//------------------------------// // Chapter 58: Awakenings // Story: Princess Essenta // by Pone_Heap //------------------------------// Antecedence Arc Delia hadn’t slept. Even if she wanted to it was unlikely sleep would come, despite her fatigue. Her legs and body ached but it was her heart and mind that was most in want of relief. The overnight trip had been easy enough. None of the girls or supplies took a tumble off the wagon and Delia figured she’d gone about 30 miles since sunset, putting them just over 20 miles into the desert. In a rock formation eerily like the one they’d just left, Delia sat on its eastern exposure, watching the sun rise over the dunes. Shivering in a blanket, she was unused to the night chill after spending so much time in a tropical clime. Delia hadn’t stopped at the first rocky outcropping she came across. There were so many dotting the landscape she, so to say, had her pick of them. But this one had a good vantage point, seemed easy to defend—Heaven forbid the situation arose, and seemed solid. All these things seemed to be in dire need, with the others still out of it. Delia wasn’t sure when Essenta would stir… but was sure she would; she knew Cassia hadn’t been lying about that. Enjoying the warmth of the sun as much as was possible, Delia put a wad of coca leaves in her mouth and slowly chewed. After a while she perked up some; it wasn’t much but she felt more awake. Feeling more alert did Delia’s concerns very little good. Drooling a little from the chew, she wiped her mouth. Yes… she lamented. She and Essenta would have a few things to talk about once the princess woke up. … … … But it wasn’t Essenta that woke first. Cassia, a mare of many decades, had been a worldly mare. But even she didn’t know much about Terrans. Magic affected them in ways unexpected. In this case, Cassia should’ve given Loress a little more clout in her “naptime-spell”; it just wasn’t enough to keep her down as long as was planned. “…Delia…?” a voice wavered from the mouth of the little cave. Numbly, Delia turned her tired gaze, “…Loress…” The gorgeous mare looked about as confused as she was afraid and she was plenty afraid, “…What’s… What happened?” Momentarily, Delia ruminated on Loress being first up; she chalked it up to the reason suggested by the author. A foul odor caught Delia’s senses; a day-and-a-half of being unconscious or near it gave the body little “choice” in holding it in and Loress had ruined a set of clothes. Delia sighed, “Bathroom?” Loress cringed, looking most uncomfortable and embarrassed, “Yes…” Delia pointed, “Other side of the mound. I wish you could better wash yourself, but we can’t spare that much water; take a sand-bath. We’re horses, after all…” Loress nodded and scrambled out of sight. It took some effort to stand but Delia managed. She wasn’t hungry at all—so preoccupied—but couldn’t eat coca leaves. She grabbed fresh fruit and biscuits to share with Loress and drew a little water. After a few moments, Loress joined Delia at the eastern watch-point. “Better?” Delia asked. Loress nodded, continuing to shake sand and dust from herself, in her little horsey birthday suit. Delia winced, knowing it to be cold, “You can put on a fresh tunic, Loress… You can’t be warm.” “I’m fine for now,” Loress insisted. “It’s just nice to be clean. Uh… what happened to your butt?” Delia hadn’t thought much about it, but her rump still hurt from the burn she’d received in Nuinhof; the bandage needed changing, “Got singed… Help me re-wrap before we eat?” Loress, appalled by the awful-looking bindings, hopped to it, “Yeah! C’mon!” With the help of Loress, Delia was fresh and clean and slightly more comfortable. The two of them unhurriedly nibbled on their breakfast. Loress drank with enthusiasm, having not had a proper, conscious drink in a couple days. But Loress quickly devolved to a more agitated state, her stomach no longer her driving force. “…Delia…” Loress’s voice faltered as she finished her last bites. “I… dreamt Cassia visited me on the beach…” Delia hugged her back legs to her chest, narrowing her gaze at the horizon. They were far enough away they could no longer make out the jungle. As clear as it was, they should have been able to make out the smoke from the city, so the fires were likely extinguished by that time. Loress quivered, “But… something tells me it wasn’t any dream…” Delia’s mind swam; she just wanted peace of mind… to forget all that had occurred. Loress choked up, “…Delia… what happened…?!” Delia’s head hurt; she exhaled, “I… don’t even know where to start…” “…” “What’s the last thing you remember?” Delia forced out. “Other than waking up a couple times since I… blanked out about the time we hit the jungle… it was after we got away.” Delia figured she’d just tell Loress, despite her wishing to wait until she could address the girls at one time. “Well, with Cassia… that was no dream…” And Delia relayed the last couple of days. … … … Loress huddled up, not from the morning chill but in horror; it was quite a harrowing tale. Pulling the girls out of the jungle… moving camp… the storm… the airships… the encounter with Cassia… the desert again... The need to wait for the others to wake before moving again... “You saved me twice…” Loress whimpered. “You saved us all twice… Thank you…” Delia could’ve pointed out she’d only had to save Essenta and Orni once, the two of whom had saved her after the near-suicidal escape from the jungle, but she kept her mouth shut; it wasn’t that important. Delia also wouldn’t say “you’d do it for me”; she wasn’t sure of much of anything. The former maid just acknowledged, “I’m just glad we’re all alive…” Loress fidgeted; something else was bothering her, “…” Delia felt slightly annoyed, “Seriously, if you’re cold, grab a blanket. We have plenty.” Loress shook her head, “No… it’s not that…” Delia wasn’t sure how important Loress’s botheration was, “Well, if you need to say something, might as well out with it…” Loress struggled with this, “…I was… awake… and I heard you and Essenta talking yesterday." Delia certainly noticed Loress using the princess’s given name; it always met something. She also knew to what Loress referred. “I see,” Delia said. The position of Essenta’s righthoof mare… Delia stared ahead, “I didn’t ask for it.” Loress stared at the sand between her hooves, “Neither did I… and I didn’t want it…” Delia lay back and looked at the lightening sky, wincing as she rolled over her rump, “…” “And I’m glad to turn it over to somepony stronger than me…” Loress cried. Not shocked at Loress’s fresh tears, Delia looked over, “Don’t think that way… This is new territory for all of us…” Loress began to weep bitterly over all the last few days had held, huddled up. Delia sat up, scooted over, and threw a hoof and half the blanket over Loress’s shoulders. Hugging her friend, Delia had no more tears of her own to shed. She’d spent most of the night crying herself and wouldn’t hold it against anypony. But Loress’s tears passed and they moved on. They had to address Cassia’s actions. … … … “As far as I know, Cassia ‘visited’ each of you, Loress,” Delia stated. Loress recoiled at the memory, “She surely visited me… What… did she do?” It was less a matter of “not anypony else’s business” as much as Delia didn’t know. “All I know is Cassia… couldn’t ‘find’ Dechaa,” Delia permitted. Loress looked over, “What…?!” Delia was a bit taken aback, “What’s so strange about that? Dechaa’s a powerful unicorn… Maybe she was able to fight back or something…” “You remember what we said about Noach, right?” The psychic from Silas that helped orchestrate Zyra possibly executing a monster…? “Of course… He connected with all of you.” “Not all of us!” Loress almost whispered. “Not Wilka…” Delia’s mind began to turn; she could picture that… Wilka being hesitant to having somepony else rifle through her mind. She knew a pony could fight an invasion of the mind, or try to; she'd done so herself before Cassia forced her into the bubble. Unaware of Delia’s ruminations Loress continued, “She closed her mind to Noach… and Orni wouldn’t help him ‘crack it open’.” Delia was nonplussed, “I have no idea what Cassia did to Wilka… but she saw something… and I can’t imagine it was good.” Delia knew more than Loress on the matter, who only knew what she’d gleaned. “Cassia said something?” Loress looked frightened. “What?” Delia considered Loress’s scared eyes… Maybe Loress knew more than expected… “…All she wanted to know was if Wilka was a regenerator… Other than what… the two of us already knew, that was all she asked…” Loress had to know more but was visibly keeping her mouth shut on the matter, “…” Delia hummed, “Yes… Something awful happened to Wilka when she was young… I’ve known it since the day I met her.” “…She was a slave…” Loress gulped, deciding to force out one of her many thoughts. “Wasn’t she…?” Delia saw no point in hiding it; it hurt to say it, “Yes…” Loress didn’t need a hint and left it at that, “I see.” Delia wanted very much to lie down but wasn’t interested in leaving or taking the blanket she was sharing, “Did… Cassia do anything to you?” Loress shook her head, “We just talked, mostly… I… remember her saying something about… not harming any of us… and then saying it wasn’t all the way truthful.” Delia squirmed, “…” Loress was more than worried at Delia’s discomfort, “Is that what she meant…? Did she… hurt you?” Delia’s mood darkened, “Not physically…” “Oh?” Loress’s concerned eyes tore Delia apart. Delia kneaded Loress’s shoulder, “I’m… fine. Well, I’m not, but I’m not hurt.” Loress could almost feel the misery off Delia, “So… what?” Delia inhaled and sighed heavily, “I…” The Earth pony trailed off and stared at the sand. Loress had a hard time putting words to it, “…I think I know what Cassia was up to.” Delia glanced over, “Yeah?” “She was… trying to turn us against you…” Delia meant no sarcasm when she spoke, “Of course she was…” Loress eked out, “Delia…?” “That’s all it was, Loress… I realized it soon after… after she died—before I buried her. Whether it worked or not, we’ll have to wait and see… If she convinced them… Well, it’s not like it’s totally undeserved.” Loress shied away at Delia’s dripping cynicism, “Oh, Delia…” “She said some things… some true things. Things about me… Clovis… my father… my mother…!” The former maid seized up at the thought of her mother; that wound was raw in her heart. Loress hugged Delia close, letting her cry into her shoulder. Delia’s mother… she knew nothing about. But her father… she knew some of the things he did. Delia’s face was a mask of tragedy, “I… killed them, Loress… all those ponies…! I… did…” Loress couldn’t deny it. But she also didn’t know anything about it, having been bordering on “out-of-touch” at the time. Her idea to open the gas-lines had come in a haze. So, Loress kept mute on the matter; she was sure she’d learn plenty, later. Delia sniffled, “The last things she said—other than damning me—were the lot of you would be helpless until today… and that I had… a rotten soul.” Loress noted the exact sort of pain in Delia’s voice. Rotten soul… That was an ugly thing. Delia snorted, her nose running, “That’s what her game was… She was willing to see all of you die…! She was willing to see you die… with only my character standing in the way of it. She gambled your lives on me running away or not…!” Loress let Delia have it out; she doubted Delia would get much out of her speaking up, yet. But the crying soon lessened and Loress chose to speak. “I… know I don’t need to tell you but… you don’t have a rotten soul, Delia… A rotten soul wouldn’t have done the things you’ve done. You wouldn’t have hesitated to leave Clovis to his chosen fate and… and you wouldn’t have risked your life twice to get us to safety.” Delia wept anew, “I know… I know you’re right… I even knew then, when she said those things. It just… hurt so very much, watching her die that way… She was suffering, Loress… in so many ways…” Loress thought a moment; she couldn’t hold back the words, “Why do you think Cassia did all she did?” Delia thought a moment. She didn’t hold the question against Loress: there were as many reasons as could be imagined, most likely. But the answer seemed obvious and was deceptively simple. Delia knew Cassia wasn’t evil. The old mare was just so very wounded. Delia slowly shook her head, “Just a broken-hearted grandmother… who’d lost just about everything she’d come to love… Her city… I took that away from her, Loress…” “No,” Loress hoofed her shoulder. “You can’t think that way.” “…” “It’s not your fault.” Delia never thought that way. It just hurt. “…I know, Loress…” Loress again hugged Delia, the embrace warmly returned. Then it was over. Delia pulled away. Delia stiffly stood and began to paddle away, wiping her eyes, “We have work to do, Loress… We’ll have plenty to talk about when the others get up.” Loress stood up, stiff herself from not moving much, and followed. The two set to work getting their hideout more comfortable. Delia had done little more than unpack some food, blankets, and fresh clothes. She knew the girls would need all those things when they woke up. ... ... ... Delia figured Ama would’ve been the next up, but it did turn out Essenta would beat the others. She woke up about two hours after Loress did. “Eeeeeeeeee!” came the girlish shriek, Essenta writhing under her blanket on the floor. Delia, keeping watch over the girls, put hooves to the princess and shushed her, pulling her into an embrace, “Shh…. Shh… You’re alright… You’re okay…” “Delia…?” came the overcome whisper. “You’re alive…?!” Delia sighed, giving an unwilling and unforced smirk in her relief, “Yeah… looks that way…” Essenta wrapped hooves around Delia’s neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into her shoulder, “I- I- I- I thought for sure we were dead…!” “Shh… Shh…” Delia patted Essenta’s back. “Essenta!” Loress barged in. “You’re…!” Delia made eye-contact with the Terran; she put a hoof to her lips, “Shh…” Loress fumbled, looking around at the others, still sleeping, “…Right…” Figuring it was best to get the bawling princess elsewhere, they hefted her outside. Delia had to assist Essenta in ways both undesirable and unsanitary, but her leader was so overwhelmed she needed help with cleaning herself. Delia had never wished more for a nice bathtub and a lot of water. But she got Essenta to take her sand-bath. Convincing the princess that they were all alive was a chore as well, but a little food, water, and a wad of coca leaves convinced her things were so and she calmed down a little. Delia turned to Loress, still outside, “Could you look in on the others? I… need to talk to Essenta.” Loress got the message and left. It was quite a bit warmer out but Essenta still shivered; she felt chilled on top of being upset. Delia put a blanket over the princess and advised she sip water, “Nice and easy on the canteen, Essenta… You’ve been through a lot.” Essenta wasn’t hungry anymore and indeed convinced she wasn’t dead—the others being above ground as well—so her mind jostled about; she could only ask one thing, “Delia… How is it you and Loress are okay…?” Delia noted the particular anguish in Essenta’s voice—it was the best word she had for it—and was reluctant to speak. Essenta didn’t drop the subject, “How do you do it…?” Delia had an answer; it came ragged, “We’re barely ‘doing it’, Essenta…You’ve been through a lot… I’ve been through a lot… We’ve been through a lot… But this is different… I’m… freaking out…! And Loress isn’t much better… It’s just that… you all need help… and we can’t panic—we don’t have time to do so right now—so… we need to stay focused. We need to keep it together and get clear of the south.” Essenta jerked at the heavy statement and had to remind herself Delia had been through a lot more than some of them, recently and in the past. She gulped. “So, if you have to… cry or scream or something, you’d best go out a few yards and do it into a blanket to keep it quiet…” Delia struggled to say. “You’re our leader… and the girls will need you to be that once they wake up. It’s not over yet…” Sobered by the words Essenta tried to force down the lump in her throat, “I think… I’m okay now…” Delia wasn’t sure about that but would take it at face-value for the time being, “Okay… a few things have happened since yesterday…” Essenta had been too upset at first to relay much information to her but with her clearing mind she was able to take it in. Delia filled her in on the last day—all that she’d missed. She elected to not tell Essenta of Cassia’s final words; she didn’t need to know, and Delia had already tried to put it behind her. What the princess needed to know was Cassia had compromised seven of them, having invaded their minds, and Delia being most unsure of what it had all entailed. “Cassia didn’t lull me under…” Essenta said. “Huh?” Delia wondered. “You were trapped… unable to see and hear us… but she spoke to me face-to-face.” Delia didn’t wish to ask, sensing Essenta’s distress, but had to, “Anything you should share?” Essenta was hesitant, “Well, other than… she did this to… hurt you, I…!” Delia sat stoically, her features only showing slight appreciation for this. Essenta swallowed, “You know…?” Delia shivered, “Yes… Loress told me and… I kind of figured it out on my own…” “I see…” Essenta deflated. “So, what else?” Delia asked evenly. “…Our journey… my father… what he did… our troubles… She gave me nothing I didn’t know, except…” Delia didn’t like Essenta’s hesitation; it didn’t bode well, “Out with it.” “Except for a few things…” Essenta spilled. “Zyra… she’s probably fine… but I have a feeling I know next to nothing about my second-oldest friend…” “And?” Delia encouraged. “And… and Wilka! I don’t know what it is but something’s wrong! Something’s very wrong…” Delia grimaced, “You’re… right about that. But it’s nothing we can do much about now… Did she say anything about Dechaa…?” Essenta yipped a little at that; there was something. “Princess… out with it,” Delia bade. “This is important… Did she say anything else other than what she said to the both of us when she ‘wasn’t able to find’ her?” Essenta, on pins and needles, choked and began to weep again. Delia wasn’t expecting this and felt more compassion than impatience, “There… there… Just try to calm down… Take a minute…” Essenta took a moment and exhaled sharply, “Dechaa’s… about to lose it…” Delia did a take at the unpolished statement, “‘Lose it’…? That’s what she said?” Essenta shook her head violently, “No…! But… it’s what she meant. There are… things I don’t know about Dechaa… and I’m… I’m supposed to be her best friend! I- I- I- I-!” Delia jostled Essenta, “Stop it… What did Cassia say? You need to tell me.” Essenta sniffled, “That Dechaa’s angry… like really angry…” Delia nodded, “Yes… and?” “I’m worried, Delia… Dechaa’s magic!” Delia sighed, “Cassia… lied about a lot of things at the end, Essenta, but she told the truth about all of you. She told me we’ll need to watch out for Dechaa.” “She what?” “We need to… monitor… Dechaa until we can get a bearing on her. She’s been under a lot of stress… Exhausted from our time in the jungle… being put insensible twice by the magic of that dying filly… what Cassia might’ve done to her… All that has been weighing on her. She’s had maybe six hours of her sense since we found that Goddamned barrier in the jungle. She’s unstable, Essenta… and she’s been doing an awful lot of bottling up. Not just recently either. We need to be careful…” Essenta didn’t like this, “So… what are you saying?” The messy-maned mare didn’t want to ride Essenta for all the years she’d supposedly been a thorn in Dechaa’s side and just how wrathful Dechaa’s heart and mind may have been. She’d seen Dechaa slipping since “Last Chance” but especially since they’d been skunked by Hagano the pirate. That had hurt Dechaa especially, even if she didn’t show it. While the rest didn’t wish Hagano harm—at least before his fucking them over—the only reason they wanted him to live was because they were afraid to face themselves otherwise. Dechaa had cared about him, as far as it went. It wasn’t niceness; niceness could be as fake and worthless as fools’ gold. Kindness was real. Dechaa was kind… and she loved her friends. She even was kind to those the other girls felt were most undeserving of it. She gave a lot to just about everypony that crossed her path. She didn’t do these things to make up for anything or because she was trying to curry favor for herself. She did them because of her love. But anypony, despite all the good things in them, could still be full of rage. And Dechaa had been building it since she was a filly. She'd also had some serious lapses in her overall constitution, acting in ways most rash. Dechaa had lost sight of the goodness in life, it could be surmised. Delia didn’t hesitate otherwise in what she wished to say, “We need to restrain Dechaa.” It took a few seconds to register; Essenta blinked, “What?!” “You heard me…” “B- but…! We can’t tie her up!” Delia glared; she wouldn’t cater to Essenta’s misgivings, “We don’t have to tie her up! We still have the collar from that fuck Hagano, don’t we?” Essenta cocked her head, “So?” Delia knew Essenta might not get it; she had a plan and it was a doozy, “The collar! I can tweak it and use it to suppress her magic!” Essenta’s eyes lit up in realization, “The pressure point…” Delia was pleased enough, “Yes, Essenta… It will work. Dechaa will be free to move upon waking up but she won’t be able to do a thing with her magic… cognizant or unconscious.” “You… really think it’s necessary?” Delia stared back; her eyes said it all, “…” The princess, seeing the light, huddled up and accepted it. Delia saw the change in Essenta and was satisfied. Essenta realized something, “You’ll need Loress for the collar… We can’t manipulate the metal.” “And she’ll go along with it. She trusts you… and me. Do you trust me?” Essenta did, “Yes.” “Good. It can’t wait.” Essenta fretted, “What about Zyra?” “What about her?” “Is she alright? Do we need to do the same?” Delia said, “No… Zyra will be fine… I have faith that she will be… In fact, I'm sure she will be.” Essenta had to agree. Zyra had been through a lot… and had come out fairly clean on the other end… Waking up wouldn't be pleasant, but it would likely be manageable. Dechaa, though… Delia kneaded Essenta’s shoulder, “It’s all we can do right now. We need to pull it together.” The princess dithered, “I can’t believe this… We’re falling apart and Dechaa’s gone crazy… and-” “She’s not crazy, Essenta; she’s overwhelmed,” Delia stated as gently as she could manage. “She’s got more than one reason to be upset when she wakes up, but she’ll get over it…! Once we’ve been able to regroup, we’ll be fine. But until that happens… until we’re closer to being safe… we need to do this.” Essenta said with great reluctance, “You’re right…” … … … Loress was about as reluctant as Essenta had been in collaring Dechaa but she did trust the other two. So, taking no joy in doing so, the three of them fitted Hagano’s collar for their healer. “Loress…” Delia spoke. “You’re a lot more sensitive to magic than Essenta and I… Can you feel it in Dechaa yet?” Loress put a hoof to Dechaa and felt her out; she felt nothing and looked up, “Her magic’s halted. It’ll take my strength… or magic to adjust the collar to open up the channel again.” That was good enough. Essenta fell to her rump, feeling mentally drained, “Now… we just need everypony to wake up…” … … … Ama was next up. Alone when she awoke, she paddled to the makeshift kitchen, where the other three had gathered for a snack. “Ama!” Essenta saw her first. Given what Cassia had said both the princess and the former maid were concerned. “Where are we?” Ama was less alarmed than might be expected but she didn’t often panic, looking around the cave. Loress approached with a canteen of water, “We’re in the desert again… We’re… safe, I guess.” Ama looked uncomfortable, standing there, her mind obviously preoccupied; she didn’t take the offered drink. Delia frowned, suspecting they had another ruined tunic on their hooves, “Need to clean up?” Ama gave a nervous snort, “No… but I need to relieve myself…” Delia led her outside and Ama was relieved. It was hot by then, the sun at its zenith. The two stumped back inside, Ama unsteady. “Your balance?” Delia offered her shoulder. Ama gratefully leaned on the offered support; she was heavy, but not overly so. The Mazan groaned, “Thank you, Delia…” “It’s nothing…” Delia said. “How… long have I been unconscious?” Delia didn’t feel like talking about much until they were able to sit but would answer this, “About 15 hours…” “I see…” Ama uttered glumly. Delia had a few words catching in her throat, unsure if she should share them, “…” But Ama shook her head, as if she’d been reading Delia like a book, “It can wait a few moments… I need water.” Delia was satisfied with that, “Okay… We don’t have anything hot, but some fruit and biscuits will be light enough on the stomach.” “That sounds good.” In better shape than Loress and Essenta upon awakening—other than feeling a little off-kilter from being out so long, Ama thankfully ate and drank. Not stuffing herself, Ama ate until fulfilled, “So… What has happened?” Ama’s tone, while even, was tired and despondent. Delia was… curious. Not that she held it against Ama but Ama was a wreck after their escape, to the point the big mare was almost helpless. Now she seemed collected despite her sorrow, not that it would likely sustain. She surmised Ama was simply over the initial shock of their escape. Back to their dialogue, Loress put a gentle hoof over Ama’s, “…Cassia came after us…” Ama looked thoughtful, “So that dream… was no dream.” Delia felt terrible, “No, Ama… Other than Essenta and I… she tried contacting all the girls… She got Essenta and I on the face-to-face.” “‘Tried’?” Ama sucked on an orange, eyes down. “She… said she couldn’t reach Dechaa…” Essenta said. Ama sat back, “Is that why Dechaa is collared? Is her mind in that much turmoil…?” The other three weren’t surprised; Ama was no fool. Delia nodded, “That’s exactly why…” Ama, holding up unexpectedly well until that point, hiccupped and began to weep, “The others? Are they well?” Not taken aback at Ama’s tears, Loress leaned in, fighting her own, “We’re alive, Ama… We made it out.” Ama clamped down on Loress’s hoof, pulling it to her shoulder, “That is not nothing…” “Indeed,” Loress embraced the larger mare. Sniffling, Ama managed to calm down, “You three… are you well?” Essenta sighed, “As well as can be expected. Cassia… threw us all for a loop but we’re more or less fine.” Delia sat down next to Ama, “Ama… did Cassia say anything to you…? Did she do anything?” Ama shook her head, “She did not harm me… She only… spoke to me.” Delia urged her; it was possibly important, “What did she say?” Ama knew Delia didn’t mean to pry but she also knew some of what Cassia said wasn’t of concern to the group, “Other than… implying she was fond of me and saying she did not blame me, no… nothing of consequence.” The three believed her, knowing Cassia had admired Ama. Essenta patted Ama, “I’m glad to hear that…” Ama nodded, “And I am glad you are all well… Is there anything we need to know as a group? Other than Dechaa’s circumstances?” Delia shook her head; she could actually tell the truth on the matter, “We… will discuss what happened once everypony is up. Other than Dechaa, though… Wilka is of concern.” Ama wasn’t surprised, “I suppose… it may finally be time to address Wilka’s hurts.” There was no covering up the matter; the girls had been suspecting something for a time. Loress strangled out, “Yes… it may be so…” Ama had a stricken light in her wild eyes, “So you… know?” Loress squeezed her eyes shut, pushing out a few tears, “I do…” Ama turned to Delia, “And you… You have known for some time, have you not?” Delia knew Ama meant no malice in her words, nor did they sound as such, “Since the day I met her…” Ama didn’t bother with Essenta; she saw how nervous Essenta was and knew the Princess was still in the dark as she was. “Well, I know that can also wait,” Ama forced out. “It can,” Loress answered. And that was alright with all of them. … … … It was mid-afternoon by the time Zyra came to. The little mage stared upwards in the near-darkness, “Ama…?” She’d only been able to tell by the silhouette, shaped by the faint lantern-light in the corner but it was her friend. “Yes, Zyra… it is me.” “What’s going on…?” Ama wasn’t sure what to say, “A great deal.” Zyra curled up in her blanket, squirming, “Oh… I’m wet…” Ama sighed; she’d smelled it well before Zyra noticed, “…” The unicorn looked frightened, “What happened?” Ama looked upon her best friend, hating to see such fear in her eyes; but it could wait, “We are… safe. Leave it at that for now. Come, let us get you cleaned up.” The other three awake were gladdened to see Zyra conscious again but gave her space. The only thing Zyra wanted—other than some clarity—was a drink of water and a clean tunic. Zyra received a welcome portion of fresh fruit and biscuits with jam they elected to crack open. Orni had made a few jams, jellies, and preserves in the many hours she and Essenta had watched over their previous camp; soon enough Orni would be able to sample her own work, if she had the stomach for food. Zyra poked at her chow, “I… don’t remember anything… Not since after meeting Cassia…” Essenta regarded Ama and Loress; neither looked too eager to open up and talk. Delia hoofed Essenta’s shoulder and the look in her eyes told the other girls she’d handle it… or try. Delia tried to ease into it but there wasn’t much to be done for it, “Zyra… It’s not going to be easy, explaining this. I want you to try… try to stay calm…” Zyra chuckled humorlessly, closing her eyes, “Oh, my head hurts… Do I even want to know?” Delia hated this; she knew Zyra didn’t know a thing about all that had happened, “After we left Cassia, we’d almost made it to the barrier when… that pain was felt… It messed you and Dechaa up again. Also, we found out what it was.” The dawning realization in Zyra’s dull eyes wasn’t a nice thing to see. Ama put a hoof on her shoulder. “I… see…” Zyra breathed. “It… was a filly?” Delia’s stomach heaved, thinking about the little one, “Yes… it was… Her family was murdered.” “Murdered?” Zyra’s tired countenance seemed more awake. “It was meant to serve as an example… by the new government. We landed ourselves in the middle of a war, Zyra; that’s the long and short of it. There’s no plague… but a civil war.” Zyra huddled up at the word “war”; it was understandable, “How did we miss this…?” Delia couldn’t help but shrug, “We did… But a lot more led us here.” Zyra settled in, holding her fresh blanket held tight around her shoulders. Comfortably warm in the cave, Zyra still felt chilled, as if ill. The mage fidgeted, “And… what’s that?” The others knew Zyra was barely remaining composed. Delia wished she was somewhere else, scrubbing a floor or something. The former maid took a moment, “I said we learned the source of that suffering. The filly called out… for relief, for death… Once you’d clocked out, Dechaa, she… answered the call.” Zyra’s eyes bugged, “You can’t mean she…!” Delia nodded, “She teleported us there… all six of us. Her magic compelled her, I guess.” “But how?! She’d never be able to do that!” “Not consciously, maybe, but she did it, taking a few yards of earth and vegetation with us. Something tells me we’re lucky we arrived in one piece. She took us to Nuinhof, exactly where the dead family was.” Zyra was horrified, “…” In addition to Ama’s, Essenta’s and Loress’s hooves made their way to the mage. Delia continued, electing to leave out the more gruesome details of the scene, “The filly—who we thought was dead—was alive. Her family was there; they’d been dead more than a week, but the filly was serving as a further example. She… died in my hooves.” Delia choked up and had to take a moment. Zyra’s face was one of sick disbelief; she was shocked, hearing this. Able to go on, Delia bowed her head, looking at her hooves, “The townsfolk of Nuinhof caught us there, on the edge of town. With what Cassia told me I knew we couldn’t let them take us in! Bondage… torture… death… Any one or all of them waited for us.” The girls could see tears falling between Delia’s hooves; they weren’t much better themselves. Delia had come to the part she’d been dreading most but knew it was time. Orni already knew enough and Dechaa and Wilka… would be dealt with later. “I created a diversion,” Delia wept. “I said horrible things to distract them… and it worked long enough I was able to do something… I…” Delia faltered; saying it was more difficult than she’d expected, despite having relived it several times already. Zyra was almost frantic, “What? What happened?” Delia stood mute. The little unicorn looked to Loress and Ama and found nothing to help in their eyes, “…!” Loress shivered, “I… know what happened but… I don’t know how…” Zyra floundered, “…What?” Delia gasped, “I used your magic…!” Those four words were powerful ones. Essenta, Ama, and Loress recoiled despite knowing this fact. Zyra was stock-still, “You… my magic…” “I didn’t know what else to do!” Delia blurted, her eyes wild. Zyra was flummoxed, “How…? What did you do?” Delia’s face contorted, and she visibly shrank, “I did it to Dechaa first! The… nerve in your neck…” Zyra’s face fell and she absently hoofed her own neck, “The ‘magic channel’…” Delia nodded slowly, “Yes…” Zyra’s jaw dropped slightly, “You stimulated the ‘magic channel’…?” Delia picked up on a new element in Zyra’s voice, as did the others. Ama eked out, “What is the ‘magic channel’?” While all the girls knew about the pressure point, they’d never really discussed it. Zyra seemed dazed, “It’s part of the nervous system… that connects magical pathways around the body. Pegasi and Earth ponies have something similar, allowing their magic to flow. You know the nerve you pinch to stop a unicorn’s magic? You can provoke it as well! It lets out-” “An uncontrolled surge of magic…!” Ama’s voice was weak as she formulated this; she turned to Delia. “That is what you did…?” Delia sighed, “I did…” Zyra sat up, angry, “Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?!” Delia surely did; she buried her face in her hooves, “I thought I knew… but I wasn’t thinking much. It was more so than I could’ve believed…” Zyra quickly grasped she’d been overlooking the other half of the situation; she was terrified to know but had to know. Zyra, her eyes glazing over, lost her legs and fell to her knees, slipping right through the hooves of the others, “So… what happened?” Delia stared at the floor, “The ponies…! They were about to attack us, and I couldn’t stall them anymore… and I… aimed Dechaa’s horn at the crowd and I let loose… I knew a large burst of magic might allow us time if nothing else.” The others, hearing it explained for the first time, could only listen in stunned silence. Zyra quivered, “…” Delia strangled out, “I don’t know what I was thinking other than… I guess I figured Dechaa’s magic burst would be that of her forte… what I thought it was. Or maybe I just thought about it later. But it’s not healing…! Her strength lies in concussive magic…!” The mage felt a shock of sickness course through her and she almost retched; she'd never known, “No…” Delia sobbed, before trailing off, “A lot of ponies died… A lot were hurt…” Several city blocks had been devastated as well but that didn’t seem all that important at the time. The three besides Zyra and Delia weren’t sure if the little Earth pony would be able to continue. Could Zyra stand to hear the rest? She’d been used the same way Dechaa had, perhaps. Neither would happen at that time, regardless. Zyra abruptly stood, wobbly on her hooves, “I… need to be alone…” The mage paddled away briskly, yet gingerly on unsteady hooves. While Delia didn’t move an inch Essenta was ready to stand and do something; she had to. “No…” Loress firmly hoofed her shoulder, face pale. A moment of quiet ensued before Ama rose. “Ama?” Essenta wondered. Ama put a hoof on Delia’s shoulder, not paying much attention to the others, “Collect yourself and do not worry, Delia. You are not alone in this.” Delia quickly nodded; she’d heard and appreciated this more than most could comprehend. Ama sighed, “It will be fine…” The Mazan paddled the way Zyra had gone. The princess looked about wildly, flummoxed at what to do. Loress kept her hoof firm to the princess, “Calm down.” “But…!” Essenta felt hopelessly lost in all this. “It’s fine, Princess…” Loress’s eyes were on the cavern’s opening. Ama’s tail disappeared around the corner, bound for the outside. Loress closed her eyes, “Yes… it’ll be alright. Who better?” Essenta saw reason and soon nodded, “Okay… Would you… keep an eye on the horizon? I’ll stay with Delia… watch the others…” Loress agreed, “Understood. I’ll give the two of them their space.” … … … At the hottest time of the day Ama found Zyra facing west. Certainly not needing her blanket to cover up she sat upon it, protecting her rear-end from the scorching heat of the sand. Ama recognized the 1,000-yard stare in Zyra’s gaze… but that was the case with all of them, given the last few days. “Here,” Ama offered a canteen of lightly-salted orange-water to the mage. “This dry heat is a welcome thing but easily deceives us. We must stay hydrated.” Zyra wordlessly magicked the canteen to herself, eyes forward. Ama set down a blanket of her own, watching Zyra un-stopper the vessel and take a nice drink, “That is the way…” Zyra sighed, wiping a hoof across her mouth, “Thanks, Ama.” “You are most welcome.” Zyra waited to speak, “Cassia… she linked with you, back at our picnic in the jungle… I know you know… so what’s going on?” Ama’s senses flooded; there’d been a lot she’d come to know, “Delia and I… do know. But it was our agreement to exposit the details once everypony is awake and has her wits about her.” The mage’s curiosity begged for explanation, but she could see the reasoning, “Just the important things for now, right?” “Yes, Zyra. We did find ourselves in the midst of a civil war—many years in the making—and a situation we could not have foreseen, prepared for, or been ready to deal with.” Zyra huddled up, “This is a nightmare…” Ama had no reason to disagree, “I myself sometimes wonder when I will wake up, finding us blessedly retracing our steps back to the ‘City of Last Chances’…” “But here we are…” “Yes.” Having next to no extrasensory perception, Ama didn’t need such a thing to read Zyra’s gloom. A few moments of quiet had the Mazan fidgeting. “What happened…?” Zyra continued to agonize, giving voice to what Ama had been sensing for more than a few minutes. Ama didn’t even concern herself with the fact Zyra had asked the question several times; she knew Zyra was even worse off than Dechaa regarding awareness of the situation, having not woken up before their latest move. “Delia… saved the five of us. Had she not kept her wits about her… we would have all died in the jungle or been taken into custody. Zyra turned to Ama; her voice was shot full of emotion, “An uncontrolled blast of concussive magic… against a crowd? Against a city?!” Ama blew out a shaky breath, glancing at Zyra’s tear-stained eyes, “It was catastrophic…” Zyra’s eyes pleaded… but Ama was quite unsure of that for which they were. Ama was unnerved, saying what she did, “I… saw little of what happened to the crowd when Delia used Dechaa’s magic. She warned us… Loress and I… to protect Wilka, Orni. Their ears and eyes were in potential jeopardy, as were mine and Loress’s. The light was blinding and the noise incredible. You were alongside Dechaa, having collapsed in the jungle. It is perhaps some miracle you escaped injury, laying unprotected. Delia barely managed herself. Dechaa, though… We will learn soon enough.” Zyra buried her face in the crooks of her front legs, “…” Ama choked up, looking ashamed, “I… did not look, save a glance, when I realized what had happened to them… the citizens of Nuinhof. I was afraid.” “…” “We found a wagon after running away. It was, as you might say, a blur. I do not remember the three of us running to the wagon. I remember little after that other than following Loress… with Delia holding the three of you in the wagon and directing our flight. It was…” Zyra sat with her insides churning as Ama trailed off. She knew there was more. After all, she’d been used magically. “Ama… Please.” Ama knew what this plea meant. She didn’t wish to hide what happened next from Zyra but dreaded putting it to words. She broke down crying, head falling between her knees. Zyra and Ama had shown plenty of tears to one another in their months together and this was the first time one failed to attempt comfort of the other. Zyra was blank, unable to bring herself to do so. She only wanted one thing. “Ama… Please…” Zyra’s own voice came feebly, her eyes heating up again. The big mare snuffled, “Loress opened up the city’s gas-lines… Nuinhof has a system of streetlights…!” Zyra felt an icy chill run through her. No… “I… do not know what she attempted first but Delia… she was unsuccessful!” Ama sobbed. Fire… Zyra’s head went fuzzy. “She failed her first attempt, so she stimulated your ‘magic channel’, Zyra… and set alight the city…!” Zyra’s whole body tingled… and she felt the feeling flood through her a moment. “I… see…” the mage breathed. Ama gasped, “I am sorry, Zyra! I do not know what to say! I did not know how best to tell you!” Zyra’s eyes were cast downward, “I’d… like to be alone, now…” Ama was wary of the prospect, “Zyra…!” But Zyra was adamant, “Please… trust me.” “…” Many wouldn’t trust anypony to herself but Ama, perhaps, knew Zyra’s heart better than anypony; she’d seen it several times over. The two had become fast friends, Zyra’s understanding that the world was a terrible place at times trumping her horror of their first encounter. The night raid had been shocking, with Zyra acting out in great violence and her subsequent breaking. Weeks of waiting in and searching out Zyra’s mindscape had taught Ama little… until after it was over. Ama had no idea, in her heart, what Zyra would do when confronted with the opportunity to exact vengeance upon Aodh Radulf but she chose to let it happen. She was still not positively sure of what had compelled her to do such a thing, with the distinct possibility they might’ve lost Zyra for good staring them all in the face. And Ama wasn’t sure why she decided to honor Zyra’s wish now. It wasn’t trust or faith or anything else readily identifiable. Zyra was just her friend. “Very well,” Ama tried to relax. “I am leaving you the canteen. Make sure to have another drink.” “Right… Thanks, Ama.” “You are welcome. Come back inside when you are ready. The day is not over.” “Gotcha.” Ama re-entered their hideaway, leaving Zyra to her mulling. The little mage looked out over the sands, knowing almost 700 miles separated them from what could be laughingly called safety. And she cried. Zyra didn’t hold what had happened against Delia; she knew death would have likely been the other option. It wasn’t that she was ashamed of her tears. It just hurt and she wanted a little time alone. But she'd be okay. After all, this wasn’t their first rodeo.