//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: A Sunset of Flames and Swords // by SuperAvenger3 //------------------------------// The walkthrough back to Sunset’s previous road was particularly calm considering what just happened a few minutes ago. The forest was filled with the sound of countless birds and the wind could be easily heard moving the thinner trees, the sun was starting to get closer and closer to its dusk. Sunset And Helena walked silently for most of the road, she didn’t want to force any unnecessary conversation, but she also was waiting for Sunset to tell her what she promised (or at least what she thought was a promise, it was never implied as such). After a few more minutes of walking it was Sunset who began a conversation “So, what were you doing here alone in the woods anyway?” a healer-priest asked without even facing Helena or decreasing her pace. “I was on my way to doing my internship.” Helena said with in a pleasantly polite tone although it also had a slight air of nervousness. Sunset was familiarized with the term, however it confused her considering something she said after saving her life. “Internship? Didn’t you say you were halfway through your studies?” Helena stood silent for a few seconds like trying to simplify the answer, but ultimately failing. “It’s complicated…” She went silent again “I did say that and it’s technically true, however, I’ve been advancing in my studies rather quickly, unusually quick as my abbess would say. She even said that I was… Special...” She went silent again, remembering the whole matter “She decided that my talents would be set back with an ordinary study rhythm and that it would be more beneficial if I started studying directly under a graduated healer-priest.” “That’s actually impressive, I admit.” Sunset said with honesty albeit with a small hint of reluctance. She then finally turned to face her although without pausing her walk “You haven’t entirely answered my question, though.” Helena’s face then adopted a disconcerted expression. “What I asked was--what were you doing travelling alone here in the woods?” “I had to travel that way, I couldn’t afford a ride on carriage let alone an escort.” Helena said in a tone which Sunset thought to be way too calm for the situation she just lived. “All right. How is that possible? Isn’t that the single most dangerous way travelling through these woods? With all the beasts and… cutthroats” Sunset said in a tone of disbelief and a trace of displeasure at Helena’s foolhardiness. She could justify herself simply because she was new to this world and currently, because she now had part of her magic skills back, unlike Helena who was just an ordinary girl. That made a huge difference, Helena, on his part, simply limited herself to form a half-smile. “We trust the twelve gods to protect us at every moment.” This made Sunset stop dead in her tracks. She then turned to face Helena and said: “What…? I mean--wh-why!? How--how…!? Y-you could have--” Sunset covered her mouth remembering the horror those two criminals were about to inflict upon Helena. “Well, I asked the gods for help, and help came.” Helena continued walking past Sunset, who was left there speechless for almost a minute. She remembered reading about an ancient cult to the princesses which was outlawed centuries ago. As well the arcane and esoteric religions of other races around the world, she would never understand why someone would believe in some distant higher power when there was some sort of explanation for just about everything that happened in the world. “Hey, wait up!” She said as she hastily resumed her walk through in order to get ahead of Helena. Sunset once again regained the lead their little expedition, there was so much she wanted to scold Helena as well so many questions but she was utterly reluctant to do so, lest she wanted to be left either more confused or outraged. However after a while she did find a question that would at least be about something that could shed some more light on this… peculiar girl. “Uh, earlier, when I asked how could you be about to start your internship, you said it was ‘complicated’. You sounded reluctant, why?” Sunset turned to face her without pausing her steps. And she remained like that for a period of time which Sunset was about to break by asking again and questioning her ability to hear well when Helena finally spoke: “I… I was just afraid you would disbelieve me. And that’s just for you and any other outside my convent. For my sisters back there, might be even more difficult,” Helena turned her head upward “I can’t say that they were envious, because that would be a fertile ground for sin. And they weren’t blatantly cruel towards me, but they always seemed to be in a state of constant reluctance whenever they had to work with me on the daily chores or in our different study sessions. People either disbelieve me or treat me different the moment I tell them I am a… Gifted girl.” She finished turning her gaze downward and Sunset was able to notice a trace of dismalness in the way she said the word ‘gifted’. She was never one to take interest in somepony else’s problems, but this girl seemed to feel, well, for the lack of better word--embarrassed of her higher intellectual ability. This was something that baffled Sunset Shimmer, (being a prodigy herself) however, a small realization hit her and nevertheless formulated a question that she may have otherwise found utterly irrelevant just one day ago. “So, uh. You don’t have any friends?” “Me? No, not really. As I said, people tend to look at me differently when they learn about me. If anything…” Helena’s changed to more joyful one “Only my-err--our abbess showed me unconditional support. You know? I never realized until now, but part of the reason she sent me away from the convent might have been to spare both my convent sisters and me--I really don’t it would have been healthy for us if I had stayed longer. Besides, I think it’s genuinely exciting, to learn from a legitimate healer-priest, I just don’t what to expect!” Helena exclaimed with giddiness. Sunset turned to face her. There was a time when she was very much like this girl--so full of promises, so avid, so innocent it brought an amused smile to her lips. “Yeah...” Sunset started to remember the time when she was first taken to Celestia’s presence in order to show her potential and enter her school for gifted unicorns. How nervous she was and how she almost makes look bad the talent scout who took her in the first place “I know the feeling.” After a few more minutes they reached the uphill that Sunset was looking, or at least that what she hoped according to her calculations. After an extensive inspection (as far as her sigh allowed to see) she finally saw the cliff she fell off and at a quarter of road up there she also spotted what she could only guess it was her saddlebags. “All right. This is the place.” She was about to walk up the hill when she remembered that Helena was there too and then recalled what she said earlier. Sunset looked her in the eyes for a few moments until Helena finally spoke: “Uh, ma’am? Is there something you need?” “Yes,” she politely grabbed Helena by the shoulder and moved her to a spot where her saddlebags would be visible all the way up there “can you see that thing almost at the top of the ravine? I need you go up there and retrieve it for me”  “Yes, ma’am.” Helena said bowing lightly “Just help me hold this, ma’am.” She handed her satchel to Sunset and then started ascending the ravine. After she was far enough up, Sunset placed Helena’s satchel in the ground as she kept watching her walk at first but soon the strain of the uphill ascend was falling on Helena and she slowed down earlier than what Sunset anticipated. Helena finally reached a point where the ravine became too declivitous and she had to crawl, and yet, she was still far from the precious item. Sunset kept watching intently, keeping track of Helena. At more than one occasion one of her feet slipped although fortunately, she was still able to maintain her equilibrium with the rest of her limbs. Sunset was getting worried. Yes, she was worried for Helena, but, more than anything she was much more concerned about the practicality principles of this situation--she wasn’t exactly prepared to face that particular contingency, with all problems that would come out of that incident, the prospect seemed a little scary. Although if the worst came to happen, she would think of something--as she always did, she reminded herself. She started to feel a little alleviated when she saw Helena taking her saddlebags and starting to descend backwards, then when it was safer, walking down. “I-it’s done, ma’am. Here is y-your requested item.” Helena stuttered slightly handing the saddlebags over to Sunset. Obviously, Sunset wasn’t the only one getting worried. Helena had an unusual pale color to her face as well slightly trembling legs, beads of sweat were rolling down her forehead, both out of exhaustion and nervousness. “Yes. You handled yourself very well up there. Quite impressive, actually.” She walked some steps towards their initial road and proceeded to inspect the contents of the saddlebags without even lifting Helena’s satchel. “Thank you, ma’am.” Helena declared solemnly as he picked up and dusted her bag.    “Oh my Celestia! Everything is still here!”  Sunset gleefully thought as she searched through one of saddlebags. Inside one of them she packed several apples and a large-sized bag of her favourite snack--crackers of oat and wheat, she made a mental note to eat them as soon as she could be alone. In the other saddlebag she found her sliding tile puzzle with numbers made of wood and her math rubik cube, a couple of novels she hadn't finished yet and the diary--the one that started this whole journey, leafing through it again she remembered that she needed to learn and write the predominant language of this land and made another mental note to ask Helena to teach her. “What is this, ma’am?” Helena asked picking up the sliding tile puzzle.    “Uh, that? It’s… I think you’re supposed to arrange the num--the symbols,” Sunset remembered that Helena nor anyone else would recognize those numbers “yes, in some challenging order. Well, that's just my guess, you know?” She approached Helena and before retrieving her puzzles she glanced at the bottom of the first saddlebag she opened it while Helena was busy trying to familiarize with the sliding tile puzzle and noticed a couple of things she overlooked at first--one was a small sack of bits, she forgot about them since she didn’t have an opportunity where she needed to use some form of currency. However, if these hominids had any appreciation of precious metals, then they would come quite useful. As for the other object, it was something that left her a little sour sweet sensation. It was a pocket watch, golden and had Celestia's cutiemark embossment on its cover--product of being a hoof down from a simpler time. Sunset didn't dedicate time to duel on past memories, it was all behind her. She of course was more discrete with these findings and  of course, Helena was none the wiser.    “All right, We should get going now.” Sunset declared glancing at the sun which was starting its twilight as she placed the saddlebags in her shoulder and taking the tiles puzzle away from Helena. Although right before starting to walk she rummaged in the bag with her food and taking an apple she offered it to Helena which she joyfully accepted.    “Oh, just one question, Helena.”    “Yes, ma’am?”    “If you’re going to come with me, what will happen with your studies?” Sunset asked out of sheer curiosity rather than concern.    “Well, I guess I’ll just send a letter to my abbess explaining my new situation, she would understand. Then I'll just keep studying from books, although there is only so much I can learn without practicing… I’ll find another way of doing my internship. Ultimately, I will never stop my studies. If that's what you mean.” She explained with confidence. They walked with the dusk serving as a passive watcher, the chirping of the birds had practically subsided to a stop save for a few and scarce birds and the insects were starting to replace them. Sunset stared at the horizon with the setting sun even with all the trees blocking a decent view of it for most of the road. She felt a newfound interest on it, back in Equestria she almost never bothered to appreciate all those dusks. After witnessing so many of them and getting to know so familiarly the pony responsible for them, she just took them for granted and grew bored of them. Here, however, she had a curious fascination simply because of the sheer novelty of experiencing it in entirely different world. This, however, brought a question in Sunset Shimmer’s mind that both intrigued her and gave her a small bitter sensation(she felt that her old life would keep prowling back)--it was a question that made her feel glad that Helena seemed to be versed on these matters.    “Helena? Who's in charge of rising and lowering the sun, anyway?” The question appeared to surprise her but after a moment, with a comprehensive face and in a very confident tone she replied:    “The sun rises to its dawn and lowers to its twilight thanks to Starion, keeper of the Primordial Flame.”    “And he moves the moon as well?” Sunset asked reluctant to draw a parallel to her old world and former mentor.    “Oh, no. The domain over the moon corresponds to Kaelyra, his wife-sister.”    “His what!? A-are you serious!? What do you mean his wife… sister!? H-how--!?” She couldn't even begin to grasp the extent of her own shock at this uncanny relationship. Now it was Helena’s turn to look amused and before Sunset could keep stuttering she intervened:    “Gods are not bound by mortal humans’ mental and bodily limitations, that’s why they are gods.” Helena concluded. Sunset, for her part pondered about this for a few moments realizing that perhaps, it made sense. After all, that wouldn't affect their ability to fill their roles, right?    “And where does this 'Divine Couple’ live anyway?” Helena felt a little confused by this question, yet, she figured that Sunset simply was curious about her religion. Although that question was currently, somewhat complicated. Nonetheless she did her best to answer it.    “Actually…” She was finding problems “Starion and Kailyra both ride and live in the sun and moon respectively, but… yes…” she was definitely feeling uncomfortable, she quickly changed her mood, though. “They live separated although they don’t need to live as close as human couple do, the distance between the sun and the moon is as close as they need to express their perfect love.” She finished with a confident smile. Sunset had a expression of understanding, although she figured that at least two of these 'gods’ were real. She could also easily tell that there was something Helena didn't want to talk about but she decided not to press the issue. For now. When the sun finally came down and right before all visibility was gone, Helena pulled out of her satchel a bottle with a black and thick substance along with line of cloth which she used to round several times on a long stick she found nearby. After that, she pulled a pair of flint rocks which she then grinded to lit the substance she applied to the cloth creating a torch. Sunset was ready to try and use her magic to illuminate the road, but if Helena wanted to keep doing things for her she wasn't going to stop her. Sunset took the torch so to keep leading the way. It wasn't easy to keep track of the road but thanks to Sunset's prodigious memory and a hasty pace, all throughout the way she couldn't help noticing that Helena kept checking a piece of paper she had in the only pocket of her outfits after a acceptable amount of time they were able to make it back to the base safely.    “Who goes there?” Shouted the guard in the booth at the entrance when he saw the glimmer of Sunset and Helena's​ torch.    “Just a moment!” Sunset shouted back with all the pleasantness she could muster. She hurried to meet the guard so he could recognize her. Right when she started walking she heard Helena giving a small sound of realization and she followed behind to catch up with Sunset. “Hiii, mr. Guard. It's me, remember? I think I never gave you my name,” she adopted her cutest sheepish smile she could dignify to express “silly me.”    “I see you took your time,” he stared at the hand she was using to hold the torch as well as her other other hand which she used to hold the saddlebags she was carrying in her shoulder “I guess you had luck with those herbs, seeing how you found something else to carry there.”    “Herbs--? ah--yes, that’s right, I found quite a few for surgeon Maria!” She cheerfully said.    “Although, wouldn’t they get all cramped up in those bags? What happened with your basket?” The guard asked and before Sunset could stutter any excuse the guard started to form a ​skeptical stare, right at that moment Helena stepped into view distracting the guard from his questioning before it started. “And who is this?”   “Her? She’s--”   “I am Helena Heartford. Nun and healer-priest intern from the order of The Flaming Chalice for the twelve gods.” She timely interrupted Sunset as she pulled a scroll from her satchel which she handed over to the guard “I’m here to do my internship under Sebastian Belluscio​, first healer-priest of the 12th company in the king’s army.” She finished methodically.    “It's all right…” he said as he was finishing reading the scroll in the light of the oil lamp of his booth. “Yes, you may pass.” They entered the base without further incidents although she suspected that the guard would trust her less next time. But it didn't matter much, she figured that she had no more hidden reasons to venture into the forest. But even if she did, she was confident she could keep making up believable excuses.    "So, where is the healer-priest's chapel?" Helena asked as she was following her who seemed pretty confident of their route.    "Ah, I'm not sure myself, both healer-priests are gone for the time being--one was assigned to another base and the other hasn't come back. I think it would be locked until he comes back." "Then where are we going now, ma'am?" Sunset, who was still holding the torch even though there were several torches on poles elevated seven foot high and where sparse through the alleys and roads in the base, turned to looked at her with a reassuring neutrality.    "We're going to the infirmary, I believe I will get to stay there, at least I know it's unlocked. Surgeon Maria should be back soon if she isn't already there." Helena nodded in understanding and kept walking behind her. Once they reached the infirmary, true to Sunset's claims they didn't have problems opening the were welcomed by a thick darkness only limited to the spaces that were too far from their torch light.    "I guess we'll have to look first for lamps and candles." Even with a torch they had a few problems looking through the house for said objects. The infirmary wasn't that big but Sunset wasn't entirely familiarized with its layout and one by one they lit every oil lamp and candles they found until the place was adequately illuminated.    "Ma'am, I didn't ask this before because I thought that, at the time, it was irrelevant--I guess I still didn't have my thoughts quite composed, you know, after my crisis..." She turned her head to the side looking almost absent minded "But what exactly means that pair of saddlebags?" Sunset, who was sitting at the kitchen table simply sighed and closing her eyes she deduced that there wasn't any harm in telling her the same story she told Maria. "My gods... That's... I don't I have words, it just..." Helena was scratching her head and looking down in deep thought "Begs  so many questions and..." She turned to look at her in the eyes "I'm sorry ma'am I don't mean to disbelieve you, but... We must thank the gods you're safe now, right? I'm sure they have a great purpose even beyond me." She joyfully affirmed    "Yes," Sunset formed an amused smile as she looked slightly to the left "I guess they do." Soon after that they heard the main door opening followed by a voice which Sunset was familiar with:    “Hello? I’m home!” Maria called out. Sunset simply waited for Maria to take notice of all the lit lamps and reach the kitchen, which was in right between the infirmary room and the bedroom, so she knew it wouldn't take her long.    “Good evening, Surgeon.” Sunset smelled a dim scent in the air around Maria who arrived at the kitchen seemingly not noticing Helena “did you have a nice evening? It looks like you did have it nice.”    “My evening was… Yeah, nice--not of your business, though.” Maria declared while rubbing her forehead. “And just who are you?” She asked eyeing Helena.    “My name is Helena. I'm here to study under healer-priest Belluscio, although he's gone for the moment or so I’ve been informed.” She finished and then looked at Sunset with a confidant look, although Sunset didn't take it as such.    “You're here for an internship? You look…” Maria hesitantly for a second trying to choose a word that wouldn't sound rude but failed to find such word “Young. No offense, though.”    “Ah, don't worry, I get that a lot.” Helena said after smirking warmly.    “Hey… Maria, didn't you say you would be bringing something for dinner?” Sunset asked out loud, probably to lure her into showing her tendency for uncalled jokes.    “Dinner? Ah… yes, you're right I--I…” she was rubbing her forehead again “I completely forgot. Look, tomorrow at first hour we will have breakfast with the kitchen women.” “Uh, what?” Sunset didn't like this turn of events.    “You’ll like it, the food Is excellent there.” She started heading to the bedroom.    “Hey, and what will you do now?”    “Oh? Well, sleep of course.” Maria affirmed with a trace of sarcasm.    “Sleep? But it's barely--” she caught herself right there, lest she say something either too confusing or too suspicious for these humans who weren’t aware of her previous time measuring and format. “... Sleeping hours…!”    “It's the perfect time to sleep. We will be awake tomorrow early.” Maria declared. And before continuing she looked towards Helena “you, the healer-priest’s chapel will be locked until he comes back. So… I guess it will best if you sleep in my bed, actually you both should sleep in my bedroom. There's enough space for you two, I will sleep in the bed of the infirmary area.” Sunset liked this even less.    “So, if you don't have any more friends to invite over, I'll just head to sleep.” Right there was the snide remark that Sunset was looking for earlier. Sunset Shimmer didn’t how actually tired she was until she was able to once more lay on a bed. She decided to sleep with her new clothes whereas Helena changed to a mildly large nightgown. Sunset, however opted to lay without any sheets--the clothes already felt alien enough, she couldn’t have slept with a full sheet over her. She drifted away in a dreamless sleep, she didn’t know why, but it had been one the better sleeps she had had in quite some time The next morning Sunset was woken up rather early.    “Hello, Sunset. Wake up.” Maria said holding a candle in the dark. “We have to get up early if we want to have breakfast in the kitchen with  the rest of the volunteers there.” Sunset groggily took a seated position noticing that Helena was already finishing getting dressed for the day.    “Oh, ma’am. Good morning, I tried to wake you up myself but you would just keep sleeping. I hope you had a nice and pleasant dream?”    “Yes…” Sunset squinted her eyes trying to adapt to the new source of light in the room “I think I did.” She then looked at Maria “Just give me a minute to get my mane done.” Maria on her part wasted no time in expressing her confusion at Sunset’s words. “What is a minute? And did you say mane?” “I mean--hair, my hair. I need just a moment to get it done, then I will be ready.” “You know? I would advise to get it dressed in a ponytail, but it just so pretty. That would ruin a portion of its beauty.” Maria head to the door and sighed before finally exiting the room leaving the candle in the dressing table. Sunset felt a small blush coming to her cheeks. With a body like that, she had to appreciate every compliment she could get. she then turned to Helena who was pretty much ready to head out by now and decided to take a little advantage of their agreement.    “Hey, uh, Helena?”    “Yes, ma’am?”    “Help me with my hair. Now.”    “Ah, absolutely yes! Right away, ma’am.” Helena clapped her hands in excitement at the opportunity of doing something for her Pri’im. The morning was still dark and moist, there were at least one lit torch on the frontage of every building in the base and one tall post with a torch at every corner. so the place looked no differently than when she returned last night. Except for the sky which had pretty much lost all of its stars, so Sunset deduced it was somewhere before 6:30 am. There seemed to be a considerable degree of activity at that hour of the morning. though, it was no surprise for her considering this was a military camp. more and more soldiers were seen running and walking the closer they approached the building that was supposed to serve as that world’s equivalent of a cafeteria. The building itself was fairly big in extension terms and it had a couple of torches at every entrance and, as she suspected all along, they entered by the back door. it was the kitchen Maria talked about. it was rather big with a long table for at least twenty people. There were already some volunteers sitting at the table while others were still working with pans, cooking pots and slicing ingredients on wooden boards. “Good morning, Maria!” Greeted one of the ladies, one of the older ones. “Such a miracle having you here again!” she then turned to Helena and Sunset    “Hello there, you two. I’m Nila. Overseer and head chef of the volunteer women in this kitchen. It’s very nice to meet you.”    “I am Sunset…” She insecurely said, expecting she wouldn’t ask for a last name. After that, Helena did the same introducing herself rather enthusiastic.    “Well, why don’t you three take a seat? we’re done serving the troops for the morning so now we can have breakfast, go seat anywhere you like.    “Hellooo!” one of the volunteers called out to Sunset and Helena as they were searching for a spot “over here! Sit here!” she and the other two girls made room for them. Helena went ahead first and then turned to face her    “Let’s go, ma’am. Or we might lose any sitting spots on the table.” Then she continued ahead. Sunset followed behind somewhat reluctantly Helena actually took a seat besides one of the new girls, leaving Sunset between her new acquaintances. Other girls and older women greeted her along the way. When she reached the spots that were being left for them she was faced with series of gentle words, hand shakings both from the girls next to the one who first called them and the others right in front of her, the feeling of suddenly being accepted into a group with such warmness felt absolutely alien to Sunset, it felt… nice. And she, who was by her own choice a loner found this feeling so strange and unexpected that in fact, she thought it was an illness.    “My name is Aleia. What’s yours” She gladly greeted Sunset shaking her hand.    “Sunset…” Against her better judgement she decided to try her luck and say her last name, at the very least she could use the excuse of she being amnesiac about all her past. “Sunset Shimmer.” She silently stood looking her at the eyes expecting her to discern the truth in her words through the eyes.    “ohhh… That name is sooo romantic! I bet six months worth of payment your parents must be poets or some type of artists.” Aleia declared enthusiastic.    “My parents…?” Sunset looked down. That was something she never stopped to consider “I… I wouldn’t know.”    “Oh… You mean… oh my gods. Forgive me, I had no idea that you are…” she was interrupted by Sunset looking at her again.    “Don’t worry, honestly speaking, I don’t remember a single thing about them, heh…” Truth was she never gave any thought as to who were her real parents. She was raised since she was a little baby by the orphanage caretakers and as far as she was concerned growing up, they were her family. Then there was Celestia… Sunset shook her head trying to brush away those thoughts that only caused her frustration--She was still furious at Celestia and hated the idea of remembering her all of a sudden.     “It’s just that… I guess I don’t like talking about parents.”    “Oh, is all right. your name does sound like it was directly lifted from some poem though. However I’ve only know like two poems and that’s just because there was a bard in town declaiming a poem in two different occasions. anyway, then what would you like to talk about?” Sunset quickly looked at her right where Helena was seated expecting to get a quick suggestion and found her having an important looking chit chat with another girl. Without her help she had to improvise.    “Hey, is that your real hair color?” Aleia asked saving Sunset the trouble of coming up with a new topic “it's so… bright!” she then lifted a lock of her hair fascinatedly staring at it. “Oh my gods, and it’s so beautiful. Do you have a secret for your hair?” she half-jokingly and half curious asked. Sunset gently removed her hand away, she liked the compliments, but didn’t like others getting touchy-feely with her.    “Ah, thank you. Believe or not, this is my natural hair.” Any further conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the food which consisted of baskets of small breads, small jars of honey and pots of fresh milk which were accompanied by wooden cups all of which were brought by other kitchen volunteer. None of these seemed very tempting to Sunset, she didn’t consider herself a picky pony but the sheer remoteness from her favorite foods was starting to plant a seed of homesickness in her. Lastly, apples arrived in plates of wood and it was then that the last volunteers took seats and started chatting between them. Head chef Nila called for silence then ordered everyone there hold each other’s hands in order to spell a short prayer for the meal. The whole spiritual concept was still something implausible, but as she decided, she kept her ideas for herself, although she wondered if she could make something useful out it. Once it was over, she everyone started grabbing food. she eyed a basket of bread and took one for her plate more by doing as everyone else rather than hunger. She remained staring at the bread on her plate for almost two minutes until she lifted her gaze and looked to her right and Helena was already eating and talking with the girl next to her then she looked at her plate again. “I know, it isn’t very good. Breakfasts here rarely are.” Aleia said. She then gestured to her own plate “But hey, at least lunch and dinners are a bit better. Although we rarely get to eat any meat, that’s reserved for the soldiers.”    “Did you say meat…?” Sunset never stopped to think about, it never crossed her mind. She never considered that among all the many differences that she found in this species, the consumption of meat would be one. This, under any other circumstances wouldn’t be a problem. If she was still a pony, she had already shared the table with other races that fancied meat for their meals such as gryphons dignitaries back in Equestria when Celestia would have her eating with her during such diners in order to teach her both etiquette and diplomacy managing. And while she could tolerate being near meat-eaters it was a vastly different thing to involuntarily belong to one such species. She wondered if she even had a choice on the matter, what would be the consequences of rejecting eating the flesh of a once living animal. At the very least, she hoped she could make up some excuse if she ever got offered some.   “Oh yes, sometimes we--including the troops--have roasted chicken, quail, and even beef and rabbit. I heard that's the healthiest one of them all.” All that talk was starting to make Sunset sick. However, instead of losing her appetite like most normal ponies would do, she grabbed an apple from the plate in front of her then started eating the bread she already had in her plate. Although not because she suddenly was charmer by these simple flavours, but because it could be so much worse.  meat-eaters or omnivores, right now it didn’t make a difference for her. And so, Sunset Shimmer spent the rest of the meal learning more about Aleia, she learned that Aleia was actually born in a village very far to the north, closer to the lands that borders with that of the Elves and that she joined the company four years ago and has been travelling with them and the rest of the voluntaries ever since. Sunset also picked new details about this world such as the fact that many cities up north have training sanctuaries for half-elf archers, she made a mental note to ask more about that later. By the end of the breakfast Sunset had a feeling of mild satisfaction in her result of having made something useful of this hour and not wasting her time. she grabbed an apple she only had time to bite once before she and Helena were approached by Maria.    “Girls, it’s time. We have work to do… Well, I have work, but you will definitely help. And you, Helena. I know you aren’t done in your studies, but, can I count on you and your abilities?”    “I will do my very best, as the gods expect from and as my abbess taught me.” She said with a determination that reminded Sunset more of a guardspony than a doctor. When they entered the infirmary building Sunset asked if she could check on a couple of things in the mirror, Maria gave her no more than ten minutes and after reminding Helena about the reading lessons she quickly entered Maria’s bedroom to indulge in certain pleasure she considered well deserved. She went directly for her saddlebags and pulled the bag of oat & wheat snacks she gleefully rediscovered the previous day.    “Apples are still good even here, but I wouldn’t trade them for this.” She chuckled as she opened the bag, she figured she could eat a third now and the rest on the next two days. But when she gave the first bite to the snack on her hand she a deep and depressing disappointment hit her heart--the taste she fondly remembered so delightful now felt overly thick and, in a word: Tasteless. With an rising fury and sorrow she remembered that this new body also included brand new taste buds--ones that weren’t accustomed to the diet she used to have. Now more than ever she wished she could summon fire with her magic so she could burn away the bag and all the snacks, although, for the moment, she limited to slam the bag on the bag she pulled it from. Sunset thought she could figure out later as to how to get rid of them. She exited the bedroom with an already ruined mood so she decided she could at least take distraction on the work ahead of her.    “Ma’am, do you feel alright?” Helena asked her noticing the change in her eyes    “Y-yes… I mean… Yes… Does Maria has something for us?” she replied barely making eye contact with Helena.    “Oh, um. She said she will let us know as soon as she needs extra hands on the first aid table. And about the reading & writing lessons, we can start anytime now.”    “Ah, right… let’s take a seat then.” Sunset suggested with a slight improvement in her demeanor. And so, Helena proceeded to teach Sunset starting from the most basic structures to which she proved to be still a fast learner. Maria called them during minor procedures only as a way for them to learn something new and to make the processes quicker. Such was Sunset's new daily routine where she would start most days having breakfast only with Helena and Maria while others they would have it in the kitchen with the rest of the volunteers this particularl part made Sunset uncomfortable, if nothing else, simply because she didn't want to start feeling good among them--she had more pressing objectives than socializing. After that, lunch and dinner would always be with Maria. And during the evenings Sunset and Helena decided to complement their lessons with arithmetic sessions to which Sunset proved to have an even greater ease at learning. She was quite pleased with everything she was learning and Helena seemed to enjoy teaching her, it was likely that she had not only talent for magic healing arts but also teaching techniques. Nine days passed with this routine until the tenth day, all the military staff seemed to be even busier than usual. Sunset was on her way to deliver some medicines to the guard posted at the entrance, taking sigh of all the soldiers hurriedly walking all around the buildings and tents and out of them, when all of the sudden she almost crashed with all too familiar face--captain Ignace who passed by easily ignoring her as he was followed by his retinue. He didn’t seem very happy either. She humphed immediately before resuming her pace and turning sideways so to not run into the captain again and continued her path. Once she arrived to the guard post and having handed him his medicines, she decided to try and ask what had the soldiers so stirred up.    “Ah, what’s exactly happening? Why is every soldier so agitated?” she turned and looked behind her almost as though expecting all the ruckus to have stopped only to render her question moot.    “I’m sorry, lass. But you're not authorized to know.” Sunset seemed to mull over this, such prospect seemed to be concerning. But she figured that, by the time she could go back to Maria, she might be able to explain her further. Meanwhile, at the meeting chambers of the barracks.    “What do you mean you lost him!!??” Captain Ignace yelled infuriated as though someone had spent all of his savings in pointless stuff.    “Well, my good captain, I mean that things got rougher than we expected and we soon had our hands full, which in turn got the priest to take more and more risks for us until he got himself killed… We have one of his arms, that was the only part of him that we could pick up.” Asa, a warrior mage, specifically, a Blade Warlock and leader of the mercenary band hired by Ignace’s higher ups to cover more terrain in the extermination of demon incursions. He looked at captain Ignace for a couple of seconds then he looked left and right before continuing “if you would like to bury him, that is.” To say that Ignace had a face where indignation and disbelief were conflicting would have been an understatement, however, he remained still although with a menacing demeanor.    “You think this is some joke?” He took another deep breath “Do you know what this means for the rest of this company?” He asked without actually expecting a reply from him.  “Alright, I admit it was something unfortunate, but his sacrifice gave us the opening we needed to strike the fatal blow to the demon and the containment seals were carefully placed so the town of Belsrika will be free of demons for at least a year. All in all, I'll say it was a job well done.”     “We won't be able to deploy another contingent of suppression lest we want to senselessly sacrifice our men, demon wounds can only be treated by a Healer-priest!” Ignace yelled a little more high than what he intended.       “You need to start relaxing, all you need to do send a request to the Ecclesiastical Authority and they'll send you a Healer-priest in no time.” Ignace was about to come with another retort when one of the officers next to him raised his hand.    “Sir, if I may, we were notified by one of the kitchen maid that a  Healer-priest trainee arrived the camp yesterday evening.” The officer finished but then he felt a twinge of regret.     “Well, there you have it! You just got a brand new Healer-priest for your problems! That's quite a luck if you ask me.”     “An inexperienced  Healer-priest is a liability in the battlefield we can't rely on that and we remain with the same problem.” Ignace facepalmed then he rubbed his face.       “Oh well.” He shrugged “I guess this is truly terrible but it's not like his safety was part of the contract and his death was one of the few setbacks that happened under our watch. And like I said, the job was completed according to the contract and now I'd like to have the rest of the payment for my team, thank you very much.” Asa finished crossing his arms. Ignace rubbed his face then signaled one of the servants present to bring a chest to the table, which contained around two hundred big gold coins. “There,” Ignace pointed to the opened chest “two hundred gold lions.” He huffed and laid back on his chair in an attitude not unlike bitter defeat.     “Thank you very much, it was such a pleasure making business with you, I hope you’ll hire our services again. Now, if you excuse me, I have to deal with my group’s finances.” And with that, Asa exited the tent to meet with his teammates who were waiting outside.    “No commotion inside, no fatal casualties. So I assume he took our little accident well enough.” said Eloen, a half-elf woman, who was the first one waiting outside. a few feet away were Dirog, an ogre who proudly sported both of twin spiked maces on hand at almost every time, and right next to him was Scythebleed, or at least that was the name they decided to give the silent masked man fully covered in rags and leather plates.    “Eh. he took it as well as he could have. these things happen. they’re inconvenient to no end, I can’t even imagine. but we did our job exactly as detailed in the contract. I think he’s frustrated more than anything else.” Asa commented as he reunited with the other two members of his team, closely followed by Eloen. “I think I saw a decent place to eat, drink and distribute the cut. come on.” Asa motioned the rest of his team to follow him to the base’s lunge hall. Nobody could have predicted it. nobody could have suspected it. Not from one such as major Fahid, no one indeed. But it mattered not to him what the rest of his peers could think of him, after this day it wouldn’t matter. Nothing else would matter, except the bidding of his true lord. He entered his tent undisturbed as everybody in the base went on their daily businesses, he walked directly towards a small, wooden locker, hidden in a safe and discreet corner, away from curious observers. It had a cap like a gate and was locked with a padlock bearing a menacing symbol at best from a common inspection, while for others more versed in the arcane history, it was a dreaded marking. Once he opened, he revealed the real and treasured content--a small, yet elaborate altar to a god whose name was strictly forbidden in some cities by the both of the dominant religions. He quickly discarded his left vambrace to reveal another cursed marking, after a quick prayer in an unholy language he proceeded to take a knife from his personal crate and cut his arm right between his wrist and his elbow then he rubbed and spilled the blood on the marking in his left wrist    “O Yaruk’Nar, master of the Shadow Legion, lord of the eldritchrealm, in the name of Berold, your one avatar, and by my blood I request an audience…” Fahid clasped his fingers together in prayer as he waited for the voice of his dark god “...Yes, your servant is listening…” he kept listening to words from beyond although whether they belonged to Yaruk’Nar or one from his inner circle, no one could tell for sure “...So it is now… Yes, lord. It will be done… yes, at once.” he rose on his feet and looked through an even more secret stash, buried right under his small closet. He dug up a foul-looking and arcane artifact--a dagger which he was granted months ago after being chosen during a secret ritual among other cultists, an honor who gained the despise and even hatred from his fellow worshippers.    “For the glory of the Yaruk’Nar and the Shadow Legion, I serve…” and thus he proceeded to cut both of his wrists then, with the last of his strength, he stabbed his own heart, before falling to the ground bleeding blood adulterated with ancient and unspeakable powers, a power that started spilling all around his body forming an summoning circle as his body started to decay and mix with the fluid that was emanating from his self-inflicted wounds. Soon, his body became a liquid that stood at the center of the circe and then a continuous flow of foul spirits starting to come out of the eldritch puddle and then, a hand with claws, scales and charred marks --the first of many. At the far side of the base, in one of the front towers, Sunset was just ending her delivery of medicines for the guard stationed there when she started to hear many exclamations of shock in the distance, she didn’t give too much thought until she started seeing people running past her in terror and now prayers to the gods and screams from the women could be heard in the proximity. She wasn’t nowhere near to understand what was happening when she started seeing people pouncing on other fleeing people, at least they looked like people, until they opened their mouths… they had sharp teeth, like piranhas, they chewed on their victims on vital spots--namely the neck--and before leaving them to bleed they injected four tendrils that also came from their mouths. Sunset started to breath heavily and finally assessed the situation  when she heard the voice of the guard that received the medicines.    “Quick, girl! now, before it's too late!!” the fullness of the situation and far from heeding the call to safety from this guard, she felt her heart skip a beat as she started to think about Helena and Maria. and she made a run for it. “Wait, no!” the guard shouted, much as he wanted to stop her for her own safety had much bigger issues now with the base being potentially compromised, so he quickly shut the door of his tower. Her breathing was quick like a hare and her heartbeat even faster as she ran to the lounge hall, avoiding other running people, guards, corpses or more of those abominations, but as she drew closer, the more crowded the roads became, soon she started using her telekinesis to move those things away from hear path, making sure they would fall away from people. She finally reached the lounge hall and quickly looked for the kitchen entrance, since there’s where Helena decided to help clean dishes after the lunch she decided not to attend. When she found it, she became terribly fearful when she noticed that the door was unlocked, slowly opening it, despite the chaos of the surroundings, she heard a sound like someone gulping down a drink, mixed with a soft and irregular whimper. she quickly--and not without revulsion mixed with pity--found that the source of the gulping was Niila, the lady in charge of the volunteers injecting tendrils from her mouth on an agonizing Aleia, the girl who tried to be nice to her early this morning, and who was the source of the whimpering. Niila, or what replaced her slowly turned to look at the new arrival with eyes without pupils, grayish skin and a hiss like no creature she had heard before, she started walking up to her and with each step Sunset spent more time looking at her, or rather, it. the more she looked at it, the more her dread was replaced with disgust, which, soon turned to hatred. Not unlike the one of seeing a cockroach or any other nasty insect, a disgust that compelled one to squash said insect. Sunset snarled at it and quickly looking around the kitchen she found a meat tenderizer, which she took in her magic grip and with speed and strongness she drove the tenderizer right on its head digging part of the kitchen item and spilling a sickening gore all around as the abomination once known as Niila fell heavily to the ground. Aleia stopped her whimpering, for she now was the one rising as an inhuman thing, and Sunset didn’t waste time in disposing of it as well. As she exited the kitchen and looked around, she figured that the only other place where Helena--and Maria--could be is the infirmary, so she made her way towards it. At least she now had an effective way to clear her path permanently. meanwhile, at the other side of the base, the last place to be reached by the growing chaos. Asa and his team are still counting their profits.    “...And that makes it 400 gold Dragons.” he placed the last coin on the last of six towers of coins “hmmm… Well, whose turn is it to have the extra part?” He asked looking around his comrades, of course, he was referring to the cut that would normally go for Scythebleed. But since he never showed any necessity for money--or any kind of necessity for that matter--they decided to roll turns on who will get the extra cut.    “Dirog had it last time…” Eleone begins “so that means I’m the last on the line. So it’s my turn, Asa.” she rose her hand slightly.    “ah, right. so that makes one hundred for me, one hundred for Dirog and two--” they heard screams and sounds huge commotion outside “what was that?” he exited the base’s second lunge with the rest of his team quickly following behind him to see for themselves the source of the worrisome ruckus. “What in the names… of the gods is happening…??” he said as he saw with shock and confusion as now not only monsters in the shape of walking corpses were flooding the streets but also winged demons with three eyes and three horns were descending to join in the slaughter of fleeing people. “what is--...” He shook his head and decided to save all of his questions for later, now was the time to think quickly and act eve faster. “Dirog, Scythebleed, Eleone. Spread out towards the base’s entrance, then look for each other and meet me at the training camp. Kill as many creatures as you can, prioritize those who have live civilians in their clutches. get moving!” He commanded as each of his team took a separate route towards the same destination. Eldritch evil was injected deep inside the land of the living like the venom of in the fangs of a snake. But destiny decreted that the antidote would be close to all of them.