Later.
Much later...
Perpetual twilight hung over the mostly-empty city. Nebulaic stars glinted off the metallic shells of the spires upon spires.
A large majority of the Winter Children had receded—seemingly—disappearing into hidden, silken alcoves situated below the upper platforms. Whatever few arachnid representatives who remained lingered in lofty spaces like vigilant sentries. The Herald—in the meantime—had taken the opportunity to get some rest, and many of them congregated quietly beside the wagon. Much of the caravan's contents had been unloaded and several members of the brigade had taken the opportunity to eat, catch a breath, and murmur amongst each other concerning the situation at hoof.
Seated far away from them—on her lonesome—was Rainbow Dash. She sat a safe distance from the chaos metals located within the wagon itself. Before her was a healthy assortment of gathered fungus: edible morsels acquired throughout the lengthy trip.
She hadn't bitten into a single one.
Instead, she slumped on her belly, staring numbly ahead. Tired eyes traced tired circles across distant platforms, occasionally stumbling upon a spider or two and then gazing even further. A sigh rolled through Rainbow's body, and she continued her lethargic spell.
Claws and paws clicked across the metal bridge behind her... at last scuffling to a stop. Feathers ruffled in a cold wind as a steely gaze peered over Rainbow's figure, observing the uneaten samples lying before the pegasus. At last, Seraphimus spoke: "Logan has stated that the scraps of troll flesh that they've cooked and sampled is particularly succulent. Perhaps it would nourish you far more than—"
"Not only would you be completely disgusting me with an offering of vomit-inducing meat," Rainbow Dash droned. "But you would be killing me." Her tail flicked savagely while she frowned ahead. "Chaos beings, remember?"
"Hrmmm..." Seraphimus nodded. A beat, and then she suggested: "Perhaps if you only ate the skin."
Rainbow shot up and spun about with a frown. "Sera, what are you still doing here?!?"
Seraphimus gave her a cool, calm look. "Preparing to be rebuked, it would seem."
"You were totally willing to skip town Goddess-knows how many hours ago! But now you've gone full-buzzard! I mean—for crying out loud!" Rainbow's teeth gnashed. "What's the friggin' counter at, anyways? Fifteen? Sixteen?!"
Seraphimus raised an eyecrest. "What 'counter?'"
"Rnnnngh..." Rainbow face-hoofed. "I dunno. Who knows. I just... don't get it..."
Seraphimus took a deep breath. "I take it that there are a lot of things you don't understand."
Rainbow fumed in tense silence until ultimately shuddering. "Yes, Sera. There're a ton of things I still don't get. Even after all of my millions of miles of east-farting." She pulled at her face muscles, sighing again. "I admit. I can't promise you all of the answers. Even at my most awesomest—I just don't have everything figured out."
Seraphimus nodded. "My inability to fully grasp the Grace and Wisdom of Verlaxion was actually one of my greatest driving strengths. It sustained me more times than I can pretend to admit."
"... ... ..." Rainbow lowered her hooves in time to give the griffin a tired squint. "Do I hear you talking in the past tense?"
Seraphimus didn't comment on that. Instead, she lowered down on bent legs until she was nearly even with the pegasus' tired expression. "I heard something about a creature named 'Ilrifa.' Nobody in your group will even pretend to elaborate for me. Not even Logan."
"They're probably just as freaked out about you hanging around as I am..."
"Nevertheless..." Seraphimus cocked her feathered head to the side. "What do you know about this 'Ilrifa' so far?"
Rainbow shuddered. Despite her own mood, she agreed to mutter forth an answer: "Only that—in some way or another—she may very well have been responsible for what's summoned the Austraeoh." A gulp. "She's probably the very reason for why I'm... me."
"I see." Seraphimus nodded. "So... you have reason to suspect that all of your travels and hardships could very well be encapsulated in a plan concocted by such an ancient force?"
"Sera, what are you even getting at?" Rainbow looked sincerely at her for once. Her muzzle hung agape. "The journey of the Austraeoh is something that's been written and sketched out in stone long before I performed my first sonic rainboom as a lil' squirt in Equestria. I've been trying to tell you that a million times before now..."
"What's... a 'sonic rainboom?'"
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Are you finally coming around? I mean—what is this?"
Seraphimus navigated a thoughtful breath before saying: "There was a time when I knew... where I understood the destiny that Verlaxion had laid out before me. I thought I had all the answers. And yet... my world was to be shattered over and over again. There was no escaping this, as I would find out."
"... ... ..."
"The horizon has broken multiple times for you," Seraphimus declared. "If you were to somehow return to your place of foaling, would it even look the same?"
Rainbow's ears folded back. "I... can't even remember what it looked like the first time I kicked off the earth..."
Seraphimus nodded. She examined her talons. "I understand that you are to be summoned by this... Abaddon soon."
Rainbow gulped, looking off. "Yeah. Anytime now. She's supposed to be 'waking up,' whatever that means."
"I was wondering if I could make a request..."
Rainbow twitched upon hearing that. Her ruby eyes darted towards Seraphimus. "... ... ...name it."
Seraphimus returned a hard, steely gaze. "I was wondering if I could join you for such a conference..."