//------------------------------// // 74 - Priorities // Story: From Dusk to Night // by KuroiTsubasaTenshi //------------------------------// Warmth. Deep and comforting. At first, I couldn’t quite place its source, but slowly, surely, embarrassingly, it became obvious: the hearth. I leaned back, sipping at my cider as I surveyed the bar. I didn’t really know why—there was no reason to feel on edge, yet something at the very back of my mind nagged at me. To my left, Terra, Mahogany and Merri were busy laughing and indulging in the small army of glasses in front of them. Star wore a smaller smirk, though she didn’t seem to be enjoying herself any less. To my right were Night and Ivory, quietly chatting over tea. It struck me as a little odd, but as my eyes fell on the rest of the bar, I realized just how early we were. The place was nearly empty, with just a hoofful of locals, who like to get their night started earlier, scattered around their usual spots. Perhaps once it got noisier, we could move to one of the back rooms. Regardless, there wasn’t a single thing remotely threatening around, and I felt my nerves settle, if only a little. My gaze was drawn back to the hearth, where I found my eyes in sway with the flames. I don’t know how long I sat there, mesmerized. Minutes. Hours. It all hardly mattered. A flicker of blue cut across the logs. It was short, almost imperceptible, yet distinct. Deep in my gut, I knew I’d seen it before. From where, though, I couldn’t say. All I knew was that forgetting bothered me and I squinted as I stood, never letting my eyes leave that spot. Slowly, surely, almost as though stalking prey, I edged forward. The blue never reappeared, but I felt like I could still see it where it had been. Before I knew it, my legs were moving of their own accord, getting closer and closer to the fire. Then, without a second thought, onto the burning logs. It didn’t hurt. I didn’t even feel the heat. Nor did I feel the bricks of the hearth as my muzzle passed through them. Behind the fireplace was dark—dark enough that I had to give my eyes several moments to adjust. There were stars overhead, though they were faded and distant enough that they were of little help. Blinking, I scanned my surroundings. Or rather, my lack of surroundings. Where I was standing looked more like a black void, a tar pit that should have sucked me in, never to be seen again. And yet, it was solid as could be. This black plane extended in all directions, seemingly without end. “You’re quite the perceptive one.” The voice was a mare’s, gentle, taking care not to startle me. As I turned, I found myself facing something of a shadow. She was a pony for sure, but most of her features were washed out by darkness. Yet, everything about her was familiar, with one thing sealing the deal: the twinkling blue mane. And still, I couldn’t quite place it. I felt I should know her name instantly, but it was almost as if something was blocking it. Shaking it off, I nodded. “I try to be. The safety of my friends and myself depend on it.” The silhouette’s lips turned up into a smile. “Your friends are lucky to know one so diligent.” “And I’m lucky they’re so tolerant of the weirdness I bring.” Even though I met her smile, I still couldn’t bring myself to completely trust her. “You’ve been around a lot, haven’t you?” The mare let out a chuckle, the sort people often do when an amusing thought strikes them. “Yes. Watching, mostly. I am proud to say very little intervention has been required.” “Intervention?” I couldn’t help by raise an eyebrow. The mare nodded. “Of course. I do not watch for my own health. But, you, Dusky, are strong, both in your own right and because of your friends. That is why I can rest easy.” And with that, she vanished, fading into the background as though she were only ever an illusion. I glanced around, but could not see her. “Hey, you’re really going to talk like that, then leave me hanging?” The plane grew darker and it was then that I realized the stars were winking out, one at a time. It was slow at first, but the time between each star fading grew shorter and shorter, becoming something of a dim light show. At last, I was left with only the ground, but even that was soon gone. As I drifted back to reality, the missing name was there waiting for me: Princess Luna. For just a split second, I swore I saw a lick of blue dancing in Ivory’s fireplace. Shaking it off, I quickly became aware of Night’s absence. Rolling over, I scanned the room. The dining table was now occupied, Night on the left, Ivory on the right and a steaming pot of tea in the middle. I blinked, unsure if I was still dreaming. “How are you feeling?” Ivory asked. “Better. If a bit groggy.” I pushed myself to my hooves. As I worked the stiffness from my legs, I could feel them creaking like an old wooden chair. “I feel like I slept for a week.” “Twenty-six hours,” Ivory corrected. “What? And you’ve been awake this whole time?” Guilt washed over me. “You were awake longer.” She took a sip of tea. “Yeah, but not by choice. Sorry, Ivory, I—” “Don’t be.” Ivory shook her head. “It’s an emergency. Time is of the essence.” “Ivory’s been working hard to get ready to fight this dark presence when it returns.” Night glanced uncertainly between us. “H-hopefully it’s not returning too soon, though.” “No. Not yet, anyway. It will not approach me.” Ivory spoke so surely that my mind took the roller coaster up through hope, then straight down into darkness. “Then it’s undead.” Legends and myths came out of the woodwork to haunt me. “In my dreams, Summer Leaf said the attempt on her life only made her stronger. If what she says is true and something strange happened with the explosion, add in her having some kind of magical hold over me and the Cartel thugs… Does that make her a lich?” Ivory shook her head. “No. Definitely not a lich. Were it such a being, it would be far beyond my power to control. No, this is more like a ghost or banshee.” “Control?” I blinked. “You can control it?” “Could, if it would approach me.” She gave me an apologetic look. “When you first entered the forest, it pursued you. I could sense it, of course. So I reached out, touched it. For a brief moment, it was within my grasp and I felt something: fear. That was when it fled.” “Even if it got away, you gave me time to rest and recover.” Ivory shook her head. “I’m afraid that will be short lived. Once you leave my protection, it will return.” “Then what can we do?” I asked. “I’m pretty sure I can’t stab a banshee.” “This.” She produced a thick scroll, bound with an extra-wide length of ribbon. It floated over to me. “This is a list of spells and details on how to combine them to trap the banshee on the same plane as you.” “I see.” My mind was already working. “Then my blade will work once it is trapped with me?” “In theory, yes. This is not something the nature of which I can readily test. But if the spells come together correctly, then you should be able to strike at it. Just be aware that it will not be easy prey.” “Of course. Nothing is ever easy.” That was when another nagging thought wormed its way to the front of my mind. “But why are you giving this to me? I’m no mage.” “Then you shall have to find one,” Ivory replied. “Perhaps several.” “Wait, what about you?” Night stood. “I thought all of this study was so you could help her? I mean, n-not that this isn’t helping, I just mean… well, not to sound insensitive, but you’re a necromancer. Who could be better for this than the one who wrote the spells?” “It’s fine, Night.” I knew better than anyone that it was not like Ivory to just plop some instructions in my bags and shove me out the door. “If she could, she would. She must have a good reason. Ivory?” “I am embarrassed to say, but my powers are a bit of a double-edged sword. I am as much a beacon to the undead as they are to me. I had but a single chance and now it knows to stay clear of me. The very thing protecting you is preventing me from giving you direct aid.” She slumped as the last few words left her lips. “Ivory… this is already more than I could hope to accomplish. Even if I need someone else to cast it, this is your work saving me. So, thanks.” I smiled. “Thanks to you, we know what this thing is… and, even if you aren’t there with us, we have a way to fight it,” Night added. Ivory’s posture did little to improve. “Don’t thank me just yet. There is much ahead of you.” The more I thought about it, the more daunting the whole situation was. “Right. I know just who to ask, but we will need to make it back to Ponyville.” “Not just that,” Ivory said. “Once your journey is complete, you will have to muster the strength to defeat the banshee. You should rest as much as you can before setting out.” “Agreed. But first, we need a plan.” The next nagging thought shoved its way to the front of the line. “The Cartel couldn’t be here just for me. Pasture is too far out of the way for them to intercept me so readily—especially when there was so much dissonance within the group. They must have already been operating out here to begin with.” “They’ve been in contact with the mayor, yes.” Ivory’s voice carried a sort of flat resignation, like she wanted to be disappointed, but Prideful Policy was going to be Prideful Policy. Night, in turn, looked disgusted enough for the both of them. “What kind of mayor deals with monsters like the Cartel?” “The kind of mayor that Prideful Policy is.” I found a frown of my own forming. “He’s been corrupt since well before Ivory and I even met. But I can’t see how he’d get them to work with him. The metals within the mountain have always been an ill-fated bargaining chip. The Cartel simply makes too much off Ghost Leaf to care. And there’s no way starting an op would be worth it. Pasture is so far from any major cities that shipments would be extremely vulnerable. Not to mention that a small town moving such a volume of product through Iron Shoe would quickly draw the attention of the Guard.” Ivory nodded. “It didn’t quite feel right to me, either. Nothing really fit. Not until you showed up.” “Until I showed up?” Even as the words left my mouth, the realization hit me. “Wait, you think this has to do with the banshee’s powers?” “Given the nature of the magic, yes.” “What magic? What else is going on here?” Night glanced between the two of us. “There was an incident,” Ivory began. “Back when Dusky and I first met, we needed to band together to defeat a Shadow Walker, a griffon who sold herself for power.” I could already see Ostfriesen playing back before Night, and I trotted over to place a wing on his withers. When he shook himself free of the past, I added, “She openly used her powers in front of the town as we fought. I imagine word of this eventually reached Summer Leaf and she sent her thugs to investigate, seeking to claim this power as her own.” Night shuddered. “And she got it, didn’t she?” “I suspect it didn’t quite turn out how she planned. At least, the rumours I’ve heard never involved the Shadow Walker dying,” Ivory replied. “However, she did achieve something that is proving to be nearly as problematic.” I was already formulating a plan. “Well, this probably won’t be much different than those bandits. Maybe even easier, since there’s a marked disconnect between these thugs and their mistress. If we bring down their base, they should scatter and even if Summer Leaf coerces them into returning, the remoteness without a base will greatly hamper them.” “There is no need for something so complicated.” Ivory shook her head as she got to her hooves. “My zombies will cover your escape. Then you can return to Ponyville.” “But what about you?” I couldn’t quite believe what she’d just suggested. There were dozens more questions I wanted to ask, but this was the only one I could mouth out. “These thugs are nothing. I’ve been dealing with bandits all my life.” It was my turn to shake my head. “Ivory, I can’t just leave you. This is a real—” “Problem. Yes, I know, Dusky. They can’t be allowed to remain as they are forever and they won’t. But right now is not the time to look out for others. You need to look out for yourself. Deal with the banshee first, then you’ll be free to do as you wish.” Even as Ivory said it, I could see the pain, the loneliness in her eyes. She didn’t want to send me away, but she knew she had to. And she knew I’d see it. As I fought back the tears, some still escaped. I didn’t care. Taking a deep breath, I sighed. “Okay, Ivory. You’re right. But the moment we win, I’m coming back. I swear it.”