//------------------------------// // Crossing Paths // Story: Silver Spirit, Ghost of Equestria. // by Powerdrainer //------------------------------// Edited by Slayerseba, Halusm, Clayton the Hunter, and Clawder. Crossing Paths. <<>><<>><<>> The moon had risen high in the sky, and night had claimed the land by the time the train carrying Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Spike and Danny arrived back in Ponyville. They, along with a few other passengers exited the moment they could, were drained after the events in the Crystal Empire. Still depressed by how things had ended, they all returned home without much of a goodbye; hooves dragging a bit and heads held low, while Rainbow Dash flew just a bit slower than was customary for her. Every single one of them longed for their bed, wishing nothing more than for this long, tiresome day to end and start fresh the coming morning. Little did they know their night was only just beginning. <<>><<>><<>> Earlier that day. Big Mac was working the acres with single-minded focus, with the faintest sheen of a green glow in his eyes. Then, as if something snapped back in place, he stopped, shook his head and looked around in confusion.  "What in tha world…?" He murmured, holding a hoof against his head. "How long have Ah been working?"  Looking up at the sky, the low hanging sun answered his question, Stupefied, he then looked at the cart he found himself hitched to, filled to the brim with apples, so much so that many had fallen off during his walk through the acres, leaving behind an easy to follow trail. "Hold on. What in tarnation’s going on?" Blinking in confusion, he looked around once again, with the vain hope of finding an answer within the silent trees that surrounded him. However, other than a rustle of the leaves, there was nothing. More than a little confused, but knowing he had to return to the farmhouse to check up on his sister and Sweetie Belle, he turned around, making a mental note to pick up all the spilled apples the moment he could. Moving back with slow, deliberate steps to keep any more apples from falling off the cart, he mulled over his day's activities; finding a strange hole between his last memory and now. 'Maybe tha bucket falling on mah head did more than Ah thought?' He thought, unsure. A little while later, as he neared his home, he started to notice something else. A distinct lack of aroma associated with a proper home cooked meal. Parking the cart next to the adjacent barn, he quickly freed himself from his burden and made his way to the farmhouse; hearing nothing. Frowning, he knew something was amiss. Question was, what did those two fillies do this time? It had to be bad, if even Granny Smith was kept from making dinner. Pushing the questions he had about what happened to him today to the back of his mind, he opened the door, frowning deeply as he looked around; expecting the worst. What he didn't expect, however, was the absolute, almost tomb-like silence upon his entry. "Hello?" he called out, looking around with slowly building worry as he stepped inside, receiving no reply. "’Bloom, Sweetie Belle… Granny?" he called, still silence was all that answered. "Is anypony here?" He asked, slowly moving to the living room. Light snoring drew his attention, making his ears perk up as he turned to the familiar rocking chair; seeing his grandmother’s sleeping form slumped down, her head bent back and to the side, mouth partially open. Sighing out in a strange feeling of relief, he trudged over to the elderly mare, smiling kindly as he grabbed the blanket which had dropped down on the ground and placed it back over her sleeping form. "Well, that answers why Granny didn't make dinner. She overslept," he surmised, voice lowered. Yet it still proved to be too loud and, with a raspy shout, his grandmother woke up, startled.  "Huh, wha… Who goes there?" "It's just me, Granny," Macintosh answered reassuringly. "... Ya overslept a bit," he added after a slight moment of hesitation. "Ah would never!" She scolded her grandchild. "Who else would make dinner for ya young ones?" "Speakin' of which… where are Bloom an Sweetie Belle?" Macintosh intoned. "Why, they're right… here," Granny Smith pointed, only to fall silent as all they saw was an overturned bucket with its contents spilled all over the worn wooden floor, a mop lying in the far corner as if flung away and a carelessly discarded dustpan. "Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle!" Granny Smith yelled angrily. No reply came. "Where did those two trouble making fillies run of to now?" She asked aloud, eyes narrowing and disappointment clearly noticeable in her voice. "Don't know," Big Mac grunted, jaw set, "But I'll find them." He promised.  It was a promise, he soon learned, he was unable to keep, for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were nowhere to be found. It was then when his anger began to turn to worry and concern. <<>><<>><<>> Bellflower returned home after a more than hectic grocery run. She, as well as several other ponies, had all but stampeded the market after learning a ghost had been sighted. And she, as well as any other pony feeling courageous enough, (or having no other choice) rushed to stock up on whatever they could get their hooves on, barricade themselves within their homes, and wait for this whole thing to blow over. It was because of this that with great urgency, she closed the door behind her; forcing herself not to turn the lock. Something she wouldn't even do on any other given day. But now, with deep mental scars to remind her, every fiber of her being screamed at her to lock the door and throw away the key. But she didn't, of course. Because she also knew that, if she did, the guests renting some of her rooms would be locked out. And as much as she wanted to turn the knob for the deceptive feeling of safety, she couldn't in good conscience leave a fellow pony to their fate like that. This, of course, didn't mean she didn't close all the open windows and pulling the curtains shut as well, before hurrying upstairs to do the same there and to check up on Scootaloo. Knowing the filly had heard and seen the commotion earlier this day, which had happened almost directly in front of her room.  Her hurried trot upstairs came to a screeching stop however, when, with a horrified shudder, she saw the door to Scootaloo's room partially open. A door locked from the outside. A door she herself had locked to make sure the filly's punishment would stick this time.  "Oh no. Nonononononono," she repeated again and again, suddenly surging into motion, and rushing inside, head jerking from left to right, hoping to see the filly someplace in the room, but finding no one.  "SCOOTALOO!" she called out, hoping the filly would reply. But all that answered her was deafening silence. <<>><<>><<>> Present Time. With a loud screech of metal on metal which echoed away far louder than it had any right to in the night, the train carrying Danny and company arrived in Ponyville. Those on board exiting the moment they could. Longing for their bed and to be done with the day, they all muttered a tired good night, the group split up; each heading for their homes with the sole exception of Rarity, who instead joined Applejack to the orchard to get Sweetie Belle.  Neither of them said a word as with dragging hooves, they made their way through town, following the long, long dirt path which seemed to stretch out for much further than either mare could remember, before finally arriving at the orchard.  Sighing wistfully, the two mares set hoof on the final stretch of road. Applejack longing for the warm, comforting embrace of their bed while Rarity wished to pick up her sister, give her a warm hug, then finally make her way to bed as well. Sighing and eyes drooping, the two mares let their hooves guide them as they pushed onward.  Halfway to the farmhouse however, they came to a near stop, ears perking up as the sound of hooves pounding on the dry soil became noticeable; rapidly becoming louder and louder until an almost frantic looking Macintosh Apple stood before them. "Big Mac… is everything alright?" Applejack asked, suppressing a yawn. "Applejack, Rarity, thank tha stars you're back," he wheezed as he came to an abrupt stop. "Mac, what in Equestria is going on?" Applejack asked with growing concern.  "It's tha girls. They're gone!" ""WHAT!?"" Applejack and Rarity yelled, their tiredness forgotten by the sudden spike of adrenaline. "What tha HAY are ya talkin' 'bout?" Applejack demanded. "When Ah came home, Bloom and Sweetie Belle were gone." "Why didn't Granny stop them?!" Applejack demanded urgently. "She was asleep. Overslept even. She didn't even make dinner," Bic Mac explained in a hurry, then shook his head to refocus. "But that's not important. Bloom an Sweetie being missing is." "Where did you see them last?" Rarity asked frantically. "Back at the house," Big Mac answered, "But they ain't there. Nor did Granny and Ah find them in their tree house, or anywhere else on the orchard. We've been looking for hours." "Then what in the hay are we standing here for?" Applejack asked urgently. "If they ain't here, maybe they are over at Scootaloo's place?" Without much of a better idea, all three ponies nodded before galloping towards town; already thinking about how to punish those fillies when they found them, and if they didn't have a very, very good reason for running off… again. <<>><<>><<>> It didn't take them long to reach Bellflower's guest house, all three of them having run at full speed; which also had the effect of completely disheveling Rarity's mane, which would normally warrant a 'My mane is completely ruined!' drama scenario, but right at this moment her appearance towards other ponies was only a secondary concern for her.  Big Mac, the fastest of the three, followed closely by his sister, all but slammed into the door; nearly breaking it off its hinges as he rushed inside. "Big Mac, what the hay was that for!?" Applejack scolded. "We're looking for Apple Bloom an Sweetie Belle, not trying to break down Bellflower's home." "It didn't open," he apologized. "It was locked." "Locked?" Applejack repeated, "But Bellflower never locks the door." They didn’t have much time to ponder over this as with thunderous hooves, Bellflower came rushing down the stairs, a broom held tightly in her mouth and seemed prepared for battle. "Applejack," she gasped, the broom falling to the floor. "Rarity, Macintosh. Oh, thank goodness. It's only you." "Only us?" Applejack repeated, confused, looking at her brother and Rarity. "Bellflower," Rarity cautiously stepped forward, eyeing the mare with confusion. "Please tell me that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are here, because we can't find them anywhere." "They are gone too!?" Bellflower gasped, horrified. "Too?" Big Mac said with worry. "Scootaloo is missing as well," she revealed, making all others gasp out. "It must have been that ghost," Bellflower continued and this revelation completely took Applejack, Rarity, and Macintosh by surprise; slamming into them with the weight and speed of a freight train.  """GHOST!?""" All three shouted. "Haven't you heard?" Bellflower asked, picking up her broom with a hoof.  "Rarity and Ah haven't been in town all day. Element business," Applejack quickly explained. "Ah have been working at the orchard all day," Big Mac told her. Eyes darting around, expecting anything to jump out from anywhere, Bellflower told them what happened. "Bulk Biceps came screaming into town earlier today. Saying he saw a ghost. All ponies have been on edge since that, hoarding as much food as they can, barricading their homes. I came back home a while ago, only to find Scootaloo missing and her door, which I had locked from the outside to keep her from running away again, to be open. And it wasn't forced. I’ve been looking for her ever since, but she isn't anywhere to be found." "It's the same with Bloom and Sweetie Belle," Big Mac told her with urgency. "Is there any chance Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle might have opened the door for Scootaloo?" Rarity asked, not liking this idea but choosing it over the possible alternative. "No," Bellflower shook her head. "I have the key on me and I know the lock can't be forced. And it wasn't forced." "So ya're saying a ghost might have taken Scootaloo… maybe even Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle while we were gone!?" Applejack said, voice rising in volume until she was almost yelling. "We don't know that," said Rarity, hoping it wasn't true. "Well, after today we cain't say it isn't either," Applejack shot back, eyes wild. Rarity didn't know how to reply to that. "We can't be certain about this. For all we know tha girls are hiding someplace in town," Macintosh spoke up, trying to act as the voice of reason. "Ah know they ain't at tha farm an’ now we know they ain't here. So why don't ya go look around here, try ta find them. And Ah… Ah'll go back ta the orchard an' make sure it weren't one of those… things." The last word held a dark, venomous tone which sent a shiver down all of the three mares' spines. "Ya sure?" Applejack asked, worried. "Eenope," Macintosh replied, eyes hardening as he turned to the door. "Y'all go an' look, now," he instructed them, then ran out towards the orchard. Looking at him until he just vanished in the darkness, the mares shared an uncertain look until, they too, stepped out, hoping they would find those three fillies. Hoping that, soon, they would be able to hold them, hug them, yell at them, and ground them until they were old mares themselves. But for now, all that was holding them was a growing sense of worry, anxiety, fear and dread.  <<>><<>><<>> Rarity, Applejack and Bellflower ran through the abandoned streets; all the houses locked tightly and not even a single ray of light managed to slip past any of the tightly closed curtains or boarded up windows.  It was a rather bitter irony. The sighting of a ghost had made the village into a ghost town in its own right.  That didn't mean the ponies weren't listening, waiting for anything to happen. And hearing several ponies outside running and calling out for some of the more notorious fillies in Ponyville’s history only added to the fear they felt. This, of course, didn't stop either mare. They sped through the streets, calling out for the fillies time and time again until they found themselves moving away from the village more and more; having gone through every nook and cranny of Ponyville. "Rarity, Applejack, is everything alright?" The voice of Danny Manson suddenly broke through and all three ponies came to a stop, finding themselves now standing in front of the human's house. "Oh, Danny. It's absolutely dreadful," Rarity replied hysterically, glad, despite the circumstances, to see another friendly face. "Sweetie Belle and her friends have gone missing." "What!?" Danny exclaimed. "It's true," Applejack said morosely. "At first we thought Apple Bloom an’ Sweetie Belle had simply ran off, so we went ta see if they were with Scootaloo. But Bellflower here said she's gone too." "And it gets even worse!" Rarity almost shrieked. "Bellflower said there is… there is…" "There was a ghost seen near Ponyville!" Bellflower revealed, dropping a bombshell on the human whose eyes widened in shock. "Wh-what!?" he stammered, shocked, taking a step back while a nervous sweat started to form.  "It happened earlier today. Bulk Biceps came screaming into town, saying he saw a ghost. Everypony has stocked up on whatever supplies they could and barricaded themselves in their homes." "An with the fillies missin', who knows what horrible things are happening to them." said Applejack. "Now, hold on. You can't be sure a ghost has them," Danny countered. "We can't be sure it hasn't either," Applejack countered, eyes slightly wild. "An after what happened in tha Empire, Ah ain't taking any chances." "... Empire?" Bellflower murmured, confused. But before any kind of reply could be given, Macintosh Apple came running in. "Big Mac, did ya find tha girls?!" Applejack asked without pause.  Big Mac, heaving loudly after the flat out run he'd just made from the orchard to his sister, wasn't able to speak for several long moments as he sucked in air with large gulps.  "Sis…" he panted. "Dad's old barn. Frozen on the inside. All ice," he managed wheeze, but his seemingly cryptic message didn't make much sense to Applejack, Rarity, or Bellflower. "Big Mac, what in ths hay are ya talking 'bout?" Applejack shot back. "Did ya find the girls or not?" Breathing deeply, Macintosh finally caught his breath. "No, Ah didn't. But Granny and Ah did go look at the orchards older parts… It's dad's old barn, AJ. It's completely frozen within. But not just covered with ice… There are things in there, looks almost like regular furniture… but, made of ice. AJ, something is living there. Something not natural." A bone chilling cold grabbed hold of Applejack, Bellflower and Rarity at Macintosh's words. "S-say what now!?" Applejack stammered, eyes wide and pupils shrunk. "Ya pulling mah leg, aren't ya." Big Mac's only reply was a slow, grim shake of the head.  "Something has been hiding on the orchard, right under our noses," Rarity said, voice rising in pitch. "And Sweetie Belle was there right for the taking!" "Apple Bloom too!" said Applejack, voice rising too.  "Then, did this… thing also get Scootaloo?" Bellflower asked, worried, frightened, nauseated.  "Sombra," Danny growled.  "What!?" Rarity said, everyone turning to Danny, while Danny himself looked up and towards the orchard.  "When did you say this ghost was spotted?" He asked Bellflower, voice tense. "Earlier today," she replied nervously. Danny's hand tightened into a fist. "Danny?" Applejack carefully approached, "Do ya know what could have done this?" "I have some ideas, but nothing that would help," he replied, still not looking at them. "But…" he continued, then fell silent. "But, what?" Rarity asked. "Danny, please. If you know something, please tell us." she urged him on.  "Maybe Sombra wasn't the only ghost who came here with the Crystal Empire? Maybe something else came with him? Something that didn't stick around? Snow and ice certainly was the main theme back there and apparently here now, too. Your barn," he glanced at Applejack and Big Mac over his shoulder, then looked back at the orchard. "... My bedroom," he revealed, making the ponies behind him gasp.  "You mean one of those… things was in your house?" Bellflower asked, shocked.  "It would seem like it," Danny muttered grimly. "But that hardly matters right now. And instead of standing here debating what ifs, instead we need to go look for the girls," he said firmly, turning around, finally looking at the ponies as he took charge. "Applejack, Rarity. Having dealt with Sombra, you and your friends are about the closest we've got to ghost fighting experts around here. Go and get the others, tell them what's going on… and what we think is responsible. Big Mac, show me what it is you've found. I may not be much of an expert myself. But maybe seeing what you've found can tell me what we're dealing with to some extent." Wide, unblinking eyes stared back at him, and for a moment Danny faltered. "Uhh…" "Jus' what, exactly, was it ya did back on Earth?" Applejack asked, slowly looking Danny up and down. " 'Cause it sounds like ya've done this before." "We don't have time for this," Danny shot back defensively, sounding just a bit bitter. "You go and get Twilight, and the rest. Big Mac and I will see what happened at the orchard." Snapped back to reality, all the ponies scrambled into motion. Rarity, Applejack and Bellflower running for the hollow tree in town, Big Mac and Danny running as fast as Danny could manage back to the orchard. "Is she right?" Macintosh asked, shooting Danny a sideways glance. "Have ya done this before?" Danny didn't answer; narrowing his eyes as he pushed forwards just a bit faster. <<>><<>><<>> The mighty oak grew larger and larger before them as they neared, hooves pounding on the ground.  Applejack, in the lead of the group, narrowed her eyes as she saw the closed door, mentally preparing herself for the right moment. With practiced perfection, she planted her front hooves on the ground and swung her full body around, kicking the door open with a tree-shaking buck.  A loud scream could be heard coming from Twilight's bedroom a split second later, while Owlowiscious screeched in rude surprise. "TWILIGHT!" Applejack's voice cut through the darkness as she, Rarity and Bellflower ran up the stairs; Applejack not wasting any time in bucking the second door open as well. "Twilight!" Applejack shouted, albeit at a more reasonable level. "Applejack?" Twilight groaned in tired annoyance, rubbing an eye with a hoof while turning on the light with a small burst of magic. Then she identified the other pony in the room. "And Rarity? What are you two doing here?" "Bellflower is here too," Applejack spoke up, looking behind her, where Twilight spotted the mentioned mare. "Twilight, we have a major problem on our hooves!" "What!?" Twilight straightened herself. "What kind of problem? Do we need the Elements?" "Yes, no… Maybe. Ah dunno?" Applejack stammered, shook her head, then focused with alarming clarity. "Ah don't know about needing tha Elements, but if what we’re thinking is true, we may need ‘em after all." "Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo have gone missing," Rarity picked up without pause. "At first we thought they had run off again, but when we ran into Bellflower, she said there had been a ghost sighting near Ponyville." This sudden revelation made Twilight fall off her bed and she scrambled to her hooves while fighting to free herself from her blanket. "WHAT!?" she yelled, her tiredness forgotten. "It's true," Bellflower ruefully admitted. "Earlier today, Bulk Biceps came screaming into town, claiming to have seen a ghost. Everypony is on edge since then." "And did anypony else also see this ghost, or was it just him?" Twilight asked, finally able to free herself with the help of her magic. "Not that I know," Bellflower answered. "So there might not be a ghost," Twilight mused. "For all we know, Bulk Biceps saw something he believed to be a ghost, but wasn't." "I- I suppose," Bellflower muttered. "Maybe yer right," Applejack spoke up. "But there is more. Just a moment ago, mah Brother told us he found our dad's old barn, completely covered with ice from within. He an’ Danny are looking there right now. Maybe Danny can figure out what did that." "Covered with ice?" Twilight asked, blinked, then her eyes widened. "ICE!" "Uhh, yeah?" Applejack flinched back from Twilight's sudden increase of volume. "A while back Rainbow found the lake to be completely frozen," Twilight told them. "Oh, goodness. You're right," Rarity said, recalling what her friend had told them. "Ya think that whatever froze tha lake has been livin’ in our barn?" Applejack asked, angry and offended. "It would make sense," Twilight pondered, then made a decision. "Girls, grab your Elements. We go and get the others, then head out to the orchard. We'll find out what is going on. Bellflower. You head back home. Maybe Scootaloo will come back on her own." "I- I can't just go back and do nothing," she argued, taking a step forward with visible effort. "Ghost, or no ghost, I will not stand idly while Scootaloo is missing." "Okay," Twilight nodded in understanding. "But stay behind us."  Nodding, Bellflower agreed as Applejack re-entered the room, now wearing her Element while holding Twilight's in hoof.  "Rarity got tha rest of them. Now, let's go and get tha others!" <<>><<>><<>> The group of mares ran towards Sweet Apple Acres, their path illuminated by Twilight and Rarity's magic, as well as the light of the moon.  Twilight, having quickly written a letter to the princess explaining everything that was just told to her, hoped her message had arrived. Spike, who had already been fast asleep, and difficult to wake up, was surprisingly quick to snap out of whatever dream he was having by a few chosen words from Rarity. Though he did had some trouble properly burning the letter in his sleep-addled mind. Shaking those worries away, for now, Twilight and her friends soon found themselves running down the well traveled path leading to the farmhouse. Following Applejack who led them to a part of the orchard they hadn't been to before. "It's over here, girls," Applejack called out as they approached an old, weather-worn barn. Seconds later, she and her friends all came to a screeching stop in front of the barn's open doors; staring inside with wide, shocked eyes. "What in Celestia's name is this!?" Twilight yelped, unable to believe what her eyes were seeing. "This," Danny said calmly, dryly, as he and Big Mac stepped outside. "Is a barn filled with ice." "Yes, we can see that," Rainbow Dash said sarcastically. "But who did this? The same guy who froze the lake?" Shrugging, Danny said: "No idea. I've looked around, but haven't seen anything that could tell me who or what lives here." Applejack frowned as he said that, trying to get a good look at his face, but failing in the dark with only the flickering light of a lantern to illuminate a small portion of the area.  'Now why do Ah feel like you're lyin?' she wondered. "Is there any sign of the fillies?" Bellflower asked, pushing in between Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, snapping Applejack back to the more urgent matter at hoof. "There's nopony here, but us," Big Mac answered. "So now what?" Rainbow Dash asked with a hint of challenge.  "Now-" Twilight started, only to be cut off by Danny. "We can't be certain that whatever did this is a ghost. And even if it is, we don't know for certain it took the children. Right now, split up in groups of two and search any likely spot to see if the girls are hiding out there. If there is a ghost, and you do run into it, back off and go get the others. The last thing you want to do is challenge it without a proper plan of attack," he instructed, giving them all a critical eye, while all the ponies looked at him with surprise, even a bit of awe as he took charge. "There are nine of us, so there will be one group of three. Big Mac, you go with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Rarity, go with Rainbow Dash, Applejack, you go with… Bellflower was it, right?" Bellflower nodded, and Danny continued. "And Twilight, you're with me." "I, uhh… Okay," Twilight replied, a slight blush coloring her cheeks, which went mostly unnoticed in the dark as she stepped closer to Danny while the others went to their assigned partners. "Remember, we don't know what could be out there, so keep your eyes and ears open. And if you do see something that could be a ghost, back off. Don't be a hero." "But we are heroes," Rainbow Dash remarked. "We even have our Elements to prove it." "Shining jewelry is not what makes a hero," Danny told them, a strange, pained look in his eyes. "What does, are their actions in difficult situations. And acting on impulse to fight something that could easily swat you away doesn't make you a hero at all," he told her with bitterness in his voice. "Sometimes the best thing to do is back off and run before you, or those close to you get hurt as a result." "Yeah…well…" Rainbow Dash stammered, eyes downcast as she kicked the dirt with her hoof. "Ok, I guess you got a point there." "Now, let's not waste any more time," he said with an authoritative voice. "Let's go find those fillies." <<>><<>><<>> A few hours earlier. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Fenris, Wind Chill and Erlea made quick time towards the Hive. But even with the speed Fenris was capable of, they were severely slowed down.  Unused to such a slippery surface, Fenris lost his footing time and time again every time he crossed a patch of ice. Only Wind Chill, naturally accustomed to such an environment, could easily traverse the frozen landscape without trouble; carrying Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Erlea with him in his large hands held before his chest, while Sweetie Belle flew beside them. Erlea, too, was suffering. The sudden, unnatural drop in temperature which had taken hold of the land permeated her body, chilling her to the core, making her visibly shiver. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo sat closely pressed against her, much to her irritation, although she didn't complain over the shared body heat, and providing directions when this was required.  Eventually though, Wind Chill, too, was forced to stop. The reason, the large herd of Saldēti Zirgi circling around a small, rocky hill; the stone already partially covered in ice while massive, gray, billowing clouds swirled around in a large vortex; following the movement of the Saldēti Zirgi; steadily growing in size and strength, and with it, the buildup of snow, and ice as well. "NO!" Erlea cried out, leaping forward and almost falling down the still considerable height of Wind Chill's hands, only to be stopped by Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "What the hay are ya doing?" Apple Bloom asked, worried. "The Hive… The entrance is right there!" Erlea cried out, eyes wide in alarm.  All turned to look where the young changeling was pointing at and noticed a partially hidden crevice in the natural formation; presumably leading deeper underground and already half frozen shut. "Wait here!" Wind Chill instructed as he deposited the three fillies on the ground. Then, with a mighty roar he lurched forwards, hands aglow with icy blue spectral light. Heavy footfall shook the ground as Wind Chill sped towards the closing crevice, the ice under his feet shattering. Then, using the strong muscles in his legs, he leaped the final distance, slamming two massive fists in the closing wall of ice, unleashing his power; his control over the ice itself. The energy flashed, grew brighter, pulsing with the will and ferocity of the one who unleashed it. Then it exploded, sending chunks of ice in every which direction, clearing the passage and scaring the Saldēti Zirgi who released a loud whiny; their combined cry shaking the sky. "This is bad!" Wind Chill called out. "Children, you go and help Erlea's kin. The wol-... Fenris and I will remain here, protecting the entrance." He quickly corrected himself after Fenris shot him a warning glare. "Aren't ya coming inside?" Apple Bloom asked worriedly, looking at the Windigoes with fear. "No, young one. I will not. And not because I don't fit through the entrance. It is my duty to keep you safe. You and your friends. Now go, while we hold them back." Looking at one another, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle hesitated in doing so. Erlea, however, didn't. She ran with as much speed as she could manage through the snow and ice towards the entrance, not looking back. Seeing their (not) friend changeling disappear within the rocks, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked once more at Fenris, then Wind Chill before they, too, hurried inside. "Good," Wind Chill grumbled. "That will keep them safe. At least, safer than they would have been up here." Forming an large club of ice in his right hand, he secured his stance, following the movement of the Saldēti Zirgi with slightly narrowed eyes. "And what makes you think you can order me to do as you please?" Fenris growled, standing strong and defiantly besides Wind Chill, claws unsheathed. Wind Chill glanced to his side, eyes locking for a brief moment. "I'll admit, I don't trust you. I know who you are and what you have done. But I can't deny your involvement with the young ones, nor the trust they seem to place in you. And neither can you, it seems." Fenris looked up, seeing the approaching spectral equins. Claws flexing. "You know?" He said with a palpable doubt. "Do you now?" "What's that supposed to mean?" Wind Chill replied, firing a orb of arctic energy into the sky; turning into solid ice halfway up and slamming into the side of one of the Saldēti Zirgi; knocking it of course. "Claiming to know one, and actually knowing one are two entirely different things," Fenris barked. "Don't pretend you know me until you actually do." To this, Wind Chill didn't have a reply. Nor did he have time to answer as, with a tremendous force of pressure pushing down on them, the herd of Saldēti Zirgi came down on them; taking with them the arctic grasp of winter itself. <<>><<>><<>> "MOM!" Erlea called out, alarmed as she ran deeper and deeper into the tunnel; it's naturally heavy roughness soon smoothing out into the carved walls with luminescent plantlife, similar to ivy in appearance, growing to cover the walls and ceiling. The rapid clopping of hooves behind her, told her that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were close behind her. However, the insistent silence, both over the hive mind as well as any audible reply from either her mother, or any other changeling made her all but ignore the fillies behind her as she ran with as much speed as her frozen body could manage. She turned and weaved, seemingly going nowhere and, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle followed without much of a word; clearly hearing the distress in the changeling's voice. However, when Erlea climbed up a wall and disappeared in a tunnel higher up; easily accessible for a changeling, but not so much for a pony, lest they could fly, Sweetie Belle was forced to use her powers to bring up her friends before resuming their pursuit; having almost lost sight of Erlea thanks to the delay. Deeper and deeper they went from there, managing to catch up with some effort until the sound of rumbling water could be heard. Ears perking up at the sound, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, at long last, ran out of the claustrophobic tunnel and came to a screeching stop upon the sight that greeted them.   A massive cavern so large, they couldn't see the opposite wall. Not that they tried, though, as their attention was completely absorbed by the immense city carved out of the rock itself.  They saw doors and windows chiseled into massive stalactites, connected with one another by stone walkways encircling them on multiple levels; bridges, as well as the odd platform clearly meant for one to fly to. There were also gardens. Or, what they believed to be gardens. They didn't look like any pony-made garden they've seen. Which, when they thought about it, kinda made sense.  Large vines of the same ivy-like plant grew to cover the stalactites, illuminating the entire city, and continuing to far beneath the rocky spires; forming large vines of thick, glowing leaf covered flora, with strange large flowers in between; growing so far down that their light was eventually lost in the darkness below.  It was also at this point the fillies realized there was no floor to be seen. Just empty darkness, with no telling just how far down this abyss went. The rumbling of water they've heard moments before was also louder, and they took notice of a large waterfall near; flowing from some unseen tunnel high above, its contents passing through the city as it collided with one of the stalactites, before falling into the darkness below. Yet several streams of water also flowed out of holes hewn out of the hanging spire of rock the water crashed into; flowing down into the city by free hanging canals spanning the length of the gap between stalactites.  Yet there was also a terrible chill and icicles could be seen growing from these canals, as well as the stalactites nearest to the waterfall; a cold vapor surrounding the homes which, in turn, froze to the surface, building up a growing layer of frost. A layer of frost which was also beginning to build on the cobblestone platform the three fillies found themselves standing on. A grand mosaic of stone, arching out to allow those there to view the city in all its splendor as they entered the cave. And further down the path, crossing a large bridge towards the nearest stalactite ran Erlea.  This realization pulled the Crusaders out of their awe induced stupor and they hurried after their shapeshifting acquaintance; only to fall flat on their faces as they slipped on the slippery surface. "Ouch," Scootaloo groaned, pushing herself back up, while her friends did the same.  "Well, that could've gone better," groaned Apple Bloom.  "I’ll say," murmured Sweetie Belle. Shaking their heads to clear their senses, they all agreed they didn't have the time to fumble around. Therefore Sweetie Belle, still in her spirit form, grabbed hold of her friends and flew them over the seemingly bottomless chasm and towards the stalactite they saw Erlea run to. This close to the carved out formation, the fillies could now see the finer details they missed from their precious vantage point. And, despite their need to hurry, Sweetie Belle still slowed down a bit so they could marvel at the strange construction of changeling architecture. The stalactite itself was polished smooth, almost shining in the luminescence of the unknown plant, while the window and door frames were expertly hewn with numerous intricate decorative patterns. The doors, (or what they believed to be the doors, at least) appeared to be made of onyx, yet no discernable way to open the doors could be seen. At least the windows appeared to be what they were. Large, round sheets of glass, also decorated with a similar design around the edge, placed firmly within the stone, almost making it seem it was a natural part of the rock.  But the one thing all three of them noticed almost immediately: there wasn't a changeling to be found. Everywhere they looked, all they could see were empty homes. It was a ghost city.  "Where the hay is everypony?" Apple Bloom asked. "Don't know," Sweetie Belle replied, picking up speed. "But I guess we're going to find ou-... Oh." Shock made her fall silent. "Oh no," Scootaloo gasped out. Apple Bloom couldn't utter a single word. Moving deeper into the city, passing over the chasm once more and towards the next stalactite, the fillies came up on a gruesome sight and Sweetie Belle nearly lost hold of her friends as they saw the bodies. Changelings lay lifelessly on the numerous rings build around the stalactites they approached, most of them grouped together; eyes dull and unblinking, staring into nothingness; their chitin cracked and broken; lying near fires lit with furniture and cloth, tended to by a very small group of changelings. Foals, by the looks of it. Foals who looked up with empty, hopeless eyes. Trying to look away, but unable to do so, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at the horror below them while Sweetie Belle drifted further into the city, more on auto pilot than conscious thought. "What happened here?" Scootaloo spoke with quiet, shivering voice. Feeling almost as if speaking too loud would be a trigger to doom them all. "It must be the illness Erlea told us about," Sweetie Belle murmured. "... I never thought it was this bad." "Neither did Ah," Apple Bloom squeaked, forcing herself to look away; snapping her head to her right. She then gasped out: "There's Erlea!" and her voice seemed to boom around them, reaching far enough to make even Erlea pause, turn to look, then redouble her efforts to reach her destination. "Let's go," Sweetie Belle intoned, eyes narrowing in set determination. "We said we're going to help and, by Celestia, we're going to." "Yeah," Scootaloo declared with the same determination. "I don't know what happened here, but no pony, no changeling, no anyone should have to go through this!" Nodding their agreement, Sweetie Belle flexed her shoulder; then dove down toward where Erlea had run off to. <<>><<>><<>> Erlea shivered. She shivered, but not from the cold.  As horrible as it was; as much as it froze her to her very core, not even the unnatural cold caused by the windigos could compare to the icy claw that had dug into her upon seeing the Hive; the bodies and the continuing silence from her mother. Eyes clenched shut and tears streaming down her face, she sped past the numerous bodies of those succumbed to the illness. Some of them she knew personally.  Further and further she ran. Yet the once crowded streets, places she knew at heart, seemed to stretch out before her; growing longer with each step she took.  Unable to fly due to her own deteriorated condition; having used most of her energy dealing with the ponies, and the cold having a negative effect on her physique as well, any of the natural shortcuts, a mere hop and flap of her wings, were now far out of reach. And so, she was forced to move through the city on hoof.  Eventually though, she reached the central spire. The largest of stalactites. Several bridges connected with the titanic rock, all leading towards a central entrance. An entrance which was normally guarded by several of the best trained changelings. Now, only a lone guard stood before the onyx gate; spear in hoof and leaning heavily on it to help support herself.  "P-rincess," she said with weak, rasping voice, trying to straighten herself, but failing miserably. "Arachnida," Erlea gasped, shocked. "Not you too!?" "I'm aff—" She coughed horribly, green slime covering her lips. "-raid so." She sighed weakly, wavering on the spot. "Go… inside. The queen needs you." "MOM!" Erlea shouted, head snapping towards the door, then she hesitated; looking back at Arachnida with concern. "Go!" Arachnida stated as forcefully as she could. Nodding, albeit with clear reluctance, Erlea turned around and faced the closed gate of onyx. Stepping forwards, her horn glowing with weak magic, the symbols engraved within the frame began to glow a luminescent green.  The onyx began to ripple, almost as if it was a smooth surface of water and someone had thrown a rock within it. And, with a smoothness like water, a hole appeared in its center, receding outwards until a passage large enough for a carriage had opened.  Not wasting any time, Erlea hurried inside. But before she had even taken three steps, the loud crashing of three fillies behind her halted her in her tracks. "Okay," Scootaloo shouted with a groan. "You all saw that too, right?" "Ya mean a stone door melting away like that? Then, yes," Apple Bloom groaned. "Not important right now!" Sweetie Belle piped up, pushing herself up. ""Right,"" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo responded.  Mouth open and face set on anger and irritation, Erlea gritted her teeth and turned around sharply. "I don't have time for this!" she yelled and ran away, leaving the three fillies and Arachnida behind; the latter only able to look up weakly; glaring at the three intruding ponies. Yet the memories Erlea had shown through the hive mind were still clear to her and only two words managed to escape her before unconsciousness claimed her. "Help us." All three fillies rushed to the fallen changeling; looking at each other with wide, fearful eyes. They all knew this was way, way bigger than anything they had ever dealt with. And neither of them knew what to do. <<>><<>><<>> "MOM!" Erlea cried out, the sound her hooves made on the stone floor echoing louder than ever before in the now silent halls.  Knowing the route thanks to the knowledge of the hive mind, imprinted in her memory and taken to heart, she quickly moved through the endless corridors meant to confuse any intruders; Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo close on her tail. Eventually, after several turns and corridors, (most of which seemed completely redundant to the three ponies) the four fillies approached a large double door. This at least seemed familiar to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. The doors to the throne room. Not having any magic to call on to open the doors, Erlea all but tackled the doors with all she had, swinging one of them open and allowing them entry to the throne room. All fillies froze at what they saw, with only a shocked gasp escaping Erlea. Numerous changelings lay lifelessly on the ground, scattered in no discernible pattern around several fires lit using whatever furniture there was available. Only a very few changelings were still conscious and moving; nearly all of them fillies and colts, their faces full of tears and despair.  Only one adult was also still conscious, but only just.  Eyes almost completely closed and short, shallow breath escaping her dry, cracked lips, Queen Chrysalis desperately tried to hold on to the very end. "Mom," Erlea gasped, voice whisper quiet as all conscious and able changelings looked at the door as it slammed open. "Princess!" One of them spoke up, relieved. "What happened?" Erlea demanded to know. "Why are there so few left?" A young colt stepped forwards, no older, if not even a bit younger than the fillies; taking careful steps not to step on anyling lying on the floor. "Princess," he said with a juvenile squeak to his voice, clearly struggling to hold it together. "We were having difficulties, but managed to hold on waiting for you and… well, them," he pointed towards Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. "However, when the cold came, none of us were prepared." He then started to sob, which grew stronger and stronger with each passing moment. "The- the sickest of us, they- they-" "Most of them passed away," an older colt stepped up, laying a comforting hoof around the young colt and pulled him in close. "Including his parents." The young colt whimpered, pushing his face into the other changeling's chest. "The rest of the ill… they took a hard blow when the cold came… We all did," he then turned to look at his queen. "Especially the queen." He sighed, defeated. "We've been burning whatever wood we could find in an attempt to raise the temperature, but with little success. All we managed to accomplish with it was to postpone the inevitable." "NO!" Erlea balked, tears brimming in her eyes. "This can't be how it ends. Not after what I just went through! Not after bringing them in here!" She then sharply turned to the ponies behind her, looks of concern, worry and mournful regret meeting her. "You said you would help us," she said, no longer sounding defiant or stubborn, but at a complete loss. "Then help us." Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo's eyes widened considerably, the full weight of what was asked of them now fully setting in and the three fillies looked at Erlea, then at all the other changelings in the throne room.  "How?" Scootaloo asked, at a complete loss.  "Fenris," Apple Bloom piped up. "He did that thing with his claw to help Sweetie Belle. Maybe he can do the same for them as well." "Claw?" Scootaloo asked, but went unanswered as Sweetie Belle spoke up. "But what about the windigos? Fenris and Wind Chill are up there fighting them. If we bring Fenris here, then what will happen up there?" "Then why don't you take his place?" Scootaloo suggested, miffed she wasn't answered, but knowing it was nowhere near as important as the current situation.  "But I can barely control my powers as is," Sweetie Belle argued. "Yes ya can!" Apple Bloom shot back confidently, grabbing her friend by the shoulders and looking her squarely in the eyes. "Ya can do this. Th frost giants trained ya in understanding your powers; helped train ya ta use them. Tha only reason ya think ya can't do this is because yer scared." "Of course I am!" Sweetie Belle cried back. "How can I not be? Those are windigos up there. WINDIGOS!" "An’ ya are Sweetie Belle, spirit of Ponyville!" Apple Bloom shot back. "So get out there an’ show those windigoes just who it is they are dealing with!" "But what if I fail?" Sweetie Belle asked, frightened. "You won't," Scootaloo told her with a reassuring, but winning smile. "Why not?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Because we believe in you," Scootaloo answered for both her and Apple Bloom; the latter nodding her approval. "That's right," Apple Bloom poked her friend in the chest. "And if ya can't do that for yourself, then believe in us, who believe in ya." Their words finally hitting home, Sweetie Belle's eyes hardened with growing confidence; their green glow intensifying as she pushed away from Apple Bloom and hovered up from the ground.  "Now show those windigos who’s boss!" Scootaloo said challenging and Sweetie Belle nodded once, then shot off.  "As for us," Apple Bloom said after Sweetie Belle had flown back through the double doors, retracing their steps to the castle's gate and from there the surface, turning to face Scootaloo and the few changelings still standing. "We need as much wood, cloth, or anythang else that burns." "But we have already used everything we could find in here?" One of the changelings replied. Biting her lip, Apple Bloom looked around, searching for anything that could be useful.  "What about those plants we saw outside?" Scootaloo asked. "You mean the murgröna?" Erlea gasped, "Those are sacred!" "But will they burn?" Scootaloo asked firmly. "Ah don't know," Apple Bloom said, unsure. "Freshly picked plants never burn all that well. Too much wetness still inside and so." "But will they burn?" Scootaloo asked again, more forcefully now.  "NO!" Erlea shot back. "Those vines are sacred to us. You can't just-" "Sacred enough to die for?" Scootaloo asked grimly.  "I… but… you… But we can't," Erlea said weakly.  "They you don't. But we will," Scootaloo told her. "So, I'll ask again. Will they burn?" "Maybe?" Apple Bloom answered, thinking "Only if we use tha leaves, though. Those vines contain too much water… Ah think. Ah've never seen this plant before, though. So Ah can't be sure. It’ll probably smoke like crazy, so we need to make sure there’s enough ventilation," she surmised, blinked, then looked at the fires already burning, and the lack of any smoke hanging in the air. "Well, Ah guess that's covered already." "So, we'll go and get a bunch of those leaves to burn and, hopefully, warm up this place a bit." Scootaloo said, almost commandingly, looking at the changelings who, in turn, looked at her with various levels of disdain.  "Oh, come on. Sacred, or not, this could help save the lives of some of you!" "But-" Erlea stepped up, conflicted when all of them fell silent; a weak, raspy voice, barely audible, speaking up. "Do it,"  "Mom?" Erlea cried out, all eyes turning to the queen slumped on her throne; her eyes barely open, yet looking at the group of ponies and changelings. "Do it," she repeated, then fell silent, unconscious.  "Mom?" Erlea called out, taking a hesitant step towards her mother, stopped, closed her eyes tightly as she struggled with the conflict within, then made a decision. "Everyling, gather as much leaves as you can carry." "Princess?" The young colt squeaked. Gritting her teeth, Erlea didn't turn to look at any of them. "Do. It!" "Princess…?" came the hesitant response. Not having any of it, Erlea lashed out through the hive mind… or what remained of it, and the still able changelings scattered into motion; carrying out their task with great reluctance. "Please… don't let all of this be in vain?" Erlea whispered, tears leaking down her face. <<>><<>><<>> Sweetie Belle flew with as much speed as she could muster, trying to remember exactly which way they had come. Yet, try as she might, it didn't stop her from flying through several wrong hallways.  Muttering her irritation, eventually, more by luck than anything else, she found her way back to the front gate; emerging from a side hallway they hadn't taken when they ran for the throne room.  Annoyed by the confusing layout of the place, she quickly moved for the gate, noticing it was closed once more.  Approaching, she looked at the engraved symbols at the side of the onyx gate, expecting them to glow like they had done when Erlea approached. However, nothing happened and the gate remained as stoic and unyielding as one would expect from stone.  "Come. On!" Sweetie Belle grunted as she pushed into the gate with little success. "I don't have time for this!" Flying back a bit, the glow in her eyes intensified while her front hooves began to glow as well.  Muttering a quiet apology, she shot twin beams of energy into the gate. The spectral power slammed dead center into the blocked passage, washing out to the sides where it reacted to the engraved glyphs; lighting them up for a split second. Then the onyx yielded, unable to withstand the barrage of something so otherworldly. With a loud explosion, the gate shattered and Sweetie Belle didn't waste any time watching the results as she shot through the hole she'd created.  Now out in the city, she quickly flew back to the tunnel they'd entered the city prior, and followed the many twists and turns back to the surface; the already frigid air which had crept into the city below only growing colder and colder as she progressed. At one point, nearing the surface, she faltered as an arctic blast of wind slammed into her, chilling her to the bone. Not allowing that to stop her, she pressed on; soon hearing the battle roars of Fenris and Wind Chill as they withstood the terrifying blizzard created by the windigos. Wind Chill, the one most accustomed to such climate conditions, stood strong in the building layer of snow and ice which covered him and Fenris. Fenris, however, struggled to remain moving; the cold, snow and ice severely hindering his abilities to the point he could barely even protect himself.  "WIND CHILL! FENRIS!" Sweetie Belle cried out, shouting to be heard over the whipping wind that came to assault her the moment she exited the relative safety of the tunnel she was in.  "YOUNG SPIRIT!" Wind Chill roared. "IT IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR YOU TO BE OUT HERE! GO BACK INSIDE WHERE IT IS SAFE!" "I CAN'T!' She yelled back. "WE NEED FENRIS' HELP. THE CHANGELINGS ARE IN REAL TROUBLE!" Fenris turned his head to look at the flying filly; ice breaking off his fur at the motion.  "THEN GO, BOTH OF YOU!" Wind Chill bellowed. "BUT STAY OUT OF THIS!" Fenris, first glancing at the frost giant, then at Sweetie Belle, struggled to move out of the snow and ice which had build up and around him. Seeing this, Sweetie Belle quickly flew to the black wolf; the howling wind and the assaulting snow hindering her greatly.  Still, through sheer stubbornness and the burning resolve to help the changelings, as well as Wind Chill and Fenris, she closed the distance between herself and the wolf; grabbing hold of one of his thickly muscled arms and pulled with all her might to aid him to break free. Looking up at the filly who had collapsed before him not too long ago from the build up of fear she'd consumed, and seeing her struggle to help those she barely knew despite the fear she felt, Fenris felt a flicker of something he couldn't identify deep within. Eyes hardening, he pushed with all his might, breaking free with a sudden snap as the snow and ice suddenly gave way, the two tumbled towards the tunnel entrance.  Panting heavily, Fenris pushed himself up to all fours, shaking the frozen hindrance out of his fur. Looking down at the filly as she herself shook her head, then pushed herself up as well, he found a strange sense of appreciation for the child. For the first time in a very long time, someone showed him a spark of kindness not just to others, but to him as well. Him, who didn't deserve such a thing, least of all from one still young and innocent after the sin he committed. The sin which split his soul in half. "Let's hurry," he told her with rumbling voice. "No," Sweetie Belle groaned, voice uncharacteristically hard. Fenris looked down at her in confusion. "You go. Follow my scent, or something," she told him, turning back around to face the blizzard and Wind Chill, who stood defiantly amidst it. "I can't let him fight the windigos alone. You go help my friends. I'll do the same up here." And before Fenris could even utter a single word to persuade the foolish pony in reconsidering, she'd flown off with a battlecry and glowing hooves. 'Brothers. How can a child posses such a strength? A strength I lacked when I needed it most.' Looking after the strong willed child, Fenris felt the same strange flicker he felt a moment ago.  "Very well, child. May your fight be honorable and just," he rumbled, then ran down the tunnel, barely fitting, following after the scent trail left behind by the fillies. <<>><<>><<>> "WHAT IN THE ANCESTORS' NAME ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE!?" Wind Chill roared in disbelief and anger as Sweetie Belle flew out of the cave, firing a concentrated beam of ectoplasm into one of the windigos as it flew down towards them. "HELPING YOU!" She yelled back, eyes burning with the stubborn determination that told Wind Chill she wouldn't change her mind no matter what he would say, or do. Struggling with himself to try to make her retreat anyhow, even force her if need be, he missed the approaching onset of three windigoes in his momentary lapse of focus. "LOOK OUT!" Sweetie Belle cried out in alarm, firing a energetic beam with her horn in reflex, knocking two of the windigos out of the sky. Looking behind him and seeing what she'd done; that she'd protected him, Wind Chill's internal conflict came to a stalemate. Not accepting the situation, but unable to deny it either. "VERY WELL, YOUNG ONE. BUT STAY BEHIND ME!" he bellowed, then in a much softer, barely audible voice over the wind he added: "Thank you." Now working together, the two coordinated their attacks as best they could. Screaming and yelling at their foes as they did, unleashing attack after attack; lighting up the air around them with bolts and beams of glowing green from Sweetie Belle, and icy blue from Wind Chill. Yet the two of them could only do so much against such an overwhelming force, and soon the two of them found themselves back to back as more and more ferocious attacks slammed into them. Sweetie Belle screamed as yet another blow of snow and ice slammed into her. Even her newly discovered ability to create a shield proved of little effect, mostly due to her own inexperience with the ability, as she struggled to maintain it in any effective shape, or form.  Wind Chill, on the other hand, struggled to shield both himself and the filly at his back. True, his much larger size made him an excellent shield, but he could only take so much before succumbing to the unrelenting attacks. He knew the Saldēti Zirgi would, when pushed, be an extremely dangerous opponent. Even more so when they were together in such a large herd. It is one of the main reasons he and his brethren left them alone. Saldēti Zirgi always travel in large groups. But still, it was no easy task to trigger such a massive response from them as they were showing now. And he knew that, whatever it was that triggered them, it was truly troubling news.  However, right now was neither the time, nor place to try and figure out the who, or why, as even his own strength started to falter.  "YOUNG SPIRIT," he roared. "GO BACK INSIDE, I'LL HOLD THEM OFF FOR YOU TO RETREAT!" "I CAN'T!" Sweetie Belle shouted back, nearly hysterical.  "DON'T ARGUE WITH ME. DO IT!" Wind Chill roared back. "NO, I REALLY CAN'T!" She yelled back. "THE TUNNEL HAS FROZEN SHUT!" Looking behind him, Wind Chill could see she was telling the truth. A massive layer of both snow and ice had completely sealed the entrance. In any other circumstances, this would hardly be a problem to him, as he could easily use his ice shaping powers to clear the way. But right now, being surrounded and attacked from all sides, he couldn't allow his guard to drop in order to do so. "CAN YOU MELT THROUGH THE ICE?" He bellowed, launching another bolt of energy into the sky. "I CAN TRY!" Sweetie Belle replied desperately. "THEN TRY!" Nodding, Sweetie Belle aimed both her hooves at the frozen entrance and unleashed whatever energy she still had left. However, her fight with the windigos, as well as the biting cold left her completely drained and, with a weak flash of light, she reverted back to her mortal self.   Screaming, she fell down, only to sink deeply into the snow below. "Ancestors," Wind Chill swore, stepping over the hole the filly had fallen into, shielding her to the best of his abilities. 'Ancestors, if you can hear me, protect the child under my care. Protect her where I failed and will fall-' "ENOUGH!"  An eerily familiar voice cut through the howling wind and a bright, blue glowing star shone through the blizzard; illuminating Wind Chill, who looked up at the sign from above with a sense of reverence and awe. "Ancestors," he murmured. The star grew brighter, then fell down. Falling faster and faster, then collided into the ground  with tremendous force; a blast of icy blue energy washing over everything and everyone. Silence. Silence. Everything was silent. The wind had died down. The blizzard had stopped, and the last of the snow slowly, lazily drifted down to the ground while the windigos slowly hovered in place; dull, unintelligent eyes looking at the burning star on the ground as Wind Chill did the same. "Ow, what happened?" Sweetie Belle asked, sluggishly climbing out of the hole she'd dug for herself.  No answer came and she looked around to see what had happened. Her eyes then, too, locked onto the glowing entity on the ground. "By the ancestors," Wind Chill spoke, shocked, awed. "It's the Great-" "Danny?!" Sweetie Belle piped up, looking at the glowing figure as he hovered above the crater below him; the icy glow around him slowly subsiding. "Now, what the Hell is going on here?!" Said Danny, his blue glowing eyes locked on all the ghosts around him.