//------------------------------// // Part 6 - Frozen Heart // Story: The Tomb of the Nameless Evil // by Klamnei //------------------------------// Part 6 - Frozen Heart The samples Doctor Chalcedony gathered moments before the EGE Tragedy have confirmed what we’ve long suspected. There is indeed a cardinal element in Mount Everhoof’s corruption: Water. This is what serves to corrupt the three negative empathic energies (hatred, fear, and strife), as the resulting unstable reaction feeds on both heat AND the natural water in the air until it can no longer sustain itself. The fusion of negative empathies decays rapidly all the while to create the phenomenon we know. Mount Everhoof Thaumic Breakdown Elemental Attribute: Water Negative Empathy: Strife - 33.33% Negative Empathy: Hatred - 33.33% Negative Empathy: Fear - 33.34% It was initially thought the greatest danger was the phenomenon’s effects on living minds. However, if the source of the elemental attribute becomes strong enough, the resulting consumption of heat could have a drastic effect on the local climate. Confirming the elemental attribute has given us the step we need to begin developing a counteragent. We’ve already started developing prototypes bonded to the elemental attribute of fire, although what positive empathies to combine (and at what ratios) we’ve yet to learn. Our next challenge will be to discover the source of the mountain’s evil, and from there, we can begin creating a counteragent. It’s been decided this counteragent will be called ‘EGE’ in honor of our fallen colleagues. Doctor Flickerflame, Geomancy Monthly, Issue 28: ‘Year in Review’ It was impressive how much Neighsay covered during their descent. He told them about Queen Chrysalis’ orders, the changeling’s origin, their connection to Hydia, and his ordeals with Proxy. Twilight and the others had just been listening so far, but it was hard to focus while descending into oblivion. “It was obvious Proxy was a mouthpiece for multiple entities,” Neighsay said through a Message spell. “Primarily because their behavior was like a less-unified version of the lovesucker’s hive mind. They were about as pleasant, to boot.” The abyss grew wider the deeper it went. There was no frame of reference within the stifling depths; nothing for the senses to latch onto. Panic clawed at the girls’ throats and scrabbled in their chests the longer their perceptions were deprived. Neighsay seemed more in his element than anything else, keeping up at a distance and chatting without a care. “On that note, did any of you notice the residue was thickest on the floors below Sombra’s lair?” Neighsay chuckled, mostly to himself. “That means the majority of dark crystals—or at least the most powerful ones—were down here. I knew Sombra’s ‘defilement’ was worse than Proxy let on, but now I’m genuinely curious.” None of the girls replied. The only visible light was the glow of Twilight’s reinforced forcefield, the feeble glimmer nothing against this living, ravening nightmare. Their instincts were screaming to turn back with rising fervor. “I think that’s quite enough out of me.” One of Neighsay’s huge gold eyes swivelled to them. “I think it’s your turn to explain some things. What’s this ‘prophecy’ I heard you all mention? And who is ‘Princess Amore’?” Still no response. The girls were grim-faced and shaking, their thoughts filled with myths and legends. More horrifying still was that the actual historical events were far worse than the tales they’d learned as foals— “HAVE YOU TWITS EVEN BEEN LISTENING?!” Twilight almost screamed. Many of the others did scream. The only unperturbed one was Maud, calm and unflinching as ever. “Pathetic.” Neighsay’s icy contours outlined his mutated form. Just a single snap of those oversized jaws could’ve devoured them all whole. “Look at all of you; so tiny and weak in the dark. I should’ve dispatched you when I had the chance.” Twilight wasn’t sure why, but something about that ignited a cold fury within her. “We never GAVE you a chance. We sensed you spying on us on the stairway, as well as each time you backed off! You were hoping we’d separate so you could pick us off one by one, weren’t you? How dumb do you think we are?” Rainbow whistled. “Go, Twi.” The funny thing was that Neighsay didn’t deny it. He just smacked and licked his lips, his forked tongue snaking out to taste the air. “Dumb enough to be distracted from blind panic, at least. Now, tell me about this prophecy. Who predicted it?” Twilight’s face soured. She wasn’t sure what unnerved her more—that he was right, or what he’d just asked. “...The Crystal Heart. It was able to see the future before Sombra took over. It only recently started doing so again.” Neighsay raised an eye ridge. “You don’t say? And I heard you say it predicted something about me?” Twilight rubbed her forelegs. “It’s already come true. We didn’t realize it was referring to you until after the fact. That’s the trouble with prophecies—they’re either too cryptic to understand, or your understanding gets accounted for. You can’t really prevent them either way.” They continued on for a few seconds in silence, both parties ruminating on the implications. “And Princess Amore?” Neighsay said. Not two questions in, and Twilight was already starting to feel dirty. “Princess Amore was the leader of the Crystal Empire up until Sombra’s coup. He foalnapped her from the city before returning with his army. Nopony’s ever been able to find out where he took her, but there’s a chance he imprisoned her here.” Applejack spoke up at this. “Say, I don’t suppose your Proxy fella mentioned any dungeons? Y’know, before ya ate ‘em?” Neighsay smiled wide, revealing far, far too many teeth. “Not that I recall. Although from the way you were talking earlier, it sounds like she might’ve escaped. ‘This is what Princess Amore found’? ‘Launching a crazy gambit’? If she never got away, the only other way you could know she was here is if—” He stopped dead. The girls exchanged pensive looks. They realized Neighsay was slowing his descent, little by little until he was hovering. The girls rose back up to meet him, his shocked face sending chills up their spines. “Anomaly A.” Neighsay looked right through them. “But then how...” Rainbow frowned. “Anomaly-who?” Neighsay ignored her. He just kept murmuring—which should’ve been audible with the strength of his voice—but his words weren’t penetrating Twilight’s sound enchantments all of a sudden. “What the…” Twilight checked the Message spell. She was met by a startling mental pressure she hadn’t noticed before... largely in part due to the adrenaline. “Good gracious!” Rarity had just felt the strain, as well. She released her frost ward and rubbed her head. “Honestly, these ghastly leylines are too much! I’m going to have such a headache at this rate.” Yet that was just the start of their problems. The others soon found their own racial magics even more difficult to access than they’d already been. Even the enchantments within their armor were failing! “The leyline interference is worsening,” said Maud. “Any kind of affected magic is going to be useless soon.” Pinkie inched closer to Maud. “B-But, that includes my Pinkie Sense! We’ll be flying blind again!” “As if we aren’t already?” Applejack gestured to the surrounding void. “We can live without the Pinkie Sense, but we NEED cold protection! We gotta figure somethin’ out!” Twilight rubbed her temples. If warding off the cold through magic was going to wear her out, then there was really only one thing she could think of. They knew soul-based abilities were unaffected—hence why the Elements and Neighsay’s powers worked—so if she really was willing to take the risk and hope for no side-effects... … “Girls,” Twilight said. “Take off everything you’re wearing.” Six heads swivelled towards her. “You heard me!” She yoinked off Rainbow’s helmet. “Armor! Clothes! All off!” It was about then Neighsay became aware of the same ‘moving lips’ issue the girls had noticed. Puzzled, he tried casting a Message spell of his own... “Oh-ho.” A grin spread on his face. He watched as the girls went about something strange—stashing things in their pocket dimension, by the looks of it—before easing farther back into the dark. He just had to get far enough away to outrange their darkvision— FWOOM! Light. Blinding, searing-hot light. The ignition of Twilight’s flames were like a newborn star in the cold dark. Neighsay hissed and recoiled with a speed that belied his size, agony blazing across his scales like he’d been splashed with hot grease. FWOOM-FWOOM-FWOOM-FWOOM-FWOOM-FWOOM! And it only got worse. More merciless punishment sent Neighsay fleeing into the void’s embrace, roaring in pain like the great wyrm he resembled. It was only when the pain eased that he dared look back… ...and saw where there had once been seven mares, there were now seven avatars of holy fire. “Damned fire freaks...” Neighsay swiped at the air. Even Maud had a fiery outline rather than full-on flames, said outline giving her mane, tail, and eyes a prismatic tint. Neighsay swore he could sense some kind of bond flowing from Twilight to the other Element Bearers… but there was also a different one between Pinkie and Maud. “Awww, YEAH!” Rainbow flapped her wings in a blazing curtain. “Now we’re talking—” “HAT!” Applejack flung her Stetson into the air. Twilight caught the smoking garment and stored it away with a sigh. Pinkie patted Applejack’s back. “Don’t be such a hothead, Applejack!” “Hardy-har…” Twilight examined her friends. With the exception of Maud, they looked like her long-lost sisters. Distinguishing them at a distance would be a chore, but cutie marks and leg sigils let her tell them apart for now. “Is everypony alright?” Twilight powered down her protective spells. “Tell me if I should adjust anything—” “You’re lucky I heal quickly, gnats!” Neighsay spat from afar. Several of his scales had been seared, a foul ichor seeping out from beneath. The group’s wild waves of magic were calling to him like a moth to the literal flame, but he did nothing but growl as he regenerated. Rainbow’s scratchy laughter filled the air. “Didn’t know we were holding back, did ya? Let’s see you take a bite out of Twi’s magic now!” Neighsay wasn’t about to admit it, but it was true. Twilight’s true power was overwhelming; a forbidden fruit if there ever was one. “I should’ve figured you’ve experimented with such things.” He circled around them like a colossal shark, his eyes and mouth oozing in equal measure. “You might want to take care, Twilight Sparkle—your cleverness has saved you from monsters in the past, but it’s created them, as well.” The statement cut deeper than Twilight had expected. “I-I… That’s not what I—” “Your condition is your own doing, Neighsay,” Maud said from Pinkie’s back. “If you hadn’t run in here with one of MY earrings, you wouldn’t have been poisoned in the first place.” Neighsay rolled his eyes. “You’re missing the point, girl. You may not be able to feel it, but I can taste those flames in your soul. If she can inject energies into your essence, what’s to say she can’t—” “How DARE you!” Fluttershy’s shout cut through the dark. “You’ve no right to insinuate Twilight would do such a thing! It’s taken everything we have just to get through this place, and chasing YOU hasn’t made it any easier! Even now we’re having to compromise and adapt because we can’t leave you alone!” Neighsay raised his chin. “It’s not my fault you have trust issues.” “EXCUSE me?!” Now Rarity was yelling, too. “You’re the one who was working for the changelings! And on that note, where’s your precious magic scrambler? Did you wind up eating that, too?!” Neighsay said nothing. He just kept watching and circling, shadowfrost oozing from his mouth like drool. “I noticed he ain’t tried portalling, neither.” Whip-like flames coiled around Applejack. “Mighty strange he’d try to sneak past us the hard way when he’s got that… plus not offer to port us down this oversized hole…” Neighsay’s frown deepened. This conversation was getting as heated as their garish souls. The group was so bright he could barely stand to look at them directly—both physically and metaphysically. All he could tell was that their coats had turned white, their manes burned with magical flame, and their sparkling eyes glowed with every color under the sun. “To hay with this.” Flames danced in Rainbow’s eyes. “He can’t run, he can’t hide, and we all know he’s gonna double-cross us so he can stuff his big fat face. Let’s just deal with him right now and—” “IDIOTS!” Neighsay’s booming voice hurt their ears. “And I thought that stupid light was making ME blind! You really haven’t noticed, have you? First you were all shivering foals in the dark, now you’re all itching for a fight... the corruption’s been getting stronger since we left the Sanctum! Bolster your wills before I take matters into my own—” “ENOUGH!” Twilight shouted in an echoing voice. … Twilight glowered. Her own emotions were roiling, volatile and ready to flare. She swore to everything holy she was about ready to side with Rainbow and nuke Neighsay into oblivion… but that just hammered the point home even more. “Neighsay’s right, girls.” She turned to them all. “We’ve been getting more anxious and irritable ever since we started climbing the mountain.We need to be more conscious of how we’re treating each other, alright? No bickering, no antagonizing, no dissent between any of us. We’re all on the same side in this fight, and any arguing or hostility is just going to strengthen the… th-the...” She almost didn’t get it out, but she steeled herself and forced the words through her teeth. “The windigos.” And there it was. The very word made all present flinch, the darkness around them seeming to press in that much more. It wasn’t a revelation to any of them, but no matter how many times they’d all thought it in their minds, hearing it said aloud somehow made it more real. “Wait.” Rarity recalled something from the earlier explanations. “Neighsay, you said your guide was a host for multiple entities...” Neighsay’s eyes fell. He held up one of his legs, watching the dark mist flow off his icy spines. “I didn’t realize it myself until you all translated the testament. It explains a lot—but more importantly, I’m hoping it gives me some advantage against them.” Fluttershy gulped. “The mountain’s corruption… this cold… it’s all from them, isn’t it?” Twilight steadied herself as best she could. “I know this isn’t what we were expecting. We’ve persevered with what we’ve been given and learned a lot throughout, but as you all said earlier, the time for speculation has passed. Now is the time for action, but as we continue on from here, we have to keep one thing in one mind.” She regarded them all in turn. “We have to work together. Our goals, our ideals, our past actions… none of it matters right now. Either we unite against this threat and give it everything we have, or the future itself will be destroyed. No second chances, no opportunities to play the long game. Everything we know and love will be gone, taken by a horrible, evil ghost.” Pinkie tilted her head. “Just one? I thought there was—” “She’s talking about the witch,” Maud told her. “Ohhhhhhhhhh.” Neighsay harrumphed. He didn’t argue anything, nor did he look particularly spiteful about it. They could still sense the bottomless hunger within him, but his eyes were lucid and calm. “I’d say the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but I don’t think we should kid ourselves. How about ‘ally’ instead?” Rainbow stared at Neighsay with her hooves on her hips. “For how long, though?” Neighsay smirked before resuming his dive. “Long enough.” And so they travelled on with tensions mounting. Any conversations were kept brusque and short from that point, the group’s formal tone and steely expressions betraying little to no emotion. It was clear both sides yearned for a chance to lash out, watching for a reason to make the first move... but the tentative truce held. A few minutes later, the faintest bit of nonblack faded into view. They could see the distant walls of the pit now, though they were strangely free of mana residue. Warped patterns and shapes could be spotted amidst the rock that resembled a host of glaring giants. Fluttershy balked. “Oh, dear…” Rarity curled her lip. “At least the decor is consistent.” But it was more than that. This ‘decor’ marked the entrance to a cave more massive than any of them thought possible. It was big enough to house the entire Everfree Forest by their reckoning, possibly Ponyville, as well! Its depth was similarly mind-boggling; the bottom was another good mile and a half down by their reckoning. “It feels like we’re back outside!” Rainbow shuddered as the temperature plummeted. “Whoa… are those the leylines down there?!” Yet even with the cavern being so tremendously vast, it was only thanks to being so high they were able to distinguish the long, wide outlines of three ‘rivers’ beneath a titanic sheet of violet ice. Each leyline was almost half a mile wide, with hazy violet energies seeping up to both obscure and illuminate the cavern. “What IS that stuff?” Fluttershy said. “Shadowfrost.” Neighsay licked his lips. “So pure it’s congealed into a solid. A treasure trove accumulated over millennia.” Twilight remembered Hydia’s last testament again. “‘Draw on another source of power...’ ‘feeding deep below for ages...’ the windigos have been feeding on the leylines themselves! The shadowfrost must be a byproduct of the process!” The group remained high up while inspecting the frozen trudge. Even from their altitude, the group could see wavy formations in the shadowfrost like a storm trapped in time. A powerful wind raging through the space was the likely culprit, but this wind—unlike in Sector Three—was negated by the Elements. “This might have a silver lining.” Maud did some quick mental math. “The mountain’s corruption problem might be solvable, after all. We just have to remove the windigos and dispose of all this waste.” “Easier said than done, cousin.” Applejack squinted through the haze. “We gotta find the nasties, for one.” Neighsay reached out with his empathy. “I’m not sensing any emotions save ours. Granted, windigos might be shielded from such things…” It was hard to know what to expect. There was no indication of movement, no response to the group’s presence. Travelling in the silence was like travelling through the underworld, the only notable things being the knifing wind and the leyline’s glow beneath the tainted ice. Trying to trace where the wind was coming from was a wash, as it was so chaotic that even Rainbow was at a loss. However, that was when Rarity thought of another thing from Neighsay’s explanations. “Neighsay, didn’t you say the windigos’ true motive was having you remove Sombra’s crystals down here?” Neighsay grunted. “Good to know one of you was paying attention. I assume whatever he did was interfering with something or another.” He chuckled at this. “It’s ironic, though—I have to laugh that one of the most wicked ponies in history might’ve actually saved the—” And then it clicked. “Well, well, so THAT’S what you meant back in the Sanctum.” Neighsay motioned to Applejack. “The mother of Hail Mary’s, indeed.” These awkward pauses were becoming a disturbing trend. “Hydia versus Amore.” Neighsay swept a hoof across the cavern. “Witch versus seer. Diviner against diviner in a grand game played for the fate of the world. We’re all nothing more than their chess pieces, aren’t we?” Twilight wished she could deny it, but a truth harshly worded remained true. “If we are, we’re almost at checkmate.” Neighsay cursed under his breath. “Endless circles within circles…” He sighed and ran a hoof though his misty mane. “I have all the same knowledge as my counterpart, so you needn’t explain the basics of temporal causality. I can’t say I enjoy the implications, but there’s one little thing I’m curious about.” Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. “Which is?” Neighsay’s golden eyes bored into her. “Could Amore still be alive?” … … … “Ah, you’re unsure.” Neighsay grinned wide. “Now that’s a curiosity if I’ve ever heard. Honestly, you princesses and your immortality...” Twilight was really starting to dislike parlaying with empaths. “We don’t know her location or condition. There’s been no sign of her anywhere.” If this bothered Neighsay, he didn’t show it. “A good puppetmaster only reveals themselves when they want to be revealed. A meeting very well might be imminent given how much we know… given she hasn’t sacrificed herself, of course. You heroes have a pesky habit of such things...” He then turned back to Rarity before Twilight could reply. “I believe you were getting at something?” It may have been good or bad that Rarity recovered so quickly. “E-Erm, yes... I was thinking, shouldn’t the ceiling be covered in residue? The Inner Sanctum’s lower floors were disgusting, as you rightly pointed out.” A lightbulb went off in Neighsay’s head. “An eye for detail, indeed. The mana was all drawn to Sombra’s apparatus in straight lines, so the crystal down here must’ve been somewhere. Finding the residue deposits might reveal Sombra’s machinations.” The others couldn’t say they were enthusiastic, but it wasn’t like they had any better ideas. Even Twilight had to admit it made sense. “No objections?” Neighsay got a dark grin. “Then let the hunt begin.” Searching for residue was monotonous. There was little to see save for the bleak frozen lake, though the unique ice formations, the stark stone above, and the glow of the planet’s energies were at least easy on the eyes. Other than that, the themes of subtlety and concealment remained as they had from the sectors above. Searching to the east wall turned up nothing. The north wall was a wash as well, and following it to the western wall only left them frustrated. They’d been searching for a half hour at that point, yet all they’d gained was a sense of the vast cavern’s dimensions. They decided to check the center rather than keep following the wall; now flying on in grim silence while the arctic winds strengthened. “Hey.” Rainbow spotted something strange to their right. “See that?” A long, bulky pipe had just emerged out of the haze. Grey and wide as a tree trunk, it was suspended some fifty feet in the air via unknown means. It ran through the air at an angle towards the center. “There’s another to our left,” said Neighsay. Sure enough, an identical pipe was also running towards the center. “I’m also seeing a smaller, secondary pipe strapped underneath each of the main ones. They look tacked on.” Applejack glanced back and forth. “Should we double back?” Twilight pursed her lips. “Not yet. Let’s see where they lead.” The wind continued to worsen. The group kept their eyes peeled for anything up ahead, but ironically, the first thing they saw—and the very thing they’d been looking for—caught them off guard. Rarity saw it first; all but shrieking at the castle-sized deposit of grimy residue staining the ceiling high above. “Holy horseradishes!” Pinkie made a face. “That’s gotta be the biggest pimple I’ve ever seen!” “Never mind that.” Neighsay pointed. “Look!” Beneath the residue, a gargantuan metal contraption lay half-submerged in the ice. It looked like the world’s largest and most grotesque tree, sporting countless mechanical limbs and two immense metal wings. Each ‘branch’ sported several openings shaped like twisted pony heads, which on closer inspection, were actually air vents. The wings were actually great air vents, as well, belching out untold amounts of utterly frigid wind. “By Celestia,” Twilight breathed. The group could only stare. The powerful gales flowing from the ‘tree’ were freezing the cavern and everything above. The pipes they’d followed fed straight into the machine’s heart with even more converging from all directions. They almost looked like chains from this angle... “Well played, Proxy.” Neighsay studied the hollow in the ice. The fissure was more than two hoofball fields across and deep as a groundwater well. “I’m guessing the lower parts were protected by some sort of dense crystal shell. The finer mechanisms are already starting to jam.” It was true. Neighsay’s eyes were better than theirs, but getting closer revealed several machine parts were stuttering, the shadowfrost building up more and more. Yet despite the numerous struggling components, the icy winds from the vents above were growing stronger… colder. “Is that good or bad?” Fluttershy asked. “If Sombra made it, but the windigos want it gone… What do we do?” Applejack shrugged. “Hard to say without even knowing what it is. It could be the world’s ugliest air conditioner for all we know!” Twilight wasn’t quite that lost, but she did admit, it did look like an overly elaborate filtration— Oh. “Sombra didn’t make this,” said Maud, beating Twilight to the punch. “This is Hydia’s power and filtration system. Look, you can see leyline currents being pulled towards the machine.” It was true. Beneath the ice, a portion of the pulsing glow was being diverted to flow straight to this spot. You could even hear the faint sounds of what sounded like hydraulics pumping up the mana. “So the pipes we followed are for sending up mana.” Rarity clucked her tongue. “What about those smaller pipes strapped beneath? I’m afraid I have to agree with Neighsay—their craftsmareship is positively garish! Could they be Sombra’s doing?” Maud’s eyes flicked back and forth. She studied the machine… the pipes... the vents... then the group. None of them could get a read on what she was thinking, their flames dancing in her pale blue eyes. “I don’t understand,” she said at last. “The wards are all destroyed. We shut down or disabled all the traps via the master control. There’s nothing left to power, so why is it still running full bore?” Another pause. “I... think we can assume they are,” Twilight said to Rarity. “We’ve seen all kinds of modified and repurposed things with his calling card, after all.” “It’d also explain what the windigos were really after,” Neighsay added. “Plus… if the machine has been on even when there’s nothing to power, it might mean—” RUMMMMMMMMMMBLE The sound came from below. The ice sheet below trembled, jittering like an earthquake. Suddenly, a series of muffled, wailing screeches made the group’s blood run cold. The whole ordeal only lasted a few seconds, but the feeling of RAGE lingered in their minds. “Speak of the draconequus,” said Neighsay. Applejack’s eyes shrank to pinpricks. “Oh, save us... That was them, wasn’t it?” Twilight suddenly understood why their intrusion had gone unchallenged. “They’re trapped... S-Sombra, he...” Maud’s blood ran cold. “If that’s true, we likely only have until the machine’s critical failure. We don’t have much time.” And of course they were now racing against the clock. Getting down here and finding this thing hadn’t taken long, but long enough, apparently. Maud was right—fixing the machine was nothing more than a band-aid fix. The windigos were going to break free sooner or later, gorged on the planet’s magic and ready to bring about the end. “Twilight,” Maud said. “I have an idea.” Something about the way Maud said that made Twilight pause. “Maud?” Maud took a deep breath. “I think I can make some modifications of my own. Let Neighsay take me down to the machine. I’ll see what I can do.” Silence. “Uh…” Twilight looked down at the humongous machine, then back up at Maud. “You want to run that by me again?” Maud could feel Pinkie tensing up beneath her. “I said, I’d like for—” “ARE YOU LOCO IN THE COCO?!” Pinkie’s head whipped around. “There’s no way you’re doing that! No way, nuh-uh, not in a million-bajillion years!” Maud’s eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly, but she kept her voice calm. “Pinkie, you’re going to be fighting a horde of superpowered windigos while maneuvering hundreds of feet in the air.” “Yeah, so?!” “So gravity is a cruel mistress,” said Maud. “And you don’t have your Pinkie Sense.” The flames roiling off Pinkie grew hotter. “Why would you be worried about falling now? We've carried you this far without a problem, haven’t we?!” Maud held up one of her cut legs. “Remember this? You didn’t have your Pinkie Sense then, either.” Pinkie’s mouth fell open. “Th-That… that doesn’t count! This is totally different!” “Differently worse,” said Maud. “You can’t afford to worry about a passenger. You need every advantage you can get.” “We’ll be FINE!” Pinkie said. “We do this stuff all the time—” “Pinkie.” Maud put her hoof on Pinkie’s cheek. “Mom and Dad. Limestone. Marble. All your friends in Ponyville. Every single place you’ve been, every last memory you’ve ever made. All of it could be gone in a blink. Do you really want to take that chance?” Pinkie fell silent. A million more protests formed in her mind, but each one was more petty than the last. In the end, she could nothing more than stare into her sister’s face, her lower lip quivering— “Sorry to interrupt the moment,” Neighsay drawled from afar. “But I believe you said something about me taking you down? You do realize that’ll be mutually agonizing that'll be?” Maud regarded his far-off form. Even from here, she could catch eddies of his acidic aura. “Twilight had everypony take off their armor because of something called thermal shock. Sudden and extreme changes in temperature often cause unenchanted metals to snap like peanut brittle.” Twilight’s stomach dropped. “She’s right. Having all of us get close would do the windigos’ work for them. Even Maud alone might be tricky.” An acrid puff escaped Neighsay’s nose. “Accursed laws of thermodynamics. Fine, fine.” It went without saying the others weren’t happy about this. Their hearts were against it, but they also understood the reasoning. In a perfect world they wouldn’t have to make this kind of choice, but the real world could be as messy and grey as these caves. It could even be just as dangerous at times. The enchanted wind was worsening by the moment. By the time the Elements had brought Maud as near as they dared, even a creature as large as Neighsay should’ve been blown away. However, it seemed devouring Proxy somehow made him immune, as his wingstrokes remained unhampered… and his shadowy mane and tail flowed in the opposite direction. “It’ll be best if you drop onto me.” Neighsay laughed despite himself. “Do try to avoid the spines. I’d hate to impale my first passenger.” He dove into position beneath Pinkie. His size made for an easy target, but on looking down, they saw the spines he’d mentioned were each twice the size of an average pony. Having imprecise aim would result in a pony shish kabob. Pinkie hadn’t stopped looking at Maud. This all seemed like it couldn’t be real, like it was happening outside their bodies. “Your Maud Sense omen… It was about this, wasn’t it?” Maud didn’t look at her. Her heart was pounding, though from what emotion, she couldn’t say. “Nightmare Moon… Discord… Sombra… Tirek… each time, I’ve sat by while you put yourself in danger. Let me be your big sister for once.” Pinkie was at a loss. “B-But… what about everything else? All the help you’ve been to this point?! We couldn’t have gotten this far without you! ” Maud knew she wouldn’t understand. Maybe some of the others did, but it didn’t matter either way. The only thing that mattered now was calculating the angle of her drop. “Don’t worry about m-me.” The catch in Maud’s voice wasn’t lost on anyone. “I’ll be fine.” “Maud!” Pinkie said. But she’d jumped. It wasn’t the longest distance Maud had ever fallen. Immediately the bitter wind worsened and fought to steal her warmth, everything suddenly becoming dreary and so much more terrifying. Neighsay’s sickening, caustic aura and deadly spines grew closer, reminding her not only what he was… but what he could do to her. She still couldn’t believe how monstrous he was. Neighsay was nigh unrecognizable save for his cutie mark: His face, his voice, his body, his behavior, his magic, his SIZE… could he even be considered a pony anymore? He wasn’t an actual dragon, but then what did that make him? A chimera, perhaps? An insatiable, energy-siphoning, half-mad, empathic, colossal, possibly-omnivorous— And then she landed. “ERGH!” Neighsay felt a poisonous, boiling-hot ‘cinder’ strike between his shoulder blades. Maud’s impact almost put him into a tailspin, with the added bonus of those STUPID EARRINGS providing agony undending—oh, joy! He roared—no, screamed his pain to the heavens, a putrid cone of shadowfrost spewing from his maw like a dragon’s flame. Pain. Oh, the throbbing, shooting pain. Maud’s legs shrieked as she clung to a frosty back spine. Neighsay’s leathery wings THUDDED on either side of her, carrying them down to the bowels of the machine double time. His grey scales were sizzling, literally sizzling, his foul blood oozing out with a gagging, ammonia-like odor. It was only made worse by his caustic aura making her feel sickly and numb. There was a tightness in her lungs, a darkness in her mind… Tears stung Maud’s eyes as the violet ice drew closer. The details of the machine’s innards were becoming discernible. Wedge-shaped spires drilled into the ice, lattice-like supports, narrow aisles between blocky machine parts. A discolored ‘line’ on the fissure walls indicated where the crystal layer had been, the structures within all housed below. The sheer shadowfrost walls were etched with criss crossing lines resembling bits of straw, the whirring pieces of machinery below like a metallic field of thorns. Entering the fissure proved tricky given that Neighsay’s wingspan spanned half the fissure’s length, but somehow he managed. Maud could hardly breathe. Everything was so blurry she could hardly tell which way was up. Desperate, she closed her eyes and focused on the one thing she still had—that spark of hope that never seemed to die. The Tears flared, filling her steadfast spirit with light… ...but this darkness couldn’t be pushed back for long. Maud opened her eyes. She saw they were coming up on a ugly structure like a warped water tower. There was a long platform at its bottom made of thick steel. Maud made up her mind. Struggling, gasping, she staggered down Neighsay’s enormous spiny back. She waited until they were near enough, then leapt off his left flank into the air. CLANG! Hooves clattered on rimy metal. Maud tucked and rolled, sliding along on the icy platform. It was then she realized this tower structure was close to the fissure wall, about as far as possible from the machine’s center. She tried to stop, before colliding with the violet cliff, but she kept sliding until she collided with an audible smack! Noxious shadowfrost jetted out in a cloud. Panicking, Maud scrambled to safety in a half-numb daze, evil fumes clinging to her coat and clashing with her earrings. Light and dark energies hissed and buzzed around her, the noise like a swarm of hornets.She held off breathing as long as she could while the shadowfrost vaporized off her and dispersed in the whipping gales. Maud collapsed beneath a rickety awning. Her limbs were shaking; her heart pounding, thudding through her entire body. What little sensation in her legs was agony, and when said sensation returned, the numbness was almost better. Her cuts from Sector Three stung and were weeping blood anew. Her lungs ached, she was nauseous, and her body felt cold and clammy... ...but she was alive. “Note to self: Never do that again.” Maud rose and looked around. The grated walkway was indeed built right against the fissure’s edge. It was one of the few such walkways in the fissure—not surprising given Sombra could fly—but for Maud, it meant a hundred yards of icy, unpredictable, struggling, sputtering, sluggish machine parts now barred her way to the center. Maud pursed her lips. A single misstep near any of those contraptions would allow for a violent— CREEEEEEEEEAK The groaning and bending of ancient metal assailed her ears. Maud poked her head beyond the awning and saw that Neighsay had landed atop the warped water tower. He was perched like an oversized carrion bird, his long, scaly tail coiling down the tower and indenting the reinforced steel. The structure could barely support his enormous weight… And he was looking right at her. Maud couldn’t say she was surprised. Not many other emotions to sense down here, after all. No, what was surprising was how quickly his back had healed. Grievous wounds were now little more than sores as the ambient corruption mended flesh and scales before Maud’s eyes. He didn’t even have so much as a scar afterward. “Wouldn’t mind that right now.” Maud dismissed her envy and weighed her options. The prospect of another deadly gauntlet wasn’t appealing, but another ride was worse. Neighsay agreed with her assessment, sensing her doubt and shaking his head. Maud pursed her lips. There was nothing for it, it seemed. She took a moment to study the obstacle course ahead, eventually spotting a route beginning by a spiral coil. She steadied her nerves, took a deep breath, and made for the tree alone. Neighsay watched her go without comment. Her intentions were intriguing, but time was short, and his attention lay elsewhere. He doubted she’d accomplish what she intended, anyway—even with his help. “You heroes and your habits.” Neighsay turned his mind to other matters. “I disliked her the least, actually—” “Devourer.” Neighsay froze. There was a familiar presence in the air, its sheer weight and intensity far more than it had ever been. He could swear there were silhouettes circling him like scavengers. “Well, well.” Neighsay’s golden eyes flashed. “I wondered when you’d show up… ‘Proxy’.” The harsh, biting wind lashed out at him. It passed right through, but the intent was clear. “So, you’ve assimilated our magic… Take on whatever traits you like; you won’t grow strong enough in time to stop us.” Neighsay’s forked tongue flicked out to taste the air. Their emotions were veiled, guarded, but still detectable, if only just. “It’s not just me you have to worry about. Didn’t I warn you that the Elements are the most powerful entities of this era?” The voices laughed. They were everywhere and nowhere—even echoing in Neighsay’s head. “You know nothing of power. Our primeval pact with the Master will be christened with frozen pony blood! You might have stood a chance had you gotten down here on your own, but their mistrust has become your undoing.” Neighsay kept his voice even, almost nonchalant. “And I thought I was arrogant. The Elements have shown me your victory isn’t as ironclad as you think.” The voices hesitated. There was something within that statement; a strange confidence that shouldn’t have been. “Meaning?” Neighsay shifted, the tower groaning under his weight. “Another soothsayer learned of Hydia’s plot millennia ago. They’ve been working against her AND you ever since.” The voice scoffed. “At least Anomaly C tried to conceal his lies. Even if there was another soothsayer, our ascension and emergence were foretold—” “Anomaly A, you blowhards,” said Neighsay. “She’s no ‘error’, she’s your worst enemy! She uncovered the secrets of this place and then made you forget she was ever here!” The voices’ indignance rose, their combined presence seething. “Impossible. Our recollection is perfect! Every entity that’s ever come near the facility has been catalogued and neutralized! The only exception is Anomaly B!” Neighsay smirked. “Princess. Amore.” … … ... “Amore...” If the voices had had bodies and mouths, they would’ve choked. “What is—not Anomaly B, but… the one… before…? But, how did… when did they… NO! Th-There was no one! That time period was banal! No magic or ability can affect our memories! THERE WAS NO ONE!” Neighsay yawned and examined his hoof. He sat there quiet on the tower, the voices becoming disjointed and wild around him. “When did we tell him about the error?!” “A trick! There was no other!” “We know that name… Why do we know that name?!” “We remember everything as it happened! There is no gap!” “What did he do? WHAT DID HE DO?!” “He mocks us! Mind games! Perhaps some magic of the other anomalies!” “A distraction! He’s trying to buy time!” “Forget trying to make him one of us! He’s too far gone!” “But he’s so close... we need only remove his impurities!” “IT’S NOT WORTH THE RISK!” The windigos’ dissent was worsening. Neighsay looked around to see if Proxy had manifested another avatar, but all he saw were shadows. “My, my. I didn’t realize a simple name could affect you all so badly. Perhaps—” “ENOUGH!” The ground rumbled again. There was a flash of white light, and Neighsay was aware of countless presences surrounding him, each glaring into his mutated soul. Fierce, malicious, innumerable glowing eyes flashed everywhere like lightning in a snowstorm. “We were foolish to think you could be one of us,” the windigos hissed. “You are nothing but a sentient void given flesh! You belong in the Sector Three rifts with the other amalgamates.” Neighsay snapped his teeth at nothing. “More cryptic nonsense. Do you have anything worthwhile to say?” “You are the true enemy,” they said.“The more you consume, the more you grow. The more you grow, the more you consume. You could devour reality itself if given the time… but that is time you will not have.” The thought made Neighsay hungrier than ever. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.” The eyes narrowed. They studied him for a long time in silence, Neighsay feeling like he was in the heart of a raging blizzard. Unfiltered hatred and fear teased him from beyond a barrier that he couldn’t pierce. “You will be the first,” said the windigos. “Prepare yourself, Devourer. Our emergence draws nigh...” And then the presence was gone. The mood had been somber in Maud’s absence. Pinkie kept watching below without speaking, the light of her Element currently fueled by hope alone. She was tense, her shoulders squared, and she was tilted forward like she was waiting for someone to say ‘go’. The others had been watching the fissure, as well... though their attention was on something else. “I think he’s talking to them.” Rarity shuddered at the ominous presence surrounding Neighsay. “Oh, I do hope he doesn’t try anything...” Applejack squinted. “I doubt he’s dumb enough to pull somethin’ now. It’s when the dust settles that we really gotta watch.” “Or we could go down there and eavesdrop like I’ve been saying!” Rainbow sliced the air with prismatic blasts of superheated air. “Are we really just sitting here while Jerkface is talking with the windigos?!” Fluttershy still flinched every time she heard that word. “A-Are we really sure that’s who he’s talking to? What if it’s somepony else?” The only response she got back were stares. “I-I mean…” Fluttershy hid behind her blazing mane. “Okay, maybe not…” “Maud and Twilight said we shouldn’t get closer,” Pinkie said to Rainbow. “I don’t want to put Maud in any more—” RUMMMMMMMMMBLE A new, stronger tremor jittered the ice sheet something fierce. It looked like the violet ‘waves’ were crashing into each other. “—danger.” Applejack started slinging a couple test fireballs herself. “Soooooooo, Twilight...you ain’t said nothing the past few minutes. I did see you perk up at one point, but then you went back to muttering. What’s cookin’ in that noggin of yours?” Twilight didn’t turn to her at first. She muttered a bit more before finally looking up with a deep breath. “I… think… I’ve got something. It’s going to need some explaining, but I’ll go through it as fast as I can.” Rainbow chuckled. “Now you’re speaking my language.” Perhaps so, but Twilight wasn’t a native speaker. “I remembered something important in Hydia’s final testament. It said she summoned the windigos—which if true, would obviously mean the windigos are summoned creatures. I researched summoning magic while looking into Princess Luna’s summoning gems. There are rules and loopholes we can exploit.” She suddenly had everyone’s full attention. “Such as?” said Rarity. Twilight suddenly wished she could demonstrate this somehow. “Put simply, when an individual is summoned, the magic ‘remembers’ where they came from so they can go home. If everything goes right and the spell ends normally, the individual is dismissed, and they keep anything they gained or lost. If something goes wrong, however, such as the spell ending early for some reason, the individual is dismissed while keeping or losing almost nothing. They’re more or less returned to the way they were when they were summoned.” It wasn’t often the others immediately saw what Twilight was getting at, but this was one of those rare times. “So we can’t actually kill the windigos, but we can remove their supercharge and send ‘em packing,” said Applejack. Twilight nodded. “Some things like entropy are retained no matter what, but energy fluctuations are different. We just have to figure out if we can disrupt the spell with smaller attacks, or—” “WAIT!” Fluttershy’s prismatic eyes filled her head. “So that means… w-we can stop the windigos without hurting them? We’re basically just sending them home?!” It was a strange thing. Not only could Twilight see the proverbial weight falling off Fluttershy’s shoulders, but the others, as well. The news lightened their minds and spirits to such an extent that Twilight could feel the Elements responding in kind. “You can see why I’m covering this first.” She regarded each of them in turn. “We still have to fight—that’s inevitable—but using lethal force will simply send them back where they came from. They won’t return unless they’re re-summoned.” And just like that, whether by design or by coincidence, the worst foil for many of them—even Twilight herself—was undone. “This changes EVERYTHING!” Fluttershy clapped her hooves. “This is wonderful!” Twilight had to agree. “I should also mention the knowledge of how to summon them is probably lost. Windigos have never been spotted anywhere else in the world, and we all saw how empty Hydia’s home was—” “Not to mention filthy,” Rarity mumbled. —so once they’re gone, they’re gone,” Twilight said. “Now, regarding our strategy. Because of another… ergh, summoning thing, we don’t have to worry about them escaping. They’ll be gunning for us the whole time even if they’re losing. We just have to focus on offense.” It was hard not to laugh with the sour look on Twilight’s face. “Doing good, babe,” said Rainbow. Twilight growled and ran a hoof down her face. “We’re all still fresh thanks to conserving our energy. That’s good, but if we have to use the Elements’ full power to be effective, we still only have one shot. We’ll have to time our attack carefully—” Just then, the evil presence surrounding Neighsay disappeared. “Uh-oh,” said Applejack. “How did they...” Fluttershy focused on her Element, but it was like the presence had never been there at all. “Where’d they go?!” “Neighsay’s coming back,” Pinkie announced. She pointed at the black mist cloud now heading their way. “Wait… he’s coming BACK?! Why is he coming back?! Who’s going to get Maud out of there?!” Not a single one of them said so much as a word. … … … “I-I mean, we’re not just going to leave her!” Pinkie’s voice rose in pitch. “We’ll go get her once we win, won’t we? When it’s safe and stuff!” Twilight’s ears drooped. Her thoughts turned to the dustboxes in her pocket dimension… all of which were full. “...Of course, Pinkie. We’d never leave her behind.” “Yeah.” Rainbow patted Pinkie’s shoulder. “You’ll see her again before you know it—” “You can’t save anyone if you’re dead.” Neighsay coalesced before them, his expression dour. “Unless you were talking about seeing her in the afterlife?” Pinkie and Rainbow looked ready to immolate him. “We saw you had visitors,” Twilight called out. “Do you think they’ll go for Maud?” Neighsay shrugged. “I goaded them as much as I could. I suggest we worry more about ourselves than anyone else—in a few moments, she’ll be far safer than we are.” FWSSSSSSSSH! Maud moved at a steady clip through a steel hell. Running at full bore was suicide, but lingering wasn’t any safer. All she could do was move, move, move. Doubling back was when it got nasty, her path filled with vapors from thawing out machine parts and brittle metal everywhere. She had to adjust her course many times to avoid going back the way she’d come. Balance, timing, and speed were the key to navigating this— RUMMMMMBLE Maud stumbled near a mess of churning gears. Said gears were larger than she was, and getting caught in them would be instant death. Thinking quick, she threw herself to the side with all the strength she could muster. Thwack! The good news was she dodged the gears. The bad news was she’d thrown herself into a compartment and smacked her head on a low-hanging pipe. The world spun around her, colors and pain becoming one— of course they preferred pinkie. they ALWAYS preferred pinkie. that’s just the way it was, wasn’t it? mother… father… marble… limestone... her… they may as well not exist. this was their fate, doomed to being overshadowed by the legendary heroics of pinkamena diane pie. at best they would be a footnote in HER adventure, and at worst they wouldn’t even be acknowledged. did the world think she’d just popped out of nowhere one day? personal accomplishments be damned; maud could probably save the world herself and still— Maud clutched her head. Pain meant she was alive, but it also meant suffering. What was that she’d just experienced? Venomous whispers, long hidden resentments and petty arguments fueled by bitter, vindictive thoughts… they echoed in her mind and ears alike. She could swear they’d been whispered in her voice... Never mind; she had to keep moving. A dying metallic jungle fought for life all around Maud, more and more creations ceasing their functions only to jolt to life once more. Shadowfrost was everywhere—she couldn’t escape it no matter how hard she tried. Every wrong turn allowed the lethal fumes closer. She couldn’t move fast and breathe less at the same—don’t think about it. Shake it off, keep moving. Leaping and landing upon slippery surfaces was about as fun as it sounded. It was made worse by the inaudible whispers flitting around her; a thousand voices all feeding her darkest thoughts. She wouldn’t listen. She refused to listen. She knew what was happening, what the cause of this was. Pinkie did stuff like this all the time but you’re not Pinkie. You’ll NEVER be Pinkie. The Element of Laughter chose HER, not you. Your optimism and hope is focused inward while she spreads hers to others. She uses her gifts to help others; you only help yourself. Chaos followed in Maud’s wake. She tried to stay ahead of it, but her darkening thoughts were relentless alone, always alone. Lonely nights, lonely days, shunned and misunderstood. The life of a recluse. Eventually, Maud, overshot a gap and wound up sliding towards a pair of crushing apparatuses. It was only thanks to them being sluggish that she was able to get clear in time— WHAM! Maud screamed. She was yanked back with enough force to rip several glowing hairs out by the roots; the apparatus just coming short of crushing her dock. She eventually wrenched herself free with a second scream and never looked back, the poisonous steam consuming the warmth and light of her abandoned hairs. The shadows laughed in her wake. The machines chugged and slammed in an ear-splitting racket. Everything was so LOUD. Was it always so loud?! The only thing that drowned it out was the searing pain in her dock. But of course even that couldn’t drown out the wind. Nothing could ever drown that out. It was pointless to even try You couldn’t even look her in the eye before you left. You hurt her more than anyone else ever could, and for what? A selfish desire to be the hero? How are those earrings even working for you? A distant part of her acknowledged the warm rivulets trickling down her rump and thighs. She’d check it when she wasn’t surrounded by death; when the building tempest wasn’t eroding her will. She swore right then and there that if she made it out of this, the windy plains beside the rock farm could go and rot for all she cared. It got colder the closer she got to the trunk. Maud couldn’t tell if that was actually due to proximity or because time was running out, but it didn’t bode well either way. The path ahead was clear—relatively—but the endless noise… and the ceaseless, mind-numbing wind stung her entire body! Why had she decided this was a good idea again? All this heroism stuff really wasn’t all it was cracked up to be not that you were ever a hero to begin with. You chose this topic for your dissertation because you were trying to get attention. You don’t have any noble intentions, you’re just trying to show up your sister. That’s why you resented her coming with you. Maud really hoped she didn’t have to double back again at this point. She was getting close now, spying an entrance in the trunk resembling a knothole. Or maybe she just thought looked like that; her head was getting fuzzier the more time passed— CRUNCH! One of Maud’s legs broke through the brittle metal. She cried out as her momentum pulled her free, her leg twisting with a terrible twinge. It was all she could do to avoid falling off the machine piece. krrrkktttt Maud froze. She could feel more of the decrepit metal caving beneath her hooves! She sprang forward and slid along amidst a series of metallic crackles and squealing steel. The top of the apparatus became a sea of jagged metal, entire chunks falling and getting caught in the components within. Every second of it was an anxiety-riddled nightmare, and she remembered having two more close calls before getting to the edge and jumping off. She landed a miniaturized crane and limped the rest of the way to the knothole entrance. She emerged into a dismal, dreary atrium. Girders and pipes lined the ceiling, various gears turned in the walls, and there were multiple arched doorways leading to a maze of hallways. Maud allowed herself a brief rest then, but any respite from the wind was short lived thanks to the racket of leaking pipes and rattling components. It was more for the sake of catching her breath than anything else, her cold, tight lungs heaving and fighting to thaw. She’d expected it to be harder to convince the others to let her do this. Perhaps a better formulated argument, or a debate with Twilight over the pros and cons. But no, apparently she’d either made that good of an argument, the others had already reached the same conclusion she had, or they’d had a lapse in judgment. Sure, she’d made some good points and all, but was that really enough to ignore the improbability of anyone knowing how to operate an ancient town-sized contraption without a schematic? Ah, but whose fault is that? If you’d shown them what you’d found back in Sombra’s lair, you wouldn’t have had to push things along. Maud grit her teeth. Standing still was leaving her mind free to wander. She reached into her simmering mane and pulled out a particular scroll coated in flame-resistant wax. “Project: Osmosis...” It was the title that’d initially caught her eye. It was indeed a schematic of the machine—called the Centimane, apparently—or rather, the alterations made to it. A schematic of the entire thing likely would’ve been the size of a dictionary. It was difficult to read the finer details in the dim light, but she could tell enough to get her bearings. Maud limped along towards a zigzagging corridor and continued on. Her leg was hurting worse now. Breathing was a struggle if she forced it, so she had to keep her pace slow lest she risk a dizzy spell. She could also feel blood dripping from her dock onto her rump and hind legs. At least there was far less shadowfrost, but there was always still that little bit of rime. She could only hope it wasn’t enough to make a difference. The sounds of outside machinery grew dull and faint. Maud focused on her footing, her hoofsteps reverberating on the fragile metal. The only other sounds were the rattling and hissing of the pipes leading up to the branches, random ‘coughs’ occasionally surprising her as the pressure built up and pushed through. The steady glow of her aura and the Tears lit the way forward as shadows danced around her, their murmuring not just in the machines, but the very air around her. Maud’s eyes were throbbing and itching for some reason. At least the fuzzy feeling in her head was fading, but she still couldn’t catch her breath. She trudged on until she got to a fork, whereupon she stopped and referenced the schematic to determine— RUMMMMMMMMMBLE Tons of metal seized up in convulsions. Maud was thrown to the ground in a heap, clutching the schematic to her chest amidst the machine wracking tremor. A pipe clattered to the ground beside her, and a second— gone. everything was gone. the house, the fields, the mine, the canyon… all of it. the horizon was nothing but snow, everything she’d ever known and loved buried forever. thick, dark storm clouds had swallowed the sun, winter lightning lancing across the sky like a tear in reality itself. somewhere beneath this wasteland were the frozen bodies of her family, their last moments consumed by unnatural hatred and fear. a patch of snow blew away to reveal a section of cloudy ice, and thunder crashed in maud’s ears as the entombed bodies stared at her with glassy— “AHHHHHH!” Maud sat bolt upright. The tremor was over, but the right corridor was blocked by metal components. The left corridor wasn’t much better, though the structural integrity still clung to life. She dashed forward and got through just as the ceiling caved behind her in a raucous din. Maud didn’t look back. She didn’t want to know how close a call that was, nope, nope, nope. As it was, the anxiety was creating a deep, gnawing emptiness inside her like a hunger that’s not anxiety and you know it. A distant part of her noted the pain in her leg was fading. She could suddenly see like it wasn’t dark at all, even though there were no extra sources of light. The air was so cold she should’ve been choking, yet that somehow made her breathe easier looks like those earrings weren’t enough, after all. It’s only a matter of time now; you should’ve stayed with the others— “SHUT UP!” Maud rounded a corner and hurried on to the Centimane’s core. She decided to focus on the good things, like how she didn’t feel sore anymore, or how the cold was starting to feel downright pleasant. Her eyes were throbbing a little, but each time they pulsed, her vision got a little clearer. And hey, she wasn’t losing any hair! That was a good thing, right? The core looked like a cross between a tyrant’s throne room, an overly-elaborate control room, and a high-ceilinged boiler room. Yawning holes in the floor were scattered about where wreckage had fallen from the ceiling. All of the pipes from outside converged here, and Maud could see what they were carrying now—an electric blue energy that was being pumped into a gigantic central device like the unholy love child of a pipe organ and a steam turbine. And then Maud saw it. At the base of the center device, a throne of twisted metal sat upon a dais. A dark helm rested on a nearby pedestal—a spiked, sinister thing with red horns on its brow and a snarling maw of a visor. Maud looked upon all of this and laughed. “Perhaps ambition does breed ruin,” she said. Maud maneuvered past the pits and debris to the throne. The helmet reacted to her presence, humming to life with an electric blue surge. She produced the schematic once more, then sat down on the throne while you may as well take those earrings off and give in. No amount of determination, drive, or hope can change how you truly feel, and your jealousy will be the loose string that unravels your resolve. She’ll never stop stealing the spotlight away from you; there’s only one way you’ll ever outshine her. Maud bared her budding fangs. The light of the Tears was bright as ever, but the empty feeling inside her was getting worse. Her pupils had become sinister slits, the whites of her eyes were a disturbing green, and the wispy shadowfrost contrails were already starting to form. She felt like she was being torn in two… but the path before her was clear. Narrow, but clear. More heavy parts fell from above. The holes in the floor widened to the point the way Maud had come was cut off. Smaller pipes choked and ruptured along the walls, but the primary pipes remained sturdy. The schematic revealed every auxiliary served to keep them going—backup systems upon backup systems, all to ensure the flow never ceased. Maud sighed. She retrieved the helmet at her side and looked it over. The Tears of Laughter seethed the moment she touched it, but even this addition couldn’t corrupt her fully you can’t keep walking such a fine line. Your mind is slipping more and more by the second. Sombra was one of the most powerful ponies to ever live, and yet even he was no match for the evils surrounding you. You’re nothing but a worthless— Maud donned the helmet. It wasn’t what she’d expected. There was no pain, no sudden jolt, not even a reaction from the central device or the machine as a whole. There was a mild cold feeling, a rebuttal of scalding heat from the Tears, then a stronger, more vicious reply from the shadows. The two powers escalated in a rising stalemate… but meanwhile, a barrage of information filled Maud’s mind as she was linked to Centimane’s limited, golem-like awareness. CENTIMANE STATUS: CRITICAL OSMOSIS TOWER CAPACITY: 10% BATTALION PRODUCTION: PAUSED WINDIGO CONTAINMENT FIELD: ACTIVE SEER SHARD INTEGRITY: 2% ======================================================== WARNING: UNKNOWN GEOMANCY SIGNAL ACTIVATED - JUGGERNAUT SHIELD DESTROYED WINDIGO CONTAINMENT AUXILIARIES DESTROYED SECTOR DIVINATION WARDS DESTROYED CENTIMANE INNARDS EXPOSED - AUXILIARY SYSTEMS FAILING OSMOSIS TOWER RIFTS REVEALED - DETECTION OF SEER SHARDS LIKELY WINDIGO CONTAINMENT BREACH IMMINENT Maud wanted to vomit. The machine’s cruel inner workings were laid bare to her now, but she wished they weren’t. “He used her body to help contain the windigos. Among other things, by the looks of it...” IRRELEVANT ASSESSMENT AWAITING NEW COMMAND Maud rolled her eyes. “Fine. Release the prisoner, Centimane. Bring her to me.” ERROR - SHARDS MUST BE KEPT SEPARATE TO PREVENT AWAKENING OF DORMANT— Maud pressed one of her earrings to the helmet. It burned like fire, but the metallic scream in her head was worth it. “I’m in charge now.” Maud's voice was cold and distorted. “She’s been scattered to the winds long enough.” … THE WINDIGOS WILL BREACH THE CONTAINMENT FIELD THE MOMENT THE SHARDS ARE EXTRACTED ELEMENTS OF HARMONY DETECTED IN VICINITY ARE THE BEARERS PREPARED TO ENGAGE “Don’t worry,” said Maud. “We’ll be providing backup.” ACKNOWLEDGED ACTIVATING LEYLINE DERRICK The central device lurched to life. Unseen levers and gears protested as a shallow dispenser popped out to the right of Maud. Its tubing was connected directly to the above node where all the huge pipes converged. MANA PUMP SUCTION AT MAXIMUM GEOMANCY SIGNAL CALIBRATING Maud looked around the room. There was no semblance of warmth in this doomed place, no life, no future. She couldn’t say if coming here had been smart. She couldn’t say if what she intended was any smarter, and there very well may have never been any hope at all. Perhaps she’d been manipulated by these vile, slithering whispers in some way. Perhaps if she’d never come here, her family and loved ones could’ve lived out their lives. Perhaps the windigos could be defeated, but what if an equal, or even worse threat then emerged. Had anything really been accomplished in that case? SHARD RETRIEVAL PREPARATIONS COMPLETE DIMENSIONAL RIPPER STANDING BY Well, Maud supposed she’d find out soon enough. The lines were drawn, the bets were placed, and all players were in position. The time for speculation and choices were passed—all she could do now was hold to her beliefs and pray. “The things we do for love.” Maud thought of Pinkie and smiled. “Hang on, everypony.”