Chapter 16: “Waters of Life.”
Daring Do and her friends made their way through the gilded streets of Kamara Mista, taking in everything they could of the wondrous city. They passed through a large market place where many shops had produce that no one ever sold, the city having been evacuated by some great unknown force.
Swift Wing had been unable to contain herself as she kept pointing out the slightest thing and acting like it was the single coolest thing she'd ever seen. She was sure she'd never want to leave.
“Whoa! Look at those buildings! It’s like their built right into the clouds!” She exclaimed excitedly, gesturing towards several lavish homes that floated above them on glittery clouds.
Speaking of clouds, Daring and Storm practically had to pry Swift off of whatever clouds she had the opportunity to walk on. She trotted in place waiting for her to fall through it. And when she didn’t, she would squeal with delight, and hop up and down like a giddy little filly.
Storm chuckled. “She’s certainly enjoying herself.”
Daring smiled as Swift Wing was now behind one of the market stalls, gathering a bushel of apples that had been left behind.
“This place is a dream come true for her. She’s wanted to see this place her whole life”
Storm smiled. “And because of you, she gets to.” He said warmly.
Daring smiled, as Swift Wing hurried over to them with a bag of apples clutched in her mouth. “Guys, Your not going to believe this! These apples are still fresh. It’s like they were just picked yesterday!”
“Really?” Daring asked taking an apple and examining it. It shined in the sun and there wasn’t a single bruise or spot on it. It looked fresher then fresh.
She shrugged and took a bite out of it, astounded that it tasted even better then a normal apple.
“This is amazing! How’s this possible?”
Storm’s eyes widened at the preserved state of not just the apples but all the food and produce in the stalls was completely fresh and edible.
“It must be the constant air pressure. Were high up enough, that the cold keeps them refrigerated, and the pressure keeps the freshness sealed in! Astounding!”
Daring was amazed to see that nothing had spoiled, and had been preserved by constant air pressure from the city’s climate. The wonders of this place were truly something to behold.
As they continued down the street, Daring became lost in thought. She began to wonder what the city was like back when griffins and ponies roamed these streets, not fully understanding the gifts they had been given. How ashamed they must’ve felt, to be cast out of such an amazing place by their own petty squabbles and indifference. Because they didn’t appreciate what they had.
Daring’s mind shifted to her father. Had he appreciated what he had? If he did, why did he leave her, her mom and her sister all those years ago? Did he plan on coming back? And what was so important to him that he would abandon his family like that?
Daring felt a tightness in her chest as she began to question just what she’d say to her father if she found him here. Would she say she was happy to see him after so long? Or would she be angry for him leaving her them? Or would she just straight up deck him in the muzzle, and then apologize for it afterwards? Daring wasn’t sure.
Daring was brought out of her thoughts by Swift Wing’s sudden exclaim. “Whoa! Look at That!”
They followed her pointing hoof to see a huge cathedral like building stretch out in all directions in front of them, resembling a Vatican of smaller church like buildings and soaring spires.
In the center of this complex was a massive gilded tower that towered above everything, climbing through the clouds and above the whole city.
A sparkling river poured out from aqueducts along the sides of the complex and circled the whole place in a swirling intricate pattern of diamond shapes and swirls. Daring noticed that from above, the pattern would’ve resembled a pair of outstretched wings.
“Kamara Serena.” She said softly. It was even more beautiful then she had thought.
Daring yelped as she was suddenly pressed to the ground by a strong arm.
“What the?!”
“Shhh!” Storm Talon warned. “Look over the bridge.”
Daring looked across the bridge that connected Kamara Serena to the rest of the city and saw a squad of heavily armed griffin soldiers patrolling the outskirts of the complex.
Daring narrowed her eyes. “Those are CopperBeak’s men, I take it?”
“Yes. They must’ve entered the city shortly before us.”
Swift Wing lowered herself to the ground.“But, how’d they get in? The only way was through that gate, and it was sealed up when we got here.”
“My guess is, they didn’t exactly use a gate. Probably dropped in from the air, which is how they were able to locate and lock down this place so quickly.”
“So…what’s the plan then?”
Storm eased up on Daring, as the patrol turned around the corner. “I’m not sure. We can’t really know how many are in the building let alone the outside.”
“We’ll we can’t just wait here! We have to get in there now! Copper’s already probably found the waters that ’ll give him True Flight!” Daring exclaimed angrily.
“I realize that Daring, But we can’t just go in there without a plan of action!”
Storm turned to Swift Wing. “Ms.Wing, could you perhaps double back to the market place? Perhaps there’s something there that will let us move closer, undetected. A large crate or some such.”
“Yeah, sure. But one question.”
“Yes?”
“Is that before or after Daring beats the feathers off those guys?”
Storm turned back to see that Daring had suddenly bolted up the bridge, to the complex’s courtyard and had tackled one of the griffins to the ground.
“DARING!?”
Daring Do didn’t hear Storm’s yell. She expertly dodged a flurry of sword swipes from one solider, before standing on her hind legs, grabbing his arm and judo throwing him over her shoulder.
Another Griffin made a dive for her but she flipped over him landing a hard drop kick to his shoulder.
One actually managed to catch her in a headlock, but she elbowed him in the ribs, then the beak, then finally brought her back leg up to deliver a swift back kick to his face, sending him tumbling backward onto the ground.
Two griffins attempted to gang up on her ,but they only grabbed air as she dodged one tackle and then the next, making them collide into one another.
A very burly griffin picked her up off the ground by the collar of her shirt and held her aloft, laughing mockingly. He wasn’t laughing for long, as Daring reared her legs back and gave a powerful double hoofed uppercut kick to the underside of the griffin’s beak knocking him out instantly.
Storm and Swift watched in awe as a new griffin appeared from the corner every minute, only to be shortly beaten by Daring. They were no match for the mare’s years of martial arts training, she’d picked up all over the world.
After about ten minutes, the last of Copper’s men lay in a heap at Daring’s feet as she panted heavily, with drips of sweat pouring down her brow.
Storm shook his head. “Reckless. Utterly, and completely, reckless.”
Swift Wing smiled wider than she ever had as she squeed with delight. “So…Awesome!!”
Daring smiled and waved for them to join her in the courtyard.
“Are you out of your mind?!” Storm scolded.
“Hey! I didn’t see you coming up with anything!”
“I had a plan!”
“Let me guess, did it involve us sneaking past them in a crate or something?”
“I, well…um.”
“Yeah. We would’ve been here for hours. Meanwhile that crazy ex-navy buddy of yours is on his way to gaining the powers of true flight, then taking over the world! We don’t have time to plan anymore, Storm!”
“Daring.”
“This isn’t about me and my dad anymore! Don’t you get it? Were the only thing that can save the ponies of Equestria from that madman! If he and his men get that water, no pony will be safe. We’re here to stop him. And that’s what we’re going to do.”
Storm Talon eyed Daring for a moment. Then he smiled.
“I couldn’t agree more, Daring.”
They both smiled at one another, and then turned to make their way up the marble steps and through the huge doorway into Kamara Serena, with Swift Wing following suit.
They came into a huge well-lit temple room with high painted dome ceilings. Various tapestries of what were probably great griffin and pony heroes and warriors, adorned the gold encrusted white marble walls.
A massive golden statue of a powerful looking griffin in an ornate headpiece and armor stood as tall as the ceiling at the end of the room, beneath a large drain grate.
He clutched in his mighty talon, a huge golden goblet, which tilted at a slight downwards angle, allowing the sparkling waters it contained to steadily pour in a single stream into the massive sparkling marble fountain around the statue.
Storm gazed up at the huge golden griffin. “The waters of Kamara Serena. This must be how the rainwater was collected. Pouring in through the huge tower directly into that goblet which then poured into this pool. The old griffin architects were truly beyond their time.” He stated awestruck.
Suddenly they heard a cold voice from behind them. “Breathtaking isn’t it?”
Daring and her friends whirled around to see CopperBeak standing atop a large beam above them. He smiled wickedly as he looked down at them.
“A whole city, where ponies and griffins could share the skies, in harmony.” The way he said this, was as if he was reciting a joke he found very amusing.
“Bah! The skies were meant for the griffins, and griffins only!” he snarled. “Ponies should stay on the ground where they belong.” He added, giving Daring a very menacing look.
She winced a bit as his eyes seemed to drill right through her. But Storm came to her defense.
“This ends now, Copper. What you’re doing, What your planning is complete madness!” Storm exclaimed.
“MADNESS!?” Copper bellowed.
“You want to know what true madness is Storm?” he laughed.
Storm Talon narrowed his eyes at Copper in response.
“It’s this! This temple, this whole bloody place! You know what Kamara Mista translates to?”
Daring raised an eyebrow. She’d never really thought of that. What did Kamara Mista mean?
Copper chuckled to himself. “It means Holy Cloud. Kamara Serena means Holy Sanctuary.”
“These griffins and ponies thought they were gods! There’s nothing holy about this miserable place! It was just a fool’s dream that ended up the way it did, not because of fate or some higher power!”
CopperBeak looked down on them again as his eyes grew colder. “It was because griffins and ponies were never meant to be friends. That’s why this holy city failed.”
“You’re wrong!”
Daring turned to see that Swift Wing had stepped forward bravely. “This place was made for that exact reason, because ponies and griffins were meant to be friends!” she exclaimed.
“No place is perfect, but they got along. They shared the skies, they lived together, they grew crops and built homes for each other! This place may have failed, but it wasn’t because it wasn’t meant to be.”
Swift Wing glared menacingly at CopperBeak. “It was because of griffins like you. Griffins who were too selfish and greedy to allow a utopia like this to exist! They were just as narrow-minded as you, wanting everyone to fight each other, so they could have all the glory. It’s your fault that Kamara Mista was abandoned!”
Swift Wing had tears in her eyes now, but she held them back. “So, if you’re going to blame anyone for the fall of this great city, blame yourself!”
Daring and Storm both looked at Swift Wing with admiration. Whoa! Way to go, Swift Wing! Daring thought to herself as she smiled at her.
CopperBeak clapped mockingly.
“You’ve got spirit, little pony.” He said plainly.
“But I could care less what happened to this city, or who’s to blame.”
He pulled out the Griffin’s Goblet. “I only came to get what’s mine.”
Storm Talon soared off the ground and locked eyes with the wicked griffin. “Over my dead body.” He said gravely.
Copper chuckled, putting the goblet away.
“Gladly.”
And he tackled Storm, smashing them both into the far wall. The two griffins fought in the air, each taking shots at the other. As talons raked and beaks bit, the goblet fell from copper’s satchel and into the pool below.
Daring made a dive for the pool, but was knocked aside by one of Copper’s men, who were now storming the temple.
Daring clocked the griffin across the face and sprang to her hooves while swift ducked under another griffin's sword swing. The two ponies stood flank to flank as the sword wielding griffins closed in around them.
“Well…this should be fun.” Daring said with a smile.
“Right?” Swift agreed.
And the fight began.