Chapter 8: Necromancer's Temptation
The floating docks were silent, aside from the falling rain from the darkened clouds, as the saviors of Port-au-Prance were now faced with yet another dilemma. Madame Zaria stood in front of the fallen Columbus, now clambering up out of the water, as if defending a close ally. To see the elder zebra on the corrupt archaeologist's floating headquarters was in itself a shock to Twilight, Rainbow, Spike and Zeru. But of course Zecora had the utmost trouble comprehending the situation.
"Mother? I don't understand." Zecora said with a stammer. "I thought you were somewhere back on land."
"I am sure you all have many questions." Zaria said sullenly.
"I'll say!" blurted Rainbow. "And just why shouldn't we beat the stuffing out of that crooked creep?!"
"Madame Zaria," said Twilight, anxiously. "Are you...working with Columbus in some way?"
Zaria looked away slightly, barely able to confront her unwitting compatriots. "I am the one responsible for his staying in Port-au-Prance." She gave a heavy sigh as she prepared to explain everything. "Columbus came to this island a month ago. He was in search of artifacts that contained voodoo power. He came to our village and demanded of me to offer him these trinkets, but I told him I had no such thing. Then, he threatened to destroy our village if I did not present any magical relics. And so, I decided to appease him."
"Don't speak another word about this, witch!" barked Columbus before suffering another mule kick from Rainbow.
Zaria continued. "I told him of the power to raise the dead through voodoo, and to control others through hexing dolls. Until then, none of the villagers even knew I possess these powers, because I forbid myself to practice such dark arts. But Columbus offered to help me bring my lost friends back from the grave, in exchange for lending him the secrets of voodoo. I could not help but to accept."
"So you and Columbus resurrected all these village guardians?" asked Twilight.
"It was I entirely," Zaria admitted. "He merely promised to 'look the other way'. I just thought every zebra in the village would be elated to see their fallen loved ones return to them. I was still obsessed with carrying on the gift of resurrection. And I was willing to trade anything. But it seems...the price was the safety of my own people. Now I have let a madman take control of them."
"If you were responsible for letting all this voodoo stuff loose," came Spike. "Then why did you ask Zecora to come help you out in the first place?"
"I did not expect my daughter to bring friends," said Zaria. "I was only hoping to request Zecora's help in secretly putting an end to Columbus's rampage. But then I saw just how powerful he has become. And after I saw all of you coming so close to death over your short time here, I realized that inviting Zecora home was a mistake, and that I had to come clean. I am sorry to you all for putting you through such danger."
"I never signed up for any of this." Daring Do sighed to herself.
Zaria then turned toward her staggered daughter. "Zecora, no apology I can offer is enough for you. But you must understand. I couldn't bare for you to know that I was really behind all this turmoil. Please, my darling! I didn't want to lose your respect again."
Zecora stared at her mother with a look of betrayed anguish, tears welling up in her eyes. She had no words for the mare she once called her mother, that day. She could only step back and turn away, hoping that it would be the last time she would do so.
Columbus chuckled menacingly. "And you think I'm the monster here!" he taunted the younger ones. "You all put your trust in a zebress who was willing to endanger her own daughter just so could be reunited with a bunch of stiffs? I must say, Madame Zaria, I underestimated you. Truly voodoo is the ultimate power. To manipulate, to defy death, the urge to sacrifice everything for the goal of- GAAAAGH!" His words were cut off as his spine began bending backward in a painful arc. In a split second, Columbus's whole body ceased up as he let out an agonizing scream and lost all control over himself.
"You are right, Columbus," said Zaria, with an air of vengeance in her breath, as she manipulated a Columbus voodoo doll. "It is quite handy. But you do not know about this magic as much as you think. There is still one aspect of voodoo I have yet to show you. The urge to sacrifice everything."
With that, Zaria unleashed her maximum power. A bright, green aura swelled over her eyes and encircled her body as she began to levitate from the sheer magical presence. She began focusing the vibrant aura into the voodoo doll within her grasp. Immediately, Columbus screamed even louder, being overcome with excruciating pain all throughout his body as he began to hover as well. The other ponies crowded to the other side of the dock area, all gazing at the spell in both wonderment and horror.
Before long, the voodoo doll of the hated invader started to deteriorate and become unwoven. The burlap withered away and turned into mere dust in just seconds. As a result, Columbus's last few moments were spent in torture. His own body deteriorated as well, his coat and mane burning away and his face becoming amorphous and disfigured. Then it was his flesh that quickly disintegrated away, and lastly his bones, until all that was left was the echo of his pain-fueled bellows of hatred. And just as soon as the spell was cast, the green aura dissipated, but all was not calm.
"Madame Zaria?" came Twilight, as she and the others peered around after shielding themselves from the blinding light.
Zecora let out a loud gasp. Across the planks, Zaria's body was no longer levitating, but was now lying in a lifeless slump. Immediately, Zecora ran over to her fallen mother and lifted her head up. The older zebra looked up at her daughter now with glassy eyes. Her face seemed to have aged, and her body had withered, in just several seconds.
"It was the life-draining hex." Zaria spoke weakly between breaths. "It cannot be cast without giving up your own life. Nor can it be reversed. But you must have known that."
"Mother..." Zecora stammered, trying to think of the right words while coming to grips with the situation. "Mother, I forgive you, you were only used as a tool! But I'm the one who left, so it was me who was the fool! Mother, I...I...I..."
Zaria's hoof rose to touch her child's tear-streamed faced. The elder zebra smiled with satisfaction. "Those rhymes are music to my ears." She spoke sincerely. "Zecora, the village, it is better under your care now. It is the least I can do for all I've done. But I know that you are your own zebra. You choose to live the life of your own desires. And for that, I have never been so proud." Her breath was wearing thin. "My...my beautiful Zecora...I love you...I will be with you..."
Zecora could not speak anymore. Her words were blocked by too much sorrow. Her friends surrounded her in condolence as they mourned the loss of a powerful matriarch. And as the rain clouds dispersed overhead, letting in the tropical rays, the band of resurrected zebra guardians knelt and bowed their heads, mourning as well. Within moments, the cursed magic held over them was lifted, and their hollow bodies silently disintegrated into dust that would somewhere nourish the earth. The curse of voodoo had been lifted. Zebras both living, and passed, could now remain in peace.
Epilogue
The following morning, peace settled throughout the zebra village deep in the wood. Now without the pall of voodoo lingering in their fears, the locals could carry out their daily routines knowing that the curse had been lifted. But this was not a day of rejoicing. The zebras grieved over the loss of their matriarch, having performed a ritualistic funeral the night before. Joined by the visitors from Equestria, they had wrapped Zaria's body in linen, laid her down in a canoe filled with flowers, and let her drift down the river that led from the village. It is believed that her soul would be carried away to a better place by the waters of life. Even a skeptic like Daring Do shared that belief.
Alone in her mother's bungalow, Zecora brooded over the relics of her childhood home. She was persistently distracted, from collecting unused potions and ingredients, by toys she played with as a filly. At one point she cradled an unhexed doll in her hoof It saddened her that only recently had she begun to appreciate this home.
"Zecora?" Twilight peered inside at the front door. "How are you feeling?"
Zecora paused, still staring at the doll. "Do you think she asked me to come so late," she finally spoke. "Because she knew that this was her fate?"
"It's possible with a spellcaster of her power." Twilight said. "Maybe she knew that you were her only hope in helping her. But I think, in the end, she just wanted to reunite with you."
Again Zecora paused to think, then looked up at her friend. "I should not have brought you with me, Twilight." She sighed. "This was my burden, mine alone, to fight."
"I would have followed you to the ends of the earth, Zecora." Twilight rested a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. "And I would have followed her too."
Zecora smiled a calm smile and glanced out the window at the sunbeams through the treetops. "I think I shall honor her wish, and look after this place," she said. "But only when danger should again rear its face. My people can look after each other, their will is strong. So it remains in Ponyville where I belong."
Twilight gave her a hug before exiting. "We'll be outside when you're ready."
After a moment, Zeru entered, approaching Zecora rather sheepishly. "Do you still need to be alone?" he asked.
Zecora grinned at him. "Zeru, you can come in, my dear," she said. "I already feel better with you here."
"I know that I can offer no fitting consolation for your loss." Zeru said, dourly. "But I just want you to know that you being here has not been a waste of time."
"I never thought it was." Zecora replied. "Did you think I came here just because?"
"Zecora," continued Zeru. "These zebras honor you, more than any sorceress or guardian. You've put their minds at ease. I know your loyalties lie elsewhere, but I...I just wanted to tell you...that, uh...that I..."
The soldier's words were cut off as Zecora stood and pressed her lips against his. He could feel her leaning inward to feel his warmth. It was a sensation he had been dreaming of since the moment she had stepped off that airplane. After several seconds, Zecora pulled away and gazed deep into Zeru's eyes, relishing the moment.
"You brave warrior, I have you to thank," she said in an affectionate tone. "When I thought you were lost, my heart surely sank. Truly your loyalty knows no end. And I have always thought of you as more than a friend."
Zeru's heart jumped. He smiled and held her hoof on his chest. "I have only been this strong because of you, Zecora. After so many years."
"I will be back soon," said Zecora. "To make a new start. So until then, protect this village, with your warrior's heart."
"As you wish, Madame Zecora." Zeru replied, kissing her hoof.
At last, Zecora felt that she had made things right that went wrong when she last left her home country. She had dispelled a history of fear and darkness, and reopened her heart to her home and its people. But most importantly, she finally found that there was still a pure soul in her mother, even if she only realized too late. In fact, she already felt Zaria's presence, as if she were still there stroking her daughter's mane. All she needed was love to rekindle that feeling and banish any hint of darkness she felt years ago.
And so, after leaving her house in peace, Zecora placed the little burlap doll of a zebra witch doctor on the top step outside the door. It would be a sign to the other zebras that she would return, and that the benevolent spirit of zebra magic would be there to watch over them.
THE END