Hours later...
The Cylindrimanian sphere warbled along at a zig-zagging pace. It barely skirted past the stalagmites and loose boulders filling the valley floor as it made its way gradually up a slowly ascending grade. Up ahead, a craggy incline stretched towards visible starlight. A tall cleft of rock loomed to the left, and it was obvious that the ancient piece of machinery was headed towards it.
"Ha-hah!" Kepler smiled through his tusks as he glided through the air, perched on a rock, glided, and perched on another rock. "It is just as we prredicted! I have no doubt at this point that we shall be dirrected to a lofty brridge strructurre of some sorrt orr anotherr!"
"Yuh huh..." Flynn huffed and puffed as he and Wildcard dragged the larger sled behind them. To give Logan a bit of relief, they exchanged griffin guard-duty... but the stallion was starting to regret the generous action by the time they reached the first hint of an incline. "Any chance we c-could predict some crystal-blue springs or refreshing ice d-deposits along the way?"
"Do not sound so despondent, brrotherrs!" Kepler hopped and glided above them, following the sphere's leisurely path. "Therre shall be time forr rrest once we get to Darrkrreach! I am surre of it!"
"Mrmmmfff..." Flynn clenched his teeth as sweat ran down his bald crown. He used telekinesis to lighten the load behind him and Wildcard, but it barely worked in relieving them of the weight. "I wonder what are the odds that a guild of Emeraldinian physical therapists survived there over the past half-millennium..."
Wildcard—naturally—said nothing. Although he broke a sweat, his breaths were solid and his pace was constant as he pulled his half of the heavy weight.
Flynn glanced aside at the Desperado. "Does anything ever bother you, dude?"
Wildcard merely shrugged. He scraped the floor with his temporary metal cane of a prosthetic and tugged along.
Flynn sighed, his one eye narrowing at the shadowed ascent ahead. "And here I thought we had lost all the robot parts of you..."
There was the subtlest of muscle shifts to Wildcard's throat—something resembling a smile behind his streamlined beak. He nevertheless kept marching uphill.
Behind them, Logan pulled the smaller wagon with the greatest of ease. Although his limbs weren't bothered the slightest by the trot uphill, he wasn't smiling. The large stallion constantly threw a look over his shoulder, focusing on the prisoner being tugged behind him.
Seraphimus was constantly looking to their right—squinting at two feathered shadows gliding evenly with the Heraldic caravan. Her charcoal brown eyes settled coldly on a petite pegasus...
"Hey..." Logan gnashed his teeth. "Hey...!" He reared one leg and rattled the sled.
Seraphimus winced as the metal all around her jolted. Her eyes turned so she could glare at the pony pulling her.
"Eyes off. Ya hear me?" Logan frowned back at her. "You don't get to glare at her. Not after what she went through last night."
Seraphimus calmly exhaled. "After what happened last night..." Her eyes narrowed. "...I wonder why the lot of you aren't glaring at yourselves in disdain."
Logan merely clenched his jaw muscles.
Seraphimus hissed, "She's insane... both dangerous and demented. It will lead you and the rest of your companions to ruin." A cold breath. "That's a promise..."
"So long as I'm in charge of your ungrateful pussy-ass, you shut your rancid beak. Got it?"
"You know this," Seraphimus slurred. "You know that she will be the death of you. Why do you persist?"
"The only thing I know is that I'm gonna volunteer to feed you soon. And I promise that all you eat is gonna be a whole lot browner than bleakweed leaves."
Seraphimus merely snorted at that. Nevertheless, she was silent as Logan carried her the rest of the way up hill.
Off to the right, Rainbow Dash and Ariel flew parallel with the group, slowly ascending towards the top of a stone promontory.
"Once we get to the peak, I'll ask Flynn and Kepler to switch off the old metal ball thingy for a while," Ariel said. She smiled pleasantly. "Then you and the rest can chill while I go scouting ahead for the bridge."
Rainbow nodded. "Okay..."
"If I find it on my first flyby, I'll come back and let you guys know. If I don't, then I'll get Wildcard to help me. We'll be in Darkreach in no time. You don't have to worry about that."
Rainbow took a shuddering breath. She nodded again. "Okay... ... ..."
Ariel squinted sideways at her. She flapped her wings and flew backwards, facing Rainbow with concern. "Is... everything alright?"
Rainbow gulped. "Yeah..."
"Do... your friends sense the bridge ahead of us?" Ariel cocked her head to the side. "'Cuz that would be super cool... n-not that I want to put the pressure on you or anything... eheheh... I'm sure once we get to Darkreach we'll find our own way to get inside and—"
Rainbow flew to a stop, hovering in place.
Ariel levitated in front of her. "Rainbow...?" Her voice grew softer. "Rainbow, what's wrong?"
"I... uh..." Rainbow avoided her gaze, fidgeting with her fetlocks. "I really w-wish you didn't have to be juggling so much all because of me..."
"Hey..." Ariel smiled. "It's what the Herald's all about!"
"Even still, I'm usually... awesomer," Rainbow's voice cracked. "You shouldn't have to look after me so hard."
"Pffffft... please..." Ariel rolled her eyes. "...should I even try to list all the times you've saved the Herald's neck? My neck? Yowsers... if my mother knew how much of a damsel in distress I've turned out to be on occasion..."
"Ariel, you... you don't get it..." Rainbow shook her head and sighed. "I'm the Austraeoh. I should be tougher than this. I have been tougher than this. And last night..." She grimaced. At last, her sad eyes lifted to meet the other mare's. "... ... ...last night you didn't exactly see me at my coolest. And... and I'm sorry for that." She gulped. "I'm sorry if I totally ruined my 'courageousness' for you and Wildcard and the rest. I suspect I'm probably lame forever now..."
Ariel merely smiled. She drifted in and gave Rainbow a soft hug. "I'll never be sorry for having known you."
Rainbow bit her lip. A slight rosiness crossed her cheeks.
Ariel gave her a nuzzle. "Let us take care of the Austraeoh for a while." She leaned back with a smile. "You just focus on giving us a sign if that asshole Discord shows up again. Promise?"
Rainbow opened her muzzle. Her breath hung off a squeak however...
...for she saw a length of gray scales and goat fur reflecting off of Ariel's ocean blue eyes. In the distance, there was a cackling noise.
Rainbow shivered once... swallowed... and gave a nod. "Promise."