//------------------------------// // Chapter III: Never Should Have Come // Story: We're Storytellers of Sorts // by Madame Hellspawn //------------------------------// Our bedroom was very much like the dining room where we had met Lord Asteria; empty save for hooks on the walls where we hung our bags, sliding doors for a small space I presumed was a closet and four sets of thin mattresses and equally thin sheets. A broad table was set in the center with several empty cups and bowls on top and surrounded by four dark green mats.   Another set of open doors led to an outer balcony area overlooking the modest fishing village, though the trees mostly obscured the view. A thick black wooden railing was supported by crimson posts, intricate abstract designs filling the gaps between them. A cool breeze rolled inside and I instantly thought back to my quarters in Canterlot. The wind felt the same and for a moment, the way it enveloped me gave me a sense of security. “Don’t get too cozy,” Sapphire warned. “We’ll take our leave at first light.” Sapphire turned towards Sparkler and Lyra, both glancing around the emptiness of the room. Perhaps they had imagined something a little more familiar. In a way, I had. “Shall I get you anything? Water perhaps?” Sapphire tilted her head. “I could have one of the servants bring you tea, if you wish?” Sparkler shook her head simply. “I’ll take some tea,” Lyra answered. “I’m parched.” “Do you have a preference?” “Surprise me.” Lyra turned away and started for the beds, but spun around rapidly. “Actually! Do you mind bringing enough for all of us? I don’t want to be the only one enjoying a good drink.” “As you wish. I’ll send a servant here immediately. I’ll come back before bansan. Supper.” Sapphire had then left us alone. The beds were laid out in a row evenly spaced beside each other neatly made pressed against the wall farthest from the door just beside the entrance to the balcony. Sparkler had claimed the bed closest to the closet against the corner, stepping out of her hoof guards and beginning to unbuckle her breastplate. The inner leather padding was damp with sweat. I noticed that despite stripping herself of armor, Sparkler had kept the leather buckle holding her blade. Lyra had done the same, placing her belongings on the bedding beside Sparkler’s. Her bags hit the floor with a blunt thud, followed by the ringing metal of her armor dropping haphazardly on the bed. Sparkler shot her a glare and Lyra began to organize her articles of armor with a shy smirk. Twilight looked at me quizzically. “Well, they claimed their beds. You have a preference?” “It doesn’t matter,” I replied. I hung my packs on one of the six hooks attached to the wooden supports. I looked at the other three before quickly opening my front left pouch. The hat and wand still sat snugly beside each other. I let out a sigh and turned towards my companions once again. Lyra sloppily set her armor pieces in the spaces between the beds. She had lay down on top of her blankets, spreading herself out and staring at the ceiling. Twilight claimed the bed beside the balcony leaving me in the middle. She sat on her haunches, journal levitated in front of her and quill already dipped in ink and writing. I walked towards my soft pad on the ground. It did not look all that comfortable. In fact, it was the lack of a thick and plush pillow that bugged me. I longed for my old bed, with the rough wool blanket and soft silky sheets and thick, cushy headrest. Regardless of what I wanted, I lay down and let myself sink into the mattress as much as I could. “Wow,” I pick my head up. “This is...Well, it’s going to take some getting used to.” “Nah, you’re just spoiled.” Lyra threw a hoof behind her head, propping it against the wall, which stretched slightly under her weight. “The beds down in that little village are probably worse than these things.” “Can you get any worse than this?” “You could be sleeping on the rug.” I considered that possibility. I imagined laying on the strange flat surface of the rugs on top of the wooden floors. “I suppose you’re right.” A knock came on the door frame. Twilight opened the door and welcomed a frail griffon girl bearing a tray with a steaming silver kettle. Her eyes bounced wildly from pony to pony, but was mostly trained on her little legs scurrying towards the table. She set the tray down, stood up and bowed, but remained still, eyes focused on Lyra and Sparkler and their armor on the floor. Before I could say anything to her, she bowed again and scampered out of the room. “What was that about?” Sparkler watched the girl’s shadow scuttle down the hall. “Who cares?” Lyra stood and walked towards the kettle, taking a seat beside the table. “Tea’s here. And damn good smelling tea too!” She was right. The herbal scent permeated the room mixing with the serene fresh air devoid of industrial pollution.  My curiosity brought me forward and soon enough there were four ponies gathered around, all of us interested in having our first taste of foreign tea. Lyra started pouring us cups, all of us watching with childlike persistence as if the tea were going to start levitating or do some other magical act had we looked away. “Welp,” Lyra sounded. “If it’s poisoned, at least it smells pretty decent.” We took our first sips. Sweet and malty. Not my favorite type of tea. Nobody said anything about the taste. We just put our cups down and sat silently looking among each other in silence. “So,” Twilight spoke. “Being that we’ve got time to ourselves for a little bit, how do you suppose we do our jobs?” “What do you mean?” I asked. “For The Encyclopedia,” Twilight answered. In all the introductions and new sights, the fact that we were here on behalf of Equestria to acquire knowledge of the known world had slipped my mind. “I mean, look at this place! The people, the art on the walls in the halls, the architecture. We have to document and catalog all kinds of information and in doing that, I swear, we’d only just be scratching the surface of what Cystera has to offer.” There were reasons why I liked Twilight. She was knowledgable where it counted and had a good sense of what was right and wrong. She stood up for what she believed in and best of all, treated me like family. Her pointing out how much work we had cut out for us was one of her less desirable qualities. Considering how long I have known her, I should have seen that coming sooner or later, especially since we were in this strangers-in-a-foreign-land-trying-to-gather-information-if-the-known-world-were-to-fall predicament. “Well,” I started. “I assume we’ll have access to a library of some kind when we arrive...wherever we’re headed tomorrow. There’s one resource.” “You guys also have Sapphire,” Lyra put in, finishing her tea and pouring herself another cup. “She might be useful. The lord and his son too.” “You guys also have the natives,” Sparkler replied. “Assuming they understand what you’re asking. How do you plan on getting past the language barrier?” “Redquill can help us?” Twilight offered. “If he accepts in helping us.”   We had discussed possible strategies of attack, so to speak. A lot of our work will be accomplished in the library or anything similar to one. Copious notes and journals full of drafts were all I could imagine in that time frame. In a perfect world, we would have Redquill’s help as a translator, or someone who was well versed in Equestrian should we have any questions for the townsfolk in the surrounding area, assuming there were any to speak to. It was after we had confidently agreed on our plan that we ran into another roadblock. Reading. How in Equestria were we supposed to read Cysteran books or scrolls? I found myself groaning and resting my head on my hoof. Sparkler and Lyra had exhausted all of their ideas and left Twilight and I to figure out our own problems. We avoided trying to say it, but the truth was undeniable; we would have to learn the language and its alphabet.   “Ugh!” I groaned louder this time and pressed both of my hooves against my cheeks before rubbing my eyes. “I was hoping we would have it a little easy for once.” “I’m all for learning,” Twilight said. “Besides, our jobs kinda promote it, you know?” “Yes, I know,” I replied. I just don’t want to be here for too long. We sat for a few hours, relaxing and getting used to the lack of activities. Sparkler had finally removed her leather straps, allowing her sheathed blade to hang from the wall. She and Lyra had taken to polishing their armor and speaking among themselves. Allow me to rephrase that; Lyra had spoken and Sparkler just nodded her head, rolled her eyes, or grunted in acknowledgment. Twilight went back to her journal and I watched as she wrote. I started writing my entry of Cystera again, though despite the lack of any real information besides what Sapphire had told us earlier as we were guided to our room, there was nothing I could have done to expand what I had written. I frowned when I stared at the mostly blank parchment. “Ready for dinner?” Sapphire poked her head in as I began to stuff the papers into my packs. I nodded simply, but the mere mention of the word dinner forced an eager grumble from my stomach. I allowed Twilight to leave before cutting in front of Lyra and matching my eager friend’s pace. The strange thing about Cysteran architecture were the halls. For me, it was hard to differentiate what was an actual hallway and what were just rooms with their weird wall/doors opened. It was like trying to navigate through a labyrinth of shifting doors and expanding hallways. It became easier as the rooms became progressively bigger and more useful. Rooms started to hold what looked like shrines though not to a god of any kind, but to weapons and armor. There were times when we navigated through the fortress that we wandered into the ‘wrong room’, often consisting of griffon servants cleaning or Hippogriff guards resting. It made me feel better that as we cantered through the fortress that Sapphire had not quite known her way around. Hippogriffs wandered, seemingly aimlessly, their robes held close and bowing at the sight of Twilight, Lyra, Sparkler and I. Guards rushed down the narrow corridors while we tucked ourselves into occupied rooms to avoid them. A hippogriff guard and griffon servant were in the middle of lurid activities in a dimly lit room while we tried to avoid the oncoming rush of a mix of soldiers and griffons all carrying laundry and dishes. The burly hippogriff stood on all fours, barking at us while his ladylove covered herself with her silky silver dress. I felt my ears drop and I turned away, hoping the hall would clear up soon. Twilight and Sparkler looked at me with pursed lips, trying to ignore the yells from the exposed guard. It took me a moment to realize, but it was Lyra he had been yelling at, who was staring intently at one of the two with a sheepish grin. I smacked her on the back of the head, garnering a glare from the mint-blue mare. Sapphire muttered something under her breath, looking up at the ceiling and shuffling in place. “Oh please hurry,” She whispered. “Oh, I should have left earlier. I wish I knew Attis couldn’t keep a grip on his own damned men.” The screeching guard continued his raves and Sapphire’s ears started to twitch. She turned rapidly and roared at the poor hippogriff, who was slowly backing himself against the wall. I understood none of what was being said—like usual—but I was moreso surprised with how fluent Sapphire managed to be and how diverse her vocal range was. She started yelling at the griffon girl laying wide eyed and starting to get her dress back on. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” Sapphire said, casually walking past us, each with our mouths agape, save for Lyra. “Let’s try to find that dining room shall we?” “I wish Bon-Bon had a voice like that,” Lyra murmured. My ears twitched, but I decided against any questions. Lyra just has a colorful mind I suppose.  We managed to find a set of stairs and Sapphire let out a sigh of relief. Internally, I groaned, hoping we would only be going down a few floors. Four floors down was the ‘guest dining area’ as Sapphire called it. Out of the stairwell was another set of doors amidst an endless hallway to our sides. The doors opened and we were greeted by several female hippogriffs, white smooth fur-like feathers and shining black beaks. They bowed their heads and spoke among themselves while staring at us and covering their mouths with the draping sleeves of their attire. The room was a far cry from the others we had seen in the palace. It was an open space for the most part, but there was a small black framed glass cube with two openings in the center and inside that was a long set table with actual seats. The exterior walls were home to paintings of war and triumphant battles. Domination of a clan holding a crimson banner and the burning of villages acted as valiant acts among the other images of a hippogriff leading his men and defending women and children from a black mist of invaders. On the other side of the room, was a hippogriff bending the knee to a leader on a hill who had a striking resemblance to Lord Asteria, who was smiling at the same picture. Looking around at the walls gave me a horrible aura of homesickness. It was like a foreign and more primitive version of Canterlot’s grand halls, with the stained glass historical portrayals. Even the straw rugs managed to feel just as smooth as the crimson, velvet carpets laid out in the halls of my home. There were small wooden stands holding instruments of some kind. Wooden flutes without a colored finish, boxy guitars with absurdly small bodies, long necks and four strings, something resembling a lap-guitar. It took me a moment to put 2 and 2 together, realizing that the women with their draping garments were probably here to play the instruments. Soma turned to us, tapping his father’s shoulder and mouthing something to him. They approached and Sapphire greeted him with a smile. When he turned to me, I lowered my head and spoke; “Your gr—erm...My Lord.” Twilight, Sparkler and Lyra all did the same, though they had not stuttered their words. Lord Asteria gave a humbling smile. He gestured for us to follow him towards the black glass cube structure in the center of the room.   Lord Asteria entered first, followed by his son and lastly Sapphire. I looked at the two armor clad hippogriffs stationed beside the entrance to the dining room. I would have mistaken them for mannequins had their chests not risen in unison, barely moving their plated black armor. At their sides were ornate black-handled spears, golden trimmings separating the leather grips from the timber. A common theme with the guards, either Asteria or Attis, was the lack of a helmet. Twilight entered first, eager to eat her first Cysteran meal. I followed behind her, sharing the excitement, Lyra’s hooves clopping gently behind me.         “Sparkler,” Twilight looked back at the mare. She cautiously entered behind us, mindful of the guards. “Sparkler, look. Everything will be fine, you’ll see.” “Yeah,” Sparkler continued forward, weary of her surroundings. Images of Sparkler tossing the table and blatantly attacking Lord Asteria and wrestling with his son in a fit of paranoid rage dominated my mind. I pictured her fiercely using her magic and maybe even killing someone as the guards stormed in and dealt with the issue. Sapphire placing a hoof on my back and guiding me to my seat as though I were a foal snapped me out of my twisted thoughts. She placed me between Lyra and Twilight, across from Soma and his lord father. I relaxed myself and let my body sink into the slightly elevated chair, my muscles feeling relieved after a long day. A sharp pain shot up my back and I let out a yelp. “Ah, ah!” Sapphire took a seat at the end of the table. She shook her head. “Sorry to sound like an uptight mother, but when in the presence of a lord, one must retain a posture of ...Well, here—” Her blue magic enveloped my body, straightening my back to almost bone-breaking levels. “—And here.” My head moved on its own, tilting up slightly.   I raised my eyebrow and looked at Sapphire, who was grinning at her handiwork. I tried to maintain the new posture and looked forward at Soma, who tried to stifle a giggle. “Relax,” Lord Asteria said, shifting his gaze towards Sapphire. “You are gesuto, yes, but you need not completely adopt our bunka. Our...ehh...” “Culture,” Soma translated. The ladies outside of the glass room picked up their instruments and began to play. The music was soothing and slowly, I allowed myself to relax, keeping an eye on Sapphire to make sure she did not try to zap me again. She gave a coy smile and averted her attention to the sliding doors we had entered from. Four griffons entered hurriedly, platters in their claws and exotic foods on each. The handed out each dish, placing them on the table softly and followed by a clear glass of water and a steaming black cup of what I assumed to be tea to go along with it. Lyra, Sparkler and Twilight had been given the same dish as I. Thin, spindly, clear noodles with no toppings besides some sort of herb on top and chopped carrots and sliced cabbage. We had each been given small jugs of a black liquid. Either out of fear or respect, I dared not ask what it was. Instead I just smiled and gave the griffons a low ‘thank you’ as they worked around the table giving everyone their meals, beverages and utensils. Lord Asteria and Soma were given steaming hot dishes of similarly thin noodles mixed with varying vegetables. There was also a large chunk of breaded meat. Each, despite their high status, humble thanked the griffons as they began to take their leave. “Itadakimasu,” The lords and sorceror spoke before beginning to ready themselves to eat. I looked at Twilight, biting my lip, unsure of what to say. “We know meat isn’t exactly smiled upon in Equestria,” Sapphire explained, using her magic to straighten out her rolled up napkin, which held two thin, straight, sticks. “So, we had it excluded from your meal.” I watched in horror as she tossed a slice of pork into her mouth and started chewing. I must not have been the only one gawking at her. She rose her head and shifted her eyes from mine, to Twilight’s, to Lyra’s, to Sparkler’s and back to mine. She finished chewing and my stomach churned when she swallowed. “Is something the matter?” She asked innocently. “Isn’t that just a little…” Twilight paused. “A little—” “Not gonna lie,” Lyra interjected. “That was a bit gross.” I shot a glare at Lyra, as did Twilight, but the flippant unicorn proceeded to drizzle the black sauce on her pasta without looking up and any hint of shame. Sapphire continued eating, ignoring the remark entirely. I had to admit, the food was actually pretty good. I poured a meager amount of sauce onto my dish and when using the crude wooden fork provided for me, the combination of plain wheat, mixed vegetables, and the mouth-water dressing filled me with delight. How could a simple dish be so exquisite? “Is good, yes?” Lord Asteria asked. He shoved nearly the whole chunk of meat down his throat. I felt my eyebrows raise and eyes widen at the sight. I wondered if he actually chewed before he swallowed. “Haha! It is!” “Y-yes!” I responded. “Very pleasant!” The female hippogriffs continued playing their soothing song as we ate. My ears twitched when I realized they had been playing the same melodies over and over. I did not care though; the music made my muscles relax and slowed my eating pace. “You four are ready for the journey to Borea tomorrow?” Soma had asked after a period of silence. “How will we be travelling?” Twilight asked. “We’ve arranged for drivers to fly us home,” Soma put down his two sticks. “I expect the journey would last us a day at least, if the weather is on our side.” I let out a sigh of relief. There was talk of what to expect, though Soma had done his best to make Borea sound similar to Vlines, although the location would be different. His face beamed at the mention of the rest of his family, who he obviously was eager for us to meet. I felt my heart warm at his childlike enthusiasm.   However, the expression slowly faded and he muttered something in his native tongue, garnering Sapphire’s attention. The unicorn shuddered, but remained silent. I exchanged glances between the two, but neither one had read my thoughts. Maybe out of cowardice, I did not dig into affairs that may have had nothing to do with me. The rest of our supper was met with very few words. Twilight had asked about Lord Attis’ whereabouts. Soma explained that the lord had taken to eating with his family in the guest dining room for tonight because of Lord Asteria’s presence. Sparkler asked about Borea, the Asteria capital, but Sapphire withheld information, saying nothing more than its location was below the summit of one of Cystera’s great mountains. Besides the questions we had, Lord Asteria had said nothing. Perhaps he had forgotten the things he wished to ask of us or he was waiting for another time to do so. When dinner was finished, we had all said our goodbyes and Sapphire urged us to thank each of the musicians individually before she guided us back to our temporary rooms. I embraced the idea of sleep after such a meal. Darkness. It surrounded them as they slept and it surrounded me as I stared into the ceiling. It was everywhere and I suddenly realized how uncomfortable I felt. It was not the thin mattress I lay on, nor was it the chill of midnight that the thin blanket could not shelter me from. The darkness had taken hold and despite other ponies being in the same room, I felt there was something else watching me. Everywhere I looked, there was nothing and yet, there was something in here. I could feel it. I turned my head towards Twilight, watching her body rise and fall, rise and fall. She softly snored in her sleep and lay on her back, completely still. My head thudded lightly against the pillow and I let out a sigh. It must have been the foreign air or the lack of windows which added to my uneasy feelings. Maybe it was because I had so selfishly left mother’s belongings in my bags. It could be that she was watching me and shaking her head at my actions. Turning to my right, I saw Lyra lying on her back, helmet clutched against her chest. The bed beside her was empty, Sparkler nowhere in sight. I sat up, looking around for any indication of the mare, hoping she had not decided to sneak around.  As I stood, I felt the invisible eyes of the darkness avert their gaze, suddenly feeling comfortable at the small crack of light coming from the balcony door. I opened it and immediately was met with a startled mare leaning on the railing. “I’m sorry,” Sparkler apologized, taking her weight off of the railing and standing on all fours. She set her sights back onto the fishing village lit by fading lanterns and torches. “I hope I didn’t wake you.” “No, no,” I waved a forehoof. “It’s okay.” “I’m not entirely sure what to make of this place.” I looked at Sparkler. She was staring out past the leaves and watching the water carry small vessels and guards marching down the maze of buildings, their lanterns bobbing with each step. “I want to feel safe here, but something is off.” “What do you mean?” Sparkler pinched the inside of her mouth. “I don’t know. It might just be me, but I don’t trust these guys. Hippogriffs. Whatever they call themselves.” “They seem accommodating so far,” I tried to reassure. A hippogriff glided from the top of the fortress, making his way down towards the town while another flew upwards onto the top perch. A part of me suspected that through the paper-thin walls the natives of the land were listening in and understood. “You also seemed to enjoy yourself during dinner. As—dare I say—antiquated as their culture is, they have done nothing but treat us like family.” “I know, but…” Sparkler pursed her lips. She turned to her gaze to me, our eyes meeting. “I don’t know Trixie. Call me paranoid, but this stuff has to come at a cost, you know? I understand why we’re here and what we’re supposed to do, but...what if they decide that we can’t leave?” “It won’t come to that.” “How do you know?” I paused. Sparkler grunted. “You don’t believe that do you?” “I’ve been bouncing back and forth, I admit.” I open the door with my magic slowly as to not disturb the two sleeping ponies inside. I grabbed my tea and closed the door as I took a sip from the cup. Sapphire had been right. The tea tasted better warm. When cool, the drink was stale, almost unbearably so. I continued to drink however, like a sign of respect to some unknown host. “I think it’s the griffons,” Sparkler said out of the blue. I raised an eyebrow. “On the docks, sure most of the workers were hippogriffs, but the griffons were doing all the heavy lifting. Around here, the servants are mostly griffons. See the pattern?” I paused again. “I do. But—” “But what?” Sparkler raised her voice. She recoiled at how loud she had gotten. Several hippogriffs came soaring into the air and landed on the floors above us. They growled and muttered amongst each other, although I understood none of what was said. I could not help but get the feeling that it was us they were talking about. The way they giggled and laughed and mimicked high pitched voice added on to my suspicions. I had not quite seen things the way Sparkler had, but her suspicions of the hippogriffs so far had been justified to some degree. We were strangers in this land and knew only a handful of things about the people here and their culture. Equestria in it’s infancy had treated earth-ponies as second-class citizens and while it took some time to get rid of that distaste, we had still managed to do it without The Divine Sisters’ help. I figured that would be the case here in Cystera, although we may not live to see that happen between the hippogriffs and griffons. “We’re only in one part of Cystera though,” I said, hoping that would bring some kind of comfort to the distrustful mare. “Hopefully it’s not common around the country.” I saw the look in her eyes; the concern, the worry, the fading hope. I understood. Read it perfectly. “I want to believe that.” “Me too.” I silently admitted. A smirk came across Sparkler’s face, the most positive emotion I’ve ever seen from her. “That doesn’t really help, you know.” “Pardon?” “Typically, you want to make it seem like you believe your own lies.” Sparkler cast a pointed look. “I appreciate the talk though. We should probably get some sleep.” She opened the door and slowly stepped inside. “You comin’?” “Yeah.” I took a final look at the fishing village below. “There’s someone in the woods.” My ears twitched and I rose slowly from my bedroll, my horn brushing against the damp fabric of the tent. Lyra had done the same and eventually Twilight willed herself awake, though she groggily looked about our modest tent. Through the thin entrance, a magenta light bounced around and a bulky figure pacing around. The ride from Vlines was rather uneventful, with a lot of napping and Lyra trying to spark up conversation. The weather had done everything to work against us during our trip to Borea as well, unleashing a storm before we could enter the mountain regions. The four carriages (thankfully) were big enough to hold emergency camping gear, although it was obvious it had not been used for some time. Dust filled my nose and I spent most of the early moments of the night sneezing more than anything else. We landed in a clearing beside a wide dirt path deep in the forests, the peak of the craggy mountains rising on either side of us. The carriages were arranged in a circular formation, covering almost all sides. The leaking sky all around made a campfire impossible, even when flared by Twilight’s magic. The hippogriffs’ lanterns flickered and bobbed, but they remained lit despite their erratic movements. Surrounding trees did little to shelter us from the rain, confining us all to our shoddy tents. Lord Asteria had assured us that if the storm lightened up, we could proceed on foot up the mountain. I would have much rather preferred the limited warmth of the tents instead of sitting in a tight-spaced carriage with my companions.   “Was that Sparkler?” Twilight struggled. She sat up, wiping her eyes with a forehoof. Lyra started strapping on her armor and unsheathed her blade. “Yeah. You two stay here for now. Until we say otherwise, don’t leave the tent.” “What’s going on?” I asked, beginning to stand, my head low as to not poke a hole in the roof. Lyra did not answer me. Instead, she went outside and joined Sparkler. Her armor lightly rang with each pelt of rain. Twilight looked at me worriedly when the other hippogriffs of the camp were alerted by the rustling of bushes. There was more yelling and threatening screeching, similar to dogs warding off intruders. My heart started racing. “What’s going on out there?” Twilight asked in a hushed whisper. “Come out!” Sparkler shouted, seeming to forget the natives would not be able to understand her. “We know you’re out there!” The bushes rustled some more as a response. The hippogriff guards began to unsheathe their blades as they began to yell words of their own. My heart thudded in my ears as the silence answered with hushed whispers. I felt myself edging closer to Twilight until our flanks came together, pathetically anticipating the worst. With each warning given, my heart and stomach sank lower. A cacophony of screams, yelps and screeches erupted outside. The ground trembled and Sparkler’s arcane light vanished. No—There it was again! Just a few steps away from her original position and again it vanished. Her horn glowed once again, dimly this time, farther away and closer to the ground. I felt the air grow thick. Armor crashed together and blades scraped against one another. Lyra’s uncharacteristically roar rang in my ears along with the roars of several others. Vibrant gold streaks of light ran past the front of the tent and dispersed mere meters away. The clash of blades rang directly in front of us and a thicker, darker liquid sprayed on the tent’s walls. I choked up and fought back tears. “We have to help them!” Twilight thrashed, getting out of her sheets. I reached a hoof and frantically grabbed the bookworm’s tail, causing a high pitched “Ah!” from her. I struggled to gain my footing as I strained to pull the deceivingly heavy mare. “No!” I whinnied. “Lyra told us to wait in here!” “Can’t you hear what’s going on out there?” I hated that look of pained anxiety. The way her eyes flicked from every possible spot on my tense face. The death. “I do—” The agonizing howls of hippogriffs and our possible companions. “—But w-we can’t do anything!” The ground I stood on was uneasy and my breathing wavered. I released my grip of Twilight’s tail, expecting her to go off running, but she turned and bit her lip. She opened her mouth to speak again, but my view of her was obscured. I froze in place, feeling as though everything in my body ceased to function. A searing hot pain rushed from my muzzle, a warmness began trickling down and into the side of my mouth. The salty coppery taste drizzled its way into my mouth and dripped from my chin. “Trixie!” Lyra’s voice cried out. The moment the spear removed itself from the tent and my face, I bolted out of the tent. Twilight had not been in front of me. It was pure chaos outside. Lord Asteria’s guards swung their blades, carving through the cloth of the attackers, crimson leaking in all directions. The dim lights of lanterns flickered in an attempt to  censor most of the violence, but the dead had littered the forest grounds, gashes nearly splitting limbs in half and entrails strewn about. Air escaped me when I took note of one of the bodies. I shuddered and shivered. Redquill, I solemnly recognized. A slice to the throat had ripped the soul from his body. I gasped for air. Everywhere I looked, there was fighting. The light glimmer of razor-edge blades and shots of magic erupting against attacking hippogriffs clad in robes and crude wooden armor. I could taste more copper. It was not from the cut along my muzzle. It was in the air. My legs started to carry me, though their destination was uncertain. I made a dash for the carriage, hoping it would provide some shelter from the fighting. A body flung, wrapped in a blue aura—Sapphire’s magic—the body slamming against the corner of the ornate wagon with a sickening crunch! The body dropped, lifeless. Everywhere I looked, there was no avoiding it. The death. The hippogriffs kept emerging from the forests and... Ran past us? My heart thumped inside my chest and my ears started ringing, blocking out the harrowing shrieks. My eyes scanned the battle. The enemy ran past us, only a handful acknowledging our presence and staying to fight. I had spotted Sparkler, fighting off two opponents beside our Clan Asteria allies. She dodged both of their swipes, jamming her sword into the leg of one, her horn flaring in the face of the other. She stood tall, slapping the injured hippogriff with the broad of her blade. The other suffered wicked burns on his face. Sparkler left him to writhe in the pain. Lord Asteria drove his blade into the head of one of his attackers. Soma defended his father’s back, his talons slashing at the throat of a hippogriff who seemed to have fallen from one of the trees. He fell, gripping at his wound. Soma forced the tip of his curved sword into the poor man's chest. “Luna!” I yelped. My left flank was on fire! I looked back, my cutie mark beginning to bleed. Three cuts crossed the moon and wand on my flank. I ducked a swipe of a studded club and backed away. The hippogriff snarled and raised his club again. I lowered my head. “P-p-please...don’t!” I shut my eyes and felt a liquid warmer than the rain spray on me. The club fell beside my head, missing me by mere inches, splashing mud onto my face. A golden aura coiled around the gilded hilt of an Equestrian longsword. The hippogriff fell. I shuffled back. “Trixie!” Lyra’s hoof touched my back only for a moment and I recoiled, slapping her away. She held me steady with her magic. “Trixie stop! Celestia, your nose!” I have to find Twilight! I wanted to order. “I-I’ll be…” The words could not come out. Behind Lyra, in the trees, something moved. It was not a hippogriff, nor was it a large group of them. It slithered—no—it crawled, a dozen legs shifting together. The ragged carapace made its way into the light, the tanned surface shuddering. Lyra turned towards it, her breathing disrupted, and her forehead wrinkling in shock. “What. In. Tartarus. Is. THAT?!” Lyra pushed me back. A giant CENTIPEDE?!  My stomach churned. It coiled around us, stirring up mud with each step it took. It’s head arched back, overlooking the whole camp site. The low bass of its roar shook my chest and sucked whatever courage I had left. I froze, watching the thing wrap itself around a helpless Asteria guard, jamming its fangs into him. The shouting resumed and now everyone was unsure if they should run or fight the beast. Most of the forest attackers fled for their lives, Lord Asteria's men wavering. It dropped the corpse and skittered along the forest floor. Sapphire darted from the main group, Lord Asteria following. Soma flew into the air, circling overhead. The soldiers backed away as the unnaturally large centipede reared up again, gazing upon all of us. “Into the carriage,” Lyra ordered. “Now!” She charged with the hippogriffs, who had been using a mix of spears and curved, single edged blades. Sparkler appeared among them, swinging and landing the first strike under the beast's carapace. I already threw the door to the carriage open. I climbed in soaking wet with rain water, blood, and mud, throwing myself onto the seating, clutching my hooves close. I let the tears pour down my cheeks, stinging small scrapes I had not known about until now. What had I just witnessed? By Luna, what just happened? I felt sick. The carriage rocked back and forth as the fighting continued outside. My hooves shook uncontrollably. Had I really almost died? “Trixie!” Twilight’s voice sobbed. I relaxed only slightly. She had come out virtually unscathed by the fighting. Her mane dripped with a mixture of blood and rain. She wrapped her hooves around me, although I lay still as a statue. Agonizing and harrowing screams emanated outside. We sat in somber the somber silence of the tight-packed carriage. We never should have come here, I wanted to say. The words were unable to form. Instead, I sat close to Twilight, praying to the powers that be for the fighting to end.