Book 3/Chapter 5
The Angel of Death
Year 00, Month 11, Day 08
“The day we arrived at the mountain… we were approached by a mare dressed in a white cloak. When she approached us… she claimed to be a fortune teller and she said that if our endeavor is to reach the summit of Angela’s peak, then she will look into our future and see if we are successful.”
Zeil continued pulling Kiloman on the sled through the tunnel as he replied, “Sounds suspicious to me.”
Kiloman nodded, “Pike thought the same… but since she offered to tell us our future without asking for anything in return, we just went with it. Saw no harm in it and felt there wasn’t any loss in hearing her words.”
Zeil gave him a suspicious look, “So… what did she see?”
Kiloman chuckled in a painful way, “Not a clue…”
Zeil gave him a dull look, “Really?...”
Kiloman smiled as he laid his head back and looked at the roof of the cave, “Like I said… our memories come back the closer we get to the peak… or… to death. Whatever she saw… I remember it wasn’t good. That’s why… she rewrote our memories… why she added herself to our group. She had a plan for us… she says it’s her way of showing her friends mercy… and… I believe that.”
Zeil sighed in hopelessness, “Wish I could say the same… Pike… Everest… Maybe even Fuji too… I don’t know… all I do know is she has gone too far.”
Kiloman asked, “Will you fight her?”
Zeil shook his head, “I made a vow to never kill until the day I see Zecora and tell her the truth… and I’m willing to keep it.”
Kiloman smiled, “An honorable vow… though… it’s a shame that such a vow need be made in the first place.”
Zeil nodded, “I know… but it had to be done. Zecora would never forgive me if I had to harm others to return to her. I'll still defend myself if attacked, but I won’t take a life.”
Kiloman nodded as he looked at Zeil, “I guess… that’s why Hotham trusts you.”
Zeil could only smile at the comment as he continued pulling Kiloman through the tunnels. When Kiloman saw his smiled, he too smiled before looking down at the rope tourniquet on his arm as he mumbled too quietly for Zeil to hear, “Thank you Zeil… I know you intend to get me back safely… but I’m not fated to survive… and I won’t weigh you down any longer.”
With that Hotham silently untied the tourniquet and let the rope fall to the ground quietly enough that Zeil didn’t notice. Seeing his wound as it started bleeding profusely, the Kiloman looked back up at the ceiling of the cave as he smiled peacefully, “Goodbye, my friend.”
Up on the surface, the blizzard had gotten thicker making all visibility outside ten feet almost impossible. However despite this challenge and his breathing which now turned to a slight cough, Hotham continued pushing forward as Angel followed closely behind. As they continued, Hotham looked forward as he spoke, “Angel… are we close? How far to the summit?”
Hiding her depressing feelings, Angel replied, “Only another hundred feet or so… keep the lookout for a large stone hill with small flags on it.”
Hotham smiled, “I see… then… lets finish this.”
With that, Hotham continue pushing forward as Angel could only wonder when he too would retrieve his original memories.”
Back in the cave, Zeil stopped when he found that the tunnel he was following led to a dead end with only a high pit entrance above it with its signature ice cap as the ceiling. Looking up at the ceiling, Zeil sighed, “Well Kiloman… looks like were climbing…”
Without waiting for a response, Zeil reached into his saddlebag as he pulled out a pick and threw it as hard as he could at the Ice roof above. With one attempt the pick hit and shattered the glass like ice as Zeil quickly got out of the way of the falling Ice and layer of snow on top of it. As soon as the falling obstacles hit the ground, the new exit was soon flooded with snow and wind as the blizzard outside could be easily seen from inside the tunnel. Seeing their only way out, Zeil turned back to the sled as he trotted to it and looked through a side bag, “Looks like the storm outside has gotten worse. And if that’s not enough, we’re going to have to climb out. Well… I'll climb, you’re just going to have to hold onto my back till we reach the surface. You think you can do that while I’m climbing?”
As Zeil gathered his climbing gear from the bag, he noticed Kiloman didn’t reply, “Kiloman?”
Zeil looked over at his motionless friend as he started to talk, “Hey Kiloman are you aw-”
All of a sudden, Zeil realized that his friend’s aura was gone as he looked at Kiloman’s arm to see a large amount of blood that ran down the sled and trailed behind them. Seeing this, Zeil looked at Kiloman’s peaceful expression as he sighed, “Kiloman… thanks for being a good friend. Now… rest in peace.”
With that, Zeil took a blanket from his saddlebag and covered Kiloman’s body as he looked back to the wall, tightened his cold weather clothing and put his snow goggles on, “I’m coming Hotham… just hope I get to you before Angel makes her move.”
With that said, Zeil trotted to the wall as he buried the pick into the wall before climbing higher and doing the same with a second pick. Using everything he had learn Zeil continued to scale the wall as he reached the top and carful climbed up while fighting the strong winds and thick snow that fell around him. With his surrounding almost completely covered in white haze, Zeil tried to sense Hotham and Angel’s aura as he mumbled, “Good… Hotham is still alive… let’s just hope I get to them before Angel hurts him too.”
Not fare ahead, Hotham and angel continued pushing through the storm as Hotham led, coughing but not slowing his pace. As they pushed forward, Angel felt a little confuse, they were practically at the summit, but so far Hotham showed no sign of his returning memories. As they pressed on, it wasn’t long till Hotham could see something dark ahead in the white haze. Knowing what it was the two continued till the small jagged hill ahead was revealed with a number of metal stakes in the top, some without, but others with small flags signifying nations, family crests, and others who have successfully completed the climb. Looking at the summit, Hotham smiled as he spoke, “There… now… to finish this.”
Angel stopped and watched from the base of the small hill as Hotham climbed the jagged edged of the miniature mountain till he reached the peak then placed his hoof firmly against the ground as he spoke, “I did it mates… I made it to the peak. Pike… Everest… probably Kiloman by now… we all made it lads… I just hope Zeil is alright.”
Angel watched from the base of the hill as she called, “If you have a flag… now is the time to plant it.”
The surrounding blizzard let up slightly but visibility didn’t change as Hotham smiled, “Angel… you know I don’t climb for the fame, not even a chance to leave a mark.” He turned to her, “I climb to see the world and meet the ponies in it… just as… I met you… four days ago.”
Angel felt nervous but was able to hide it as she replied, “So… your memories are back?”
Hotham climbed down from the peak as he replied, “They are… they have been for a while now.”
Angel nodded, “How long?”
Hotham coughed then replied, “Not sure… I guess a few second before that scrap you pulled me out of on the trail… the one that killed Everest.”
Angel didn’t reply, instead she was wanting to see how Hotham was going to continue as he smiled, “I was supposed to die there… wasn’t I. that rock was supposed to kill me, but… you saved me.”
Angel tried to hold back her tears as she replied, “I… I did…”
Hotham continued with his smiled, “Why?... if I was supposed to die there… why save me?”
She couldn’t hold her tears anymore as she looked to the ground and tried to reply, “I… I don’t know…”
Hotham approached her as he put his hoof on her shoulder and replied, “I do… Because despite what you had to do… you have a good heart. You try to show mercy to those who die here… and that’s… that’s why I’m in love with you. And not just cuz I had faint memories of you when growing up that you planted yourself. I’ve loved you ever since I met you those four measly days ago. I could see your kindness then… even before you gave us that terrible news. I saw your heart… and I wanted to have a place in it.”
Angel continued looking at the ground as the tears fell, “But… I killed them… I took your friends lives before their time… I don’t… I don’t des-”
Hotham placed his hoof against her chin and moved her head to look up at him as he replied, “You did it to spare them the pain. You showed my… our friends mercy… when you could have easily left them to their fate. You may be what you are… but you still have heart… and that’s why I love you.”
That said, Hotham leaned in and kissed Angel as she could only close her eyes and embrace the kiss from the stallion she loved. After the kiss ended, Hotham’s fatigue took hold as the weak stallion fell to the ground as Angel caught him, “Hotham no…”
Hotham smiled in his weakened state as he spoke, “It’s alright Angel… I see now… I wasn’t traveling the world to see it… I was looking for something… I was looking… for you.”
Tears fell from her face onto his as she replied, “I… I don’t deserve a pony like you… I don’t deserve anypony… I never loved in life… so why should I now…”
Hotham placed his hoof against her cheek, but before he could say anything, the two heard Zeil in the distance as he called, “Hotham! Angel!... are your there!?!”
With the thick haze still preventing the two from seeing Zeil, Hotham spoke, “Angel… take me… just like you did the rest… but… let our friend live.”
Angel’s tears didn’t stop as her expression showed objection, “What?... but he-”
“Is a stallion in love… he pushes his way through danger and adventure just like I did to find the mare he was meant to be with… the only difference is that he knows where to find his.”
Angel shook her head, “He can’t be trusted… he isn’t a changeling… I… I don’t know what he is, but he can’t be trusted.”
Hotham smiled, “Weather he can or not isn’t the point. He is a good, honest bloke with a goal. And I want him to feel the happiness I feel now. I want him to know how it feels, to tell the mare you love the truth.”
Angel looked into her love’s eyes as she tried to reply, “I… I… I don’t know if I can…”
tears built up in Hotham’s eyes as he replied, “Try… that’s all I ask…” he closed his eyes and laid back, “Now… I’m ready… do what you must.”
Angel placed her hoof against his cheek as she spoke, “I love you Hotham…”
Hotham smiled peacefully as he placed his hoof against her cheek, “And I love you… My Angel of the Mountain.”
With that said Hotham and Angel leaned closer together as they kissed for the last time. During their kiss, Hotham’s breathing slowed until it finally ceased, as Hotham’s hoof slowly fell from Angel’s cheek as the humble leader of the group slowly passed away in her arms. With tears falling from her face, Angel stopped kissing him as she held him close as she cried for her fallen love.
Not far away, Zeil pushed through the seemingly endless white haze as he tried to get close to where he could sense Angel and Hotham’s aura. However as he pushed on, Hotham’s aura suddenly vanished, as this worried Zeil as he mumbled, “Hotham… no…”
Worried for his friend, Zeil picked up his pace as he called, “ANGEL!!! HOTHAM!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?! HOTH-”
All of a sudden, Zeil silenced himself as he looked through the haze to see a silhouette ahead of him. As Zeil got closer the image become clearer to him as he saw Angel still holding Hotham close to her. As soon as he saw them, Zeil’s expression showed anger as he spoke as calmly as he could, “Angel…”
Hearing her name, Angel laid Hotham on the ground at her hooves as she stood up and looked away trying to hide her crying. Not seeing her tears, Zeil spoke, “Hotham… he’s dead… isn’t he…”
Angel didn’t even look his way as she nodded in silence. Zeil asked, “Did you kill him?”
Once again, Angel nodded in silence as Zeil replied in anger, “How could you… how could you be so heartless… you know he loved you right? He cared enough to wait till we reach the summit so he could confess at the perfect moment! And he did… didn’t he?”
Angel repeated her actions one last time as she nodded in silence.
Zeil yelled in anger, “THEN WHY!?! Why would you kill him after he told you how he felt? Why would you be so cruel? TELL ME!!!”
“ENOUGH!!!”
With that yell, Angel stomped her hoof against the ground as something completely unworldly happened. When her hoof hit the ground, the blizzard around them cleared out in a wave fashion as if she created a shockwave that immediately dispersed the snow, wind, haze, and all, leaving only the overcast sky, and the now clear summit. Confused and somewhat nervous, Zeil took a step back as Angel slowly turned to him with tears running down her face, “Don’t talk as if this is unexpected. This was your plan the whole time wasn’t it? You wanted them dead… didn’t you?”
Zeil was confused, “Wh-what?”
Angel glared at Zeil with anger as she continued, “Where is Kiloman?... did you kill him? He better not have suffered, otherwise… you will.”
Seeing that her threat was real, Zeil readied himself as he replied, “I didn’t kill him… you did!”
Angel’s tears still fell as she yelled, “Lier! You intended on all of them dyeing didn’t you! Why are you here!?! What possible reason did you have to come here!?!”
Zeil glared back as he replied, “I came to cross the mountain… nothing more!”
Angel yelled, “WHEN WILL YOU STOP LIEING TO ME!?!”
As she yelled, Angel swung her hoof across in a horizontal fashion as a massive gist of frozen wind blew from her hoof tossing Zeil to the ground. Worried for his life, Zeil quickly shuffled to his hooves, but as he stood back up, he saw that Angel had completely vanished as her empty cold weather clothing fell to the ground. Confused Zeil looked around but as he did, water rose from the ground covering his hooves before solidifying into ice making it impossible for Zeil to move. Zeil struggled in place as he tried to free his hooves before he heard a dark tone come from the peak next to all the flags planted from the previous climbers, “Did… Did he suffer? Kiloman I mean… did he suffer upon his death?”
Zeil looked to the peak to see Angel standing there next to the flags as he replied, “I… I don’t know… he bled to death while I tried to pull him to safety.”
Tears in her eyes still ran down her face as she replied, “Then… I failed. I didn’t let him pass peacefully.”
Zeil replied in anger, “Let him pass?... so you did intend on murdering them… You murdered all of them! Pike, Everest, Hotham, You murdered them all! And what about Fuji… Did you murder him too?”
Angel looked at the ground in shame as she replied, “No… he was spared, he is supposed to return in five years and reach the summit alone.”
Zeil was confused, “Spared? What are you talking about?”
Angel sighed, “Every few weeks, a climber tries to challenge this mountain… and as soon as I see them… I can see whether they succeed or not. And, if they do not… I am forced to either watch them suffer… or let them die peacefully.”
Zeil gave her an angry look as he replied while keeping his struggling hooves subtle, “Peacefully?... Pike suffered until his last breath! Everest fell to his death an-” He paused as he remembered Everest’s vanishing aura, “Wait… he didn’t did he… somehow you killed him before he fell.”
Angel nodded, “Yes… I guided his soul away from his body so that he could feel no pain. I did the same with Pike right before we went to bed that night, and with Hotham just now… but… I didn’t get the chance to guide Kiloman away before he passed. He suffered… just as I did.”
Zeil gave her a confused look, “Just as you did?... what are you tal-” He remembered his dreams as his expression became skeptic, “Angela?”
Angel was surprised, “What? But… how did you?”
Zeil replied, “The passed few nights, I’ve had visons of your death. You died not fare from here didn’t you? Before you reached the summit… in one of these pits. You… froze to death… here… alone.”
Angel nodded, “I did… but… I wasn’t able to pass on like the rest. Since I was the first, I was cursed to become this mountain’s guardian. And… to live for eternity… as this.”
With that, Angel’s body slowly dissolved into a white haze as the fog took form of a large Pony that towered higher than her previous form. Zeil looked at her new appearance as her pegasus aura changed into something he had never felt before. Staring at Angel in wonder, Zeil held his silence as Angel saw his confusion, “Look at me… look at what suffering alone here did to me. Now… I’m a wendigo. A monster… just like you.”
Zeil was slightly offended, “What? Who are you calling a monster?”
Angel rolled her eyes, “Don’t give me that… I told you I can see the fate of everypony who steps onto this mountain, but you… you’re hidden from my sight… and only two beings are hidden from my ability, Immortals… and demons. And you Zeil…”
She raised her hoof as a spike made from ice shot up from the ground right passed Zeil’s face as the razer like ice ran along his face cutting off his snow goggles and leaving blood to run out of his cut and down his face. As the blood dripped from his cheek, Angel continued with an angry look, “You… are not immortal. So… care to tell me exactly what you are?”
Seeing no way out of his frozen trap, Zeil sighed as he replied, “Honestly, I’m a changeling, but I’d be lying if I said that there wasn’t something else in me… I don’t know what, who, or even why it is… but… whatever it is… it’s evil.”
Angel gave him an untrusting look as she replied, “Really?... then I have no choice.”
Zeil gave her a confused look, “What?”
Angel nodded as her haze of a body hovered over the peak, “Since, your fate wasn’t set… the option to let you live or die was mine to make… and if there is even a hint of evil in you… then I can’t let you leave here. If you have any last words say them now… I promise, I'll make it painless.”
Zeil’s expression became angry, “Pike, Everest, Kiloman, and Hotham… They died trying to reach the place your standing right now… So if you want to kill me, fine! Go ahead and try… But I’m reaching that point…”
Zeil suddenly changed into a large manticore as his quick increase in size caused both the ice on his hooves and his cold weather clothing to shred away, “FOR THEM!!!”
With his manticore size apparent, Zeil charged towards Angel and the summit already knowing that he couldn’t really fight her, all he could do was charge passed her and make a run for it, though he didn’t intend on going anywhere before touching the summit at least once. With his plan in mind Zeil charged at the hovering haze, however before he could reached the mound, Angel raised her hooves outward as the winds and snow returned as the instantaneous blizzard quickly cut out everything he could see in front of him as Zeil slowed down before continuing with his manticore paws trying to block the wind from his face, as he reached the edge of the small mound where Angel and the peak sat.
Knowing that his original plan of charge, attack, and run was now reduced to just pass and run, Zeil changed back into his zebra form as he looked towards the summit to see if Angel was still there. However, with her haze of a body completely blending into the blizzard, Zeil knew that seeing the hovering wendigo would be impossible, so with his goal of touching the peak still in mind, He started climbing the small mound as he continued towards the summit. After reaching the peak, Zeil franticly looked around to try and find Angel, but after seeing that she wasn’t around he could only mumble to himself, “Is she gone… No… she’s still here, she has to be.”
Determined to continue with his plan Zeil turned around towards his next destination but as he did, he paused when he saw Angel in her pegasus form hovering in the air less the six inches from his face. Without expecting it, Zeil could only stare in surprise as Angel looked him in the eye as she puckered her lips and blew a small gust of air into his face.
As soon as her breath hit him, Zeil felt a strange and painful sensation fill his body as his lungs locked up in the cold, an intense chill ran down his spin that made him dizzy, and an intense brain freeze feeling filled his entire body. Too dizzy to stand, Zeil fell to the ground as the jagged hill he was standing on caused him to roll down before hitting the base of the mountain’s peak. Laying too dizzy to move, Zeil mumbled, “I… I have to keep going… I have to… for them… for Zecora…”
With that said, Zeil’s sight went dark as he passed out. Seeing that she had won, Angel landed next to Zeil as she mumbled, “I can’t let you live… but I won’t let you suffer. This is all I can do for you now. Rest in peace Zeil.”
With that Angel reached out to Zeil and placed her hoof against his head, but as she did, her mind was instantaneously filled with vision of his future. Shocked by what she saw, Angel stood still as every instance of Zeil’s future swept through her mind bringing with it, fear, worry, and sympathy for the wounded changeling. Angel then quickly stepped away from her foe as she looked at her hoof and spoke, “That… his future?… but… how… why would… and… how could he continue after that?... I… I can’t let him die here… As terrible as it is, he must continue his journey.” She looked at Zeil’s unconscious face, “He must live out his fate.”
With that Angel’s body dissolved into a haze of snow and wind as the miniature blizzard consumed Zeil’s body as both he and Angel vanished into thin air.
Hours later Zeil awoke in a bed inside of a small room as he felt too dizzy to pick himself up. Rubbing his head in confusion Zeil looked around the small room. It wasn’t too big, but the wooden exterior of the room seemed to resemble a log cabin with a window that revealed a thick snowy day outside. As Zeil closely examined his surroundings, the door opened as a young female Ibex entered, “Well… look who finally rejoined the land of the living.”
Still too weak to sit up, Zeil looked at the Ibex as he asked, “Where… where am I?”
The Ibex smiled, “The Stranded Tavern, at the base of Angela’s Peak. I don’t know when you got here, but you were here when I started my shift a few hours ago.”
Zeil tried to remember what happened, “A few hours? But… how did I get here?”
The Ibex smiled as she turned to leave, “The manager knows more and can fill you in, wait here while I get him.”
The ibex left the room for only a few minutes as an old pegasus stallion entered and smiled, “So you’re awake. Good to see another return from Angela’s Peak. Despite the little nick on your face.”
Zeil finally gained enough strength to sit up as he touched the cut on the side of his face as he replied, “I guess I did… how did I get here?”
The manager smiled as he looked to his employee, “Our guest is probably in need of a warm meal… could you go prepare him one?”
The Ibex nodded, “Sure… I’m on it.”
As soon as his employee left the room, the manager closed the door and locked it as he turned to Zeil and spoke, “What’s your name son?...”
Zeil replied, “Zeil…”
The Stallion nodded, “Zeil eh… So… what do you remember?”
Zeil tried to think as he replied, “I… remember the mountain’s peak, and… um…”
Zeil felt uneasy about how to describe Angel as the old stallion could see his indecisive thought as he smiled, “So… you found out the truth about Angel didn’t you?”
Zeil gave the old stallion a surprised look, “Wh- what did you say?”
The Pegasus trotted to the window as he looked out into the snow, “You think you’re the only one to reach the summit and live? Angel has helped many of us reach that peak. Despite how many who die in the process.”
Zeil looked down in anger as he replied with a depressed tone, “Yea… I know.”
Hearing the discouraging tone, the old stallion looked back at Zeil as he spoke, “How many did you lose?”
Assuming the pegasus knew more than he was leading on, Zeil could only sigh as he replied, “Four…”
The pegasus nodded as he pulled out paper and a pencil, “I see… Their names?”
Thinking this was for identification reasons, Zeil continued, “Pike…an earth pony from Equestria, Everest… a large earth pony from around the Titan’s Citadel, Kiloman… a friendly earth pony from Zebrica, and Hotham… the leader of us from the outback.”
The Stallion jotted the info down, then nodded as he looked out the window as he replied, “Do you resent her for it?”
Zeil nodded, “Yea… they were good ponies… good friends. One was even in love with her… and still… she killed them.”
The pegasus nodded, “Is that so… and yet she spared you… Why is that ya think?”
Zeil sighed again as he shook his head, “I… I don’t know…”
The stallion replied, “Easy… It just wasn’t your time. Angel… or Angela as I knew her, only takes those who aren’t fated to survive. It’s her cures to bear, and… I can only feel sorrow for such a burden.”
Zeil replied, “I understand why she did it… but if she can see how they should die, then why doesn’t she save them? Why watch them die when she can just do what she can to save them before they die? She did it with Hotham, she pushed him out of the way of a falling boulder, but then she still killed him later.”
The older stallion nodded, “The pony she saved… did he seem fine after she saved him?”
Zeil thought to himself, “Actually… he didn’t. He seemed out of breath afterword.”
The old pony nodded, “Exactly… Death begets death… When fate decides it, your time has come, and no matter how you try, you can’t escape it. She saved his life, but what would have killed him afterword would have been altitude sickness, frost bite, or something much worse.”
Zeil was confused, “What?”
The stallion nodded, “It’s true… she saved him, but in the end, something else would have taken him… something worse. Let’s face it, she tries to save everypony she can, but in the end, if it’s their fate to die… then fate be done.”
Zeil could tell that he was trying to defend her, but his feelings couldn’t be convinced as he held his silence. Seeing his reaction the older stallion sighed as he replied, “Well… despite all that’s happened, the fact remains that you have survived, and after reaching the summit… congratulations.”
The older stallion trotted towards the door as he unlocked it and spoke one last time, “I know your still angry with her… but remember, you lost four friends… think about how many she has seen die. Friend, foe, complete stranger, no matter who they are, it can’t be an easy thing to witness... not as often as she has.”
Without waiting for a response, the old stallion left the room as Zeil could only sit in the bed thinking about his words.
Hours later Zeil went down into the lounge of the large tavern, but with the day already over, there were almost no ponies there other than the tavern owner as he sat in a chair whittling with a small knife and a plank of wood. As the old stallion passed his time, Zeil approached him as he spoke, “I thought about what you said.”
The old pegasus blew away the wood shaving from his project as he replied, “Really… and?”
Zeil sighed, “I agree that what she does must be a terrible burden, but… that doesn’t mean I can forgive her for what she did. Fact is, we trusted her… we were all friends and she was one of us. How can you forgive a friend who turns on you?”
The old stallion nodded as he continues whittling on the plank, “So when your friends realized what was happening… did they turn on her? Or did they at least say they felt betrayed? Did they even spite her in any way?”
Zeil thought to himself, then he realized, none of them showed even the slightest hint of resentment towards Angel, even Kiloman who had all his memories back showed no anger towards her. Through the entire climb, he could feel the emotions of all his friend except for Angel, and at no time did any of them show anger or distrust. Not in him after revealing his changeling form, and not in her during the entire climb. As Zeil thought about this fact, the old stallion could see his answer as he smiled, “They didn’t… did they?”
Zeil nodded as he replied, “No… not even once.”
The stallion brushed off the last bit of dust from his project as he examined it closely and replied, “Then they knew their fate, and were grateful she tried to make it peaceful for them. So… if they wouldn’t hold a grudge… why should you?”
Seeing how he was in the wrong, Zeil sighed as he sat down and replied, “I guess you’re right. But… it still hurts. Losing my friends like that.”
The old stallion stood up from his chair as he trotted to a wall full of plaques and replied, “Then maybe this will make you feel better.”
The old pegasus found an empty nail in the wall as he hung the newly made plaque while Zeil looked at it in surprise, the plaque held his name along with all the names of the ponies in his party. Pike, Everest, Kiloman, and Hotham were skillfully carved into the plank with Zeil’s name at the bottom with a star next to it. Seeing this Zeil asked, “What is this?”
The Skilled pegasus smiled, “What’s it look like? It’s a plaque dictating your team in congratulations for reaching the summit. This wall holds all the names of those who challenge Angela’s Peak.”
Zeil looked at all the plaque on the wall and could see that each one had at least one or two names with a star on it as he asked, “Okay, so what’s the star mean?”
The pegasus continued, “The star shows the few who carried the memories of the rest to the peak and back.”
Zeil looked at the stallion, “You mean… the survivors?”
The old stallion nodded, “In a harsher sense… yes… though some without stars did make it to the peak, they were unable to return with their lives and so, as long as one in their group has returned, they all are remembered. Just as I… remember Angela.”
Zeil looked at the old pegasus in surprise, “You, knew Angela? The real Angela?”
He nodded, “Yes… she is my aunt. She taught me how to climb mountains even though many said she couldn’t. So… when she vanished on Angela’s Peak, I made it my goal to finish what she started. That’s why I named the mountain after her.”
That said, the old stallion pointed to a frame at the middle of the wall that showed a much younger version of himself standing on the summit with a framed photo of Angela in his hoof. As Zeil looked at the photograph, the old pegasus smiled, “She didn’t reveal herself to me… but every now and then I see her guiding some climber onto the mountain. Then I hear stories of those who… don’t make it back. Almost all were either in a deep pain, or were close to it, but thanks to her, their pain was cut short.”
Zeil looked back at the stallion, “And they agree with what she did?”
The stallion shook his head, “Not all of them, some spite her for it, some try to fight back when they realize what’s about to happen. I even hear some have even tried turning on her and attacking her with their tools. But every time I hear the stories, there are always tears in her eyes. Angela… was never a bad pony, she never had even the urge to hurt anypony let alone kill them for no reason. So… if she is truly doing these things… then she would only do it to prevent something worse.”
Zeil asked, “How are you so sure?”
The stallion smiled, “Because, if I was fated to freeze to death on some god forsaken mountain… then I would want somepony to put me out of my misery too.”
Zeil thought about his statement but didn’t reply as the old stallion yawned before looking at a nearby clock, “Well, I think I’m going to call it a night. Since you made it to the summit, you’ve earned yourself another free night and a few extra meals here on us. Just be sure you don’t waste what Angela saved.”
Zeil nodded as he replied, “I intend to leave tomorrow anyways, I have a long journey to make.”
The stallion nodded, “Then if I don’t see you, safe travels.”
As the stallion trotted passed, Zeil stopped him, “By the way?... how did you find me anyways? Was I laying in the snow or something?”
The stallion smiled, “When a snow storm blows through, there is no telling what it may leave behind. I suppose you just blew onto our doorstep. No different than the rest. When you’ve seen the things I’ve seen around here, you’ll only give yourself a headache trying to explain what can’t be. So me… just let it go.”
With nothing more to say on the subject the old stallion trotted up out of the lobby and to his room to sleep.
The next day, just passed noon, Zeil was trotting out of the town and away from Angela’s peak as he made his way towards vast grasslands. When he reached the top of a hill, Zeil took one last look back towards the mountain as he started to think about all he had been through. His friend, the challenges they faced, the laughter they shared, then… the tragic loss. When he turned back to his path, an unmistakable aura appeared behind him as he sighed and spoke without turning around, “You have a lot of nerve showing yourself to me again.”
Zeil turned around to see Angel in her pegasus form standing between him and Angela’s Peak as she spoke, “I had to… despite everything… I still have to warn you.”
Guessing what the warning was about, Zeil shook his head as he trotted passed her, “If you’re worried I'll return, don’t bother, I won’t be coming back here… for me this is a one way trip.”
Angel replied, “You were right… when I touched you I could see two beings within you. You, the changeling… and something else.”
Zeil stopped trotting as he turned to her and replied, “So is that why you saved me?”
Angel shook her head, “No… I saved you for two reasons. One because it was Hotham’s last request and two, because you weren’t fated to die just yet.”
Zeil gave her a suspicious look, “Not fated… so you saw my future?”
Angel’s expression showed worry as she replied, “I did…”
Zeil was intrigued, “And?”
Angel shook her head as she gave him a serious look, “One with an important future must never know his fate. It could endanger it, him, or others.”
Zeil sighed, “Then what are you here to warn me about? So fare you’ve only told me things I already know. I have a long trip to take and I can’t waste my time screwing arou-”
“Aside from demons and immortals, I can see the future of others simply by looking at them. But you… when I looked at you, I could only see the future of the one who had the most control, and since it was immortal, I saw nothing.”
Zeil was confused, “Wait… the one who had the most control? What does that mean?”
Angel sighed in irritation, “It means, watch your other self… he has a stronger hold on you then you think.”
With that, Angel turned around and started trotting back towards the mountain, as Zeil stood thinking about her warning, but before she was too far away she stopped as she spoke, “For the record… despite how it all ended…I enjoyed this group amongst all the others.” She smiled, “Pike’s southern personality, Everest’s teddy bear like kindness. Kiloman’s friendly disposition, and… even your sense of determination. And Hotham… I truly loved him… His sense of adventure and discovery with no concern for personal credit. Not to mention his willingness to meet and trust others without any judgment what-so-ever. I loved him for that… and I would have gladly saved him and stayed with him if I could. But… it just wasn’t meant to be. Zeil… You have a mare who loves you deeply back home, and should you return to her… you may get your happily ever after. Just… don’t forget about your friends, don’t forget their faces, their hopes and their dreams. Because… in you, they still exist.”
And with those as her parting words, the Angel of Angela’s peak, dissolved into snow as the wind carried her out of sight.