//------------------------------// // Book Two: Chapter Ten // Story: Unity: A Tale of Arcadia // by Kieva Lynn //------------------------------// Book Two: Wizard Quests Chapter Ten XXXXX Rarity stepped back from the edge of the dais as the slime monster continued to pour into the throne room. "At the rate it's rising, I'd say we have maybe five minutes before it starts flowing up here too." She said. "But what can we do without magic?" Tess asked. Everyone looked around, seeking anything that might be usable for getting them out of the trap. "Ah got an idea!" Applejack said. She pointed to a spot high on the wall where an outcropping of rock jutted from the wall right next to a door. "But Darling, the goo is between us and there!" Rarity protested. "Not a problem." Applejack replied. She pulled a length of rope from her saddlebags, tied a knot, and used it to lasso the outcropping. "Now we just need 't tie off this end and we can climb across the rope and out." The goo's response to Applejack's words was immediate: Long sharp spikes thrust up out of the fluid, blocking the rope's path. "It appears our nemesis has some intelligence." Gandalf said. They began trying to sweep the obsidian fragments away from the center of the dais, hoping to create an area sufficiently clear of them for magic use. This did have some effect: Fluttershy could take wing again, and Luna and Rarity could make their horns glow. But it seemed to be too little. Gandalf could barely even illuminate the tip of his staff, and none of them could actually cast any spells. The magic jamming effect was still too much for that. And then... Pinkie Pie, who had been huddled at the back with Fluttershy, suddenly jumped forward. "Cool spikes!" She called out to the goo, "But I bet you can't do spikes on the spikes!" The spikes shuddered and smaller spikes formed out of them. "Huh. Okay. But how about... Tentacles!" Tentacles formed in between the spikes. "Arms and hands?" Grasping arms formed from the goo. Pinkie stomped a hoof. "Ooh! I'll stump you yet gelatinous mass! How about-" She was interrupted as Rarity pulled her back from the edge of the dais. "Pinkie! You're making things worse!" Rarity hissed. Pinkie'e eyes narrowed. "Trust me Rares. I know what I'm doing..." She whispered. Turning back to the goo, she said "Okay! I know what'll stump you! Betcha can't form an eye!" The goo seemed to be straining itself, and then a field of dozens of eyes formed, all staring right at Pinkie. The pink mare was sure she felt smugness in those stares. "Eh, not bad." She said dismissively, but I said an eye. As in one. One really big, gigantic, ginormous eye!" The eyes melted together, forming into a single eye that stared at everyone present. "Okay. I guess you can. You win this round! But as for the next round... Fluttershy? Now." Faster than anyone would have thought, Fluttershy was hovering just in front of the giant eye, staring directing into it's pupil. "You big meanie!! How dare you trap and terrify us like this!? Just who do you think you are anyway!?" The goo began to cringe back. "What do you think your mother would say about this behavior!? Huh!? What!?" The spikes and tentacles vanished into the goo. "Now then mister! You are going to let us out of here, and you are going to do it right now!" Fluttershy continued to stare as the goo flowed back down the stairs. "Okay what just happened?" Tess finally asked. "Just a little thing Flutters can do." Applejack said. "Come on, we'd best get outta here before anything else can happen." "I heartily agree." Gandalf nodded. "We've seen all there is to see here anyway. Though... If you'll aid me Tessindra, I'd like to gather some of this obsidian . Magic prevention might come in handy, so long as we take little enough to not impede out own abilities..." XXXXX An hour later and they were outside in the bright sunlight once more. Though not as bright as it had been; the hour was late, the sun descending to the west. The valley continued on to the north, and on the very northern horizon the peaks of snow covered mountains were beginning to come into sight. "The day is nearly gone." Luna said. "Perhaps we should make our camp here for the night." "Eeyup." Applejack agreed. "If we get an early start, we can be on the edge of the Windigo Lands by sunset tomorrow." Everyone was in agreement, even Fluttershy who wasn't afraid of the goo monster anymore, having made friends with it on the way out of the hive. So tents were erected, a fire started, and dinner prepared. "I must attend to my duties as Diarch of the Night." Luna said after they had eaten. "But fear not, I will still have time to sleep after." "So how big are these 'Windigo Lands' anyway?" Applejack asked. "In and of themselves, they are not very large at all." Luna answered, "Even along their longest axis, smaller than the distance between Canterlot and where Ponyville used to be. This said however, we will certainly begin to encounter Windigos well before entering their territory proper." Luna closed her eyes. "Now, I have much to do. I am certain Gandalf can answer any other questions you have though." "In that case I have one for you Mister Gandalf." Rarity said, "I know about Windigos of course, from our own history... But how are we to deal with them?" "They are spirits of cold, of darkness, of unadulterated evil. Fire harms them, and light, hence the thick storm clouds which shield their lands from the sun. As you know, they spread cold, extreme cold, wherever they go. The outriders we encounter before reaching the border will be few in number and not able to generate a dangerous level of chill. Within the Windigo lands themselves though, we will need to be most cautious to avoid encounters. Large numbers of Windigos can drive temperatures so low magic itself begins to freeze out and fail." "It sounds dreadful." Rarity shook her head. Applejack agreed. "Eeyup. I'm hopin' Starswirl didn't go too far in." "It is doubtful he would." Gandalf said. "Though, I am most curious to learn how my old friend has protected himself all these years..." XXXXX Deep in the Windigo lands, the malevolent spirit beings were doing what they always did, wailing and screaming and flying about in a frenzied dervish dance of terror. There really was very little else for them to do, what with the magic of the Hearthswarming enchantment and the power of the Equestrian Princesses holding them at bay. Even the wizard who had long ago intruded and set up shop within their bounds was no distraction. His protector saw to that. And so they did the same thing day after day, building the protective storm clouds and screaming in frustration. But this day, something would be different. They all felt it at the same moment. A tear in the aether, an opening gateway. Something stepped through. A creature unlike any the Windigos had ever seen. They surged to attack and destroy this interloper, the novelty of something to do drawing them all in close. They were stopped cold, if the pun can be forgiven, with a wave of the new arrival's hand. "So these are Windigos." Usurna said. "Interesting. Which of you is the king?" "You stand before me." A particularly hideous specimen answered. "Who and what are you?" "I am Usurna, once a queen and now a servant, willing or not. My master bids me come to you with an offer." "Speak." The Windigo king said. "You know of the wizard who dwells within your domain of course." Usurna said, "Another wizard comes to join forces with him, and brings ponies as well. My master is most insistent that this meeting not occur. If you stop those who draw near, you will be rewarded." "Why should we listen? And what manner of reward?" "As for the reward, you have witnessed my arrival. I came from another world. The master will give you passage to another world too, if you please him. A world devoid of the enchantment which imprisons you here. A world inhabited by beings of strife and anger such as you have never imagined, yours to feast upon." Usurna was silent for a moment before adding "And as for why you should go along regardless..." A sudden burst of heat, almost nuclear in it's fury but contained to a narrow beam, blasted out of the gateway and erased the Windigo king from existence. "Whichever of you is his heir, think carefully before you answer." "We will do as you say." The new king hastily agreed, "But do not betray your end of the bargain." "Oh, I can assure you that is the last thing you need to worry about." Usurna said, and tone in which she spoke chilled even the Windigos... XXXXX Most of the following day went smoothly. They traveled further and further north, the air growing cooler as they went. By lunch the border of the Windigo lands was clearly visible in the distance, denoted by both the shining layer of ice across the ground and the swirling clouds of a permanent sun-blocking storm above. Continuing on, (After bundling in winter clothes against the now near-freezing cold), they were surprised by the lack of attacks, until Applejack realized, from what Gandalf had said, that they were probably in the clear until nightfall since light was harmful to the creatures. Just as the last rays of the sun were vanishing to the west, they made camp, less than a mile from the edge of the snowcap. A fire was lit, and given fire's know effectiveness against Windigos was fanned into a roaring bonfire. "But is that such a good idea?" Rarity had asked, "It'll be like a beacon for them!" "Risk we gotta take Rares." Applejack said. "Sides which, I kinda figure they already know we're here." "Almost certainly. Prepare yourselves for a sleepless night." Gandalf agreed. And they did prepare. Pinkie produced coffee from somewhere (Still hot), and additional stacks of firewood were placed all around the outer rim of their camp, ready to be lit to provide a barrier if needed. No one unpacked, and no tents were set up, so they could flee in a hurry if such became necessary. The attack came just past midnight. With wails like banshees the Windigos came, more than anyone had expected. They swirled about the camp, held back by the fire, but slowly driving the air temperatures lower and lower, so cold that there was a deathly chill even right next to the bonfire and the smaller perimeter fires could not be ignited. Rarity and Luna blasted at the spirits with magic, but results were mixed: The only truly effective tactic was grabbing them in magical auras and dragging them into the flames. It worked, yes, but at the cost of diminishing the fire, and in any case took so long that for every Windigo destroyed two or three more had joined the attack. Gandalf was getting similar results. He could hurt the Windigos directly, but not quickly enough to counter their increasing numbers. Giving up on focused assault, the wizard held his staff high and a brilliant light shone from the tip, driving the Windigos back, but only a few feet. Tess' crossbow was of course useless on spirit beings, and Applejack's initial plan to buck one in the head was cut short when she saw how everything they touched froze solid and blanched at the thought of such happening to her hooves. Fluttershy was, of course, hiding behind Applejack. And Pinkie Pie was rummaging for something in her mane. "Ah-Ha!" Pinkie declared, and produced a super-soaker, which she pumped and started spraying the Windigos. "Ah don't think they need more water 't freeze Pinkie!" Applejack yelled. "Silly filly! It's not loaded with water!" Pinkie said, and then she pulled a book of matches from her mane, struck one, and tossed it at the creatures she had sprayed. The resulting fireball was impressive, and for a few moments the Windigos were all driven away by the heat, which also singed more than a little hair on the living. "I want to be angry, but under the circumstances..." Gandalf shook his head. The banshee wail rose again. "There are more of them coming!" Fluttershy cried out, "What do we do!?" "Run." Gandalf said, grabbing up a large stick in his spare hand, and setting the tip on fire before leading the way towards the border. "Um, we're running toward the danger?" Fluttershy asked fearfully. "We are running, I hope, towards Starswirl's home." Gandalf replied. They didn't make it far before the Windigos caught up, and in even larger numbers than before. Again, they began to swirl all around the group, cutting off any possible escape routes and driving the temperature lower and lower, dangerously so. The torch Gandalf carried went out, and everyone huddled together for warmth. "This might be it y'all!" Applejack said. "If so it has been an honor!" Luna declared. And then, when all seemed lost, there was a sudden glow. It was just light, there was no actual heat to it, but the light itself had a warm quality. It grew brighter, and seemed to come from everywhere at once. The Windigos fled, and Gandalf was able to magically reignite his torch, while the ponies looked around to see where the light was originating. Their eyes fell on Tess, who was holding both hands high, a slightly brighter glow coming from both palms, and she was repeating over and over, barely loud enough to hear, "Aiya Earendil elenion ancalima... Aiya Earendil elenion ancalime..." She repeated the words several more times before falling silent. "Tess, what...?" Fluttershy whispered. "The Light of Earendil." Gandalf muttered. Tess nodded. "One of the few magics my people still have. We need to hurry. I can only maintain this for a short time." "Then let's get in there and find Starswirl already!" Applejack cheered, and they rushed as quickly as they could into the frozen wastes...