Before his question could be answered more tunneling Bulettes broke from the tree line.
 
“Cartanis!” Andur shouted.
 
“I'm not made of magic you know, you’re going to have to deal with some of them by yourself.” Cartanis shouted back as he fired off two more concentrated rays of frost.
 
Ted had managed to hit one of the Bulettes as it exposed itself to escape the cold, but Cartanis' other ray had missed.
 
Andur slung his weapon onto his back and charged out into the fields, his hooves thundered against the ground and attracted their attention. One burst forth from the ground early, the juvenile met a swift end as Andur gave it a quick slam from his weapon as he drew it. Nothing showy, keep your balance, quick short strikes. Andur wobbly stood upon two hooves attempting to maintain an equilibrium. 
 
The remaining two scattered off in separate directions, one burst forth at Andur before he could react to it, the dirt momentarily blinding him and giving the creature its chance. It sank its teeth into a plate upon Andur's shoulder, thrashing about wildly it brought him down upon his back, the second took its chance and charged out of the ground towards his face.
 
Andur summoned forth holy fire to burn at the soul of the hostile creature, as it rolled and smoldered in its own flesh, Andur got to his feet and bucked the other juvenile off. While it still sought to right itself, Andur brandished his weapon and, with the spiked pommel, drove his weapon through the Bulette’s skull ending another one. He looked about for the one he had burned, it had apparently retreated underground again. 
 
Andur slowed himself for a moment and allowed himself to concentrate on everything around him. Where is that animal’s soul? As Andur allowed his reach to extend he felt as though he was being pressured by an outside force, as he attempted to go forth he felt as though he was being suffocated, What is this, it muddles my power. Andur quickly stopped attempting to reach out with his power and found the feeling to drift away, that never happened before, my range is far greater than that. 
 
The Bullete then burst from the ground far from where he was, Ted was now in close combat with the beast. He quickly managed to roll past a swipe from the creature, it lightly scraped along his scale-mail, and Ted answered with a quick flick of his wrist and stabbed the blade into one of the beast’s plate intersections. Cleanly gashing open an artery, the beast hobbled off before collapsing and dying. 
 
Andur looked over to Ted, “That all of them?”
 
“Me and Cartanis pegged a few that went around you, should only be the adults left now.”
 
Andur looked inside him while there was still peace on the fields, he could still feel the well of power within, but it had waned. What does this mean? Andur could not be allowed another moment respite however, as three large disturbances raced through the ground across the hills. “Here they come!”
 
Much to their surprise, instead of racing straight towards them the Bulette adults broke off around them. Racing towards the town.
 
“Looks like someone is hungrier than they are paternal.” Ted said with a sneer.
 

[/][/][7][/][/]

 
“Later dad, I’m off to hang out with Streaks!” Dodge shouted to his father as he left the house.
 
“Just be back for some dinner, mother is going to be making her dandie-loaf tonight!” Dodge heard his father shout back.
 
Dodge was in a good mood, his mother was finally able to do without the bandages and could help out around the house again. As he left the house he looked out to the Whitetail Wood, it was always a pretty sight to see once some of the leaves grow back in the spring. Instead of the usual sight of the tree line, he saw two ponies and a zebra galloping towards the town. Hey is that Mud Mouth? I heard he saved Streaks little sister, oh man I got to get him to come over with me. “Hey Mud Mouth that you! What’s all the rush about?!” He shouted to them.
 
He heard an echo of a reply.
 
“What!?” Dodge shouted louder.
 
Once again he heard an echo, a little clearer.
 
“What does, 'fawn' mean?!”
 
Then Dodge saw the ground just down the road start to tear up from under itself, he watched in slight horror as it raced in his direction. He felt his legs screaming at him, RUN, and so he did. 
 
The young stallion blazed through the streets, the earth behind him tore up as he went. Other worried citizens of Ponyville either ran into their houses or took off down other streets to the display. Dodge could still hear the torrent of earth behind him, grinding and sifting at incredible speed. Then he saw another disturbance, this one closing in front. Something huge fired out of the ground above him, he managed to shift to the side before it got close to him but he lost his footing in the process.
 
He tumbled and rolled to a stop on the ground; before he could reorient himself he felt the ground rise beneath him. For a split second he was airborne, before he felt pain sink into his haunches and his shoulders, something was digging into him. He wanted to scream but the pain was so intense he could hardly think. The world was a blur around him, then he heard a crack of thunder, as he flew through the air and skidded across the rough roads.
 
At least it dropped Dodge, Andur charged at the adult Bullete as it recoiled from Cartanis' thunder-ball. He tackled it with all his might, the two equally large creatures tumbled down the street, Andur was the first to his feet and quickly began hammering it with his weapon. Each hit cracking its rocky hide, the beast slightly recoiled with each blow but was soon back on its feet as well. Andur met the beast's beady gaze as it watched him for movement. I don't have time for this! Andur made the first move, a wild overhead swing in an attempt to smash open its skull. The beast deftly dodged the blow. As Andur's morningstar sank with a crack into the road the beast quickly grabbed Andur in its teeth, as they sank into his armor it whipped its head and tossed him like a rag doll across the street. Crashing him into a stall next to Dodge.
 
As Andur quickly got himself back up, he looked into the terrified eyes of the young pony. He firmly planted himself between Dodge and the beast. Andur could make out Ted and Cartanis handling the other adult they had managed to find, but he had to focus on the one in front of him. The Bulette let loose a horrendous roar in a bid to intimidate Andur, but all it did was make him ready himself for the next inevitable step. As the Bulette began to charge, Andur concentrated upon his power, and he felt the righteous indignation against this creature’s needless destruction. His fury rose in tandem with his power, he could feel it blaze through his being, once again however he felt the suffocation as though he was running out of some valuable resource. No I must do this, he ignored the call his body wished him to heed, for all this destruction, for all this suffering, to end this heedless rampage. An image of Dodge flashed through his mind as well. 
 
Andur's voice boomed with power, “HIS LIFE,” he felt his soul rush through him and into his weapon, “IS NOT YOURS TO TAKE!”
 
As the Bulette roared through the air, Andur's weapon burst into a corona of magnificent glory. It screamed through the air as his power flowed into it as a deadly force of reckoning, it connected to the Bulette to unleash a terrible force upon it. Thunder boomed and echoed as the light cut through the beast, bone and tissue fell from the might unleashed in the concentrated arc, before detonating into a tremendous force which knocked back the body that tried to dare ignore Andur's decree. 
 
As the forces subsided, Andur felt his power once again wane. He weakly sheathed his weapon, and got back onto all fours. So tired, more so than he should be. Andur walked over to Dodge and laid down next to him, he won't last long. The young stallion had lost a lot of his own blood, diamond shaped gashes across his shoulders and haunches from the Bulettes bite, his face had started to grow pale. Andur reached for the power within him, he felt something screaming for him to cease, but he had to push past it. Please Pelor, give him what I can. Andur's power flowed through him once more. It drifted through the space between them, mending its way through Dodge, reconnecting tissue and strengthening the bond within the soul and body. 
 
Dodge's complexion normalized and he looked at Andur, “What are you?”
 
Andur smiled at Dodge, “Just a good Samaritan.” Andur got to his feet, he knew that there had to be one Bulette left. As he walked past Dodge and towards the square where he had last seen his compatriots, he fell to his knees once again. Andur looked down to see his front leg was torn up pretty bad, “Guess that's all I got for today.”
 
Dodge trotted over to Mud Mouth as he passed out down the street, “Mud Mouth, are you OK?”
 
Dodge's father rushed down the street, “Dodge, is everything alright, what happened?”
 
“Dad go get help, he needs to get to the clinic.” But as Dodge looked around, they didn't need to get help. A good portion of the ponies who lived on the street had left their houses to do so already.
 

[/][/][8][/][/]

 
Ted let out a hoot of victory, “That is how you take down a Bulette, quick and clean.” He stowed his bow and looked over to Cartanis. “Very nice use of ice, I must say it was rather inspired.”
 
Cartanis let out a weak laugh, “Well it wasn't too effective on the outside so I just made him-”
 
“-take a chill pill?” Ted cut off his friend.
 
“Why must you always do that?”
 
“It's just too much fun to push buttons.” Ted looked about, “Now where is lucky contestant number three.” he saw in the distance a merchants booth lurch and fall, “I think we have a volunteer, down in front, good sir Cartanis give him his consolation prize.” Ted whimsically stated as he gestured to Cartanis.
 
Cartanis rolled his eyes at his friend’s aloofness in the middle of a battle. OK... it’s across the way, adjust for depth a-a-and. Cartanis let out the power he coalesced, booming a thunder-ball at a depth below themselves. The Bulette snapped to the sound of the bait, it raced headlong across the square, tearing up the earth as it went. It burst from the ground sending pieces of cobblestone in every direction. Cartanis was stunned at the site of it. “Ted, that isn't an adult.”
 
Ted already had his bow ready, “I was hoping the dire ones didn't stay with the family, guess it was too much to hope for.” 
 
The large menacing brute roared, its rock hide complemented by small stalagmite structures that ran over the course of its plates. Its already menacing figure was bulkier than those of its adult counterparts.
 
“Think you can freeze the insides on this beast?” Ted asked.
 
“No, it was hard enough to do on that last one, we need to think of something else.”
 
The Dire quickly burrowed again, racing through the square faster than the others had by far.
 
“We are going to need to stop it from doing that.” Cartanis said with concern on his face. 
 
Teds eyes flashed with an idea, “working on it.” he quickly stashed his bow and drew a hidden blade, “Come on big bessie I got a plan for you!” Ted stomped at the ground as he chased after it.
 
The Dire quickly changed direction towards Ted, as it began to breach, Ted let the fey magic within flow through himself. He felt that strange world once again call for his presence, his eyes glazing over. The Dire was in the air almost upon Ted, with his moment at hand he thrust himself over to the new world, the colors had dulled and things seemed to slow just enough. Ted leaped onto the back of the Dire and found his way to its ankles, Let’s see how well you swim, land-shark, when your fins don’t have any tendons.
 
As Ted returned, he used his hidden blade to furiously stab at the heels of the Dire Bulette's back legs. The beast screamed with pain as it roughly landed, and sufficiently kicked Ted off its leg. Ted rolled and tumbled until he found his footing, he felt a small gash across his midsection, but nothing he hadn't dealt with before. “Alright it shouldn't be able to burrow without the use of both its back legs.”
 
Cartanis took a moment to once again ready a ray of frost, the air hissed at the ray’s presence as it lanced through the air. Skimming across the surface of the beast, it left behind a small forest of icy stalagmites. The dire barely reacted to it and shook the layer of ice from its hide, “I don't think the regular strategy is going to work Ted.”
 
Still rather agile upon three legs, the dire began to swiftly close the distance between them. Let’s see how you like being tossed around! Cartanis once again called out to the planes, the rush of arcane power that answered was astounding, the air around him was alive with its power. He used his mastery of it to form a shape from the energy, slowly a hand appeared, a gauntlet of ice the size of Cartanis formed from it. With a wave of his hoof he sent it out after the dire, slamming into its maw, the gauntlet grasped its upper jaw. Lifting the beast into the air, its icy hold burning its mouth, the gauntlet slammed it across the street, grinding it into the earth. 
 
The Dire responded by quickly biting down on the gauntlet, its forceful jaw cracking the form of the spell. 
 
Cartanis strained under the pressure of trying to keep the gauntlet held together, “Ted would you mind doing something?”
 
Ted quickly drew his bow, he fired off a bolt into its maw, shattering a portion of its frozen teeth. The beast let out a groan of pain, as Ted fired more bolts into its hide, each thunderous crack leaving a dent in its skin. The Dire eventually grew tired of it, and taking the block of half formed ice in its mouth, whipped it at Ted. It careened with speed, even with Ted's superior agility it managed to slam into him, he felt something in him break. As he landed he felt the pressure on his chest, his breaths shortened and painful. He felt the world slipping from him as he passed out.
 
Cartanis quickly put himself between Ted and the Dire, as it slowly marched its way over. This thing wants food, it won't matter what I do its going to go for Ted. Never before in his life had Cartanis wished he was strong enough to lift someone. He then got an idea, quickly he set his hat upon the ground, opened wide, the hat brim easily accepted Ted's body as it fell like a feather to the floor of the sanctuary. OK, now it’s just you and me big guy, Cartanis thought to himself as he donned his hat once again.
 
Cartanis mulled over his possibilities as he evaded the approaching beast, I won't be able to hurt it severely enough with a casual spell, I’ll need to hit it with something bigger. But I can't concentrate well enough on the move to call to the necessary power sources. Cartanis let loose a few magic missiles in a bid to slow the beast; they exploded in a flash of brilliance against its hide and simply drew an angry roar from it. 
 
“Cartanis!”
 
What’s she doing here? Cartanis turned towards the familiar voice to see Twilight marching towards him, “I told you to stay safe Twilight!”
 
“I'm tired of you and your buddy’s incessant needs to go about selflessly trying to get yourselves killed, now I’m helping you and that’s final.” Twilight said as she stomped her hoof to the ground.
 
Cartanis looked back at the Dire Bulette, it showed no sign of giving up, I won't be able to freeze it, but maybe it’s time for something new. “Alright Twilight if you want to help just try and keep that thing busy for a moment.”
 
Twilight nodded in confirmation as she trotted off towards the danger.
 
Cartanis began formulating the proper incantation in his mind to call upon what he needed to make a new spell. First a force orb, Air in front of him coalesced and distorted as it tightly began to pack together into the size of a softball.
 
Twilight narrowly dodged swipes and bites by the beast, occasionally teleporting around in a flash of light, escaping the enraged strikes of the Dire as they tore up the ground.
 
Now for a little fire, inside the force orb a spark ignited, heat bristling against Cartanis as he made it burn hotter. He packed as much energy as he could into his new spell, then he gave an order, “Twilight I need you to get that things mouth open!”
 
The unicorn quickly teleported between Cartanis and the beast, as it turned to face Twilight, she reached out for her own power. Answering her call, the horn upon her head burst into light, an aura encasing the maw of the Dire Bulette. It began fighting back against a force that willed its mouth open, as it resisted, Twilight's horn grew brighter in the contest of strength. In a split second the Dire lost the fight, its mouth forced open as it strained against the force.
 
Cartanis seized the opportunity, he reared upon two legs and with his force fired the orb towards the gaping maw. Its shape distorting as it flew through the air with extreme speed. It penetrated the maw of the Dire Bulette, “GET BACK!” Twilight heeded his warning and cut the flow of her power from telekinesis to teleportation as she winked out of view.
 
The Dire Bulette coughed and wheezed at the thing that went down its throat, a great force rushed through it, a back-draft of flame erupted from its mouth. It shouted and screeched in pain as its insides burned intensely, throwing itself about it eventually ran out of steam as its charred lungs coughed and sputtered. It fell over amidst its own destruction, finally succumbing to the wounds of battle, smoke billowing from its once intimidating maw.
 
Cartanis looked about to see that Twilight had gone behind a pile of torn up ground not far from him, “I must say Miss Sparkle you really are quite handy in a fight.”
 
She approached him concern still on her face, “Where's Ted?”
 
Cartanis pointed to his hat, “Safely within the confines of the sanctuary, now I must really chase down Andur-”
 
“That's just it Cartanis, I went out to find you after Andur passed out in the streets.”
 
“What?” Cartanis had worry in his tone, “Ted will need a doctor then, Andur was probably taken to the clinic anyway correct?”
 
“Yes, this way.”
 
Cartanis Followed Twilight amidst all the destruction, luckily they had managed to stop the creatures far from anyplace significant, but the outskirts of town had definitely seen better days. Booths lay strewn across the street, roads torn up and almost unusable, even a house or two was listing this way and that. Looks like laying low is too much to hope for now, the whole town will want answers.
 

[/][/][9][/][/]

 
Cartanis helped the nurses wheel Ted into a room with Andur; he still chuckled at the memory of the looks on their faces when he had Twilight lift Ted out of his hat. As they put Ted into a bed, Cartanis took a look at Andur, besides the bandaging around his right arm and the fact he was still unconscious nothing was truly wrong with him. “So the families on that street carted Andur over here?”
 
“Yes, they were rather grateful for all the help you guys gave in saving everypony.” Twilight responded.
 
Well at least we can count on the good will of these ponies, “Your people, Miss Sparkle, are truly a good bunch of beings.” Cartanis sighed, “Where we hail from, strangers are usually treated with far greater suspicion.”
 
Twilight walked over to Cartanis, “Hey now, you got to stop treating yourselves like outcasts. Everypony in the town knows what you did for them with the Thunderheads, I doubt some mild destruction in the act of saving them from those monsters will deter their gratitude.” 
 
Cartanis walked over to Andur's equipment that was lain out amongst the room, and began sorting it into Andur's bag of holding. “That is very nice to know, but I still have some other things to do before I can relax.” He slung the bag over himself, “I'm brewing a few potions in my alchemy lab, with what left I have in the stores, do you know anyone... or 'anypony' that is good with herbs and such in this world?”
 
“Well there is Zecora, our resident Zebra who lives out in the Everfree, she's still OK after the disaster. I think she’s expected in the town someday soon for one of her supply runs.”
 
“That should be a good as a place as any to try and find out if I can find some allegories to what exists in our world.” Cartanis noticed that Ted started to stir a bit in his bed. “He always did have a way of coping with bodily harm.”
 
“You know, it isn't always nice to wake up with a few broken ribs.” Ted opened his eyes and looked over to see Twilight, then to Andur in the bed next to him, “It isn't like Andur to pass out from so few injuries.”
 
“I know.” Cartanis responded.
 
“The powers of the Fey that run through me don't like what they see either,” Ted's eyes flashed into orbs of grey for a second before reverting, “The only other time I’ve seen his life that drained, was in the siege of Grimdig. That was when he had participated in the defense for an entire day, giving out all sorts of miracles and powers.” Ted looked over to Cartanis, “What could this mean?”
 
“If you can't land on clouds as pegasi should, and I can't cast unicorn magic...” Cartanis drew sullen, “But, earth ponies like Andur don't have some special talent that he hasn't grasped. So it must be related to his power.” Cartanis struck upon an idea, “Maybe he doesn't have access to Pelor anymore.”
 
Ted dawned a confused look, “What do you mean?”
 
“Well it isn't to say he can't perform those feats we always see him do, it’s more along the lines of a lack of source. Divine empowerment is an interesting theory, basically the god you worship entitles you to some of their power, and this is used to perform the miracles and such we see Andur do. If he's been somehow cut off from Pelor, then he’s been running on reserves, he's been running off of stored power and eventually he was burning away his own soul to fuel his power.”
 
“Wait that doesn't mean I’m going to die because I shot off a few too many arrows does it?”
 
“No, no, no, our power is external, we DRAW it from someplace else, even if the Fey power resides within you Ted you are drawing it from the Fey. If I had been a sorcerer I may have had similar side effects to Andur here, with nothing to fuel my power, I would've burned myself out. The connection to our old world is weak, but we build it up over time, so as long as we don't overexert ourselves we are fine. Andur here was using an internal power, something that set him aside from other mortals, Pelor recognized his gift and supplemented it so he didn't do this in our world.” Cartanis looked sullenly over to Andur, “But without a means to recharge himself, once Andur recovers...”
 
Ted interjected, “I'm not the one who's going to tell him he can't help out anything in danger anymore.”
 
“He won't take this well at all.”
 
Ted looked about a little, he tried to change the subject, “So has my number one wizard buddy been concocting some brews or not?”
 
“It'll be another couple of hours, enjoy the downtime.” Cartanis walked towards the door, “If you need me, I’ll be helping out how I can. When the potions are done I shall return.”
 
Twilight walked over to Ted, “What did he mean when he recovers?” Ted looked at her with his aged eyes.
 
“Our little hero over there who always put himself out in front of danger to protect the innocent. Won't be so miraculously heroic anymore, if he tries to use his power again he'll probably die.” Ted laughed a little, “Quite a way to be excommunicated from the Peloric Clergy.” he found himself unable to really enjoy his own joke. “One of the best Cleric's I’d seen in years, and now he gets to live out his days as some larger than average pony on a farm.” Ted sighed, “He made a great leader, he's not going to be happy, but I think he of all people will take it better than most. Andur always believed there was some grand scheme to everything, so who knows, maybe we can find a way...”
 
Twilight absently scratched at the floor, “Can I get you anything?”
 
“Some water would be nice.”
 
Twilight left the room to go get some water for Ted, as he lay there he thought to himself. You always bared that burden with such ease, you knew you had to stop evil in its tracks and you did so admirably. Ted wondered if Andur would be better off in a coma for the rest of his days, no, no, don't think like that. Andur has done far too much good for this to be the end of him, even if he has to walk around with just a cane and shout evil away, he will. He isn't dead yet. 
 
Ted let himself drift off back into sleep, into the nebulous dream so that he could forget the troubles of the world for just a little while longer.
 
 
 
 

End of Chapter 6