//------------------------------// // That Is Awesome Enough // Story: Ofolrodi // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and the others hovered close to Rainbow Dash. Their anchor in question leaned in so close to Merula that she nearly brushed limbs with the giant hairy invertebrate that was carrying her. "The Song carries the majesty of Gardez," Merula explained through the vibrating silk. "But only the Glorious Lyricist knew her in person." "What..." Rainbow gulped. "...do you know about her? You and the Winter Children?" "Only that Gardez was supremely old—older than the Song Crafter herself." "Older than Abaddon?" The jumping spider's abdomen shook. "Gardez had her imprint made in the stars—like most other elders responsible for maintaining nests all across the circles of Urohringr. But Gardez's name was one that exceptionally deserved respect and admiration. She maintained peace and order, and while she was not alone in these endeavors, she nevertheless impressed the hearts and minds of multiple generations. Her legacy extends into an age before Song—into the very fabric of Sound itself. Everything that the Ancient Poet is and came to be owes itself to Gardez's influence." "They... knew each other?" "Affirmative." "Was..." Rainbow bit her lip. "...was Gardez stranded on this plane just like Abaddon was?" A gulp. "When the Sundering happened?" Merula eventually produced: "We do not know." Rainbow hung her head. "The Song speaks of her glory... but not of her fate. We believe that the Breaking of the Circles separated her forever from this slice of the universe. However, her vibrations carry along the Songstress' exultations throughout time immemorial." "Sounds to me that..." Rainbow gestured. "...that Abaddon's recollection of history isn't one hundred percent clear. Even though you're all singing her song." Merula's abdomen shifted and shook. "The Song is Holy and Sustaining. But—much like the Circles..." "It's broken." Rainbow nodded. "Got it. I'm guessing that's where the faith and devotion of her Children comes in." "The Queen of Strings has lived in the darkness of the Breaking for countless revolutions. While her loyalty to her Children is steadfast, her ability to maintain the Chorus has fractured over the epochs. Nevertheless, we maintain the structure to the best of our ability. Now you have arrived—the final audience of this Winter Symphony. For this purpose and this purpose alone, Abaddon wakes." "Can..." Rainbow fidgeted. "...can she tell me more than what's in her Song these days?" "That is something the Austraeoh must discover... once she is in the presence of the Birther of Song." Rainbow exhaled. She pivoted about, pacing down the length of the long translucent map. Merula's empty black eyes reflected the petite pegasus' movement. The ghostly mares looked on. At last, Rainbow turned around. "Maybe it's my place to fill in the gaps and... help Abaddon." "Does the Austraeoh have a Song of her own?" "For intance..." Rainbow swiftly trotted back. "...I know that Gardez had other hatchlings besides Endrax." She pointed at her saddlebag. "That's how I have one of her so-called tears." The tunnel-weaver beneath Merula shifted slightly. "There were other offspring of Gardez?" Merula asked. Her projected voice was tonally neutral despite the obvious inquiry. "You have met them?" Rainbow nodded. She opened her muzzle—but suddenly hesitated. At last, she gave her information in a melancholic, breathy tone: "I'm sorry to say that most of them have perished." She gulped. "Two—Nevlamas and Verlax—suffered from madness and corruption before they left this plane. A third—Axan—gave her life to make sure I got to the Dark Side safely." She gave her saddlebag a slight shake. "That's how I inherited the Tear to begin with." Merula tugged at the strings. "We see." "There's a fourth who still lives," Rainbow Dash said. "Her name is Sturke, and—from what I hear—she peacefully governs a kingdom named 'Ward' somewhere on the Light Side... er... in Penumbra." "That is a good thing to know." "I've always wondered why the Divines—these dragon matriarchs were left to reign over the portions of the world," Rainbow Dash said. "And I had hoped to meet Endrax and find out from her... assuming..." She winced. "...that she hadn't suffered the same fate as Verlax and Nevlamas." "The Song speaks of many heroics," Merula assured. "Both committed by the Daughter of Gardez herself, as well as her selfless brood." Rainbow looked at the jumping spider with a sad expression. "And you're sure that they're all gone?" She bit her lip. "Endrax and her hatchlings?" "Deceased. Perished several revolutions ago while defending the Sarcophagus." "They were... defending it?" Rainbow asked. "Affirmative. It was Endrax's self-imposed duty to ward off the encroaching armies. She gave her life in the process, and her broodlings defended her cause to the last scale and claw." "Just... what killed her?" Rainbow's backhairs bristled slightly. "Which of the three factions is responsible?" "That is one of the most sacred movements of the Song, and a melody held close to the central strings of the Lyricist herself. You will have to discover this from the Silk Mother, Austraeoh." "She's... keeping it a secret?" "Those of her Children who once knew have perished long ago. The Chorus is very precious indeed." "But... why not carry the truth in song today?" Rainbow asked. "The Ruby Chorus seeks to devour that which has been sung," Merula declared. "The Bloodwings and Keepers also. Each of the Three Armies possess a shard of Endrax, and if they ascertained the Queen of Strings' song, they might discover how to steal the other two from each other. If one Faction was successful in attaining all three, they would thus acquire the ability to unlock Endrax's final barricade and undo all of the glory and sacrifice committed by Gardez's heroic hatchling." "I... I think I get it now," Rainbow Dash murmured. She exchanged nodding glances with her companions. "Endrax gave her life ages ago to block off the Midnight Armory from the factions of the Trinary War. The Shards are the key to unlocking what she's done. Each of the Factions has a key, but they don't know how to rob the other shards from their enemies. But Abaddon? She knows. The Song has given her... like... extra sight into everything. And if the Factions heard the Song, they'd have an edge." She swallowed. "That's why she's keeping the lyrics close to the chest." "Even after so many revolutions, Gardez is protecting the integrity of life on this slice of the Circles. Through devotion and respect, the Silken Songstress is protecting the Matriarch's hard work. But now that you have arrived, Austraeoh, Ilrifa's work can finally Spark the Ignition deep within the heart of the machine. You can unite the Shards—and more. Unlock that which Endrax has sealed away, and fill the vacuum with harmony." Rainbow looked at the symbols of the Codex flanking the translucent map of the plane. "Merula..." Her wings drooped outward. "...just who is... who was Ilrifa, anyways?" She looked at the arachnid speaker once again. "Does Abaddon's Song tell you that, at least? Or is that something I have to find out from the Songstress once she wakes?" "Ilrifa is that which projects," Merula said. "Projects..." "Affirmative. Through the vast darkness—the space between circles—Ilrifa's light seeks to realign itself into a harmonic pattern. All of the bands have scattered, but—at long last—the spectrum is becoming one again. You are that spectrum, Austraeoh. The energy has centralized into a focus. A vessel. A harbinger of life and rebirth, seeking to reunite that which has been broken." "Is that what the Austraeoh is, then?" "It is that which completes the circle," Merula declared. "That which chases the broken horizon until it is fixed." Rainbow took a deep breath. "Yeah, sure. Guess that's awesome enough..."