Fruit Crunch didn’t say anything as he hugged Lex, not wanting the moment to end.
He doesn’t hate me. He was just worried. That’s all it was. The knowledge that he hadn’t ruined things with his hero was heartwarming, eroding the misery that he’d felt barely a minute ago when he thought that Lex despised him for what he’d done.
But it wasn’t just that. He cares about me. That was something that Fruit Crunch knew for sure. You didn’t get angry at someone for worrying you unless you cared about them.
As if hearing his thoughts, Fruit Crunch felt Lex’s foreleg curl around his shoulders and squeeze gently. Taking that as confirmation of his feelings, Fruit Crunch wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry, and ended up doing both. The older stallion’s returning the hug wasn’t an offer of apprenticeship, but somehow that was okay. Better than okay, even.
Finally, Fruit Crunch ended the embrace, stepping back and rubbing his nose as he fought the urge to sniffle again. “Sorry,” he murmured, giving Lex an embarrassed smile. “I didn’t mean to go to pieces like that.”
Lex didn’t respond immediately, and Fruit Crunch had the impression that he was picking his words carefully. “Do you feel better now?” he finally asked.
The colt nodded quickly, blushing a little at the considerate question. “Yeah, thanks. And thanks for, you know, saying that other stuff. It really means a lot to me.”
Lex blinked once, and started to say something, then stopped. He glanced away for a moment, looking in the direction of the train station, before returning his gaze to the foal. “I want to reiterate that you and your friends should avoid danger if at all possible. Your conduct with regard to Silhouette might have been admirable, but it is not a mandate for further such activities, is that clear?”
His smile fading into a look of contrition, Fruit Crunch nodded again. “I understand.”
“Good. Now, return to camp and go to sleep.”
“Alright. Goodnight Lex.” Not wanting to take the chance that he might upset the older stallion again if he protested, Fruit Crunch immediately turned and started walking, holding onto the feeling of warm relief that things had worked out. Admittedly, he hadn’t gotten a chance to ask Lex about the reward Nosey had promised them, but he could bring that up later. Now that he knew that Lex cared about him – and probably his friends too, come to think of it – he felt sure the stallion wouldn’t mind.
More importantly, he’d confirmed that the reason that Lex was so upset was because he’d been afraid for their safety. Which meant that all they had to do was get strong enough so that Lex wouldn’t have to worry about them anymore; then he’d be okay with them helping out the next time something bad happened! Which meant that he had to hurry up and get the Night Mare’s Knights back together as soon as possible, so they could meet up with Severance again and get their magic powers!
Definitely first thing on the agenda, thought Fruit Crunch as he returned to the campfire he’d been huddled up next to before he’d gone after Lex, stifling a yawn as he settled down. Just gotta get a little shuteye first, and then I’ll get right on that…
Laying his head on his hooves, it took only a few seconds for the exhausted colt to fall asleep.
“And so my Knights have gathered at last.”
The voice made Fruit Crunch throw himself to the ground, his instincts reacting before his conscious mind had a chance to process the words that were spoken. Even as he landed on his belly, he could already feel his heart pounding in his chest, his senses operating on overdrive. The only thing that stopped him from gasping for air was the absolute knowledge that he needed to be as quiet as possible, lest he draw attention to himself.
Out of the corners of his eyes, he could see his friends – Cleansweep, Straightlace, Fiddlesticks, and Feathercap – were spread out around him, all of them in a similar position. He could practically see the fear radiating off of them, their eyes wide as they looked at each other in silent confusion, not knowing what was happening. But that wasn’t all they were looking for, he knew. Just like him, they were scanning their surroundings, trying to find the owner of the voice.
It was a futile effort. Around them, the entire world was shrouded in darkness. The ground beneath his hooves was impossible to make out, and turning his gaze upward showed Fruit Crunch neither moon nor stars. And yet, he somehow felt certain that he was seeing the sky clearly, knowing without being sure how that he was outdoors. More than that, the gloom surrounding them wasn’t uniform; instead, shades of blackness intermingled freely, just different enough to suggest that something was there while still being too subtle to reveal anything clearly. Rather than looking like an impenetrable void, it gave the impression of a darkness that was crowded, as if filled with so many things – or perhaps creatures – that the shadows could barely contain them all.
The only things they didn’t cover were Fruit Crunch and his friends. Despite the fact that no light fell upon them, they were clearly visible, the colors of their bodies standing out undimmed in sharp contrast to the murkiness around them. No matter that they all lay as still and as quiet as they could; simply by being there, they stood out clearly.
All five of them were completely exposed.
“Now, I believe you five pledged yourselves to me in hopes of a reward, did you not?”
The voice made Fruit Crunch squeeze his eyes shut, shudders running through him. It wasn’t the words themselves that made him wrestle with a wave of anxiety, but rather the tenor of the voice. The sound of it carried a weight, conveying a force that was palpable, as if someone had just rung a tuning fork and then touched it to his teeth, putting his entire body on edge. It was only distantly that he realized that the voice was female in pitch.
“And yet you all have so little to offer me, even if your victory over that crippled acolyte of the one who claims dominion over your world’s night was well-earned.” A low chuckle came then, and the sound made Fruit Crunch’s goosebumps rise. “Though it was amusing to see that pathetic mare’s disciple be laid low by foals with nothing exceptional about them. Still, my own champion offered me much in exchange for my favor, and despite his slowness in fulfilling his promises, he maintains fidelity and makes progress. Even his adherent, now slain, demonstrated the ability to surpass her limits when she truly needed to. Can any of you say that you’ve truly done the same?”
Fruit Crunch could barely keep up with the words, keeping his eyes on the ground as he struggled to process what was going on. He knew, more from inflection than from what was said, that they’d been asked a question. A real question, not a rhetorical one. But he couldn’t force himself to speak up, his instincts still screaming at him to do everything he could to erase his presence in the hope that whatever super-predator was nearby would overlook him and leave.
“No,” sneered the voice a few seconds later. “I thought not. Children though you may be, I see nothing to suggest that time would find you striving to become more than you are. Instead you offer yourselves blindly, pleading for those who are strong to imbue you with that which you haven’t earned.” Another dark chuckle came then, this time laced with scorn. “But that is as it should be, after all. The strong do as they will, and the weak suffer what they must.”
Fruit Crunch felt like he was going to pass out. He knew whose voice he was hearing now, but couldn’t figure out how this had happened. Severance had said that they’d all need to be together first! But they hadn’t gone back to it together; instead they’d all gone back to camp and gone to sleep, so why-
Wait… Sleep. Dreams. Nightmares. That was it. They were all asleep. This had been what Severance had meant!
“Still,” continued the terrifying voice of the goddess. “I find myself inclined to accept your servitude. It would be petty of me to refuse the new followers that my champion has brought me, even if he did so inadvertently.” There was a pause, and when the voice spoke again, it contained a harsher edge that nearly made Fruit Crunch throw up from fear. “I will give you the power that you seek, but never forget to be grateful to me for this indulgence. You will live by my doctrine, further my dogma, and demonstrate my tenets, or you will know my wrath for your disobedience.”
There was a sense of movement from up ahead, as though something gigantic was striding forth from the shifting shadows. Out of his periphery, Fruit Crunch barely glimpsed his friends covering their eyes, unable to bring themselves to look at the form of their goddess, just before he did the same. A moment later, he felt himself begin to shake uncontrollably, somehow knowing that she was right in front of him…
“In accordance with my divine portfolio, I hereby claim mastery over your totemic incarnations. These aspects of yourselves will be augmented and externally manifested, so that you may exercise them in pursuit of my will. Master them, and find your own strength reflected in mine.”
There was a sound of movement, and Fruit Crunch heard a gasp from somewhere to his left. “Feathercap, yours is the owl, facet of the Third Eye. It brings sight and wisdom, knowing the end of the battle before it begins.”
Another shuffling, and this time the strangled breath he heard was that of a filly. “Cleansweep, yours is the serpent, facet of the Healer. It brings renewal and rebirth, turning its poison on those who would do it harm.”
There was a pause then, and Fruit Crunch found himself wondering who would be next. Intellectually, he knew that they were being given what they wanted, but at the same time he couldn’t help but feel fearful of when the goddess would come to him. Even so, he couldn’t help but bite his lip as he heard another grunt come from his right.
He found out who it was a moment later. “Straightlace, yours is the eagle, facet of the Righteous. The sign of nobility, it maintains steadfastness in the face of opposition, looking down on all others.”
Fruit Crunch held his breath now, unable to take much more anticipation. Yet somehow, he knew he was being saved for last, and was proven right a moment later as he heard a sharply drawn breath. “Fiddlesticks, yours is the badger, facet of the Den Mother. Nurturing and protective, its viciousness has no equal against those who would harm its kin.”
And then it was his turn. Given no further warning, Fruit Crunch couldn’t help but gasp as he felt something being drawn out of him, as though pulled from his chest without harming his body. “Fruit Crunch, yours is the wolf, facet of the Guardian. In defense of its territory it can be vicious alone, but fights best as part of a pack.”
Dizzily, Fruit Crunch opened his eyes, the sensation of…whatever had just happened being so unusual that it momentarily overrode his fear. But if the goddess had been visible before, she wasn’t any longer. Instead, the most he could make out was a single large shadow in front of him, its shape stable against the intermingling shades of black behind it.
“It is done,” intoned the voice. “Learn about the gifts I’ve given you, and use them to honor me. Follow the example that my champion has given you, and through him learn to revere me. Fail me in this, and you shall come to fear me.”
The words sounded as though they were coming from further away now, as though the goddess was leaving them. Fruit Crunch tried to look around at his friends, but all of a sudden he felt so tired, his eyes closing of their own accord. Slowly, he felt himself drifting off, the goddess’s last words reaching his ears just before he lost consciousness.
“My will be done.”