//------------------------------//
// Whom the Spiders Fear 
// Story: Ofolrodi 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

"The Lunar Hunt is a force that burns bright in this land of twilight," Merula declared.  Rainbow Dash, Ariel, and Kepler listened as the arachnid speaker continued:  "We suspect it is the final flame of the Bloodwings, their last whole-hearted attempt to exercise a strong campaign against their foes.  At the rate at which they are advancing upon their enemies and expending their resources, they will either triumph in seizing the final two Shards of Endrax and the Harmonic Prize beyond... or they shall burn out from their aggressive ambition.  Whatever the case may be, due to the actions of Lexxic, it is likely that one faction will finally be victorious in the Trinary War within the span of a single lifetime.  The balance is being tipped, and once one army falls then one of the other two shall surely come out on top.  The righteous punctuality of your arrival cannot be overstated, Austraeoh.  Not even in song."

Rainbow Dash took a long, long breath.  With contemplative eyes, she gazed across the spires of the city.

Ariel gazed at her with a worrisome expression.

"Ahem..."  It was Kepler who first summoned the strength to speak.  "These Bloodwings—these sarrosian exiles underr Lexxic's charrge..."  His spectacled eyes narrowed.  "Arre they hostile to any and all sapient crreaturres who crross theirr paths?"

"They are unfathomably xenophobic," Merula explained, voice vibrating through the silk construct.  "Their mercilessness is their primary tool.  Cruelty is the edge of their sword."

"And they arre all unified as one?"  Kepler tilted his head aside.  "All Bloodwings underr one bannerr?  One trribe?"

Ariel looked over.  "Keps, what are you getting at?"

"Nah.  Shhhhh..."  Rainbow nodded.  "Let him ask that."

"There are no splinter groups among the Third Penumbral Invaders," Merula answered.  "They all answer to the same functioning body whom the equines have followed since first arriving upon this plane: the matriarchs who wield authority and cultural prestige.  Those who fight to the death for their cause are exalted by the lore-keepers and priestesses."

"And... if any Bloodwing tries to hop out of line?" Rainbow Dash asked.  "Or attempts to leave the society that they've got holed up in that big friggin' tree of theirs?"

"Then Lexxic exercises the same mercilessness with them as he would any other enemy to the Lunar cause.  As a result, the Bloodwings have remained unbreakable solidarity for the past generation."

"Soooooo..."  Ariel took a breath.  "...in other words, Lexxic keeps all of them marching to the same bloody tune."

"Ach.  It is as I thought."  Kepler looked aside at Rainbow Dash.  "This means that if we arre to deal with the Bloodwings, then we will have to deal with them as a whole."  He shook his head.  "Therre will be no heterrogenous contrradictorry factions to appease."

"Wait, what do you mean?"  Ariel squinted.  "'If we are to deal with the Bloodwings'?"

"... ... ..."  Kepler's eyes wandered.

Rainbow Dash also was silent.

"All we're ever gonna do is butt heads with these losers!" Ariel's voice cracked.  "Hasn't Merula made it obvious?!  They're a bunch of hardcore murdering bucktards!  You can't reason with that!"

Rainbow Dash looked at Merula.  "It's gotta be asked..."  Her brow furrowed.  "Have any of the factions of the Trinary War ever tried talking things out?  Like... ever?!?"

Ariel's eyes continued bouncing between Kepler and Rainbow.  "I mean... we c-can't reason with these freaks!  Let's not even pretend!"

Kepler gently shushed her.

In the meantime, Merula responded to Rainbow Dash:  "There is no lyrical record in the Ever Poet's Song of the Bloodwings attempting to pursue negotiations with any faction.  They deal only in death and subjugation.  They torture, mutilate and consume—nothing else."

"But the Dihmers..."  Rainbow cocked her head to the side.  "...you said they've spared them?"

"For what purpose, we cannot say.  However, this is no actual contract.  The Dihmers are wise in that they do not venture close to the breeding grounds of the Bloodwings, nor do they tread hoof on the lands of the Lunar Hunt.  Their survival continues to be an unfathomable miracle, even as the shadow of Lexxic stretches over their habitats."

"So they just... don't ruffle the sarosians' feathers, huh?" Rainbow asked.  Upon hearing Kepler clear his throat, she blurted:  "Er... leathers."

"The Dihmers have long learned not to bother any warring faction.  This appears to have reduced their threat to zero in the eyes of the Bloodwings.  Of the three armies, it's Tchern's hive that preys upon the Dihmers the most, almost threatening to make the non-aligned equines extinct.  However—in dealing trade and commerce with the imps of Petra over the past few centuries—Dihmers have managed to find a way to survive the consumption of the Flux."  Merula's abdomen shook.  "As a whole, the Keepers are even less likely to negotiate than the Bloodwings.  Their restraint is merely a measure of their skill in patience and reconaissance, whereas Lexxic and his militant companions make it a habit to kill all that they see or hear."

"Dihmers excluded."

"Indeed."

"And... what about the Night Shard?" Rainbow Dash asked.  "Would you say that... th-they can be reasoned with?"

"You are restating your inquiry concerning their receptiveness to negotiations?"

"Right..."

Merula shook the strings:  "Curiously enough, the Ruby Chorus have expressed a keen interest in talking with any and all opposing factions."

Rainbow's ears perked.  "They have?"

"But their melody is a False Song, and an abomination to the spiritual balance of this Plane."

Rainbow then sighed.  "I take it Abaddon tried negotiating with them ages ago... and it totally bombed."

"The Song has no record of the All Poet possessing or utilizing explosive ordinance immediately after the Breaking of the Circles."

"No, I meant—"

Kepler spoke up:  "What was the Lyrrical Queen's rrelationship with the Night Sharrd, ages ago, beforre the Penumbrral Invasions?"

Merula answered swiftly:  "The Ruby Chorus recognized our song and saw it as an aberration.  They thought even less of the Spring Children.  Since those dismal days of darkness, the Night Shard have only measured sapience among their foes.  And while the Winter Children of Abaddon are mostly handicapped in ascertaining the logic of thinking vertebrates, we suspect that the Ruby Chorus think very little of Abaddon's nestlings."

"Well, that's just sucky," Rainbow Dash muttered.

"It would seem as though their attempts to bridge communication with both the Bloodwings and the Metamorphic Queens have only been a show of facetiousness, meant to flaunt power and intimidate their foes.  Their sincerity is just as questionable as their motive, and both virtues are subject to the whim of the beleaguered minds that struggle to control their armadas."

"Well... that's one heck of a picture you've painted, Merula," Rainbow Dash said.

Ariel commented, counting off her wingfeathers.  "So we have one Faction that'll wanna kill us on sight.  Another Faction that'll wanna deceive us on sight.  And then a third Faction that'll wanna troll us on sight!"

"Ach..."  Kepler nodded.  "That leaves us with just the imps of Petrra and the Dihmerrs."

"Neither of whom sound willing to lift a hoof... or h-hand to do anything to change the Trinary War."  Rainbow Dash took a deep breath.  "And I doubt either of them are even remotely strong enough to make a difference."  She looked forlornly at the two Heraldites.  "These three armies outlived Endrax's brood... and now—just as I've arrived here—they're pumping things to the max."

"Yeah."  Ariel gulped.  "With Lexxic, the Flux, and... and..."  Her fuzzy nose scrunched.  "... ... ...whatever the heck the Night Shard do."

"Neverrtheless..." Kepler stroked his chin in thought.  "It would prrobably be forrtuitous to brridge communication with the Dihmerrs."

"What?"  Ariel blanched at him.  "What the heck for?!"

The wyvern shrugged.  "Of all the Factions we've learrned about, they do appearr to be the least thrreatening."

"But what would they even do for us?" Ariel wheezed.  "The only reason they're not all extinct is because Lexxic's decided to spare them on this side of the Plane."  She raised an eyebrow.  "You think his soldiers will be just as merciful once we start poking around the grounds of the Lunar Hunt?"

"If we arre to acquirre the Sharrds..."  Kepler gestured.  "...we will have to apprroach the Bloodwings one way orr anotherr."

"How?!  We'll be dead before we're even within a shriek's distance!  Have you listened to a word Merula's told us?!  These sarosians sound like Xarchellus' midnighters with their wings on fire!  And the only reason Enix and the rest of her nightblood buddies didn't totally axe us..."  Ariel turned to look at Rainbow Dash.  "...is that Princess Luna's royal voice intervened."

Rainbow looked back.  She took a deep breath and faced Merula.  "This goblin city... Petra... just how far away is it?"

"No small distance by the Song," Merula replied.  "Even more daunting for mortals."

"But the Dihmers..."  Rainbow blinked.  "You say that they do trade and commerce with the imps?"

"That is affirmative."

"So..."  Rainbow Dash paced forward, eyes narrowing.  "...how do they manage this across such a great distance?"