CHAPTER SEVEN
Visiting hours
It was all the discerning traveller could have ever asked for: a roof, four walls, a window, and a door. Of course, I couldn’t exactly see out of the window as it was so high up I couldn’t reach it without flying up there, but I doubt there would have been much point in any case as the damned thing was about the size of a letter box. Some enterprising fellow had thought of that too as vicious looking spikes were arrayed in the ceiling threatening to impale anypony who fancied reminding themselves what they were missing in the world outside. The door was, naturally for a thestral made establishment, five inch thick solid crystal and locked on the outside. One way in, and one way out. I was beginning to sympathise with the villains and drunks we used to throw into the watch-house cells. Most of them tended to be short term lock ups, our busiest period being the Nightmare Night celebrations. Apple Family brand cider and dandelion wine being the worst culprits for that carry on. The outcome of this situation for me though was unlikely to be a simple fine of a few bits and an angry wife to face when I got home.
I curled up on the dust covered hard floor and awaited ‘judgement’ from Far Sight’s wife. All I could now was pray that I hadn’t made a fatal error in judgement by allowing myself to be brought here with Shadow. No doubt news of our antics and my rebuttal of Shadow’s father’s request to send her home was bound to have had some impact back here, regardless of how he had changed his opinion of me. I had naively believed that any problems I may have encountered with the thestrals in this village would have been the responsibility of Far Sight, rather than his other half. Unfortunately it was all too clear to me now, and far too late, just who wore the shoes in this place.
A scratching at the door caught my attention. I sidled over to investigate, leaning towards it. “Hello?” I asked quietly. “Is somepony there?”
The door creaked open and a hulking great guard stood before me, weapon ready and eyes glowing menacingly. He cawed and clicked a message which I took, along with his gesturing, as an order to move to the back of the cell. I complied and he nodded to somepony standing just out of sight from where I stood. The guard sidestepped to allow a cloaked figure to enter the cell with me, the heavy door slamming shut behind him with a deafening finality that made my heart sink. Still, on the bright side at least somepony had come to see me, so that was positive. Right? Gods, knowing my luck it was the bloody undertaker come to take my measurements. My visitor pulled back his hood to reveal a green and red mottled thestral with a greying mane and beard who lowered himself gingerly down onto his haunches with a quiet sigh. Without speaking, he produced a long thin crystal pipe from a white satchel around his neck and deftly began packing it with a dark stringy material I presumed was tobacco. After he’d finished he began rummaging for, what I also presumed, was a light of some description.
“Here, let me get that for you,” I said politely, magicking a flame to hover over the bowl. He inhaled several times, his flickering yellow eyes never leaving my face. I felt quite awkward in the silence but politely waited until he was able to take a few good puffs, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips.
“Thank you, Equestrian,” he said, rubbing his back with a hoof. “That’s a handy trick you have there.”
“You’re welcome...” I paused, blinking in surprise as the distinctly normal words settled in my ears rather than battering their way through my skull. “Hang on!” I squeaked. “You ARE a thestral aren’t you?”
He chuckled, blowing a pungent smoke ring up to the ceiling. “You noticed then? What gave it away? The teeth? Glowing eyes? It’s the smell of sulphur isn’t? Blast, I knew I should have changed my cologne.”
I stared at him in open mouthed amazement. The weirdness meter had just gone off the charts and I had to take a deep breath to settle myself down for fear I’d start screaming hysterically. Goddesses above, was I dreaming? This whole situation was a bloody nightmare already without more inexplicable things appearing to taunt me. I had to get a grip of myself before I really did lose what fragments of my sanity I had left. And so, with the mere semblance of calm, I sat back on my haunches across from the old stallion before I began, “You can speak my language without sending words directly into my head and you’ve obviously not come to lead me off for execution. Yet. Therefore I would suggest you’ve come here for a specific reason and, as I’ve not got any other plans for today, I would welcome any questions you may have for me. So, over to you.” I held out a foreleg for him to continue.
The newcomer clopped his forehooves together in delight, an expansive smile revealing a row of long yellow teeth holding his pipe in place. “Oh, you are fun!” he cried toothily. “I can see why the Lady Shadow has claimed you. You know, I think we’re going to enjoy having a good long chat, you and I.” The old Thestral reached into his pack and produced another pipe. “I don’t mind smoking alone as a rule, my young friend, but I do find that company is far more conducive to comfortable discourse, don’t you?”
I wasn’t sure whether he was being sarcastic or not, but did it matter? Right now he looked like the only chance I may have of getting out of this lunatic asylum in one piece. He passed me the pipe and after a short amount of work with the tobacco I had it lit and took in a good mouthful of the curling blue smoke. It was… delightful. All the while the old fellow watched me like a hawk watches a mouse while I relaxed, taking in the thick fragrance from the unusual tobacco.
“Now, friend Equestrian,” the thestral began. “May I call you Fairlight?”
“You may,” I agreed with a nod.
“Good… good. My name,” the thestral said pleasantly, “is Star Beard. I am a, um… ‘priest’ of sorts, to our people. I would invite you to my chambers for a more comfortable chat of course, however the Duchess is a little, shall we say ‘upset’ with you at present. So this will have to do, I’m afraid. When I leave I shall arrange for some more comfortable items to be transferred to your… ‘room’.”
He did seem to pause a lot, carefully choosing his words no doubt. It wasn’t hard to work out what he was really wanting to say either. I read in the words ‘Furious’ and ‘Cell’ into his last few sentences alone. “Star Beard, please,” I said politely. “Don’t mince your words with me. I may not the smartest pony in the watch, but I’m no fool either. I would appreciate you being frank and candid with me. As you can see, my situation is not exactly an advantageous one.”
Star Beard smiled and took a deep draw on his pipe, blowing the smoke out the side of his mouth with a hiss. “Very well, Fairlight. Firstly, I will hear your story, so I ask that you also speak candidly with me. In return I promise I will do whatever I can to settle matters between you, the Lady Shadow, and the Duchess.”
It was the best offer I was likely to get. Besides, what harm was having a chat with the amiable old soul going to do? If nothing else it would help pass the time. And so, for the second time in what seemed as many days, I told my story from beginning to end, from when I had first entered the Withers, to my arrival in the Beyond. By the time I finished, Star Beard was tapping out the ash from his pipe on his hoof, nodding to himself. Whether he believed everything I’d told him, or even any of it for that matter, remained to be seen. There was a knock on the door and it opened, the guard glancing at us before allowing in another black cloaked visitor.
Star Beard clopped his hooves together. “Aha! My assistant. Excellent! Time for some refreshments I think.”
His ‘assistant’ produced a wicker hamper out from under their cloak and laid on the floor. From this they then produced a bottle of some sort of fluid which presumed was wine, along with a few parcels of food. My nose twitched, intrigued by the spicy scent emanating from within the cloth wrapped bundles. Good gods, was my stomach rumbling? For the first time in as long as I could remember, I actually felt... hungry. I swallowed, but watched quietly as they were arranged on a woven mat that had been unrolled in front of us.
“Thank you for your story Captain,” Star Beard smiled at me. “I am, quite frankly, delighted to meet a fellow officer.”
“A fellow officer?” I asked, pulling my eyes away from the food.
Star Beard chuckled, “Is that so surprising my dear boy? I may be getting on in years, but the flow of time here in the Withers is very different from your world. In fact, think you already said you’d experienced that, yes?” I nodded. Star Beard smiled and continued, “I, like you, was an officer serving his people once. It was a long time ago of course, but it still seems like it only happened yesterday.” He chuckled. “An old cliché, true, but there are some things that you never forget, no matter how much you may wish you could. No… No, you never quite forget...” He trailed off staring past my shoulder, his eyes focussed on a world and time I could never see. I cleared my throat, bringing him back to himself. “Oh! Sorry Fairlight, I quite forgot myself for a moment there,” Star Beard said animatedly. “Forgive an old goat his memories would you?”
“There’s nothing to forgive, sir. Please, continue.” I held out my hoof and smiled.
Star Beard beamed happily and scratched his nose before continuing, “Did you notice the banners hanging from the Grand Hall before you were so rudely brought to this cell?”
I nodded. I had actually; the black banner, purple edged with a white helmet design hung from poles either side of the entry Far Sight and the ‘Duchess’ walked through before I was unceremoniously deposited in here.
“We, that is the ‘older’ members of our tribe, were once soldiers in the Legion. Like so many of us, poor Far Sight’s father was killed in the final battle and we... Well, let’s just say we didn’t pick the winning side, yes?”
I was beginning to wonder just how long ago this war was which he spoke of, but I’d leave that line of enquiry for another day. I wasn’t in the mood for war stories right now, but I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the enigmatic Thestral. “Sir, may I ask your rank?” I asked politely. Star Beard began rummaging for more tobacco before his assistant, clicking to him gently, produced the pouch he’d somehow managed to sit on during our conversation.
“Hmm? What rank was I? Oh, yes, I was a, um, ‘Storm Colonel’. I was head of over a thousand thestral assault troops with pony and minotaur ground support. Oh, you should have seen them Captain. They were… magnificent. Truly magnificent. Sadly, what you saw here in our village is only a mere remnant of what we once were, and a pitiful reminder of days long since passed that have been lost to the mists of history. Our numbers are much fewer now and our people do not, um…‘reproduce’ as quickly as other races. Not as fast as ponies at any rate I’ll wager!” I smiled, nodding. “Not all thestrals are born here,” Star Beard explained. “Most are, though it’s hard to describe, they are, um... ‘created’? Is that the right word? In any case, it happens when ponies from your world, that is the Equestrian ‘mortal world’, die and have some sort of overpowering regret or trauma that anchors them between the worlds of the living and the next world. You have heard of the Eternal Herd of course? I think you met one of their more arrogant officials?” I nodded. Star Beard raised an eyebrow above a knowing smile. “The Wither World has a strange ability to, shall we say, ‘extract’ those regrets,” he explained. “It takes all the negative emotions from the deceased and, sometimes, they take on a life of their own.”
“As thestrals...” I added quietly.
“As thestrals,” the old one nodded sagely, eyes half closed. I closed me eyes, trying to take it all in. It was a good story, but didn’t help me in the slightest. Was I here as a means for him to chat about old times, or was he really here to help-
“Good!” he said suddenly, slapping his leg with a laugh. He leaned across to his assistant and began speaking conspiratorially but still looking at me with that knowing smile of his. “I like him!” he piped. “He’s sharp. Not as sharp as me I’ll wager, but you have a good brain on you, Watch Captain.”
I cleared my throat. “Colonel, what can you tell me about the situation with the Lady Shadow and her mother? I believe this to be at the heart of my current troubles here.”
Star Beard re-adjusted his hind legs, his bones cracking alarmingly as he did so. “Bugger!” he exclaimed loudly. I couldn’t help but chuckle at his outburst. “Nothing to laugh about Captain,” he huffed. “You’ll be old one day too you know.”
“I’m not so sure, Colonel,” I replied honestly. “My chances don’t look so good right now.”
“Now stop that right now!” he commanded in a more authoritative tone. “I won’t have defeatism, my boy. I won’t accept it from a thestral, nor will I from an equestrian. That sort of thinking can destroy your chances of victory in battle, Captain. You would do well to remember that.” Star Beard relaxed slightly. “Very well, you want to know about the ‘not quite so’ royal family of the tribe of the Beyond, yes? Then, my dear fellow, I will tell you.”
I stretched my back and the colonel continued, “The duchess had four daughters. You have met them already: Shadow, Ember, Short Stride and Wind Sheer. They were all destined to be married to the nobility from various across the Withers. We, the tribe of the Beyond, are but one of many. Once we were united, but our humbling at the hooves of… ponies, created a rift which has endured to this day.” I listened intently, fascinated by the old ones tale. This wasn’t in any equestrian history book I had ever read, and a subject barely touched upon in school. “The Lady Shadow was to be married to the Earl of Purple Sands,” Star Beard continued. “They’re a small warring fiefdom, east of the Beyond. I was saddened to hear that one of Maelstrom’s daughters has now passed from our world to the next. Poor young Wind Sheer. A shame… so much potential… lost forever…” Star Beard was wandering off again. His assistant passed him a bowl of what looked like crystalline fruit, making him jump. “What?! Oh, mmm, right, yes, the daughters.” I smiled at the colonel while he gathered his thoughts. “Ember and… the other one, what’s-her-name, are betrothed to other tribes who I wont bore you with the details of. Suffice to say that this has been the way of things since the return.” I presumed ‘The return’ was when the thestral army ‘returned’ to the Wither World with its tail between its legs after their apparent defeat in Equestria. “Shadows fiancé”, Star Beard explained, “is a leader of good standing, although not of good character I hear. Previous wives have met with, let’s say, ‘unfortunate accidents’. As a result of which, Lady Shadow decided to, um, ‘leave’ the Beyond and seek her fortune elsewhere.”
We both knew how that had ended up. I cut in, “But if the earl is the sort of leader you say he is, why would the duke and duchess allow such a betrothal? From what I have seen of Lord Far Sight, he is very protective of his daughters and would die defending them if he had to.”
“True,” Star Beard went on. “But you have seen yourself who is the true power here. The duchess is not as… ‘attached’ to her daughters as her husband. The power, prestige, and large amount of land the union’s dowry would bring is of primary concern to her. The tribe must survive you see.”
I did see. I hated it, but I could see why the duchess had made the betrothal. From memory it was a system used in ancient Equestria. These guys just hadn’t moved on and were stuck in some sort of tribal warring fief age. “Colonel Star Beard, may I ask a, er, more ‘personal’ question of you?”
He popped a berry in his mouth and scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Well of course my dear Fairlight, but that depends on the question. I can’t remember as much as I once could you know!”
“I understand sir,” I replied politely. “Please, I have been told that I am now bonded to Lady Shadow, that we are now mated. Lord Far Sight also said that she was, ‘incomplete’. Can you help me understand what this all means?”
Star Beard paused, watching me intently. He opened his mouth to speak but snapped it shut a moment later apparently thinking better of it. A minute or two passed as he thought about my question, and then suddenly shook his head vigorously, “No. I know I said I would answer your questions, Captain, but this… No, I cannot. It is not for me to speak of such things. I’m-”
A slender leg emerged from under the assistant’s cloak and tenderly picked up the old fellow’s hoof. A few words in thestral later, and he nodded to the cloaked figure letting out a resigned sigh. “Very well, if that’s what you want.” The assistant nodded, the leg disappearing back under the black fabric. “You recall what I told you of the origins of thestrals?” Star Beard began. “Lady Shadow is a true thestral, I can assure you of that. But she was born at a time of great magical imbalance here in the Beyond. An imbalance that was brought here by a pony of your world. He was an equestrian of great magical power who, despite my expectations, befriended our tribe and, I suppose, saved us from extinction. He could travel across time and planes of existence - a truly amazing feat of magic. Far Sight’s father, before the poor soul died in battle, secretly requested his aid in saving his tribe.”
“The tribe was in trouble before the war?” I asked.
“Yes,” the old thestral replied solemnly. “Far Sight’s father was a seer. He could see how things would end, even before they were manifest. His son was named after his father’s remarkable ability.” I nodded. Some of this was way over my head, but I was managing to grasp some of it. “When Lady Shadow was born, part of her ‘soul’ if you like, was left blank, waiting to be filled,” Star Beard continued. “Why and how this occurred is unknown, and as wise as he was, the pony traveller crossed over to the eternal herd long ago. I have tried to speak with him since, however that cursed clerk, Aethel, that horses cock of a quill pusher, won’t speak with those he considers ‘sub-species’.” He spat on the floor, his yellow eyes blazing.
“I… see,” I said quietly. “Colonel, some thestrals can speak my language. Not like you, but as a sort of telepathy, straight into my mind. Shadow rarely speaks and then only usually one or two words. Is this as a result of the ‘imbalance’ you mentioned?”
Star Beard rolled one of the fruit in his hoof. “Have you asked her?”
“No,” I answered simply.
“Well, perhaps you should the next time you see her.” He raised an eyebrow. “Have you ever considered she may simply be shy and not a chatterbox, Captain?”
I looked down at my hooves in embarrassment and felt a blush coming to my cheeks.
“Captain,” the old thestral sighed, “I must ask you a personal question now, as one officer to another. Stallion to stallion.” He sounded agitated. The assistant chattered at him urgently but he waved their concern off irritably, determined to continue. “Captain, now you know of Shadow’s nature, I would ask you to be truthful with me also.”
“Of course Colonel, please…” I held out a hoof for him to continue.
“Would you still take her with you, back to your world,” he asked, “or would you leave her here with her people?”
I was taken aback. I still hadn’t resolved my emotional conflict between Meadow and my growing feelings for Shadow. In truth I hadn’t had much of an opportunity to think about anything beyond my potential execution at the hooves of Maelstrom. I loved Meadow with all my heart but she was with the herd now. I knew I would see her again some day, but Shadow was here, and she was in some ways so like her too. Gods forgive me, I couldn’t even begin to understand how I felt let alone make sense of any of it. The wounds were so fresh I couldn’t close my eyes for more than a few minutes without the events in Equestria replaying through my mind so clearly it was as though I was reliving them all over again. I had a wife and daughter in the Eternal Herd I could neither see nor hold until my life was spent and I had somehow purged myself of this power within me. It wasn’t fair to bring the innocent Shadow into my tumultuous life, and yet there was the selfish Fairlight, the lonely Fairlight, the one who cried out desperately for companionship and warmth. Goddesses, help me, I begged silently. I need your guidance.
“Captain?” Star Beard asked looking concerned.
I blinked away my doubt the best I could and took a deep breath. “As I told Lord Far Sight, Colonel, Shadow is bonded to me as my mate and if I am able to find way to return to my world I would take her with me, should she wish it.”
The old Storm Colonel closed his eyes and smiled, nodding. “Thank you my dear fellow, that means more than you could know.” He reached forward and shook my hoof in both of his, letting out a deep throated laugh.
The colonel may have been old in years but was a remarkable story teller. He told me of battles with dragons, manticores and, somewhat troubling for an equestrian - alicorns. I Smiled at his explanations of divisional manoeuvres and combat tactics, wondering if I could ever use them in the watch. I doubted it though; usually we preferred out targets alive to stand trial and with all their extremities attached. The colonel’s foes usually ended up only fit for pie filling. As the hours passed he finally seemed to tire of stories and gave a huge yawn, not bothering to cover his mouth and treated me to a view of his impressively sharp teeth. I smiled at him and went to ask my next question, but the old soldier beat me to it.
“May I trouble you for a light please?” he asked. “Thank you. Wondrous thing unicorn magic you know. Nothing like the full battle magic of alicorns of course, but an amazing thing in itself.”
“Colonel, please. Can you help me?” I blurted out. “I need to know what’s going on so I can get out of here with Lady Shadow.”
Star Beard waved a hoof at me and tutted. “Getting a bit ahead of ourselves there my boy. Slow and steady, eh? Don’t want me to pull rank on you, do you?”
“No, Colonel.”
“No, Colonel,” he mimicked chuckling to himself again. Suddenly the old geezer act dropped like a stone and an army officer was staring right back at me. My back went rigid. “Right then, Captain, let us discuss the situation… and our strategy, yes?”
By the time we had finished discussing matters, the old colonel had smoked several more pipefuls of the peculiar tobacco. It was quite smooth and earthy, although one bowl was definitely enough for this pony. It wasn’t a habit encouraged in Equestria, with most of the harvest coming from Saddle Arabia as much as anywhere. ‘Dromedary’ was my brand of choice, but Meadow had put a stop to that pungent little pastime and my pipes had been cleaned and put away in the trophy cabinet - A victory for the little green mare. But soon enough the cloak wearing assistant, sensing that their mentor’s visit was drawing to a close helped pack some items back into the hamper.
Star Beard held a hoof out when it came to the berries, making the assistant pause. “I think I’ll leave these for you my boy.” The officer’s voice had disappeared and the ancient thestral, Star Beard, was back in play. “I think you’ll find them, let’s say… ‘beneficial’.”
I scrubbed my forelock, a little frustrated that the old fellow didn’t seem to be picking up on everything we’d spoken about. “But Colonel, as I explained, I don’t think I actually need to eat. I’ve barely had anything at all since coming here.”
Star Beard rose to his hooves and stretched, his joints creaking as he did so. He rustled his wings and scratched at something on his coat with a hoof. “You did eat though, didn’t you,” he stated, smiling at his assistant before turning back to me. “The lake demon?”
“What? I…” Oh goddess, what had I done? I remembered the feeling of warmth entering me, that joyful, almost ecstatic feeling of being re-energised, of being filled. Filled with… life.
Watching my reaction with those flaring yellow alien eyes, Star Beard spoke. “I believe you when you say you don’t understand the changes you have undergone since coming here, Fairlight. Please, believe me when I say that I know very little about it myself.” He reached out and petted the cloaked pony on the head, uttering a low clacking noise to which the figure nodded. He continued, “I have met others... like you. Although it was a long time ago, even by my standards! But yes, they existed - allies of ours in our war with the Celestians. There weren’t many of them I have to say, but their strength in battle was a legend amongst our people. Ice and fire, a true wonder to behold, Fairlight. I suspect you have never seen magical combat before on that scale?”
“I have seen death in battle before, Colonel”, I replied grimly. “Not of the sort that should be present in the mortal world either.”
Star Beard looked at me, his head on one side quizzically, “Really? Interesting. Should we be able to speak again, I would like to hear more of this. But no matter… no matter. Anyway, I’m wandering off topic again.” He shrugged his shoulder which cracked ominously but also seemed to give him some relief. “Your power is fed by absorbing the life energy present in your defeated foes. Dependant upon the amount of energy you take in, it can last you quite a long time.” He stuck his hoof in his ear and waggled it around, “I’d say that it’s best thought of as more of a, ‘magical energy reserve’ that you need to top up when it gets low. In Equestria you would still need to eat normal food to keep your physical body working of course. Probably even here. The ponies I knew certainly did… I think they did anyway…” Star Beard removed his hoof and stared at whatever it was he had extracted from his ear.
I was incredulous. “WHAT?!” I cried, rearing up momentarily, “You’re saying I’m a... a vampire?! You can’t be serious!”
Star Beard tutted at me, adjusting his satchel. “I never said you were a ‘vampire’ did I? Look, Fairlight, I haven’t got an infallible memory and I would rather not tell you something that I’m not certain about, rather than making wild guesses. As a Captain in the Watch, I expect you understand what I’m saying here, yes?”
“Yes. Yes, I understand,” I replied heavily.
“Good.” Star Beard bobbed his head, satisfied with my reply. “My boy, things happen which no thestral, or in your case, no pony, can make mane nor tail of. But your power is not something you should fear, no matter how you came by it. It’s a part of you now whether you like it or not, and the sooner you come to accept that the better. Now I know that ‘Clerk’ Aethel,” he emphasised the word ‘clerk’ in way I didn’t think possible, “...said you could not cross over because of it, but I think that it’s more a case of their fear of what you are, rather than ‘physically’ being unable to enter their realm. The best advice I can give you is to learn to master it, Captain Fairlight. Remember your training and train yourself again.” He thumped his chest. “Become the master of your own emotions. That... That is what gives you your strength.”
“Colonel,” I asked, my heart racing as his words hit home, “what... am I?”
He paused and rubbed his bony chin in thought. “Why my dear Captain, didn’t you already guess?”
I shook my head in defeat, “No, sir.”
He chuckled and patted a hoof on my shoulder. “Why, you’re a Wendigo of course!” He grinned expansively and turned to knock on the cell door. The guard opened it in his now customary manner and I saw what looked like… money?… being surreptitiously put in the guard’s hoof and vanishing into a tunic pocket. In my dazed state I barely noticed the assistant was still in the room as the door began to close.
“Star Beard!” I blurted, “Your-” but the thestrals face popped back into the room with a toothy grin. did he… did he just wink at me?! My goddesses he did!
“Enjoy the berries, Watch Captain Fairlight!” he laughed, and the door slammed shut.
The old thestral’s croaking laughter echoed down the corridor and out of earshot. I was… I didn’t know. I couldn’t be what he said though, right? I mean, come on, a wendigo? For the goddess’s sake, what a load of bollocks. How could I be some bloody ancient... ‘thing’ like that? They were monsters from equestrian legend, from the time of the wars of the three kingdoms. Or at least I think they were. Damn it all, the silly old foal must have bats in his belfry. And then it suddenly hit me with crystal clarity. ‘Wendigo’ must be the name for a group of magic users from the time of, whatever war it was, that he was involved in. Rather like the name ‘Equestrian Watch’, or those blasted ‘Agency’ spooks. Oh, thank Luna! I’d have to learn more about these when I got back home.
Home… I wasn’t even sure if that’s where I wanted to go any more. After all, what was there for me to go back to? My wife and my daughter had been murdered, my friend cut down as he tried to save us, and as for myself I’d been left as a mangled mess in a burning building hadn’t I? That being the case, what was going to happen if I was successful in returning to the mortal realm? My body must be little more than mass of dust now surely. What would that make me then? A ghost? Goddesses, I was so confused. I felt my emotions roaring through me in a turmoil of worry and despair. “Oh Meadow, what am I going to do?” I groaned, covering my head with my hooves. A word, a name, slipped out into the cool air of the cell. “Shadow…”
A foreleg reached out and placed a delicate hoof on my hind leg to comfort me. It was the key to the lock, the handle opening the door to that which I had tried to keep hidden from prying eyes for so long. That touch, that simple act of understanding, threw sunlight unto darkness as unbidden tears rolled down my face, plopping into the dust on the cold hard floor. I must have looked a state right then, silently weeping as my pathetic end on an alien world approached. So much for ‘mastering my emotions’, eh? Shit. I began to lose myself in a world of self pity and despair, walking blindly into an abyss of emptiness that called to me with its lonely refrain. I barely noticed the cloaked figure scooch over and gently press into me without a word, nor the occupant’s head leaning against my shoulder. A light chirrup emanated from the hoods depths, soothing and calm. It was a chirrup I recognised. I turned to face the figure and stretched out both my forehooves, gently lowering the hood to reveal the black coated thestral beneath.
“Shadow!” I exclaimed, “What in Luna’s name are you doing in here? Why-”
She pushed a hoof to my mouth and motioned towards the door. I understood her gesture. The guard was likely outside, and paid off by Star Beard or not, he would still be close by. Quietly, she leaned into me and made a light rattling purr like an enormous house cat, but distinctly thestral, and exquisitely feminine. Without thinking I leaned down to nuzzle her gently. Luna knows what was going to happen when the door next opened, but for now though, nothing else mattered but her.
Shadow and I stayed snuggled together for how long, I couldn’t say. I wondered if she were asleep and watched her chest rise and fall, listening to her soft breathing as I gently stroked her cheek, pleased to see no sign of the blow the duchess had delivered her. In response, Shadow pushed into me more, the small moaning sound escaping from her lips sending a rush of warmth spreading throughout my body from ear tip to tail. I shuddered. Was it wrong to feel this happy? Yes. Yes, I suppose it was, but feeling the little thestral so warm against my body, I just didn’t care. A red eye slowly half opened and looked up into my face, the heat in her gaze utterly intoxicating. Shadow slid her head up my chest and brought her muzzle close to mine. The smell of warm spice from her breath made my heart begin to race. Suddenly a warm blue tongue snaked out and gave my muzzle a tentative lick. Softly, sensually, her tongue followed the line of my lips before disappearing back into her mouth. I half expected the guard to burst in wondering what the noise was my heart was hammering so loudly in the quiet room, but right then I just didn’t care. Wisps of steam wreathed Shadow’s muzzle as she rubbed her face along the side of mine. Her teeth felt strange against my face but the unusual sensation was having an effect on me I would never have expected.
Shadow however, did, and she had plans for that evening.
A quick blur of slick black legs and she was facing me, both of us upright on our haunches. It was a position I was used to, but not so… close, to another pony. Here however, rather than a pony, sat a thestral, a being of nightmares, a creature from the darkest recesses of a foal’s nightmare. Eyes burning like the pits of Tartarus, smoke curling from wicked flesh rending teeth and with a beautiful midnight blue mane flowing over a slim bony frame, Shadow was the most singularly fascinating mare I had ever met. In the world of ponies, bony, terrifying and beautiful simply didn’t go together. All of thiswouldn’t go together. We were an impossible pair - the equines from different species and different worlds, but none of this mattered to the one sitting before me. The mare watched me carefully, taking in every inch as though she was committing my entire being to memory. For a moment I wondered if this was because it would be the last time I would see her. Perhaps tomorrow really would be my last day in this life. But whatever the future held for me, I would share my time with her now. I wanted to be with her. My heart ached to be with her.
Shadow leaned forward, her forehooves resting on her hind legs, her mouth barely a hairs breadth from mine. Her eyes half closed, I felt mine close involuntarily as her long tongue licked my lips, probing softly. I let her in. Slowly, she moved her mouth against mine, her tongue sliding along my own, moist and gentle yet with a barely restrained excited sensation which resonated with my entire body. She broke the kiss before I lost what little control I had left and plucked a crystal berry from the bowl with a hoof, carefully placing it between her lips. She smiled gently, and I moved forward to meet her. Carefully, I took the berry with my lips and tongue, squashing it against the roof of my mouth. The cool sugary sweet juice flowed out, unleashing a tart yet delectable taste I had never experienced before. Shadow’s mouth closed over mine, her tongue roving freely, lapping at the juice and sharing the flavour with me. Her spicy breath mingled with my own and the sweetness of the fruit. Luna’s grace, It was all too much. I could sense a roaring of emotion deep inside me, a feeling of uncontrollable lust ready to break free of its bonds and… goddesses, I wanted it to.
The thestral mare unclipped her cloak letting it drop to the floor, her chest heaving and eyes glowing with an intense light that reflected a myriad of colours from the crystal walls. I reached out and threw my forelegs around her, pulling her into another kiss. Long and deep, I tasted her breath, running my tongue along her teeth. Their sharp points were strange, so… alien and gods help me, I almost longed to feel their bite. My hooves ran up and down her spine, following its pronounced contours. Shadow’s folded wings shivered and she pushed away from me, her eyes flaring a deep crimson. Steam rolled out of her mouth and she huffed a blast up into the air from her nostrils before lunging forward, carrying me to the ground.
“Shadow….” I moaned, looking up into her eyes. I was hers now, her bonded mate. She could do what she wanted with me, and by the searching hungry look in her eyes, she knew.
She’d always known.
********************
I had been dragged from my cosy cell by two hulking armoured thestrals, my forelegs chained with crystalline hobbles. Not surprisingly it was insanely difficult to walk, and I stumbled several times only to be roughly dragged to my hooves by one of the none too gentle guards. Outside the crowds lined the path to the great hall, howling and screeching at me in a manner which left me in no doubt as to my overall status as a ‘guest’ of the Beyond. Ah, public entertainment at its best, eh? Nothing quite like a good old fashioned execution to bring a community together! Still, I did my best to try and keep what pitiful amount of dignity I had left, but pitching muzzle first into the ground repeatedly had a habit of doing quite the opposite. Approaching the hall, several of the banners had been placed to delineate the entrance, probably to impress upon any who entered here that they were in seriously deep manure. No prizes for guessing who that was today. As I entered, I looked up at an inscription on the archway, written in a language I couldn’t even begin to understand.
“Hey buddy!” I said, trying to get the guards attention. “What does that say above the door?” He ignored me. I chuckled, “Probably ‘shriek, click, click, scream’, eh?”
A vicious blow from the haft of another guard knocked me to my knees. “Silence, Celestian vermin!”
I looked up at him, shaking my mane. “I think that’s ‘honoured guest’, friend,” I smiled back at him. His glare said it all – he didn’t expect this to be a return journey. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here…
I have to say that inside was a lot less impressive than I had expected. Limited building materials had meant that most of the walls, ceiling and seating was all variations on the theme of crystal. Beautiful in its own way I suppose, but it began to make me wish I’d been able to bring sunglasses. The local dignitaries were arrayed along the sides of a long deep blue carpet edged in silver which my kindly guards assisted me in navigating. A massive banner with a large white helmet motif was suspended from the roof behind the four thrones, reminded everypony just who was in charge here. And they were already waiting for me. The two largest thrones held Far Sight and his wife, the ‘Lady Maelstrom’, apparently. They in turn were flanked by Ember and Shadow. Short Stride, the youngest, sat on a large cushion next to eldest sister. A plethora of guards, colourfully robed thestrals and an assortment of other invited guests - many armed I noticed - were liberally sprinkled between the doors and the dais. Any thoughts of escape vanished in that moment, and just for emphasis I was pushed forward by my thoughtful guards into a kneeling position.
The general murmur was drowned out by a small female in a long white gown, banging a long metal staff on the ground. Whatever it signified in their culture it had the desired effect as silence fell like a lead tombstone. Clopping hooves announced the arrival of a bulky red-black male in a purple robe embroidered with the same white helmet motif. An air of self-perceived superiority surrounded him and he looked derisively down his muzzle at me. Gods, already I really didn’t like this fellow! He clicked and screamed at me, but all I could do was stand and wait dumbly for somepony to provide a translation. Whether this act of his was deliberately calculated to try and undermine any vestiges of standing or credibility I might have, I don’t know, but whatever he said caused quite the commotion amongst the thestrals.
“Wait! Your Ladyship, I beg your indulgence! Buggeration, where did I put the bloody thing…” Star Beard’s chirpy, and distinctly Equestrian voice calling from the back of the hall made the mass of thestrals turn in consternation. Pushing his way through the throng, the old soldier trotted over to me, pulling a brass and gemstone helmet from his satchel as he did so. Quickly, he snapped off a bow to the duchess who glared at him in silence, but thankfully allowed him to continue. “Captain, please wear this,” Star Beard spoke quickly. “It’s Equestrian so it should work for you. Whether it’s still fully functional after all this time though… well, I guess we’ll see won’t we!”
“What is it?” I whispered.
Star Beard shrugged. “Just a little something from my army days…” He plonked the thing on my head and pressed a combination of the crystals. All of a sudden my hearing popped alarmingly, but judging by the old chaps smirk, this was only to be expected.
Meanwhile the furious thestral in the purple robe glowered at Star Beard as he trotted away, waving a hoof back at me with a smile on his face. “May we begin now?” he asked.
“Sure thing pal, it’s your show,” I replied with a cheeky smirk.
For some strange reason he didn’t seem particularly impressed and harrumphed his displeasure before turning to the duchess. The tall green mare rose impressively from her chair and stepped forward to tower over me. Hobbled as I was, held down and unable to rise, the impression was of a giant about to step on an ant. On the plus side however, at least I could now understand what the thestrals were saying without my brain trying to expand outside my skull.
Maelstrom’s words carried across the now silent hall. “Equestrian, you are an intruder in our lands and a citizen of our ancient enemy,” she rumbled. “You have stolen my daughter, Shadow, and in so doing have done your best to ruin an invaluable alliance with the people of the Purple Sands.” She stared down her muzzle at me with unbridled loathing. “If that were not enough for you, one of my daughters is now dead, lost to our people forever. She was killed. Killed because of YOU!”
“Your Majesty-” I began, but was unexpectedly struck across the back of the head with the guard’s axe haft so hard it made my ears ring.
“SILENCE EQUESTRIAN!” the purple robed thestral shouted at me before bowing to the duchess once more.
“You unmannered… HORSE!” Maelstrom screamed at me in a shower of spittle and sulphurous fumes. Now that wasn’t very nice, was it! Unfortunately she had more to say too. “You brazenly appear in my kingdom and display your false betrothal to my daughter like some trophy taken in battle!” Maelstrom spat. “Who do you think you are, Equestrian? This is my kingdom and my laws are those of the goddess herself! You are nothing more than a common thief and a trickster, no doubt casting your accursed ‘pony magic’ on my family for your own evil ends!”
Amidst the rumble on angry onlookers, Far Sight approached the enraged mare and spoke in a low urgent voice, pointing to the hobbles on my forelegs and stomped a hoof. The duchess waved him off and took a step forward as her husband snorted his annoyance behind her.
“I have been made aware that you apparently ‘saved’ my errant daughter from a river demon,” Maelstrom announced. “Even if this utterly extraordinary claim is true, I cannot ignore the fact that my beloved Wind Sheer would still be with us if you had not kidnapped the Lady Shadow in the first place!” Far Sight neighed behind her only to be stopped by Ember who shook her head at him. The duchess tossed her mane and waved to the assembled crowd as she spoke, “The Duke speaks highly of you, Equestrian. He tells me of your ‘fight’ to save the Lady Shadow from the lake serpent and how you allegedly ‘defeated’ the creature. A feat, I will say, that is laughably improbable for a slab toothed pony! How exactly did you perform such an extraordinary act, hmm? Chew it to death?” There was a general ripple of laughter from the assembly before the white robed thestral banged the metal rod on the floor, bringing all attention back to the duchess. “Your culpability in the death of my daughter and the brazen kidnapping of the Lady Shadow is irrefutable,” Maelstrom snorted. “I further understand that not only do you belong to our eternal enemy, but you are...” She closed her eyes and took a breath before breathing, “...an officer in their army.”
A tidal wave of outraged neighing, shouts and insults filled the hall. Maelstrom was working the crowd, and she was damned good at it too. I managed to look up just enough to notice the self satisfied smug grin of the mare’s face, and wished I hadn’t. That bitch was enjoying this, and my time on this plane looked to be running out faster than an adulterer when the other half comes home unexpectedly.
The duchess nodded to the thestral in purple who reared on his hind legs, addressing the assembly, “Noble warriors and people of the Beyond, your duchess has spoken and the charges have been laid. Do any of you wish to speak before sentence is passed?”
I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer to the goddess. This was it then. I felt numb to it all and resigned myself to the inevitable. I wondered what would happen next? Could I die twice? Would I simply end up back in the Withers, trudging black sand for the rest of my days? That thought alone was terrifying in itself, but worse yet, what was going to happen to Shadow? I tried looking up to see her but was pushed down by the burly guards, effectively restricting my view to the duchess’s hooves and that bloody fancy carpet. General shouts and cries of “Horse!” “Murderer!” and general other niceties where thrown at me from the seething crowd. Apparently the matter of my guilt had been decided before I’d even said a word in my defence. In fact the only light in my darkness came from Far Sight. He stormed forward and stood facing his incensed wife, despite the withering glare she gave him. I managed to glance up as the guards stood back in their surprise.
“Wife!” Far Sight boomed. “I understand your grief, and your anger at the Equestrian. No one loves their daughters more than you, and I share your pain for the loss of our Wind Sheer. But know that she died trying to save this stallion. She believed in him and honoured his battle to save our Shadow from the river demon. Do not forget that I saw him fight with my own eyes! He is not what you think. He is a friend, not an enemy.”
“Nonsense! What is this?” Maelstrom snapped back at him. “An ally? Defeated a river demon? Slew a lake serpent? For the goddess’s sake, look at him, husband! He’s a horse with no teeth! What did he do, use party tricks and inspiring songs?” She threw her hooves up in exasperation. “Either you have been indulging in too much Balta or he has bewitched you!”
“He has magic!” Far Sight shouted at her angrily, “He saved our daughter from death and you thank him like… like this?! He is a brother to the tribe and a son to us!”
It wasn’t the right thing to say. In a blind fury, the duchess snatched a spear from a guard and swung it at her husband, smashing him across the jaw with a sickening crack. He staggered back, Ember and Shadow rushing to his side to aid him.
“Shut up, you fool!” the Duchess shrieked, smoke pouring from her mouth. Droplets of saliva leaked from her maw sending burning rivulets of it onto the purple rug. The smell of burning carpet material was eye watering. “You DARE to question me? I am the ruler, husband. My rule is law!” She advanced on me shaking her mane and snapping her wings out in a display of unbridled aggression. “See the discord you have sown within my land, Equestrian? Can you see the misery you now sow within my own home? You and your kind are a sickness that must be eliminated to avoid infecting our people.” Her voice lowered to a growl that reverberated through the floor, “Vermin cannot be allowed to live.” I knew what was coming next. Bloody hell, I could have written the script myself. “GUARDS!” she roared. “Kill him! Here! Now!”
Shadow screamed at her mother but was held down by the white robed female. I hoped she would at least see my smile, and know that I would go to whatever end with my love for her in my heart. But now I was surrounded by armoured thestrals, positively dripping aggression and pent up anger. “All that creaking leather and spikes...” I said sarcastically. “Bet you boys are whooping it up every night in the guard house, eh?”
The guard’s eyes blazed in abject fury. “Damned Celestian filth. I’ll make this slow for you,” he growled at me.
I managed a sidelong smile, “Not as slow as I took it with your wife…”
The axe blade rose, light glinting off its honed crystal edge. My powers wouldn’t help me now. Besides, any battle here would likely injure or kill members of Shadow’s family. And as reprehensible as some of them were, I wouldn’t want her to see that. Mind you, my defence team needed sacking. So much for bloody Star Beard! Somewhere amongst the din of baying onlookers I could hear Far Sight shouting in protest, but his words were lost amidst the shouts of anger like a sneeze in a hurricane. Gods, what a way to go… I could just about see the axe reaching its zenith, the guards holding me down, the cylinder rolling towards me, splitting open, the outraged squeak from within…
********************
I was moving at speed, although how was something of a mystery. I seemed to have little say in the matter however as I was part dragged, part pushed out of what I presumed was a side door of the hall. My head was pounding with what felt like the hangover from hell, just without the more enjoyable aspects of alcohol. I couldn’t hear a damned thing either, other than for a high pitched whine, and just to add to the unique experience my vision had been reduced to mostly bright blue spots. Gods above, had that been a flash bug? I’d been near the things when they’d gone off before, but this one must have been on bloody steroids! All I could tell was that we were hurtling down corridors at break neck speeds, turning one way then the other. The hall hadn’t been that big, but judging by the angle of the downward slope I calculated that we must be well under the hill behind the village. The air was damp and earthy too, a not unwelcome surprise in this place and quite reminiscent of the Manehattan waterfront. Around me the clatter and creak of armour coupled with the drumming of speeding hooves made me feel like I was like one of those cheesy celebrities when they were mobbed by fans. In this case though the fans were heavily armed and likely to kill me brutally rather than ask for an autograph. Thank Luna those bloody hobbles were off though.
“In here!” somepony shouted as he threw open a heavy wooden door.
Without pause we all piled through. Standing near the sharply armoured thestrals was a danger in itself and I moved quickly away from the nearest blurry shape only to be bear hugged by Shadow. I moved to nuzzle her but instead of the warmth and comfort I longed for, found myself instead being grappled by Star Beard.
The old fellow took my head and leaned close to me. “Hold your eyes open, boy! Here...”
He spoke with an urgent authority which I responded to immediately. Holding a hoof under my chin, he angled my head up and plopped two large drops of a soothing cool liquid into each of my eyes. I don’t know what it was, but by Luna it worked like a charm. Almost immediately my vision began to return to normal. Blurred colours and indistinct shadows rapidly took on outlines, form and detail until I was able to take stock full of my surroundings. And new companions. Star Beard’s ‘friends’ were an unlikely group of, by the looks of them, ancient war relics. Their armour bore testimony to innumerable battles, if the dents and scratches were anything to go by. And as for wrinkles? Bloody hell, some of them looked like strained tea bags! Brave old warriors they may be, but in a fight I didn’t fancy their chances. The guards I’d seen so far were young, strong, and as physically fit as you could get. Age may have the experience, but youth had the reaction speed, and it was likely things could get brutal very, very quickly. And if there was one thing I’d found out about thestral culture, it was that they didn’t tend to go in for diplomacy in a big way.
I caught sight of Star Beard rushing about the room, upending chests and pulling out books seemingly at random whilst unleashing some of the most colourful cursing I’ve ever heard. And speaking of colourful, the room we were in looked nothing like anything I’d seen in the Wither World since I’d arrived. In fact it was decidedly… Equestrian? Surely not. And yet there on wall were paintings of green fields, castles, trees, and lakes. Magical lanterns, oil lamps, astrolabes and any manner of oddments that wouldn’t have been out of place in my homeland had somehow managed to find their way here. Like me. And how come I was still alive, anyway? Well, as alive as I could be for somepony who was dead. Or mostly dead. Or whatever the hell I was supposed to be. Gods above, wasn’t there a manual for these sorts of situations? I just seemed to keep getting pulled from pillar to post with no damned clue as to what was happening and no say in it whatsoever. Meanwhile, thestrals ran around me doing… whatever it was they were doing, and leaving me there like a spare part. Dashing past me in his frantic search for whatever it was, the old thestral knocked over a mannequin that was propped in the corner near an astrolabe.
“Pick that up for me would you, Fairlight, there’s a good chap,” he called back over his shoulder.
I picked up the mannequin and straightened the embroidered cloak, plopping the huge floppy hat back on its head as the embroidered bells tinkled merrily. It was a strange thing to hear in such a place, and resonated with a part of me that made the back of my mind itch strangely. If that made any sense. Shadow had vanished, but considering the crush of equines in the room with me, she could have been six foot away and I wouldn’t have seen her. Carefully, I dodged over to a yellowing map of what was quite obviously meant to be Equestria, hanging on one of the walls. The outline was there, as were the rivers and mountains, but I barely recognised any of the places inscribed on it. Clearly Manehattan apparently hadn’t existed when this was made, nor even Canterlot for that matter. Despite its age, lines and notes were scrawled on it everywhere like miniature travel plans. Whatever the scratchy hoof writing said though, was anyponies guess. Behind me I heard Shadow huff, and I smiled at her. She had her head down, trotting around the room in agitation whilst the other thestrals moved to stand by the door like they were expecting an axe to come through it at any moment.
“Star Beard!” I began. “What’s-” But he cut me off in his usual manner.
“Quiet Captain, I said I’d pull rank on you and so I am.” The old fellow frowned at me. “You are now under my command and will follow my orders at all times, and to the letter. Are we clear?”
I nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
He smiled, patting me on the shoulder, “Good lad. Ah! Look, it was here all the time. Knew I’d put it somewhere safe.” Trotting over to a large sconce, the old thestral took down a small crystal on a chain which had been hanging from it. My hoof flew to my chest in alarm. Hey! That was mine! I patted my chest and, sure enough, the precious beacon Meadow had given me to light the way in this forsaken land was gone. Celestia’s backside, I’d never even noticed it had gone!
“Here, boy.” Star Beard suddenly tossed the crystal to me which I caught deftly. My face must have been a picture right then. Shadow trotted over to me, taking the pendant in her hooves and slipped it over my head with a little smile. I gave her a wink and she blushed as she stepped back.
“How did you manage that trick then, Colonel?” I asked, feeling the heady rush of relief and hope fill my heart once more.
Star Beard grinned expansively, his yellow eyes flaring momentarily. “Used to be quite the magician in my day, Captain. A thestral among thestrals, you could say!” The others laughed with him and the uncomfortable tension in the air lessened noticeably. “No need to stand by the door everyone,” he said waving a hoof dismissively, “there’s an enchantment on it. That’ll fox them until we can spirit our loving couple here away.” He chuckled and went back to rummaging through the now thoroughly ransacked room.
Before long, and with no apparent order at all, we were laden with variety of saddlebags, panniers, armour and weapons galore. More importantly my crystal was safely around my neck once more, and both Shadow and I sported light armoured barding, not unlike my special operations barding in the Watch. Smelled funny though. A bit… ‘fishy’? Ah, right… should have guessed, shouldn’t I? To add to my ensemble I had with me a short sword, a heavy old crossbow that looked like it was designed for taking down dragons, and a small selection of what were quite clearly flash bugs.
“Kept a few from my days in Equestria,” Star Beard had said when I’d asked him about them. “Handy little critters. Probably believed you ponies thought of them first did you? Ha! There’s nothing new under Luna’s moon!” When all was ready, Star Beard spoke to me again. “Did you eat the berries Captain?” I nodded. “Good, how many?” he asked.
“Just the one,” I answered.
“Just the one?! I left you the whole bowl!” he exclaimed, face hoofing.
I cleared my throat. “I know, it’s just, I… that is we were…”
“Well, yes, they have been known to enhance, um ‘things’… allegedly.” He glanced at Shadow and sighed. “Right, well no time for that now. Get these down you then” Another bowl of the berries appeared from out of a basket and at his insistence I dived right in. “Good,” he nodded. “That’s that settled at least.”
“What are they?” I grimaced. Initially sweet, the taste of that many was quickly overpowering to the point of intense bitterness.
Star Beard tutted at the interruption. “Spirit berries. Gives your inner wendigo a bit of ‘pep’. You’re going to need it, too. There’s a bunch more in Shadow’s saddle bags if you get low.”
I was quite fond of Star Beard, I decided. He was cynical and sarcastic, but knew how to get the job done. He was my kind of pony. Thestral, rather.
“Now, Captain Fairlight, you will follow Storm Major Thorn and his troopers. They know the way.” The old thestral nodded to himself in thought before adding, “Stick together no matter what happens. However, if for some reason you get separated, follow the crystal’s light. It will show you the way to the rendezvous.”
I couldn’t hold it in any more. I had to know. “Why, Star Beard? Why help me like this?” I asked bluntly. “I can’t understand why any thestral would risk themselves for a pony they don’t even know. You’re defying your own duchess and your people, for stranger. I mean, who are you, really?”
“Why, why, why?” he mocked, nodding his head in rhythm to the words. “Fairlight, I don’t have time to explain everything, as much as I would wish it otherwise. Just be assured that what I told you in the cell was the truth, yes? Now then, these veteran warriors are here because they remember the old warrior’s code. You are a fellow officer, and officers watch out for each other. That includes you, understand?”
“But the duchess!” I said, “You know what she’s like, she’ll probably find out who helped us escape and execute you all!”
A grey thestral in battered armour walked up to me and grinned, showing teeth nearly as long as my forelegs. He leaned down and in an exaggerated conspiratorial whisper, half looking at Star Beard as he did so, said “I don’t think we have to worry too much about the duchess, Equestrian. Daddy can still spank her if she gets too out hoof.”
My mouth hung open in surprise. Daddy? Star Beard kicked his armoured colleague playfully as he walked back to his fellows, all of them falling about laughing. I turned to Shadow, “You have some strange relatives love.” Suddenly realisation washed over me. “Oh goddesses, they’re my in laws now too! I think we may need to be a bit selective who we invite over for celebrations in future.”
Shadow barged me with her shoulder admonishingly while treating me to a playful smile. Thank the goddess she had a sense of humour. A shame her bloody mother didn’t. Still, by the looks of things it was already time to go. I looked across the room to see Star Beard pulling a book on the shelf which let out a loud ‘click’. Before my wide eyes a slab of crystal that had been a part of the wall only a few seconds earlier, slid silently to one side revealing a dark passageway heading down, ever further into the hill. And hell, why not? What home doesn’t have hidden doorways and secret passages? Good grief, the way things were going lately I would have been more surprised if something actually normal happened. But then here, weirdness probably was normal and it was me who was the anomaly. One of the warriors began passing round lanterns and we each took one, securing them to the special poles on our packs. Well, we were off again. My head was still attached to my shoulders, I had new travelling companions, and no idea where I was going. Still, it was a damned sight better than the alternative.
The big thestral taking point, ‘Thorn’ apparently, called over his shoulder in a commanding tone, “Warriors of the Goddess’s Legion, let’s move out.” I’d hardly call myself a warrior, let alone a member of the goddess’s ‘legion’, but when in Roam...
The door whispered shut behind us, and one by one, we set off into the darkness.
********************
It took us around twenty minutes by my reckoning. Our hooves echoed along the roughly cut tunnel, and had me more than a little worried about the noise we were making. Mind you, unless the duchess knew about this tunnel it was unlikely we’d be discovered until we were long gone. I hoped. It was interesting to note that there was material other than crystal, sand and the rubbery hides of dead aquatic animals too. I was no geologist, but the rock here looked like rock in Equestria. Personally it seemed a bit strange that nopony had taken to quarrying it to make their homes, but I suppose if the crystal did the job, then why bother? I was lost in a world of my own for a time, following the thestrals in front of me with their bobbing lanterns. In fact I was so focussed I didn’t notice the subtle change in the ambient light surrounding us until the sound of our hoofsteps changed from an echo to a dull thumping. Snapped out of my daydream I tried to see past them to where the light was coming from. And there it was - sweet, sweet light! It wasn’t the sun, but by Luna’s good grace I’d take what I could get and be damned glad of it too. We had reached the end of the tunnel and, as I had suspected, emerged on the other side of the hill to the town. I barely had a moment to pause before my companions began stowing their lanterns and re-adjusted their gear before heading off silently into the forest. I followed, Shadow close behind me.
We moved at a steady trot, neither running nor walking. Nopony spoke, and it gave me time to take in the scenery around me. Since arriving in the Wither World, all I had seen had been sand, black rivers and black lakes. But the land of the beyond was something else entirely. White grass, almost translucent, whispered by underhoof beneath the branches of crystalline trees. There was next to no breeze here, yet there little change to the temperature that I had noticed either. Leaves caught the light, reflecting an incredible rainblow of colour as we passed by, and those peculiar birds I’d seen what felt like a lifetime ago by the lake, flitted amongst the branches. Suddenly I became aware of the sensation of something pulling on my tail which made me reach round to adjust whatever it was. What I didn’t expect was to see Shadow gripping my tail in her mouth like a nervous foal. I have to admit it was agonisingly adorable, and she smiled shyly, a faint rose colour blushing her cheeks. I gave her the trademark Fairlight wink and turned back to watch where I was going with a foalish grin that must have reached from ear to ear. Goddesses, her blush was so cute!
My next surprise came when a shoulder nudged me from one side. The thestral female it originated from leaned in close, whispering, “Name’s Glimmer, Equestrian.”
“Fairlight,” I replied with a nod.
She pushed up against me, her red eyes a little close for my liking. “Can I give you a piece of advice?” I gave a quick nod for her to go on. She grinned wickedly, “Ears.”
“Ears?” I whispered back.
She gave me a knowing little smile and explained. “Nibble her ears. It feels amazing. Seriously.”
“Wha!” I squeaked and looked back at Shadow who held her head to one side, a questioning look on her face.
It was my turn to blush now, and my cheeks must have been glowing luminous red for all to see. In response, Glimmer moved away shaking with laughter before squeaking herself as the thestral bringing up the rear gave her a nip on the behind. She just shrugged and winked at me before resuming her position in the formation. Oh Celestia, I didn’t know what to think now! I smiled to myself and felt a lightness to my step that surprised me. Glimmer may have been engaging in some light hearted teasing, but it ran so at odds with the image of armour, battleaxes and crossbows, that it bordered on the ludicrous. And I was damned glad of it too. I picked up my hooves and fought down the urge to speed up. Trotting was a good way to cover long distances without wearing yourself out, but a damned good gallop would have hit the spot very nicely indeed right then. Still, you couldn’t have everything, and personally I was relieved simply to be moving away from that damned maniacal duchess and enjoy some good company.
We made good progress through the forest, melting through it like ghosts in an ethereal sea of spectral trees. And perhaps in some way they were. I wasn’t sure whether you could have ghosts of trees, but I had heard of tree-spirits. Maybe this was where they went when they eventually died in the mortal world. But… what was the mortal world? Equestria? It was to me of course, but for these creatures, I wasn’t really sure. They seemed well and truly alive to me, and treated me like I was too, but whenever I tried to piece it all together I only ever succeeded in making my head spin. If I ever managed to get more than five minutes peace I’d have to try and make some sense of everything before I drove myself completely bonkers. Pushing such thoughts away for later consumption, I looked up and noticed that the trees were gradually beginning to thin out. Thorn had noticed it too and raised a hoof, halting the party. He made some gestures with his hooves that were very reminiscent of the hoof-commands we used to use in the watch, and sure enough the soldiers silently began removing large white cloaks from their packs without uttering even a single word. Following their lead I pulled out mine and slipped it over my head. It was a lightweight thing, and for once didn’t stink of fish guts either, which was definitely a welcome bonus. I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but I could guess. The cloaks covered our bodies completely, even our tails. Speaking of which mine, mine was still in the grip of a certain black coated mare. Shadow peered back at me, decidedly unwilling to release her prize, but eventually with a huff of resignation she followed suit and donned her cloak like the rest of us. Reluctantly I stared forlornly back to the soggy, chewed, and now distinctly crinkled mass that had once been my beloved tail. It was going to take hours to brush that out! I groaned inwardly as our party set off once again, but said no more. A crinkly tail was a small price to pay for a happy mare.
The cloaks certainly did their job well, making us all but invisible amongst the white trees and grass. And thank the goddess the thestrals knew the way too, because out here I would have been just as lost as I had been in the endless sand. Apparently the concept of ‘roads’ had never really caught on in thestral society. But why not? Was it because they could fly? Come to think of it I hadn’t seen Star Beard for some time either and guessed that the ancient ‘priest’ would be bringing up the rear. “With the gear,” I muttered to myself, the old watch joke coming to mind. On that subject, this expedition was reminiscent of some of the operations I’d been on with the Watch. I opened my mind and observed every movement, every sound and smell. These guys were good, very good, but it didn’t hurt to have an extra set of alert senses within your group. And I’d be damned if I’d just sit back and be nothing more than baggage. We’d been trudging through the forest for several hours by my reckoning, but whether we were making progress or not was unknown. At least to me. Despite their age, my thestral companions didn’t seem to be showing any signs of tiredness or fatigue. Far from it. In fact, they appeared as fresh and as dauntless as when we’d first set off. It may have been a strange effect of this plane on its inhabitants, including myself. For the most part I hadn’t felt any tiredness since coming here until relatively recently. Sure, I’d slept occasionally, but sleep just wasn’t the same. I didn’t wake with that drowsy sensation you’d have when you’d like a few more hours in bed, or even the enthusiasm of getting up with the expectation of a new day ahead. Here, things simply went on. They happened. And in a strange way it was almost like time had stood still and nopony had even noticed.
Eventually we stopped, and I leaned myself against a tree to catch my breath. It was more out of habit than actual necessity, but by the goddess it felt good. All the emotional strain I’d been under, having my brains scrambled by the flash bug, and then hours of trotting through an alien land, had taken their toll. I was mentally exhausted. I could see Thorn, the tall thestral warrior, speaking to one of his subordinates up ahead. The stallion radiated authority like an open furnace, and his hide looked like a road map of scars. One of them, a particularly nasty looking one, drew a line from just underneath his jaw to his eye. Half an inch more and he’d have lost it. I shuddered at thought of it, rubbing my muzzle as I recalled the bloodied ruin that had stared back at me from the broken mirror. There was no doubt that thestrals were a warlike race, and by the looks of things they hadn’t changed much since the days of this ‘Legion’ Star Beard had mentioned. I just hoped I could get the hell out of here before I ended up having to find out the hard way whether I was capable of using a sword for more than thumping training dummies.
Thorn spread us out amongst the trees, ostensibly to avoid aerial detection by our pursuers. What struck me as peculiar however, was that there was no sign of any pursuit. None at all in fact. Thestrals may not be the most graceful creatures who ever flew, but they could have sent out scouts to track us down long ago. Surely we would have seen at least one by now? Something about this situation was ringing alarm bells with me, and I could feel the hair bristling even under the cloak.
As if reading my mind, Thorn slid down next to me with barely a sound. “What’s wrong?” I asked him quietly, not wanting to worry Shadow who had taken to holding onto my tail again.
“You can feel it too can’t you, Equestrian.” It wasn’t a question. The old warrior looked skyward and spoke in a low, serious voice, “I’ve avoided pursuit in the past. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not. But in every case there was always some sign of our enemy: dust rising, wings against the sky, sounds carried on the breeze… Something.”
The cloak was beginning to make my mane stick to my neck with sweat and I shook myself for a little relief. “What’s your assessment, Storm Major?”
Thorn pulled his cloak hood back a little and looked me in the eyes. “They’re either letting us go, or we’re heading into a trap of some sort.”
I nodded my agreement. It had all been far too easy. In one of the possible scenario’s I’d run through my mind as we’d set off from Star Beards sanctuary, I’d imagined the duchess letting us go simply to be rid of us, whilst in another that we’d cleverly evaded capture. One, which seemed entirely plausible, was that they were simply badly disorganised and hadn’t begun looking further than the tunnels yet. After a process of elimination, the hatred radiating from the duchess and her desire to see me dead, left me with only one conclusion - she would never allow me to leave the Beyond alive, let alone take her daughter with me. For Maelstrom to lose face amongst her people was unimaginable. Disorganised or not, her forces would doubtless be rallied to pursue me… us… to the gates of hell and beyond if necessary. In short, it was the same conclusion as Thorn’s. We were heading straight into a trap.
“Thoughts, Equestrian?” he asked me.
I felt honoured he would consider my opinions, and I hoped to the goddess I wouldn’t disappoint him. “Send forward scouts on hoof, using the trees to avoid aerial detection,” I said calmly. “Flankers out within ear shot, rear guard to protect from attack from the rear. I would have crossbows to the centre to protect from strafing runs.”
Thorn nodded. “Interesting. You would centralise your defensive strength?”
“Yes.” I took out my water skin and took a sip, trying to ignore the white leathery material it was sloshing around in. “Anything that can improve out reaction time in a hostile environment is essential.”
Thorn smiled gave me wry smile before looking back to Shadow who was preening her wings. “She is our most valuable cargo on this mission, Equestrian. Do you agree?”
I wiped my mouth. “Yes, Storm Major. I do.”
He clopped me on the shoulder and smiled, the wicked scar showing white across his muzzle. “Despite what you may have heard from some of my brothers and sisters, not all ponies ran when the Equestrian’s goddess brought the sun’s light down upon us. Many stayed, fighting and dying by our side right up until the very end.” Thorn sighed, “But alas, as with so many other things, these truths are forgotten with time as the old ones gradually leave us for the next world. Only the bitterness, anger and hurt remain. Many will not even know why.”
“I don’t know much about the war, Storm Major,” I confessed, “only really what Star Beard told me.”
“Star Beard…” Thorn huffed. “A foolish name.” He adjusted his pack, half looking at me as he did so. “But I am surprised to hear you say you have not heard about the war with the Legion and the Moon Goddess. It was a great victory for the Celestian forces.”
“I’m not sure what to say,” I replied a little embarrassingly. “History isn’t taught in our schools particularly, and most of what I know is from reading books. Even then they tend to be sterile when it comes to anything that may be considered controversial, political or go against the dominant narrative. Wars are barely mentioned at all. Good grief, I’d never even heard the name ‘Celestian’ outside of church until I had it yelled at me like some sort of insult.”
“Mmm...” Thorn raised his eyebrows. “History is always written by the victors, and I doubt that yours will be any exception. ‘Celestian’ was the name we called the forces of our enemy, but it was never originally intended as the pejorative it has become. Sometimes the old hooves among us will use it, and I trust your back is broad enough to avoid taking unnecessary offence when none is intended?” I nodded as he continued, “Our pride has never recovered from the defeat of what many saw as an inferior foe, and with the duchess leading our people, I doubt it ever will.” Thorn lowered his head and closed his eyes in thought. Gathering himself to his hooves he stood and signalled to the others with a few light clops of his hooves. “You’re a good pony, Equestrian. You give me hope for my family. Take good care of our Lady Shadow, and protect her as a warrior should”.
I looked him square in the eyes and nodded, hoping my determination to see this through would be clear for the old warrior to see. I don’t what it was about Thorn, but there something about him that inspired confidence and a desire to prove yourself that made my chest burn with a fire I hadn’t experienced since my first day in the Watch. His glowing red eyes watched me in silence as he smiled and turned away to take up his position once more in the formation. By the gods, the things that stallion must have seen in his life must have been extraordinary. And terrifying. A light nudge to my rump pulled me back to myself, together with a sleek black muzzle. Shadow was ready to move out, and the now familiar little tugs reminded me that I’d really have to get that tail looked at when I got home. A good shampoo and comb through would do the trick. Failing that it would have to be the last resort - scissors. Still, with any luck I might be able to convince her to help me groom myself thoroughly. Maybe even… mutual grooming? An inappropriate thought popped into my mind and I mentally filed it away for later perusal. First of all we’d have to get out of here in one piece. Ear nibbling and fooling around with each other would have to come later.
We followed the valleys, avoiding the hills in case we were silhouetted against the skyline, before reaching a small stream of fast flowing black water. Here we stopped to drink and refill the water skins. Personally I took a draught straight from the source, and it wasn’t that bad really if you ignored the taste of sand. Despite looking like quill ink, it was pretty much the same as water back home. Mind you, I still didn’t get much of an urge to drink the way I used, although that may have been down to the fact it was being carried in those disgusting looking white leather skins. I felt embarrassed, ashamed even, at being so prudish about it. But every time I saw that pale material I had flash backs to the shrivelled and empty mass of the lake monster. The monster I had drained of life. At least, I had according to Star Beard’s assessment. Maybe he was wrong about my being this ‘wendigo’ thing. Goddesses, I hoped he was. I slung the water skins over my back, barely having had time to even stretch my legs when the orders to move out came round once again. More hours of marching followed. I don’t know what was worse though: the miles of very similar looking forest, or the fact we were doing it in absolute silence. The initial rush of excitement and thrill of adventure had evaporated into nothingness hours ago. Now, there was only the muscle wearing tedium of trying to cover as much ground as possible in as short a time as we could. Gods, I still had no idea where we were going! Worse however, was that I could feel Shadow starting to flag - if the tugs on my tail were any indication. Fortunately for both of us it looked like the Storm Major had read my mind. He lifted a foreleg and brought us to a huffing, panting halt and I took the opportunity to check on my mate. She looked utterly exhausted. Trotting is all well and good, but hour upon hour of constant exertion was taking its toll on all of us. Shadow all but fell into my forelegs and I sank to my haunches, cradling her as she closed her eyes and allowed herself a few moments of respite.
“Are you alright, love?” I asked quietly.
“Mmm...”
Well, that looked like it was going to be the most I would get from her for a while! All around us the thestrals made the most of the break, rubbing their legs, slaking their thirst or simply leaning against a tree and closing their strange burning eyes. It was one of their most unusual features, which was certainly saying something. They didn’t look like eyes at all really, more… flames I suppose. Small fires, burning away in various colours from white to yellow, from orange to red, that somehow allowed a thestral to look out onto a world of extraordinarily stark contrast. With her eyes shut, Shadow looked so peaceful she was making me feel sleepy myself. I couldn’t see much of her due to the white cloak, but I could feel her breath upon my fur, and the see the way her back teeth curled ever so slightly our over her lips. Goddesses knew why, but I found them inexplicably adorable. It truly was a strange, strange world. I’d been dosing there on and off for a few minutes when movement up ahead caught my attention. One of the warriors was standing on his hind legs with his head raised. Throwing his cloak’s hood back, he cocked his head to one side, listening for something. At least, I think he was. I still couldn’t quite get used to those pointed ear / horn protrusions. They gave the thestrals an otherworldly look, and in all honesty were the kind of things I’d only ever seen depicted in books on the beasts of the underworld, which were hardly a source of factually accurate historical information. Of course, considering my attraction to Shadow I may have been a little hypocritical in that regard, but then, she was special wasn’t she? I gave her a peck on the cheek and was rewarded with a contented chirrup. Maybe she was a devil. Maybe they all were, and this ‘Wither World’ was my personal hell of sorts. Well, if it was, it could have been a damned sight worse than this. Best of all, so far nopony had tried sticking tiny toasting forks into my rump either, which was good news in anyponies book.
I followed the warrior’s gaze and strained my ears to pick up on any sound out of the ordinary. It was hard to tell, but there was… Yes! A whistle. It was faint to my poorer pony audible capabilities, but apparently clear enough to the lead scout of our group. He waved signals to Thorn who replied in kind. The scout saluted and trotted off in the direction of the sound. Now everypony was rising to their hooves, standing their ground, tense and expectant. Despite the white cloaks, I had a mental image of the thestrals as coiled springs, ready to react with lethal and deadly force at a moments notice. I had seen Far Sight in his battle against the lake serpent, and that was impressive enough without the armour and crystal weapons adding to the imagery. How in the name of the goddesses the Legion had been defeated by ponies was mind boggling. As I watched, the scout returned, speaking quickly with his commander who issued his orders without delay. To my surprise, Thorn lifted a small silver whistle and gave several blasts which were, oddly, not as loud as I would have expected. It was a strange sound that put me in mind of a dog whistle for some reason. Whatever it was though, it made my hearing pop. I gave my ears a rub before gently helping the weary Shadow to her hooves.
“Come on, love,” I said encouragingly. “Hopefully we don’t have far to go now.”
Shadow just smiled and nodded, as Glimmer snuck up beside me, leaning her muzzle close to my ear. “The bridge over the river is near,” she whispered. “Beyond that is the old encampment - the boundary of our homeland. Tell me, my pony friend… do you fear ghosts?”
I looked over my shoulder at her, noting the sly smirk under the hood. “My lady Glimmer,” I replied pleasantly, “you’re talking to one.”
Glimmer nickered and pranced away in surprise, turning her head to look at Shadow who nodded to her, affirming what I’d said. She backed away from me and kept a wary distance after that, looking decidedly shaken. So… a touch superstitious were we? I grinned and winked back at Shadow who gave a foalish giggle under her breath.
“Nibble the ears...” I muttered sarcastically, and slung my panniers over my back.
Thorn was nearby, talking at length with one of the other officers and signalled us to move on once he’d finished. I wasn’t privy to much of what was going on, not least of which was not having the faintest clue where we were going or what we’d do when got there. Besides, there was every chance I’d be so completely knackered by the time we did arrive at our destination that I’d be about as much use as a bucket with no bottom. And so it was with no small sense of relief that we only walked a fairly short distance before we were halted by the edge of a clearing that sloped down to the only other structure I had seen outside of the village. Glimmer was right, it was a bridge. A magnificent crystal bridge that arched gracefully over the black river with the majesty of a white swan drinking from the river bank. It was in some respects typically thestral – solid, imposing, yet still bearing a decidedly ethereal quality for something designed by so practical a race. To my mind what struck me the most about it was why it was here in the first place. There were no roads that I could see, and only a few small buildings that were little more that square shacks, but even they looked well constructed. How was it possible to compare such a tremendous feat of engineering skill and design, to the nest-like domed homes of the tribes town?
One of our scout was waiting for us. Thorn called me up to him along with another officer. “You know my mind, gentlecolts,” he began. “Our first objective lies before us. Therefore, I would know your minds also.” He addressed us all. This was new to me! No officer in the Equestrian Watch would have a discussion like this before going into possible action. Whether it was a good idea or not remained to be seen, but one way or another it was quite enlightening, and I listened with anticipation.
The scout was first. “Sir, I would like to take a recon section and scout the edges of the woods down to the riverside, away from the bridge. We cannot see the other side well enough to check if it’s clear of the enemy.”
Enemy? These thestrals were treating our escape as a military operation, and any opposition was now being viewed as hostile. Thorn had said that we, or rather his officers, ‘knew his mind’, whatever that meant. Judging by the hard expressions on the faces around me, I was the only one who didn’t. Unfortunately I was beginning to develop the impression that the warriors here were anticipating combat rather than trying to avoid it too. Gods, I hoped I was wrong, and that any encounter with their own people would not result in a fight if it could be avoided. Sadly, it felt like mine was a forlorn hope. Regardless of my concerns though, discussions continued with each officer in turn giving their recommendation to Thorn.
He thanked each and gave his decision. “We will scout the bank first. The centre will hold here, and our perimeter guards will maintain distance and level of alert.” He turned to the scout, “Sergeant, remind you team that there is to be no engagement with enemy forces unless attacked first. Stealth and concealment is paramount. Note any positions and report back. Dismissed. Captain Fairlight, stay here if you please.”
The sergeant clapped a hoof to his chest in salute and immediately left to collect his scouts for their own briefing. I watched him go, relieved that Thorn was emphasising caution over brash action that could have endangered us all. Whether this was because we had Shadow with us, or simply because it was his style of command, I wasn’t sure. But I have to say that I was impressed by the organisation and fluidity of his leadership. Was this just Thorn’s way of doing things, or was it something deeper, something engrained in their very society? They had a very militaristic and ordered way to their life in general from what little I’d seen of it. It was apparent from the way their town was arranged to their unquestioning adherence to orders and rank. Whether this applied to all thestrals, young and old, remained to be seen. If I had a chance to speak to Star Beard again, I would have so many questions for him I’d probably talk the old buggers ears off. I would have to try and remember as much as I could, and write it down when I returned to Equestria. Ponies should know of these people, not forget all about them like some unimportant historical footnote.
I watched the scouts disperse and lay next to Thorn as he settled down to survey the bridge and far bank. He produced a long brass tube from his saddle bag which he extended out, lifting it to his eye. I had seen telescopes before, but only in museums, observatories, and on the top of the library in Ponyville. This was a smaller version and, by the looks of it, very old. The watch had binoculars nowadays and it was fascinating to see such old time technology still in use.
“Damn it all!” Thorn hissed, “I can’t see properly from this distance and my goddess cursed eyes aren’t what they once were. Here, Captain, what do your pony eyes see?”
I took the proffered telescope and adjusted it to my vision. Closing one eye I was able to scan the near bank and bridge approach. So far there was no sign of life at all. In fact the only visible movement was from the water washing around the bridge supports and the fluttering of the remains of cloth banners hanging from skeletal poles on its wing walls. If anything at all, the most remarkable thing to be seen was the sign of natural forces at work; the wind, the rushing water - these were the first real links to home I had seen since arriving in the Withers and it sent a shiver down my spine. I took a breath and concentrated. Black metal sconces lined the parapet of the bridge indicating that this must have been a well used structure at some time in its life. Now it was a silent testimony to the thestrals in their heyday, and probably a reminder to the older ones of better days that had long since faded away. There was nothing see here, only ghosts and memories. I was about to pass the telescope back when something caught my eye giving me pause. It could be nothing of course, but I’d better check just in case. I steadied the telescope, focussing, steadying my breathing and... Yes, there, just on the other side of the bridge was… Damn it all! This bloody thing was near useless! Frustrated, I rubbed my eye and looked again. It was like a black tree, its foliage waving slightly, almost like a mane in the slight breeze. Oh, no…
“Dear sweet goddess…” I whispered.
Thorn snatched the telescope from me and strained to see, asking, “What? What is it Equestrian, what do you see? Blast my old eyes!”
“Sir, I…” I fought to find the words, whilst Thorn looked increasingly concerned. I gave my mane a shake and hardened my resolve. “On the other side of the bridge, silhouetted against the second building from the right. It’s-”
I didn’t get to finish as the Sergeant rushed up in a lather, steam pouring from his coat due to the exertion of galloping up the hill. “SIR!” he near shouted, “It’s Nimbus, Sir. Those bastards, they’ve… Goddess…”
Thorn put a hoof on the sergeant’s shoulder and looked at me. A look, not of fear, but of silent anger and resignation that froze me heart. “Take a breath, Sergeant, then give me your report.”
“Yes, Sir.” The veteran took several deep breaths, snorted out a gout of steam and saluted his commanding officer. “Sir, the near banks are clear of enemy units. There are no signs of any patrols or activity.” Thorn nodded as his sergeant continued, “The far bank shows signs of recent ground disturbance. Some activity is visible, actively attempting to avoid detection. Estimate around thirty to forty enemy units, some taking cover within the buildings.” He paused, gathering himself and I closed my eyes. I could see a pit in front of us and we had no choice but to walk onward to its deadly conclusion. “Sir,” the sergeant said quietly, “your son, Nimbus, they’ve taken him prisoner. The enemy have… crucified him.”
Thorn sat there, unmoving. All I could hear was the beating of my heart and the distant rush of the water. “Thank you Sergeant,” Thorn said simply, returning the scouts salute.
“Storm Major, I-” I began but the thestral commander cut me off.
“This changes nothing, Captain,” he said calmly. “Fear is a tool of war and collateral damage is to be expected. Casualties will always be taken. We have known this since we were foals.” He closed his eyes and took a breath, “Go now to your mate. Be with her until I summon you. We will begin planning our next move within the hour.”
I saluted the old thestral officer and walked slowly back to Shadow who smiled up at me expectantly. I’ll never forget the way her expression changed when she saw my face, her eyes dimming as she gave me a questioning look. “Fairlight?” she asked. I took her in my forelegs and held her, saying nothing. What in Equestria could I say to her? Sometimes… sometimes it was best just to say nothing at all. Shadow remained silent, and we stayed together, side by side, taking simple comfort from each others company while the thestral commanders discussed their strategy. My pride felt wounded that I had been left out of the discussions, but I knew from Thorn’s body language that he wanted me to spend as much time as I could with Shadow, to give her what comfort I could until it was time to fight. And fight we would. Of that I was horrible certain. I closed my eyes and breathed in her scent, feeling her warmth against me. But such moments are always fleeting, and the approaching whisper of hooves spoke louder than any words.
Glimmer glided over to me and nudged me with her muzzle. “Come on then, ‘ghost pony’, the boss wants us. It’s time.”
********************
Orders were issued and the warriors moved out into position with a precision born of practice and confidence. I approached Thorn who was standing as still as a statue, holding his telescope.
“Storm Major,” I saluted.
“Captain Fairlight,” he replied levelly.
I came straight out with it. “Sir, I request permission to join one of the wing teams.”
Thorn’s glanced at me, his eyes blazing brightly. “Denied.”
“Sir-!”
“I said ‘denied’, Captain!” Thorn snorted. “Are you questioning my orders?”
“No, Sir!” I replied quickly, standing up smartly.
Thorn looked away in silence, his mane bristling.
“I’m not here as a witness, Storm Major,” I said to him quietly. “Your people are risking their lives for Shadow and for me. I’m not a thestral warrior, but I have my honour as a Captain of the Watch as well. How can I return to my own people as a coward who wouldn’t fight to defend his mare?”
Silence fell like a lead curtain. I could just make out slight glimpses of movement between the trees as the white cloaked thestral assault teams moved silently down the slope either side of the clearing. I should have been with them. Not here, not sheltering when others where risking their lives for me. And then, unexpectedly, the old thestral reached out with a hoof. I looked at it in surprise before taking his offer and moved closer.
The old warrior’s eyes had a distant look, his voice sounding as if he were remembering something from a time long ago. “There is a story our people used to tell about a pony who fought alongside us during the last great battle against the Celestians. It was at a place known as River Valley, where we had defeated them once before in the early stages of our campaign. All our forces had been committed to the attack, and although our numbers were depleted, we were confident of victory.” He paused, rubbing his eyes with a fore hoof. “We should have won easily. The Celestians were broken, fragmented, and yet against all odds the goddess of the sun rallied her forces for one last battle, and burned us with the fiery vengeance of a thousand suns. Many of my brothers and sisters were reduced to ash before they had even raised a blade against their foe. Under such an onslaught, none could stand. Our forces panicked and fled, the beam of light flashing out again and again, cutting down thestrals, dragons and ponies alike, turning rivers to steam and trees to charcoal. It was…” The Storm Major swallowed and shook his mane, “To my eternal shame I saw little of the battle myself having been wounded, ironically, in a fight against one of our own more foolish warriors.” He let out a long sigh. “I doubt I could have done much to help. Our forces were already routed, and fled the field of battle pursued by the Celestians who had launched a full frontal counter attack. Many died, some escaped, whilst others were taken prisoner - but not many. In their blood rage, the children of the goddess of the sun cut down any and all in their path, kin or no. Above us our goddess fought valiantly, but with the Equestrian goddess’s revitalised forces, she was finally overwhelmed. I lost sight of her. We all did. You can’t imagine what it was like, Captain. My friends, my own father… all gone in an instant. I wanted to stand with my brothers and fight, even as our broken troops fled past us, discarding their weapons in their blind rush to escape the oncoming tide of Equestrian anger. But it was too late. Far, far too late. It was only later that I was told of what had happened in those last terrible moments. Some spoke of it as though recounting a dream, others as a near religious vision. But many saw the young stallion as he stood upon the hill, standing there holding the banner as you would stand against a gale. His comrades had thrown down their arms and fled, yet there he stood, proud and defiant, the banner of the goddess in his hooves flying in the wind, holed by bolts and burned by dragon fire. He was struck by arrows and pierced by bolts again and again. Finally, he fell to his knees, but he never let her banner drop.” Thorn took a sip of water from his canteen. “The warrior I spoke to tried to reach him as an earth pony knight charged him, but it was all they could do to keep themselves alive. The pony on the hill had no weapon, only the banner, and yet he climbed back to his hooves and stood, holding that precious symbol of the goddess who had already fallen to her sister’s might.” He looked me right in the eyes. “The knight ran him through from chest to tail with a lance, taking our goddess’s banner and galloped back to their lines to flaunt their new trophy. The warrior told me that when he reached him the stallion was already dead, and all he could do for him was to close his eyes to the world as a final act of respect. But there was thing he told me that has stuck with me to this very day; it was that the pony, the stallion who had stood against the storm that would take his life, died with a smile on his face. He had served his goddess with honour, served his people, but for what? Who remembers his name now? His body was left on the battlefield and whatever happened to it, no thestral knows. After that last great battle, those of us who had not been killed or fled to the far corners of the world, were captured and banished to the Wither World. For us thestrals, this had always been our home, but for others… it was purgatory.”
I stood in silence, looking at the thestral commander who was returned to watching the bridge through his telescope.
“You have a part to play, Captain, but it is not yet that time,” Thorn said plainly. “I won’t have you throwing your life away in some vain attempt at heroics. Your honour is here with your mate, to protect her, to lay down your life for her if you must. That, is a stallion’s greatest honour. I have promised the colonel I will keep you alive long enough for you to do what he has instructed.”
I stared at the churned up grass at his hooves, not able to look him in the face.
Thorn didn’t even look up. “Request denied, Captain.”
I closed my eyes and bowed my head respectfully. “Yes, Sir.”