Chapter 3: The First Step of a Long Journey
If there was at least one thing about the Downside that genuinely impressed Twilight, it was how drastically its landscape could change over only a single day of travel. After departing in the automated wagon (which was apparently dubbed the blackwagon), it only took half of day for Twilight and the trio to leave the inhospitable desert. After Twilight woke up from a long rest that she had desperately needed, she looked out the wagon window to see an entirely different environment. Instead of miles of lifeless wasteland, the alicorn was greeted with a vast plain that was completely green, with a few hills peaking over the horizon. The temperature was much more moderate and more pleasant than the desert, making life much more viable here. When the mare asked her new compatriots about this place, they told it was called the Downside Prairie.
“Yeah, it’s pretty, but don’t get too used to it.” Rukey explained to her. “The further north you go in the Downside, the less cozy it gets. This is where most of the exiles go live, if you can really call it living.”
Twilight was having a hard time telling if Rukey was being sarcastic about that last remark, but a the very least she wasn’t dying of dehydration in this new area, so it was fine by her.
Speaking of Rukey and the others, Twilight was beginning to learn a little more about the trio she was travelling with. They had all changed out of their raiments for the Rites and traversed inside the wagon in what appeared to be their normal attire.
Along with the blue headband around his forehead, Hedwyn had on a plain, grey shirt and pants that would make Rarity gag. But thankfully, he also donned a red cloak on top that seem to pull the outfit all together quite nicely. The man seemed to be the cook of the blackwagon, as he was able to turn some normally foul ingredients into a (somewhat) edible breakfast that morning. Hedwyn was definitely the heart of the group, always making sure was motivated to keep on going.
Jodariel was obviously the muscle for the wagon, and she certainly dressed for the part. Instead of traditional clothing, the horned-woman was donned in a sturdy set of armor, complete with a metal chest plate, armored leggings and bracers. The armor was complemented with a red scarf around her neck and a blue cape that was connected by an official-looking broach. It was obvious that she had a career in the military before her exile. The horned woman didn’t talk very much, though didn’t appear that she had any distain for anyone in the wagon.
Then there was Rukey, who actually lived up to his last name as the tip of his tail was in fact green. He wore a purple tunic that hugged the Cur’s front legs and waist, complete with a tattered, purple cape. He had an arrangement of medallions around his neck, with the center metal having a pawprint on it. The most prominent feature was the golden, doggy-bone necklace that dangled across his chest, which he explained was an old family heirloom. Twilight couldn’t exactly pinpoint what Rukey’s role of the wagon was, aside from maybe comic relief. However, there was something about his charisma and approachability that reminded the mare of the merchants back in Equestria. Nevertheless, the Cur provided good company, so she didn’t find it hard to believe that Hedwyn and Jodariel would keep him around.
However, the one thing that Twilight couldn’t wrap her hoof around was the “guest” they had travelling with them. In the corner of the wagon, there was a man draped in a black cloak that appeared to be resting. When Twilight tried to talk or interact with him, the mysterious gave no response and continued resting. When Twilight asked about the man, Hedwyn told her that the trio found him collapsed on the ground during their travels and took him in out of good will. Ever since then, the man didn’t speak to any of them or even moved from the corner he was resting in. Hedwyn said that based on his attire, the man was a minstrel of some sort. The alicorn just nodded and made a mental note to keep an eye on him, jut to be safe.
Overall, Twilight was rather impressed with the trio as a whole. Despite having different personalities and quirks, they seemed rather content with traveling together in this harsh environment. Sure, the alicorn was stuck in this strange, harsh world, but at the very least she was with those who understood the concept of companionship and understanding. It almost felt like that they were all going the same direction on the path towards their freedom. That is, until the blackwagon came to a halt at a fork in the road. Twilight looked over to see that Rukey and Jodariel were arguing about which way they should proceed.
“I’m telling you we ought to take the northern pass! Got an associate holed up in Hollowroot that I got to pay a visit to, anyway!” Rukey demanded.
“Fie on your associate.” Jodariel dismissed him. “Best we head to Bloomingpool and avoid attention.”
“Yeah and get stuck in a bog while we’re at it!” the Cur countered.
Originally, Twilight planned to just stay on the sideline and let them work it out among themselves. Afterall, she was the newcomer here, and she didn’t want to impose. However, it looked like Hedwyn had different ideas. “What if Twilight settles this? She marks the way, we get us there.”
Both Rukey and Jodariel gave a confused look at the man’s proposition. Even Twilight was surprised by this. “Wait, what?” the alicorn questioned. “Why would you want me to tell you which way we should go? It seems like you guys know the landscape a lot better than me. I’d hate for me to accidently…get us lost.” It was that self-doubt again that was bugging Twilight in the back of mind again, even though she did everything she could to ignore it.
“Listen,” Hedwyn began explaining to his compatriots. “If these Rites are meant to test our faith, then we’d best learn to trust our Reader’s instinct along the path.” He then turned back to Twilight. “And you won’t get us lost. We’ll just give you different directions with different opportunities that will still lead us to where we need to go, and you’ll just weigh your options and make a decision.” The man then referred to everyone in the wagon. “No second guessing ourselves along the way. Can we all live with that for now?”
Both of them were silent for a moment, which did not help with the mare’s growing anxiety. Could they really trust and outsider such as herself with something like this? She got her answers in the form of two simple replies.
“…Yeah, sure.” said Rukey.
“If necessary.” replied Jodariel.
“Then it’s settled!” Hedwyn announced with a grin. He looked over the purple mare. “Just point the way, my friend. The stars guide us through you. Do you want to go north and have Rukey meet with his associate in the nearby settlement, or would you prefer taking Jodariel’s way and keep our heads low?”
Twilight took a deep breath and looked out the window at the forked path. While the trio was willing to let her choose their next course, she doubted that they would give her hours to decide. Therefore, she had to make a decision based on the little information she was given. Rukey sounded confident that his associate would be at Hollowroot, and there was a highly likelihood that said associate could assist them on their travels. The only problem was that it would mean Twilight would probably have to reveal herself to other exiles as well. The alicorn would probably gain a lot of attention in this land with her being out of place in this world, and attention in a land full of criminal would probably lead to complications. She knew that they would be facing other exiles in the Rites, so revealing herself would be inevitable. However, she at least wanted to be at low profile as much as possible until then.
“Look, I think it would probably be best if we go to Bloomingpool. I’m still new to this world, and my presence would gather a lot of attention on us. So, I think it’s best if we just avoid others at the time. Sorry Rukey.” Twilight looked to Rukey and Jodariel to gauge their reaction to her choice.
Rukey let out small sigh, though it didn’t sound like he was that disappointed. “Alright, Bloomingpool it then, sister. Don’t worry about it, okay? No hard feelings!”
Jodariel gave a nod and proceeded to get the blackwagon started again. Once everything was running, the wagon then went south towards the woman’s choice of destination. As the wagon travelled forward, the landscape started to lose some its lush greenery and transitioned into a more bog-like state. Amongst the dwindling vegetation, there were multiple steaming pools of a bubbling liquid that almost looked like water. The path that the wagon was on was also starting to become bumpier, causing the vehicle to slow down its pace. Twilight was a bit surprised when the wagon made a sudden stop in the middle of the bog. Did they get stuck just like Rukey predicted?
“Reader,” Jodariel said approaching the alicorn. “come with me outside for a while. There are some things I would like to show you.” The woman then motioned to the wagon exit. The purple mare was a bit confused about what Jodariel wanted to show her, but her curiosity about this new world got the better of her and she agreed to follow the horned woman outside the wagon.
The two headed outward, making sure to avoid any of the bubbling pools. When they arrived at a small patch of vegetation, the woman crouched down and began rummaging through the patch, seemingly looking for something specific. As the alicorn watched the horned woman work, she realized that this may be a good time for her some of the questions she had about the inhabitants of this world.
“Um, Jodariel? Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” The woman didn’t turn around to look at the alicorn but did give a nod for confirmation. “It’s just that…like I said yesterday, I’ve been to other world before. So I do know that Hedwyn is a human, but I don’t-“
“Nomad.” Jodariel interrupted her.
“What?” Twilight question what she had said.
“The men and women who are casted down from the Commonwealth and end up here are known as Nomads. That is what Hedwyn is.”
The mare started to understand, but still had another question. “So…does that make you a Nomad too?”
Jodariel stopped what she was doing and looked over her shoulder at the nervous looking mare. “Once, I was.” she answered. “But after many years living in the Downside, the exiles become transformed by it. Horns begin to protrude from their heads, becoming longer as the years go by. We are known as Demons, and I have been here fore a very long time, Reader.”
Twilight couldn’t help but give a look of pity towards the woman. Exile from home and loved ones seemed bad enough, but it looked like there were more consequences to the sentencing that she imagined. “I’m…I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to bring up a sensitive topic.” the mare apologized.
“Do not be. It bothers me very little nowadays. Now, allow me to ask you a question.” The Demon stood back up and looked down at the mare with her arms folded. “What exactly is your opinion about me, Reader. Are you afraid of me?”
Twilight folded her wings tightly against her at the question. Of course, she was rather intimidating, what with her size and horns, but Twilight still wasn’t exactly sure whether or not she was afraid of the Demon. From looking at her awaiting gaze, the purple mare also couldn’t tell if Jodariel was looking for a specific answer. Therefore, Twilight decided to just tell her the truth about her feelings.
“Well, you definitely are intimidating,” she began. “I would be lying if I said that I was somewhat taken aback by your appearance when we first met. But I wouldn’t say that I’m…afraid of you. You three saved me from dying out in that desert, and I truly appreciate that. And I also thought that we had good synergy when we worked together in that ‘practice’ Rite. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is, you look frightening, but I feel like I don’t have to be frighten of you.”
The Demon just stood there, processing the alicorn’s answer, before giving a response. “Hmm, very well. I suppose that is an adequate answer. This appearance of intimidation is no accident, Reader. I find it that striking fear into others makes living easier here in the Downside. However, seeing how we will be working together in the foreseeable future, I will not take offense at your lack of fear. Now then…” Jodariel pulled out a black flower that she must have picked while searching in the patch. “This is known as blackbloom. It is a rather rare and valuable flower in the Downside, therefore selling it to the right buyer could potentially pay for over half our trip. Let us return back.”
Jodariel stowed the flower in her pouch and made her way back to the blackwagon, with Twilight following close behind her. The alicorn was glad that she accepted the horned woman’s offer to venture out with her. Not just because they found something of great value, but also because the mare now had a better understanding of her new ally. Something that would definitely be useful during this adventure. When the two made it back to the wagon, the group started back up towards the location of the next Rite.
As the wagon was getting closer to its next destination, the members of the group were occupied with their own tasks. Hedwyn was polishing the pans that he used for his cooking, Jodariel was adjusting the braid she had on the side of her hair, Rukey was performing some self-grooming for his mustache, and the mysterious minstrel was still resting in the corner. All of which left Twilight alone on the other side of the room with no one to converse with. The alicorn was about wonder what she could do to pass the time, before she remembered that there was a book in her general vicinity that she had not read cover to cover yet. She trotted over to the collection of old books and picked up the one that she read earlier with her magic. Although the Book of Rites was thick with many pages, the mare couldn’t gain access to all its content. It was almost if the pages were magically sealed for the time being. The only two sections that she could access at the moment was the Foreword that she had read previously and the first part of Chapter One. Frustrating as it was, the purple decided to just read the parts of the book that was available to her now.
Twilight then opened the book to the cover page of the first chapter.
Chapter One: The Emperor’s Fall
In the Words of Gol Golathanian, the Master-General
On every second page of the chapter was an illustration of a man wearing a garment of brown and gold while also donning a silver, vertical helmet that was identical in shape with Hedwyn’s mask. Twilight could only assume that the man was the author of the chapter, Gol Golathanian. The alicorn then went over the introduction to the chapter.
You know perhaps the thrice-cursed name of Soliam Murr, the Emperor of Sahr, the first exile, and my Liege.
This chapter concerns him and those who found him in the Downside. Each of us was sent to take his life, such was the hatred for him in and around his country.
Yet, we found in Soliam Murr a man transformed, in body, mind, and spirit. A man deserving of much more than mercy.
In time he named us all his Scribes, and he became the eighth. It is my greatest honor now to share with you his deeds.
To know his story is to know the Rites…
Twilight read that Golathanian was the chief general to the emperor’s grand army, and an efficient one at that. The Master-General had led his army to conquer many nations and countries beyond the Sahr Empire in the name of Emperor Murr. Although Murr himself hardly cared for this, as he was only concerned with the personal matters before him. He was a greedy and selfish ruler and had no concern over the people that were suffering over his rule. Golathanian noted that Murr’s Empire was on the verge of crumbling under him, but there was one final push that made it happen.
Murr’s eldest and most trusted aide, known as Khaylmer Rope-Caller, told the emperor of a treasure that was worthy of his status. The artifact was known as the Celestial Orb, which was hiding somewhere deep in the Downside. Twilight recognized the Celestial Orb as the same orb that was used during the practice Rite. Murr soon became obsessed with acquiring the Orb for himself and began a personal crusade to retrieve it. the emperor was so captivated by acquiring this treasure, he was completely blind to the Rope-Caller’s machinations.
When the emperor left his throne for the Downside to acquire the Orb, Golathanian could only watch on as his beloved country fell apart at the seams. With the emperor’s disappearance, came chaos and destruction that left the country in an even worst state than during Murr’s reign. It wasn’t until Khaylmer “coincidently” stepped in and filled the empty throne, appearing as a savior to the people. The Rope-Caller’s first order was to assemble a search for the former emperor, made up of warriors, fortune-seekers and scholars, to ensure that he would never return to power again.
Twilight desperately wanted to read the rest of the chapter, but it was unfortunately sealed away from her. It looked like she would have to be patient if she wanted to read the rest. From what she did read, it sounded like the country was under a less-than-desirable leader before it was established as the Commonwealth. It honestly wasn’t anything new for Twilight; she had seen evil and selfish rulers before in the forms of King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis. The strange thing was the way Golathanian wrote about the former emperor. Rather than sounding spiteful and angry towards the one who lead his country to ruin, Murr was portrayed in a sympathetic and sorrowful tone. Did Golathanian still feel some sense of respect for his liege, even with all of his transgressions? She also found it rather curious on how the book said to know the story of the emperor was to know the Rite. How did the story of a greed emperor correlate to something that gave freedom to the exiled?
What exactly happened to Soliam Murr during his journey in the Downside?
Twilight was so caught up in thought, she didn’t hear the footsteps that approached her.
“Getting lost in your studies?”
Twilight looked backed up in surprise and turned her head to see that it was Hedwyn who asked her the question. She also noticed that the Nomad was also wearing his blue and orange raiments and had his mask in his hands. “Sorry,” Twilight said. “sometimes I get caught up in reading that I don’t really notice the passage of time. Why are you wearing the raiments again?”
Hedwyn gave a small chuckle. “We arrived at our destination about five minutes ago. Everyone else is outside waiting for you. If we read the stars right, then the next Rite should be starting very soon. I’ll see you outside.” He then walked out of the wagon to join the others.
Twilight closed the Book of Rites and looked over the symbol on the front. The would be the first official Rite she would be participating in. She wouldn’t be facing shadows this time. Other exiles would arrive tonight to try and gain their freedom as well. The thought did intimidate the mare a little, but this quickly dissipated as she put on a determined look. The others were counting on her and she wasn’t going to let them down. With the Book in her possession, Twilight exited the blackwagon, ready to take the first step towards freedom.