Radiant Star’s Bedchambers
Radiant blinked his eyes open, unsurprised by the view of his bedroom ceiling above him. What did come as a surprise was the pain he felt. His entire body felt exhausted, bruised, and battered.
Without thinking, he went to roll right out of bed. The unicorn collapsed when his right hoof gave out, the pain in his shoulder returned tenfold.
“Agh!” he yelled.
The two guards stationed outside burst into his room. “Lord‽” they shouted. One of them ran to him. “You’re injured. Get a doctor,” he said, his gaze moving from Radiant to the other guard.
The second one nodded before turning around.
“No, get Dayspring!” Radiant shouted at him.
“My Lord?” the first guard asked.
“Do what I say,” Radiant said through gritted teeth as he tried to stand in a vein attempt to regain some of his authority.
The second guard nodded in understanding and then took off out of the room. His objective the visiting prince from Canterlot.
Radiant quickly regretted his decision to stand up. The unicorn almost fell back to the ground again, the only thing that prevented that from occurring was the quick actions of the first guard who pressed against him, helping him to support his weight.
“Damn, this hurts,” Radiant absentmindedly said.
“Lord, what… what happened? We were standing guard all night. No one came in or out.”
“This isn’t your fault, soldier. Let’s just say that this was a long time coming. And well deserved.”
“Deserved?” he asked inquisitively.
Radiant chuckled a little. “Don’t worry about it.”
The guard looked as if he wanted to inquire more, but was interrupted by a flash of purple energy coming from the center of the room. The two looked at the new intruder. Dayspring Gleam looked a mess, his fur unkempt, and his mane matted to his face.
That was all expected. What wasn’t was the haunted look in his eyes. Radiant couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Dayspring with that look before, the last time he’d seen him scared.
“What happened‽” Dayspring demanded.
“I’ll explain everything, just… give me a hoof?” Radiant asked as he felt something loose in his mouth. Feeling around with the tip of his tongue he knocked out the loose tooth and spit it out. All three ponies watched the blood-stained moler land on the floor.
Dayspring looked from the tooth, to the guard, and finally to his friend. He sighed and closed his eyes. Powering up his horn he lifted Radiant off the ground with his magic.
Radiant felt immediate relief at the pressure being removed from his shoulder. “Thank you,” he said to Dayspring as his friend’s energy arranged several pillows on his bed before strategically lowering him down upon them.
“Lord, you should really see a doctor.”
Radiant turned his attention to the guard. “Yes, I will. But I’ll be fine for now. You’re dismissed.”
The guard sharply saluted before turning to leave. As soon as he was out the door Dayspring shut and locked them behind him. The light purple unicorn turned to his friend. “Now who the buck kicked your flank?”
“Firestar,” Radiant said with a smile.
“Come again?” Dayspring asked, completely flabbergasted by his friend’s answer.
“What can I say?” Radiant smile never left his face. He had the same grin on his muzzle that a teenage colt might when describing his first sexual conquest to his friend. “She’s watching me. And that pity party I’ve been throwing myself this last decade? She let me have it for that.”
Dayspring just stared at him, as if he expected Radiant to say ‘gotcha’ or something similar. As the seconds past it dawned on the unicorn that his friend wasn’t about to say anything like that. Finally he opened his mouth. “Do I… do I need to tell you how crazy that sounds?”
Radiant raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “As crazy as you being conceived from two mares? Or Twilight being a God, or your entire family possessing their magic? Or Rainbow breaking the moon? Or—”
“Okay, point taken,” Dayspring interrupted.
“You sure? I can go on, for like, a while.” Dayspring gave Radiant enough shit over their lives, Radiant learned over time to enjoy the moments he could hang the obvious over his friend’s head.
“And of all the ponies affected, I figured you were the last one I needed to remind about the cost of those events.”
Radiant shut his mouth. On a different day, under different circumstances, that would have been the start of a fight. One that would have seen at least one of them, if not both, put into the hospital.
Dayspring saw that he’d overstepped, he wasn’t the best at reading ponies, but even he could see that much on Radiant’s face. “Sorry, that was too far.”
“You’re damn right it was,” Radiant said.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that you’d forgotten the cost. I know you’d never.”
Pain lanced through Radiant’s frame as he adjusted a little too far to the right. He welcomed it, the pain served to pierce through his anger. “Some days I think you’re the smartest pony in Equestria, others I wonder if you might be the dumbest.”
“In the proper context those two things would not be mutually exclusive,” Dayspring said as he cracked a small smile.
Radiant saw it and chuckled a little. “I’ll take your word on it. And yes, I forgive you.”
“Thanks. Trust me, it’s not the first time I’ve put my hoof in my mouth, and I doubt it’ll be the last.”
“That, I believe.”
“So… she came back, just like Nightshade said she would?” Dayspring asked, trying to change the subject.
“You suck at small talk,” Radiant said, ribbing his friend just a little. “But yes. I’ll tell you everything, but first would you mind?”
Dayspring looked over as his friend gestured lightly with his head to his shoulder. “Radiant, I’m not a doctor.”
“I know that,” Radiant replied. “But you can take a look, tell me if I really need to.”
“You should probably go to one.”
“Why? So I can be poked and prodded? So they can wrap up my hoof in a bandage that’ll do nothing for me? Buck that. I’ll go if I absolutely need to go. Otherwise I can take care of it myself.”
Dayspring looked at him in disbelief. “Damn, where did that come from?”
Radiant laughed. “Told you, I got my flank kicked last night. It’s about time for me to end the pity party I’ve been throwing myself. That’s not who I am. And that’s definitely not the stallion she married.”
“Now, that’s the friend I’ve always known. Although we both know it’s not that easy to overcome the past,” Dayspring said as he powered his horn to examine Radiant’s injury once again. He was proud of his friend for admitting the issue, but Dayspring knew personally that Radiant was kidding himself if he thought it was that easy. Those demons were not that easy to get rid of.
In reply Radiant shrugged and said, “I was never one to back down from a challenge just because it’s hard. After all, that’s what she loved about me.”
Dayspring hadn’t lied, he was not a doctor and to make matters worse, his magical talents were definitely not in the medical fields. However one thing he definitely was, was a quick learner. The stallion had read countless books on the physiology of ponies and other species. That coupled with the scan he’d completed just last night put him in a unique position to assess every injury Radiant had.
The shocked look on Dayspring’s face alerted Radiant that something was wrong. “Damn, I’m going to have to go see a doctor anyway.”
“No, you’re not,” Dayspring said, unable to comprehend what his own scenes were telling him.
“No?”
“Radiant, you’re… you’re as healthy as a forty year-old.”
“What‽”
“Well, physically anyway. Your cells are more in the range of fifty-six, fifty-seven. But your fat-muscle ratio is about twenty percent what it was yesterday. Your heart is almost back to your prime, and your bone density has increased by thirty percent.”
Radiant looked down at his belly. I’ll be damned, he’s right. The fat that Firestar had given him hell about was gone, truly he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his belly that tone. Looking proved to be a mistake as the pain from his shoulder lanced again.
“What about this then?” Radiant asked.
“Your shoulder? Torn muscle. You just need some bandages and ice. I can take care of that now if you want?”
Radiant nodded his head. At that Dayspring went to work, he teleported the necessary items, lifted Radiant in his magic, and bandaged his shoulder. Once that was completed he wrapped a small ice pack on just the right spot, holding it in place with a few extra bandages.
“You know, for not being a doctor you sure have a talent for it,” Radiant said as he watched his friend work. From start to finish Radiant had the bandage professionally wrapped on him in ten seconds. “You might have missed your calling.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I like what I do.”
“Being Princess Luna’s trophy husband?” Radiant joked.
“It comes with a few perks,” Dayspring said back, his shit-eating grin more than giving the game away.
“I bet.”
“And besides, normally when I play doctor it’s a lot more fun,” Dayspring replied as he laid Radiant back on the pillows.
“Sorry to disappoint,” Radiant replied back with a look of faux hurt on his muzzle.
Dayspring ignored him. “There’s nothing I can do for your tooth. Night might be able to but I don’t have her… command.”
“Not the first I’ve lost,” Radiant said. “I doubt it’ll be the last.”
“Now, while you rest for a minute to let the swelling go down, what’s this about Firstar kicking your flank in your dreams and you somehow deserving it?”
“That’s right, you never really knew her. I forget that sometimes.”
“Sorry,” Dayspring said. “I was a little busy trying to keep Taz safe during those years.”
“Sure thing, Sunshine Spring.”
“Stop deflecting,” Dayspring replied.
Radiant stuck his tongue out at dayspring before continuing. “Firestar was… well… strong.”
“Physically?”
“No, no more than any other Captain of the Wonderbolts.”
“So very strong then.”
“Shut up,” Radiant said, chuckling. “No I mean there was no situation she couldn’t handle. Firestar wasn’t the type of pony to sit back and let others solve her problem. She’d always jump in, hooves first, no matter the situation.”
“She sounds like mother.”
“Rainbow? Yeah… those two were a lot a like. But Firstar had this sense of pragmatism to her. She was as wise as she was brave, if not a little reckless. You know, our first fight was over me not wanting her to fight the Titan? I, stupidly, tried to order her away from it.”
“Damn, that must have went bad,” Dayspring replied as he made himself comfortable. He couldn’t help but admire this situation. And not just the story, or the first hoof account of a mare he’d never truly known. It was Radiant that truly had his attention. The stallion spoke with a brand new life to him as he told his story. The act of remembering Firestar in a positive light, it was doing wonders for Radiant in ways he’d never know.
“You have no idea,” Radiant replied as he chuckled at the memory. It was something he could laugh about now, but at the time had been anything but funny. “She, rightfully, disobeyed orders and dumped my flank.”
“I would have too,” Dayspring commented.
“Please, you’d be lucky to have me,” Radiant replied back.
“Meh, I could do better.”
“Anyway, it was at the final fight with the Titan. We marshaled our forces and with help, a lot of help, defeated it. But… then it fell, it fell on her.”
“What? How did she...”
“I ran to her, I ran as fast as I could and reached her before it fell. It was amazing, but kinda dumb in retrospect. I mean yes we were together, but that just meant we were going to die together. However, when I finally had her back in my hooves I didn’t want to let go, ever. Not even in death.”
“How did you survive?”
“For the first time in my life, with everything on the line, I managed to cast Dad’s shield spell.”
Dayspring whistled, impressed. Radiant’s talents lay in offensive magic, the ability to create and control several magical blades that could cut through almost anything. Defensive magic should have been near impossible for him to pull off, never mind a spell that advanced, one powerful enough to protect him and Firestar from the weight of a Titan.
“What can I say, I had motivation.”
“Staying alive is great motivation,” Dayspring stated.
Radiant shook his head in disagreement. “No, it wasn’t about my survival. I didn’t care at that moment if I lived or died. I just wanted… I just wanted her to live. That’s what mattered to me. That was my motivation.”
“I stand corrected.”
“From there we’d gotten back together. She was… well… injured. The doctors said she’d be a cripple for the rest of her life, that she’d never make a full recovery.”
“I assume she got mom’s help on that one?”
“Hell no. Firestar wasn’t like that. Besides, at that time Twilight had lost her memories and Night hadn’t come into her own yet.”
“So she what? Willed herself better?”
“Don’t make me smack you,” Radiant said, glaring at Dayspring.
“Okay, okay, sorry.”
“She simply didn’t give up. They said one thing, she knew another. So she dedicated herself to, well, proving herself right and them wrong. It also might have helped that we’d agreed to marry when she could walk down the aisle without help.”
“She sounds like quite the mare.”
“One of a kind,” Radiant replied with a look of longing on his muzzle. “We’d married six months after the incident with the Titan. When I saw her walk down the aisle, Luna… I don’t think I’d ever been more in love with the sight before my eyes in my life.”
Dayspring just nodded.
“Mom performed the ceremony herself. It was… it was beautiful, Dayspring. Every moment of it. I wish you could have seen it.”
“Sorry, I was a bit too preoccupied being dead, and then the slave of the Grim Revenant.”
“And then ghosting on us for what, a decade?” Radiant asked. “I still can’t believe you didn’t come back, that you’d thought we’d hate you for what that thing did.”
Dayspring’s expression grew to one of hurt. Part of him had known this day was coming. The two were friends, yes. But their history was long and complex. When they’d gotten back together there was enough to look forward to that the past never came up, not in any meaningful way like this between them anyway. This walk down memory lane was a double-edged blade, and Radiant wasn’t the only one with skeletons in his closet.
However unlike Radiant, Dayspring had faced his demons already. He didn’t defeat them, no pony could ever claim that victory for long; rather, he’d learned to live with them. To accept his past for what it was, and to simply try and do better going forward.
“We’ve all tripped and fallen, Radiant. What matters is that we pick ourselves back up and keep going onwards.”
“You have a saying for everything, don’t you?”
“Am I wrong?”
“It’s not always about being right.”
“It helps.”
“Luna help you, Dayspring. You really are too smart for your own good.”
In reply Dayspring simply shrugged. He was who he was. Whether or not other ponies accepted that wasn’t his concern.
“Things went… well… bad around the Ataxia incident.”
Dayspring’s eyes grew wide at that. He knew about this incident all too well. Albeit his memories were from the other side of the battle. With the help of his memories, Grim Night had engineered these events to an almost surgical level of precision.
“The pregnancy took a turn. We were at risk of losing our colts. She risked her life to ensure they were born. She risked the entire empire in fact.”
“No, it wasn’t her. It was me, well, Grim Night that set those events in motion. He’s the one who you should blame.”
“Oh I do,” Radiant said, glaring at Dayspring as if he was going to attack him. But his expression quickly changed. “Kidding. I don’t blame you. I know it was that creature using you against us. But still.” There was a hurt look on his face, as if Radiant was hating himself for something.
“What?”
“It wasn’t… it wasn’t the right choice. It wasn’t the choice of a ruler, a prince. I should have… I should have ordered her moved, even if it did cost me my sons. A ruler puts the needs of his subjects first and foremost, no? We’d endangered everyone putting our own needs first.”
Dayspring stood up and walked to the bed, his expression one of anger. That made Radiant gulp.
“Prince Radiant Star, son of Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor, ruler of the Crystal Empire. You sir, you are truly an idiot.”
Radiant's only reply was a look of shock.
“Yes, you’re a ruler, and a good one at that. You care about your subjects and would lay down your life to defend them. But first and foremost, you’re a good pony, a good husband, and a good father. And if you failed in your duties there, how could any pony ever respect you as a leader?”
“Even if it put everyone in danger?”
“We’re judged not on how we handle the easy problems, but on how we handle the harder ones.”
Radiant grunted a little. “You… you might be right. I don’t know.”
“No one really does,” Dayspring replied as he sat down at the edge of his bed. “I think we all simply try to make the best decision we can at the time, the one we can hopefully live with. Then do it again, and again, and again until the day there are no more decisions to make.”
“Seventy years, and that’s the best summary of life that I’ve ever heard.”
“We are the sum of our choices,” Dayspring stated. “I can’t take full credit, I’d heard it, well, something similar, from Red.”
At the mention of that name, Radiant’s body tensed up, anger causing his brain to send adrenaline through his body.
Dayspring noticed that. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring him back up.”
“It’s fine, he’s dead, we won.”
“It’s never that simple, is it?”
“No,” Radiant admitted as he lowered his head to bed. Contrary to his statement earlier, Radiant started to cry again. “He took her from me, well, his bastard brother did, on his orders. He took her, and… mom.”
“In the cruelest way possible,” Dayspring said as he laid a hoof on Radiant’s.
Radiant didn’t pull away. “Mom… she blamed herself till the day she died.”
“You said she died saving you. I’d like to think she achieved the redemption that she sought.”
Radiant wiped the tears away. “Now who’s being an idiot.”
Dayspring looked away. “I’ve never known anything harder than forgiving yourself.”
“Same,” Radiant replied, looking at the bed.
The two sit in silence for a long time until a knock on the door gave them something else to pay attention too. “Enter,” said Radiant.
“My Lord, the guards informed me that you were attacked?”
“Fair Play,” Radiant said. “It’s not like that, I was injured though. I’m sorry, I should have sent someone to tell you. While I heal I won’t be able to take court. I trust you can handle anything that happens?”
“My Lord? Me? Are you sure?”
“I was, are you telling me that you can’t handle it?”
“No my Lord, I mean yes, I mean... I’m honored you’d put your trust in me.”
“Then see to it. I’ll return after my shoulder heals up. But of course if any crisis occur… major crisis occur, send me a message immediately.”
“Yes Lord,” Fair Play said, saluting. But before he turned away, he added. “On the note of crisis, I think there’s a, shall we say, small-major crisis brewing in the kitchen that you, or Prince Dayspring, might want to handle.”
“What sort of crisis?” Dayspring asked out of curiosity.
“A crisis of an... Adorkable Horror variety,” Fair Play said as he turned and left.
“Nightshade’s up,” Radiant said, smiling.
“You know there’s nothing stopping you from returning to duty now.”
“Yeah there is,” Radiant replied as he made to stand up. His shoulder already felt better, but it still hurt to put weight on it. As such he leaned on Dayspring, something his friend was more than happy to assist with. “Firestar has a task for me. It was the last thing she’d told me in my dream. And as you said, I have a duty as a husband.”
“A task?” Dayspring asked as the two made their way out of the room and to the kitchen.
“She said… I don’t really understand, but she said there were two of her. That she’s here, and there. And that’s how she’s crossing the barrier in my… our dreams.”
“And what are you supposed to do about it?” Dayspring asked.
“She wants me to find another version of her up here. She said it’s in the north.”
“And what will you do if you find her?” Dayspring asked the obvious.
Radiant stopped walking, he hadn’t even considered that. “I… I don’t know.”
“Would you destroy whatever doppelganger she might have up here? Could you even bring yourself to do it? Would you try and save it? What about the one responsible, if there even is one?”
“I don’t know, okay!” Radiant yelled. “I… maybe you should come with.”
“Me? Why me? Just get Twilight or Night to come with you. Hell even mother.”
“Come on, Dayspring. You know why it’s gotta be you. This is my wife we’re talking about. I have to go, I don’t want to repeat this conversation with anypony else, and there’s no pony alive I’d rather have by my side than you.”
They started walking again as Dayspring said, “They’d get it done quicker.”
“But you’re the one who already knows everything. You’re the one I trust. And, you’re bucking with me, aren’t you?”
Dayspring laughed. “Did you really think I’d let you go on this adventure without me? Of course I’ll go with you. Besides, if things go bad I can have mom here in seconds.”
Radiant shook his head. “I should’ve known earlier. Well, that still leaves us one issue to deal with.”
“What’s that?” Dayspring asked as they rounded the corner to the kitchen.
“That,” Radiant said with a smile as he pointed a hoof to the white bat-pony currently gorging herself on cookie dough on the kitchen counter.
Dayspring took in the scene before him. The kitchen was trashed. Empty pots and pans littered the floor, a few of which managed to find themselves in strange locations, such as the top of the refrigerators. Flour covered every surface and object, including the cause of this fiasco.
“Young lady!” Dayspring screamed. “You’re ruining your breakfast!”
The former mint-green pony looked over at her two uncles and started to quickly gobble down what was left of her meal, a freshly opened can of cookie dough.
Dayspring lit his horn and lifted the pony off the counter. He attempted to tear away the meal she was gorging herself on with a flick of his horn.
It came as a surprise when it took him three attempts. Nightshade’s hooves simply refused to let it go. When he finally succeeded, she shouted, “Hey, no fair!”
“No fair?” Dayspring asked. “You know full well that you can’t have cookie dough for breakfast.”
“They said I could have anything I wanted!” Nightshade said as she pointed a hoof at the two cooks who were even now trying to clean a section of the kitchen. “I wanted ice-cream and they said they didn’t have any. So I went looking for something myself!” The flour covered pony begin squirming in Dayspring’s magic, trying to get down.
“Nightshade, where you taking advantage of these poor ponies?” Radiant asked in a stern voice.
Nightshade stopped squirming. “No, I was just… but… they said.”
“And what, exactly, did they offer you?”
“We’d offered to cook her whatever breakfast she wanted,” the head cook said as he came forward.
“And is ice-cream a breakfast food?” Dayspring asked his young niece.
“Well… no.”
“Is cookie dough a breakfast food?”
“No,” Nightshade’s expression begin turing sheepish.
“Then what do you have to say for yourself?”
The mare started looking down at the ground, her expression one of regret as she said, “I’m sorry.”
“And what are you sorry for?” Dayspring asked.
“I’m sorry I took advantage of you. And ate your cookie dough, and made a mess of your kitchen.”
“Atta-girl,” Dayspring said as he lowered her to the ground released his magical hold on her. The cookie dough he floated to the trash can.
“You are forgiven, young princess,” the head cook said as he bowed his head to the little white mare.
“Thank you,” Nightshade replied right before Radiant used his magic to start lifting the flour from her fur.
It took the prince several minutes to get her clean. In that time Dayspring helped the cooks clean the rest of the kitchen.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” Dayspring said to Radiant once he finished.
“We’ll I’ll admit to being out of practice, but it’s no worse than some of the messes my boys used to make.”
“Oh, Flash and Blaze used to make messes?” Nightshade asked, her interest suddenly peaked at the possibility of stories of her cousins.
Radiant laughed. “The worst. Some days the simple act of walking down a hallway was the equivalent of navigating a minefield. I remember one time they dyed my hair pink, just like my mother’s.”
“That sounds mean!”
“Well, a little bit,” Radiant had to admit.
“It was a prank, Nightshade,” Dayspring said.
“Prank?” Nightshade asked.
“A harmless joke at the expense of others, not to be confused with bullying, which is having fun at the expense of others,” Radiant said.
“Those sounds like the same thing,” Nightshade replied.
Radiant opened his mouth to reply, and then shut it again. He looked over at Dayspring who simply nodded for him to continue. “Umm… okay, they kinda do, but they’re not. They’re… How do you not know what a prank is?”
“Gotcha,” Nightshade replied with a big grin on her face.
Dayspring broke out into laughter. “You fell for it! What did you think she didn’t? With Rainbow Dash as her grandmother? Really?”
“Oh, go buck yourself,” Radiant replied.
“That’s a bad word!” Nightshade exclaimed as she took flight and landed on the counter next to him.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t use such words.” Radiant replied.
“Curses and swears leave sore derrieres,” Nightshade replied in a sing-song voice.
“And when have you ever had a sore derriere?” Radiant asked in disbelief.
“Well… umm… that time I fell on my flank from ten feet up!”
“Oh, that sounds like a story.”
Nightshade perked up at that. “Yeah, I was flying with grandma, and she was teaching me these moves where you fly upside down and catch the updraft going zoom! Then then wham in a downward spiral. But then when I tried it I, umm… missed.”
“And Rainbow didn’t catch you?”
“She was laughing at me,” Nightshade said with a pout.
Dayspring cuffed her mane. “She didn’t mean to be mean. You know your grandma loves you.”
“Oh I know, we went out for ice-cream later! I got my favorite, the one with chocolate sprinkles!”
“Oh, I’ll tell you a secret.” Radiant said in a conspiratorial tone.
“What’s that?” Nightshade asked as she leaned in so only she’d hear.
“That’s my favorite too.”
“Really‽”
“Shh, it’s a secret.”
“Oh, sorry,” the little mare stated as she lowered her head, her ears pressed flat against her head.
“Maybe you and mother can go get some tonight?” Dayspring said.
Nightshade looked over, confused. “Tonight? Is she coming up to join us?”
“No young one, we have to send you home early,” Radiant replied, a little said at the prospect. “I’m afraid something’s come up, Dayspring and I have an issue we have to solve.”
“You… you don’t want to hang out with me anymore?” Nightshade asked as her eyes grew wide.
“No, it’s not that. I love hanging out with you, I ju—”
“So you think I’d be a burden?”
“No, I—”
“You think I’d get in the way?”
Radiant opened his mouth to reply, then shut it again. Pausing for a second he looked up at Dayspring and asked, “How am I losing control of this conversation?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re doing great, keep it up,” Dayspring said, his mono-tone and forced straight face all but giving the game away.
Radiant rolled his eyes at him and turned to Nightshade. “Look, we’re going someplace dangerous. We just can’t put you in that sort of danger.”
“But won’t you two be there to protect me?”
“Y-yes, but—”
“Are you saying you can’t do it?”
“Well, no…”
“And you’re going by yourselfs. So that means you haven't told the others?”
“Where are you going with this?”
“Well, I mean, if you’re going someplace sooo dangerous, that you’d be worried about me even with your abilities that means it’s someplace that might endanger you. So if you sent me back early I’d be worried about you too, which means I’d need to tell the others, you know, for your safety.”
Radiant paused and looked up at Dayspring. The light purple unicorn was almost bursting into laughter. “What have you taught her?”
At that he’d lost it. Between laughs he managed to say, “What can I say, she’s a quick learner.”
“So that means you’ll be taking me? Right‽” Nightshade said as she placed a hoof on Radiant’s chest.
“I’m being blackmailed by a ten-year old,” Radiant realized.
“What’s blackmail?” Nightshade asked.
“What you just did, and it’s not a good thing!”
Nightshade looked on in puzzlement at Dayspring. “But you said that it—”
A purple energy latched her mouth shut.
Radiant turned to Dayspring unable to keep his anger out of his voice. “It was you!”
Dayspring simply raised his head up and to the left ever so slightly. “I simply taught her how to see the end result of what other ponies might have missed.”
“You taught her to blackmail ponies to get her way.”
“Nonsense. Pointing out the obvious is never a bad thing.”
“Luna help you, Dayspring,” Radiant said in disbelief.
“Relax okay. She’s right, we can handle whatever comes up.”
“So you’re fine with putting her in danger?”
“Radiant, there’s little we’d encounter that you and I can’t deal with. And should the worst happen I can get all three of us out of there in an instant. And besides, could you really tell that face she can’t go?”
Radiant knew better than to look over, but he couldn’t help himself. Nightshade’s face all but broke his heart. The way her mouth sagged ever so slightly, the hurt look in her eyes, the way her eyelids held open, how her mane fell over the left eye.
He knew then that he’d lost. “Fine…”
“Yeah!” Nightshade shouted as she leapt on him and gave him a huge hug.
“But the first sign of danger, Dayspring. And I mean the first.”
“The first sign of something we can’t deal with easily,” Dayspring confirmed.
“That’s not what I said,” Radiant replied.
“I know, but that’s my offer.”
Radiant glared at him, but nodded.
“Great!” Nightshade exclaimed. “But uhh… where are we going?”
“All that excitement and you don’t even know where?” Radiant asked.
Nightshade let go of Radiant and landed back on the counter. “Oh, I don’t really care. I just wanted to spend more time with you.”
“Young one… you… you… never change.”
“It’s a pinkie-promise!” Nightshade said as she crossed a hoof over her heart and stuck one in her eye.
“Speaking of promises,” Dayspring said as he butt in. “Nightshade, we’re going to the frozen north. We’re going because Radiant had another dream.”
“Oh did the nice mare come back to you?” Nightshade asked as she walked closer to Radiant.
“Not here,” Radiant said as he noticed the cooks looking at the three of them. “Let’s go someplace a bit more private.”
“Your room?” Dayspring asked. When Radiant nodded he powered his horn and in a flash of purple the three of them teleported from the kitchen back to Radiant’s chambers.
“That was sooo cool!” Nightshade said as she started to fly around the room.
“That’s not your first teleport, that’s not even your first teleport this week,” Dayspring replied. “I teleported us up here.”
“Yeah, that was cool too!”
“We were much the same when we were that young,” Radiant said as he gestured Nightshade to join them. The mare came over, but only after finding something on the rug that she nabbed.
“Uncle, this is supposed to go under your pillow,” Nightshade said as she held the bloody tooth up to him. “Not on the floor.”
Radiant took it in his magic. “My fault. Thank you Nightshade.” Then as an afterthought he added, “That doesn’t gross you out?”
“What? The blood? Nah.”
“She is a thestral,” Dayspring added.
“Yep!” Nightshade said, baring her teeth.
Radiant shook his head at that. He’d forgotten her nature. Spending time with her, talking to her, it was so easy to forget that little detail. “I stand corrected,” he said. “And to answer your question. Yes, she did indeed come back, just like you said she would.”
“Oh, I’m happy for you,” Nightshade replied, smiling.
“And kicked your flank,” Dayspring added.
“Dayspring!”
“Wait… but why would she…”
Radiant glared at his friend for several long seconds before turning back to Nightshade. “No, she didn't kick my flank. She simply… educated me using physical means.”
“She hit you?” Nightshade asked.
“She’s not dumb,” Dayspring added.
“Is that what happened with your shoulder? And your tooth?”
“Yes,” Radiant said, giving up on any sort of pretense.
“Did you deserve it?” Nightshade asked.
“Yes.”
“Oh, okay then.”
Radiant looked at her, flabbergasted. “Wait, that’s okay with you?”
“Grandma always says to only beat up ponies that deserve it.”
“What does your other grandma say?”
“She says to only ever use violence as a last resort. That words are your most important weapon, not hooves.”
“And what do you say?” Dayspring asked, the smile on his face already revealing that he knew the answer.
“Well… I don’t know if I could actually ever hurt someone,” Nightshade said as she ran a hoof up her leg, unsure of herself. “Unless they were trying to hurt someone I cared about.”
Radiant cuffed her softly. “That sounds like a good philosophy to me.”
“Me too,” Dayspring replied, pride radiating from him.
“Me three!” Nightshade added, causing her uncles to laugh.
“As I was saying,” Radiant replied after a few seconds. “Yes she came back to me in my dreams, just as you said. She told me that something was wrong. That I was needed in the north, that something was causing her to cross over in her dreams.”
“And we’re going to stop it?” Nightshade asked.
“That’s what she asked me to do,” Radiant said. “More or less.”
“Oh, but… why?”
Radiant looked confused. “Why?”
“Why stop it? Don’t you want to see her in your dreams?” Nightshade asked.
Again Radiant found himself lost for words. Try as he might he couldn’t answer that question. In the end it was Dayspring that solved it for him. “We’re just going to find it, not necessarily stop it. That’s what Firestar asked.”
“Oh, okay then,” Nightshade said.
Radiant glared at the two before saying, “My turn to ask you a question, young lady.”
“What do you want to know?” Nightshade asked.
“How much time do you spend around Dayspring?”
“All the time!” she exclaimed with pride.
Radiant glared at Dayspring, “Brother, you’re a horrible influence on this little pony.”
Nightshade leapt onto Dayspring’s back. “Team Adorkable Horror and Horrible Influence!”
“Besides, I'm teaching her the finer things of life while her parents go on like rabbits.” Dayspring replied, sticking his tongue out at Radiant.
“They want more offspring?” Radiant asked, jaw dropped.
“They just want more of each other, offspring is just a bonus.”
“A gift!” Nightshade said.
Radiant chuckled at that. “Anyway. Let’s get packing. We got a long trip in front of us. Wait… speaking of Taz and Nighttide, are they going to be okay with her coming with us?”
“I see more problems with Taz on that point, but I'm sure Nighttide will keep him from murdering us once we're back,” Dayspring casually answered, snickering. “Probably more fun for him as a treat.”
Radiant sighed. “I have no idea how you can be so calm about this.”
“I knew she was coming the moment you asked me,” Dayspring replied. “We go everywhere together, isn’t that right, kid?”
“Team always together!” Nightshade said with a big hug to her favorite uncle.
“I really have to talk with Nighttide about being a mother,” Radiant snorted.
Dayspring glared at him. “Nighttide is a wonderful mother. And she loves her kids with all her heart, all of them.”
“I can't believe she's trusting you with her filly then,” Radiant poked back, grinning. “You're such a bad influence.”
Dayspring chuckled at that. “I’d say I’m doing just fine. My two came out okay.”
“You sure that's thanks to you and not Luna?” Radiant continued, having trouble holding his laughter now.
“Oh, definitely their mother,” Dayspring said, grinning at Radiant as the two kept exchanging barbs. “As far as influences go, you should see how Taz is around my oldest.”
“Please tell me it's not cunnilingus with his wife.” Radiant facehoofed.
“Don’t worry about that. Luna made clear her expectations regarding that issue.”
“She set his butt on fire, again?”
“Yep,” Dayspring said with a laugh. “Held a torch to him and everything, quite a sight.”
“Tell Luna I love her.” Radiant laughed.
“Lunar Light!” Nightshade shouted out of nowhere. “I almost forgot to get her a present!”
Dayspring turned to Nightshade who’d run off, already bored of this conversation. The little filly never understood adult hangups about stuff like that. So, with the exception of a few chuckles at Radiant’s use of the term cunnilingus to try and hide what he was talking about, as if she didn’t know what that meant, or Dayspring’s insistence on Luna’s conversation with Taz having somehow prevented his oldest from knowing about such things as well, Nightshade simply avoided the conversation altogether. That being said, at the mention of Luna she couldn’t help but think of her best friend in the world: Lunar Light.
“You did promise her, didn’t you?” Dayspring asked.
“Oh my, oh my, oh my, I almost forgot!” Nightshade exclaimed as she started to bounce around the room, looking for something, anything she could get her friend.
When she almost knocked over the third statue Radiant powered his horn and caught her tail with his magic. An ‘umph’ could be heard as she tried to fly out of it, only to fall and hang by it. “Calm down, you haven’t left yet so you haven’t forgotten anything yet. But I seriously doubt she’s going to be interested in anything from the room of an old stallion like mysel—”
Dayspring and Nightshade looked over at him, unsure why he’d paused.
“Actually… how big is Lunar Light?” Radiant asked, somewhat embarrassed by not knowing much about his friend’s oldest foal.
“She’s about twice this one’s size,” Dayspring said, unsure where Radiant was going but gesturing at Nightshade absentmindedly.
“Mom says I’ll be fully grown when I’m good and ready!” Nightshade shouted in a well-rehearsed protest. She’d always been on the small side of the equation, something time seemed to be making worse.
“I might have something for her,” Radiant said as he went to his closet.
Dayspring and Nightshade watched as Radiant went into his walk-in closet, all the way to the back. They saw him sort through and even throw several old and stinky—in Nightshade’s opinion—articles of clothing out until he finally came back with a red box.
“This…” Radiant said as he placed the box on the bed. Using his magic he lifted the lid and unfurled a dress. “Was the dress Firestar wore on our first date.”
It was practical and elegant dark blue dress with sky blue highlights, a dress that seemed like it’d cover everything and nothing all at once. When he unfurled it the wind caught it in just the right light, lighting up everything.
“Wow,” Nightshade gasped.
“Radiant, I’m not sure… I’m not sure this will fit her,” Dayspring said as he reached out a hoof to touch the material.
“She’ll grow into it,” Radiant said.
“She’ll love it!” Nightshade shouted as she took to the air. “But... are you sure?” she asked Radiant. “If this used to belong to someone important to you I don’t want to take it from you.”
“When you give a gift it makes everyone else happy, and that makes you happy too, so everyone is happy,” Radiant replied with a sly smile.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Nightshade shouted as she hugged Radiant again.
“Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Dayspring asked with a grin of his own. He then added, “Seriously though, are you okay with this? I mean, this is a rather special gift.”
Radiant looked down to the dress that Nightshade was carefully spreading out on the bed. For how rambunctious she was, for how much energy she had, she was treating the dress as the greatest treasure in Equestria. He closed his eyes and nodded.
“She looked beautiful in it, and I know she’d hate to just have it sitting in a box in a closet. I think it’ll be a good fit for Lunar Light.”
“She’ll love it,” Nightshade said as she started to lovingly fold the dress up so it could go back in the box. “I’ll put it in my room so I don’t forget it when I get back.”
“You still want to go with us?” Dayspring asked. “I could send you back to her now if you wish.”
Nightshade finished packing up the dress before turning to Dayspring. “And miss going on an adventure with you and uncle Radiant? No thank you. I’m going!”
“She really is taking after you,” Radiant remarked.
“Start packing a bag little missy, cold weather gear!” Dayspring shouted at Nightshade as she left the room to put up the box with the dress inside before he turned to Radiant. “I was never like that when I was young.”
“Oh I don’t mean the young version of you,” Radiant said, chuckling. “I mean this version of you. The version that lives for things like this. The version that likes being the smartest pony in the room.”
“Oh please, I’m not the smartest. Have you met my mom?”
“That’s different,” Radiant said as he turned and grabbed some saddlebags from out of his closet. “Twilight's smart, that’s beyond a doubt. And yeah, she might-might be smarter than you. But you have a tendency to hold it over everyone’s heads, she’s more…”
“Humble?”
“Yeah, somewhat, but more… aware that other ponies don’t like to feel inferior.”
“And I’m a know-it-all that loves to make ponies feel inferior?” Dayspring asked with a raised eyebrow. “And I’m teaching that to Nightshade?”
Radiant came out of his closet and did a double-take when he saw the look on Dayspring’s face. “Oh don’t act offended.”
“Yeah, because what you said wasn’t offensive at all.”
“Oh no it was. Don’t act offended because you know it’s true.”
At that Dayspring’s demeanor changed, he started chuckling. “Damn you’ve gotten smarter, old stallion.”
“Nightshade might be able to pull that one on me, but not you.”
“She’s a special one, isn’t she?” Dayspring said as he watched Radiant turn back into his closet.
“One of a kind,” Radiant replied as he pulled on a winter coat. “And no, you’re not teaching that to her, she’ll never be like you in that way. Rather she’s…”
“She has too kind of a heart.”
“Kind.” Radiant repeated. “She’s simply too kind.”
“How long do you think that’ll last?”
At Dayspring’s question the mood, the conversation turned sour for both of them. It was as if a dark cloud magically appeared in the room.
Radiant didn’t answer right away. He let the silence permeate the room for a long while before coming out of the closet once more, bags packed. He chose his next words very carefully. “Life isn’t… isn’t kind to those who are kind, is it?”
Dayspring shook his head. “No, no it’s not.”
“That’s… that’s why you’re teaching her, isn’t it? Trying to increase her knowledge so she’ll be better armed, when life…”
“If,” Dayspring corrected. “If life…”
“We both know it’s not an ‘if’. But… but she’s got a lot of ponies looking after her,” Radiant replied, trying to liven the mood.
“You know that it won’t help. They won’t stop it. They’ll fail to stop it. That’s just how life works.”
Radiant looked away. “Yeah. I know.”
“And if history repeats itself, they’ll fail her afterwards too,” Dayspring added.
The pain in Dayspring’s voice as he said those words caused Radiant to know that he wasn’t speaking about Nightshade’s friends anymore.
Radiant looked up at Dayspring. The light purple unicorn looked sad, old, and tired. There was hurt in his eyes as he looked at Radiant. Their eyes locked. “Maybe she won’t hide it and sequester herself like I did?” Radiant asked.
“Pain has a way of making smart ponies do dumb things.”
“Yeah… yeah it does.”
After several minutes of silence between the two, Dayspring asked, “Is there anything worse than memories of the past?”
“Worrying about the future?” Radiant asked.
That caused both of them to chuckle.
“Oh, did I miss the joke? Was it good? Can you tell it again?” Nightshade asked as she walked into the room.
Dayspring turned to her as he scanned her bags. As he expected they were jam packed with treats and sweets. He chuckled at her, “I’m afraid it’d take nigh-on seventy years to fully tell.”
“I got time,” Nightshade replied.
Dayspring laughed at that. “How about you help me back my bags, I can tell you a story about how Aurora and I joined the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”
“Oh I love stories!” Nightshade said as she followed Dayspring out of the room.
Dayspring turned his head before he was out of eyesight of Radiant, “Out front in about twenty minutes?”
“Make it thirty,” Radiant replied. “Give me a chance to get something to eat and to come up with an excuse for my absence.”
“Thirty it is,” Dayspring said as he left for his own room, a gleeful Nightshade asking a million-and-one questions about a story he’d not even begun yet.
Radiant smiled at the now empty doorway. He kept smiling for a few seconds after, their conversation echoing down the hallway and to his room.
After that, the silent, empty oppressiveness came back and with its return so did his frown, and these thoughts.
What am I doing? He thought, unsure. Is there really something out there? If so can we even find it? And even if we do find it, what then?
His thoughts weighed heavily on his mind as he took one last look around his room and left. Using his magic, Radiant shut the door behind him as he made his way to the kitchen for a good breakfast.
As the door to his room shut a shiver went down his back. Radiant couldn’t help but think it might very well be the last time he’d be in that room.
Thirty minutes later.
“Uncle!” Nightshade yelled as she flew down the stars and latched onto Radiant.
“It’s been thirty minutes,” Radiant said, smiling as he hugged her.
“Thirty minutes too long!” Nightshade complained as she let go and landed on her hooves right next to the white unicorn.
“Tell you a secret,” Radiant said as he lowered his head to whisper the next part in her ear. “I agree.”
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Dayspring said as he walked down the stairway.
“Waiting? You’re on time as always, brother. I’m the one that finished early and came out to wait for you two here.”
“So that means we did keep you waiting, so sorry is appropriate,” Nightshade chirped in as she took wing and landed on Radiant’s back.
“You should never apologize for doing exactly what you said you were going to do,” Radiant replied.
“What if I say I’ll hit you in the gut?” Dayspring asked as a counterpoint.
“Okay,” Radiant huffed, “You should never apologize for doing exactly what you said you were going to do provided it didn’t hurt anyone.”
“But doesnt making people wait hurt them, mentally?” Nightshade asked.
“How do you mean?” Radiant asked.
“Doesn't it make them feel like you don’t respect them, that your time is more important than theirs?”
Radiant looked from Nightshade to Dayspring. “What are you… why is this…”
“Just accept the apology so we can move on,” Dayspring replied with a grin.
“Fine,” Radiant gave in, unsure just how he’d lost the argument, or for that matter, how the argument came to be in the first place. “But I’m having a talk with Taz once this is all over.”
“Does that mean you’re coming down to visit us?” Nightshade asked, her tone overflowing with joy.
“You act like I’ve never been before.”
“I… I actually don’t remember the last time you’ve been down,” Nightshade said.
“Oh it couldn’t have been that long ago,” Radiant replied, unsure of himself.
“It’s been four years since you’ve last been down to Canterlot,” Dayspring replied.
Radiant looked at him, “Four… years?”
“Lost track?” Dayspring asked.
“Yeah… I guess I have.”
“Oh, they’ll be sooo happy to see you!” Nightshade chirped in.
Radiant paused as he considered what had been said. He’d known he’d lost track of time, but that long? “I’ll… I’ll be happy to see them too.”
“Glad to hear it,” Dayspring replied as he walked up and lightly brushed his coat on Radiant’s. His actions also allowed Nightshade to jump over onto his back. “So, what direction are we heading in anyway?”
Radiant blinked three times in quick succession. His mind jarred by the sudden change in topic but grateful for it all the same. “The north.”
“The north is a cardinal direction, and not the way forward, much less one that’ll get us to a destination. Unless you mean our goal is true north?”
“You need a direction to find a way to reach your destination and achieve your goal!”
Dayspring rubbed her mane playfully for that comment. Nightshade smiled throughout and made quick work of resetting it as soon as he was done.
Radiant chuckled. “No, I don’t think we’re going true north. She pointed out the direction in my dream. Let’s start at the field and we’ll go from there.”
“Journey of a thousand miles,” Dayspring said as he signaled for Radiant to lead the way.
“Starts with a single step!” Nightshade finished.
“Come on you two. We haven’t started our first step yet. We’re just going to the point where we can start our first step!” Radiant yelled from ahead of them.
“Oh,” Nightshade replied.
Dayspring just chuckled as he started walking forward. The three of them made a quick path through the freshly fallen snow. Each with freshly packed saddlebags of supplies and stowed winter coats.
The temperature in the Crystal Empire was cold, but their natural coats were more than enough protection. When they got up north, that’d change, and quickly.
As they stepped onto the field Radiant took a look around. Dayspring and Nightshade watched in silence, an unusual state for one of them. They watched as Radiant retraced his hoofs in his dream. A dream that came back to him clear as day. At last he reached the point in his dream where Firestar disappeared, her last act was to point in the direction she needed them to go.
“That way,” Radiant said as he pointed a hoof off in a north by northwest direction.
Dayspring didn’t ask if Radiant was sure. He simply nodded and lowered his horn in the direction Radiant pointed. A flash of magic later saw a purple energy sphere shoot off from his horn in that very direction.
“Wow… cool!” Nightshade said as she watched him.
Radiant simply nodded his head in agreement. Sure, he was a unicorn with his own magic. He’d been present for many of his kin’s achievements as well, achievements that defied all logic, but there was something about watching Dayspring work that always impressed him.
Dayspring lacked the power or ability of Twilight or Night, nor could he simply will something into existence like Ataxia. Rather, Dayspring’s abilities came from his intelligence, his studying, his smarts. He’d most likely forgotten more than most ponies would learn in their lifetimes. Watching him work was like watching a seasoned master put paint on canvas. It was watching efficiency, not an ounce of magic power wasted, not a single flaw anywhere in his casting.
It was quick, it was clean, and it was utterly effective.
“And with that, we shouldn’t lose our way,” Dayspring said as he turned back to the group.
“Whatcha cast‽” Nightshade asked.
“Nothing much, just a beacon in the sky that’ll stay in place for a week. It’ll prevent us from getting lost and we’ll be able to see it even in the harshest blizzards.”
“Ohhh, how far away is it?” Nightshade held a hoof over her eyes and squint to see it in the distance. Radiant didn’t know why, it was clear to see and would no doubt spook several ponies that saw it. They’d think a new star suddenly appeared, one that could be seen in daylight.
“About seven-hundred miles, give or take a few feet.”
Radiant huffed at that, “Nothing much he says.”
“Oh come on, Twilight or Night could have done something far more impressive with minimum effort. This is something any unicorn could do.” Well, any unicorn married to Princess Luna, those late nights are fun in more ways than one, Dayspring thought.
“Any unicorn with decades of training and experience, plus the natural talent for it,” Radiant corrected.
“Maybe.”
“Plus they’re Gods.”
“Yeah.”
Radiant shook his head. “I’ll never understand why you’re so brazen showing off your intelligence but so modest about your magical abilities. You can and have done amazing things, and you’ve done them in spite of being a ‘normal unicorn’, of not being a God.”
“Maybe he thinks his intelligence is his true gift, and his magic is just a benefit of it?” Nightshade asked.
“Kinda like how your sword skill is your ability and your magical blades are simply an extension of it,” Dayspring said to Radiant as he nuzzled the little pony on his back.
“How do you mean?” Radiant asked, unsure.
“Well, let me ask, what’s your special talent?”
“Sword fighting.”
“Yes, and how skilled are you?”
“Very, or at least I was.” Although maybe I am again with this younger body?
“How many swords could you control, at your best?”
“About sixty.”
“You could fight, effectively, with almost sixty blades all at the same time.”
“Yes. Where are you going with this?”
“That’s very impressive, that takes concentration, skill, and situational awareness the likes of which few ponies could ever hope to match.”
“Okay.”
“Now conjure a single blade in front of us. Don’t think about it, simply create one.”
With no small amount of doubt running through his head, Radiant did as he asked. In a flash of white light a magical blade appeared between the two. It lay horizontally in the air two feet off the ground rotating lazily on its x axis.
Dayspring gave off a respectul whistle as he walked up to inspect it, although if it was genuine or not Radiant couldn’t say.
“Now that is a blade. Look at it, perfectly balanced. The edge,” he paused, scanning it with his magic, “monomolecular sharp. You could cut a building in half with this blade and it’d be just fine afterwards.”
“I have,” Radiant admitted.
“So why don’t you consider this to be your talent? Why isn’t creating weapons like this your pride and joy? Even if they are made out of magic, creating objects like this takes real work, real skill.”
“Because it’s what you do with a blade that matters.”
“Exactly,” Dayspring replied. “Your blade is just a tool, much akin to a painter’s paintbrush, it’s what you can do with it, what a painter can create with it, that’s where the real talent is.”
“But wouldn’t your intellect be the brush then, Uncle Dayspring?” Nightshade asked.
Dayspring turned to her. “Is that what you think?” he asked with a smile. The unicorn lowered his head and closed his eyes. White magic begin building from the bottom of his hooves and traveling up his legs, his back, and to his horn.
Nightshade and Radiant watched as the very air around them darkened, the light sucked into Dayspring’s horn as it channeled more and more energy from the very land itself. After several seconds Dayspring opened his eyes and released the spell.
A gold hoberman sphere the size of a house appeared directly above him. His two travel companions and everypony else lucky enough to be able to view it watched as the sphere rotated on every one of its axes while expanding and contracting with breathtaking beauty.
Dayspring added a second sphere to the display, followed by a third, and then a fourth. Each sphere fit perfectly into the design and they all moved as one, their contractions perfectly synced up with each other.
“B-e-a-utiful,” Nightshade said, awestruck.
“Now tell me, is my magic the paint brush, or the painting?”
“The brush,” Radiant replied, gasping in spite of himself.
“And that’s why I don’t brag about my skills, my ability with magic. Magic, all magic, even that of Mom or Night’s is simply a tool,” Dayspring said as he killed the spell. The spheres hanging above his head vanished, the brightness returning to the sky as they left. “It doesn’t matter how much power you have, what matters is what you do with it.”
“That’s what you used to tell your students,” Radiant said.
“Yes, and I still stand by it to this day.” He turned to Nightshade. “Use the skills you have to paint your own picture, little one. It doesn’t matter what brush you have, what tools are at your disposal, the only thing that matters is what you do with them, what you create with them. Never let anypony tell you otherwise.”
Nightshade nodded her head in agreement. The lesson wasn’t one she fully understood at the time, but it was one that stuck with her.
“Not that this wasn’t informative. But we should get going,” Radiant cut in.
“Yes,” Dayspring agreed before adding. “Are you… are you going to be okay, with your injury and all?”
Radiant turned his head to his bandaged shoulder. “This barely hurts anymore. Besides, I have you with me. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
“If you say so,” Dayspring said before turning back to the direction. “I should be able to teleport us to the horizon, but I don’t want to do more than two a day, just in case.”
“Only two teleports? I thought you were getting stronger, not weaker,” Radiant poked him in the flank at that, teasingly.
“Hardy har. No, I can do more than two, but I don’t want to overextend, just in case…”
Dayspring let the last words hang in the air, something Radiant picked up on to mean ‘just in case something happens, and I need to get us out of there.’ He nodded. “Meh, a little walking would do these old bones some good. How about you, kiddo?”
Nightshade chirped up, “Oh, I don’t mind, I’m not sure how much walking I’ll be doing though.” She added the last bit with a smile.
“More than you expect,” Dayspring said.
“Huh?”
“Nightshade, we’re going into the frozen north. That means snow, which means snow storms. When we get up there we’ll need winter coats. I’ll do my best to keep us warm but there’s no doubt that it’ll affect your ability to fly.”
“Oh,” Nightshade said as she extended her wings and retracted them. Her eyes glancing to one wing and then the other as she did so. “Will I still be able to ride on you?”
“Always,” Dayspring replied with a smile.
“Then let’s go!”
“She’s got a lot of Rainbow in her,” Radiant said with a grin.
“That she does. Although, I think I see more of Taz in her myself,” Dayspring said as he concentrated on the necessary spells. Group long-range teleports to unknown distantinations by ponies that didn’t count themselves in the divinity were advanced to say the least. However for a pony of Dayspring’s skill, they were almost second nature. That being said, his concern was notable, too many such teleports would leave him exhausted, and should that happen at the wrong time the group could be in trouble.
“How do y—” In a flash of magic the group disappeared from the center of the arena and teleported almost five miles north, directly in the direction of the faux star that Dayspring had created earlier. “ou mean?” Radiant finished as the group landed in a location with far more snow, and with it, far more cold.
Dayspring felt Nightshade try and burrow herself deeper into his coat. The biting wind coming as something of a shock to the little one. He concentrated on a heat bubble around the group, warming the air twenty to thirty degrees.
Nightshade relaxed a little. “Thank you,” she all but purred.
“You’re welcome.” Dayspring said as he saw Radiant start to pull his coat out of his bag and put it on. The white unicorn did the same with Dayspring’s, playfully burying Nightshade as he did so.
“Hey, no fair!” Nightshade said as she climbed out from under Dayspring’s coat.
“Deal with it,” Radiant teased as he pulled her coat from Dayspring’s bags and did the same with her. “You’ll need these soon enough. Dayspring’s spell will help, but we’ll never hear the end of it if you get sick.”
Nightshade pouted a little as she tried to worm her way out of the coat. Once she realized that wasn’t going to happen, the little pony gave up her attempts and then tried to fit her bat-wings through the slots on the sides that were normally meant for pegasi.
“You should probably leave them inside your coat,” Dayspring said. “Like I said, you’re not going to be able to fly in this weather and leaving them inside your coat will keep them, and yourself, warmer.”
“Okay,” Nightshade replied as she gave up biting at the coat in an attempt to open it enough. “Now we go forward?”
“Yep,” Dayspring said. “We’ll walk to…” he looked around trying to spot some place higher up to get a better vantage point for the next teleportation. “There.”
Radiant followed Dayspring’s eyes until he saw the same thing his friend had. A taller glacer about two miles away. “Mhh… that should work.”
“It’d be helpful if we knew where we were going.”
“You know what I know,” Radiant replied.
“Maybe ask for more details when you next see her in your dream?”
“Sure, if she visits again.”
“Who?” Nightshade asked as the three started to move forward.
“That’s right, we never actually…”
“Told her.” Radiant finished.
“You… you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Nightshade said as she saw the look of hurt on Radiant’s face. “I’m just happy spending time with you two.”
Radiant couldn’t help but crack a small smile at that. “No, that’s not fair. You’re involved in this too, for better or worse.”
“You remember that mare that came to visit you last night? The one with the tan fur?” Dayspring asked.
“Yeah, she was really nice.”
“That’s my wife,” Radiant said. “My… deceased wife.”
“Your… I was haunted‽ That’s soooo cool!”
Dayspring laughed at that. “No, you weren’t being haunted. It’s…”
“It’s something else,” Radiant finished. “She’s… someone… something has happened to her. Or not to her but something’s occured that’s splitting her, it’s causing her to exist both here and there.”
“Why would someone do that to your wife?” NIghtshade asked.
“That’s why we’re going out here, to find out,” Dayspring said.
“Oh, that makes sense. But… umm… where’s there?”
Radiant looked back to her. “Where’s where?”
“There. You said she existed here and there, if where going where here is, then where’s there?”
“Say that three times fast,” Dayspring joked.
“That-that-that,” Nightshade replied, beaming with pride.
“She’s good,” Radiant said with a smile. “But I get your meaning. You want to know where ‘there’ is, or where she is when she’s not here.”
“Exactly!” Nightshade replied.
“There… there is her Elysium.”
“Elysium?”
“It means paradise,” Dayspring replied. “It’s a place of pure happiness, of joy, one where all your dreams are reality and everything you’ve ever wanted is yours for the taking. When your pass on, when you die, if your soul was pure you go to your Elysium for the rest of eternity.”
“What if your soul isn’t pure?” Nightshade asked.
“That’s nothing you have to worry about, little one,” Radiant replied. “I can promise you that. Of everypony I’ve known in my life, yours is the purest that I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”
“But what about the ones that aren't?” Nightshade pressed the issue, curious and unwilling to drop it.
“They… they go someplace else, someplace not as nice,” Dayspring said.
“Forever?”
Dayspring answered by nodding his head.
“That’s awful!”
Radiant couldn’t help but growl a little at that. “If they’re bad enough to get sent there then they deserve it.”
“Not forever! That’s mean, they shouldn’t be punished for eternity for a few bad choices now!”
“What if those bad choices were killing somepony?” Radiant asked.
“Well… a few years, sure. But no, not forever, not even then.”
“And if someone killed Dayspring? Or even Lunar Light?”
“Radiant,” Dayspring gave him a warning.
“No, I’m curious.”
“I…” Nightshade found herself at a loss for words at that thought.
“Someone, someone evil who’d done almost nothing but bad in their lives. That someone took from you the ponies you love, Dayspring, Lunar, your parents. Where should they go? Should they only be punished for a few years and then get to spend eternity in Elysium?”
“I… umm…” NIghtshade looked down at her hooves.
“Radiant, you’re pushing too far,” Dayspring said.
“Consider that, someone took from you everyone you loved, they murdered them, you’ll never see them again. What would you do?” Radiant asked. The tears in his own eyes told Dayspring that Nightshade had touched a very tender nerve and he wasn’t thinking straight.
When there was no answer Radiant added, “Consider that for a while.”
“Enough,” Dayspring all but yelled. “Let’s just walk forward in silence for a while.”
Silence descended on the group. Dayspring walking slightly behind Radiant. Every few feet he found himself checking on Nightshade. The little pony somehow felt even lighter than she normally did on his back. Dayspring found himself feeling sorry for her at Radiant’s actions, sorry for Radiant at how awful he must feel for going off on her like that, sorry for Radiant that the conversation had even went there, and mad at Radiant for losing his cool like he had. It was rare for Dayspring not to know what to say, so he said nothing.
Radiant was in much the same boat. When his anger subsided he started to kick himself for what he’d said, for how much he knew he bucked up. He couldn’t help but feel like he’d stolen something from Nightshade, something that could never be given back. However he couldn’t bring himself to look back at what he knew must be a shooken filly.
When the silence itself became worse than the feeling in his chest, Radiant spoke. “Nightshade, I’m—”
“I still wouldn’t want them to suffer forever.”
The group paused. Radiant and Dayspring both looked back at her. “What?” Dayspring asked.
“Even if they took everyone from me. I wouldn’t want them to suffer forever. Forever is forever, and that’s not right.” There were tears falling down her eyes as she spoke, but the resolve in her eyes was unmistakable. “I would be reunited with the ones they took from me when I pass on, so if I don’t suffer forever, why should they?”
“Nightshade, you don’t—”
“No, you don’t understand, forever is forever. That’s not right. Everyone deserves as many chances as it takes to make the right choice! Once you put somepony in a place like that, you’re saying they have no more chances, that they can’t be helped, no matter what, ever, and that’s not right!”
“You’d hate them for doing it,” Radiant said with tears in his own eyes.
“Hate’s a poison you choose to drink, Uncle Radiant. Forgiveness is the only antidote.”
At her words Radiant turned and glared at Dayspring. For his part Dayspring just shrugged his shoulders ever so slightly; a clear acknowledgement that yes, he did indeed teach her that, and that he didn’t think she was wrong.
Radiant didn’t say any more on the subject. He simply walked up to Nightshade and wrapped her in a large hug, one that showed her just how sorry he was for making her cry, for saying the things he had.
Nightshade returned it with all the strength she had, the force of which surprised Radiant as he felt a few of his bones adjust ever so slightly. The two held the embrace for a long while until Dayspring broke it up. “You’re kinda heavy,” he said, the weight of Radiant’s frame holding onto a small pony on his back taking its toll.
Radiant let go, “Sorry.”
Dayspring just nodded. Nightshade surprised them both by jumping from Dayspring’s back to Radiant’s. Radiant nuzzled her ever so softly before they continued on their way.
A few minutes back into their journey, with Nightshade cuddling softly into his back, Radiant spoke, “I think I see what you mean.”
“About what?” Dayspring asked.
“About her being like Taz.”
Dayspring nodded. “She’s got his determination, his drive.”
“And his character,” Radiant added.
“Dad’s the greatest!” Nightshade chirped in.
“Yes, yes he is,” Dayspring said as he reached over and ruffled her mane again.
As the group continued, Dayspring couldn’t help but reflect upon just how happy that conversation had made him. He had respect for his baby brother that few others in his family shared. They were too quick to define Taz by his relationship to his wife, Nighttide. They judged him for it, for how much him and his wife enjoyed each other, physically.
It was easy to see why. Nighttide was unbashful and sexually aggressive and in Taz she found a partner that was more than happy to go along for the ride. Those were a combination of traits that tended to make those around Nighttide and Taz uncomfortable. Dayspring suspected that part of their judgement of her and Taz was rooted in jealousy.
He knew that to be a fact in Ataxia’s case, the mare had said as much, and often.
However that was simply one aspect of Taz. His character, his drive, his motivation was what truly defined him. Dayspring had known the stallion for most of his life, in one form or another. Taz was honrorable, trustworthy, kind, stoic, loyal, and if Dayspring was being honest, quite the fighter. He was all this and more.
Taz had always impressed Dayspring. His spirit, his determination to be a stallion of his word, to always do the right thing, these things only seemed to increase as time went on and he added loving father and husband to his already impressive list of traits.
That was the Taz that Dayspring knew, the one he admired. And, as the conversation had just verified, the one that Nightshade knew as well.
True, he suspected, quite correctly, that Nightshade probably knew way more about sex than she should, but it didn’t seem to have any negative impact on her at all. If anything it seemed to verify his own personal viewpoint that foals are as mature as you let them be.
It was that viewpoint that caused him to be far more honest around their kids than others might like. His policy was to never lie, to never sugarcoat the truth more than absolutely necessary. He’d always answer any question as honestly as he could. That policy had bought him a fair share of scorn, especially from Twilight, Shimmering Night, Luna, and Aurora, but it’d also bought him the respect of the kids. Flash, Blaze, Vela, Starlight, and even Echoside had learned over the years that if they asked him a question, any question, he’d tell them the truth without judgement where others might lie.
As such when he continued that policy with their kids, none of them said anything about it to him. He wasn’t sure when he took on the role of confidant, of the wise uncle, but he couldn’t deny that the role fits him like a glove. Even if it did cause him to know far more about his family then he ever thought he would.
Not that he considered it a bad thing. Knowledge wasn’t inherently good or bad, it was what you did with it that matters. And he’d never betray the trust he’d built up with everyone. Such trust took decades to establish and only seconds to destroy, something he knew all too well.
“You weren’t joking,” Radiant whispered to Dayspring as the group made their way to the high point. “She’s not dumb, naive, but not dumb.”
“Told you so” Dayspring added. “I can’t take the credit though. That goes to her parents. She’s intelligent, more so than most ponies I know.”
“From you that’s quite a compliment.”
“She’s also not that naive.”
“You—you agree with her then?”
“I do.”
Radiant thought about that for a while. Finally he shook his head, unable to comprehend the logic. “How?”
Dayspring looked at him. “Mother.”
“Rainbow?”
“Yes,” he said. “She’s the one that showed me just that.”
“Wait, so Nightshade got that from her?”
Dayspring shook his head. “No, she’s just arrived at the same conclusion. Rainbow Dash, the fastest mare in the world, the one that killed a God. She forgave, or did you forget it?”
“You’re talking about Tartarus?”
Dayspring nodded. “Yes. She forgave him, vouched for him at the end of our battle, or did you forget?”
“That’s not what she said, she said that she’d never forgive him!”
“Words Radiant, those were words. What were her actions?”
“She…” Radiant thought about it, understanding began growing in his eyes.
“A pony will lie through their teeth, but their actions will always show their true intentions. I’ve studied up on what happened, on how he killed mom. On what he took from my family, my friends. I know that Rainbow was there, that she sunk the sickle directly into his skull. It doesn’t take a genius to know how the great Rainbow Dash would feel about someone that did what Tartarus did. And yet, when Tartarus was looking at a second death in the chamber of the sands of time, it was Rainbow Dash that came to his defence. She’s vouched for him to the three primordial Gods that were deciding his fate. She forgave him, she forgave the one that took her love from her.”
“I’m not… I’m not that strong,” Radiant replied as he lowered his head.
“It’s okay, uncle Radiant, don’t be sad,” Nightshade said as she started to lightly stroke his red mane.
“I suspect that few of us are,” Dayspring replied as he magically lifted Nightshade from Radiant’s back and placed her on his own. The metaphoric action not lost on either of them. Neither was Nightshade’s actions when she leapt right back onto Radiant’s back and gave him a huge hug.
“Don’t be sad, I’m not mad at you,” she said, hugging him tightly.
“Actions will always speak the truth. Who you help, what you spend your time on, how you treat others, how you handle the good, and the bad. Those reveal your true intentions. What you think matters, who you think matters, not your words. Talk is cheap. You make time for the things that matter to you and excuses for the things that don’t.”
“I make time for everyone!” Nightshade exclaimed proudly.
“Yes you do. Sadly, I… I did not. Radiant I don’t blame you, I don’t judge you for how you feel. I blame myself.”
Radiant pulled his head back at that. “I’m my own pony, Day. My choices are my own responsibility, not yours.”
Dayspring shook his head. “You’re right, and wrong. Yes we are each ultimately responsible for our own choices, but none of us live in isolation and there’s not a single pony who gets through life on their own. We all stumble and fall, and that’s why we have friends who are supposed to be there for us, ones that should see something’s wrong and help us when we need it. That was my job, and… and I failed you. And no, the irony of the son of the Princess of Friendship being a bad friend is not lost on me.”
“You couldn’t have known.”
“I suspected. Three years ago when I last saw you, in Warclaw. I suspected. I saw you, I just thought… I thought you were just feeling bad about Blaze leaving.”
“I was,” Radiant replied.
“It was more than that though. I should have pushed further.”
“That feels like a lifetime ago. But like I said, I’m done with that.” Radiant forced a stiff upper lip as he pressed forward.
“You don’t have to lie, uncle Radiant. It’s okay to feel sad,” Nightshade replied.
“Not you too,” Radiant said, sighing.
“I know what you said, and I’ll restate what I said, we both know that it’s not that easy. The past… the demons that live there, they don’t ever leave us. They’re a part of us, forever.”
“Especially when your friends don’t let it go,” Radiant replied, a little annoyed to still be the center of attention.
Dayspring shook his head. “Letting it go is what got us here. You can’t do it alone, no one can. Life just doesn’t work like that.”
“It’s lonely to be alone,” Nightshade said as she continued rubbing his mane.
“That too,” Dayspring said, smiling a friendly smile. One that fell away when Radiant didn’t return it. Realizing that he was pushing too far too fast, Dayspring turned to Nightshade and said, “Why don’t you tell Radiant everything that you got for Heartwarming Eve?”
Radiant plucked up a little as Nightshade started to ramble on, eager to tell not just who gave her what, but also how she shared all her gifts with everyone else, spreading the happiness around. Dayspring only half paid attention to the filly’s musing. He concentrated on their path forward and occasionally stole glaces of his friend.
To Dayspring, Radiant looked happy, well, happier then he had yesterday anyway. He could tell that Radiant was internalizing at least some of their conversation. That being said his friend was still hurting, that much Dayspring could read. There was a defeat in Radiant’s walk, a resignation to him, one that Dayspring knew wouldn’t go away over a weekend no matter what was said.
You’ve convinced yourself that you’re done with the pity party. But that’s just as dangerous as what you were doing before. It’s not that easy, you know it and I know it. Life just doesn’t work that way. Luna, how do I help you? What more can I say?
If there was an answer, Dayspring couldn’t think of it; however, he did see they were almost at their destination. He interrupted Nightshade’s story by clearing his throat. “We’re almost there.”
Radiant turned from Nightshade and looked forward, seeing the glacier edge in front of them. “Time sure flies, huh?”
“We’re going up there?” Nightshade asked.
“Yep. Nightshade why don’t you come over to me. I think Radiant should take this part,” Dayspring said with a smile.
Radiant looked over at him, confused. What are you planning? You could get us up there easily.
“Why don’t you carve us a path?” Dayspring asked with a wink as Nightshade hopped over to his back.
Ahh, you’re giving me a chance to show off, he thought. “Alright, I think I can manage that,” Radiant added as he turned to the glacer face.
“Watch carefully, kiddo,” Dayspring said with a smile.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Nightshade replied.
The pair watched as the white unicorn with the red mane approached the glacer. Dayspring couldn’t help but notice an air of confidence that seemed to exuberant from his friend. He knew why this was Radiant in his element, doing what he was born to do, what he trained to do, what he lived to do.
Radiant rotated his left forward hip, and then his right, barely noticing the slight pain from his torn ligament. If anything the slight shooting pain only served to revergerate him from the cold that much more. Something that had come back tenfold as soon as he’d stepped away from Dayspring’s circle of protection.
Nightshade’s eyes went wide as she saw Radiant conjure a blade, then another, and another. The magical energy of their creation just as impressive to the young mare as it had been in the stadium earlier that day.
She blinked and lost track of them. “Dayspring, where did they go?”
“Up there,” Dayspring said, his eyes on the glacier itself.
Nightshade stranded her eyes, seeing only flashes of light that’d spark into existence for an instant before disappearing. “What?”
“Watch, carefully,” Dayspring added.
Nightshade strained even more until she could make out a pattern in the flashes. She gasped as she watched Radiant’s work. With lightning-quick flashes of his blades, Radiant was carving out a ramp in the ice.
“Wow…” NIghtshade gasped.
“Oh, he's not done yet,” Dayspring said.
Radiant upped his game. WIth an additional three blades he began work carving from the top down, two more saw the beginnings of a ramp to slide away the small blocks of ice his work was leaving behind, another ten began carving out a flight of stairs for them to comfortably take.
Dayspring hadn’t lied earlier when he complimented Radiant’s blades. They truly were a thing of beauty, but even he was slightly taken aback by how much control Radiant maintained over the blades. They grew and shrunk according to Radiant’s will, becoming small enough for detail work one second, and large enough to leave twenty foot slashes in the ice the next.
That level of control, of dedication, of concentration, it was the mark of somepony that had truly mastered his craft, his talent.
All in all, it took Radiant thirty minutes before he finally powered down his horn and returned to the group. The sweat on his face had already begun to freeze, but even still he looked satisfied to no end.
“A work of art,” Dayspring said.
“It’s a painting,” Nightshade said with a huge grin as she jumped down from Dayspring’s back, played a quick, impromptu game of leap frog through the snow, and jumped up to hug Radiant with all her might.
“Thanks,” Radiant replied, smiling. He looked back, taking in his work fully. In truth he expected that he could have finished in half the time, but opportunities like this didn’t happen every day and he couldn’t help but put a little artistic flare on it.
While he’d never claim to be an artist, he was happy with the overall result.
“The mural of Nightshade might have been a little much,” Dayspring said as he admired the ten foot decoration Radiant had carved in the stairwell.
“That’s the best part!” Nightshade yelled in protest.
“I agree,” Radiant replied as he ran his hoof over her mane again.
“Still, what you’ve created here Radiant, it’s amazing. This… this is something that may last years.”
“Thanks,” Radiant replied as he began to appreciate his work in that new context.
Dayspring concentrated, building power in his horn and releasing it in a wave of purple energy. Nightshade blinked clear the after-image before asking, “What’d you do?”
“Oh, I just ensured that it’ll last a little longer. I think work like this should be appreciated for more than a few years.”
“How long?” Radiant asked.
“A few… centuries.”
“Damn Dayspring.”
“That’s a bad word!”
Dayspring just ignored Nightshade’s protest. “What are you going to name it?”
“Name?” Radiant asked.
“It’s a fixture now. Needs to be on the map, so that means it needs a name. What are you going to call it?” Dayspring asked.
“I… I don’t know.”
“Can I name it?” Nightshade asked.
Radiant looked at her, “Sure, little one. What do you want to call it?”
“The Star Crossing,” Nightshade said.
“Why the Star Crossing?” Dayspring asked.
“Well, we’re following a star,” Nightshade replied, pointing a hoof up at the faux star they were following to their destination. “And it was created by uncle Radiant Star.”
Radiant was floored by that, with just how well the name seemed to fit, but more so with just how honored he felt that she’d name it after him. “I think that’s a great name,” he replied as he nuzzled her ever so softly in thanks.
“Thanks,” Nightshade said proudly. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it,” Radiant said back. “Dayspring, I think I owe you an apology.”
“Oh? About what?” Dayspring asked cooly as the group made their way up Star Crossing.
“You’re a great influence on her after all.”
“Told you,” Dayspring replied adding a small raspberry for good measure.
Radiant chuckled at that before turning to Nightshade. “Maybe you’re the bad influence.”
“Yep!” Nightshade replied proudly. Her response caused the group to break out in laughter.
The three made their way up the slope of Star Crossing. In spite of himself, Radiant couldn’t help but take pride in his creation. The slope was just the right angle to promote safe travel without risk of slipping and falling down. And with Dayspring’s enhancement any snow that fell upon it would simply melt away, ensuring that it’d last for ages.
They reach the top of the slope in five minutes, their new vantage point granting them greater clarity of the next leg of their journey. Something that caused Radiant to sigh, loudly, when no obvious end goal presented itself.
“Did you think it’d be that easy?” Dayspring asked.
“Hoping...” Radiant replied.
“You’re old enough to know that nothing is that easy,” Dayspring replied. “If it was it wouldn’t be worth doing.”
“Why’s that?” Nightshade asked.
“Because anyone could do it,” Dayspring said back. “And if anyone can do it then it doesn’t take any talent to get it done.”
NIghtshade cocked her head ever so slightly. “That’s kinda’ rude.”
That took Dayspring aback. “How do you mean?”
“Well, it implies that tasks that can be completed by anyone aren’t worth your time, that you’re somehow above such tasks, that you’re somehow better than everyone else.”
“Wait… that’s not what...“
Radiant chuckled under his breath as he said, “She’s got you there.”
Dayspring rolled his eyes at Radiant. “Okay, let me rephrase. Easy tasks solve easy problems, hard tasks solve hard problems. If a problem is hard, we don’t expect it to have an easy solution, because if it did it would already be solved.”
“You sure that’s not just a lack of imagination on the part of the solver?” Radiant asked.
“Radiant, shut up,” Dayspring said.
“Uncle, don’t be mean!” Nightshade protested as she rapped him on the back of the head.
“You heard her, uncle. Don’t be mean,” Radiant said, teasing him.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” Dayspring said in defeat.
“And what are you sorry for?” Nightshade asked.
This time Radiant broke out in full on laughter. Dayspring sighed even louder. “I’m sorry I was mean to you Radiant, I won’t tell you to shut up again, around Nightshade,” he said the last part under his breath.
“That’s better,” Nightshade said with a smug grin.
“I agree,” Radiant confirmed.
Quick to change the subject, Dayspring glanced around and smiled when he saw their next destination. “That should work,” he said, forcing the other two to divert their attention.
“What?” Radiant asked as he looked in the direction Dayspring was. “Oh, that.” What they saw was the tip of a peak out in the distance. With their extra height from being on top of the glacier and the height of the peak, the group could see further than the five miles from before. It was easily thirty miles away from their current position. “It’s a good spot, but looks cold.”
“Not more cold,” Nightshade complained.
“It’s called the frozen north for a reason,” Dayspring said. “But that’ll be it for today.”
“What do you mean?” Radiant asked.
“Two teleports, like I said, that’s all I can do for traveling. I need to make sure I don’t overextend, just in case.”
“Seems like a waste of the rest of the day, couldn’t we just travel by hoof afterwards?”
Dayspring shook his head. “Up there the snow will be built up higher than Nightshade. The extra energy it took to transverse it would be spent at little to no real gain in distance traveled. We’ll be limited to teleports from that point on.”
Radiant rolled his eyes but nodded. He disagreed, again, but that didn’t stop Dayspring from being right, again.
Dayspring used his magic to tighten the coat around Nightshade and strengthen the warmth spell around the group. “You two ready?”
“Ready!” Nightshade exclaimed.
“Ready,” Radiant said in a muted tone.
In a flash of magic the group was gone, teleported away to a much colder, much more dangerous place in a journey whose destination they could never have foreseen.