Seeking Blades eyes went wide as Shield Stabber revealed herself to be his mother. He shook his head as a disbelieving expression fell upon his snout, his tone confused as he spoke to her. “My... My mother? No, you can't be my mother... I was told by the owner and caretaker of the orphanage that I grew up in that my parents didn't want me. It was why I was dropped off on the orphanage's front porch...” he looked to her and sighed as he trotted around her in the strange dreamscape. “If you truly are my mother, tell me what happened to me a while back that caused me to make new friends.” his tail swished and flicked softly as he watched her.
Shield Stabber rolled her eyes at Seeking Blades question, her tone was calming and relaxing to him as she responded. “Simple and easy, you ended up going with a group of chaos hunters to chase down some chaos being that was causing trouble. As your crew caught up to the chaos being, it caused your starship to crash down onto a mining planet during a bad dust storm... You then lost consciousness and woke up later on inside of the recreational room. Where you shortly met Duk, Ace Pilot, Clutter Step and Meadow Step.” She gave him a wide and pleased smile as she let out a hearty laugh. “Does that answer your question, Seeking Blade?” Shield Stabber asked as she turned along with her colt, who nodded to her. His eyes had begun to sting as they filled with tears that soon rolled down his cheeks, his lower lip trembled as he galloped up to his mother. He pressed his neck against her own as he shivered and began to sob like a child. His throat had began to dry as he sobbed and spoke to her.
“H-How do you know about... Duk and the others? Tell me that, and I-” Shield Stabber wrapped her right fore leg around Seeking Blades neck gently, her body fully pressed up against his as she held him as close as she possibly could to comfort him.
“I know because... I am the one that saved you from your crashed starship, I am the one that carried your unconscious body all of the way to the recreational room. Where I left you to find your own way and to make a few new friends... I couldn't just leave my own colt to die in that starship, I saved you because you are my child, and a parent must always watch out for their children.”
The tough stallion buried his eyes into his mothers neck, his sobbing grew louder in the strange dreamscape as he sniffed. He felt his eyes soon stop filling up with tears, but that didn't stop him from continuing to cry until he couldn't any longer. He opened up his mouth to speak as Shield Stabber took her right fore leg from around her colts neck, knowing full well that he was going to step back. She allowed him to move backwards, and he looked into her eyes through his red and dry blue eyes. His mouth opened as he spoke to her in a cracked and exhausted voice. “I... mom, is that really you? I'm not just being toyed with by that damned Bleeding Heart?” He looked to his mother who had a assuring smile come over her snout, she closed her eyes and said in response.
“Do not worry, I can understand your hesitation about being messed with by that bastard... How about I show you something to prove that you are my colt?” The mare soon closed her eyes and focused as the dreamscape began to blur as it vanished. Seeking Blade and Shield Stabber felt like they had been in darkness for several minutes before there was a influx of soft light and a relaxing heat washed over their bodies. The two found themselves standing inside of a big living room where they could see snow falling in the darkness outside. A big decorated pine tree rested in the far corner of the room, underneath it were a couple of big, gift wrapped boxes along with a few smaller gift wrapped boxes. The stallion and the mare looked to one another as they had heard the sounds of voices coming from down the hallway towards the living room.
Seeking Blade looked to Shield Stabber as he spoke to her in a confused tone. “What is this place? I recognize your voice, but, who is with you?”
She let out a soft sigh as she giggled, responding with a sweet tone to her voice. “That is your father, and this was once our home. We lived in a small hamlet near Shimmer Peak and Viljatown, a wonderful place that we helped settle and assisted in building. Sadly, it is gone now...”
Seeking Blade blinked a bit as he scratched the back of his head. “It's gone? What happened to it?” he asked in a concerned tone that caused Shield Stabber to idly move her right fore hoof along the wooden floor, scraping it a bit.
“It was destroyed shortly after your father and I died protecting you, about ten years after, to be precise...” Seeking Blades eyes went wide as he shook his head, he knew how it was destroyed. But the pieces didn't click until just now, his voice was filled with surprise as he spoke.
“Wait, I know how it was destroyed. I just remembered the article from when I was ten. That dragon-” he was about to talk some more, when she put her right hoof on his snout.
silencing him as she lowered her voice into a soft whisper as the other voices grew closer. “Seeking Blade, hush now... I do think that you should listen and see what happened all of those years ago.”
Seeking Blade gave a nod as she moved her hoof down from his snout, he turned his head and saw Shield Stabber trot into the living room along with a unicorn stallion beside her. He was six feet tall with red hair and blue eyes, much like Seeking Blades own. The stallion looked to be slender and dexterous, along with appearing to be quite adept at casting magic. On his back sat a foal that Seeking Blade recognized, it was himself. The unicorn and Shield Stabber soon had sat down on the couch that was in the room, using his magic to life the foal off of his back and set him in his wife's arms. He spoke to her with a kind tone in his voice as he smiled, his brand was that of a staff that was lit aflame. “So, Shield, how do you feel? It's Seeking Blades first Hearths warming with us, and he's only five months old...”
Shield Stabber gave a playful laugh as she smiled at Searing Staff, her tone was playful and strong as she spoke to him. “Searing, I am fine, really! If I were needing assistance, you know that I would ask you for help. And yes, I know, right? Who would have thought that we would end up together, and that we would have such a wonderful colt like him?” she then playfully rubbed the foals chin with her left fore hoof and cooed to him, causing Seeking Blade to giggle and laugh. The three of them sat cuddled up on the couch for a fair while before there was a sudden flash of lightning from outside. Searing Staff let go of Shield Stabber and stood up, his hooves hit the wooden floor as he looked to her. His voice was on the rough side as he spoke to her, and Seeking Blade saw his fathers expression change from one of happiness and joy, pure bliss, into one of unhappiness and fear. From inside of the house, through the window that his father had been looking at for the past few moments. Ever since the lightning flashed, he had forever had the image burned inside of his mind. Searing Staff then spoke to Shield Stabber.
“Shield, quickly. Go get a sweater and wrap it around Seeking Blade, we have to move. There is something outside and it's trying to get us...” Shield Stabber shook her head as she hopped the foal over her shoulder and onto her back as she got up, she wore a expression of fear now, and she wasn't sure what was going to happen.
“What? How did it find us? I thought that we destroyed them and managed to keep this hamlet safe?” Searing Staff gave a nod in response.
“I know... I thought that too when I saw it just now. But, it found a way to come back... C'thulhu has sent one of his Star Children after us.” Searing Staff said with a grave tone in his voice.
Seeking Blade looked to Shield Stabber, his eyes were wide with terror and fear. Something that he hadn't felt for a good while. His voice had a soft and nervous tone to it as he spoke to her. “And, this is when you and father?” She nodded to him, her eyes lowered to the wood flooring as tears began to stream down her face. She had a strong and preserved tone to her voice as she responded to him. “Yes, this is when we were attacked by a Star Child. This was the very night that I lost your father, and shortly after I dropped you off at the orphanage... You lost me.” as she said those very words, Seeking Blades attention snapped back to the wall as there was a bashing sound coming from the other side.
Searing Staff let out a loud and protective shout as he spoke to Shield Stabber. “Get Seeking Blade out of here... Hurry!” his horn had begun to glow a bright red as the wall was battered and broken down. Lumbering through, a large and bulbous shape appeared before the stallion. Shield Stabber had turned and with their foal close, galloped out the door. Searing Staff stared down the large creature, his eyes took in its grotesque and sickened green skin, its large head and imposing wings... from its head curled several long tendrils and tentacles that had dripped a greenish liquid that Seeking Blade could only guess was saliva. It let out a loud and unfathomable roar of some sort as it lunged at Searing Staff. The unicorn stallion used his magic to summon his staff, it glowed with a bright white light that caused the creature to miss, blinding it temporarily. Searing Staff had taken this chance to slam his staff onto the floor and bathing his staff in a bright red flame that had a purple tinge to it. “Alright... let's dance... You tall and ugly chaos spawn!”
As the unicorn stallion and the star child lunged at one another one last time, Shield Stabber took herself and Seeking Blade out of the house and transitioned to a empty and snow covered street. Shield Stabber watched herself as she galloped with Seeking Blade on her back. She had been galloping to a place that Seeking Blade had found was a chaos hunter hideout when he was growing up in the orphanage. And he had found out that it had been destroyed when he was ten. As Shield Stabber hurried towards the edge of the hamlet and the road that led out of it. Sadly, she was not able to make it. At that moment, another star child had landed in front of the two and she skidded to a stop. Shield Stabber began to back up, carefully she dodged the blows from the star child as it took swings at her, she was going to protect her foal at all costs.
Meanwhile, back at Port Mareheart, Serene Morning and the foals held one another tightly. They couldn't believe what had happened, they refused to believe that Seeking Blade had been taken away from them and possibly died in the waters current. As the three ponies sobbed, Barnaby gently approached them and rested a hand on top of their heads. He spoke to them in a reassuring, but slow tone in his voice. He was worried about his friend, as well, but he had to keep his friends family strong. “No cry, Seeking Blade be fine... He not weak pony or easy to defeat.” The mare pegasus and the colt pegasus blinked as they looked up to Barnaby, as did the earth pony filly they dried their faces with soft sniffles as the tall and blue troll spoke once more. “We get him back... but first, we help out innocent and defenseless ponies here..” Serene Morning nodded a bit as she took a look around, the fires had been put out and the homes and buildings were damaged and in need of repairs. The pegasus mare exhaled as she steadied her nerves, she pushed her worries to the back of her mind and looked to her foals.
Her voice changed from the tone of sorrow and fear that she had about her husbands fate, and put on a reassuring and calm tone as she spoke. “Yes... Barnaby is right. Sun Spot, Night Eye, I want you to go down to the docks and assist the guard and the dock workers with bringing the wood for the building repairs up here. I'll assist Barnaby with handing out blankets and water to the ponies that need it.”
Sun Spot and Night Eye both gave a nod, they turned and trotted off to the docks to assist the workers. Serene Morning and Barnaby had gone to a nearby cart that was manned by a Unicorn stallion who had several fresh blankets on his cart, along with three twenty-four packs of bottled water. The stallion looked up to Barnaby and Serene Morning, a worried expression came over his face as he spoke to them with a worried tone. “Oh, great, more volunteers! We really can use your help right now, everypony has damage to their homes and businesses, and there have been more then a few injuries and homes that were destroyed... Here, hand out the blankets and water bottles to everypony that you can. It was a bad day so far, though the good news is that the deaths were far and few between... even though it will be a long time before those who lost their loved ones will be able to rest easy and peacefully.” his horn glowed softly as he levitated a couple of blankets and bottles of water into Barnaby's hands and onto Serene Mornings back. The troll and the Pegasus mare both gave a nod as they walked off, they both had set out to do some good, if not a little bit of good, in Port Mareheart. The Port needed them now more then ever.
As the hours passed, the day had reached to its warmest point as the time soon became two in the afternoon. A metal, Grey ship of some sort flew through the air as its thrusters expelled bright blue flames. Inside of the cockpit sat a Pegasus stallion in the co-pilots seat. His brown hair and wings rested against his body, his wings were white from the tips down a few inches. His head was green and he had a yellow snout along with green eyes. His white mane was styled to the side of his head and rested against his ears, his white tail rested underneath his flank as he sat and looked out the cockpit window. His Brand was a loaf of bread. The stallion that was piloting the starship took the ship down and landed on a landing pad near the docks. As soon as the pilot landed the starship, the brown haired stallion in the co-pilots seat had began to jump and became jittery with joy as he got up from his seat and made his way to the cargo bay. The cargo bay door opened up with a loud hissing of parts and steam that had not been used for the entirety of the trip after he had been picked up, alongside his package that he had to deliver to Seeking Blade. The stallion turned to the side and gripped a big, black box that was made of some sort of metal in his snout and began to drag it out. It took the Pegasus stallion a couple of minutes of hard tugging, before he had finally managed to get the metal black box out of the starship. He took out a handkerchief with his front right hoof and wiped the sweat away from his forehead and gave a wave to the pilot. The cargo bay door shut with a loud hiss and the pilot trotted out of the side entryway and went off to do his own thing.
Sun Spot and Night Eye had been resting as they watched the starship as it landed and watched the Pegasus stallion disembark with the big black box. They looked at one another and got up from where they were sitting, trotting up to him as they looked at the box for a moment. And then they looked at him, Sun Spots voice was full of curiosity as he spoke. “Hey, mister, what's inside of that big black box that you have?”
The Pegasus stallion blinked as he looked to one of the two foals that had spoken to him, his eyes went wide as he gasped and let out a loud quack as he hugged them both at once. His voice was full of excitement and joy as he spoke to them. “Oh my gosh, new FRIENDS! Oh I am SO excited!” The two foals blinked and looked to one another with confused expressions on their faces.
Night Eye grunted as she squirmed a bit in the stallions hug, her voice took on a tone of awkwardness as she spoke. “Um... Who are you? The colt right there is Sun Spot, and I'm Night Eye... We are helping out around here as best we can, so that we can go find our-” as she soon became cut off by the Pegasus.
His tone changed to one of happiness as he let go of them and gave a playful smile. “Oh! Oh oh oh! You're Seeking Blades foals?! Where is Seeking Blade? I have this thing for him to pick up from me. And my name is Duk!” he then trotted around the area a bit, calling out loudly for Seeking Blade who hadn't shown up to where he was at. After a moment of calling out and finding no response from his friend, Duk stopped and looked to the two foals. It was only then that he noticed that tears had begun to well up in their eyes. He tilted his head a bit as he spoke once more. “Hey, where is Seeking Blade? He sent me a message to meet him here...” Sun Spot and Night Eye shivered a bit as they looked to Duk through their tearing eyes.
Night Eye was the one to speak up first, this time. Her voice trembled a bit. “O-Our daddy was swallowed up by the ground... there was a fight here in the Port, and a big and scary stallion threw him into a fissure that sealed up...” Sun Spot shivered as he sobbed a bit, he held his sister as tightly as he could in his front hooves.
“It's okay, sis... remember what uncle Barnaby said... we'll go find him soon, and we will see that he is safe and okay.” Duk tilted his head as he listened, he trotted up to them and embraced them both in a reassuring hug. A radiant and calming smile came over his face as he laughed and spoke. The two foals could tell how naive and oblivious that he was.
“Seeking Blade is alright! He's probably out and about being a robotist!” Duk gave a brief glare at the air, before he relaxed and continued to hug the two foals until they had stopped crying.
Sun Spot and Night Eye blinked as they calmed down after a bit, having been let go from the embrace as Duk blinked a bit, as well. The three of them were soon interrupted by Serene Morning and Barnaby as they stood at the top of the stairs that led to the streets. The Pegasus mare and the Troll blinked as they walked down and looked to Duk calmly. Barnaby, however, let out a laugh of happiness and excitement as he picked the stallion up in his right hand carefully. His voice was full of excitement as he spoke. “Son! Er... Daughter? Barnaby tend to not know which his adopted child is...”
Duk let out another happy quack as he spoke back to his adopted father. “I'm a boy, Dad! Quack quack quack!” Barnaby let out a mighty laugh.
Serene Morning blinked in confusion, her right eye ridge up in a confused expression as she spoke in a unsure tone. “Um... who are-”
“Momma, this is Duk. He's one of daddy's friends from the last mission that he told us the story about!” Night Eye said, cutting off Serene Morning as she spoke. Duk was soon set back on the ground, the Pegasus mare found herself in a tight hug from the Pegasus stallion, the air escaped her lungs as she tried to breath. She was let out of the hug after a few moments, causing her to gasp and to breathe deeply. Duk just laughed a bit as he gave a kind smile.
“You must be Serene Morning! Seeking Blade told me SO much about you! I'm making so many new friends today!” Duk said to the mare in a excited tone.
Serene Morning blinked as she nodded and looked to the foals, then to Barnaby and Duk. “Well, I suppose it is time for us to head out and find Seeking Blade.” Duk nodded as he looked to her, his head tilted as he spoke to her in response.
“Where did Seeking Blade wander off to? I brought the thing that he asked me to, and he hasn't came to pick it up yet...” Barnaby rolled his eyes as he picked up the big, black box and began to carry it off towards the watch barracks. His right hand went up into the air as he spoke in a relaxed tone.
“Go find Seeking Blade, Barnaby will take care of this.” He left the three Pegasi and the Earth Pony on their own. Serene Morning lead the way out of Port Mareheart as they began to gallop and fly on their way to find their family and friend.
Their journey had taken them until the early evening, the group of ponies had been traveling across the plains when they came across a cave entrance. The caves mouth was glowing a soft blue light from someplace within the inside, while the cave should have been pitch black on the inside. The Pegasi had landed in front of the cave entrance as Night Eye stopped alongside them, she looked to the glowing cave and blinked a little bit. The filly could feel a familiar pull coming from it, she looked to her brother, her mother and Duk. She exhaled and spoke in a sure tone to them. “I can feel a familiar pull coming from this cave, I think that it might be daddy calling out for me.” Serene Morning looked to Night Eye and then to the cave, her wings rested against her back as she began to trot inside.
Her voice was calm as she spoke in response. “Yeah, I can feel it too... Let's go and find your father.” Duk, Sun Spot and Night Eye nodded in agreement as they entered the cave and trotted carefully through the insides. As they trotted through the cave, they traveled for what felt like hours and their legs began to ache from all of the trotting. While it felt to them that they were traveling for hours, they had really been traveling for about two hours. They had to traverse many turns, dips, inclines and twists only to find themselves squeezing through two walls of rock as they stumbled into a large chamber that had water near the back wall. As the four of them looked around the chamber, they noticed the Ghostpony mare who was laying next to Seeking Blades unconscious body.
Night Eye, Sun Spot, Serene Morning and Duk all let out a surprised shout as they galloped towards the two. They had made their way over to Seeking Blades body, Serene Morning looked to the Ghostpony mare and bared her teeth to her, scowling as she spoke to her in a protective tone as she knelt down and held Seeking Blade in her front hooves. “Who are you and what did you do to my husband?! I swear to Luminance, if you hurt him...” The Ghostpony shook her head as she looked to the Pegasus mare, a relaxed expression came over her face as she spoke to her in a assuring tone.
“Ah, Serene Morning... It is a pleasure to finally meet you. No, I did not hurt Seeking Blade in any shape or form. I saved his life when he passed out in the current, If I hadn't, then he would not have been alive, at all.”
Serene Morning blinked as her eyes went wide, her voice was filled with surprise as she stuttered out a bit. “H-How do you know my name? Who are you?” Shield Stabber gave a soft chuckle as she looked from Serene Morning, to the two foals and then to Duk. Her voice was relaxed as she spoke to them and gave a gentle tap with her right hoof to Serene Mornings nose, only her hoof went through as if nothing was there.
“My name is Shield Stabber, and I am Seeking Blades mother. Your mother in law, and the foals grandmother. Thank you for showing him that there is more to life then fighting, for showing him kindness.” Shield Stabber then looked to Duk and grinned. “And Duk, I must thank you, Meadowstep, Clutterstep and Ace Pilot for opening his eyes to friendship that isn't family based... Where are the others, anyways?”
Duk laughed a bit as he shook his head, his voice was just as oblivious and naive as ever as he spoke in a joyful tone. “Oh, it's not a problem, Shield Stabber! I just LOVE to make new friends!” he blinked a little and looked around somewhat. “The others had something to do on another planet and couldn't make it. Barnaby, my adopted father, is back at Port Mareheart and taking care of something. But yay! New friends! Hello friend! Quack quack quack quack!” he quacked a little bit, replicating the sounds of a duck as best that he could.
Sun Spot shivered a bit as he looked to Shield Stabber, his voice was worried as he spoke to her. “Is our daddy going to be okay? Why isn't he waking up?”
Shield Stabber gently made a rubbing motion along Sun Spots back, her voice was reassuring as she spoke to the colt. “Your father is alright, Sun Spot. He will be awake soon, but first he has to save somepony... Somepony that is close to he, I, your sister and your mother. Somepony that you and your family have not met.” She closed her eyes as she focused hard, the air shivered and shook for a brief moment, when they could all see Seeking Blade inside of a strange looking field that had strange looking flowers inhabiting it. Shield Stabber closed her eyes as she kept the visuals on her and Seeking Blade inside of the field, soon she appeared in front of him and gave him a kind smile. Duk took this opportunity and tried to hug Shield Stabber, only to end up falling through her corporeal body as he hit the ground with a thud! He shivered as he got up and trotted back to where he jumped from, sitting down as he grumbled to himself.
Back in the dream world, Seeking Blade and his mother looked at one another for a few moments. It was comforting to be near her, and he wasn't going to let her be parted from him ever again. Shield Stabber pressed her right front hoof against Seeking Blades forehead, her voice was nurturing as she spoke to him. “Seeking Blade, my son... You have a great power inside of you, one that is just swelling up in your blood and genes. You are the son of a amazing chaos hunter, and I think that it is time that you saved your father.”
Seeking Blade blinked as he shook his head, he looked to Shield Stabber in a state of confusion. “What? How am I supposed to save my father?” he asked in confusion, he rubbed the back of his head nervously as he spoke once more. “I... I don't really know how I can save him.”
Shield Stabber gave a soft giggle, then a playful laugh as she brought her hoof back down to the grass. Her head cocked to the side a bit as she stretched out, her mane rested against her neck as she began to speak in a reassuring tone. “Well, your fathers spirit is currently being controlled by Cthulhu... You can save him with the power that you have, your power is latent, sure. But there is one other thing that your power can do...”
Seeking Blade tilted his head as he spoke in a nervous tone. “Oh? What might this other thing be? I mean, whatever it is, It is probably going to come out like the big bang.”
Shield Stabber gave a nod as she laughed softly. “Exactly, your power is latent and once it is unleashed... it is going to cause such a explosive blast of magic that will bring your father and I back to life.” Seeking Blade stared at his mother, he was unsure if she was crazy or not, but a part of him had the feeling that this would work. He gave a nervous smile that Shield Stabber knew was from his unicorn magic that had begun to well up inside of him. She gave him a assuring hug as she pressed up against him. “It is okay, Seeking Blade. Just relax and take a deep breath and don't hold back. I can assure you that you will be safe and sound, but you have to get in close to your father and you have to unleash it all at once. Not a little bit, not a small bit, not even a tiny bit... you have to unleash it all and it should free him, but it should also bring your father and I back to life. Back to flesh and blood, where we can be with you again and your family.” She said to him in a assuring tone, she backed up a bit and kissed him on the forehead in a motherly way. Seeking Blade gave a nod as his expression took on a more confident look.
Seeking Blade was about to say something, however, the dream world soon began to change. The sky had turned to a black, starless sky as the ground soon began to disintegrate. Shield Stabber spoke one last time to her colt before she was ejected from the dream world. “Seeking Blade, remember that you possess great power. Save your father and we will all be together again!” her form ended up vanishing into nothingness as she woke up in the cave. Shield Stabber looked from Serene Morning and Seeking Blade's two foals and then to Duk. “This is going to be interesting.” she said to them as they turned their attention to the viewing window that she had conjured up earlier.
Seeking Blade stood in the vast and dark emptiness of the void, his tail flicked as he fixed his mane nervously. A short distance away from him, there was a dark bolt of lightning that cracked loudly in the air. When the crack of lightning faded, there was the sudden sounds of hooves galloping that sounded like they were coming towards him. Seeking Blade knew who it was as he took a defensive stance and held his ground. As the galloping hooves reached him, they slowed to a halt a couple of feet from him. Seeking Blade stood face to face with Searing Staff, his father. They stared at one another and Seeking Blade saw that his fathers eyes swirled with a greenish mist that seemed to fill his vision. Searing Staff grunted as he spoke to his son in a indifferent manner and tone, though he had no control over his body, he was still conscious and was able to speak. “Seeking Blade... Please, help me. Free me from its control!” Two staves appeared in front of them as they took them in their snouts.
Seeking Blade gave a nod as he stepped back a bit, the two raised the ends of their weapons to one another as he responded in a calm and protective manner and tone. “Don't worry, father... I will save you, I will bring you and mom back to life. And we'll stop this invasion together.”
Seeking Blade and Searing Staff then took to combat, the two stallions faced off against one another in a graceful flurry of staff strikes and bodily blows. The two slammed up against one another, their chests looked like they were melding into one as the others outside of the dream world watched. Seeking Blade grunted as he stepped back and stopped a blow from his father, he was feeling his power begin to well more and more by the moment. He couldn't stop fighting, though. Seeking Blade knew that if he stopped fighting that he would miss his opportunity to free his father, and to bring the two parents that he never had, back to life. He charged at his father, letting out a yell as he bashed his staff against Searing Staffs own, his eyes grew wide as the magic build up continued. Seeking Blade knew that the time was coming, and as he broke the end of his fathers staff, he said in a loud and proud voice. “Father! No matter what happens, no matter how much pain I have to endure... I will never allow those that oppose all that is right and justice to harm you, mother, my family or my friends! The one thing that I have learned throughout my travels... Is that no matter the distance, no matter how much life hurts and no matter how broken the bonds may be...” Seeking Blade attempted to disarm his father with one end of his staff, only to be bashed across the side of his face by the unbroken side of his fathers staff. The pain hurt, but it caused his magic to surge even more. He knew that the time had come as he tossed his staff to the ground, leaping into his fathers next attack as he brought the staff towards his face in a attempt to hit him once more. Only this time, Seeking Blade knew what to do. He grabbed the unbroken part of the staff and gave a firm pull, yanking it out from his fathers snout as he tossed it upwards in a arc behind him. His ears went up as he listened to the weapon fall to the ground with a satisfying thunk. Seeking Blade felt the magic reach its peak as he tackled Searing Staff to the ground, all four of his legs wrapped tightly around him as he felt tears well up in the corners of his eyes as he spoke once more. “Even though the bonds may be broken... family will always be with you, and never forgotten. Even if you did not know it.”
Seeking Blade let out a loud and painful yell as the ground inside of the chamber shook and rattled. The sounds of the water was able to be heard as it lapped up and splashed onto the smooth floor. The dream world had began to phase apart as it crumbled. He held the tears back as best he could as his fathers eyes became less cloudy and less misty. More and more by the moment, he had seen his fathers spirit and soul be yanked from the dreaded sleeper itself as he snapped out of it. Seeking Blade got up and helped Searing Staff up onto his hooves despite the pain that he was feeling at the moment. As the dream world phased apart, a bright and blinding light filled the strange floating window. Serene Morning, Sun Spot, Night Eye and Duk had to shield their eyes with their front hooves. In front of them where the window was, formed two ponies. One, a mare who had no tail and a muscular physique, and the other, a stallion who was slender and a decent height. The window had all but vanished, and as the light itself vanished, Serene Morning felt movement in her front leg that was holding Seeking Blade up against her chest.
There was a startle and a gasp as Seeking Blade snapped awake, he still felt the pain of the powerful unicorn magic that had surged through him. His chest was hurting immensely from the release as he breathed heavily. His eyes adjusted to the light inside of the chamber as he took a moment to take in his surroundings. By this time, Serene Morning and the others had brought their hooves from over their eyes as the two ponies looked around a bit. They too had to adjust their eyes to the interior of the chamber. Serene felt Seeking breathe and then, she heard him cough. Only to hear him grunt from the pain. Her eyes, the foals eyes and Duk's eyes went wide as they all called out in surprise. Duk hugged him tightly, along with Serene and their two foals. They all laughed, as did he as they held him close for a good while. He was able to get them to stop after a few moments, once his eyes fully adjusted to the lighting in the chamber. He saw that his armor and weapons were indeed gone, probably carried off by the current to what would have been his doom, if his mother hadn't saved him. He looked to his parents as they stood a few inches from him and his family and friend, he had them within his reach. At long last, he had his parents with him once again, and this time, he wasn't going to let them leave his side.
Seeking Blade stepped up to his parents as he finally allowed the tears to fall, he began to sob as he held Shield Stabber and Searing Staff fully against his body. He didn't speak, only sobbed. His sobbing was that of relief and joy, happiness and even exhaustion as he nearly collapsed. Shield Stabber, watched as her and Searing Staff's colt was about to collapse, and caught him with her back. After a little bit of help from her stallion, Shield Stabber and Searing Staff looked from Duk, to their two grandcolts, and then to Serene Morning, their daughter in-law. Seeking Blade had finished sobbing, and despite having been unconscious and in the dream world, he was exhausted. The Earth-Pony mare and the Unicorn Stallion regarded them with kind smiles, they were tired, too, much like Seeking Blade was. The tough looking mare gave a soft laugh as she spoke. “It is a pleasure to finally be here with all of you, there is much to discuss, but here is not the time or the place to discuss it. We should head someplace safe, so that we can rest up for the night. We will be able to answer all of your questions after we wake up.”
Serene Morning gave a nod as she, the foals and Duk got up and onto their hooves. She looked to the side of the chamber where they entered from. “Indeed, we might have to go the other way... I don't think that you can fit through there with Seeking Blade on your back... plus, we're a while away from Port Mareheart... I think that the closest town is out of the other exit.” she said to them and looked to the opposite exit from the chamber. With that, Shield Stabber and Searing Staff both gave a nod and turned to the opposite exit and began to trot alongside Serene Morning, the foals, and Duk. They made their way out of the cave and out into the darkness.
It had been a few hours since they had entered the chamber, and off in the distance the group of travelers saw lights. It was a chilly night, and they knew that they needed to reach the lights and get some rest. The group began to trot, only to begin galloping as fast as their tired hooves could carry them. It took them a hour to reach the place that they had seen the lights at, a sign out front of the city wall was able to be seen. Cerulean Tides was written on it. As they came to the gate, a Unicorn stallion was on watch in the guard booth, he used his magic to bring out a flashlight and examined them. They had explained that they were travelers and were delayed by something, though they didn't specify what. Which made them late to arrive. The guard gave a nod as he opened the gate for them and allowed them to pass. Once they entered, they found a inn quickly and Duk managed to talk the inn-keeper into letting them have the biggest and best room for a ridiculously low price. They reached the room and entered, the door closed behind them as they quickly made their way to the beds and helped the unconscious Seeking Blade onto one. Serene Morning gave a kind smile as she covered her stallion up and laid down next to him. They all were exhausted, and they all needed their rest.
The foals had decided to sleep in their own bed, as did Shield Stabber and Searing Staff and Duk. For this one night, they managed to wrench the darkness away and brought a glimmer of hope to the battle that would begin once they reached Viljatown.
Meanwhile, in Viljatown, Bleeding Heart had no idea that Seeking Blade had survived, or that he had been reunited with his family and friend. He sat there on his throne in the now necropolis. In his right hoof, he had a glass that was filled with what looked like wine as he looked to one of the commanders of his undead army. A rough tone was in his voice as he spoke. “Prepare the troops, we shall ride out in three days to begin our takeover of this planet... in the name of Shub-Nigguroth!” the commanders all nodded and turned, their tails and manes bounced as they trotted out of the castle and off to rally their troops. The final dawn was coming, and Bleeding Heart had no clue as to what sort of pain he and his troops were in for.