“She’ll cut the poor chap to ribbons!” North Star’s exclamation almost caused Wind Whistler vault out of her hiding place like a compressed spring let loose. Before Wind Whistler could think, the pink pegasus had jumped from the underbrush and galloped straight at the bird creature. She threw her body right into her midsection and knocked her away. The human fell back, grazing a small stone with the back of his head and lay there motionless.
Wind Whistler slapped her pastern over her forehead. “So much for avoiding contact. What was she thinking?”
“Sometimes you need to follow your heart,” Paradise said.
“Her cardiovascular muscle group won’t be of much benefit if that thing tears it out of her chest,” Wind Whistler replied. “But, if we’re going in, I guess should we should go all in. Come on.” She jumped from the underbrush.
The bird creature had been stunned by North Star ramming her. She braced herself on her hands and glared down at the pegasus across her lap. “He was supposed to come alone.”
North Star looked up just in time to get backhanded in the face and thrown back.
“North Star!” Paradise ran to North Star.
Wind Whistler ran to the human to investigate his condition. She put her ear to his nose and mouth and thankfully heard and felt breath. There also seemed to be no bleeding from where he struck the stone. Though, there was no way to tell if he suffered a closed head injury.
She turned her attention to the locket lying in his open palm. It looked like an ordinary trinket that would be in the bit bin of any jewelry store, nothing that should justify this kind of a struggle over. Yet, both seemed desperate to have it.
“Little horses with wings?” the bird creature snarled. “Is this some kind of sick joke?”
Wind Whistler turned back to the bird creature looming over North Star and Paradise, flexing her talons. “I don’t know how he conjured you freaks, but you’ll pay for interfering.”
Wind Whistler thought fast for a way to get her away from them. Her thoughts quickly fell on the locket. She took it and dropped it around her neck. “Looking for something?” She held up the locket so it was in plain view.
The bird creature turned back and bared her sharp teeth. “Give that to me.”
Wind Whistler felt her heart quicken at the sight of those flesh-tearing fangs, but suppressed her fear. “North Star, Paradise, take to the air!” She followed her own advice and leapt into the air. She flapped her wings as fast as her muscles could to gain altitude. She looked back and saw North Star and Paradise were right behind her.
The bird creature was also airborne, but her massive wings required slower and more sweeping strokes, and she was falling behind. She was designed for soaring, riding air currents over long distances.
Wind Whistler slowed enough to allow North Star and Paradise to come abreast to her.
“What do we do?” Paradise asked.
“I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” North Star said.
“We need to take assessment of our advantages and disadvantages against our current adversary,” Wind Whistler said. “Then we can develop and execute an effective strategy of defeating her or driving her off.”
“I don’t think we’re beating that thing,” Paradise said. “Maybe if she gets the locket, she’ll leave.”
“Absolutely not!” North Star insisted. “We can’t let such a ruffian just make off with the goods. Besides, who’s to say she wouldn’t come after us once she had it out of spite?”
“Just give me a chance to think. There has to be a way to defeat her.” Wind Whistler looked back the bird creature far below them. “She obviously has size and strength on her side. However, we seem have superior climb and probably speed and maneuverability. Also, if she is like most birds of prey, she is more capable of attacking from above than below.”
“So, we just have to stay above her,” North Star said. “Sounds easy enough.”
Wind Whistler glanced down again and noticed something had changed about the bird creature. She was hovering as best as she could with a line straight up and down. Wind Whistler quickly realized what it was. “Uh oh. I had neglected one advantage she has.”
“What’s that?” Paradise asked.
“She carries a ranged weapon,” Wind Whistler answered.
An arrow shot up towards them. They split off as the arrow, as big as a javelin, shot past them.
Paradise straightened out her flight and watched the arrow arc back down. “You were saying, North Star?”
“I seem to remember there being an old pegasus trick for defeating archers,” North Star mused aloud. “I just can’t remember what it is exactly.”
Wind Whistler looked down at the bird creature. She was reaching back into her quiver and took a while to pull out an arrow, and she also seemed to take unusually long time placing it on the bow and raise it. She appears to be unskilled with the bow, Wind Whistler thought.
The arrow went for Paradise, who had to roll away to avoid it. “Think faster, North Star! We don’t have all day!”
“That’s it!” North Star exclaimed. “They would fly into the sun and then dive straight out of it to keep the archer blinded. Come on!”
She shot up towards glaring sun, and Wind Whistler followed. She shut her eyes, but the light from the sun still passed through her eyelids, making her vision a field of bright blue. Its warmth bathed over her face and chest, feeling soothing amongst the chaos of the situation.
“All right, I’ll get her bow,” North Star said. “You knock her out of the sky, Wind Whistler.”
“I will try,” Wind Whistler replied.
“Either you do or we’re dead!” North Star shouted. “Now dive.”
Wind Whistler turned back and could open her eyes. North Star was diving forward, right on a line from the sun to the bird creature who was trying to shield her eyes from the glare. Wind Whistler’s brain was swimming in blood and adrenaline. Time seemed to slow as her body and mind were operating faster to make snap decisions.
She followed North Star several meters back and worked out her options. She did not know how an adrenaline rush affected other ponies, but for her, it sent her brain into overdrive. Everything was analyzed and weighed; all possibilities considered and thoroughly thought out in the blink of an eye. North Star will grab her bow, and the bird creature will try to hold on out of impulse. The momentum will turn her back to me. That limited her options. A slash of one of a pegasus’ wings to the lower body could do significant damage—assuming she could avoid the talons—but her back turned meant she would have to contend with the bird creature’s huge wings that could easily knock her senseless and falling to her death without even a deliberate strike.
She would need to rely on her hooves and momentum to do something. However, that was a weakness of the pegasi. She was five percent lighter than a unicorn or earth pony of a similar volume due to her lightweight skeleton. Her hooves were also softer with more spongy tissue and thinner hulls to absorb the shock of landing on them as well as further reduce her mass. That meant some of the energy she could use would be lost. She needed to be precise and make just the right blow in the right place.
I have to disable her with my first strike. If I don’t, she could turn back and use those claws at close range. Wind Whistler tried to push the image of those claws slashing across her throat from her mind. The spine would be too hard to hit with the precision needed at this speed. It has to be the base of the wings where the supercoradecoideus connects to the avial humerus. A well placed hit to them will pinch the nerves going into the wings, and she won’t be able to control them for a few seconds. Given the pull of gravity, even four seconds of paralysis and free fall would send her almost a hundred meters down. You have to put all your momentum right there, Wind Whistler. One hoof on each to either side of the quiver. It’s your only chance.
North Star veered slightly to the left and grabbed the end of the longbow. The bird creature grabbed it with both hands and was turned around. Wind Whistler saw her targets, the point where bones of the wings disappeared into her back on either side of the quiver. The flight muscles just emerged to connect to the bone by tendons. There were also nerves that communicated to the muscles of the wings themselves. She put her front hooves in front of her and adjusted her speed to approach while those massive wings were spread.
She collided hooves first right at the base of the wings. She let her knees buckle so more energy was built into her muscles, she then locked her knees straight again to send it all into the bird creature’s back. Wind Whistler was sent upward slightly and the bird creature tumbled towards the earth.
The shock made her let go of the longbow, and North Star wrenched it from her grasp. She fell several dozen meters, her wings flailing fruitlessly. After perhaps three seconds, she spread her wings out straight and glided to level off. She flapped to gain height and turned back to them.
She clinched her fist. “Give that back!”
“Take it back if you can!” North Star shouted back as she slung the huge bow over her chest and back.
That would be almost impossible. Without an ability to attack at range, they could always remain above her and out of reach.
The bird creature hovered there for a second, probably realizing what Wind Whistler had. She pointed at them. “Don’t think this is over,” her tone had lost its coldness and lack of passion, sounding more forced and rough like a pouting foal. “I’m not alone, and when my friends about hear this, you’ll be sorry.”
She glided under them towards the south southeast. Wind Whistler waited until she was so far away she could not be seen before she allowed herself to relax.
“That was a top notch hit.” North Star hovered up to Wind Whistler. “We showed her.”
“We did.” However, Wind Whistler could not chase a feeling of dread. There were more of those things, and the bad archery skills and immature outburst suggested the one they had to trick just to chase off was one of the younger and weaker ones. She did not want to think of stronger and more skilled ones being out there.
“That’s a nice souvenir.” Paradise pointed to the longbow.
North Star adjusted it was she could see. “A fine piece of craftsmanship. Or, whatever they are. I think this is genuine yew.” She flexed it.
The longbow lived up to its name, being at least three meters long while strung. Wind Whistler estimated it was about a third longer than the bird creature was tall when she was wielding it, so she estimated her at standing between two and quarter and two and half meters with a wingspan double that. Again the thought her ‘friends’ could be even bigger and stronger made Wind Whistler’s stomach turn.
She then remembered the locket around her neck. She had taken it to lure the bird creature into the air, but it still belonged to the human. “Let’s return this locket to its rightful owner and make a hasty departure.”
She spiraled down and landed next to the still unconscious human. North Star and Paradise landed.
Paradise looked down at him. “Do you think he’s all right?”
“He is still breathing, and there was no external damage,” Wind Whistler said.
Paradise tapped his cheek gently. His eyes winced and his flexed his fingers.
“Don’t rouse him!” Wind Whistler swiped frantically at the locket’s necklace to get it off. “At least let me get the locket off and put it in his hand first!”
His eyes opened and he slowly sat up. He looked around blearily until his sight fell on Wind Whistler. He immediately gained focus and his mouth bent into a frown. “Give that back! It’s mine!” He reached for it.
“You can take it! You can take it!” Wind Whistler ducked her head so he could pull it off with little effort.
He pushed himself back with his eyes wide with shock. “Talking ponies?!” He winced and rubbed the part of his head that hit the stone. “I must have hit my head harder than I thought.”
“I can assure you we’re real,” Paradise said. “I’m Paradise, and the others are North Star and Wind Whistler.”
“Daniel. Daniel Williams.” Daniel stood up, rubbing his head. “Nothing feels broken, but by Epona, I’m in for a nasty bump.”
He looked around. “Where’s the harpy?”
“Harpy?” North Star asked. “If you mean that incredibly rude bird monster, we chased the feathered hooligan off.” She puffed out her chest.
“No!” Daniel winced. “Oh no, no, no, Epona, no! Now they’ll never return Megan alive.”
“Megan?” Paradise asked.
“My daughter!” Daniel answered, holding his head in his hands. “They kidnapped her yesterday and demanded my wife’s locket for her safe return.”
“Considering the harpy’s actions immediately prior to North Star’s intervention,” Wind Whistler said, “I don’t think they intended to return her anyway.”
“I guess you’re right.” Daniel sulked to the equine which had stood there through all the excitement. “I’m just a simple horse rancher. What did I do to deserve this?”
“Horse?” North Star asked.
“What you are and what she is.” He patted the equine’s side. “Well, at your size, it would be more accurate to call you ponies.”
“You know of ponies like us?” Paradise said.
“That can talk and fly? No.” Daniel said. “But there are breeds almost as small as you, mostly from the steppe and other cold and inhospitable would be hard to raise larger horses in. Those are what we call ponies here.”
He turned to the horse. “Good girl, Polaris, staying by me despite all that happened. There are some carrots in the future for you.”
The horse craned her neck back and nuzzled him. He gently took her muzzle in his hand and petted her. “This is Polaris, my boss mare.” He held up her head. “When you neigh, the others listen. Isn’t that right?”
Polaris snorted and pivoted her ears in response. Daniel let her head go.
He puffed out his cheeks and slowly exhaled. “I don’t know what do now.”
“Perhaps we could discuss this at your home,” Paradise suggested.
“That sounds like a good idea.” Daniel climbed onto Polaris’ back. “I need to tell my other kids what happened.” He rubbed his head. “And get something cold for my head.”
* * *
Wind Whistler stared at the farmhouse now that she was up close to it. It was two stories tall with small windows in the peak of the roof suggesting an attic and more close to the ground suggesting a basement. It was quaint in its construction and design, much like houses in the more rural areas of Equestria. Though, the roof had proper shingles instead of hay and pine thatch.
The porch had a wicker couch and cushioned swing seat hanging from a beam. A wind chime waved in the breeze, making a pleasant sound as its narrow pipes bounced off each other. A lamp was attached to the wall next to the door However, instead of a prism of metal strips it was glass tube open at the top and leading into a bulge at the bottom.
Daniel opened the gate in the pasture’s fence and undid the bridle from Polaris. She whinnied and ran through the gate towards the other horses.
“You did a good job, Polaris.” Daniel shut the gate and slid the bolt into place. “I just wish we had more to show for it.”
He made his way to the farmhouse and stepped up onto the porch. He stopped and turned back. “I’m not in the habit of letting horses into the house, but I’ve never met talking ponies before. Why don’t you come in and have a cold drink of lemonade and meet my other two kids.”
“We’d be delighted.” Paradise fluttered up to the porch.
North Star and Wind Whistler looked to each other. “We’ve been invited,” North Star said. “It would be rude to refuse his hospitality.”
“Blueflower is not going to be happy when she hears about this,” Wind Whistler mumbled under her breath as she climbed the stairs onto the porch.
The interior was as quaint and rural as the exterior. Much of the furniture was made of wicker or solid wood with cushions attached to the seats and backs of chairs. The large windows allowed in ample light from the outside, and the light-colored walls carried it well into the house. Lamps and light fixtures had glass pipes like the porch lamp. Where Wind Whistler could see the interior, she saw they had strips of thick and fuzzy cloth coming out their necks with bottoms lying in reservoirs of a brown liquid. It seemed more primitive than the castle’s glowing crystals and mechanics that allowed them to be closed off. Probably just the difference between the commoners living in the countryside and the royalty or nobility that had owned the castle, Wind Whistler thought. A stairway leading straight to the door divided the living room from the dining room.
“Bad feng shui,” Paradise whispered to North Star only to get a forceful shush from her.
“Danny, Molly,” Daniel called up the stairs. “Dad’s home with some visitors.”
After a couple seconds, two smaller humans appeared at the stares. The older-looking one was a male with a rust-colored mane like Daniel’s. The younger was female with a thick, curly mane of pale yellow hair held in clumps on the sides of her head. The male wore a blue shirt and blue lower garment similar to Daniel’s. The girl’s lower garment was pink and came up to cover her chest with straps going over her shoulders. The white blouse under it had a wide, lacy collar and short, puffy sleeves.
Wind Whistler noted that their skin color was a pale pinkish like pony skin under their coats. “Not much color variance,” Paradise whispered to her. “These are definitely not like the humans Princess Twilight Sparkle described.”
“Did they give back Megan?” the male juvenile asked as they came down the stairs.
“No.” Daniel rubbed the back of his head. “It was nothing but a trick, but my new friends got me out of it in one piece.” He winced. “Mostly. Can you get a small ice block and wrap a towel around it for my head.”
“Sure thing, Dad.” The male went into the kitchen past the dining room and opened a large box.
“Ponies!” The female jumped from the third step up and wrapped her arms around North Star’s neck. “They’re so pretty.”
North Star wrapped her front leg around her. “The feeling is mutual, love. You’re an adorable little thing, aren’t you?”
The female looked up at North Star. “And you talk!” She then turned her attention to her wings. “You have wings too! Can you fly?”
North Star grinned. “Is water wet?”
“Can you do it carrying me?” the female asked.
“That’s enough, Molly,” Daniel said.
The male handed Daniel a towel wrapped around something the size of his hand. “Here you go, Dad.”
“Thanks, Danny.” Daniel gently touched the cloth to his wound a couple times before easing it onto it. He heaved a relaxing sigh.
“They’re not like our horses, Molly?” Daniel said as he sat in a wooden chair at a round table. “They’re smart like people. You can’t just hop on and ride them.”
“It’s quite alright, Mr. Williams. She asked permission,” North Star said. She turned back to Molly. “I doubt you weigh too much, so I think I could fly with you on my back.” She nuzzled her chest. “You’d just have to hold on real tight.”
Molly buried her face in North Star’s mane. “You’re the greatest thing ever.”
“The greatest thing ever would be getting Megan back,” Danny grumbled. “You should have gone to Birch Loch to have the knights take care of those overgrown feather dusters.”
“I thought I could take them at their word,” Daniel replied. He took the soaking wet towel from the side of his head. “I’m sorry, Danny. I learned my lesson the hard way.”
He looked to Molly still hugging North Star. “Can you get our guests some lemonade and sugar cookies?”
“Sure.” Molly skipped into the kitchen and grabbed a large pitcher filled with a cloudy, yellow liquid and several slices of lemon in it. She dropped two fistfuls of ice cubes into the pitcher and set out six glasses.
“It’s heavy, so I’ll pour it.” Danny took the pitcher before Molly could and poured the lemonade and ice into the glasses. He turned back to them. “Do we need to hold the glass or something?”
“No, we’re fine.” Paradise picked up a glass in her pastern and put it to her lips.
“Now that is a neat trick,” Danny said, picking up a glass himself.
Paradise finished downing the drink. “And that is some refreshing lemonade.”
“I’ll get cookies too.” Molly got a plate and jar. She pulled out several pale tan cookies and dropped them onto the plate, but kept one to bite into.
“We probably won’t have many cookies,” North Star said. “We have a long flight back to the others ahead of us.”
Paradise heaved a sigh. “Don’t remind me.”
Wind Whistler took up a cold, sweating glass and took a sip. The lemonade was sweetened, but still had enough tart to it. After all that flying, it felt good as its coolness spread from her throat. It was also more satisfying than water.
She examined the dining room more as she nursed her drink. There was a picture hanging on the wall. It was of five humans, three of which were Daniel, Danny, and Molly. The other two were a juvenile female older than the other two and an adult female. Although the picture was monochromatic, she could tell the two had light colored manes, but not as light as Molly’s. The adult let her long mane hang loose with a distinct wave to it while the juvenile had hers held in the back by a ribbon tied into a large bow. Both wore garments similar to Molly’s only the sleeves came past their elbows and the bottoms of the legs and the straps of the lower garment had frills.
“Is this your entire family?” Wind Whistler asked.
Daniel looked at the picture, and his mouth sank into a frown. He seemed to be staring off into space more than at the picture. “Yes, my wife and kids at least. That’s me and my wife, Margret, and our three kids. Megan is the oldest.”
“Where’s your wife?” Wind Whistler asked.
Daniel’s lip quivered slightly. “Dead. She was taken from us by pneumonia this past winter.”
Wind Whistler felt a pit in her stomach. “I apologize if I’ve opened any wounds.”
Daniel touched the ice to his head, and heaved a sigh. “It’s just she was a real light in my life, and she was taken from us far too soon. She didn’t even get to see her eldest daughter come of age which is was so looking forward to.”
“And now Megan’s been taken,” Danny said. “Why did the harpies come back and kidnap her? We’re just horse farmers.”
Daniel sighed. “I don’t know, Danny. I just don’t know. I don’t think they need a reason, to tell the truth. They do what they do because they can, and know no one can stop them. We were just unlucky enough to be noticed.”
“These harpy things have been here before?” North Star asked. “Forgive our questions, but we’re very new here. In fact, we don’t even know what here is.”
“You’re in the land of Boreas,” Daniel answered as he held the now thoroughly wet cloth to his head and took a drink of lemonade. “It’s as north as you can get on Tellus without getting your feet wet. Well, the northern coast is.”
The world is called Tellus and this landmass is called Boreas, Wind Whistler registered in the back of her mind. All information had a use whether now or in the future. Also, since they had made contact anyway, they might as well gather whatever information they could. “We are currently based in a fjord due east of here and came west to investigate.” She drained the last of her lemonade and set down her glass. “We believe it is attached to the fjord system adjacent to yours.”
Daniel nodded. “That would be the Grand Trunk Fjord, the largest. You’re now in the Choked Fjord System.”
North Star furrowed her brow. “Why would you call it that?”
“The fjord is choked off by a moraine just a few kilometers in.” Daniel closed his free hand. “The rest of it and its branches are lakes and rivers rather than deep inlets like the other fjords on the southern coast. The benefit is there is plenty of rich farmland, but things are transported over land here which is perfect for my people.”
“Your people?” Paradise asked.
“We’re called Horse People.” He managed a smile. “You might know where we get the name from.
“We’re not native to Boreas. We come from east of the Barrier Mountains, but traders from this fjord brought many families and herds here with—” his smile disappeared as he must have been searching for words—“promises of work. This was around two millennia ago.” Daniel’s smile returned. “Boreans are better seamen than horsemen, and we serve an important niche here.”
He pointed to his head. “You’ll know horse people by our red hair, freckles and more greenish eyes. Native Boreans are all fair, blond, and perfectly blue eyed.”
Wind Whistler looked to Molly with her pale blond hair. While Daniel had a pair of emeralds, Molly and Danny also had baby blue eyes. Although there was no color, Marget and Megan had hair too light to be the rust color of the males. “What about the females of your family.”
“Oh,” Daniel said. “My wife is…was a native Borean. My family was incensed because we usually keep to our own kind, but Cupid’s arrow had struck. Besides, my wife gladly accepted our culture.”
“Are the strange clothes your wife and daughters are wearing a part of your culture?” North Star asked, looking at the picture.
“They’re not strange,” Molly insisted. “They’re functional.”
“I don’t doubt it, but don’t female humans wear dresses?” North Star asked.
“We only wear them for special things,” Molly said. “The other girls around here wear them all the time, but they’re hard to ride horses in.”
Wind Whistler noticed another picture. In this one, Daniel and Danny were wearing dark coats over white shirts, and Margret and the girls wore light colored dresses. The background was a town or village decorated for some kind of festival.
“How many kinds of humans are there?” Wind Whistler asked. “There are three kinds of land-dwelling ponies from where we come from.”
Daniel leaned back. “There seems to be a kind of human for every kind of weather and land.” He shrugged. “We’re also not the only smart people, but most of the others stick to their own little corners of the world for the most part.”
“Where is this Boreas’s unified government?” Wind Whistler asked.
Daniel leaned back and exhaled a laugh. “Unified government? If only.” He collected himself. “No. There’s not central government here. Each fjord system is ruled by a fjord earl who controls their fjord, its branches, and the adjacent highlands. They see each other as economic rivals, and you would sooner stack marbles in a corner than get them to work together on anything. Be careful of the Grand Trunk Fjord’s earl. He’s a shrewd business man, and will make sure he gets the most silver from you as possible while parting with as little of his as he can.”
“Mom told Megan and me Boreans use to work together when the Valkyrie Queens ruled,” Molly said.
“That’s just what mothers tell their daughters to make them feel superior,” Danny said mockingly. “They could supposedly go anywhere walking on a rainbow too.”
“It’s true!” Molly insisted.
“It’s what the Boreans say,” Daniel interjected. “But even if it was true, that was a thousand years ago, and the harpies put an end to that.”
“Which brings us back to them being here before,” Paradise said. “What happened a thousand years ago?”
Daniel sat up in his chair. “I guess, since you’re new here, you probably haven’t heard the history of Boreas, or at least what they claim is history.
“According the stories the Boreans tell, the first Valkyrie Queen was sent by their gods to unite their war-torn land under rule. She brought with her the Bifröst, the burning rainbow bridge that they used to travel from their celestial realm to the world of mortals. With it, she could travel anywhere in the world instantly. Awestruck by this display of power, the earls bent the knee to her.
“She united the landmass and gave it its name, taken from a southern language for north. For centuries, she and her descendents ruled over a prosperous empire the envy of the world.”
“Sounds like our Equestria,” Paradise said. “What happened?”
“One day, for reasons we still don’t understand, Sol dimmed and the skies looked as if spoiled milk had been spilled across them,” Daniel continued. “The weather turned colder. Snow fell during the summer, and the winters became even harsher. Crops failed, and the mighty empire was starving.
“Seeing the plight of her people, the queen at that time decided to send envoys further south to see if they could purchase more food from milder climates. However, those envoys were met given a savage welcome by the harpies who attacked without provocation and forced them back to the north.”
“I see rudeness must be hereditary for those beasts,” North Star said.
“After years of the long winter, the skies returned to normal and Sol regained her natural brightness. Summers became warm again and crops began to grow. It looked as if Boreas had survived the disaster, but that was when the harpies came north.
They came to Boreas looking for the Bifröst, envious of the Valkyrie Queen’s power and wishing to take it for themselves. The people of Broeas were weakened from the famine, and there was no defense from this airborne foe.
Seeing her empire being ravaged with no resistance, the Queen challenged the leader of the harpies to the duel with the Bifröst as the prize. They fought to the death, and the queen emerged the victor. However, she was also mortally wounded, and the harpies declared it a draw and continued their campaign of terror.
“The empire was lost, but the queen had plans. Her infant daughter disappeared shortly before her death as well as all the secrets to their family’s dynasty. The harpies were driven back south eventually by the coming winter, but by that point the damage had been done. With the Valkyrie Queen dead and her powers lost, Boreas reverted back to a patchwork of earldoms.
“What happened to her daughter is anyone’s guess. Some say she was killed by a harpy raiding party. Others say she was taken to some far off land to live in exile.” Daniel shrugged. “However, it’s all idle speculation.”
“I didn’t even believe in harpies until yesterday. They came out of nowhere and snatched Megan while we were running back home before a storm hit.” Danny clenched his fist. “They said they’d give her back if they got Mom’s locket.”
Wind Whistler was puzzled. “If they came to attack your whole country a thousand years ago, why come back for some commoner’s mundane-looking locket now? It seems like a significant step down in priorities.”
“Well, when Mom was sick, I heard her telling Megan that the locket is magic,” Molly said.
“Magic,” Danny scoffed.
“Have you opened it to see?” North Star asked.
“No one can open it. Believe me, I’ve tried,” Daniel said. “Megan is supposed to receive it on the night she turns thirteen: a family tradition according to my wife.” He scratched at the hair on his upper lip. “I guess we’re lucky, because she turns thirteen on the night Mani the Younger is new which is in a few days. I don't know what else they would have wanted in exchange if they already got it.” He dropped his hand from his face. “I don’t know if it’s magic, but it has been passed from mother to daughter for generations, and my wife always kept it close.”
“When Megan was taken, I found it and prayed for it to save her,” Molly said.
Wind Whistler had a thought enter her conscious thinking. It was completely illogical, but she remembered what Blueflower had said. They were dealing with the completely unknown here, and what seemed illogical could in fact be perfectly logical in this world’s paradigm. “When exactly was Megan taken?”
“Around noon,” Danny said. “They came in right before some really nasty storms hit and dropped hail and stuff.”
That must have been the same storm system that affected their valley. “And you immediately made your ‘prayer’ to the locket when this happened?” Wind Whistler asked Molly.
Molly nodded.
“What are you getting at, Wind Whistler?” North Star asked.
Wind Whistler motioned for them to talk away from the humans. They turned around and Wind Whistler got close. “I know this sounds absurd, but it is possible that locket has something to do with our appearance here,” she whispered. “Her plea to it would roughly align with our arrival in this world.”
“At this point I’ll buy anything.” Paradise joined the conversation. “Maybe if we save Megan, we’ll be sent home.”
“I wouldn’t hang too much hope on it, but it is a strong coincidence that deserves some investigation,” Wind Whistler said. “It is also our only lead right now.”
“So, what do we do?” North Star asked.
“We need to know more about the locket,” Wind Whistler answered. She turned back to Daniel. “Mr. Williams, can we borrow your wife’s locket for the night. We have experts who study magical artifacts, and could possibly ascertain the presence and nature of any magical properties it contains.”
“Huh?” Daniel grunted.
“We might be able to figure out what magic it has, which might explain why the harpies want it and abducted your daughter,” Wind Whistler clarified.
“Oh,” Daniel replied. “Go ahead and take it.”
“But, Dad, what about Megan?” Danny asked.
“They’re not going to give her back without a fight,” Daniel said. He winced and rubbed his head. “The locket is probably safer with them anyway.”
“We’ll treat it as precious as life itself,” North Star declared. “We’ll also do everything we can to save your daughter.”
Molly jumped up. “Then my prayers were answered.”
“And hopefully ours will be too,” Paradise whispered to Wind Whistler.
“That’s assuming we can actually get her back from those things,” Wind Whistler whispered back, feeling that sense of dread coming back. Forget the harpies coming for them; they would be going to the harpies.
* * *
Alecta sat on her simple throne of rock overlooking the old great hall. Iron torches held flickering flames that sent orange light dancing across the stone walls. The stronghold was little more than a network of rough tunnels carved into the volcanic rock, an artifact of the time and haste in which it was constructed. Even the great hall’s ceiling and walls were rough and the entrances irregular.
A thousand years ago, it was the staging area for the harpies’ ill-fated invasion of Boreas. She imagined the armies of harpies that had to be sharpening their primitive spears and polishing shields and leather armor and helmets in this very hall in preparation of invading Boreas. What a sight that had to have been especially when riled up by a final speech before battle. Even if they did not find what come for, the mighty dynasty of the Valkyrie Queens still fell to their might—a testament to harpy supremacy over the ground-bound races.
Harpies once again occupied the old fortress, though it was only her small band of fifteen now. Instead of spears and shields, they carried longbows and quivers loaded with arrows. Alecta typically felt powerful sitting on the throne her ancestor and namesake did so long ago, but she was instead waiting and felt like everything was out of her talons.
She ran the back of her finger down the back of Thanatos perched on a stand next to her. The condor chirred and stretched out under her gentle stroke.
“This is the worst part, my pet,” Alecta said. “Victory is within reach, but we must wait and trust in Omega Desdemona. Hopefully she will feel the thirst for glory and rise above her lowly station.”
The smell of cooked beef wafted into the room, tickling Alecta’s nostrils with its savory aroma. It was soon followed by four harpies carrying a full, cooked cow on a massive platter. They set the platter down on a table and joined the others in digging their talons into the brown flesh and pull chunks of it out to drop on plates. Juices flowed where the bovine was pierced and the scent became stronger.
Bernice placed a few large chunks on a plate and carried it with both hands up to the throne. She held up the plate and knelt to bring one knee to the ground. “For you, Alecta: our Glorious Alpha.”
Alecta took the plate. “Thank you. You may rise and join your sisters.”
Bernice stood up and gave a final bow of the head before turning away and taking up a plate to fill it.
Alecta picked up a chunk of beef and bit into the juicy flesh. Cow was a succulent but rare treat. They were easy enough to take down with arrows or even talons, but dragging such a large animal away was too much work for every meal. Only special occasions warranted the trouble, and accomplishing what their ancestors had not a millennium ago seemed as special as they came.
She held up a small piece to Thanatos and he snapped it up and swallowed it down. “You need to learn to enjoy a meal as rare and savory as this,” she said. “Though, we might be able to have beef and other luxuries more often very soon.”
Her Beta, Frona, filled a plate and set it next to Gergo sitting on his stone. The wingless male had his legs crossed in front of him and his featherless arms folded against his chest. His normal eyes were closed as his third eye stared forward blankly. Alecta had never fully understood the mental powers of the males beyond basic descriptions of the abilities they used. His mind was not with them, but out beyond these walls monitoring the local area.
He closed his eye and opened his normal eyes. “Omega Desdemona is approaching,” he said without a hint of passion and stared forward blankly. “She does not have the locket.”
“What?!” Alecta bolted up in her chair. She threw her plate down and clenched her talons into fists.
“This is what we get for trusting this to the Omega,” Frona murmured but loud enough to be heard.
“Still your tongue, Beta Frona, or I do it will for you!” Alecta snarled.
Desdemona sulked in, holding herself in a slouch. Her quiver was still loaded with arrows, but her longbow was missing. She was also unmarked.
Alecta felt her body tighten as her rage built. If Desdemona had been seriously injured or fought to exhaustion, she could accept failure. However, coming back empty-taloned and still healthy and loaded was an act of intolerable cowardice. Her anger seethed, but she was able to tamp it down and put on a grin.
“Omega Desdemona,” she said clearly, causing the young harpy to jump, “I see you’ve returned. Do you have the locket?”
Desdemona shot a glance to Gergo, knowing everyone already knew. “No, Glorious Alpha.”
Alecta forced a sigh. “Desdemona, Desdemona, Desdemona. You were sent on a simple but vital mission to take a locket from one farmer, and you failed. Not only that, but your longbow is gone and it looks like you barely got an arrow off.” She held the gold ‘α’ hanging from her choker, the sign of her leadership, so its glint hit Desdemona. “This was not only your chance to finally bring your position as Omega into question, but be a hero to harpykind and a part of historic glory. Yet, you only succeeded in cementing that letter’s place on your chest.”
Desdemona gripped the top of her dress, the embroidered ‘Ω’ remaining stiff. “It wasn’t my fault, Glorious Alpha,” she pleaded. “He didn’t come alone. There were these flying ponies that—”
“Quiet!” Alecta boomed and sat down in her throne. “Your simpering is upsetting Thanatos.” She stroked his throat. She puckered her lips to him. “We don’t like whining, do we?”
He lifted his head to better expose his throat and chirred.
“Flying ponies?” Melinda asked before dissolving into a laughing fit. “That’s the best one I heard yet.” Others chuckled and laughed.
“It true!” Desdemona stamped her foot. “There were three of them, and they took my longbow by coming at me from the sun.”
Alecta held up her talon, and the laughing stopped. “Even if it is true,” Alecta said sternly, glaring at Desdemona, “you are a harpy, the most highly evolved predator on Gaia. We do not lose to diminutive grass-eaters, whether they fly or not!”
“They’re very smart,” Desdemona said.
“Clever prey is still prey,” Alecta stated. “Never forget that, Omega.”
“Yes, Glorious Alpha,” Desdemona whimpered.
“I think we should take this as a sign that it’s time to just give up on this folly and just kill the girl now,” Frona said. “Then we can sack to our hearts’ content until the rings dim with the equinox.”
Some murmurs came from the others.
Alecta stood up and sauntered down to where Frona was sitting. Frona was her Beta and second in command. Her choker held a silver “β” to show that, and had personally put it around her neck. She was a capable warrior and team leader, something Alecta needed in the harpy directly below her. It was the only reason she tolerated her occasional quips and questioning of her orders. However, even she was not allowed this level of open insubordination.
Alecta threw as much force as she could into backhanding Frona square in the cheek. She was knocked clear off her seat and sat on the ground stunned.
Before she could recover, Alecta grabbed her by her dress and pulled her up to face. “We didn’t come up to this icy tumor of a landmass to rob and pillage.” She threw Frona to the ground.
She turned to the others. “My family spent centuries uncovering the Valkyrie Queen’s ruse and hunting down her bloodline. We’ve waited generations for this opportunity. The mother is dead and the daughter is not yet of age. We have a window to use her to find the Bifröst. That is what our ancestors came to this frigid, godsforsaken latitude for, and we can finally finish what they started.”
Frona climbed back into her seat. “She’ll come of age soon, and then her and the locket together would be trouble.”
“She doesn’t come of age until the night Selene Micro is new.” She pointed the clock on the wall. Along with hands and numerals for minutes and hours, it had two hands representing the two moons and moon phases with the new moon over ‘ιβ’. The hand for the smaller moon, emblazoned with ‘σ’, has not yet reached ‘ια’. “That’s four nights from now. If we still don’t have the locket by then, I’ll tear her throat out myself.” She presented her talons which would go through that tender, human flesh as easily as air. “However, I will not throw all this away just because you’re impatient.”
She slapped Melinda and Bernice’s shoulders. “If we were just going to rob and pillage, there are much fatter prizes to be had back home.” She pushed off them. “This is not just about this summer’s exploits. This is about harnessing the ultimate power in the world.”
She turned to her band. “The Bifröst lets you go anywhere on the planet instantly.” She ripped a large chunk out of the cow and squeezed it so its hot juices ran down her fingers and wrist. “Taking a cow won’t mean dragging its carcass for kilometers and up to our strongholds. We can appear right in the treasure vaults of the most heavily guarded castles.” She licked a trail of juice running down her wrist. It was a taste that all too rarely reached even her tongue. “If some stories are to be believed, we could even travel to other worlds besides ours and reap their riches. With that kind of power, nothing will be out of our reach.”
Several of the others nodded. Alecta glanced to Frona holding her head down and smirked. “Since one Omega can’t take the locket, I’m sending three of you out at first light.” She returned to her chair and dropped the beef on her plate. “We tried to trick it away from that farmer, but this time the gloves are off. We’re taking it and our destiny—” she clenched her juice-covered fist “—by force.”
The others erupted into squawks and cheers, pounding the stone table with their fists. Alecta leaned back in her throne, soaking in the moment. She turned to Thanatos and patted his head. He chirred as she stroked his back. “That’s right, my pet. And if Desdemona’s little, flying ponies try to interfere this time—well—they’ll be the ones decorating tomorrow’s dinner table.”